Attack on Thach Tru information
for HMM-362
3/7 MARINES
37 ARVN RNG
From date 651121 to 651124
HMM-362 was a US Marine Corps unit
3/7 MARINES was a US Marine Corps unit
37 ARVN RNG was a Vietnamese Army unit
Primary service involved, Vietnamese Army
Incident reference: 65112210.TXT This information is available on CD-ROM.
Quang Ngai Province, I Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Thach Tru
Description: The official USMC history starts that the 18th NVA Regiment reinforced by the 45th VC Heavy Weapons Battalion attacked Thach Tru defended by two RF companies and the 37th ARVN Ranger Battalion. The attack was repulsed with heavy casualties on the enemy.
On the 22d, the 3/7th Marines were inserted but their help was never really needed. Dense cloud cover over the area hampered close air support, but two U.S. destroyers, O'Brien (DD 725) and Bache (DD 470), fired their 5-inch gun adjusted by USMC advisors to the 2d ARVN Division in an O-1B. This gunfire and the defense of the 37th Rangers broke up the enemy attack.
During the three-day battle, the Rangers, the Marine air, and the Naval gunfire killed 175 enemy and captured 136 weapons. One Marine UH-34D and its crew were lost during a troop lift. On the 24th, the 3/7th Marines were helicoptered back to Chu Lai after being replaced by the 11th ARVN Ranger Battalion.
The source for this information was USMC H65 P. 100
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 - 2024 Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association
Last updated
02/05/2000
Date posted on this site:
10/25/2024