Operation Swift

Operation Swift
Part of the Vietnam War
Date September 4–15, 1967 Location Que Son Valley, South Vietnam Result US & South Vietnamese victory
Belligerents
United States South Vietnam	North Vietnam Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Col. Peter Hilgartner	Unknown
Strength
1st Battalion 5th Marines 3rd Battalion 5th Marines 37th Ranger Battalion	2nd Division:elements 1st Regiment U.S. estimate: 2,500
Casualties and losses
127 killed 362 wounded	U.S. estimate: ~600 killed

Operation Swift was a military operation by units of the 1st Marine Division in the Quế Sơn Valley, to rescue two Marine companies which had been previously ambushed by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). Launched on September 4, 1967 the ensuing battles 127 Americans and an estimated 600 PAVN were killed.

The Quế Sơn Valley is located along the border of Quảng Nam and Quảng Tín Provinces. During the Vietnam War it lay in the southern part of South Vietnam's I Corps. Populous and rice-rich, the valley was viewed as one of the keys to controlling South Vietnam's five northern provinces by the communists and by early 1967 at least two regiments of the PAVN 2nd Division had been infiltrated into the area. The Que Son Valley was also recognized as strategically important by the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV). The 5th Marine Regiment was assigned to the valley in 1967 to support the outnumbered Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces there.

In the spring and summer of 1967 the Marines launched Operations Union and Union II with the goal of sweeping the PAVN from the southern rim of the Que Son Valley. Several bitter and costly battles forced the PAVN 2nd Division to cede control of area to the 5th Marines. Two Battalions of the 5th Marines continued to operate in the valley throughout rest of the summer but did not patrol aggressively and were not molested by the communist forces, who were regrouping. During the lull the PAVN 2nd Division rebuilt its strength to a force of three regular regiments and was reinforced by the Vietcong 1st Regiment, a full-time main force unit.

In early August Major General Don Robertson, commanding the 1st Marine Division, turned his attention to the Que Son Valley following several major operations around Da Nang. In an attempt to draw the PAVN into another destructive confrontation Robertson launched Operation Cochise on August 11. However the PAVN largely managed to avoid contact with the three Marine battalions tasked with the operation which ended on August 28 with only modest results.

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Wikipedia