operation DAWSON RIVER SOUTH information
for 9 MARINES
3 MAR DIV
From date 690122 to 690210
9 MARINES was a US Marine Corps unit
3 MAR DIV was a US Marine Corps unit
Primary service involved, US Marine Corps
Operation DAWSON RIVER SOUTH
South Vietnam
Location, Da Krong Valley
Description: This was the USMC search and destroy operation that followed DAWSON RIVER WEST in western I Corps and was folded into DEWEY CANYON. It reopened several 1968 FSBs: Henderson on the 18th, Tun Tavern on the 20th, and Shiloh on the 21st leading toward the Song Da Krong Valley which is south of Vandegrift Combat Base and north of the A Shau Valley. The 9th Marines provided the majority of the Inf Bns and controlled the operation for the 3d Marine Div. They would establish FSBs Erskine, Razor, and Cunningham plus LZ Dallas. Cunningham was a large combat base which hosted the 9th Marines' CP, several artillery batteries, and the forward logistics support for several Inf Cos. The initial helo assaults were conducted from 22-25 Jan. Bad weather restricted helicopter operations started about 30 Jan for about nine days. The Marines had sufficient supplies on Razor and Cunnington to wait for the weather to clear. Their ARVN counterparts did not and required some nearly miraculous helicopter resupply missions. The operation ended on the 10th with everything in position for three Inf Bns to cross the Da Krong and start working on Base Area 611. Most of the troop lifts and supply movements were done by CH-46 squadrons but the Marine histories have fine pictures of CH-53s and Army CH-47s landing on these bases.
The source for this information was USMC 1969 History P 28+
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
Date posted on this site:
10/25/2024