Operation Kole Kole

Part of the Vietnam War (1967)

Operation Kole Kole

Part of the Vietnam War

Radio operator takes a break during the operation
| Date| 14 May – 7 December 1967

|

Location|

Hậu Nghĩa and Tây Ninh Provinces, South Vietnam

Result|  US operational success
Belligerents
United States|  Viet Cong
Units involved
2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division
Casualties and losses
158 killed|  US body count: 797 killed
159 captured
34 defected
279 individual and 5 crew-served weapons recovered

* v
* t
* e

Military engagements during the Vietnam War

1959–1963: Guerrilla phase

* Laos
* Biên Hòa
* Đồng Khởi
* Chopper
* Palace Bombing
* Sunrise
* Shufly
* Ấp Bắc
* Go Cong
* Hiep Hoa
* 34A

1964–1965: Viet Cong offensive and American intervention

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

1966 campaign

* 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 campaign

* 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

1968–1969: 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

1969–1971: Vietnamization

* 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

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

1973–1974: Post-Paris Peace Accords

* 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

1975: Spring offensive

* Spring offensive
* 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 Kole Kole was a search and destroy operation during the Vietnam War conducted by the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division that took place in Hậu Nghĩa and Tây Ninh Provinces, lasting from 14 May to 7 December 1967.

## Background

[edit]

The operation was designed to engage Vietcong (VC) units and interdict infiltration routes.

## Operation

[edit]

A significant action took place when the Combined Reconnaissance Intelligence Platoon (CRIP) consisting of the Reconnaissance Platoon, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment and the Hau Nghia Province Intelligence Platoon of Regional Forces) supported by gunships, reacted to intelligence and engaged a VC reconnaissance element from Long An Province, killing 27 VC. During the period from 5–8 August, the 1st Battalion (Mechanized), 5th Infantry Regiment located extensive ammunition caches and arms factories around Loc Giang (grid reference XT426155 (10°59′31″N 106°18′18″E﻿ / ﻿10.992°N 106.305°E﻿ / 10.992; 106.305)) along the Vàm Cỏ Đông River. Items recovered included over 1000 unfinished anti-personnel mines.[1]: 2

During September the operation shifted to northern Hậu Nghĩa and southern Tây Ninh Provinces, while Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) operations in southern Hậu Nghĩa Province increased. The 1/5th Infantry conducted extensive dismounted night ambush patrols around Loc Giang and along the Vàm Cỏ Đông River which resulted in 14 VC killed in ten engagements. During the last part of September the 1st and 2nd Battalions, 27th Infantry engaged scattered VC west of the Oriental River resulting in the capture of a VC who revealed the location of the 269th VC Battalion. The 1/27th Infantry conducted airmobile assaults in reaction to this intelligence. [1]: 2

The operation continued through October with emphasis on search and destroy operations, supplemented with pacification operations, in Hậu Nghĩa, Tây Ninh and Bình Dương Provinces. Search and destroy operations were characterized by rapid response to intelligence reports in widely separated areas in the area of operations. On 21 October an estimated VC platoon was observed moving from a base camp south of Tây Ninh, they were fixed in place by gunships until Companies A and B, 1/27th Infantry were airlifted to the area to engage them killing 18. On 31 October the 2/27th Infantry conducted airmobile assaults north of the Rach Tra Stream killing 28 VC and capturing two.[1]: 2

Results of the operation to the end of October were 679 VC killed, 142 captured and 279 individual and five crew-served weapons and 4703 artillery, mortar and RPG rounds captured.[1]: 2–3

## Aftermath

[edit]

The operation concluded on 7 December 1967. VC losses were 797 killed and 159 captured and 34 Chieu Hoi for US losses of 158 killed.[2]: 3 [3]

## References

[edit]

1. ^ a b c d "Operational Report – Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 25th Infantry Division, period ending 31 October 1967" (PDF). Headquarters, 25th Infantry Division. 5 March 1968. Retrieved 7 August 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
2. ^ "Operational Report – Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 25th Infantry Division, period ending 31 January 1968" (PDF). Headquarters, 25th Infantry Division. 14 February 1968. Retrieved 7 August 2019. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
3. ^ Willbanks, James (2013). Vietnam War Almanac: An In-Depth Guide to the Most Controversial Conflict in American History. Simon and Schuster. p. 207\. ISBN 9781626365285.

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