Operation Tailwind

SOG Hatchet force loads up for Operation Tailwind

Date	11–13 September 1970
Location	Southeastern Laos
Result	U.S.-South Vietnamese victory

Belligerents

United States

South Vietnam

North Vietnam

Commanders and leaders

CPT Eugene McCarley

Unknown

Strength

Hatchet Force of
MACV-SOG:
16 Americans
110 Montagnards

Unknown

Casualties and losses

3 killed
49 wounded

At least 54 killed

Operation Tailwind was a covert incursion into southeastern Laos during the Vietnam War, conducted between 11–14 September 1970. The purpose of the operation was to create a diversion for a Royal Lao Army offensive and to exert pressure on the occupation forces of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). It involved a company-sized element of US Army Special Forces and Montagnard commando (Hatchet Force) of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MACV-SOG or SOG).

Nearly 30 years later, Peter Arnett narrated a CNN/Time magazine report produced by April Oliver, Jack Smith, Pam Hill, and others. The Valley of Death report claimed sarin nerve gas had been used, and other war crimes had been committed by US forces during Tailwind. This kicked off a controversy that ended in retraction of the claim by both news organizations and the firing of Peter Arnett and the producers responsible for the claims.

During late 1970 the overall US-supported military effort in the covert war in the Kingdom of Laos was floundering. Operation Gauntlet, a multi-battalion Royal Lao Army offensive that was to determine the fate of Paksong and the strategic Bolovens Plateau, was failing. A call went out to SOG's Saigon headquarters asking if the highly classified unit could insert an element near Chavane and disrupt PAVN defenses. Colonel John Sadler, SOG's commander agreed to undertake the mission, even though none of his cross-border reconnaissance teams had ever operated so deep in Laos and the target area was 20 miles (30 km) beyond the unit's authorized area of operations.

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Wikipedia