Operation Maui Peak
| Operation Maui Peak | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of Vietnam War | |||||||
|
|||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 United States
|
 North Vietnam
|
||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| MG Carl A. Youngdale | |||||||
| Strength | |||||||
|
2nd Battalion 5th Marines 3rd Battalion 5th Marines 2nd Battalion 7th Marines 1st Battalion 1st Marines |
21st Regiment, 2nd Division 141st Regiment 368B Rocket Regiment |
||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
| 28 killed | 202 killed | ||||||
Operation Maui Peak was a US Marine Corps operation that took place near the Thường Ðức Camp southwest of Danang, lasting from 1 to 19 October 1968.
In late September 1968 1st Marine Division intelligence detected the presence of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 21st Regiment, 2nd Division, 141st Regiment and the 368B Rocket Regiment near the Thường Ðức Camp. In an early morning attack on 28 September the PAVN overran two of the Camp's outposts. As bad weather made tactical air support impossible a Marine tactical air control group flew into the camp with a radar beacon which was used to guide Marine A-6s to make precision bombing attacks on the PAVN positions forcing them to abandon them on 29 September.
The 7th Marine Regiment supported by the 2nd Battalion 5th Marines and 3rd Battalion 5th Marines were tasked with relieving the siege around Thường Ðức.
On 6 October B-52s and tactical aircraft began bombing the intended landing zones in the hills around Thường Ðức while the 2/5 Marines moved west along Route 4 towards the Camp. As they advanced the Marines were engaged by the PAVN 1st Battalion, 141st Regiment in a battle that lasted all day.
At 07:30 the helicopters carrying the 3/5 Marines approaching Landing Zone Sparrow 4 km south of Thường Ðức were met with intense antiaircraft fire forcing the helicopters to return to An Hoa Combat Base. At 11:00 BLT 2nd Battalion 7th Marines was landed at Landing Zone Vulture and two ARVN Battalions were landed at Landing Zone Hawk 7 km northwest of Thường Ðức. Two Companies from 2/7 Marines began traversing the hills towards Thường Ðức. At 17:40 3/5 Marines were landed at Landing Zone Kiwi southeast of Thường Ðức.
...
Wikipedia