Operation Hump
Operation Hump was a search and destroy operation initiated by United States and Australian forces on 5 November 1965, during the Vietnam War.
| Operation Hump | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Vietnam War | |||||||
US paratroopers under fire during Operation Hump | |||||||
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| Belligerents | |||||||
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United States Australia New Zealand | Viet Cong | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
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Ellis W. Williamson John E. Tyler Lou Brumfield | Unknown | ||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
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173rd Airborne Brigade 1 RAR 161 Bty |
Q762 Regiment D800 Battalion | ||||||
| Strength | |||||||
| 400 | 1,200 | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
49 killed 2 missing (Found deceased). | US body count: 400-700 killed | ||||||
The US-Australian objective was to drive out Viet Cong (VC) unit who had taken up positions on several key hills in War Zone D in an area about 17.5 miles (28.2 km) north of Bien Hoa. The U.S. 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (1/503rd), 173rd Airborne Brigade conducted a helicopter assault on an LZ northwest of the Dong Nai River and Song Be River. The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) was deployed south of the Dong Nai. On 8 November the major engagement of the operation took place when a VC Regiment attempted to encircle and overrun the 1/503rd resulting in 49 U.S. killed and between 400 and 700 VC killed. On the same day in an engagement known later as the Battle of Gang Toi, 1RAR attacked a VC bunker and trench system, killing six VC and capturing five, while losing two missing.