operation BYRD ends information
for 2/7 CAV 1 CAV
3/506 ABN 101 ABN

For date 680120


2/7 CAV 1 CAV was a US Army unit
3/506 ABN 101 ABN was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Operation BYRD
Binh Thuan Province, II Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Phan Thiet
Description: This 17 month economy-of-force operation conducted by the 1st Cav Div in Binh Thuan Province ended. It usually employed one or two battalions in a continuing operation that claimed 849 known enemy casualties. When the "Gary Owen" (2d Bn, 7th Cav) arrived at Phan Thiet with one helicopter company, all but the largest towns were controlled by two VC bns. The area was isolated because the Route 1 and the railroad had been cut to the south toward Saigon and north toward Nha Trang. The 1 Cav troops fanned out, moved the remote villagers into Phan Thiet and Song Moa, helped the GVN re-establish itself, and opened Route 1 to Saigon for local trade which consisted mainly of fish and the fish sauce they manufactured. Operation BYRD was the beginning of what would be a several year practise of having one American infantry battalion with supporting aviation based at Phan Thiet. BYRD was terminated to allow TF 2/7th Cav to return to the 1st Cavalry Division. Basically MCLAIN started immediately with the 3/506th Abn, 101st Abn as the American infantry battalion.

The source for this information was Rand, OOB, 1st Team P 155


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