operation report information
for 1 Marines
HMM-163

For date 660227


1 Marines was a US Marine Corps unit
HMM-163 was a US Marine Corps unit
Primary service involved, US Marine Corps
Operation NEW YORK
South Vietnam
Description: Soon after the Marines involved in operation NEW YORK returned to Phu Bai, the 1st ARVN Div asked them to help an ARVN Bn that had engaged the 810th VC Bn just east of Phu Bai in the Phu Thu Peninsula. Starting at 2100 on the 27th until 0200 on the 28th, HMM-163 lifted three Marine companies into several zones on the peninsula. The ARVN provided the blocking force and the Marines attacked the VC. By the time NEW YORK ended on Mar 6, the Marines had killed 120 VC, captured 7 more and seized 69 weapons while suffering 17 US KIA and 37 WIA.

I participated in Operation New York and am compeled to furnish you with the following information. I was a Corpsman with F Co. 2-1. On 2-27-66 the entire Battalion was lifted from the base at Phu Bai to Phu Thu Peninsula in what I believe was the first night time battalion size vertical envelopment by helicopter in history. The following morning, we began a sweep down the peninsula and in the afternoon encountered a dug in battalion of Viet Cong. In the ensuing fighting, my company suffered 14 KIA and probably twice that many WIA. I was among the first wounded and among the first evacuated because of the seriousness of my wound. I was told that the helicopter that evacuated me recieved hits from 100 rounds of small arms fire and I owe you guys my life and undying gratitude. F Company had lost quite a few men prior to Operation New York and had so few able bodied men left after the operation that the surviving Marines were assigned to CAC units and a company was transfered in from another battalion to replace the old F Co. Danny Francis wrote a book, "Last Ride Home", which chronicles the operation pretty much as I remember it beginning on page 229. Semper Fi.......

From: Doc Larry Sanderson HMC/USN/RET
Comments: LTC House, Charles A.; CO HMM-163; ;

The source for this information was USMC 1966 P:51+, Rise & Fall P:112
Rise & Fall = The Rise and Fall of an American Army: U.S. Ground Forces in Vietnam, 1963 - 1973 by Shelby Stanton.


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Last updated 09/26/2010

Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023