Operation Van Buren

Part of the Vietnam War (1966)

Operation Van Buren

Part of Vietnam War

2/327th soldiers advancing through a field, 23 January
| Date| 15 January – 25 February 1966

|

Location|

Tuy Hòa Valley, Phú Yên Province, South Vietnam

13°06′00″N 109°10′55″E﻿ / ﻿13.1°N 109.182°E﻿ / 13.1; 109.182
Result|  U.S. operational success
Belligerents
United States
South Korea|  North Vietnam
Commanders and leaders
Brig. Willard Pearson
Col. James S. Timothy
Maj. David Hackworth|

Units involved
1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division
2nd Marine Brigade|  95th Regiment, 5th Division
Casualties and losses
55 killed
45 killed|  US body count: 346 killed
33 captured

* 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 Van Buren was a harvest security operation conducted by the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division in the Tuy Hòa Valley, Phú Yên Province, lasting from 15 January to 25 February 1966.

## Prelude

[edit]

The Tuy Hòa Valley was an important rice-growing region and in 1965 People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong forces had requisitioned much of the harvest to feed their troops. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam wanted to ensure the same would not occur again with the 1966 harvest. The PAVN 95th Regiment, 5th Division, was believed to be located in the mountains around the Tuy Hòa Valley.[1]: 185

## Operation

[edit]

On 15 January, 2nd Battalion, 502nd Infantry Regiment, was flown into Tuy Hòa Airfield. On 18 January, 2nd Battalion, 327th Infantry Regiment, was landed by LST at Tuy Hòa Port. The 2/502nd proceeded to patrol north of the Đà Rằng River while the 2/327th and the South Korean 2nd Marine Brigade patrolled south of the Đà Rằng. On 31 January, the South Koreans were attacked by the PAVN, suffering heavy losses and they were withdrawn and replaced by the 1/327th.[1]: 186

On 6 February, a platoon from Company B, 2/502nd, came under fire as it approached the hamlet of Canh Tanh 4 (13°02′56″N 109°19′59″E﻿ / ﻿13.049°N 109.333°E﻿ / 13.049; 109.333), approximately 20 kilometres (12 mi) southwest of Tuy Hòa. The company commander sent platoons to the south and west of the hamlet to try to encircle the enemy forces. Once in position the U.S. forces attacked but were met by heavy fire and withdrew to allow a total of 13 airstrikes on the position. The U.S. forces tightened their cordon overnight for a renewed assault in the morning; however, they found that the enemy had abandoned the position overnight leaving behind 39 bodies and documents identifying them as members of the 5th Battalion, 95th Regiment.[1]: 186–7

On 7 February, Company C 2/502nd approached the hamlet of My Canh 2 (12°55′12″N 109°14′20″E﻿ / ﻿12.920°N 109.239°E﻿ / 12.920; 109.239), 2 kilometres (1.2 mi) south of Canh Tanh 4 and came under heavy fire from entrenched forces, pinning down the company. Air and artillery strikes were called in and reinforcements from Company B and Tiger Force of 1/327th commanded by Major David Hackworth were landed by helicopter nearby. Hackworth sent Tiger Force to the north of My Canh 2 and Company B to the south; Tiger Force would then launch a hammer and anvil attack. As Tiger Force moved to its attacking position the cover thinned out and they were hit by PAVN fire with seven killed. Hackworth then ordered Company B to attack and they were similarly caught in the open losing 19 killed, then withdrew into night defensive positions. Tiger Force was ordered to renew the attack and the unit commander, Lieutenant James A. Gardner, personally destroyed four machine gun positions with grenades before being killed; he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions. Tiger Force then moved under cover of artillery fire to join up with Company B 1/327th. The following morning after air and artillery strikes U.S. forces entered My Canh 2, the PAVN had abandoned the position overnight leaving 63 bodies and 60 weapons.[1]: 187–9

The operation continued without any other major engagements with the PAVN.[1]: 189

## Aftermath

[edit]

Operation Van Buren officially concluded on 25 February; alleged PAVN losses were 346 killed and 33 captured, U.S. losses were 55 killed, South Korean losses were 45 killed.[1]: 189

## References

[edit]

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

1. ^ a b c d e f Carland, John (1999). Combat Operations: Stemming the Tide, May 1965 to October 1966 (PDF). Center of Military History United States Army. ISBN 9780160873102. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.

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