Jim Black's Web And Family History
Jim Black's Web                          And Family History

Operation LamSon 719 (Cut the Trail)

1st Bde 5th Mech Inf Div Presidential Unit Nomination (Not Awarded)
This is the Nomination for the Bde's Success in Operation Dewey Canyon II/Lam Son 719. Lots of details about the operation are included here. Key dates and times and events.
1-5BDEPUCNomination.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [1.3 MB]

Vietnam 1971 - 8th Battalion 4th Field Artillery, SP4 Donald Gibler - K.I.A. 18Feb1971

 

Published on Feb 15, 2010

News Clip with Donald Gibler from Feb 10, 1971 - Courtesy copy of interviews with men of 8th Battalion 4th Field Artillery 175mm M107 - SPA, "Big Guns of the DMZ", during Operation Lam Son 719 .

In background shots is SP4 Donald Gene Gibler of Higginsville/Mayview, Mo. He is digging in on right in 2 shots, accompanied by his buddy, their mascot "Beerman". He says "airstrike" to get his fellow soldiers' attention to the fact that camera is on them.
Men interviewed are from 8th Battalion 4th Field Artillery, Battery B.
Note mention of two 8/4/C Battery men lost on 9 Feb71 - the day before the clip was filmed - E4 Melvin James Felton of Spokane, Wa., and E2 Blake Dominic Whitney of Chicago, Ill. "Both men, lost that day in that combined operation, were on or near Gun 2 ("SOUNDS OF SILENCE") when an enemy 122mm artillery round hit. MAY THEY REST IN PEACE. They are not forgotten by their brothers of the 8/4th."
Eight days later, 18Feb71, SP4 Donald Gene Gibler was K.I.A. by NVA 152mm direct fire on 8/4th gun B-1, "Big, Bad and Ugly". He is not forgotten and rests in perfect peace   

Wikipedia Info https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Lam_Son_719  

Vietnam War Videos https://youtu.be/va10rG43zjs Part 1
 https://youtu.be/QU2Wl5S4eEk Part 3

1971

Operation Lam Son 719 begins

 

South Vietnamese army forces invade southern Laos. Dubbed Operation Lam Son 719, the mission goal was to disrupt the communist supply and infiltration network along Route 9 in Laos, adjacent to the two northern provinces of South Vietnam.

The operation was supported by U.S. airpower (aviation and airlift) and artillery (firing across the border from firebases inside South Vietnam). Observers described the drive on North Vietnam’s supply routes and depots as some of the bloodiest fighting of the war. Enemy resistance was initially light, as a 12,000-man spearhead of the South Vietnamese army thrust its way across the border into the communists’ deepest jungle stronghold–the town of Tchepone, a major enemy supply center on Route 9, was their major objective. However, resistance stiffened in the second week when the North Vietnamese rushed reinforcements to the area. During the last week of February, the big push bogged down about 16 miles from the border, after bloody fighting in which the communist troops overran two South Vietnamese army battalions.
Operation Lam Son 719 continues as reinforced South Vietnamese forces push into Tchepone, a major enemy supply center located on Route 9 in Laos. The base was deserted and almost completely destroyed as a result of American bombing raids.
The operation, begun on February 8, included a limited incursion by South Vietnamese forces into Laos to disrupt the communist supply and infiltration network in Laos along Route 9, adjacent to the two northern provinces of South Vietnam. The operation was supported by U.S. airpower (aviation and airlift) and artillery (firing across the border from firebases inside South Vietnam).

Observers described the drive on North Vietnam’s supply routes and depots in Laos as some of the “bloodiest fighting” of the war. Enemy resistance was light at first as a 12,000-man spearhead of the South Vietnamese army thrust its way across the border into the communists’ deepest jungle stronghold toward Tchepone. However, resistance stiffened in the second week of February as the North Vietnamese rushed reinforcements to the area. On February 23, the big push bogged down around 16 miles from the border after bloody fighting in which the communist troops overran two South Vietnamese battalions.

The fierce fighting continued into March and the South Vietnamese finally reached Tchepone. However, fighting near the Vietnam border intensified and in the second week of March, South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu gave the order for his troops to withdraw as casualties soared on both sides.

However, withdrawing the ground task force under heavy North Vietnamese pressure was a difficult task. The South Vietnamese fought for two weeks to get back inside their own border and losses were heavy. The South Vietnamese suffered some 9,000 casualties, almost 50 percent of the force. In supporting the South Vietnamese, the U.S. sustained 1,462 casualties and lost 168 helicopters.

8/4 Arty significant events Lam Son 719 Jan-Apr 1971
Details events about Lam Son 719 related to 1st Bde 5th Mech since they were our GS unit.
8-4ArtySigEventsLamSon719.pdf
Adobe Acrobat document [80.3 KB]

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