Battle of A Shau

Battle of A Shau
Part of the Vietnam War
Date March 9–10, 1966 Location 16°15′33.5″N 107°12′45″E / 16.259306°N 107.21250°E / 16.259306; 107.21250 (A Shau Valley)Coordinates: 16°15′33.5″N 107°12′45″E / 16.259306°N 107.21250°E / 16.259306; 107.21250 (A Shau Valley) A Shau Valley, South Vietnam UTM Grid YC 499-837 Result North Vietnamese victory.
Belligerents
United States South Vietnam	North Vietnam
Units involved
5th Special Forces Group CIDG	325th Division
Strength
17 Green Berets 410- 417 CIDG overall: 385– 434 (camp garrison)	2,000
Casualties and losses
12 wounded and 5 missing 196–288 killed or missing	Unknown (U.S estimates put the number at 800)

17 Green Berets
410- 417 CIDG

The Battle of A Shau (Vietnamese: trận A Sầu) was waged in early 1966 during the Vietnam War between the North Vietnamese Army (NVA) and the forces of the United States and South Vietnam. The battle began on March 9 and lasted until March 10 with the fall of the U.S. Army's Special Forces camp of the same name.

The A Shau Special Forces Camp was located in the A Sầu Valley, about 30 miles (50 km) southwest of Huế in Thừa Thiên Province. The valley was strategically important for the NVA as a major infiltration route because it was adjacent to the Ho Chi Minh Trail and Laos. Defending the camp were 10 Green Berets from the 5th Special Forces Group and 210 South Vietnamese Civilian Irregular Defense Group, supported by Air Commando units equipped with vintage A-1 Skyraiders and AC-47 Spooky gunships.

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