| Operation Utah Mesa | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of theVietnam War | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States |  North Vietnam | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| MGWilliam K. Jones Col. Edward F. Danowitz | |||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
 1st Battalion, 9th Marines2nd Battalion, 9th Marines 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines Companies B and C,1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) Company B1st Battalion, 77th Armored Regiment  2nd Regiment | 24th Regiment | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 14 killed | USbody count: 309 killed | ||||||
Operation Utah Mesa was aUnited States Marine Corps,United States Army andArmy of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) operation in northwestQuảng Trị Province,South Vietnam from 12 June to 6 July 1969.
In late May, intelligence gained duringOperation Cameron Falls and from sensor and reconnaissance reports indicated that thePeople's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 24th Regiment of the304th Division had infiltrated Quảng Trị Province near theKhe Sanh plateau.Task Force Hotel which was responsible for this area of Quảng Trị Province ordered the formation ofJoint Task Force Guadalcanal, comprising1st Battalion, 9th Marines, andTask Force Mustang, comprising Companies B and C,1st Battalion, 61st Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) and Company B1st Battalion, 77th Armored Regiment of the1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) operating with the ARVN2nd Regiment to sweep the area.[1]: 71
The operation began on 12 June with the 1/9 Marines landed by helicopter at Landing Zone Bison (16°41′42″N106°49′03″E / 16.695°N 106.8175°E /16.695; 106.8175) andHill 950, while the ARVN 3rd Battalion, 2nd Regiment was landed at Firebase Quantico (16°39′40″N106°45′22″E / 16.661°N 106.756°E /16.661; 106.756); both battalions were to sweep west towards Khe Sanh.[2]: 430 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 (16°38′20″N106°46′37″E / 16.639°N 106.777°E /16.639; 106.777) to secure the advance ofTask Force Mustang west alongRoute 9 towards Khe Sanh.[1][2]: 250
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 ofLang Vei 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.[1]: 71
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.[1]: 71
On 22 June 1/9 Marines was replaced by3rd Battalion, 9th Marines.[1]: 71
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.[1]: 71–2
On 2 July2nd Battalion, 9th Marines reopened Firebase Spark (16°29′17″N106°45′22″E / 16.488°N 106.756°E /16.488; 106.756), 14 km south of Khe Sanh.[2]: 469 The PAVN soon began shelling the base; 2/9 Marines patrolled the surrounding area forcing the PAVN to withdraw.[1]: 72
On 6 July the 2/9 Marines and 3/9 Marines returned toVandegrift Combat Base in preparation for the9th Marine Regiment'sredeployment from South Vietnam ending Operation Utah Mesa. U.S claimed the PAVN losses were 309 killed.[1]: 72
This article incorporatespublic domain material from websites or documents of theUnited States Marine Corps.
This article incorporates text from this source, which is in thepublic domain.