Second battle of Bàu Bàng
The second battle of Bàu Bàng occurred during the night of 19–20 March 1967 during Operation Junction City, a search and destroy mission by American military forces in Tay Ninh Province of South Vietnam, to the west of the capital Saigon.
Second battle of Bau Bang | |||||||
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Part of Operation Junction City, Vietnam War | |||||||
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Belligerents | |||||||
United States | Viet Cong | ||||||
Commanders and leaders | |||||||
Sidney S. Haszard | Unknown | ||||||
Units involved | |||||||
Troop A, 5th Cavalry Regiment |
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Strength | |||||||
~600 | |||||||
Casualties and losses | |||||||
3 killed VC Claim: 400 killed 63 vehicles destroyed |
US body count: 227 killed 3 captured |
Forces from the Third Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment were entrusted with the securing of Fire Support Base 20, around 1.5 km north of the village of Bàu Bàng. They expected an attack, as the area was a known Viet Cong (VC) stronghold. During the evening of 19 March, elements of the VC 9th Division attacked the base with machine guns, mortars, rockets and small arms fire. Initially, they swarmed over the American armored vehicles, but were dispersed by the vehicles firing on one another, although some of the vehicles were destroyed. With the help of artillery and air strikes, as well as flares and aerial searchlights to spot their enemies, the Americans repelled the Viet Cong. U.S. forces claimed 227 VC killed and captured three, while losing 3 and suffering 63 wounded.