This article relies largely or entirely on a
single source. (June 2018) |
Operation Gadsden | |||||||
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Part of Vietnam War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States | North Vietnam | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
MG Frederick C. Weyand |
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Units involved | |||||||
25th Infantry Division 196th Infantry Brigade 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division | 271st Regiment | ||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
29 killed | 160 killed (per US) |
Operation Gadsden was an operation conducted by the 25th Infantry Division in Tây Ninh Province, lasting from 2 to 21 February 1967. [1]: 114
Operation Gadsden was planned as a deception operation ahead of Operation Junction City. The 25th Infantry Division would seek to engage the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 271st Regiment in Base Area 354. [1]
The operation commenced on 2 February with the 196th Infantry Brigade and the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, each reinforced by an additional battalion deploying into western War Zone C. Following B-52 strikes against suspected base areas of the 271st Regiment, the eight infantry battalions seized two abandoned border villages, Lo Go ( 11°34′37″N 105°53′53″E / 11.577°N 105.898°E) and Xom Giua, which served as supply depots from the Sihanouk Trail in Cambodia. [1]
Subsequent sweeps confirmed the presence of the PAVN 271st Regiment, 70th Guard Regiment and 680th Training Regiments in the Lo Go area, although they failed to engage them. [1]
Operation Gadsden officially concluded on 21 February, the US claiming that PAVN losses were 160 killed, U.S. losses were 29 killed. [1]
The 196th Infantry Brigade returned to Tây Ninh Combat Base, while the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division deployed to blocking positions along Highway 22 for Operation Junction City. [1]
Contrasting the official view of the operation, internal reports by the Pentagon Papers indicate that the operation insignificant results, failing to dislodge or drive out the 271st Regiment. [2]
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.