Transcript No Slide Title

THE
DECISIVE BATTLES
OF THE
INDO-CHINA WARS
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION
WAS PREPARED BY
DAVE SABBEN
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT ©
presented
by
ON CREATIVE
CONTENT
DAVE SABBEN MG
05b – Coral/Balmoral
May-June 1968
III Corps
(Third
Military
Region)
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION
WAS PREPARED BY
DAVE SABBEN
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT ©
ON CREATIVE CONTENT
1ATF &
Coral/Balmoral
Area of Ops
(See next map)
2 of 22
South
Viet Nam
BINH
Ben Cat
DUONG
PHUOC
THANH
Binh My
PROVINCE BORDERS
Mid-1965 – mid-66
1RAR with 173rd Airborne Bde Operates out of Bien Hoa
20
River
Tan Uyen
13
LONG
KHANH
16
BIEN HOA
Long
Binh
1
1
SAIGON
GIA DINH
May/June1966
1ATF & 1ALSG into Phuoc Tuy with
5RAR, 6RAR and supporting units.
Xuan Loc
“BlackHorse”
1
1
August 1966
Battle at Long Tan foiled NVA/VC
PRESENTATION
plan to eliminate ANZAC base.
THIS SLIDE AND
Bear Cat
WAS PREPARED BY
Primary Result:
DAVE SABBEN
NVA stop major ops in Phuoc Tuy for
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT
©
rest of 1966, all of 1967 and until
2
BIEN HOA
ON CREATIVE CONTENT Tet of 1968. But the VC still active.
PHUOC
TUY
15
Mangrove Swamp
Nui Dat
Ba Ria
23
N
Secondary Result:
Because of this, 1ATF considered
“under-utilised”, so Westmoreland
requested 1ATF to operate outside
Phuoc Tuy province.
Feb 1968 – Tet Offensive
Hits all major centres in SVN.
1ATF (3RAR) fighting in Ba Ria
20 Km
3 of 22
BACKGROUND
Vung Tau
South China Sea
BINH
Ben Cat
DUONG
PHUOC
THANH
Binh My
PROVINCE BORDERS
20
River
Tan Uyen
13
LONG
KHANH
16
1
SAIGON
GIA DINH
N
20 Km
4 of 22
WAR SITUATION
By the end of 1967…
The VC/NVA were almost broken.
So much so that the North was ready
to start Peace Talks in early 1968.
Pre-Talk Offensives…
BIEN HOA
The Communists had a history of
Xuan Loc
launching major Offensives just prior to
Long
1
“BlackHorse”
Binh
and during Peace Talks:
1
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION
•* Korea, for Panmunjom Talks;
1
Bear Cat
•* French IndoChina War, for the
WAS PREPARED BY
Geneva Peace Accords;
DAVE SABBEN
•* and now for the “American War”…
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© •…so the West was ready…
2
BIEN HOA
ON CREATIVE CONTENT
Planning for Tet 1968…
PHUOC
The Offensives had usually been
TUY
started during a holiday stand-down
15
and Tet (Lunar New Year) had been
Nui Dat
used before. So ARVN and US
Mangrove Swamp
Ba Ria
forces kept reserves on duty over the
23
Tet period – just in case.
Vung Tau
South China Sea
Feb 1968 – Tet Offensive
When the Tet 68 Offensive started,
only the Press was really surprised!
BINH
Ben Cat
DUONG
PHUOC
THANH
Binh My
PROVINCE BORDERS
20
River
Tan Uyen
13
LONG
KHANH
16
TET 1968
Why?
The mostly-VC Offensive was set to
trigger a general population uprising
prior to the start of the Paris Talks.
Result?
All major population centres and military
Xuan Loc
Long
1
targets were attacked. Few were taken.
“BlackHorse”
Binh
Only one was held for more than a few
1
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION
days: Hue. There was no uprising.
Bear Cat
WAS PREPARED BY The ARVN fought better than expected.
The VC were decimated, and they never
DAVE SABBEN
recovered for the rest of the War.
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© the NVA took part (the few major
Where
2
BIEN HOA
ON CREATIVE CONTENT centres) they too were defeated.
PHUOC
“Counter-Attack”…
TUY
From 19 Feb to 10 Mar, the ARVN did
BIEN HOA
1
1
SAIGON
GIA DINH
15
Mangrove Swamp
Nui Dat
Ba Ria
23
N
20 Km
5 of 22
Vung Tau
South China Sea
Ops to clear up the results of Tet.
They then recalled troops to the
Saigon area and mounted a major Op
to clear around Saigon:
Operation “Quyet Thang”
(“Determined To Win”) Started 11
Mar. By 7 April, >2600 enemy kia.
It was so successful, it was decided
to extend it to a Phase 2….
BINH
Ben Cat
DUONG
PHUOC
THANH
Binh My
Operation “Toan Thang” I and II
(“Complete Victory”) Started 8 April.
70,000 troops. Similar success..
20
River
Tan Uyen
13
LONG
KHANH
Then, a surrender…
On 19 April, a senior NVA officer
BIEN HOA
surrendered – Col Dac, Assistant
Xuan Loc
Political Officer for all the VC around
Long
1
…to 4 May
“BlackHorse”
Binh
AO MURRAY
Saigon. He told of a 10,000 NVA force
1
BRIDGE:
THIS SLIDE
AND
PRESENTATION
AO Hunter
headed to Saigon for a new offensive
Nepean
Bear Cat AO
AO Swan
WAS PREPARED BY due early May. With the same aims as
the Tet Offensive – win ground, trigger
DAVE
SABBEN
AO Belize
an uprising, influence the Paris Talks AO Kennedy
AO Lawson
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© this was dubbed “Mini-Tet”.
2
BIEN HOA
Allied forces were gathered to Saigon.
16
1
1
SAIGON
GIA DINH
ON CREATIVE
CONTENT
From 21 Apr…
PHUOC
TUY
AO Taupo:
AO Sturt
AO Hume
AO Giles
15
Mangrove Swamp
Nui Dat
Ba Ria
23
N
20 Km
6 of 22
THE FOLLOW-UP
PROVINCE BORDERS
Vung Tau
South China Sea
1ATF ANZAC
As part of the Allied cordon, 1ATF
deployed to the NW of Phuoc Tuy on
21 Apr and then placed 3RAR outside
the province on 23 Apr.
Build-up…
On 25 April, 2RAR went even further
into Bien Hoa and a 1ATF forward
HQ was established at Bear Cat. On
29 Apr, APCs were also deployed..
BINH
Ben Cat
DUONG
PHUOC
THANH
Binh My
PROVINCE BORDERS
20
River
MINI-TET 5 May 68
Tan Uyen
13
LONG
KHANH
5 – 11 May
AO COLUMBUS
16
AO Ayre
AO Simpson
BIEN HOA
Long
Binh
1
1
SAIGON
GIA DINH
1
Xuan Loc
“BlackHorse”
1
…to 4 May
AO MURRAY
BRIDGE:
PHUOC
TUY
AO Taupo:
15
Mangrove Swamp
Vung Tau
Result?
It was another disaster. By 9 May,
half of the 10k attackers were dead.
Nui Dat
Ba Ria
23
N
7 of 22
Mini-Tet launched:
4am, 5 May, co-ordinated attacks on all
three cities. 11 Regiments from 7NVA
Div and 9 VC Div – 10,000 soldiers.
The defenders were waiting.
THIS SLIDE
AND PRESENTATION
AO Hunter
Nepean
Bear Cat AO
1ATF ANZAC
AO Swan
WAS
PREPARED BY Once the attacks went in, on 5 May,
1RAR, 2RAR, APCs and Artillery
DAVE
SABBEN
AO Belize
AO Kennedy
redeployed to Ayre and Simpson to
AO Lawson
©
BIEN WHO
HOA RETAINS COPYRIGHT
2
cut off enemy withdrawal to the NE.
ON CREATIVE
CONTENT
From 21 Apr…
AO Sturt
AO Hume
AO Giles
20 Km
On 3 May, 3RAR returned to Nui Dat
and was replaced by 1RAR, which
had arrived in VN only 2 months ago.
South China Sea
Backfire…
The attacks failed, but it was also a
disaster for the US with 652 kia and
2225 wia, it set a new record for US
weekly casualties. The US media,
fresh from their Tet scare, ignored the
victory and stressed the new record.
BINH
DUONG
PHUOC
THANH
BINH
Binh MyDUONG
12 May –
Ben Cat
6 June
AO SURFERS
16
AO Newport
AO Manly
AO Bondi
On 10 May, 3RAR flew to Simpson to
PROVINCE BORDER
PROVINCE BORDERS
replace 2RAR which was due to RTA
in June (replaced by 4RAR).
20
AO NEWPORT
BLOCK POSITIONS
River
Tan Uyen
Binh My
13
LONG
KHANH
5 – 11 May
AO COLUMBUS
16
AO Ayre
AO Simpson
BIEN HOA
Long
Binh
1
1
SAIGON
GIA DINH
1a
Xuan Loc
“BlackHorse”
1
1
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION Allied locations…
Bear Cat
To the West was the US 1st Infantry
WAS PREPARED BY Div (the Big Red One); to the East,
DAVE SABBEN
Bns from 101 Airborne; to the South,
AO BONDI
ARVN
5 Div and to the North, known
WHO
RETAINS
COPYRIGHT
©
2
BIEN HOA
NVA territory.
ON CREATIVE CONTENT
PHUOC
TUY
15
AO MANLY
Mangrove Swamp
N
New Block position orders:
Also on 10 May, 1ATF was ordered into
new cut-off positions to the North of
Saigon and Bien Hoa.
Nui Dat
16
Ba Ria
N BIEN HOA
23
Tan Uyen
River
20 Km
8 of 22
Approx 5 Km Vung Tau
South China Sea
AO SURFERS
The new position was in the Ba
Da Secret Zone – an NVAcontrolled area between the
known enemy staging town of
Binh My and Tan Uyen.
It was 7 or 8 Km of road plus 7
or 8 Km on either side. The
whole area was named “AO
Surfers” and was divided into
three parts – AOs Newport,
Bondi and Manly.
PROVINCE BORDER
BINH DUONG
1ATF was given the task of
blocking enemy forces
withdrawing from the South.
The enemy were said to be
moving fast, disorganised, with
low morale and low on ammo.
AO NEWPORT
16
THE TASK:
Binh My
Little was said of the enemy
PRESENTATIONwithin the sanctuary areas to the
North.
FSB Coogee
1a
THIS SLIDE AND
3RAR
WAS PREPARED BY
1RAR, 161 Bty
102DAVE
Bty
SABBEN
AO BONDI
FSB Coral
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT ©
3RAR
ONC/1RAR
CREATIVE CONTENT
AO MANLY
Once secure, 102 Bty to fly in,
then 1RAR, then 161 (NZ) Bty.
The FSB to be in place by early
afternoon.
Once 1RAR at the LZ, C/1RAR
to start to clear road SE to Tan
Uyen; and 3RAR to move West
to establish FSB Coogee.
16
N BIEN HOA
THE (ORIGINAL) PLAN:
7am,12 May – 3RAR fly in and
secure LZ to become FSB Coral.
Tan Uyen
River
Approx 5 Km
9 of 22
On 13 May, road convoy would
bring 1ATF HQ, Engineers, US
Artillery, APCs etc to FSBs.
THE EXECUTION:
PROVINCE BORDER
BINH DUONG
AO NEWPORT
16
Overnight 11/12 May, US forces,
unaware of 1ATF plans, moved
into AO Manly and had a major
contact 3000m West of LZ.
The LZ selected for the first Coy
was unsuitable – B/3RAR was
landed 1000m to the SE and
had to go to the original LZ and
clear it for the others - delay.
Binh My
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATIONThe delay compounded, and the
US wanted some choppers back
1RAR, PREPARED BY
WAS
for their own use during the day.
3RAR,
102 DAVE
Bty
SABBEN
AO BONDI
3RAR was not on the ground
FSB Coral
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT © until noon, and then at both LZs.
161 Bty
ON CREATIVE CONTENT
161 Bty arrived before the LZ
ready – landed 1000m SW.
1a
102 Bty arrived 3 hours late at
2pm. 1RAR followed. Last Coy
in at 4pm. Mortars in at 5pm.
AO MANLY
16
N BIEN HOA
Confusion and disorder at the
LZs. No one in overall control or
to co-ordinate units & defences.
Tan Uyen
River
Approx 5 Km
10 of 22
And 9Km to the East, the NVA
Commanders watched, and sent
out their recce parties…
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION
WAS PREPARED BY
DAVE SABBEN
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT ©
ON CREATIVE CONTENT
An Infantry patrol returns to base
at FSB Coral. The Terrain was
generally flat to gently undulating.
Open spaces either cleared or with
tall grass and shrubs. Rubber
plantations. Open forest (as here) or
thick forest. Some jungle.
11 of 22
NIGHTFALL 12 MAY
D/1RAR
BINH DUONG
PROVINCE BORDER
AO NEWPORT
16
A/1RAR
Binh My
During the day there had been
several small contacts but the
enemy had always bugged out –
they were the recce parties sent
to gather info, not to fight.
11 & 12 Pl
D-/3RAR
16
3RAR HQ
ATk,APnr
Mor/1RAR
Arty HQ
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION The 1RAR and 3RAR Coys
1RAR HQ
102 Fd Bty
were dispersed for defence, as
ATk,APnr
WAS
3RAR PREPARED
BY
per standard CRW war tactics.
1RAR
102DAVE
Bty
Here’s a closer look at FSB
SABBEN
AO BONDI
FSB Coral
B/1RAR
RETAINS COPYRIGHT © Coral as at nightfall, 12 May…
161 NZ WHO
Arty
Mor/3RAR
102 Bty and 1RAR HQ were
CREATIVE CONTENT
C/1RAR
10 Pl D/3RARON
C/3RAR
A/3RAR
1a
defended by the Mortars,
AntiTank and Assault Pioneers
of 1RAR, with HQ 3RAR nearby.
AO MANLY
B/3RAR
161 Bty defended by 3RAR
Mortars plus only one Platoon
were 1000m away.
16
N
Tan Uyen
N BIEN HOA
C/1RAR
River
Approx 2 Km
12 of 22
At 6pm, it rained – heavily.
Shallow pits, no wire and no
Claymore mines out. Defences
were not co-ordinated.
Approx 5 Km
16
16
The Companies of 1RAR and
3RAR were scattered thinly
around the FSB up to 2000m
away from the guns.
OVERNIGHT 12/13 MAY
D/1RAR
16
C/3RAR
A/3RAR
The
enemy
At
5:00
thererecces
was acontinued
renewed
into
the
night.
A
few
contacts
assault at reduced strength.
butenemy
again, again
quicklybreached
broken off.
The
the
Mortar lines, capturing two
A/1RAR
Midnight to 3:30am, noises out
mortar tubes but being unable to
front of 1RAR Mors & ATk Pls.
remove them.
(Enemy marking assault lines,
11 & 12 Pl
MAIN
shell-scrapes
etc)
D-/3RAR
Atdigging
first light,
6:10, the enemy
ATTACK
again withdrew NE, taking most
3:30am – enemy mortars &
of their casualties with them.
Mor/1RAR
3RAR HQ
RCLs into FSB for 5 minutes.
Arty HQ
ATk,APnr
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION Then
At dawn
Australians
3:40 –the
assault
on 1RAR
1RAR HQ
102 Fd Bty
regained
9 kia,
28
Mor & Atktheir
andlines.
102 Bty
fronts.
ATk,APnr
WAS PREPARED
BY
wia,Attacks
of which
5 kiaan
and
8 wia
lasted
hour.
DAVE SABBEN
were from 1RAR Mortars of 18
B/1RAR
161 Bty
and2the
two Mortar
Pls
1 gun,
mortars
damaged.
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT © men.
161 NZ Arty
fired
butplus
1021Bty
52indirect
enemy support
kia buried
Mor/3RAR
& the Anti-Tank
Pl firedcaptured.
splintex
10 Pl D/3RAR ON CREATIVE CONTENT
POW.
Many weapons
and HE over open sights. US
RESULT:
air (Spooky,
gunships, ground
It was
a win,
but a costly
one. As
attack
aircraft)
overhead.
at Long Tan, the NVA claimed an
B/3RAR
Enemy
over-ran Mors
and into
extravagant
victory.
102 Bty lines, reaching two gun
positions.
Close
fighting and of
a
In
view of the
disorganisation
counterattack
backof1 cogun.
C/1RAR
the fly-in andtook
the lack
ordinated defences, the result is
At 4:40
theto
attack
faltered
- the
Approx 2 Km
a credit
the men
in the
16
enemy lines
withdrew
the NE.
forward
(50%toNashos!).
N
13 of 22
(TODAY)
D/1RAR
A/1RAR
Here’s a Google map image
dated 2011 of the Coral area.
Note that the kink at the road
junction is now gone.
The area in the white square is
enlarged below – on the corner
of the road is a monument to the
NVA who died at Coral and
Mor/1RAR
nearby is a Shrine to their
Arty HQ
SLIDE AND PRESENTATION
memory.
1RAR HQ
102 Fd Bty
We will visit both these places.
WAS PREPARED
BY
ATk,APnr
11 & 12 Pl
D-/3RAR
16
3RAR HQ
ATk,APnr
C/3RAR
THIS
DAVE SABBEN
B/1RAR
WHO
RETAINS
COPYRIGHT
©
161 NZ Arty
Mor/3RAR
ON CREATIVE CONTENT
10 Pl D/3RAR
A/3RAR
B/3RAR
N
Approx 2 Km
13a of 22
C/1RAR
These two memorials have
been placed near the site of the
mass grave where the NVA
dead were buried after the
second attack.
The site corresponds to the
North- East front of the 102 Bty
defences, also to the front of the
1RAR Mortar Platoon and the
1RAR Anti-Tank Platoon as will
be shown when we replace the
air photo with the map we’ve
been using. Keep your eye on
the white square…..
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION
WAS PREPARED BY
DAVE SABBEN
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT ©
ON CREATIVE CONTENT
The 105mm gun overrun by the
NVA at FSB Coral.
Note again the terrain – flat, open and
with little cover. Normally the guns
would have been “dug in” behind
earth revetments but these were
incomplete when the attack came in.
14 of 22
1ATF HQ
Mor/1RAR
1ATF
maint area
US Arty
BINH DUONG
US Arty
Arty HQ
D/1RAR
HQ
Day #2 - 13 MAY
131 102 Fd Bty
Mor/1RAR
Div
As soon as the road was
LocPROVINCE BORDER
cleared by C/1RAR, two
convoys drove to Coral.
AO NEWPORT
16
APCs, Engineers, 1ATF HQ, a
US 155 Bty and much-needed
defence and ammo stores
11 & 12 Pl
arrived. In view of the attacks of
D-/3RAR
the previous evening, the
defences were shrunk and
Mor/1RAR
3RAR HQ
Atk/1RAR
tightened. Coral became
the
Arty
Arty HQ
HQ
ATk,APnr
Mor
THIS
SLIDE102AND
PRESENTATION largest FSB established by
Fd
1ATF
HQ
1RAR
1RAR HQ
LZ
102 Fd BtyBty
1RAR HQ
1ATF in SVN.
ATk,APnr
WAS PREPARED
BY
A/1RAR
Binh My
16
C/3RAR
FSB Coogee
A/3RAR
1a
US
2/35
FSB CoralArty
DAVE SABBEN
AO BONDI
B/1RAR
WHO
RETAINS
COPYRIGHT
©
161
NZ Arty
3RAR
Mor/3RAR
161 Bty ON CREATIVE CONTENT
APnr/1RAR
102Tp
Pl D/3RAR
APC
AO MANLY
B/3RAR
16
N
Tan Uyen
N BIEN HOA
C/1RAR
River
Approx 2 Km
15 of 22
Approx 5 Km
16
Moreover, the Australians
realised they were no longerAPCs
in a
CRW war – this was
Conventional warfare and
required a change of strategy:
limited patrols by day and tight
defence at night.
. FSB COOGEE
On the 13th, the US broke
contact and moved back West,
allowing 3RAR to move to their
assigned area in AO Manly.
They established FSB Coogee
with 161 Bty and a TroopB/1RAR
of (6)
APCs.
Day #3 - 14 MAY
4:00am
Attack
Around Coral, Platoon patrols
went out 3000-4000m. It was
active, with 9 contacts resulting
in 3 kia, 5 wia for 14 enemy
casualties. The enemy was still
around, and interested.
5:15am
Attack
Despite this, the night of 14/15
May was quiet.
16
THIS
1ATF HQ
Day #4 - 15 MAY
SLIDE102AND
PRESENTATION Less action than the 14th, but
Fd
still contacts with recce parties.
Bty
1RAR HQ
Arty HQ
Mor
1RAR
2:40am
Attack
WAS
US PREPARED BY
2/35
DAVE SABBEN 2:40am
Arty
Attack
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT
©
ON CREATIVE
CONTENT
APnr/1RAR
60 guns fired in support, plus
US air. Another attack at
4:00am targeted C Coy and a
third attack at 5:15am tried to
get between C and A Coys.
N
Approx 2 Km
16 of 22
Night 15/16 MAY
At 2:30am, Coral was shelled
again, followed at 2:40 by large
attacks from the East against A
and B Coys. The A Coy position
was penetrated.
16
A counterattack reclaimed the A
Coy position. Daylight showed
5 kia & 19 wia in 1RAR with 34
enemy bodies buried.
16 MAY and beyond
Following the failure of their
second series of attacks, the
enemy left FSB Coral alone.
BINH
Ben Cat
DUONG
PHUOC
THANH
Binh My
PROVINCE BORDERS
20
River
On 18 May, the CO, 1ATF, Brig
Hughes, went on R&R,
command passing to his 2ic,
Colonel Dunstan.
13
Tan Uyen
LONG
KHANH
16
BIEN HOA
Long
Binh
In view of the changed
conditions at Coral, Dunstan’s
THIS
first action was to call the tanks
up from Nui Dat to AO Surfers.
Xuan Loc
“BlackHorse”
1
1
1
SLIDE
AND PRESENTATION
1
Bear Cat
WAS PREPARED BY
SAIGON
DAVE
SABBEN
The logistics of the move were
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT
©
BIEN HOA
huge – they would leave Nui Dat
on 22 May by road via Xuan Loc ON CREATIVE CONTENT
(“Blackhorse”) and arrive at
Coral on the afternoon of 23rd –
a road trip of 120 Km. The 24th
would have to be reserved for
servicing and any repairs and
maintenance.
It was a big move, both tactically
and administratively. There was
much opposition to the use of
tanks in Vietnam, but there were
.
also many supporters.
17 of 22
2
GIA DINH
PHUOC
TUY
15
Mangrove Swamp
Nui Dat
Ba Ria
23
N
20 Km
Vung Tau
South China Sea
MEANWHILE, AT COOGEE
BINH DUONG
Grassland
(with many B52 craters)
PROVINCE BORDER
AO NEWPORT
16
Binh My
FSB Coogee
C/3RAR
Wire
1a
AO MANLY
N
Approx 100m
18 of 22
Wire
With the lack of enemy in the
area, the COMAFV, Maj Gen
10Pl/D
McDonald, suggested to
Dunstan that perhaps 3RAR
D/3RAR
should cross the road to the
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION north and return 161 Bty to
Mor/3RAR
Coral. The enemy was evident
WAS PREPARED BY
north of the road, not south of it.
DAVE
SABBEN
AO BONDI
FSB Coral
On 24 May…
B/3RAR
HQ/
WHO RETAINS
COPYRIGHT
© B/3RAR on
3RAR
APCs & D/3RAR on
3RAR
Admin
Wire
ON CREATIVE CONTENT
foot moved into AO Newport and
secured an area about 4500m N
of Coral, to become known as
HQ 2/A/3Cav
and 3 APCs
FSB Balmoral. Choppers flew.
the 161 guns back to Coral and
16
Technically,
the rest
of 3RARBalmoral
flew in to the
was after
not an
“FSB” fire
clearing
massive
A/3RAR
Tan Uyen
since it did
not air.
contain
suppression
by US
The NVA
Clear
Forest
a Fire
Support
Unit.
were very
aware
of the
arrival of
River
It wasBy
a “Battalion
the night of the
3RAR.
.
Wire
Approx 5 Km
th
Locality”.
24 , Defended
Balmoral was
a Battalion
defended position with artillery
support from Coral.
FSB Balmoral
Thick
Forest
3RAR with support from 161 Bty
at Coral, patrolled and learned
the land. A few contacts, but
generally quiet after the large
US battle a week before.
N BIEN HOA
Thick
Forest
The fly-in of 3RAR to the Balmoral
defended location site.
B & D/3RAR with the APCs secured
the Balmoral site on 24 May, with the
rest of the Battalion flying in to the
cleared area to the north of the
position. (Note B52 crater R foreground)
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION
WAS PREPARED BY
DAVE SABBEN
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT ©
ON CREATIVE CONTENT
18a of 22
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION
WAS PREPARED BY
DAVE SABBEN
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT ©
ON CREATIVE CONTENT
18b of 22
The 11 Pl/D/3RAR front line.
From the 11 Pl MG pit looking North
West, from where came the enemy
assaults of the morning of 26 May.
The enemy reached the B52 crater
and used it as a fire position for small
arms and RPGs.
NIGHT
2525/26
MAY MAY
Grassland
(with many B52 craters)
Thick
Forest
Night
Positions
C/3RAR
Wire
N
Approx 100m
19 of 22
C/3RAR
4 At
tanks
3:45am,
(2 Tp,Balmoral
C Sqn) moved
was
from
shelled,
Coral
followed
to Balmoral
immediately
protected
by
by
a major
two Platoons
assault from
fromthe
B/1RAR.
North
About
East. half
Theway
enemy
there,
was
they
more
ran
into
thanan
a enemy
Battalion
bunker
strong,
system.
each
Wire
assault line being about Coy in
The Infantrystrength.
became entrapped
Thick
thick
Forest
in the contact. The tanks moved
10Pl/D
Aforward
diversion
was
mounted
from
and,
firing
canister,
Night
the
South
East
on the
A/3RAR
D/3RAR
cleared
the
jungle,
destroyed
Positions
wire which
wasand
breached
bunkers
allowedby
the
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATIONseveral
bangalores
but not exploited.
Infantry to withdraw.
In the
Mor/3RAR
Day
Day
WAS
PREPARED BY
process, the tanks killed many
Positions
Positions
The
main
failed
breach
enemy
in attack
and near
theto
bunkers.
DAVE SABBEN
the D/3RAR wire and was
B/3RAR
Having
HQ/
WHO RETAINS
COPYRIGHT © repulsed extracted
by SA firethe
withInfantry,
artillery
3RAR
3RAR
Admin
the
column
bypassed
the
and air support. The tanks,
ON CREATIVEB/3RAR
CONTENTWire which
bunkers
and
moved
on,were
calling
were
not
dug in,
not
in arty
airstrikes
on thesupport
target.
able
to &
offer
the decisive
HQ 2/A/3Cav
Theyoffered
arrivedlater,
at Balmoral
midthey
when dug
in
and 3 APCs
afternoon
and
the
Infantry
was
against NVA RPGs. The enemy
choppered
to Coral
as the
withdrewback
at about
5:00am.
tanks were put into position..
3RAR
had suffered 3 kia and 13
A/3RAR
All
the
in the
had
Clear
wia. activity
At daylight,
6 area
enemy
Forest
given
away
Balmoral’s
security.
bodies
were
buried and
huge
Enemy
recce attested
parties were
quick
Wire
drag marks
to many
DIVERSION
to
arrive outside
perimeter.
ATTACK
casualties
beingthe
cleared
from
And they the
were
looking
for
a
fight
battlefield.
MAIN
ATTACK
26 MAY
Grassland
(with many B52 craters)
ATTACK
from NW
D/1RAR plus 4 tanks left Coral
at 6:00am to clear the bunker
complex hit on the 25th. A 3hour combined Infantry/tank
attack caused the enemy to
desert the complex.
ATTACK
from NE
Wire
Thick
Forest
Thick
Forest
Night
Positions
Wire
N
C/3RAR
27 and night 27/28 May
10Pl/D
After more recce on the 27th,
the enemy launched another
Night
D/3RAR
Positions
series of attacks on Balmoral
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION starting 2:30am on the 28th. A
two-pronged multi-Battalion
Mor/3RAR
Day
Day
WAS
PREPARED
BY
Positions
Positions
attack from both North West and
DAVE SABBEN
North East, both hitting D/3RAR,
HQ/
WHO
RETAINS
COPYRIGHT © were again supported by a feint
3RAR
3RAR
Admin
A/3RAR from the South East.
ON CREATIVEB/3RAR
CONTENTWire onCoral
was also fired upon to
disrupt their supporting fire.
HQ 2/A/3Cav
this time, the dug-in tanks were
and 3 APCs
critically effective and all attacks
were beaten off.
A/3RAR
Clear
Forest
Wire
Approx 100m
20 of 22
DIVERSION
ATTACK
3RAR lost 1 kia and 8 wia but
found 42 bodies, many weapons
and again, huge drag marks.
Many of the NVA kia’s were
estimated to be just 16 or 17
years old – a sign of the
desperation of the North.
OUTCOMES
30 May
Tanks
again made
The ANZACs
had the
lostdecisive
25 kia
difference
C/1RAR
and
109 wia. when
The enemy
had
endured
a heavy
contact
3000m
lost 238
NVA and
38 VC
by
AO NEWPORT
East of Coral.
tanks and
4
bodycount,
withTwo
hundreds
more
APCs were
sent
to support.
dragged
away.
Hundreds
of
They drove
thecaptured.
contact,
weapons
hadinto
been
rescued the Coy and closed the
FSB Balmoral
US and ARVN
Operations
contact.
C/1RAR
lost 1 kia had
and
7645 kia,
for a
7accounted
wia with 24forenemy
kia being
loss of 578buried.
kia and 3719 wia.
Media ignored the ratios.
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION The
Actions
proved
the –
It adoptedlike
thethis
Hanoi
mantra
tanks’
worth,
this was
WAS PREPARED BY
“Ratios
don’tbut
count.
The“their
only
finest
hour”.
Few
if
any
similar
thing that is important is the
DAVE SABBEN
AO BONDI
actionsnumbers
were experienced
FSB Coral
you lose”. in the
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT © remainder of the Vietnam War.
The battles at Coral and
ON CREATIVE CONTENT
Action around Coral & Balmoral
Balmoral had been glimpses
reduced in frequency and scale
of conventional war.
as the operations continued.
One Company at Long Tan
had experienced
this in one
On 5 June…
16
afternoon
– 1RAR,
3RAR and
…Balmoral
was abandoned.
supporting
ArmsCoral
experienced
On 6 June,
was
Tan Uyen
it for four harrowing
abandoned
and AO attacks
Surfers
over two to
critical
reverted
a USweeks.
area of
River
And
in each case,
responsibility.
Approx 5 Km
theAustralian
ANZACs had
prevailed.
The
forces
returned
to Phuoc Tuy province.
BINH DUONG
16
Binh My
FSB Coogee
1a
AO MANLY
N BIEN HOA
LEST WE FORGET
21 of 22
PROVINCE BORDER
THE
DECISIVE BATTLES
OF THE
INDO-CHINA WARS
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION
WAS PREPARED BY
DAVE SABBEN
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT ©
by
ONpresented
CREATIVE CONTENT
DAVE SABBEN MG
05b – Coral/Balmoral
Questions?
22 of 22
PLEASE DO NOT REMOVE THIS SLIDE
THE FINE PRINT
THE “COMMERCIAL”
This Powerpoint show is copyright to Dave Sabben but is freely
available for any non-profit use. It may be downloaded free from
Dave’s website: www.sabben.com
As at 2011, Dave Sabben leads one tour per year (second half of
October) to visit some of the areas of Australian/ANZAC
operations of 1966-1971. The highlight of these tours is to walk
the Long Tan battlefield with Dave (a platoon Commander in that
battle). The walk takes about 4 hours – about the time of the
battle – so the group goes to all the key locations of the battle and
hears about what happened pretty much in “real time”.
It was prepared for presentation to those who join his Decisive
Battlefields and Long Tan Trek Tours of Viet Nam (see green panel
for the “commercial”) as introductions for the various battles.
Because the shows are live presentations, much more is in the
narrative than is included in the text on the slides.
The shows are intended to be introductions and overviews –
not detailed expositions or analyses. Views and conclusions
are the author’s and are not offered as the only possible
or even as fully comprehensive views.
For further enquiry into these tours, please visit:
http://www.sabben.com/longtantrek/
and select VN%20Long%20Tan%20Trek%20Tours.html or
VN%20Decisive%20Battlefields%20Tours.html
Copyright holders who want their material either not used or
credited, please contact Dave Sabben at
http://www.sabben.com/contact%20us.html
Dien Bien Phu valley (both Viet Minh and French positions).
THIS SLIDE AND PRESENTATION
WAS PREPARED BY
DAVE SABBEN
An optional extension to the Long Tan Trek Tour takes in the main
WHO RETAINS COPYRIGHT
©South Viet Nam including Da Nang, Hue,
US battles of northern
the DMZ (including Khe Sanh) and the A Shau Valley (Hamburger
Where possible, permissions have been obtained
to CREATIVE
use maps or
ON
CONTENT
Hill),
then visits both Hanoi (‘Hanoi Hilton’, War Museum) and the
photos but some have been used without specific permission.
Anyone wishing to make an anonymous donation towards the cost and
time of putting this show together is invited to make a donation of any
amount to (Australian) Westpac bank account BSB# 733 000, Account#
853 546 (branch = 360 Collins St, Melbourne), or (Australian) CBA bank
account BSB# 063 550, Account# 1024 7640 (branch = Hampton,
Victoria), either account in the name of David Sabben.
If passing this slide show to others,
please don’t remove this slide .
As well as the once –a-year-in-October tours, Dave can arrange a
similar tour at any time of year for a group of 20 or more. Dates,
durations, standards of accommodation, inclusions etc will be all
your call. Please contact Dave (with numbers and preferences) at
http://www.sabben.com/contact%20us.html
Note that these are “battlefield-oriented” tours – they do NOT go to all
the popular tourist sites. “Tourist” tours can be added before or after.
If passing this slide show to others,
please don’t remove this slide .