operation report information
for MRF 9 INF
TF 117
From date 670603 to 670610
MRF 9 INF was a US Army unit
TF 117 was a US Navy unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Operation CORONADO I
Dinh Tuong Province, IV Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Dong Tam
Description: As part of CORONADO I, this was the initial operation of the Mobile Riverine Force, 9th Inf Div. While other smaller scale operations had been conducted, this was the first full scale execution. There were several SOPs to check out such as loading a battalion from barracks ships onto the assault craft of a river assault squadron and the configuration of a battalion river assault squadron. The Brigade and Infantry battalion staffs were still learning how to coordinate and work with their Navy counterparts in Task Force 117.
During this period, the operations were conducted in the vicinity of Dong Tam with the design to make the land base more secure and to test SOPs. A joint Army and Navy TOC was established to provide a focal point for communications. An Army rifle company was loaded onto three armored troop carriers, ATCs, which were escorted by one monitor. Thus an Army officer would be working with a Navy enlisted man who did not have the authority to make decisions. Time was lost until these things could be worked out. The Army units maintained radio silence to keep the enemy from hearing what was going on.
The operations consisted of co-ordinated airmobile, ground, and watgerborne attacks, supported by air and naval forces. The basic tactic had the MRF units drive the enemy against a blocking force, with open flanks covered by Army gunships or ARVN ground units. Command helicopters were used at the brigade and battalion level. Some fixed artillery FSBs were used as forward command posts.
While the artillery beach preparations lifted, the leading minesweepers and monitors would fire onto the beaches until they were masked by the landing ATCs. The boats remained at the beaching site until released by the battalion commander. Withdrawal of rivering forces was usually by boat unless the units operated far inland, then helicopters were move them to LZs near a navigable waterway. The threat of ambush during troop removal was considered as great as during movement to landings and naval movement on small rivers.
The source for this information was Riverine Opns P:93+
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org
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Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023