Army Reporter information
for 13 CAB
1 BDE 9 INF
3 BDE 9 INF
336 AHC
For date 680106
13 CAB was a US Army unit
1 BDE 9 INF was a US Army unit
3 BDE 9 INF was a US Army unit
336 AHC was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Operation CORONADO IX
Dinh Tuong Province, IV Corps, South Vietnam
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "US Stage Joint Operation In Mekong Delta" dated 6 Jan 1968.
Army aviation helped Vietnamese and United States forces take a big step forward when they recently staged an operation together in the Mekong Delta. Operation Coronado IX was composed of elements of the ARVN 7th, 9th, and 21st Inf Divs, plus the 1st and 3rd Bdes of the U.S. 9th Inf Div. Supported by the 13th CAB, which provided troop transport and armed helicopter support, the ground forces were able to inflict heavy losses on the enemy in Dinh Tuong Province. The operation was staged at Vinh Long. The LZs were pounded by Air Force F100 jets for 10 minutes before the lift to insure a safe landing for helicopters and ground troops. There were no helicopters downed by enemy gunfire, but a medevac chopper form the 82nd Med Det had to abort his mission because of heavy ground fire. The second day of Operation Coronado IX was again staged at Vinh Long and ground troops were airlifted into the combat area around 7 a.m. Again the LZ was pounded by the Air Force jets, but this time the enemy was dug in deep. The first wave of helicopters was met by heavy automatic weapons and mortar fire. Ground troops were pinned down in the LZ for the entire day. On the seventh day of Operation Coronado IX 7th ARVN Inf Div intelligence received word that the VC were planning to attack an outpost in the operational area. Three gunships from the 336th AHC were called in to help defend the outpost when it was attacked late that night. They provided support to the besieged outpost and drove off the VC. When the VC retreated they left behind 11 dead soldiers and eight destroyed sampans. "The purpose of this whole joint operation is to rid the Dinh Tuong Province of a long-time enemy sanctuary," said LTC Charles Hutchins, 13th CAB operations officer.
Comments: LTC Hutchins, Charles; 13 CAB CO; ;
The source for this information was 6801AR.AVN supplied by Les Hines
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