Operation Mameluke Thrust
| Operation Mameluke Thrust | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Vietnam War | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States
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 North Vietnam
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| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| MG Donn J Robertson | |||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
1st Battalion 7th Marines 3rd Battalion 26th Marines 1st Battalion 26th Marines 3rd Battalion 5th Marines A Troop, 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry 3rd Battalion 7th Marines 2nd Battalion 7th Marines |
36th Regiment, 308th Division | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 269 killed | 2728 killed 47 captured |
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Operation Mameluke Thrust was a US Marine Corps operation that took place in Happy Valley southwest of Danang, lasting from 19 May to 24 August 1968.
On 9 May the 1st Marine Division commander MG Donn J Robertson was ordered to conduct a spoiling attack into the valleys west of Danang and around Thường Ðức Camp. The loss of Kham Duc on 12 May raised the concern that the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) would next seek to overrun Thường Ðức. PAVN units in the area were believed to include the 31st Regiment, 341st Division and the 368B Rocket Regiment.
On 19 May the 1st Battalion 7th Marines attacked west from Danang along the Song Vu Gia towards Thường Ðức, while the 3rd Battalion 26th Marines attacked into Happy Valley. By the end of May both units had discovered PAVN base areas but had minimal contact.
On 3 June the area of operations was expanded east into the "Arizona Territory" near the An Hoa Combat Base and the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines was added to the operation.
At 07:30 on 7 June while moving south of the Liberty Bridge (15°51′22″N 108°11′31″E / 15.856°N 108.192°E) Company B 1/26 Marine came under fire from a PAVN force dug in on a low hill, the battle continued for 9 hours until the PAVN retreated. Marine losses were 17 dead and 46 wounded while PAVN losses were 64 dead.
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