Battle of Dong Xoai information
for 118 AVN
A-342 SF DET

From date 650610 to 650612


118 AVN was a US Army unit
A-342 SF DET was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Phuoc Long Province, III Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Dong Xoai
118 AVN losses were 4 KIAs and 10 WIAs
Aircraft lost in 118 AVN were 1 UH-1 destroyed
Description: About midnight the VC 762d and 763d Regts began a coordinated attack on the town and Special Forces camp at Dong Xoai with one regimental sized force while another force positioned itself to ambush all likely routes and LZs for ARVN reinforcements. At 0100H the standby fire team from the 118th AVN went to support. At 0230H the CIDG force crumbled and the Americans withdrew to the district HQ with heavy losses. At 0600H the 118th went to Phuoc Vinh to pick up 1st Bn, 7th ARVN elements to insert into Dong Xoai. The VC around the LZ appeared as friendly civilians so the lift held their fire during the initial insert. While the helicopters escaped with relatively little damage, the ARVNs were defeated within twenty minutes. The air strip at the Thanh Loi Plantation was selected for the second insertation. A herd of cattle on the strip forced the 14 ship CA to land short of their original spot and this proved to be a great blessing when a hugh mine exploded in that spot. The LZ came under heavy mortar and AW fire. One Huey was destroyed and the entire crew died. A daring rescue by three ships lead by the 118th CO got what was left of the Americans in the SF camp out in the early afternoon. Only a Cambodian CIDG force remained in the fight while airstrikes pounded the entire area throughout the day and late in the afternoon the 118th inserted the 52d ARVN Rangers into the soccer field. Initially things were rough for this force but by night fall, they had retaken the SF camp, the ARVN compound, and most of the town. For the next several days, the 118th brought more troops in and lifted hundreds that required medical attention. On the 13th, SF A-311 Det arrived and began rebuilding the camp. SF 2LT Charles Q. Williams received the Medal of Honor for his actions in this battle. Losses on the SF side were 5 US, 3 LLDB, and 40 CIDG KIA; 16 US, 4 LLDB, and 54 CIDG WIA; 124 CIDG MIA while the VC lost 134 confirmed although hundreds more were probably carried away.
Comments: *** Orland, Ralph; 118th Pilot; ; MAJ Stewart, Harvey E.; 118th CO; ; 2LT Williams, Charles Q.; SF; Medal of Honor;

The source for this information was 145 CAB(V)A History; Green Berets at War P:120+; Rand; Chron P:2


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Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023