Operation Coronado IV

Operation Coronado IV was the fourth of the Operation Coronado series of riverine military operations conducted by the Mobile Riverine Force of the United States and elements of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam, designed to shut down Vietcong strongholds in the Mekong Delta.^[1] It ran from 19 August to 9 September 1967. It took place in Long An, Go Cong and Kien Hoa Provinces (now Long An and Ben Tre Provinces).^[2]

Operation

On 20 August the American assault craft left the Soi Rap and Vam Co River anchorage of the Mobile Riverine Force's main base just after midnight and landed their troops at 0904 in the target area north of Ben Luc on the Vam Co Dong (Vam Co East) River, after travelling more than 50 km. kilometers. Because the waterways off the Vam Co Dong in the target area were not navigable by the vessels,^[3] the two infantry battalions were landed to move west and search the area on foot. Company C of the 3d Battalion, 47th Infantry remained at a pickup zone near the fire support base at Ben Luc as an airmobile reserve. To intercept communist forces, the 334th Aviation Company's supporting gunships maintained surveillance of the areas forward of the infantry battalions.^[4]

At 1400 the movement of the 3d Battalion, 47th Infantry forced a communist platoon to retreat from a lightly fortified area. The gunships were then ordered by the battalion commander to open fire on Vietcong attempting to evade contact with the ground troops, and the 3d Battalion, 47th Infantry, was brought in by helicopter to attack the communists, encountering mostly sniper fire and collateral damage from US helicopter fire. The Americans found 34 communist bodies and documents that identified the communists as part of the 506th Local Force Battalion.^[4]

The Americans believed they had succeeded because of the surprise achieved by the ground troops in disembarking from the boats landing from the river, forcing the communists into open terrain where helicopters could attack them. During the phase of the operation at Ben Luc, which ended on 22 August, the Mobile Riverine Force suffered six wounded and the communists 59 dead.^[4]

For the remainder of August and the first week of September, the Mobile Riverine Force operated in Can Giuoc District, encountering minor communist resistance. On 7 and 8 September the force operated in conjunction with the 1st Brigade, 9th Division, in the southeastern part of Nhơn Trạch District of Bien Hoa Province and the northeastern part of the Rung Sat Special Zone. They did not encounter many communists but a cache containing medical supplies, eight crew-served weapons, and 97 small arms was discovered. As the second week of September began, the force prepared to return to Dinh Tuong Province in IV Corps further south.^[4]

See also

• Operation Coronado
• Operation Coronado II
• Operation Coronado V
• Operation Coronado IX
• Operation Coronado XI

Notes

1. ^ Fulton, pp. 50–150.
2. ^ Fulton, p. 125.
3. ^ Fulton, p. 126.
4. ^ ^{a b c d} Fulton, p. 127.

References

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.

• Fulton, William B. (1985). Riverine Operations 1966–1969. United States Army Center of Military History. http://www.history.army.mil/books/vietnam/riverine/.