operation report information
for HMM-261
HMM-364
HMM-363
VMO-6
For date 660304
HMM-261 was a US Marine Corps unit
HMM-364 was a US Marine Corps unit
HMM-363 was a US Marine Corps unit
VMO-6 was a US Marine Corps unit
Primary service involved, US Marine Corps
South Vietnam
Description: The initial LZ for operation UTAH was on Route 527, about seven miles east of Route 1 and in the center of a five village complex named Chau Nhai. Despite a good prep from USAF and USMC jets, the first landing at 0900 was met with 12.7mm fire. Within 10 minutes, all four armed VMO-6 UH-1Es were hit and one shot down. This crew was evacuated. Ten of 20 UH-34s from HMM-261 and HMM-364 were hit. MAG-36 grabbed 16 UH-34s from HMM-363 and by 1030 the ARVN battalion was in the zone. Reinforced by a squadron from MAG-16, three Marine companies were inserted by 1300. Several UH-34s were hit and one crashed in the LZ.
Comments: MAJ Needham, Michael J.; flight leader HMM-364; ;
COL Johnson, William G.; CO MAG-36; ;
LTC Zitnik, Robert J.; CO VMO-6; ;
The source for this information was USMC History 1966, P 109
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