Riverine Operations 1966

VIETNAM STUDIES
RIVERINE OPERATIONS 1966-1969
by
Major General William B. Fulton
DEPARTMENT OF THE ARMY
WASHINGTON, D. C., 1985
Library of Congress Catalog Card Number: 72-600370
First Printed 1973-CMH Pub 90-18

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office Washington, D.C. 20402
Foreword
The United States Army has met an unusually complex challenge in Southeast Asia. In conjunction with the other services, the Army has fought in support of a national policy of assisting an emerging nation to develop governmental processes of its own choosing, free of outside coercion. In addition to the usual problems of waging armed conflict, the assignment in Southeast Asia has required superimposing the immensely sophisticated tasks of a modern army upon an underdeveloped environment and adapting them to demands covering a wide spectrum. These involved helping to fulfill the basic needs of an agrarian population, dealing with the frustrations of antiguerrilla operations, and conducting conventional campaigns against well-trained and determined regular units.
As this assignment nears an end, the U.S. Army must prepare for other challenges that may lie ahead. While cognizant that history never repeats itself exactly and that no army ever profited from trying to meet a new challenge in terms of the old one, the Army nevertheless stands to benefit immensely from a study of its experience, its shortcomings no less than its achievements.
Aware that some years must elapse before the official histories will provide a detailed and objective analysis of the experience in Southeast Asia, we have sought a forum whereby some of the more salient aspects of that experience can be made available now. At the request of the Chief of Staff, a representative group of senior officers who served in important posts in Vietnam and who still carry a heavy burden of day-to-day responsibilities has prepared a series of monographs. These studies should be of great value in helping the Army develop future operational concepts while at the same time contributing to the historical record and providing the American public with an interim report on the performance of men and officers who have responded, as others have through our history, to exacting and trying demands.
All monographs in the series are based primarily on official records, with additional material from published and unpublished
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secondary works, from debriefing reports and interviews with key participants, and from the personal experience of the author. To facilitate security clearance, annotation and detailed bibliography have been omitted from the published version; a fully documented account with bibliography is filed with the Office of the Chief of Military History.
The author of this monograph, Major General William Fulton, was intimately involved in the early development of the riverine warfare concept as commander of the 2d Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, which arrived in Vietnam in January 1967 and immediately began combat operations in the Mekong Delta. In March the brigade moved into Dong Tam, the base created by dredging sand from the bottom of an arm of the Mekong River. In early June the brigade teamed with Navy Task Force 117 to form the Mobile Riverine Force. During World War II General Fulton fought in Italy and during the Korean War served on the staff of Army Forces Far East Advance. He is presently the Director of Doctrine Evaluation and Command Systems in the Office of the Assistant Chief of Staff for Force Development and is also Systems Manager for Surveillance, Target Acquisition, and Night Observation Systems.
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Preface
This monograph describes U.S. Army Riverine planning and operations in the Republic of Vietnam during the years 1966 through 1969. Since the personal experience of the author was with preparations for riverine operations and the initial operations themselves, emphasis has been placed on these activities through early 1968. In summarizing operations conducted in the balance of the three-year period, particular attention has been called to significant trends or changes in riverine operations in Vietnam, a co-operative enterprise of the U.S. Army and the U.S. Navy.
Looking back from the vantage point of early 1972, this study attempts to reconstruct the events and describe the situation as it was from 1966 through 1969, using official records, reports, and personal interviews.
The author is indebted especially to the officers of the 9th Infantry Division who helped in the research and writing of this monograph. Major Johnnie H. Corns was initially the intelligence officer and later the operations officer of the 2d Brigade during 1966 and 1967. His research, writing, and continuous editing have been indispensable in preparation of this study. Colonel Lucien F,. Bolduc, Jr., commanded the 3d Battalion, 47th Infantry, and was later operations officer of the 9th Infantry Division during preparations for and initial conduct of riverine operations. His contributions in preparing the 2d Brigade of the Old Reliables for these operations and in preparing this manuscript are fully appreciated. Colonel Thomas C. Loper, 9th Infantry Division Engineer in 1967 and 1968, contributed both in the enactment and the recording of the riverine story. The author also wishes to acknowledge the typing assistance of Miss Ann ivl. Faherty and Miss Judith A. Secondo, who patiently saw the manuscript through several drafts.
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Contents
Chart
Diagrams
Tables
Maps
Illustrations
All illustrations are from Department of Defense files
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*Chapter*	*Page*
I BACKGROUND	3
Previous American Experience	3
French River Warfare in Indochina, 1945-1954	8
The Mekong Delta	17
Enemy Forces	21
Republic of Vietnam Forces	23
US Forces	24
The Situation in 1966	24
II THE CONCEPT OF A RIVERINE FORCE	26
III RIVERINE PREPARATIONS IN THE UNITED STATES AND IN VIETNAM	42
Review of the Mobile Afloat Force Concept	45
9th Infantry Division Studies the Mobile Afloat Force	51
The Coronado Conference and Doctrine	52
Final Decisions on Deployment	56
2d Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, Arrives in Vietnam	58
Rung Sat Special Zone Operational Training	59
IV INITIAL DELTA OPERATIONS	68
Movement to Dong Tam	68
Final Mobile Riverine Force Preparations	70
2d Brigade Operations	76
Mobile Riverine Force Campaign Plan	85
V PLANS AND OPERATIONAL PROCEDURES FOR THE MOBILE RIVERINE FORCE	89
Intelligence	89
Planning	90
Operational Concept and Procedures	93
VI III CORPS OPERATIONS AND THE THREAT TO DONG TAM	103
Can Giuoc Operation	104
Go Cong Operation	110
Further Can Giuoc Operations	112
Dinh Tuong Operation	120
The Mobile Riverine Force Returns to Ill Corps	125
Ben Luc Operation	125
VII CAM SON TO THE RACH RUONG CANAL	128
Dinh Tuong Province and Coronado V	128
Coronado IX	135
Six Months in Retrospect	143
*VIII TET* OFFENSIVE OF 1968 AND US REACTION**	148
IX PACIFICATION AND KIEN HOA PROVINCE	167
The Third Battalion	167
Operation SEA LORDS	179
X CONCLUSIONS AND SUMMARY	185
GLOSSARY	195

1 River Assault Squadron Organization	61
2 Mobile Riverine Force Command Structure	88

1 A Typical French River Convoy in North Vietnam	12
2 French Assault Landing	13
8 Riverine Operation and Base Defense	38
4 Foot Disease Incident Rate	66
5 Artillery Barge Towing Position	73
6 Typical Company Landing Formation	100

1 Viet Minh River Ambushes, 5 January-16 February 1954	15
2 SEA LORDS Operations, November 1968-January 1969	172
3 US River Craft Transferred to Vietnam Navy in June 1969	178

1 The Rivers of French Indochina	9
2 The Mekong Delta	17
3 Delta Situation: July 1966	22
4 Ap Bac 2 Operation: 2 May 1967	77
5 Cam Son Operation: 15 May 1967	80
6 Can Giuoc Operation: 19 June 1967	105
7 Go Cong Operation: 4-6 July 1967	109
8 Northern Can Giuoc	116
9 Dinh Tuong Operation: July-August 1967	118
10 Ben Luc Operation: 20 August 1967	126
11 Ban Long and Cam Son Operations: September 1967	130
12 Kien Hoa	134
13 Rach Ruong Canal Operation: 4 December 1967	140
14 Vinh Long	152
15 Can Tho	157
16 Areas of Riverine Operations: 1967-1969	192

Soldier Struggles Through Delta Mud	18
LST With Armored Troop Carriers and Monitors	28
Self-Propelled Barracks Ship With Ammi Barge	30
Armored Troop Carrier	32
Command and Communications Boat	33
Assault Support Patrol Boat	36
Monitor	37
Landing Craft Repair Ship	48
A Wet But Peaceful Landing	65
Non-Self-Propelled Barracks Ship	71
Artillery Barge	72
Artillery Fires From Barges Anchored on River Bank	74
Helicopter Barge	75
Armored Troop Carriers in Convoy Battle Line	81
Mobile Riverine Force Briefing Aboard USS Benewah	93
Troops Prepare to Embark From Ammi Barges	95
Monitors and Assault Support Patrol Boats Head in to Shore	96
Assault Craft Going in To Land Troops	97
Troops Go Ashore From Armored Troop Carrier	99
Armored Troop Carrier With Helipad	113
Portable Firing Platform	137
Armored Troop Carriers Move Up the My Tho River	184