Operation Pocahontas Forest was a security operation conducted during 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 ...

by the U.S.

Americal Division The Americal Division was an infantry division of the United States Army during World War II and the Vietnam War. The division was activated 27 May 1942 on the island of New Caledonia. In the immediate emergency following Pearl Harbor, the Un ...

and the

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 South Vietnamese military from its inception in 1955 to the Fall of Saigon in April 1975. It is estimated to have suf ...

(ARVN) 2nd Division in the Quế Sơn Valley,

South Vietnam South Vietnam, officially the Republic of Vietnam ( vi, Việt Nam Cộng hòa), was a state in Southeast Asia that existed from 1955 to 1975, the period when the southern portion of Vietnam was a member of the Western Bloc during part of th ...

from 6 to 31 July 1968.

Background

At the beginning of July, Allied intelligence indicated that the

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 Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the armed wi ...

(PAVN) 1st Regiment, 2nd Division was operating near Hiệp Đức at the western end of the Quế Sơn Valley. General William B. Rosson ordered Major General

Charles M. Gettys Charles Martin Gettys (January 1, 1915 – November 20, 1982) was a United States Army Major general (United States), Major General who served as commander of the 23rd Infantry Division (United States)#Vietnam, 23rd Infantry Division (Americal Di ...

, commander of the

to secure the area.

Operation

Operation Pocahontas Forest was launched on 6 July to search for the 1st Regiment and preempt a possible attack on Hiệp Đức. MG Gettys formed a brigade-size task force under the command of his deputy Division commander BG Howard H. Cooksey. ''Task Force Cooksey'' comprised the 4th Battalion, 3rd Infantry Regiment, the 4th Battalion, 21st Infantry Regiment, the 4th Battalion, 31st Infantry Regiment, a mechanized platoon from Troop F, 17th Cavalry Regiment, a company from the 26th Engineer Battalion and four

MIKE Force The Mobile Strike Force Command, or MIKE Force, was a key component of United States Army Special Forces in the Vietnam War. They served with indigenous soldiers selected and trained through the largely minority Civilian Irregular Defense Group ...

companies. The ARVN 2nd Division contributed a separate combat group comprising the 2nd and 4th Battalions, 5th Infantry Regiment, supported by an artillery battery. During the initial phase of the operation the Allied force located some supply caches around Hiệp Đức, but did not make contact with the 1st Regiment. On 11 July MG Gettys added the 5th Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment, to ''Task Force Cooksey'' and on 21 July he added the 2nd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment, but even this expanded force made little contact with the PAVN.

Aftermath

The operation ended on 31 July, with PAVN losses of 127 killed while U.S. losses were 18 killed. While the Allied forces had not engaged the 1st Regiment directly, it had succeeded in keeping them away from Hiệp Đức and improved security in the Quế Sơn Valley to allow for pacification.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:PocahontasForest, Operation 1968 in Vietnam Pocahontas Forest Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1968 History of Quảng Nam province