Battle of Long Khanh

Australian Centurion tank, Operation Overlord June 1971.

Date	6–7 June 1971
Location	Long Khanh Province, South Vietnam (now eastern Dong Nai Province, Vietnam)
Result	Minor Australian tactical victory

Belligerents

Australia

New Zealand

United States

Viet Cong

North Vietnam

Commanders and leaders

Peter Scott

Units involved

1 ATF

D445 VC Bn

3/33 NVA Regt

Strength

Two infantry battalions
Armour and artillery

Two infantry battalions

Casualties and losses

3 killed
6 wounded
1 helicopter shot down

5 bodies recovered

1 ATF

The Battle of Long Khanh (6–7 June 1971) was fought during the Vietnam War between elements of 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) and the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army during Operation Overlord. The fighting saw Australian infantry from 3rd Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (3 RAR) attack a heavily fortified communist base camp in Long Khanh Province, while Centurion tanks providing close support crushed many bunkers and their occupants. Regardless, the Viet Cong fought hard to delay the Australian advance and although the bunker system was subsequently captured, along with a second system further south, the Australians suffered a number of casualties and the loss of a UH-1 Iroquois helicopter. With the Australians unable to concentrate sufficient combat power to achieve a decisive result, the bulk of the Viet Cong and North Vietnamese force successfully withdrew intact, although they likely sustained heavy casualties in the process.

As a consequence of the overall allied strategy of Vietnamization and with the Australian government keen to reduce its own commitment to the war, 8 RAR was not replaced at the end of its tour of duty in December 1970. 1 ATF was again reduced to just two infantry battalions, albeit with significant armour, artillery and aviation support remaining. The Australian area of operations (AO) remained the same however, with the reduction in forces only adding further to the burden on the remaining battalions. Regardless, following a sustained effort by 1 ATF in Phuoc Tuy Province between September 1969 and April 1970, the bulk of communist forces had become inactive and had left the province to recuperate.

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