Battle of Hill 488
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The Battle of Hill 488 was a military engagement of the
Vietnam War The Vietnam War (also known by #Names, other names) was a conflict in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. It was the second of the Indochina Wars and was officially fought between North Vie ...
that took place on the night of 15–16 June 1966. A small
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 ...
(USMC) reconnaissance
platoon A platoon is a military unit typically composed of two or more squads, sections, or patrols. Platoon organization varies depending on the country and the branch, but a platoon can be composed of 50 people, although specific platoons may range ...
inflicted large casualties on regular
People's Army of Vietnam The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; vi, Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, QĐNDVN), also recognized as the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) or the Vietnamese Army (), is the military force of the Vietnam, Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the ...
(PAVN) and
Viet Cong , , 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 ...
(VC) fighters before withdrawing with only a few dead.


Background

In June 1966, the
1st Marine Division The 1st Marine Division (1st MARDIV) is a Marine division of the United States Marine Corps headquartered at Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. It is the ground combat element of the I Marine Expeditionary Force (I MEF). It is the ...
began expanding its Tactical Area of Responsibility north into Quảng Tín Province (today part of Quảng Nam Province). In order to interdict enemy fighters between
Tam Kỳ Tam Kỳ () is the capital city of Quảng Nam Province, in the South Central Coast of Vietnam. History The town was established in 1906 under the Nguyễn dynasty as an administrative and tax post.Bradley Camp Davis ''States of Banditry: The ...
and the
Hiệp Đức District HI or Hi may refer to: Arts and entertainment * '' Hello Internet'', a podcast hosted by CGP Grey and Brady Haran * ''Hi'' (magazine), teen-lifestyle publication * "Hi" (Ofra Haza song), a song by Ofra Haza, Israel's entry in the 1983 Eurovisi ...
,
Brigadier General Brigadier general or Brigade general is a military rank used in many countries. It is the lowest ranking general officer in some countries. The rank is usually above a colonel, and below a major general or divisional general. When appointed ...
William A. Stiles William is a masculine given name of Norman French origin.Hanks, Hardcastle and Hodges, ''Oxford Dictionary of First Names'', Oxford University Press, 2nd edition, , p. 276. It became very popular in the English language after the Norman conques ...
conceived of an extensive reconnaissance effort in the area. Dubbed Operation Kansas, the initial phase was to find the headquarters of the PAVN 2nd Division near the Quế Sơn Valley, then exploit that in the second phase by engaging with eight battalions of Marine 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) infantry. On the afternoon and evening of the 13th, seven teams from
1st Reconnaissance Battalion 1st Reconnaissance Battalion (abbreviated as 1st Recon Bn) is a reconnaissance battalion in the United States Marine Corps. It is a stand-alone battalion with no parent regiment. Instead, it falls directly under the command of the 1st Marine ...
were deployed in the area around Núi Lộc Sơn and Quế Sơn, ringing the valley. They were tasked to report on enemy activity via AN/PRC-25 radio, and to call in artillery fire and airstrikes. While most of the teams successfully avoided detection, a scout dog accompanying an enemy patrol caught scent of one team near Hill 555. As the patrol advanced towards their position, the team hastily retreated and were exfiltrated by helicopter to
Chu Lai Chu Lai is a seaport, urban and industrial area in Núi Thành District, Quảng Nam Province, Vietnam. The city is served by Chu Lai International Airport. It is also the site of the Chu Lai Open Economic Zone (Vietnamese: ''Với Khu Kinh T ...
. Team 2 was deployed at dusk on 13 June, a platoon of 16 Marines and 2 attached
corpsmen A hospital corpsman (HM r corpsman is an enlisted medical specialist of the United States Navy, who may also serve in a U.S. Marine Corps unit. The corresponding rating within the United States Coast Guard is health services technician (HS) ...
, under the leadership of
Staff Sergeant Staff sergeant is a rank of non-commissioned officer used in the armed forces of many countries. It is also a police rank in some police services. History of title In origin, certain senior sergeants were assigned to administrative, supervi ...
Jimmie E. Howard. They were dropped off near the top of Hill 488, known to locals as Nui Vu, near Hiệp Đức. Settling into static positions atop the hill, they established a defensive perimeter around the poorly-covered and -concealed hilltop to establish their observation post. By constant observation over the next few days, the team was able to monitor many enemy patrols and troop movements, and successfully called in artillery fire from a nearby artillery battery about to the south. Though they became concerned that the enemy might conclude they were being observed, Howard decided against exfiltration on the evening of the 14th. Requesting permission from the battalion commander,
Lieutenant Colonel Lieutenant colonel ( , ) is a rank of commissioned officers in the armies, most marine forces and some air forces of the world, above a major and below a colonel. Several police forces in the United States use the rank of lieutenant colone ...
Arthur Sullivan, to remain in the area for one more day, he cited a good escape route to the east, and his request was granted.


Battle

On the 14th, the PAVN began organizing a force to attack the post. On the night of the 15th, a nearby
Army Special Forces The United States Army Special Forces (SF), colloquially known as the "Green Berets" due to their distinctive service headgear, are a special operations force of the United States Army. The Green Berets are geared towards nine doctrinal mis ...
team leading a
Civilian Irregular Defense Group The Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG, pronounced "sid-gee") was a military program developed by the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) during the Vietnam War, which was intended to develop South Vietnamese irregular military units from indig ...
patrol radioed warning that a full
battalion A battalion is a military unit, typically consisting of 300 to 1,200 soldiers commanded by a lieutenant colonel, and subdivided into a number of companies (usually each commanded by a major or a captain). In some countries, battalions are ...
of about 200 to 250 PAVN and VC were closing in. At 22:00 that night,
Lance Corporal Lance corporal is a military rank, used by many armed forces worldwide, and also by some police forces and other uniformed organisations. It is below the rank of corporal, and is typically the lowest non-commissioned officer (NCO), usually equi ...
Ricardo C. Binns Ricardo Courtney Binns (R.C.Binns) (25 December 1945 – 10 November 2018) was a corporal in the United States Marine Corps and a recipient of the Navy Cross (United States), Navy Cross for actions in the Battle of Hill 488 of the Vietnam War. L ...
fired the first shots from his
M14 rifle The M14 rifle, officially the United States Rifle, Caliber 7.62 mm, M14, is an American selective fire battle rifle chambered for the 7.62×51mm NATO (.308 in) cartridge. It became the standard-issue rifle for the U.S. military in 1959, ...
. The PAVN/VC quickly surrounded the Marines and advanced in too close for fire support to assist.
DShK The DShK 1938 (Cyrillic: ДШК, for russian: Дегтярёва-Шпагина Крупнокалиберный, Degtyaryova-Shpagina Krupnokaliberny, links=no, "Degtyaryov-Shpagin large-calibre") is a Soviet heavy machine gun with a V-shaped but ...
and 60mm mortar fire kept the Marines from maneuvering out of their hilltop positions. After the initial contact, the Marines withdrew from their outposts to the main position near a rocky knoll, and the PAVN/VC responded with a shower of hand grenades and a short assault that was repelled. Switching to more cautious tactics, the PAVN/VC began quietly probing the Marine's lines for weaknesses, being rebuffed violently each time, forcing them to withdraw long enough to regroup. Near midnight, Howard radioed his
company A company, abbreviated as co., is a Legal personality, legal entity representing an association of people, whether Natural person, natural, Legal person, legal or a mixture of both, with a specific objective. Company members share a common p ...
commander, Captain Tim Geraghty, to ask for extraction and close air support, but these were delayed at
III Marine Amphibious Force III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) is a formation of the Marine Air-Ground Task Force of the United States Marine Corps. It is forward-deployed and able to rapidly conduct operations across the spectrum from humanitarian assistance and d ...
's (III MAF)
Direct Air Support Center The Direct Air Support Center (DASC) is the principal United States Marine Corps aviation command and control system and the air control agency responsible for the direction of air operations directly supporting ground forces. It functions in a ...
. After fending off another coordinated assault, the Marines were low on ammunition, and all of them had been wounded by that point. While the frustrated pilots circled the area without being able to see clear targets, a
C-47 The Douglas C-47 Skytrain or Dakota (Royal Air Force, RAF, Royal Australian Air Force, RAAF, Royal Canadian Air Force, RCAF, Royal New Zealand Air Force, RNZAF, and South African Air Force, SAAF designation) is a airlift, military transport ai ...
deployed flares for illumination at around 01:00. Early into the morning, as Marines traded taunts with the enemy, the pilots began dangerously close attack missions, including one
Air Force An air force – in the broadest sense – is the national military branch that primarily conducts aerial warfare. More specifically, it is the branch of a nation's armed services that is responsible for aerial warfare as distinct from an a ...
F-105 The Republic F-105 Thunderchief is an American supersonic fighter-bomber that served with the United States Air Force from 1958 to 1984. Capable of Mach 2, it conducted the majority of strike bombing missions during the early years of the Viet ...
, Marine F8U Crusaders, and helicopter gunships. Armed UH-1Es stayed with the Marines through the morning until the end of the battle, often serving as airborne
forward air controllers Forward air control is the provision of guidance to close air support (CAS) aircraft intended to ensure that their attack hits the intended target and does not injure friendly troops. This task is carried out by a forward air controller (FAC). ...
with the aid of Howard and his red-filtered flashlight. As the PAVN/VC launched their third assault, Howard forbade the use of automatic fire to conserve ammunition. Out of grenades, the Marines threw rocks in the hopes that the enemy would confuse them for live explosives. A pair of UH-34 Choctaws attempted to land at about 03:00, but were driven off by heavy fire. By 04:00, six of the eighteen Americans had been killed, and Howard was immobilized by a wound to his back, using Binns to relay commands to the platoon while he called in air strikes. The PAVN/VC ceased offensive tactics and dug into cover (as daylight made them vulnerable to unassisted air attack), but kept the Marines trapped on the hilltop. During a lull in the fighting, Major William J. Goodsell, commanding officer of
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 ...
, risked a landing to medevac the wounded, but was shot down and later died of his wounds. When a second UH-1 offered itself as bait to draw out enemy positions, it too was shot down, killing a crew chief. Two other Marines were killed of gunshot wounds in their helicopters. Just before 10:00, Company C,
1st Battalion, 5th Marines 1st Battalion, 5th Marines (1/5) is an infantry battalion in the United States Marine Corps based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California consisting of approximately 800 Marines and sailors. Nicknamed ''Geronimo'', it falls under the ...
arrived on the south face in UH-34s. While the reconnaissance team was evacuated immediately, the infantry company remained for a few hours to finish the fight. After brief resistance, the PAVN/VC retreated in the face of the reinforcements, leaving forty-two of their dead behind.


Aftermath

After both sides had retreated, the battle had lasted approximately twelve hours of vicious fighting, some hand-to-hand. The marines of Team 2 lost six men, Company C lost four, and the two aviation squadrons lost two Marines each, along with two UH-1Es. US claims the PAVN/VC casualties range from 42 to 100 or 200. The first phase of Operation Kansas ended on the 16th, and the second phase of the operation was modified. The ARVN forces were unavailable due to fighting at
Huế Huế () is the capital of Thừa Thiên Huế province in central Vietnam and was the capital of Đàng Trong from 1738 to 1775 and of Vietnam during the Nguyễn dynasty from 1802 to 1945. The city served as the old Imperial City and admi ...
, but
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Lewis William Walt Lewis William Walt (February 16, 1913 – March 26, 1989) was a United States Marine Corps four-star general who served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. Walt was decorated several times, including two Navy Crosses for ext ...
, the commander of III MAF, ordered the operation to continue. With 141 reported sightings, Marine infantry and fire support dispersed PAVN troops from the area, and the operation ended on the 22nd. The next month, Sullivan would take his battalion onto Operation Washington. Each member of Team 2 was decorated for their actions, each also receiving the
Purple Heart The Purple Heart (PH) is a United States military decoration awarded in the name of the President to those wounded or killed while serving, on or after 5 April 1917, with the U.S. military. With its forerunner, the Badge of Military Merit, w ...
for their wounds. Howard was promoted to Gunnery Sergeant and received the
Medal of Honor The Medal of Honor (MOH) is the United States Armed Forces' highest military decoration and is awarded to recognize American soldiers, sailors, marines, airmen, guardians and coast guardsmen who have distinguished themselves by acts of valor. ...
from
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Lyndon B. Johnson Lyndon Baines Johnson (; August 27, 1908January 22, 1973), often referred to by his initials LBJ, was an American politician who served as the 36th president of the United States from 1963 to 1969. He had previously served as the 37th vice ...
at the
White House The White House is the official residence and workplace of the president of the United States. It is located at 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue NW in Washington, D.C., and has been the residence of every U.S. president since John Adams in 1800. ...
on 21 August 1967. Commissioned in 2001, would be named for him. Four would receive the
Navy Cross The Navy Cross is the United States Navy and United States Marine Corps' second-highest military decoration awarded for sailors and marines who distinguish themselves for extraordinary heroism in combat with an armed enemy force. The medal is eq ...
: Corporal Binns,
Petty Officer Second Class Petty officer second class is the fifth enlisted rank in the U.S. Navy and the U.S. Coast Guard, just above petty officer third class and below petty officer first class, and is a non-commissioned officer. It is equivalent to the rank of serge ...
Billee Don Holmes, while Corporal Jerrald Thompson and Lance Corporal John Adams would be awarded posthumously. The remaining thirteen would all receive
Silver Star The Silver Star Medal (SSM) is the United States Armed Forces' third-highest military decoration for valor in combat. The Silver Star Medal is awarded primarily to members of the United States Armed Forces for gallantry in action against an e ...
s, four posthumously,



as were two members of Company C. The desperate nature of the fighting, often hand-to-hand, lead to comparisons with
Battle of the Alamo The Battle of the Alamo (February 23 – March 6, 1836) was a pivotal event in the Texas Revolution. Following a 13-day siege, Mexican troops under President General Antonio López de Santa Anna reclaimed the Alamo Mission near San Ant ...
and '' The Longest Day''.


References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Hill 488, Battle of Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1966 Battles involving the United States United States Marine Corps in the Vietnam War 1966 in Vietnam Hill 488 History of Quảng Nam province