battle report information
for battle of Mang Yang Pass
CIDG
A-4 SF DET
A-3 SF DET
From date 650220 to 650224
CIDG was a Civilian Irregular Defense Group unit
A-4 SF DET was a US Army unit
A-3 SF DET was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, Vietnamese Army
Pleiku Province, II Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Mang Yang Pass
Description: As part of the Battle of Mang Yang Pass, on the 20th the VC assaulted FOB #1 and FOB #2 manned by the A-4 SF Det CIDG units from An Khe. FOB #2, further from the Mang Yang Pass, received only a light probe but FOB #1 was overrun. Air support was not able to be given because of cloud blankets around the bases. A CIDG response company reached FOB #1 on the 21st and retrieved the dead and wounded to An Khe. At 1730H a second force was ambushed returning from FOB #1 after searching for 20 MIAs. They formed a crude perimeter and held out for two days. A response force from An Khe was unable to fight their way to this ambush site or FOB #2 and was forced with withdraw after loosing half their vehicles. On the 22d, the A-3 SF Det at Soui Doi sent a CIDG company in trucks to support from the west side of the Mang Yang. At 1530 after passing the ruins of FOB #1, the VC ambushed this force. After the CIDG ran out of ammo, they attempted to surrender but when the VC started killing the wounded; the CIDG used bayonets and knives to break out of the fight. One SF Lieutenant left for dead, regained consciousnes and crawled to a radio. Overlooked by the VC, he directed armed helicopter fire on the enemy. A medevac helicopter was hit and forced to land a Soui Doi but the gunships were able to extract the wounded SF. An eagle flight landed a special 5 SF and 36 CIDG just east of this ambush site. Sadly they were stafed by the gunships besides receiving VC fire. At 1930H a 60-man company from the 22d ARVN Rangers reinforced the eagle flight platoon. On the 23d the Rangers were able to link up with the survivors from the Soui Doi and An Khe CIDG elements as well as the force on FOB #2. The rest of the 22d ARVN Ranger Battalion airlanded at An Khe and started up Highway 19 on the 23d. This force made heavy contact and had to fall back. All reserves in II Corps had been used up and a massed emergency helicopter evacuation was used to lift out the surrounded friendly units. The battle ended on the 24th by abandoning Highway 19 at this point to the VC.
The source for this information was Rand; Green Berets at war P:112
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