Operation Utah Mesa was a
United States Marine Corps
The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force service branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for conducting expeditionary and amphibious operations through combi ...
,
United States Army
The United States Army (USA) is the land warfare, land military branch, service branch of the United States Armed Forces. It is one of the eight Uniformed services of the United States, U.S. uniformed services, and is designated as the Army o ...
and
Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) operation in northwest
Quảng Trị Province,
South Vietnam from 12 June to 6 July 1969.
Background
In late May, intelligence gained during Operation Cameron Falls and from sensor and reconnaissance reports indicated that the
People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 24th Regiment of the
304th Division had infiltrated Quảng Trị Province near the
Khe Sanh
Khe Sanh is the district capital of Hướng Hoá District, Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam, located 63 km west of Đông Hà.
During the Vietnam War, the Khe Sanh Combat Base was located to the north of the city. The Battle of Khe San ...
plateau. ''Task Force Hotel'' which was responsible for this area of Quảng Trị Province ordered the formation of ''Joint Task Force Guadalcanal'', comprising
1st Battalion, 9th Marines
The 1st Battalion 9th Marines (1/9) was an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Formed during World War I, it served until the mid-2000s when it was deactivated to make room for one of three light armor reconnaissance battalions ...
, and ''Task Force Mustang'', comprising Companies B and C,
1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) and Company B
1st Battalion, 77th Armored Regiment of the
1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) operating with the ARVN
2nd Regiment to sweep the area.
Operation
The operation began on 12 June with the 1/9 Marines landed by helicopter at Landing Zone Bison () and
Hill 950
Hill 950 (also known as Hickory Hill Mission Support Site, Hickory Hill MSS, Hickory Hill Radio Relay Site or Lemon Tree) was a U.S. Marine Corps and MACV-SOG base located north of Khe Sanh, in Quảng Trị Province.
History
The base was loca ...
, while the ARVN 3rd Battalion, 2nd Regiment was landed at Firebase Quantico (); both battalions were to sweep west towards Khe Sanh.
On 13 June the ARVN 2nd Battalion, 2nd Regiment was landed at Landing Zone Cokawa, north of Hill 950. On 15 June Company D 1/9 Marines was landed at Landing Zone Horn () to secure the advance of ''Task Force Mustang'' west along
Route 9 towards Khe Sanh.
[
At 03:35 on 18 June over 100 soldiers from the PAVN 24th Regiment attacked Company B 1/61st Infantry's night defensive position east of ]Lang Vei
The Battle of Lang Vei (Vietnamese: ''Trận Làng Vây'') began on the evening of 6 February 1968 and concluded during the early hours of 7 February, in Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam. Towards the end of 1967, the 198th Tank Battalion o ...
penetrating the perimeter. When they withdrew at dawn the PAVN left behind 41 dead while U.S. losses were 11 dead. Later that day a reconnaissance patrol from Company C 1/9 Marines patrolling 3 km southeast of Khe Sanh was ambushed by entrenched PAVN with three Marines killed by machine gun fire, the ambushed platoon was recovered by the rest of Company C and they overran the PAVN position.[
On 20 June the PAVN launched 3 separate attacks against a Company B, 1/61st Infantry and Company D, 1/9 Marines position. The attacks were repulsed with air and artillery support resulting in 27 PAVN killed.][
On 22 June 1/9 Marines was replaced by ]3rd Battalion, 9th Marines
The 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines (3/9) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Formed during World War I it served until the early 1990s when it was redesignated as 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4) during a realignment and ren ...
.[
At 01:30 on 24 June 2 PAVN platoons attacked Company K, 3/9 Marines' night ambush position south of Route 9, the Marines retreated to the main Company position which then came under attack in an attack which last until dawn. On the night of 26 June Company K, 3/9th Marines' night defensive position was attacked again by an estimated two companies of PAVN, which was repulsed within yhree hours. PAVN losses in both attacks were 41 dead. On the night of 27 June 2 PAVN companies attacked Company I, 3/9 Marines position east of Lang Vei, losing 22 killed.][
On 2 July ]2nd Battalion, 9th Marines
2nd Battalion, 9th Marines (2/9) was an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Formed during World War I, the unit played an instrumental role in the defeat of the Japanese forces in the Battles of Guam and Iwo Jima during World ...
reopened Firebase Spark (), 14 km south of Khe Sanh.[ The PAVN soon began shelling the base; 2/9 Marines patrolled the surrounding area forcing the PAVN to withdraw.][
]
Aftermath
On 6 July the 2/9 Marines and 3/9 Marines returned to Vandegrift Combat Base
Vandegrift Combat Base (also known as FSB Vandegrift and LZ Stud) is a former U.S. Army, U.S. Marine Corps, and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) base north of Ca Lu in Quảng Trị Province, Vietnam.
History
1968
LZ Stud was originally ...
in preparation for the 9th Marine Regiment's redeployment from South Vietnam ending Operation Utah Mesa. U.S claimed the PAVN losses were 309 killed.[
]
References
{{DEFAULTSORT:UtahMesa, Operation
Utah Mesa
United States Marine Corps in the Vietnam War
Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1969
History of Quảng Trị province