Project CHECO Southeast Asia Report. Silver Bayonet
Abstract
Following the battle of Plei Me (19 October 1965-29 October 1965), the 1st Airborne Cavalry took all the area west of that camp to the Cambodian border as its primary objective area, with the broad mission objective to maintain contact. Initially, elements of the 1st Air Cavalry were committed at 1600 hours on 24 October at Plei Me. The Plei Me relief operation was terminated 1600 hours, 29 October, and Operation Long Reach was instituted at 0515 hours on 1 November, although contact between friendly and enemy forces was maintained during this break. Long Reach, a search and destroy operation involving four companies of the 1st Air Cavalry, took place between Plei Me and the Chu Phong Mountain region. In this operation, a prelude to Silver Bayonet but greatly scaled down in size, 85 tactical air sorties were employed in support, expending GP, frags, incendijel, and WP bombs in addition to 20 mm and 2.75-inch rockets. Final figures showed that the Viet Cong (VC) had lost 216 KIA/KBA, with an estimated 610 additional bodies carried off, and 107 VC suspects captured. Friendly losses were 55 KIA and 194 wounded in action. The operation lasted until 9 November 1965. Operation Silver Bayonet commenced 0800 hours, 9 November, coincident with the termination of Long Reach. Under the plan, the 1st Air Cavalry's 3rd Brigade was committed to sweeping the area from a point about seven kilometers west of Plei Me to the border. This comprised an area roughly 20 x 25 nautical miles centered 30 nautical miles southeast of Pleiku. The action during the following three weeks demonstrated convincingly the value of applied tactical airpower on the ground situation.
Document Details
- Document Type
- Technical Report
- Publication Date
- Feb 28, 1966
- Accession Number
- ADA485212
Entities
People
- Melvin F. Porter
Organizations
- Pacific Air Forces