VIETNAM 1968-1972
THE BATTLE OF' BINH BA
40 YEARS ON
Official Version
Operation: Op Lavarack; 31 May -30 Jun 1969 Op Hammer; 6-8 Jun 1969
Units Involved: HQ 1 ATF, B Sqn 1 Amid Regt, B Sqn 3 Cav Regt, 1 Fd Regt, 1
Fd Sqn RAE, 5RAR, 6RAR (ANZAC), 161 (Indep) Recce Fit, 9 Sqn RAAF, Elements US Army, ARVN,
PF Coy (SYN)
Battle Background
When two enemy regiments entered Phuoc Tuy Province in May 1969 to conduct operations
against villages between Route 2 and Highway 15, north of Nui Dat, 6RAR was committed
against them. The operation climaxed with 5 RAR joining the battle when enemy forces
occupied Binh Ba village, six kilometres to the north of Nui Dat. A series of heavy
contacts against a numerically superior enemy, some heavily entrenched in bunkers,
characterised the battle. In Operation Hammer, 6- g j~, an Infantry/Tank attack with 6 RAR
in APC's', routed an enemy battalion from Binh Ba, causing the enemy heavy losses. This
was the first time since Long Tan that the enemy had entered Phuoc Tuy in such strength.
Any reversal would have been a set back to Australian gains in the province and disastrous
to Australian prestige. Instead the enemy was defeated and forced to withdraw in disarray
and with heavy losses.
Description
The Australian force entered the village with tanks leading, without opposition, until
it reached the centre. After coming under heavy RPG and small arms fire, it withdrew to
await the arrival of reinforcements. Then with B Coy supported by the tanks of B Sqn, and
with the Sth Vietnamese Popular Force troops in blocking positions, D Coy 5RAR supported
by tanks, began sweeping through the village. The enemy fired from windows and doorways
and then took refuge in tunnels and houses. Each house had to be cleared, so tanks moved
into position and supported the infantry whilst they cleared them of the enemy. All
Australian troops were engaged in close quarter fighting, and at times, hand to hand
combat with the enemy. Only at last light did the Australians stop to establish night
blocking positions. The next day, after minor night contact, B Coy saw more enemies moving
into the village. Tanks and small arms engaged the enemy reinforcements, forcing them to
withdraw. On Jun 8, the Australians made a final sweep to clear Binh Ba.
Battle Casualties
: Australian Forces; 4 KIA, 37 WIA, three Centurion Tanks
immobilised. PF Coy; 4KIA, 7 WIA
Enemy Forces; 193 KIA (Confirmed), 11 POW
The Tank Crewman's Version: A VCINVA force occupied the village of Binh Ba on
route 2, 6 kms north of Nui Dat, fortifying many of its buildings. A Ready Reaction Force,
comprising a composite Tp of B Sqn 1st Armd Regt; 3 Tp B Sqn 3 Cav Regt and D Coy 5RAR was
called out immediately. Under intense RPG and small arms fire the tanks and APC's
assaulted the entrenched enemy. The Centurions engaged strong points with HE and, when
these ran short, fired cannister into the roofs of house buildings, bringing the tiles
crashing down on those inside. Buildings collapsed under the impact of APCBC rounds;
co-axial machine gun fire and the .50 rounds of the ranging guns ripped doors and windows
out. In four hours of savage fighting the enemy lost 193 killed, while RAAC casualties
were six tanks and two APC wounded. Three Centurions were badly damaged but remained in
action throughout the battle.
Thereafter, the enemy generally vacated their posn rather than engage the Centurions in
battle; but many successful actions were fought against bunker complexes in support if
Infantry operations. Few "Diggers" will deny the value of tank support in jungle
warfare. Pinned down under heavy fire before a heavily entrenched enemy, many Infantymen
had cause to be thankful for the assistance given by the lumbering Centurion as they
forged through dense jungle, cutting swathes through the undergrowth with canister, and
crushing bunkers under their tracks or pounding them to destruction with shot rounds. No
longer were the RAAC Units derisively nicknamed the "koala", (not to be shot at
or exported); and their contribution in Vietnam was out of proportion to their four
percent of the Army's manpower.
HAT DICH
THE BATTLE HONOUR
Operation: Op Goodwood 3 Dec 1968- 19 Feb 1969
Units Involved: HQ 1ATF, C and B Sqn 1 Armd Regt, A Sqn 3 Cav Regt, 12 Fd Regt, 1
Fd Sqn RAE, 1RAR, 4 RAR (ANZAC), 9 RAR, 2 SAS Sqn, US and ARVN Units
Enemy: 274 VC Regt, 74 NVA Arty Regt, D67 Engr Bn, Tu Duc Regt, Dl, D2 and D6
Sapper Recon Bns, D440 and D445 LF Bn
Battle Background
The operation was mounted to locate and destroy enemy in the Hat Dich area, particularly
the 274 VC Regt, which was threatening major installations to the west. The Hat Dich
covered the area in the north west of Phuoc Tuy where the borders of Ph uoc Tuy, Long
Khanh and Bien Hoa Provinces meet. The battles of Op Goodwood were fought in the Long
Thanh district of Bien Hoa Province. The operation was characterised by a series of
engagement of the enemy from squad to company level in bunker systems. Whilst trying to
avoid contact. the enemy fought fiercely when his bases were threatened. The destruction
of enemy bases, his extensive casualties and loss of equipment forced him to modify his
objective for the planned TET Offensive in Feb 1969
Description
Troops of 1 Task Force began the deployment to FSB JULIA and A Sqn, 3 Cav Regt, was
responsible for command and control The enemy initially tried to avoid contact and move
away, but 1 RAR's aggressive patrols, supported by C Sqn, later B Sqn, 1 Armd Regt, and A
Sqn, 3 Cav Regt, brought daily contacts with VC groups of up to Platoon strength. The
Australians discovered extensive battalion-sized bunker systems, with large rice and
weapon caches confirming the presence of large enemy force and resupply facilities. To
stop enemy movement towards the north, 4 RAR was deployed from Nui Dat on Dec 11, and
afterwards two Australian battalions were kept continually in the area on a rotation
basis. Supported by the Tanks and APC's, the infantry soldiers patrolled and ambushed
extensively. Patrols from 2 SAS Sqn were inserted by air and APC on Jan 6th and 29~ 1969
to provide information on enemy movement. The enemy held the initiative, with his intimate
knowledge of the area and his well prepared defensive positions. He would avoid contact
where possible, but if his base camps were threatened he would fight fiercely, withdrawing
only at nightfall or if air and artillery strikes drove him out. In the 78-day period of
Op Goodwood, 274 contacts took place. One of the most significant actions took place on
Feb 6~, 1969, when two additional enemy battalions from Tu Duc Regt were reported in the
area. With tanks and APC's in support, 4
RAR redeployed for what was the final major action at Hat Dich. The enemy was driven off
and abandoned his permanent bases. Subsequently his activity in the area fell away
allowing Op Goodwood to be concluded on Feb 19~
Battle Casualties: Australian Forces; 21 KIA, 91 WIA. ARVN; 31 KIA, 81 WIA. US
Forces; 7 WIA
Enemy Forces; 245 KIA (confirmed), 39 KIA (possible), 45 WIA
Missing In Action
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CORAL/BALMORAL
Operation: Thoan Thang 1; 21 Apr - 7 Jun 1968
Units Involved: C Sqn 1 Amid Regt
A Sqn 3 Cav Regt
l2FdRegt
1 FdRegtRAA
1 RAR, 3 RAR
161 (Indep) Recce Fft
Battle Back£ronnd
1 ATF mounted this operation through Long Ichan and Bien Hoa Province to disrupt enemy
forces massing for attacks on the Saigon/Cholon area and Bien HoalLong Binh Complex. The
major battles were fought at FSB Coral and flalmoral, 20km north of Bien Hoa. ~SB Coral
was occupied by 1 RAR. Onthe nights 12th/13th May and 15fli/16th May68, iRAR and
supporting elements repulsed enemy attacks in battalion and regimental strength. 3RAR and
supporting elements at FSB Balmoral repulsed battalion and regimental attacks on 26~ and
28~ May 68. Enemy attempts to launch attacks from the north against Long Binh and Saigon
were also frustrated. Infiltration routes were also disrupted.
Description
After heavy NVA Regimental size attacks on FSB Coral, C Sqn, 1 Amid Regt, was ordered to
move from Nui Dat to FSB Coral on the 22 May 68. On the 26~ and 28~ May FSB Coral was
again bombarded by mortar, reinforced by recoilless rifle and rocket fire. This was later
found to be in support of the enemy assaults on FSB Balmoral, which had been occupied on
the 24%25~ May. Offensive operations had commenced from the time Coral had first
been occupied. With the insertion of 1 ATF into AO Surfers, the enemy divisions were
continually provoked by the positioning of FSB Balmoral and by aggressive patrolling. The
major actions are only recounted at this stage. On 25tt' May, at 0730hr, B Coy 1 RAR, with
2 Troop, C Sqn 1 Amid Regt, departed for FSB Balmoral, with 3 RAR some 6000m away.
En-route and just before midday, the force struck the outskirts of an enemy defended base
some 2500m north of Coral. There was a sharp action and the group broke contact to allow
air strikes to be directed at the enemy position. The tanks remained at Balmoral with 3
RAR.
On the 26% D Coy 1 RAR, with 1 Troop C Sqn, 1 Amid Regt, left FSB Coral to engage the
enemy position found the previous day. Without pausing to allow air strikes to be put down
on the enemy position, the tanks and infantry began to assault the enemy position. With
Tanks leading, the infantry commenced to clear the position, which was heavily fortified
and vigorously defended. Using a combination of tank fire and flame throwers from the
assault pioneer platoon of 1 RAR, the battle continued from bunker to bunker until 1
500hr. The engagement was then broken off due to failing light and the necessity for the
group to return to FSB Coral in order to assist in the protection of FSB Balmoral.
On the 30% a further heavy action occurred within the Coral patrol zone. C Coy iRAR, had
made contact with a reinforced enemy regular company at 0830br and been pinned down by
mortar fire, RPG and small arms fire after penetrating part way into the enemy defended
position. The Coy was reinforced at 1 OOOhr by APC's of 1 Tp, A Sqn 3 Cav Regt, which
could not penetrate the jungle, and 1 Troop C Sqn, 1 Amid Regt. They assaulted the enemy
position to allow the extrication of C Coy. The company, which had been stopped and pinned
down, was slowly being encircled, and was coming under
increasingly accurate enemy mortar fire. The action was broken off at
1155k after the
company had mounted the APC's of 1 Tp A Sqn 3 Cav, and withdrawn under
cover of the tank gunfire.
Casualties: Own; 24K1A, lOOWIA, including 5 US
Enemy; 237K1A, 56K1A not confirmed. 13 POW
