Operation Deckhouse Five

Operation Deckhouse Five was a United States Marine Corps (USMC) and Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps operation that took place from 6-15 January 1967 in the Mekong Delta, during the Vietnam War. "The ten-day sweep," reported the AP from its daily military roundup from Saigon, "proved unproductive."

Operation Deckhouse V
Part of Vietnam War

Two USMC amtracs move along a beach, with a UH-1 helicopter approaching at right. USS Washtenaw County is in the background.
Date6-15 January 1967
Location
Kiến Hòa Province, South Vietnam
Result inconclusive
Belligerents
 United States
 South Vietnam		 Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
BG Louis Metzger
Strength
1st Battalion 9th Marines
3rd and 4th Marine Battalions		 unknown
Casualties and losses
7 killed
1 killed		 21 killed

Background

For the USMC, the operation was notable for the following reasons: it was a sizable, combined USMC and Vietnamese Marine amphibious operation and it was the last Special Landing Force (SLF) amphibious landing to take place beyond the boundaries of I Corps.[1]:151 An SLF was the designation of the Marine battalion (1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment reinforced) and the medium helicopter squadron (HMM) assigned to the Seventh Fleet Amphibious Ready Group. The SLF regularly conducted amphibious operations across Vietnamese beaches into areas of suspected Viet Cong and People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) activity.[2] The intent of the operation was to secure ammunition dumps, ordnance and engineering workshops, hospitals, and indoctrination centers.[3]

Operation

After 2 days of postponement due to bad weather, the operation began on 6 January with a sea and heliborne assault onto the beaches between the Co Chien and Ham Luong branches of the Mekong Delta which was suspected of being a Viet Cong stronghold.[1]

Supporting units

Aftermath

The operation was a disappointment resulting in only 21 Vietcong killed, 2 small arms workshops destroyed and 44 weapons captured for the loss of 7 US and 1 Vietnamese Marines. It was believed that the Vietcong had been forewarned of the attack because intelligence learned that larger Vietcong units had recently left the area.[1]

References
  1. Telfer, Gary (1984). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: Fighting the North Vietnamese 1967. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. ISBN 978-1494285449. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
  2. "Glossary of Terms". USMC/Combat Helicopter Association.
  3. Willbanks, James H. (2010). Vietnam War Almanac. Checkmark Books. ISBN 978-0-8160-8248-3.
  4. http://www.history.navy.mil/photos/images/h98000/h98396.jpg

 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.

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