Army Reporter information
for 173 ABN BDE

For date 680518


173 ABN BDE was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Binh Dinh Province, II Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Bong Son
Description: The following is an edited version from the weekly Vietnam Communique column in the 18 May 1968 issue. Elements of the 173rd Abn Bde fought a battle with an NVA regiment-size force and killed 61 enemy soldiers. The action took place on the Bong Son Plains north of Qui Nhon. Initial contact began shortly before noon when a company from the 1/50th Inf engaged an enemy force 30 miles north of Qui Nhon. The mechanized unit found itself surrounded by the enemy and began receiving rocket and automatic weapons fire from all sides. The unit was able to link up with a sister company and elements of the 1/69th Armor. Heavy fighting continued until nightfall with the armored unit fighting the enemy from a wagon-wheel formation. Gunships, artillery and eight tactical airstrikes supported the ground units.

The source for this information was 6805AR.AVN supplied by Les Hines


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Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023