Operation Bushmaster II

Part of the Vietnam War (1965)

Operation Bushmaster II

Part of the Vietnam War

Battle of Ap Nha Mat, 5 December 1965
| Date| 1–6 December 1965

|

Location|

Michelin Rubber Plantation, South Vietnam

11°15′47″N 106°20′02″E﻿ / ﻿11.2631°N 106.334°E﻿ / 11.2631; 106.334
Result|  US declares operational success
Belligerents
United States|  Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
Col. William Brodbeck|  unknown
Units involved
3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division|  272nd Regiment
Strength
|  US estimate: 2400
Casualties and losses
44 killed
3 missing[1]|  US body count: 318 killed
27 captured
214 estimated killed and wounded
75 weapons recovered[1]: 6–7

* v
* t
* e

Military engagements during the Vietnam War

Guerrilla phase

* 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
* Gulf of Tonkin
* An Lao
* Binh Gia
* Camp Holloway
* Dương Liễu – Nhông Pass
* Qui Nhơn
* Ka Nak
* Sông Bé
* Ba Gia
* Dong Xoai

American intervention 1965

* Starlite
* Piranha
* An Ninh
* Plei Me
* Hump
* Gang Toi
* 1st Bau Bang
* Ia Drang
* Bushmaster II
* Harvest Moon

1966

* Marauder
* Crimp
* Van Buren
* Masher/White Wing
* Double Eagle
* 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
* Hickory
* Prairie II
* Prairie III
* Prairie IV
* Buffalo
* Kentucky
* Kingfisher
* 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
* Ong Thanh
* 1st Loc Ninh
* MacArthur
* Dak To
* Osceola
* Lancaster
* Coronado IX
* Neosho
* Santa Fe
* Essex
* Kien Giang 9-1
* Napoleon
* Phoenix
* Manchester
* Saratoga
* Yellowstone
* Muscatine
* Badger Tooth
* Auburn

Tet Offensive and aftermath

* New Year's Day battle of 1968
* McLain
* Khe Sanh
* Ban Houei Sane
* Lang Vei
* Coronado X
* Tet Offensive
* Da Nang
* US Embassy
* Cholon and Phu Tho Racetrack
* Tan Son Nhut Air Base
* Joint General Staff Compound
* Bien Hoa and Long Binh
* Hue
* Quảng Trị
* Bến Tre
* Coburg
* Lo Giang
* 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
* Dai Do
* West Saigon
* Landing Zone Center
* An Bao
* South Saigon
* Concordia Square
* Kham Duc
* Coral–Balmoral
* Jeb Stuart III
* Nevada Eagle
* Mameluke Thrust
* Toan Thang II
* Robin
* Binh An
* Thor
* Pocahontas Forest
* Quyet Chien
* Somerset Plain
* Phase III Offensive
* Duc Lap
* Champaign Grove
* Vinh Loc
* Thượng Đức
* Maui Peak
* Henderson Hill
* Sheridan Sabre
* Meade River
* Hat Dich
* Speedy Express
* Taylor Common
* Fayette Canyon

Vietnamization 1969–1971

* 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
* FSB Ripcord
* 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
* Snuol
* Lam Son 719
* Finney Hill
* Middlesex Peak
* FSB Mary Ann
* Caroline Hill
* Long Khánh
* Chenla II
* Nui Le

1972

* Easter Offensive
* Cambodia and Mekong Delta
* 1st Quang Trị
* Loc Ninh
* An Lộc
* Mỹ Chánh Line
* Kontum
* Thunderhead
* 2nd Quang Trị
* The Vinh wiretap

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

Spring 1975

* Ban Me Thuot
* Hue–Da Nang
* Phan Rang
* Xuân Lộc
* Fall of Phnom Penh
* Fall of Saigon

Air operations

* 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

Naval operations

* 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
* Mayaguez incident

Lists of allied operations

* 1964
* 1965
* 1966
* 1967
* 1968
* 1969
* 1970
* 1971
* 1972
* 1973–74
* 1975

Operation Bushmaster II (also known as the Battle of Ap Nha Mat) was a US Army operation that took place in the Michelin Rubber Plantation, lasting from 1 to 6 December 1965.

## Prelude

[edit]

On the evening of 27 November 1965 the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 7th Regiment, 5th Division operating in the Michelin Rubber Plantation was overrun by the Viet Cong (VC) 271st and 273rd Regiments, killing most of the Regiment (possibly up to 500 soldiers) and its five US advisers.[2] Major general Seaman ordered Colonel William Brodbeck's 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division to rescue the shattered 7th Regiment. Several days later intelligence was received that the VC Phu Loi Battalion and the 272nd Regiment were operating in the area and the mission was changed to locating and engaging these units.[3]: 88 The VC forces meanwhile prepared an ambush for the incoming assault planned by US forces.[2]

## Operation

[edit]

Operation Bloodhound, later renamed Operation Bushmaster II, commenced on 1 December when the 2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment (2/2nd Infantry) was landed at Landing Zone Dallas (11°06′29″N 106°10′55″E﻿ / ﻿11.108°N 106.182°E﻿ / 11.108; 106.182) inside the Michelin Rubber Plantation.[4] LZ Dallas was to serve as the command post for the two Battalions involved in the operation. From 2–5 December the US Battalions searched southeast of LZ Dallas in the VC base area known as the Long Nguyen Secret Zone.[3]: 89

At midday on 5 December, three companies from the 2/2nd Infantry assaulted a VC base complex and were met by heavy fire from the entrenched VC.[2] An American attempt to outflank the VC position was repulsed and the VC force then attempted to outflank and press the Americans who retreated into a defensive perimeter.[1]: 5 The 2/2nd Infantry commander LCol. Shuffer called for air and artillery support and the 8th Battalion, 6th Artillery Regiment and 2nd Battalion, 32nd Artillery Regiment provided fire support on the southwestern perimeter, while air strikes were conducted on the east and helicopter gunships strikes on the north. The VC attempted to escape this firepower by "hugging" the American positions, but were forced back by small arms fire. The barrage continued for over four hours allowing the 2/2 Infantry to secure their position and to allow Companies A and C to move south behind a creeping barrage to overrun the VC bunkers. Eighteen aerial sorties were conducted alongside the artillery barrage, which prompted the VC to withdraw.[1]: 2 [5] By 14:30 the VC begun withdrawing, leaving behind their dead and wounded. Shuffer decided not to pursue the retreating VC fearing a further ambush and withdrew into a night perimeter.[3]: 89–92

The 2/2nd Infantry spent the next few days policing the battlefield and destroying bunkers and Operation Bushmaster II ended on 6 December.[3]: 92

## Aftermath

[edit]

Total US casualties were 44 killed and three missing, while the US claims VC losses were 318 killed and 27 captured and 75 individual weapons were recovered.[1]: 6–7 The 272nd Regiment disappeared for the next four months presumably to recover its losses.[3]: 92

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d e "Combat After Action Report Operation Bloodhound/Bushmaster II 29 November-5 December 1965" (PDF). 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division. 30 December 1965. p. 7.
2. ^ a b c writer, Jacob Brooks | Herald staff. "50 years later, local vet recalls bloody Vietnam battle". The Killeen Daily Herald. Retrieved 2018-06-13.
3. ^ a b c d e Carland, John (2000). Combat Operations: Stemming the Tide, May 1965 to October 1966. Government Printing Office. ISBN 9781782663430. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
4. ^ Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 135\. ISBN 978-1555716257.
5. ^ "Bushwhacked At Ap Nha Mat". Retrieved 2018-06-13.

This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.
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