30 Sept 2024 Garand Picture of the Day

[Mark in Rochester]

[browningautorifle]

M1s? Really? I watched them come ashore so long ago and only saw M14s. Wonder what this landing was, exactly.

[Mark in Rochester]

M1s? . Wonder what this landing was, exactly.

In the fall of 1965, a series of five amphibious raids (Operation DAGGER THRUST I-V) were conducted by the SLF along the coast of central South Vietnam. Tanks from 2/A/1TK and Ontos from 2/A/1AT served as the armor component of the BLT (2/1). Results ranged from disappointing to modest. Overall, the assaults failed to achieve their objectives, which was the rapid exploitation of intelligence in order to make contact with large enemy units

Operation PIRHANA, with BLT 1/7 the SLF’s ground force with tanks and Ontos attached, took place 7-10 September 1965. It was an amphibious raid on the Batangan Peninsula, about 20 miles south of Chu Lai. Marine armor consisted of 1/B/1TK and 1/C/1AT. With this operation, the entire reinforced tank and Ontos platoons were landed by 0910 hours on the first day of the operation. Tanks and Ontos supported the infantry in seizing various objectives. The enemy had constructed tank traps on the roads, the largest measuring 20’ x 10’ x 8’ deep. Ontos also provided security for the battalion command post, while tanks served with the battalion mobile reserve. 178 VC were killed in the operation. Marine casualties included two KIA. (CC-1/5, 9/65). No Tankers or Ontos crewmen were casualties. In Volume One of “U.S. Marine Tanks and Ontos in the Vietnam War”, details of both tank and Ontos participation are addresses.

November 1965 saw the launch of the two-phased Operation BLUE MARLIN, a search and clear operation between the coast and Route 1 in the Da Nang – Chu Lai corridor. On 15 November, a combined force consisting of BLT 2/7 and the 3d South Vietnamese Marine Battalion landed on the beach about 15 miles north of Chu Lai. The force swept south to Chu Lai but encountered no enemy forces. A platoon each of tanks and Ontos (2/B/1TK and 2/C/1AT) were attached to 2/7 as elements of the BLT, but were unloaded administratively at Chu Lai later in the operation. (CC-2/7, 11/65).