TF OREGON units conducted Operation BENTON; a search-and-destroy operation in Quang Tin Province. Daily contacts with small groups of enemy forces.
(USMACV; Command History 1967; Volume I; 16 September 1968)
A 21-day search-and-destroy operation in Quang Tin Province was launched by elements of the 101st ABN DIV and 196th LT INF BDE.
(USMACV; Command History 1967; Volume III; 16 September 1968)
TF OREGON directed the Brigade to conduct operations to find, fix and destroy VC/NVA forces and to neutralize VC/NVA base camps in and around Base Area 117.
Operation BENTON commenced at 0730H after completing Operation HOOD RIVER. The 2d Battalion, 327th Infantry and the 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry conducted airmobile assaults northwest of CHU LAI into multiple landing zones (LZ's) west of COHR Area of Operations (AO) and commenced search and destroy operations to the east. The 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry terminated operation in the ZON AO (Operation HOOD RIVER) on 10 August 1967, assumed the mission of the Brigade Immediate Action Force with an on-order mission to conduct airmobile assaults into the COHR AO. On 15 August 1967, the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry (minus one company) conducted airmobile assaults into the COHR AO and commenced search and destroy operations within their assigned AO. Artillery and Air Force Tactical Air prepared all LZ's and then shifted to known or suspected enemy locations and routes of egress.
This operation was characterized by small unit actions with battalion and companies maneuvering freely in reaction to intelligence received and enemy movement. All contacts with large size enemy forces (platoon or larger) were made in the late afternoon or just prior to darkness and normally lasted into the night until the enemy broke contact and withdrew. Contacts with large forces gradually declined and the enemy's will to stand and fight and degenerated into contacts with squad size or smaller enemy forces. The search and destroy tactics emplloyed by the Brigade consisted of saturation patrolling, day and night ambushes and small unit stay behind forces. Artillery fired harassing and interdiction missions each night on known suspected enemy locations. The terrain over which operations were conducted included dense, jungle covered mountains, rolling hills with tall elephant grass and flat, cultivated lowlands with rice paddies.
Unit(s) tasked organized or under brigade control: 2-502 IN BN
Operation Benton commenced on 12 August 1967 and terminated on 01 September 1967 with the following results:
Friendly: 45 KIA, 263 WIA
Enemy: 397 KIA, 9 DET, 150 I/W, 8 C/S
 |
 |
 |