Operation Robin
3rd Marine Division
- 4th Marine Regiment
- 1st Battalion, 1st Marines
- 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines
- 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines
- 1st Battalion, 12th Marines
308th Infantry Division
- 88th Infantry Regiment
- 102nd Infantry Regiment
48 captured
- v
- t
- e
- Laos
- Biên Hòa
- Đồng Khởi
- Chopper
- Palace Bombing
- Sunrise
- Shufly
- Ấp Bắc
- Go Cong
- Hiep Hoa
- 34A
- Long Dinh
- Kien Long
- Quyet Thang 202
- USNS Card
- Nam Dong
- An Lao
- Binh Gia
- Camp Holloway
- Dương Liễu – Nhông Pass
- Qui Nhơn
- Ka Nak
- Sông Bé
- Ba Gia
- Dong Xoai
- Starlite
- Piranha
- An Ninh
- Plei Me
- Hump
- 1st Bau Bang
- Ia Drang
- Bushmaster II
- Harvest Moon
1966
- Marauder
- Crimp
- Van Buren
- Masher/White Wing
- Mastiff
- Suoi Bong Trang
- New York
- Harrison
- Cocoa Beach
- Utah
- Silver City
- A Sau
- Oregon
- Texas
- Lincoln
- Fillmore
- Jackstay
- Buddhist Uprising
- Xa Cam My
- Georgia
- Birmingham
- Davy Crockett
- Austin IV
- Paul Revere
- Crazy Horse
- El Paso
- Hardihood
- Wahiawa
- Lam Son II
- Hawthorne
- Hill 488
- Nathan Hale
- Jay
- Macon
- Hastings
- Minh Thanh Road
- John Paul Jones
- Prairie
- Colorado
- Duc Co
- Long Tan
- SS Baton Rouge Victory
- Amarillo
- Byrd
- Sunset Beach
- Seward
- Thayer, Irving and Thayer II
- Attleboro
- Deckhouse IV
- Shenandoah
- Atlanta
- Paul Revere IV
- Geronimo
- Tan Son Nhut airbase
- Fairfax
- Firebase Bird
1967
- Deckhouse V
- Cedar Falls
- Desoto
- Gadsden
- Sam Houston
- Pershing
- Enterprise
- Tra Binh Dong
- Bribie
- Junction City (1st Prek Klok
- 2nd Prek Klok
- Ap Gu
- Suoi Tre
- 2nd Bàu Bàng)
- Francis Marion
- Lejeune
- Union
- Baker
- Manhattan
- The Hill Fights
- Beaver Cage
- Con Thien/DMZ
- Crockett
- Malheur I and Malheur II
- Kole Kole
- Barking Sands
- Union II
- Dragnet
- Akron
- Billings
- Concordia
- The Slopes
- Hong Kil Dong
- Diamond Head
- Coronado
- Coronado II
- Hood River
- Suoi Chau Pha
- Benton
- Coronado IV
- Swift
- Dragon Fire
- Wheeler/Wallowa
- Coronado V
- Kunia
- Bolling
- Medina
- Shenandoah II
- MacArthur
- Dak To
- Osceola
- Lancaster
- Coronado IX
- Neosho
- Santa Fe
- Essex
- Kien Giang 9-1
- Napoleon
- Phoenix
- Manchester
- Saratoga
- Yellowstone
- Muscatine
- Badger Tooth
- Auburn
- New Year's Day battle of 1968
- McLain
- Khe Sanh
- Coronado X
- Tet Offensive
- Hop Tac I
- Coronado XI
- Houston
- Patrick
- Tam Kỳ
- Truong Cong Dinh
- Lima Site 85
- Quyet Thang
- My Lai Massacre
- Walker
- Carentan
- Pegasus
- Cochise Green
- Toan Thang I
- Burlington Trail
- Scotland II
- Delaware
- Allen Brook
- May Offensive
- Jeb Stuart III
- Nevada Eagle
- Mameluke Thrust
- Toan Thang II
- Robin
- Binh An
- Thor
- Pocahontas Forest
- Quyet Chien
- Somerset Plain
- Phase III Offensive
- Champaign Grove
- Vinh Loc
- Thượng Đức
- Maui Peak
- Henderson Hill
- Sheridan Sabre
- Meade River
- Hat Dich
- Speedy Express
- Taylor Common
- Fayette Canyon
- DMZ Campaign (1969–1971)
- Bold Mariner
- Dewey Canyon
- Toan Thang III
- 2nd Tet
- Iron Mountain
- Massachusetts Striker
- Wayne Grey
- Purple Martin
- Ben Het
- Maine Crag
- Atlas Wedge
- Frederick Hill
- Geneva Park
- Montana Mauler
- Oklahoma Hills
- Washington Green
- Virginia Ridge
- Apache Snow
- Hamburger Hill
- Lamar Plain
- Pipestone Canyon
- Binh Ba
- Montgomery Rendezvous
- Utah Mesa
- Campbell Streamer
- Idaho Canyon
- Nantucket Beach
- Fulton Square
- LZ Kate
- Toan Thang IV
- Randolph Glen
- Green River
- Texas Star
- Cambodian campaign
- Pennsylvania Square
- Clinch Valley
- Elk Canyon
- Pickens Forest
- Wolfe Mountain
- Chicago Peak
- Firebase O'Reilly
- Chenla I
- Imperial Lake
- Jefferson Glenn
- Tailwind
- Son Tay Raid
- Cuu Long 44-02
- Toan Thang 1/71
- Lam Son 719
- Finney Hill
- Middlesex Peak
- Caroline Hill
- Long Khánh
- Chenla II
- Nui Le
1972
Post-Paris Peace Accords (1973–1974)
- War of the flags
- Cửa Việt
- Hồng Ngự
- Tong Le Chon
- Trung Nghia
- Ap Da Bien
- Quang Duc
- Tri Phap
- Svay Rieng
- Iron Triangle
- Duc Duc
- Thượng Đức
- Phú Lộc
- Phước Long
- Ban Me Thuot
- Hue–Da Nang
- Phan Rang
- Xuân Lộc
- Fall of Phnom Penh
- Fall of Saigon
- Mayaguez incident
- Farm Gate
- Chopper
- Ranch Hand
- Pierce Arrow
- Barrel Roll
- Pony Express
- Flaming Dart
- Iron Hand
- Rolling Thunder
- Steel Tiger
- Arc Light
- Combat Skyspot
- Tiger Hound
- Shed Light
- Thanh Hoa
- Bolo
- Popeye
- Yen Vien
- Niagara
- Igloo White
- Commando Hunt
- Giant Lance
- Menu
- Patio
- Freedom Deal
- Proud Deep Alpha
- Linebacker I
- Enhance Plus
- Linebacker II
- Homecoming
- Tan Son Nhut Air Base
- Babylift
- New Life
- Eagle Pull
- Frequent Wind
- Yankee & Dixie stations
- Gulf of Tonkin
- Market Time
- Vung Ro Bay
- Game Warden
- Double Eagle
- Stable Door
- PIRAZ
- Sea Dragon
- Deckhouse Five
- Bo De River, Nha Trang, Tha Cau River
- Sealords
- Đồng Hới
- Pocket Money
- Custom Tailor
- End Sweep
- Paracel Islands
- East Sea
- 1964
- 1965
- 1966
- 1967
- 1968
- 1969
- 1970
- 1971
- 1972
- 1973–74
- 1975
Operation Robin was a U.S. Marine Corps operation that took place southeast of Khe Sanh, Quảng Trị Province from 2–19 June 1968.
Background
In late May 1968 US aerial reconnaissance detected a People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) supply road being constructed through the jungle from the Ho Chi Minh Trail in Laos parallel to, but 15 km south of, Route 9 in an area known as the "Vietnam Salient" where Vietnam protrudes into Laos.[1]: 320
The 3rd Marine Division planned Operation Robin as a two-stage operation, in Operation Robin North the 1st Marine Regiment would attempt to engage the recently infiltrated PAVN 88th and 102nd Regiments of the 308th Division south of Route 9, while in Operation Robin South the 4th Marine Regiment would conduct airmobile operations further south and locate and destroy the PAVN supply road.[1]: 321
In preparation for the operation 219 attack aircraft and 30 B-52 sorties were flown against the intended landing zones while Marine artillery fired over 10,000 rounds.[1]: 321
Operation Robin North
On 2 June the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines conducted a helicopter assault into Landing Zone Robin (16°34′34″N 106°47′13″E / 16.576°N 106.787°E / 16.576; 106.787) 10 km southeast of Khe Sanh and then moved north towards Route 9 in an attempt push the PAVN against the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines blocking positions on Route 9. That evening the 2nd Battalion 4th Marines was lifted to Robin from Ca Lu Combat Base. On the morning of 3 June the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines relieved the 2/4 Marines at Landing Zone Robin.[1]: 321
The 2/4 Marines boarded helicopters to assault into Landing Zone Loon (16°34′44″N 106°45′11″E / 16.579°N 106.753°E / 16.579; 106.753) 4 km west of Robin and approximately 8 km southeast of Khe Sanh.[2] The initial landing at Loon on 3 June was met by the PAVN with small arms, mortar and artillery fire. At 06:00 on 4 June a company from the PAVN 88th Regiment attacked Company F 2/4 Marines resulting in two U.S. and 34 PAVN killed.[1]: 322
The 4th Marines headquarters was established at LZ Robin on 4 June and the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines arrived to establish and artillery base. Companies from the 1/4 Marines replaced the 2/4 Marines on Loon on 4 June and the 2/4 Marines were lifted to establish Landing Zone Crow 2 km northeast of Loon.[1]: 322
On 5 June Company C 1/1 Marines encountered a PAVN bunker system 4 km south of Route 9, the battle continued until the following afternoon.[1]: 322
At 06:00 on 6 June a PAVN Battalion attacked Landing Zone Loon, after a two-hour battle that resulted in 154 PAVN dead, the PAVN withdrew under cover of mortar and artillery fire. Due to the steady pressure on Loon it was decided to evacuate the landing zone and during the afternoon the 1/4 Marines were extracted by helicopter. The last HMM-165 CH-46 (#152533) to leave Loon was hit by PAVN anti-aircraft fire and crashed resulting in 13 U.S. killed.[3] The total U.S. losses for their three days at Loon was 24 dead and 37 wounded.[1]: 322
Operation Robin South
On 6 June the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines conducted a helicopter assault into a landing zone southeast of Robin and near the eastern end of the PAVN supply road. The Marines found that the road was well constructed, up to 18 ft wide with numerous culverts and the trees overhead tied together to reduce aerial observation. Beside the road were bunkers, hospitals kitchens and storehouses. The 3/9 Marines moved west along the road for several days destroying it and PAVN facilities as they went.[1]: 322–3
On 11 June the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines helicopter assaulted into Lang Hole, a Montagnard village south of Landing Zone Loon, where PAVN prisoners indicated a major supply area was located.[1]: 323
On 14 June 2/4 Marines were lifted by helicopter onto the PAVN road near the Laos border and moved east to link up with the 3/9 Marines locating and destroying numerous bunkers and stores as they went.[1]: 323
Shortly before dawn on 15 June a Battalion of the PAVN 88th Regiment attacked the 3/4 Marines near Lang Hole penetrating the Marine position. The battle continued until 9am when the PAVN withdrew pursued by helicopter gunships. Marine losses were 16 dead and 58 wounded while PAVN losses were 219 dead and 11 captured.[1]: 323
At 02:15 on 16 June the PAVN attacked the 1/4 Marines at Landing Zone Torch (16°31′37″N 106°46′48″E / 16.527°N 106.78°E / 16.527; 106.78) penetrating the Marine perimeter. Battery C 1/12 Marines levelled their guns and fired Beehive rounds into the attackers. The PAVN withdrew at 04:00 leaving 28 dead while Marine losses were 14 dead.[1]: 323
On the morning of 18 June the PAVN attacked Company K 3/4 Marines' night defensive position in a daylong battle the Marines with air and artillery support repulsed the PAVN attack resulting in 11 Marines killed and 30 wounded while the PAVN lost 131 killed.[1]: 324
Aftermath
Operation Robin concluded on 19 June when the 4th Marines returned to Khe Sanh Combat Base. PAVN losses were 635 killed and 48 captured.[1]: 324
The Marines would penetrate into the Vietnam Salient again during Operation Maine Crag from 15 March to 2 May 1969 reopening Landing Zone Torch.[4]
References
This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m n o Shulimson, Jack (1988). US Marines in Vietnam: 1968 The Defining Year. History and Museums Division Headquarters United States Marine Corps. ISBN 0160491258. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
- ^ Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 306. ISBN 978-1555716257.
- ^ "680606 HMM-165 Vietnam". USMC Combat Helicopter Association. Retrieved 22 November 2014.
- ^ Smith, Charles (1988). U.S. Marines in Vietnam: High Mobility and Standdown 1969. History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps. p. 63. ISBN 978-1494287627. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.