Operation Colorado
United States
Charles F. Widdecke
1st Marine Division
2nd Infantry DivisionMarine Division
99 killed
20+ captured
- v
- t
- e
- Laos
- Biên Hòa
- Đồng Khởi
- Chopper
- Palace Bombing
- Sunrise
- Shufly
- Ấp Bắc
- Go Cong
- Hiep Hoa
- 34A
- Long Dinh
- Kien Long
- Quyet Thang 202
- USNS Card
- Nam Dong
- An Lao
- Binh Gia
- Camp Holloway
- Dương Liễu – Nhông Pass
- Qui Nhơn
- Ka Nak
- Sông Bé
- Ba Gia
- Dong Xoai
- Starlite
- Piranha
- An Ninh
- Plei Me
- Hump
- 1st Bau Bang
- Ia Drang
- Bushmaster II
- Harvest Moon
1966
- Marauder
- Crimp
- Van Buren
- Masher/White Wing
- Mastiff
- Suoi Bong Trang
- New York
- Harrison
- Cocoa Beach
- Utah
- Silver City
- A Sau
- Oregon
- Texas
- Lincoln
- Fillmore
- Jackstay
- Buddhist Uprising
- Xa Cam My
- Georgia
- Birmingham
- Davy Crockett
- Austin IV
- Paul Revere
- Crazy Horse
- El Paso
- Hardihood
- Wahiawa
- Lam Son II
- Hawthorne
- Hill 488
- Nathan Hale
- Jay
- Macon
- Hastings
- Minh Thanh Road
- John Paul Jones
- Prairie
- Colorado
- Duc Co
- Long Tan
- SS Baton Rouge Victory
- Amarillo
- Byrd
- Sunset Beach
- Seward
- Thayer, Irving and Thayer II
- Attleboro
- Deckhouse IV
- Shenandoah
- Atlanta
- Paul Revere IV
- Geronimo
- Tan Son Nhut airbase
- Fairfax
- Firebase Bird
1967
- Deckhouse V
- Cedar Falls
- Desoto
- Gadsden
- Sam Houston
- Pershing
- Enterprise
- Tra Binh Dong
- Bribie
- Junction City (1st Prek Klok
- 2nd Prek Klok
- Ap Gu
- Suoi Tre
- 2nd Bàu Bàng)
- Francis Marion
- Lejeune
- Union
- Baker
- Manhattan
- The Hill Fights
- Beaver Cage
- Con Thien/DMZ
- Crockett
- Malheur I and Malheur II
- Kole Kole
- Barking Sands
- Union II
- Dragnet
- Akron
- Billings
- Concordia
- The Slopes
- Hong Kil Dong
- Diamond Head
- Coronado
- Coronado II
- Hood River
- Suoi Chau Pha
- Benton
- Coronado IV
- Swift
- Dragon Fire
- Wheeler/Wallowa
- Coronado V
- Kunia
- Bolling
- Medina
- Shenandoah II
- MacArthur
- Dak To
- Osceola
- Lancaster
- Coronado IX
- Neosho
- Santa Fe
- Essex
- Kien Giang 9-1
- Napoleon
- Phoenix
- Manchester
- Saratoga
- Yellowstone
- Muscatine
- Badger Tooth
- Auburn
- New Year's Day battle of 1968
- McLain
- Khe Sanh
- Coronado X
- Tet Offensive
- Hop Tac I
- Coronado XI
- Houston
- Patrick
- Tam Kỳ
- Truong Cong Dinh
- Lima Site 85
- Quyet Thang
- My Lai Massacre
- Walker
- Carentan
- Pegasus
- Cochise Green
- Toan Thang I
- Burlington Trail
- Scotland II
- Delaware
- Allen Brook
- May Offensive
- Jeb Stuart III
- Nevada Eagle
- Mameluke Thrust
- Toan Thang II
- Robin
- Binh An
- Thor
- Pocahontas Forest
- Quyet Chien
- Somerset Plain
- Phase III Offensive
- Champaign Grove
- Vinh Loc
- Thượng Đức
- Maui Peak
- Henderson Hill
- Sheridan Sabre
- Meade River
- Hat Dich
- Speedy Express
- Taylor Common
- Fayette Canyon
- DMZ Campaign (1969–1971)
- Bold Mariner
- Dewey Canyon
- Toan Thang III
- 2nd Tet
- Iron Mountain
- Massachusetts Striker
- Wayne Grey
- Purple Martin
- Ben Het
- Maine Crag
- Atlas Wedge
- Frederick Hill
- Geneva Park
- Montana Mauler
- Oklahoma Hills
- Washington Green
- Virginia Ridge
- Apache Snow
- Hamburger Hill
- Lamar Plain
- Pipestone Canyon
- Binh Ba
- Montgomery Rendezvous
- Utah Mesa
- Campbell Streamer
- Idaho Canyon
- Nantucket Beach
- Fulton Square
- LZ Kate
- Toan Thang IV
- Randolph Glen
- Green River
- Texas Star
- Cambodian campaign
- Pennsylvania Square
- Clinch Valley
- Elk Canyon
- Pickens Forest
- Wolfe Mountain
- Chicago Peak
- Firebase O'Reilly
- Chenla I
- Imperial Lake
- Jefferson Glenn
- Tailwind
- Son Tay Raid
- Cuu Long 44-02
- Toan Thang 1/71
- Lam Son 719
- Finney Hill
- Middlesex Peak
- Caroline Hill
- Long Khánh
- Chenla II
- Nui Le
1972
Post-Paris Peace Accords (1973–1974)
- War of the flags
- Cửa Việt
- Hồng Ngự
- Tong Le Chon
- Trung Nghia
- Ap Da Bien
- Quang Duc
- Tri Phap
- Svay Rieng
- Iron Triangle
- Duc Duc
- Thượng Đức
- Phú Lộc
- Phước Long
- Ban Me Thuot
- Hue–Da Nang
- Phan Rang
- Xuân Lộc
- Fall of Phnom Penh
- Fall of Saigon
- Mayaguez incident
- Farm Gate
- Chopper
- Ranch Hand
- Pierce Arrow
- Barrel Roll
- Pony Express
- Flaming Dart
- Iron Hand
- Rolling Thunder
- Steel Tiger
- Arc Light
- Combat Skyspot
- Tiger Hound
- Shed Light
- Thanh Hoa
- Bolo
- Popeye
- Yen Vien
- Niagara
- Igloo White
- Commando Hunt
- Giant Lance
- Menu
- Patio
- Freedom Deal
- Proud Deep Alpha
- Linebacker I
- Enhance Plus
- Linebacker II
- Homecoming
- Tan Son Nhut Air Base
- Babylift
- New Life
- Eagle Pull
- Frequent Wind
- Yankee & Dixie stations
- Gulf of Tonkin
- Market Time
- Vung Ro Bay
- Game Warden
- Double Eagle
- Stable Door
- PIRAZ
- Sea Dragon
- Deckhouse Five
- Bo De River, Nha Trang, Tha Cau River
- Sealords
- Đồng Hới
- Pocket Money
- Custom Tailor
- End Sweep
- Paracel Islands
- East Sea
- 1964
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1971
- 1972
- 1973–74
- 1975
Operation Colorado/Lien Ket 52 was a US Marine Corps and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) operation that took place in the Hiệp Đức District, lasting from 6–22 August 1966 planned by Major General Lewis J. Fields, Commanding General of 1st Marine Division.
Background
On 30 July 1966 the 5th Marine Regiment was instructed to begin planning a search and destroy operation in the Hiệp Đức and Song Ly Ly vallies with the ARVN 2nd Division to locate and engage the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 2nd Division. The operation plan called for the ARVN 2nd and 4th Battalions supported by the 2nd and 3rd APC Troops of the 4th Armored Cavalry to advance southwest from Thăng Bình towards Quế Sơn where 3 Vietnamese Marine Battalions would form blocking positions. Meanwhile, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines would be landed by helicopters southwest of Hiệp Đức and they would move eastwards towards the ARVN, with the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines reinforcing if required.[1]: 213–4
Operation
6 August
On the morning of 6 August after preparatory air and artillery strikes, helicopters from MAG-16 and MAG-36 began ferrying the Vietnamese and U.S. Marines to their landing zones. The Vietnamese Marines were heavily engaged on landing, killing 50 and capturing 20 PAVN from the 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment before breaking contact at nightfall.[1]: 216
7 August
On the morning of 7 August the Vietnamese Marines moved north towards the hamlet of Thach Thu'ong (3) which the PAVN were believed to have fortified. The attack was delayed due to heavy rains and poor visibility prevented airstrikes until the afternoon. The Vietnamese made a frontal attack on the hamlet but were driven back twice before withdrawing to allow artillery and airstrikes to hit the PAVN positions.[1]: 216
8 August
On the morning of the 8th the Vietnamese Marines secured Thach Thu'ong (3) with no opposition as the PAVN had retreated during the night. 37 PAVN bodies were located in the village.[1]: 216 Also that day after 2 days without enemy contact the 2/5 Marines returned to Tam Kỳ.[1]: 217
10 August
At 08:30 as the 1/5 Marines which had been deployed in the Quế Sơn Valley with no enemy contact was preparing to move from Đại Đồng east towards Route 1 it began to receive harassment fire. By 15:00 as the Marine column approached the hamlet of Cam Khe in a heavy rainstorm approximately 30 PAVN were seen running across a paddyfield and were engaged by the Marines. Soon the entire Regiment was fighting the PAVN at close quarters, unable to call in supporting arms because of the poor visibility. At 17:30 the rains lifted and UH-1 gunships from VMO-6 and A-4s from MAG-12 began hitting the PAVN positions. By nightfall the PAVN had disengaged with the loss of over 100 dead, while the Marines had lost 14 dead and 65 wounded.[1]: 217–9
13 August
At 10:30 two PAVN Battalions engaged the Vietnamese Marine/ARVN Cavalry force near Vinh Huy in an all-day battle before disengaging at nightfall. South Vietnamese losses were 26 dead and 54 wounded while over 140 PAVN bodies were left behind.[1]: 219
Aftermath
Operation Lien Ket concluded on 14 August with the Vietnamese Marines/ARVN returning to Thăng Bình. Operation Colorado concluded on 22 August the Marines had suffered 99 dead and 212 wounded and the PAVN 283 killed.[1]: 220
Notes
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- ^ a b c d e f g h Shulimson, Jack (1982). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: An Expanding War 1966. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. ISBN 9781494285159. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.