operation PHOENIX information
for 2/503 ABN
173 ABN
1 INF DIV
From date 660226 to 660301
2/503 ABN was a US Army unit
173 ABN was a US Army unit
1 INF DIV was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Operation PHOENIX
Bien Hoa Province, III Corps, South Vietnam
Location, west of Tan Uyen
Description: The 173rd ABN and elements from the 1st Inf. Div. killed 35 VC in this operation. According to CPT Thomas Faley, CO of C/2/503rd, 173rd ABN BDE, this operation was planned on Feb 25th as a quick strike at a VC force that had been repeated observed in the area five kilometers west of Tan Uyen since the 18th. At 0900 on the 26th, A and B companies were CAed into LZ Chris without contact. B Company moved northwest and A Company directly north. The jungle was so thick that it was described as a '15-foot high briar patch.' At 1510, A Company made contact with a well-dug-in enemy force that put out a murderous rate of fire. As the GI's attempted to pull back, the VC employed the 'hugging tactic' to avoid the allied supporting arms. The distance between the forces was at times less than 30 meters. After pulling back just a short distance, the first airstrike consisted of CBUs seemed to break the back of the VC force. Sadly, a few minutes later the second CBU strike caused several infantry casualties. The airstrikes did force the VC to break off their hugging tactic and fall back to their entrenchments. LTC George Dexter, the battalion CO, was in a C&C Huey. He had directed B Company to move to flank the VC force engaging A Company. At 1715, C Company landed in an LZ 1,500 meters northwest of the battle and moved into a blocking position in a rubber plantation. Shortly after briefing CPT Faley following their insert, LTC Dexter was wounded by enemy fire that came up through the floor of the Huey. At 2000, B Company linked up with the remnant of A Company who had suffered 14 known dead and 76 others wounded. The enemy withdrew during the night and was able to police the battlefield. The next day, B and A Company searched the trenches and moved to link up with C Company. On March 1, General Smith, the 173rd ABN BDE CO, terminated PHOENIX and the 2/503rd was extracted at 1130. They closed the brigade's base camp at Bien Hoa at 1335.
Comments: CPT Faley, Thomas; CO of C/2/503rd Inf; ;
LTC Dexter, George; CO of 2/503rd Inf; ;
The source for this information was Tunner 1st Inf Div P 30, Vietnam Mag Feb 2000 P:22
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
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Last updated
12/22/1999
Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023