Battle of Binh An information
for 3/5 CAV
D/1/9 CAV
D/1/5 CAV
C/2/5 CAV

From date 680627 to 680630


3/5 CAV was a US Army unit
D/1/9 CAV was a US Army unit
D/1/5 CAV was a US Army unit
C/2/5 CAV was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Operation JEB STUART III
Quang Tri Province, I Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Binh An
Description: As part of JEB STUART III, the 3/5th Cav, 1st Cav Division traps the 814th NVA Battalion in the village of Binh An, eight miles east of Quang Tri City. D/1/9th Air Cav, D/1/5th Cav, and C/2/5th Cav reinforce. Casualties: US - 3 KIA; enemy 233 KIA and 44 POWs. The following is an edited version of the account of this battle that appears the Mahler's Ringed in Steel. The 3/5th Cav was conducting a routine troop replacement where one of their armored cavalry troops moved to the Cua Viet logistics area from Wunder Beach and the displaced troop conducted a reconnaissance mission on the way back to Wunder Beach. The axis for the reconnaissance was varied to keep the enemy off balance. Everything was routine until the lead tank came within about 150 yards of Binh An and received a burst of small arms fire with an antitank rocket. The troop quickly deployed, returned fire and the unengaged platoons moved quickly to the north and south of the village to cordon it. This deployment was so quick that they were able to cut off three NVA from the village and capture one. The squadron launched its LOH and the pilot reported seeing large numbers of villagers fleeing south which was a sure indication that this was not a small skirmish but an omen of a serious fight. One captured NVA admitted that his 300-man battalion was dug in inside Binh An. The squadron quickly moved its other armored troop to join the cordon, asked the Navy to position patrol boats offshore to seal that escape routine, began a very deliberate and methodical artillery and naval gun bombardment, and requested two infantry companies from the 1st Cav Division to reinforce the cordon. All the cordon units were in place by mid-afternoon. The bombardment was lifted only long enough for a loudspeaker team to urge the NVA to give up but they did not. To disrupt any NVA plan for a mass break out attempt, one armored troop attached Binh An from the west toward the sea but was halted by drainage ditch that was covered by fairly heavy enemy fire. They pulled back and the northern side of the cordon attacked using only heavy machine guns for fear of having tank cannon fire pass through the village and into the other side of the cordon. This attack was able to move through the village, then they turned around and fought their way back to their original positions. Everyone settled in for the night. Besides the gun bombardment, the tanks used their searchlights to illuminate the cordon. Individual NVA and small groups were spotted, most were stopped, turned back and some were captured. At first light the supporting fires were increased for about one hour, then the northern and southern sides starting moving toward each with their vehicles buttoned up. They met only light resistance and stopped when their machine-gun bullets were bouncing off each other's vehicles. They pulled back and the second assault was make with the infantry accompanying the cavalry vehicles. The stunned NVA either died in place or surrendered. The battle was over. The force recovered 233 bodies, a considerable number of crew-served and individual weapons, and 44 captives. Among the dead were the battalion commander, his staff, and all of his company commanders. Mahler states the American force suffered one dead and nine wounded.

I was there when the first shots were fired and the story rings pretty true, except Delta, 1/9th Cav, 1st Cav Div was there from the start. We had been working with the 3/5th Cav, 9th Div. for several weeks. Normally the 3/5th would cordon off an area or a village and we'd sweep through it. Intelligence had been received that Binh An harbored 12-14 hardcore VC and a search of the village was planned. The 3/5th passed by the coastal village as we had many times before, but this time the 1/9th was on the front vehicles and bailed off on the ocean side as the front APC's & tanks raced around the south of the village and the back of the column raced around the north. Binh An was quickly surrounded with the 3/5th forming a horseshoe around the village and D, 1/9th completed the circle on the east/beach side. D, 1/9th then proceeded to start a sweep toward the village. As we got close we drew a lot of fire and had to pull back through some raised rows of vegetables between the village and the sea. The raised rows provided much needed protection. The rest of the story is briefly what happened. Probably one of the most one sided battle in all of Vietnam. I have read other accounts that D, 1/9th was a reinforcing force, but that's just not true. Delta initiated the action that day and received a Valorous Unit Citation for our actions and I personally received a Purple Heart. Just like to try to keep history straight. From: Richard MacLeod

The source for this information was Chron P:75; Mahler's Ringed in Steel P:188+


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Last updated 02/01/2010

Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023