operation report information
for 21 SOS
40 ARRS
4 MARINES
9 MARINES
For date 750514
21 SOS was a US Air Force unit
40 ARRS was a US Air Force unit
4 MARINES was a US Marine Corps unit
9 MARINES was a US Marine Corps unit
Operation MAYAGUEZ INCIDENT
Cambodia
Location, Koh Tang Island
Description: Shortly after dawn, a trawler with the Mayaguez crew and gunboat escorts sailed for Kompong Som, a mainland port. In spite of an impressive fire-power demonstration by USAF F-11s and a AC-130 which sank three boats and fired within ten yards of the trawler, the trawler made it to Kompong Som. Near midday the US forces received orders to prevent any gunboats from approaching either Koh Tang or the Mayaguez, so the tactical aircraft continued to attack and kill Cambodian gunboats. It was during this period that the SS Hirado, a Swedish ship, was fired upon by a Cambodian gunboat about 50 miles SW of Koh Tang but nothing more developed from this incident.
At 0505, USAF C-141s landed the 1/4th Marines at Utapao. The leadership was briefed and then began their wait as the launch time was moved from 0910 several times during the day. Since nautical twilight would be at 1915, they had to launch by 1415. During this period they rehearsed scenarios for helo landings at two points on the Mayaguez. At 2200 the plan to helo assault the Mayaguez was abandoned. Instead three 53s would take a smaller force to the USS Holt.
At 0615, USAF C-141s and C-5As began lifting Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 2/9 from Kadena to Utapao. By late afternoon, the BLT was encamped at Utapao. Several BLT officers took off in a borrowed U.S. Army twin-engine aircraft for a reconnaissance flight over Koh Tang. By 2130 their assault plan was completed. It called for G/2/9 to make the initial assault from eight USAF 53s. The helicopters would return in about four and one-half hours with the second wave from E/2/9.
The USAF had two long range helicopter units still in SEA. The 40th ARRS had HH-53s that could carry 20 to 27 Marines on the 270 mile flight from Utapao to the Mayaguez. These Jolly Green Giants were constructed for SAR operations, were equipped with three 7.62mm miniguns, had 4,000 pounds of armor plate, and an aerial refueling capability. The 21st SOS flew CH-53Cs equipped with external fuel tanks for extended range.
During the night of the 14th, the USAF continued its battle with gunboats around Koh Tang and the first surface units of the U.S. Seventh Fleet entered the Gulf of Siam. This force included the destroyer escort USS Harold E. Holt, the guided-missile destroyer USS Henry B. Wilson, and the attack carrier USS Coral Sea. All were coming from different points and arrived separately.
Late on the 14th, the Holt was told that a detachment of Marines, some Military Sealift Command (MSC) civilian personnel to crew the Mayaguez, some Navy personnel and an USAF EOD team for booby traps were to be flown out to them and that they would serve as the boarding party. They were also to prevent the Mayaguez from reaching the mainland if she got underway.
The source for this information was The Marines in Vietnam Anthology P:240+
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