Operation Texas (Vietnam)
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Operation Texas was a
US 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 ...
and
Army of the Republic of Vietnam The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN; ; french: Armée de la république du Viêt Nam) composed the ground forces of the Republic of Vietnam Military Forces, South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon in April ...
(ARVN) operation that took place northwest of
Quảng Ngãi Quảng Ngãi () is a city in central Vietnam. It serves as the capital city of Quảng Ngãi Province. Quảng Ngãi City borders Tư Nghĩa District to the south and west, Sơn Tịnh District to the northwest and Bình Sơn District to the ...
, lasting from 20–25 March 1966.


Prelude

On the night of 18/19 March the
Vietcong , , war = the Vietnam War , image = FNL Flag.svg , caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green. , active ...
1st Regiment overran the ARVN 936th Regional Force Company outpost at Hill 141 northwest of Quảng Ngãi, the ARVN 2nd Division commander General Lãm decided to send a reaction force to retake the outpost. The 120 man ARVN force collected from Quảng Ngãi by helicopters from
HMM-261 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 261 (VMM-261) is a United States Marine Corps tiltrotor squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport aircraft. The squadron, known as the "Raging Bulls", is based at Marine Corps Air Station (MCAS) New River, ...
, but as they approached the outpost they were met with heavy machine gun fire damaging 8 of 10 helicopters and only 3 helicopters were able to land to offload their troops. Given the heavy fire encountered the decision was made to abort the operation and while Marine jets bombed the outpost, the helicopters returned to evacuate the ARVN troops. General Lãm then approached the
3rd Marine Division The 3rd Marine Division is a division of the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Courtney, Marine Corps Base Camp Smedley D. Butler in Okinawa, Japan. It is one of three active duty infantry divisions in the Marine Corps and together with th ...
commander General
Wood B. Kyle Wood Barbee Kyle (March 3, 1915 – October 25, 2000) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general. Kyle received two Silver Stars for gallantry in action during Pacific Campaign in World War II ...
to mount a joint operation to retake the outpost. On 19 March General Lãm and Colonel
Oscar F. Peatross Oscar Franklin Peatross (March 2, 1916 – May 26, 1993) was a highly decorated officer of the United States Marine Corps with the rank of Major general (United States), major general who served as Marine Raider in World War II and was awarde ...
planned an operation similar to the recently concluded Operation Utah. The plan called for the
3rd Battalion 7th Marines The 3rd Battalion 7th Marine Regiment (3/7) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and consist of approximately 800 Marines. The battalion falls u ...
and the ARVN 5th Airborne Battalion to be deployed by helicopters, 4 km west of Hill 141 and advance east in 2 columns to retake the Hill.


Operation


20 March

On the morning of 20 March after preparatory air and artillery strikes, helicopters from
Marine Aircraft Group 36 Marine Aircraft Group 36 (MAG-36) is an active air group of the United States Marine Corps, tasked with providing assault support aircraft. It is currently part of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW), itself an integral part of the III Marine ...
landed the Marine and ARVN units at the landing zone west of Hill 141 and began moving east. Company I 3/7 Marines was landed on Hill 141 where they found the bodies of 31 of the defenders. In the afternoon, Colonel Paul X. Kelley, commander of the 2nd Battalion 4th Marines, one of the operation's reserve units visited the 7th Marines command post and suggested that the Vietcong may have moved east from Hill 141 towards the coast and it was decided that this area should be searched.


21 March

On the morning of 21 March 3/7 Marines moved southeast from Hill 141, 2/4 Marines was landed by helicopter southeast near the hamlet of Phuoc Dinh (2), while the ARVN 2nd Battalion 5th Regiment and an APC Company advanced southwest from Binh Son and the 3rd Battalion 5th Regiment advanced northwest from the direction of Quảng Ngãi. The helicopters carrying 2/4 Marines were met with heavy machine gun fire and Company F, the first to land had to repulse Vietcong attacks on the landing zone. Artillery fire was called in on Phuoc Dinh (2) and at 12:30 2/4 Marines began their attack on the village with Company D attacking from the north and Companies E and F attacking east. As the Marines began their assault on the village helicopter gunships from
VMO-6 Marine Observation Squadron 6 (VMO-6) was an observation squadron of the United States Marine Corps which saw extensive action during the Battle of Okinawa in World War II and the Korean and Vietnam Wars. The squadron was the first Marine Corps h ...
saw numerous Vietcong moving within defensive positions and the Marines were met by intense small arms fire. Company E penetrated the first layer of defenses but soon discovered 3 more lines of bunkers and barbed wire, while Company D was unable to penantrate the defenses. The 2/4 Marine command group was caught in a crossfire which killed or wounded 14 Marines and COL Kelley called for napalm strikes immediately in front of his positions. By 16:00 51 airstrikes and 1346 artillery rounds had been directed against the Vietcong positions and 2/4 Marines were able to disengage. Approximately 2 km north of Phuoc Dinh (2), 3/7 Marines encountered an estimated 2 Companies of Vietcong in bunker positions, after a 3-hour battle the Vietcong broke contact. At 16:00 the operational reserve
3rd Battalion 1st Marines 3rd Battalion 1st Marines (3/1) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Camp Horno on Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. Nicknamed the "Thundering Third", the battalion consists of approximately 1,220 ...
and the ARVN 2nd Division Strike Company were deployed by helicopter to Xuan Hoa hamlet 1.5 km southeast of Phuoc Dinh (2). As they approached the landing zone a UH-34 from
HMM-163 Marine Medium Tiltrotor Squadron 163 (VMM-163) is a United States Marine Corps helicopter squadron consisting of MV-22 Osprey transport tiltrotors. The squadron, known as "Evil Eyes", is based at Marine Corps Air Station Miramar, California and fa ...
was hit by machine gun fire and crashed killing 7 Marines and 3 crew. As they approached Xuan Hoa the force encountered well entrenched Vietcong who engaged them until nightfall when they slipped away. North of Phuoc Dinh (2), the ARVN 5th Airborne and APC Company encountered a Vietcong Battalion near the hamlet of Khanh My (3), the Vietcong repulsed two ARVN attacks immobilising 9 M113s.


22 March

Brigadier General
Lowell English Lowell Edward English (July 8, 1915 – September 29, 2005) was a highly decorated officer in the United States Marine Corps with the rank of major general who served in World War II, Korea and Vietnam. He is most noted for his service as ass ...
assumed command of the Marine forces, now renamed Task Force Delta. The Marines and ARVN resumed their attack at dawn but encountered little opposition as the Vietcong had slipped away during the night. The bodies of 168 Vietcong dead were found in Phuoc Dinh (2). BG English decided to extend the operation towards the south.


23 March

In the afternoon 3/7 Marines was lifted by helicopter 9 km south to Phuoc Loc village. As the Marines advanced on the village they were met by well-entrenched Vietcong in a battle that lasted until nightfall. The Marines called in supporting fire and over 2000 artillery rounds were dropped on the village.


24 March

In the morning 3/7 Marines secured the village, the Vietcong had once again slipped away during the night using an extensive tunnel network. The Marines had lost 7 dead and 56 wounded while Vietcong losses were estimated at 60 dead. Northeast of Phuoc Loc the ARVN engaged a Vietcong force killing 40.


Aftermath

Operation Texas concluded on 25 March, the Marines had suffered 99 dead and 212 wounded and claiming that the Vietcong had 283 killed. Casualties for the ARVN are unknown. On 28 March the ARVN 3rd Battalion 5th Regiment was attacked 1.5 km east of Phuoc Loc village. The Marines launched Operation Indiana deploying the
1st Battalion 7th Marines The 1st Battalion, 7th Marines (1/7) is an infantry battalion of the 7th Marine Regiment of the United States Marine Corps The United States Marine Corps (USMC), also referred to as the United States Marines, is the maritime land force se ...
by helicopter to support the ARVN and encountered an estimated Vietcong Battalion near the hamlet of Vinh Loc (2). The Marines renewed their assault on Vinh Loc (2) the next day supported by
2nd Battalion 7th Marines The 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines (2/7) is a light infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. They are based at the Marine Corps Air Ground Combat Center Twentynine Palms and consist of approximately 800 Marines and Sailors. The battali ...
but the Vietcong had abandoned the village during the night leaving 69 dead, while the ARVN claimed to have killed a further 100. Marine losses were 11 dead and 45 wounded.


Notes

{{DEFAULTSORT:Texas, Operation Conflicts in 1966 1966 in Vietnam Battles involving the United States Battles involving Vietnam March 1966 events in Asia Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1966 United States Marine Corps in the Vietnam War History of Quảng Ngãi province