First Battle of Loc Ninh

First Battle of Lộc Ninh

CIDG Compound and Airstrip in Lộc Ninh

Date	October 29–December 10, 1967
Location	Lộc Ninh, South Vietnamese-Cambodian border.
Result	Disputed (Allied Tactical Victory; Viet Cong Strategic Victory)

Belligerents

South Vietnam

United States

Viet Cong

Commanders and leaders

Major General John H. Hay, Jr.

Hoàng Văn Thái

Units involved

1st Infantry Division

273rd Division

Casualties and losses

50 dead
Unknown Wounded

U.S. claimed: ~1,000 casualties
PAVN claim: 852 casualties

The First Battle of Lộc Ninh was a battle during the Vietnam War that occurred between October 29 and December 10, 1967, fought by the Viet Cong, Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) and the United States Army.

Lộc Ninh is a town located in and the capital of the Binh Long province, approximately 9 miles east of the Cambodian border and 70 miles north of Saigon. As a part of his strategic preparations for the Tet Offensive in early 1968, General Võ Nguyen Giáp began attacking isolated allied bases in the fall of 1967 in hopes he could draw U.S. and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces outside of several major South Vietnamese cities. The principal forces left to guard Loc Ninh included three companies of the CIDG, a company of South Vietnamese Regional Forces, and a platoon of South Vietnamese Popular Forces.

In conjunction with attacks on Dak To and Song Be, two regiments of the 9th Viet Cong Division left their base in Cambodia on October 29, 1967. They encountered immediate and strong resistance in Loc Ninh from the defending South Vietnamese forces. By November 1, Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces and two battalions from the American 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division (approximately 1,400 men) arrive to reinforce the capital city. The reinforcements swing the momentum of the fight and by November 7 a majority of Viet Cong forces disengage and retreat back across the border. The communist losses were significant during the Battle of Loc Ninh, with estimated totals of dead ranging from 850 to over 1,000.

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