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Operation Kentucky
Operation Kentucky was a multi-battalion operation conducted by the United States Marine Corps in the area south of the DMZ in Quảng Trị Province. This was another operation to secure the Con Thien area from the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). The operation ran from 1 November 1967 until 28 February 1969.
Following the conclusion of Operation Kingfisher, 3rd Marine Division split the Kingfisher tactical area of responsibility (TAOR) in two. The new Kentucky TAOR which included Firebase Gio Linh, Con Thien, Cam Lộ Combat Base and Đông Hà Combat Base (the area known to Marines as Leatherneck Square) was under the control of the 9th Marines, while to the west the Operation Lancaster TAOR covered Camp Carroll, The Rockpile and Ca Lu Combat Base was under the control of 3rd Marines.
On November 9 the Marines continued construction of the strongpoint obstacle system and engaged platoon and company-sized PAVN units, often in bunkers trying to ambush the Marines and hinder construction. The Marines killed 65 PAVN during these encounters. On 29 November 3 Marine Battalions and 2 Battalions from the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 1st Division conducted a clearing operation between Con Thien and Gio Linh. On 30 November 2/9 Marines found and overran a PAVN bunker system killing 41 PAVN for the loss of 15 Marines killed and 53 wounded.
This period saw relatively little PAVN activity other than harassment fire on the Con Thien base and the Marines used this relative quiet to continue to improve the strongpoints along the Trace line. On 31 December, Company I of 3/4 Marines on a patrol north from Strongpoint A-3 spotted PAVN soldiers in the southern DMZ, engaging the PAVN they soon realised that the PAVN occupied a line of bunkers in front of them. Marine mortars and artillery and two UH-1E Huey gunships from VMO-6 provided supporting fire and Company I was able to withdraw sustaining only 4 wounded, while the PAVN had lost at least 35 dead.
On the morning of 7 January while attempting to neutralise a PAVN sniper, two fire teams from Company L 3/4 Marines were ambushed. The remainder of Company L and Company K were sent in to help the fire teams break contact and were drawn into a daylong battle. By the end of the day the Marines had lost 6 killed, 36 wounded and 1 missing.
On 11 January a 3-Company operation was mounted to recover the body of the Marine missing in the 7 January operation, the PAVN had dragged the body into the DMZ and were using it as bait to trap US forces. The Marines supported by artillery and air strikes outflanked the PAVN positions, destroyed 25 bunkers and killed 15 PAVN for the loss of 2 Marines wounded.
On 18 January Company L 3/4 Marines launched a patrol 3.2 km northeast of Con Thien into an area nicknamed the Meat Market by Marines. The patrol was ambushed by PAVN in well-camouflaged bunkers and the lead squad was cut off from the rest of the Company and was used by the PAVN as bait for the other Marines. Under the cover of Marine gunships and artillery fire, the survivors and dead of the isolated squad were brought back into the Company perimeter. Company M then moved forward to relieve Company L and the combined force overran several PAVN bunkers. Marine losses were 9 dead and 22 wounded, while the PAVN were estimated to have suffered 100 casualties.
Due to the uncertainty of PAVN intentions in the DMZ, on 20 January COMUSMACV, General Westmoreland agreed to a request from III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) to suspend construction on the strongpoint obstacle system.
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Operation Kentucky
Operation Kentucky was a multi-battalion operation conducted by the United States Marine Corps in the area south of the DMZ in Quảng Trị Province. This was another operation to secure the Con Thien area from the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). The operation ran from 1 November 1967 until 28 February 1969.
Following the conclusion of Operation Kingfisher, 3rd Marine Division split the Kingfisher tactical area of responsibility (TAOR) in two. The new Kentucky TAOR which included Firebase Gio Linh, Con Thien, Cam Lộ Combat Base and Đông Hà Combat Base (the area known to Marines as Leatherneck Square) was under the control of the 9th Marines, while to the west the Operation Lancaster TAOR covered Camp Carroll, The Rockpile and Ca Lu Combat Base was under the control of 3rd Marines.
On November 9 the Marines continued construction of the strongpoint obstacle system and engaged platoon and company-sized PAVN units, often in bunkers trying to ambush the Marines and hinder construction. The Marines killed 65 PAVN during these encounters. On 29 November 3 Marine Battalions and 2 Battalions from the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 1st Division conducted a clearing operation between Con Thien and Gio Linh. On 30 November 2/9 Marines found and overran a PAVN bunker system killing 41 PAVN for the loss of 15 Marines killed and 53 wounded.
This period saw relatively little PAVN activity other than harassment fire on the Con Thien base and the Marines used this relative quiet to continue to improve the strongpoints along the Trace line. On 31 December, Company I of 3/4 Marines on a patrol north from Strongpoint A-3 spotted PAVN soldiers in the southern DMZ, engaging the PAVN they soon realised that the PAVN occupied a line of bunkers in front of them. Marine mortars and artillery and two UH-1E Huey gunships from VMO-6 provided supporting fire and Company I was able to withdraw sustaining only 4 wounded, while the PAVN had lost at least 35 dead.
On the morning of 7 January while attempting to neutralise a PAVN sniper, two fire teams from Company L 3/4 Marines were ambushed. The remainder of Company L and Company K were sent in to help the fire teams break contact and were drawn into a daylong battle. By the end of the day the Marines had lost 6 killed, 36 wounded and 1 missing.
On 11 January a 3-Company operation was mounted to recover the body of the Marine missing in the 7 January operation, the PAVN had dragged the body into the DMZ and were using it as bait to trap US forces. The Marines supported by artillery and air strikes outflanked the PAVN positions, destroyed 25 bunkers and killed 15 PAVN for the loss of 2 Marines wounded.
On 18 January Company L 3/4 Marines launched a patrol 3.2 km northeast of Con Thien into an area nicknamed the Meat Market by Marines. The patrol was ambushed by PAVN in well-camouflaged bunkers and the lead squad was cut off from the rest of the Company and was used by the PAVN as bait for the other Marines. Under the cover of Marine gunships and artillery fire, the survivors and dead of the isolated squad were brought back into the Company perimeter. Company M then moved forward to relieve Company L and the combined force overran several PAVN bunkers. Marine losses were 9 dead and 22 wounded, while the PAVN were estimated to have suffered 100 casualties.
Due to the uncertainty of PAVN intentions in the DMZ, on 20 January COMUSMACV, General Westmoreland agreed to a request from III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) to suspend construction on the strongpoint obstacle system.