Southern Cross information
for 3 BDE 1 CAV
196 BDE 23 INF
198 BDE 23 INF
1/1 CAV 23 INF
For date 681124
3 BDE 1 CAV was a US Army unit
196 BDE 23 INF was a US Army unit
198 BDE 23 INF was a US Army unit
1/1 CAV 23 INF was a US Army unit
Primary service involved, US Army
Operation WHEELER/WALLOWA
Quang Tin Province, I Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Tam Ky
Description: The following is an edited version of an article titled "Americal wraps up 2 major operations."
CHU LAI - Vietnam's longest continuing operation, Wheeler/Wallowa, ended quietly Nov. 11 after one year to the day of steady action. A sister operation, Burlington Trail, which ran seven months, ended the same day. Both had been conducted in southern I Corps from the coastal lowlands north of Chu Lai to deep within the rugged, mountainous interior west of Hoi An and Tam Ky. Operation Wheeler/Wallowa accounted for 10,013 enemy dead and 2,048 weapons captured. Operation Burlington Trail had a total of 1,944 enemy killed and 545 weapons captured. "The significant losses, both personnel and weapons, inflicted on the enemy during the two operations represent losses which North Vietnam is finding more and more difficult to replace stated LTC A.E. Adkins, Div. G-2. Establish GVN Control MAJ Colin L. Powell, Div. G-3, said, "as a result of these operations, enemy plans to attack the population centers of Quang Nam and Quang Tin Provinces have been repeatedly thwarted." "A major achievement of these operations," the major continued, was the reopening of the Que Son and Tien Phuoc Valleys and the extension of GVN control into these important areas. Operation Wheeler/Wallowa began as two separate operations designed to seek out and destroy elements of the 2d NVA Division. Fighting Begins Operation Wheeler was launched on Sept. 11, 1967 by Task Force Oregon shortly before its reconstitution as the Americal Division. On Oct. 4, the 3d Bde, 1st Cav. Div. (Airmobile) joined the Americal and immediately launched Operation Wallowa in the northern sector of the division's area of operations. Operations Wheeler and Wallowa were combined on Nov. 11, 1967. In recent months the 196th Inf. Bde. and the 1st Sqdn., 1st Cav. have been the major participants against weakening enemy forces. First Major Battle Shortly after the operation's start, "Chargers" and "Dragoons" killed 128 enemy soldiers in a three-day battle in the Que Son Valley, west of Tam Ky (see account of the battle, p.6). The largest battle was a 48-hour action during February, when men of the 1st/1st and 196th killed 180 NVA soldiers at "Pink Ville" near Tam Ky. Burlington Trail Mission Operation Burlington Trail was begun April 8, 1968, north of Chu Lai, under the control of the 198th Inf. Bde. The mission was to open Highway 533 from Tam Ky to Tien Phuoc, a road controlled by the enemy for four years. Heavy fighting by the 198th and 1st Sqdn. 1st Cav. allowed elements of the 39th and 26th Engr. Bns. to rebuild and repair the highway. Elements of the 39th and 26th Engr. Bns. accomplished the task, with security provided by "Brave and Bold" units. "Charlie's on the way down now," said MAJ Powell. The kill ratio in Wheeler/Wallowa was more than 14 to 1, and in Burlington Trail, more than 15 to 1.
The source for this information was 6811_112_scr supplied by Les Hines 01/05/2000
Additional information is available on CD-ROM.
Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org
Return to panel index
Return to Helicopter Pilot KIA index
Return to VHPA Home Page
Copyright © 1998 - 2023 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
Last updated
12/18/2000
Date posted on this site:
05/13/2023