Air, Land and Sea - Operation Dragon Fire - Campaign Series Vietnam 1948-1967

Jason Petho
6 September, 1967
[Batangan Peninsula, Quang Ngai Province, South Vietnam]: [SIDE A] [HIS] [CSL]:

In the province of Quang Ngai, the Batangan Peninsula was a well-known Viet Cong stronghold and had been the scene of several previous Allied operations, including Operation Piranha in 1965.

In 1966 the peninsula became part of the Tactical Area of Responsibility of the South Korean 2nd Marine Brigade. The effectiveness of the South Korean 2nd Marine Brigade remained a question mark as since arriving in Vietnam, the Koreans had stayed near their bases. When they did venture out, it was rarely for more than ten days at a time.

One of the exceptions was Operation Dragon Fire conducted against the Batangan Peninsula. After receiving intelligence that the Viet Cong 48th Battalion was refitting on the peninsula, a combined arms operation was developed to secure the peninsula and go one step further to create a tactical base on the southern end of the peninsula to wrestle control from the Viet Cong in the area.

Operation Dragon Fire would involve the 1st, 2nd and 5th R.O.K. Marine battalions, one advancing from the west towards the peninsula over land, one combat assaulting on the western side of the peninsula and the last performing an amphibious landing on the northern beaches of the peninsula. Support would be made available from U.S. Marine gunships as the operation progressed.

As with previous operations, the terrain and villages surrounded by dense hedgerows favored the defending Viet Cong, making the task long and tedious.

The operation generated a large number of refugees as they fled the fighting or abandoned their villages in the peninsula.

[ALL, NO VV] [CSEE, Variable Objectives] [1.00]