Ops 1966

The Carrier Force
Sea Dragon was a series of naval operations beginning in 1966 to interdict sea lines of communications and supply going south from North Vietnam to South Vietnam, and to destroy land targets with naval gunfire. The primary purpose of Sea Dragon forces was the interception and destruction of water borne logistic craft (WBLC), which ranged in size from large self propelled barges down to small junks and sampans. US Navy advisers were assigned to the South Vietnamese Navy and US Navy minesweepers assisted South Vietnamese Navy (VNN) ships in carrying out patrols near the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Other American naval operations during the Vietnam War included Operation Market Time and Operation Sealords.
From the South China Sea, the Seventh Fleet's Attack Carrier Strike Force mounted the Operation Rolling Thunder bombing and Blue Tree tactical reconnaissance operations in North Vietnam; the Barrel Roll, Steel Tiger, and Tiger Hound bombing and Yankee Team reconnaissance efforts in Laos; and the ground support mission in South Vietnam. Except during the period in 1965 and 1966 when the aircraft carrier supporting operations in the South sailed at Dixie Station, the carrier task force was deployed at Yankee Station (after April 1966 at 1730'N 10830'E). Generally, before August 1966, two or three carriers operated in Task Force 77, and after that date the number was often three or four. On each ship a carrier air wing controlled 70 to 100 aircraft, usually grouped in two fighter and three attack squadrons and smaller detachments. However, the number depended on the size and class of the carriers, which varied from the large-deck 65,000-ton Forrestal-class ships to the 27,000-ton, World War II Essex-class ships.
The Navy's first-line aircraft for strike operations included the manoeuvrable A-4 Skyhawks, A-l Skyraiders, A-7 Corsair II, and the all-weather, day-night Grumman A-6 Intruder. The workhorse F-4 Phantom II, in addition to its attack role, flew fighter escort, as did the F-8 Crusader. Aerial reconnaissance missions were carried out by the heavy RA-5 Vigilante, the older RA-3B Skywarrior, and reconfigured Crusaders and Phantoms. Intruder, Skyraider, and Skywarrior variants also provided electronic countermeasure support in an enemy air defence environment that became increasingly lethal. Detection of enemy MiG's approaching the fleet, guidance of U.S. aircraft to and from their targets, and airborne communications support were all functions of the versatile Grumman E-2 Hawkeye. Ship-based helicopters such as the Sikorsky SH-3 Sea King and Kaman UH-2 Sea Sprite were key components of the search and rescue (SAR) system established to retrieve downed fliers both at sea and in enemy territory. Helicopters also transported ammunition and supplies from logistic ships to the combatants on station in a relatively new procedure called vertical replenishment. The UH-34 Seahorse Boling-Vertol, CH-46 Sea Knight, and Sikorsky CH-53 Sea Stallion troop-carrying helicopters provided essential mobility to the fleet's Marine units.
Fleet aircraft carried a vast array of ordnance, from Korean-era bombs to advanced missiles and precision guided munitions. For their strikes in North Vietnam, Laos, and South Vietnam, attack aircraft dropped 250-, 500-, 1,000-, and 2,000-pound general purpose bombs, napalm bombs, and magnetic mines, and fired 5-inch Zuni and 2.75-inch high-explosive rockets. The carrier aircraft used Bullpup air-to-ground weapons, the newly developed Walleye TV-guided bomb, and the Shrike antiradar missile to great effect. Fighters were equipped with highly effective Sidewinder and Sparrow air-to-air missiles and 20-millimeter machine guns. This array of ordnance helped to restrict enemy movement on the ground and to achieve strategic air superiority over coastal North Vietnam and the Gulf of Tonkin.

1 RAR 18/65
Op 'MARAUDER': Operational Dates: 1-7 January 1966.

Formations/units: 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, with under command 1 Fd Tp, in direct support 105 Fd Bty. Description: A brigade search-and-destroy operation, 1 RAR being a manoeuvre element of 173rd Airborne. The brigade AO included areas east and west of the Song Vam Co Dong (Oriental River), as well as the village of Bao Trai (Khiem Cuong) and its airstrip, 34 km WNW of Saigon. The 1 RAR AO, of some twenty sq km, was immediately east of the river. Flat terrain with mainly sugar cane plantations, rice and swamp. The area was significant for the 506 Local Force Bn-a hard-core Viet Cong unit and the Viet Cong supply route using the river. Deployment was by helicopter.
Location: West-central Hau Nghia province, 51 km Bien Hoa air base.
Results: Casualties: Viet Cong: KIA 1,wounded/escaped 6. A number of bunkers, and caches of rice and medical supplies were located and destroyed, as were two sixteen-metre long sampans. A number of booby traps were encountered.
Remarks: 173d Bde reported Viet Cong : KIA 124, possible KIA 18, PW 13,detained as suspects 106; captured were a number of small arms weapons and ammunition,as well as 3955 documents; recovered or destroyed were one half tonne of fertilizer, two tonne of rice, and eleven sampans.
FSB Bao Trai - YT 52-40 40 km NW of Saigon and close to the Cambodian border.161 Bty, RNZA (Kenning?s Bty 13Jun65-13Jun66) firebase set here 1- 7Jan66. 3d/319th US Arty also here. Binh Duong Prov, III Corps.
Hobo Woods - XT 61-24 On the SE edge of the Hobo Woods 3 km W of Ql-1 and 18 km NW of Saigon. 161 Bty, RNZA (Kenning?s Bty 13Jun65-13Jun66) firebase set here 7-14Jan66. Hua Ngai Prov, III Corps.

1 RAR 1/66:
Op 'CRIMP' : Operational Dates: 8-14 January 1966.

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Video
Cu Chi Tunnels 59:16 mins

Formations/units: 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, with under command 3 Fd Tp (minus), in direct support 105 Fd Bty. 173rd Airborne(US)
Description: A brigade search-and-destroy operation, 1 RAR being the blocking force for 173rd Airborne, which was operating in conjunction with 3d Inf Bde (US) both being commanded by HQ lst Inf Div (US). The brigade AO was centered in the general area of the Solirene plantation, nine km WSW of Ben Cat, and the 1 RAR AO of thirteen sq km was central within the brigade AO. Generally flat terrain, with areas of rice, jungle, and rubber plantations. The operation was directed at the destruction of the Saigon-Cholon-Gia Dinh Special Sector Committee, believed to be located in the southern portion of the long-established Viet Cong base area, the 'Ho Bo Woods'; the Committee was protected by up to two Viet Cong main force battalions. Deployment by helicopter,directly from Operation 18/65 'MARAUDER' via Bao Trai.
Location: West-central Binh Duong province, 37 km WNW of Bien Hoa air base. See Map Here
Results: Casualties: own: KIA 8, WIA 29; Viet Cong: KIA 27, wounded/escaped 7. Twelve Viet Cong suspects detained, and many civilians evacuated. Extensive multi-level tunnel systems were broken into by 1 RAR; these included a headquarters complex, reproduction centres, dispensaries and a hospital. A major arms cache and a rice store (fifteen tonne) were located. The operation was notable for the 7488 documents captured, primarily by 1 RAR.
Remarks: 173rd Airborne reported own: KIA 22, WIA 106;Viet Cong: KIA 128, possible KIA 190, PW 92, detained as suspects 509; captured were 90 small arms and 22 000 rounds, 57 tonne of rice; destroyed were nine sampans, and 1031 refugees were relocated.

Casualties
8-1-66 Horn N.W. Pte 1RAR B/4 KIA GSW by sniper in Ho Bo Woods.
8-1-66 Wilson M.A.F. Pte 1RAR Ad KIA GSW to neck in Hobo Woods.
8-1-66 Bade K.W. Capt 105BTY Att. B Coy 1RAR as FOO. KIA by booby trap in Hobo Woods.
8-1-66 Clark C Pte 1RAR A KIA GSW to back by sniper in HoBo Woods.
10-1-66 Petersen B.O. Pte 1RAR D/12 KIA Multiple GSW in HoBo Woods.
10-1-66 Penn D.H. Pte 1RAR C/7 KIAFFF Mistaken for Viet Cong at night. GSW to chest from Cpl Jenkinson.
11-1-66 Bowtell R.W. Cpl 213151 3 F DTP 33 RAE F BCAS Aphyxiation in tunnel in the Hobo Woods.
13-1-66 Coxon R.E. LCpl 1RAR D/10 KIA GSW to head in Hobo Woods.

Viet Cong and NVA Tunnels and Fortifications of the Vietnam War
By Gordon L. Rottman, Chris Taylor, Lee Ray

13-1-66 Lees R.V. Sgt(T/WO2) AATTV KIA Sniper.
24 January - 6 March. In the largest search-and-destroy operation up to that point in the war, Operation Masher, 2,389 Viet Cong casualties are reported. The name of the operation is changed from Operation Masher to White Wing at the insistence of the President. The operation combined US and Vietnamese troops in sweeps and amphibious assaults.
26 January - Harold Holt succeeds Robert Menzies as Prime Minister of Australia.
FSB Tan Uyen - XT On the Song Dong River along the western edge of War Zone D, 14 km NNW of Bien Hoa. 161 Bty, RNZA (Kenning?s Bty 13Jun65- 13Jun66) firebase set here 29-30Jan66. Bien Hoa Prov, III Corps.
Operation Masher was a combined U.S., ARVN, and ROKA operation that began on January 28, 1966. The name "Operation Masher" was changed to "Operation White Wing", because the name was deemed too crude for 'nation-building'.The mission was a search and destroy mission, and had little to do with nation-building. The operation was divided into four Phases.
31 January - US bombing of North Vietnam resumes after a 37 day pause.

1 RAR 3/66: Op 'ROUNDHOUSE': Operational Dates: 4-9 February 1966.

Formations/units: 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment with under command 1 Tp A Sqn 4/19 PWLH , E/17th Cav(US), 3 Fd Tp, in direct support 105 Fd Bty and Btry B 3/319th Arty (US), in support 161 (Indep) Recce Fit.
Description: A battalion search-and-destroy operation in the western area of War Zone D, in an AO of 30 sq km. Undulating terrain, covered mainly in jungle. Up to three provincial mobile battalions had been reported in an area within ten km of the operation LZ, and possibly two Viet Cong main force regiments moving from the west into War Zone D. Deployment by APC and helicopter.
Location: Eastern Binh Duong and northern Bien Hoa provinces, 21 km north of Bien Hoa air base.
Results: Casualties: own: WIA 2 + 4 (US); Viet Cong: KIA 1, wounded/escaped 3. 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment recovered more than 200 tonne of rice; E/17th Cav recovered more than 300 tonne of rice, and two tonne of salt. E/17th Cav also recovered five ARVN trucks previously stolen and a number of Viet Cong trucks.
7-2-66 Seipel R.D. Cpl 1RAR A/3 KIA GSW to heart.

7-2-66 MacDonald J.A. Sgt(T/WO2) AATTV KIA GSW. In contact in Quang Tri.
12-2-66 Belleville G.R. Lt-T/Capt AATTV KIA GSW. Vehicle ambush at the Hai Van Pass North of Da Nang.,

1 RAR 4/66: Op 'ROLLING STONE':.Operational Dates: 19-26 February 1966.

Formations/units: Detached from 173rd Airborne to operational control HQ Ist Inf Bde (US): 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment with under command 1 Tp A Sqn 4/19 PWLH , 3 Fd Tp, 161 (Indep) Recce Fit, in direct support 161 Fd Bty (NZ), in support for deployment E/17th Cav (US).
Description: A security operation, involving the protection of the lst Engr Bn (US) base and its road construction task in an AO of approximately 38 sq km, increased on 23 February to approx. 51 sq km, in an area three to ten km east and NE of Ben Cat. Undulating terrain, covered by a mix of rubber, jungle, rice and grassland/cultivation. Long dominated by the Viet Cong, the area lay astride the main Viet Cong supply and liaison routes between War Zones C and D, and the Mekong Delta. Interference by Viet Cong local forces was likely, and possibly a main force battalion. Deployment by APC,truck and helicopter.
Location: Central Binh Duong province, 28 km NW of Bien Hoa air base.
Results: Casualties: own: WIA 2; Viet Cong: KIA 18, PW 2. 17 small arms captured.
Remarks: Reports of several battalions of Viet Cong approximately three km north of 1 RAR's initial defensive position, and a Viet Cong regiment approximately fifteen km to the NE, but much closer to HQ Ist Inf Bde, were received on evening 22 February. This prompted relocation of I RAR and Ist Engr Bn on 23 February to new defensive positions approximately six km to the NE. These positions were mutually supporting, within three km, with HQ Ist Inf Bde protected by 1/26th Inf (US). On night 23-24 February, three Viet Cong battalions attacked HQ IstInf Bde and 1/26th Inf, with continuing Viet Cong contact on 1 RAR's perimeter. Total Viet Cong losses in this action were KIA 154, wounded/escaped 200, and PW 15, for (US) KIA 1 1 and WIA 72. lst Inf Bde (US) results for the operation as a whole were not available.

1 RAR Op 5/66 - Cancelled.
14 February - Gen Maxwell Taylor, US Ambassador to South Vietnam 1964-65.
"This country cannot escape its destiny as the champion of the free world - there is no running away".

17-2-66 Andrews J.H. Sgt(T/WO2) AATTV KIA GSW. At Than Tan in Thua Thien Prov.
The 2d Brigade (2/16, 1/18, 2/18) and 3d Brigade (2/2, 1/16, 1/28) of the 1st Infantry Division begin operation Mastiff, a search and destroy operation in southeastern Tay Ninh and northern Hau Nghia provinces south of the Michelin Plantation. 122 tons of rice are captured but only 30 VC are reported KIA.

27-2-66 Suter T. LCpl 17665 1RAR A/2 21 RAIN F KBA Grenade in unit lines at Bien Hoa.

March - 1966 - An Increase in Australian Commitment - Formation of a Task Force
2 March - The US announces that US Forces in Vietnam now number 215,000 with another 20,000 enroute.
8 March - Prime Minister Harold Holt announces the formation of a Task Force for Vietnam consisting of two infantry battalions with combat support. An increase to 4,500 troops.
Harold Holt states, "... a long period of fighting is the prospect we have to face".
The Battle of A Shau was waged in 1966 during the Vietnam War. The battle began on March 9 and lasted until March 10 with the fall of the special forces camp of the same name. The battle was an outright victory for the North Vietnamese; it was nevertheless a costly battle that U.S. estimates suggest cost the attackers almost half of their force.

1 RAR 6/66:Op 'SILVER CITY'. Operational Dates: 9-22 March 1966.

Video
Australians in Action Pt 1
Australians in Action Pt 2
Australians in Action Pt 3

Formations/units: 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, with under command E/17th Cav (US), D/16th Armor (US), 173d Engr Co (US), 3 Fd Tp, in direct support 105 Fd Bty.
Description: A brigade search-and-destroy operation, 1 RAR securing the 173rd Airborne LZ and crossing point over the Song Be in west-central War Zone D, then securing the brigade headquarters, logistic and fire support base in that location within an AO of approximately 24 sq km. 1 RAR was then to conduct search-and-destroy operations as the security element of the brigade. Undulating to hilly terrain, astride the Song Be, covered mainly in jungle. In conjunction with Ist Inf Div (US) the mission was to destroy HQ 7 Viet Cong Military Region. Deployment was by helicopter.
Location: Astride the border between Binh Duong and Phuoc Long provinces, 30 km NNE Bien Hoa air base.
Results: Casualties:own: KIA 2 + 1 (US), WIA 13 + 3 (US); Viet Cong: KIA 1 1, wounded/escaped 3 + 16 (US claimed).A number of camps, including one battalion-sized, were located and destroyed. Over 60 tonne of rice and four of salt were either destroyed or recovered.
Remarks: 173rd Airborne reported Viet Cong: KIA 338, possible KIA 181; captured were 118 small arms, 38 crew-served weapons, 20 tonne of small arms and mortar ammunition, 24 tonne of explosives, mines and demolition stores, 30-40 tonne of miscellaneous equipment, and 11 500 documents; recovered or destroyed were 182 tonne of rice and six tonne of salt.
9-3-66 McDonnell L.C. Cpl 1RAR Sp KIA

15 March - Alan Fairhall, Australian Minister for Defence
"There is not the slightest doubt that the North Vietnamese are the puppets of the Chinese and that the whole conduct of the war, down to the last jot and tittle of it, comes out of the philosophy of Mao Tse-tung... It is perhaps only the first round of an attack by the Chinese Communists in an effort to dominate the world".

1 RAR 7/66:Op 'ABILENE'. Operational Dates: 30 March-9 April 1966.

Operation Name Abilene CTZ III TAO 40 miles east of Saigon, south of Cam My village; Phuc Tuy and Long Khanh Provinces.
Formations/units: Allied Units Involved 2d and 3d Brigades, 1st Infantry Division (USA)(reinforced by the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and the 161st New Zealand Artillery Battery); 173rd Airborne Brigade (USA); II Field Force Vietnam (HQ) 1 RAR detached from 173rd Airborne Bde to under operational control HQ lst Inf Div (US): 1 RAR, with under command an element of 1/4th Cav (US), 1 Tp A Sqn 4/19 PWLH , element 3 Fd Tp, 161 (Indep) Recce Flt, in direct support 161 Fd Bty (NZ), in support 7th Arty (US).
Description: 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, was to secure the Ist Inf Div logistic base, initially at the Courtenay rubber plantation, in AO Queensland of 58 sq km, later at the Binh Ba rubber plantation adjoining Route 2 in AO Victoria of 87sq km. Undulating terrain, dominated by rubber plantations with mainly jungle and clear forest. search-and-destroy operation by HQ lst Inf Div's subordinate formations, 2nd and 3rd Inf Bdes (US), were targeted against 274 and 275 Viet Cong Main Force Regts and the May Tao Secret Zone. Deployment by APC and helicopter.
Location: Long Khanh and Phuoc Tuy provinces, approximately 55 km SE of Bien Hoa air base.
Results: Casualties: own: WIA 4; Viet Cong: KIA 8,wounded/escaped 12, PW 8, with 38 persons detained as suspects. One camp for a two company sized force and one training camp located. More than six tonne of rice and five cubic metres of salt were recovered or destroyed. Nine ox-carts were captured.
Remarks: During this operation other elements of Ist Inf Div were involved with ARVN units in the resettlement of Xa Long Tan in Phuoc Tuy province.
May Tao Secret Zone - Viet Cong Staging area in Phuoc Tuy Prov. 161 Bty, RNZA (Kenning?s Bty 13Jul65-13Jun66) firebase set here 30Mar-3Apr66. Phuoc Tuy Prov, III Corps.

The Battle of Xa Cam My was a battle of the Vietnam War fought over two days from April 11 to April 12, 1966.
Originally planned as a U.S. search and destroy mission intended to lure out the "crack" Viet Cong D800 Battalion, Charlie Company soon find itself fighting for survival in the rubber plantations of Xa Cam My, approximately 42 miles (68 km) east of Saigon. During this battle 134 men of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion, 16th Infantry, 1st Infantry Division were ambushed by the Viet Cong. Two posthumous Medals of Honor were awarded in conncection with this action.

April - 1966
1 April - 161 Flight renamed 161 Independent Reconnaissance Flight(161 Recce Flt) and prepare to move from Ben Hoa to Vung Tau and eventually move to 1 ATF at Nui Dat to support Australian operations.
FSB - Binh Ba - 43-73 On the W edge of the Binh Ba Rubber Plantation, 8 km NNW of Nui Dat, 10 km WSW of Ngai Giao and 35 km NNE of Vung Tau. 161 Bty, RNZA (Kenning?s Bty 13Jun65-13Jun66) firebase set here 2-8Apr66. Phuoc Tuy Prov, III Corps.
3 April - An Engineer Advance Party departs for Vietnam.
FSB - Song Be - XT 14-07 45 km WNW of Saigon, along the Song Vam Co Dong River in Hua Ngai Prov. 161 Bty, RNZA (Kenning?s Bty 13Jun65-13Jun66) firebase set here 12-13Apr66 and 17 Apr 66, firing in support of the US 1s/503d Inf, 173d Abn Bde. Hua Ngai Prov, III Corps.
12 April - US B-52 Bombers commence bombing over North Vietnam.

1 RAR 8/66:Op 'DENVER': Operational Dates: 13-22 April 1966.

Formations/units: 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, with under command 1 Tp A Sqn 4/19 PWLH , in direct support 161 Fd Bty (NZ).
Description: A series of battalion search-and-destroy operations as a manoeuvre element of 173rd Airborne Bde, into A0s of various sizes assigned NW, SW (AO Spain) and SE to a radius of up to twenty km from the airstrip at Phuoc Binh (also known as 'Song Be') the provincial capital; the airstrip was the temporary base for these deployments. Undulating to hilly terrain, covered mainly in rubber,clear forest and jungle. The area had been the scene of a large-scale successful Viet Cong operation in 1965. Recently 271 Main Force Regt had been present in the general area of Phuoc Binh, as had two PAVN regiments a month earlier. Deployment by fixed wing aircraft to/from Phuoc Binh airfield, by helicopter and APC to/from A0s.
Location: Central Phuoc Long province, approximately 95 km NNE of Bien Hoa air base.
Results: Casualties: own: WIA 1; Viet Cong: KIA 3, wounded/escaped 5, PW 4, persons detained as suspects 4. One platoon-sized, two company-sized and two battalion-sized camps were located.
Remarks: 173d Bde reported own KIA 2, WIA 9 for Viet Cong KIA 15, possible KIA 1 1, PW 59; captured were a small number of weapons and documents, recovered or destroyed three to four tonne of rice.
FSB Dakkir - XT 12 km NE of Song Be, on the S side of QL-1, approx. 15 km WNW of the western edge of the Hobo Woods. 161 Bty, RNZA (Kenning?s Bty 13Jul65-13Jun66) firebase set here 13-15Apr66, and on 16 Apr66, they were set 15 km S of Dakkir (approx. 7 km SE of Song Be). Hua Ngai Prov, III Corps.
FSB Thuan Hoa - XT 05-85 18 km SW of Bien Hoa and 10 km due N of Saigon. 161 Bty, RNZA(Kenning?s Bty 13Jun65-13Jun66) firebase set here 18Apr66. Gia Dinh Prov, III Corps.

General William C. Westmoreland Commander US Forces Vietnam praising 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment,.
" I have never seen a finer group of men. I have never fought with a finer group of soldiers."
15,16,17 April - Wide spread protests in Sydney, Brisbane, Canberra, Adelaide and Perth.
19 April - Charter flights begin ferrying advance party troops for the new Australian Task Force in Vietnam.
20 April - Australian Army Ship(AS 3051) John Monash and Army Vessel(AV 1355) AV Vernon Sturdee depart for Vietnam loaded with personnel, engineer vehicles and plant for the new Task Force.The first flights from Richmond Air Base, Australia, arrive at Saigon. Air lifts(charter and RAAF C130) continue bringing in the Task Force troops.

May - 1966 - Establishing the Australian Task Force Area(1 ATF).
2-5-66 Cowper L. Civ NZNURSE KIA
4 May - The Australian Task Force's 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment main body arrive at Vung Tau with the first conscripts of the war. 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment remain at Vung Tau for training and familiarization.
6 May - AS John Monash and AV Vernon Sturdee arrive at Vung Tau.
The MV Boonaroo is chartered to carry stores to Vietnam. The Seamen's Union refuse to man it.
13 May - 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment with several subsidiary units is now complete on the ground at Vung Tau.Training continues.
17 May - MV Boonaroo departs Sydney on its first trip to Vietnam.
23 May - Ba Ria - YS 43-67 Provincial Capital of Phuoc Tuy Prov, 8 km SW of Nui Dat, 22 km NE of Vung Tau and along Rte-2. 161 Bty, RNZA (Kenning?s Bty 13Jun65-13Jun66) firebase was set N of Ba Ria at this grid, 23May- 5Jun66. Phuoc Tuy Prov, III Corps. In support of Operation Hardihood.
23 May - The second battalion for the Australian Task Force, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR) advance parties arrive at Saigon and depart for Ben Hoa to take over stores and equipment from 1 RAR.

1 ATF 1/66 'HARDIHOOD'. Dates: Phase I-24 May to 4 June 1966, Phase II -5 to 15 June 1966

Formations/units: 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment , with under command 3 Fd Tp, elements D Coy 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment,, in direct support 105 Fd Bty.
Description: Phase 1: A brigade clearing operation to destroy Viet Cong in the area to be occupied by the 1ATF base in Phuoc Tuy province, 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment being a manoeuvre element under operational control of 173d Bde. The battalion AO was approximately fourteen sq km. The Viet Cong force operating in the area was believed to be D445 Provincial Mobile Bn deployed in platoon to company-sized elements. 274 and 275 Main Force Regts were believed to be located in the NE and NW of the province. Deployment by helicopter. Phase 2: A battalion operation to secure and defend the base area for occupation by 1ATF, 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment now being under command HQ 1ATF, in an AO of approximately 43 sq km. Viet Cong forces in the province had been maintaining surveillance over Allied deployments and were expected to respond. Deployment from Phase 1 on foot. For both phases generally undulating terrain except for Nui Dat (101m), and covered mainly in clear forest and rubber, with small areas of blushwood, and rice, isolated patches of jungle.
Location: Phuoc Tuy province, nine km NE of the provincial capital Ba Ria (Xa Phuoc Le).
Results: Phase 1: Casualties: own: DOW 1, WIA 1; Viet Cong: KIA 10, wounded/escaped 4, PW 4. A number of huts, camps and defensive positions (one extensive) were located and destroyed where practicable; a number of weapons were captured in these locations. Over 24 tonnes of rice were located and destroyed. Phase 2: Casualties: own: KIA 4, WIA 14; Viet Cong: KIA 4, DOW 3, PW 4. A number of Viet Cong company-sized defensive positions with tunnels were located and destroyed, as well as one tonne of rice. Remarks: 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment passed from under operational control HQ 173d Bde to under command HQ 1ATF at 1800 hrs 5 Jun 66.
24-5-66 Noack E.W. Pte 4717546 5RAR B/5 66.05.24 21RAINF DOW At 36EVACHOSP after GSW earlier that day. The first NS conscript killed in Vietnam, Pte Errol Wayne Noack he was hit by a burst of Machine Gun fire but died before reaching hospital at Vung Tau.

25 May- The RAAF No 9 Sqn's - Iroquois("Hueys") helicopters(8) depart on HMAS Sydney for Vung Tau.

June - 1966
1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, conclude their first tour in Vietnam. 1 RAR casualties on the 1st tour are 26 killed and 114 wounded.
1 June - RAAF Caribou flight at Vung Tau Airbase is now designated as No 35 Squadron.
3 June - 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment take up defensive position at Nui Dat, conduct patrols and await the arrival of the Task Force.10 Pl D Coy 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment contact an enemy force near the Soui Da Bang, 1500 metres north-west of Long Tan. Three enemy are killed. No friendly casualties.
5 June - 1 ATF Headquarters assumes command at Nui Dat. Over the next several nights enemy parties probe the Task Area trying to establish the position and extent of the Task Force defensive area. Establishing defensive positons and communications in the base area are a high priority.
Nui Dat (means small hill) - YS 43-67 On Rte-2, 60 km ESE of Saigon, 35 km NNE of Vung Tau, 8 km NE of Baria and 14 km SSW of Ngai Giao. The site of an abandoned rubber plantation. FSB for 1ATF, RAR, RNZR and RNZA. 161 Bty, RNZA firebase and HQ set here with "Battery Ready" (Kenning?s Bty) 5Jun66, after permanent move from Bien Hoa that day. 161 Bty, RNZA (Kenning?s) set here 5 Jun66. Luscombe Airfield also at this location.
6 June - 30,000 people welcome home 1 RAR in a ticker-tape march through Sydney.
6 June - The RAAF 9 Sqn with 8 Iroquois Helicopters arrive at Vung Tau to provide support the Australian Task Force(1 ATF) and is based at the Vung Tau Airbase. The RAAF helicopter were to provide transport, "Dustoff" and "light fire teams" and are operational by the 25 June. Long established rivalries and frictions between the RAAF and the Army surfaced, causing unnecessary situations and disputes. It would take the intervention of a senior RAAF officer from Australia to estabish a suitable "working realtionship" between the RAAF and the Commander 1 ATF.
7 June - Australian military assistance to the civil community commences in the form of a medical visit to Hoa Long village and scheduled every two days thereafter.
9 June - 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR) arrive at Vung Tau.
Air strikes are conducted on the deserted village of Long Phouc after Viet Cong use the position as a base to mortar the task force area. 12 houses are destroyed and 22 damaged. Estimated 3 enemy killed.

9-6-66 Sweetnam J.R. Pte 5RAR KIA GSW during morning at Long My.
10-6-66 Farren L.T. Pte 5RAR D/10 KIA Mortar attack.
10-6-66 Coupe B.F. Cpl 5RAR D/10 KIA Mortar attack
10 June - Information is received that a Viet Cong force (274 Regiment) was moving towards 1 ATF from the NW and was within 10 klms of Nui Dat. Intelligence warn of an 4 battalion attack on the base. Artillery is employed in concentration on a significant enemy night movement on Route 2. Expecting the attack, 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR) is called forward to Nui Dat earlier than the planned 23 June.The attack never came because the enemy were tasked to conduct a major ambush on a crashed aircraft site at Nui Nghe. The diary of the deputy commander 274 Regiment Colonel Nguyen Nam Hung was captured later in the year and confirmed that the Regiment had intended to attack the base.

12-6-66 Ruduss A. Pte 3410295 HQ1ATF D&E RAINF DOW Shrap wds from mortar attack.
12 June - A sweep is conducted on the outskirts of Hoa Long following light mortar fire which caused casualties to a D Coy 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment patrol. A company operation named 'Parkes' is conducted in the area.

The whole Battalion had arrived by 9th June. After the necessary reconnaissances were completed, orders to move to Nui Dat were given. On the 14th of June, 1966, a heli-borne redeployment was made to the south of the rubber plantation which was to be our home for the next twelve months. The Fifth Battalion which had been operating in the area for some three weeks secured the landing zone for the assault.
6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR) join 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment forming the main element of 1 ATF. Heavy monsoon rains start. 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR) are allocated Tactical Areas of Operational Responsibility(TAOR). The TAORs cover approx. 50% each of the area in a radius from Nui Dat out to line Alpha. Line Aplha is a line drawn on the map circling the base and out of enemy mortar range. This area is declared a "NO-GO" zone, meaning any activity within the zone except friendly forces will be treated as "hostile".
Those first days caused the art of improvisation to come to the fore, resourcefulness in the use of any material that came to hand was soon copied by others. An ammunition box was a prize possession; it meant - floorboards, cabinets, tables, or a stilt to lift the tent out of the red clinging soil.

15 June - 3 Squadron, Special Air Service(SAS) main body departs Australia for Siagon on QANTAS charter flight and on the 17 June comes under command 1 ATF at Nui Dat.
1 ATF HQ issues plans for operations over the next month in order to gain dominance in the Task Force TAOR. This means aggressive and continuos patrolling by the two infantry battalions out to Line Alpha. A reaction force based on a infantry rifle coy is maintained.
15 - 20 June. 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment and 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR), in between digging defensive and Command Post positions. conducted sixteen to eighteen company and platoon patrols each 24 hours. This was in addition to extra patrols ordered by 1 ATF.
16 June - The new Task Force (3450 Army and 180 RAAF) is complete in Vietnam. The Commander 1 ATF Brigadier Jackson says, "..it was an exhausting and nerve racking experience for the infantry". It is an immediate priority that the Task Force establish a presence quickly in the Province and provide security against any sizeable enemy force". The enemy dominance of the area is now under direct threat and the Task Force is expecting a reaction.

16-6-66 Hood R.D. Pte 1ARU KIA
17 June - MV Japer leaves Sydney on its first voyage.
17 - 18 June. 161 Recce Flt commence operations in support of 1 ATF.
General William C. Westmoreland Speaking of Australian Forces
"...thoroughly professional ... small in numbers and well trained, particularly in anti-guerrilla warfare ... the Australian Army was much like the post-Versailles German Army in which even men in the ranks might have been might have been leaders in some less capable force".
20, 21,22 June - 3 Sqn SAS conduct 24 patrols for several kilometres out from Nui Dat as part of thier acclimatisation.
21 June - Two Military Policemen returning from Baria are ambushed at the village of Hoa Long. One is killed.

21-6-66 Brown I.R. Cpl 1DIVPRO KIA Ambushed by sniper at night in Hoa Long
21 - 28 June. 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment provides 8 patrols by day and 4 ambush patrols by night. 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR) is scheduled for operation 'Angora'. The two Infantry battalions are to be rotated, one on operations and the other maintains company and platoon patrols and ambushes in its sector of the Tactical Areas of Operational Responsibility and man defensive positions at Nui Dat.
The Destruction of Long Phuoc - a Viet Cong controlled hamlet approx. 2-3 km SW of Nui Dat with a complex and extensive tunnel system, that was evacuated of all its population in Jun 66 during Operation Hardihood. Its residents were moved to the village of Hoa Long, still within the vicinity of Long Phuoc so that the people could maintain their fields and rice paddies. 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR) are tasked to destroy the village.
25 June - The Task force receives harrassing small arms fire a party of small VC. Over the next few weeks the VC will endeavour to obtain as much intelingence on Australian movements, tactics, reactions and strengths. The VC have dominated this area for more than 12 years and the establishment of the Australian Task Force will have a major effect on thier movement and operations in Phuoc Tuy Province.

1 ATF 2/66
OP ENOGGERA" Dates: 21 June-5 July 1966.

Formations/units: 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR),with under command 3 Tp 1 APC Sqn, 1 Fd Sqn, in direct support 161 Fd Bty (NZ), in support one OH-13 of 161 (Indep) Recce Flt, UH-1 of No 9 Sqn RAAF.
Description: A battalion search-and-destroy operation on Xa Long Phuoc, a previously Viet Cong-dominated village, the population of which was resettled on 19 May 66. The AO (Zone Khaki) was three sq km. Terrain flat, the village area cleared, and surrounded by grassland/cultivation, rubber, rice and clear forest. Viet Cong strength anticipated was platoon-plus, in tunnels, trenches, bunkers, hides and with supply caches. Deployment on foot.
Location: Two km SE of 1 ATF base.
Results: Casualties: own: WIA 1; Viet Cong: wounded/escaped 4, detained as suspects 32. Over 40 tonnes of rice, large quantities of salt and medical supplies, and some arms and ammunition recovered. More than twenty significant tunnel complexes located and destroyed. 537 buildings, excluding pagodas and churches, destroyed.

26 June - 3 Sqn, SAS commence operations from its base at Nui Dat.Their role will be intelligence gathering and recon. Specifically, they are to find the whereabouts, movements and habits of the two main force enemy units in Phuoc Tuy province. 3 Sqn SAS is deployed to Vietnam. The SASR's role in Vietnam was to act as the 'eyes and the ears' of the Australian Task Force through conducting reconnaissance patrols throughout 1 ATF's area of responsibility. As in Borneo the SASR operated closely with the New Zealand SAS, with a New Zealand SAS troop being attached to each Australian Squadron.
29 June. US planes attack fuel storage facilities around Hanoi and Haiphong, marking the first time that facilities around Hanoi are hit.
30 June - 5 patrols from SAS set out from Nui Dat to recon the Nui Din and Nui Thi areas. These patrols were typically 4 - 5 men each patrol. Result: 3 Viet Cong KIA and numerous sightings of enemy activity. From the patrols reports, it is clear that the Viet Cong are moving freely in the area and it is suspected that a large enemy camp is nearby.
The SAS patrols were to provide early warning of any enemy build up and recon the areas for future operations. These early SAS patrols were deployed on foot because the RAAF No 9 Sqn Helicopters were still operating under essentially peacetime regulations and were loath to move SAS patrols into insecure areas. It would be mid July before the RAAF were tasked to deploy and extract SAS patrols.

July - 1966 - Extending Operations Beyond Line Alpha.
With the creation of the buffer zone around Nui Dat base and the destruction of the Viet Cong fortified village of Long Phouc, the Task Force now turns its attention to battalion operations beyond Line Alpha. Route 2 leading north from Binh Ba and Route 15 connecting Vung Tau with Saigon are to be cleared. Operations are also to be conducted to seek out and draw into battle the D445 provincial mobile battalion. In fact, it would be the enemy who draw the Task Force into battle.
2 July - D Coy 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment engages an enemy group of eight Viet Cong and kill 2 and wound 1.

1ATF 3/66 'SYDNEY I'.
Dates: 4-14 July 1966.

After Action Report
Combat Operations - Operation Sydney I
(4.45mb pdf file)

Formations/units: 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment , with in direct support 105 Fd Bty, in support elements 1 APC Sqn, in support from 6 July one troop 1 Fd Sqn, one company 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR), one OH-13 of 161 (Indep) Recce Fit, four UH-1 No 9 Sqn RAAF.
Description: A battalion search-and-clear operation to the immediate NW of 1ATF TAOR and west of Xa Binh Ba, in an AO (Zone Gold) of approximately twenty sq km. Undulating terrain, except for Nui Nghe (203 m), the area being covered mainly in jungle with some clear forest. Small groups of Viet Cong were continuing to move in and adjacent to the TAOR, while Viet Cong regular forces were known to be located north and NW of Xa Binh Ba. Deployment on foot. Location: West-central Phuoc Tuy province, seven km NW of 1ATF base.
Results: Casualties: own: WIA 3; Viet Cong: KIA 1, wounded/escaped 4. A number of defensive positions (some company-sized) camps and isolated huts were located, as well as over two tonne of rice and some weapons.
2-7-66 Lubke R.J. Pte 5RAR D/12 KIA Sniper.
7-7-66 Holland T. Tpr 3786634 1APCSQN 2Tp 21 RAAC KBA Attempting to inspect loaded OMC. .
8-7-66 Tomas M. LCpl 5RAR Sp KIAFFF Arty shrap.
9-7-66 Knight G. Cpl 6RAR KIA GSW during ambush.

Operation Hastings was an American military operation in the Vietnam War. Having been threatened by numerous encounters with enemy troops in the Cam Lo area, on July 7, 1966, United States Marine Corps General Lew Walt led a joint U.S. Marine and ARVN force of 8,500 and 3,000 troops in a strike through the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). Plans to maintain U.S. occupation of the Cam Lo area in the Quang Tri province soon became known as Operation Hastings.
9 July - A SAS patrol reports main force Viet Cong in the area of Long Tan Village and a base camp is suspected to be in the area.
14 July - Two SAS recon patrols deploy by foot to an area east of Nui Dat ,near Nui Dat 2.

1ATF 4/66 'SYDNEY II' ' Dates: 15-23 July 1966

After Action Report
Combat Operations - Operation Sydney II
(2.53mb pdf file)

Formations/units: 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment , with under command one troop 1 APC Sqn, elements of 3 Fd Tp, in direct support 105 Fd Bty,in support one company 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR), one OH-13 of 161 (Indep) Recce Flt, four UH-1 No 9 Sqn RAAF.
Description: A battalion cordon-and-search of the hamlet of Duc My, of area one square km, perimeter nearly four km, and population about 500,part of the Xa Binh Ba village complex on Route 2 north of 1ATF base; followed by a search-and-destroy operation in AO Purple of six square km immediately ESE of Duc My. Undulating terrain with rubber plantations and hamlets astride Route 2, beyond these mainly jungle and clear forest. A number of Viet Cong were believed to frequent Duc My/Binh Ba, a Viet Cong controlled area, and indications were that the area of AO Purple was an area of Viet Cong activity. Deployment on foot and by APC.
Location: Phuoc Tuy province, six km north of 1ATF base.
Results: Casualties: Viet Cong: KIA 4, wounded/escaped 2, PW 4 including WIA 3, detained as suspects 15. Remarks:An intermediate phase, to open Route 2 between Duc My and Ap An Phu, four km to the south, to the immediate north of 1ATF base, was cancelled.

15 July - The task force receives urgent reports that a Vietcong Regiment has occupied the Nui Toc Tien and Nui Dinh hills with the intention of ambushing Route 15. 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR) is urgently tasked to react.
15 July - 3 August. A force of US 8,500 Marines and 2,500 South Vietnamese troops launch Operation Hasting. The operation's goal is to thwart the North Vietnamese 324 B Division's efforts to take control of Quang Tri Province.
16 July - A SAS 4 man patrol locates a ten man Viet Cong camp 2000 metres east of Long Tan. The SAS assault the camp and destroy it. Result: 3 Viet Cong KIA and documents and weapons captured.

1ATF 5/66 "BRISBANE "
Dates: 16-18 July 1966

Formations/units: 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR), with under command one troop 1 APC Sqn, 161 Fd Bty (NZ), detachment 1 Fd Sqn, in support one OH-13 of 161 (Indep) Recce Flt, two UH-1 No 9 Sqn RAAF.
Description: A battalion search-and-destroy operation directed at the suspected location of elements of a PAVN battalion concentrated in an area at the foot of the SW slopes of Nui Dinh, some four km north of Route 15; the area was regarded as a Viet Cong stronghold of long duration. The AO was nineteen sq km. Steep, hilly terrain in the north and east, undulating to the south and west, covered mainly in jungle. Deployment by APC.
Location: Phuoc Tuy province, twelve km WSW of
Results: Nil. Remarks: Air strikes in the area prior to the operation may have forced the enemy away.
Nui Dinh Mountains - In the vicinity of Nui Dat. A Viet Cong sanctuary offering them good observation of traffic on Inter-provincial Rte-2 (Xuan Loc-Nui Dat- Long Dien) and along QL-15 (Vung Tau-Saigon). Phuoc Tuy Prov, III Corps.

1ATF 6166 '"HOBART I and II"'. Dates: 24-29 July 1966

After Action Report
(3.91mb pdf file)

Formations/units: 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR)), initially (I) with under command one troop 1 APC Sqn, one troop 1 Fd Sqn, in direct support 161 Fd Bty (NZ), in support one company 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (gun area protection), one OH-13 of 161 (Indep) Recce Flt, four UH-I No 9 Sqn RAAF; later (II) additionally under operational control Mayforce 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (headquarters element, one company. one mortar section), forming, with the other company of 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment , a blocking force for this part of the operation.
Description: 1. A battalion search-and-destroy operation east and NE of Xa Long Tan in an AO of nine sq km; II. A battalion search-and-clear operation of the previously resettled Xa Long Tan, in an AO of three sq km. Generally flat to undulating terrain, covered mainly in clear forest with some large areas of rice. Xa Long Tan was situated astride Route 52, with rubber to its immediate NW, north and east, and rice to the south and SW. Viet Cong were expected in squad-to-company sized elements of D445 Provincial Mobile Bn, in a staging area long-used for north-south movement. Deployment on foot.
Location: Phuoc Tuy province, in an area five to nine km east to ESE of 1ATF base.
Results: Casualties: own: KIA 2, WIA 17; Viet Cong: KIA 7, wounded/escaped 21. Three tonne of rice and 70 gallons of cooking oil were destroyed, a number of weapons, some grenades and ammunition taken, some tunnels and caches destroyed.
25-7-66 Purcell A.T. Pte 6RAR B coy KIA GSW in contact East of Long Tan.
25-7-66 Norris J.W. Cpl 6RAR B coy KIA GSW in contact East of Long Tan.
25-7-66 Prowse L. Spr 18409 1FDSQN RAEDOW At 36EVACHOSP from GSW earlier that day.

25 - 29 July - 161 Bty, RNZA was located to 3 km SW of Nui Dat at YS 46-65.
26 July. The SAS patrol searching for 'Fred" contacts and enemy group killing six Viet Cong and immediately the Viet Cong start searching for them, cutting off their escape route. The patrol evades the search and is extracted by RAAF Helicopter.
29 July - The Task Force on Alert. Intelligence received by 1 ATF advises the presence three days earlier(26th) of a Viet Cong battalion dug-in, in dense jungle within Line Alpha, 4,000 metres due west of Nui Dat. The area is subjected to intense air and artillery strikes. Heavy ground fire is encountered by the Chinook Gunships. A further intelligence report is received advising that 1,000 Viet Cong were detected moving within the Rung Sat Special Zone south west of Ba Ria. The report also states that in a one to two-day period 3,000 Viet Cong would have arrived in Phuoc Tuy province 'to attack Allied forces'. A combination of intelligence reports indicate the build up of enemy forces to the east of the 1 ATF base. 1 ATF intelligence staff assess that the enemy could mount a multi-regimental attack on the base. The Commander 1 ATF concludes that there is a direct threat to the base.
The Australian 547 Signal Troop(radio location and tracking) at Nui Dat detects what appears to be a Viet Cong main force unit (275 Viet Cong Regiment HQ) beginning to move towards Nui Dat from the area immediately north of Xuyen Moc and 22 klms east of Nui Dat. Other intelligence suggest that 275 Regiment is also building up its strength with troops from North Vietnam. For the OC of 547 Troop this indicates something important is to happen. The OC reports his findings to an Intelligence Officer at HQ 1 ATF. 1 ATF HQ is skeptical of the information and appear to take little notice of it. The Troop continues to map the location of 275 Regiment radio down the map towards Nui Dat. It is also possible that this a ruse.
4:15 pm - 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR) is ordered back to Nui Dat. The Comd 1 ATF intends to conduct base security with both battalions and patrol outwards in an attempt to prove or disprove the enemy locations and strengths. 1 ATF HQ request assistance from American Forces to counter the threat and the Americans consider there is no threat and refuse the request. The Task Force is kept on full alert.
30 July - B Company 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment with Anti-Tank Platoon depart the task force for a 36 hour patrol in the western sector. D Company 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR) with a Platoon of 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment head north-east to the extremity of Line Alpha and are prepared to patrol up to 3 days. Their mission, 'determine enemy action in the area and destroy enemy camps'. Other patrols from the battalions scour the area closer to the task force.
31 July - An enemy recon party is detected on the perimeter of the 1 ATF base. The 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment patrol returns to base and report no enemy activity.
A seven man SAS patrol moves to the Nui Dat 2 area, then heads north, parallel the Route 2. The patrol finds nothing. Three SAS recon patrols are inserted into the area west of Binh Ba. All patrols see and contact small parties of Viet Cong but nothing indicating a large build up or movement of large enemy forces in the area.
The Task Force receives information that changes the assessment of the enemy threat. Prior reports on some enemy movement has been discredited and the Task Force now reassesses the enemy as still formidable but the Task force area at Nui Dat is no longer under threat of attack. The enemy is thought to be mainly in the west and east of the base.
31 July - 14 August. Eleven SAS patrols are conducted concentrating on locating and detecting Viet Cong movement in areas where Infantry battalions were not operating.
Nui Dat Playboy Club - The Nui Dat 1st ATF POW Compound. A sign posted at its entrance said "Club Members Only - Exclusively for NVA/ Viet Cong."

August - 1966 - The Battle
Task Force operations resume.
1 August - Nguyen Cao Ky, Premier of South Vietnam
" In two or three years, or even before, the Communists will accept defeat. I am sure we are going to win".
An SAS patrol fires on a party of 5 Viet Cong to the north of Binh Ba. Nothing develops.
A Company 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment conduct a 'Road Runner' operation along Route 44 from Baria to the coastal village of Long Hai. Nil results.
1 ATF receives a reported sighting of 300 Viet Cong carrying crew served weapons with green uniforms one hundred metres to the north of Nui Dat 2. D Company 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR) are close to that area and may have been mistaken for them.
2 August - Eight Viet Cong sighted by SAS patrol heading north from the Bin Ba area. A SAS patrol is inserted into the area south of Nui Thi Vai, they see sign of enemy movement.
5-8-66 Checkley T.W.Gnr 311534 131BTY 28 RAA KBA Fell from truck returning from Vung Tau.

1ATF 7/66 '"HOLSWORTHY"'. Dates: 5-18 August 1966.

Formations/units: 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment , with under command 1 APC Sqn (minus), one troop 1 Fd Sqn, two companies 6th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment(6 RAR), one section 1 Tpt PI, in direct support 105 Fd Bty, in support one OH-13 of 161 (Indep) Recce Flt, one UH-1 No 9 Sqn RAAF.
Description: A battalion cordon-and-search of Xa Binh Ba, a three-hamlet village, in area over one sq km, total perimeter over six km and population approximately 2300; pacification and the opening of Route 2 were to follow. An additional task, a battalion search-and-destroy operation four km SE of Xa Binh Ba, in an AO of about three sq km-was ordered after the cordon and search. The general area of the Operations conducted was some twenty sq km. Undulating terrain with rubber plantations and hamlets astride Route 2; beyond these mainly jungle and clear forest. Xa Binh Ba had a Viet Cong cadre and about 20 per cent population support; a platoon of D445 Provincial Mobile Bn and elements of the local guerrilla platoon were in the general area. Viet Cong provincial headquarters was possibly located in the area subject of the search-and-destroy operation. Deployment on foot. Location: Phuoc Tuy province, five 1 ATF base.
Results: Casualties: own: KIA 1; Viet Cong: PW 17, detained as suspects 7