first SF camp attached information
for A-314 SF
battle at Plei Mrong

For date 630103


A-314 SF was a US Army unit
Kontum Province, II Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Plei Mrong
Description: On 2 Jan, A-314 Det helicoptered half their detachment and a strike force to conduct an operation across the Krong Bolah River. The force at Plei Mrong wisely moved the two supporting ARVN 155mm howitzers into the camp's perimeter. At 0130H on the 3rd, a reinforced VC company raced through a 12-foot gap in the fenceline that had been prepared by pro-VC hamlet militia. The ARVN liaison officer and the SF Det XO ran the ugly and confused battle until 0600 when the final VC probe was defeated. The VC force assaulted twice and then a fresh VC company blew a new approach route for a third assault. Shortly after 0400H the VC started to retreat from the camp carrying thier dead and wounded. The results were 29 camp defenders KIA, 73 MIA (many were VC who had infiltrated the training program), and 38 WIA. A C-47 flareship finally arrived at 0510H but without the ARVN officer and the supporting artillery he coordinated; the camp would have been lost. Helicopters arrived at 0700 to start medical evacuations. This was the first SF camp assaulted by the enemy in Vietnam.

The source for this information was Green Berets at War P:72+


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