Operation Georgia was a U.S. Marine Corps security operation around the An Hoa Industrial Complex in western Quảng Nam province, lasting from 21 April to 10 May 1966.

Prelude

In mid-April, the 9th Marine Regiment began planning for an operation to provide security for the An Hoa Industrial Complex in western Quảng Nam province. Operational orders were completed on 14 April and the mission was assigned to the

3rd Battalion, 9th Marines The 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines (3/9) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. Formed during World War I it served until the early 1990s when it was redesignated as 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4) during a realignment and ren ...

. On 20 April the 3/9 Marines established a forward headquarters at An Hoa airstrip deploying Company L and Battery F,

12th Marine Regiment The 12th Marine Regiment is an artillery regiment of the United States Marine Corps based at Camp Smedley Butler, Okinawa, Japan. Nicknamed "Thunder and Steel," the regiment falls under the command of the 3rd Marine Division. Mission Provide ...

there.

Operation

The operation commenced on 21 April with the continued build up for forces at An Hoa airstrip with 2 companies arriving on LVTHs of Company B, 1st Amphibian Tractor Battalion and Company I, 3/9 Marines and Battery B, 12th Marines arriving by air. The Marines divided up the area of operations into 20 company-sized areas and began systematic sweeps with the local

South Vietnamese Popular Force The South Vietnamese Popular Force ( vi, nghĩa quân, PF) (originally the Self-Defense Corps) was a part-time local militia of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) during the Vietnam War. The South Vietnamese Popular Force mainly protected ...

, meeting minimal opposition apart from occasional mines and mortar fire. A platoon from the

3rd Reconnaissance Battalion The 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion (3rd Recon) conducts amphibious and ground reconnaissance in support of the 3rd Marine Division and Marine Forces Pacific (MarForPac), operating in the commander's areas of influence. The Battalion is based ...

operating in the southwestern part of the operational area called in air and artillery strikes on

Viet Cong , , war = the Vietnam War , image = FNL Flag.svg , caption = The flag of the Viet Cong, adopted in 1960, is a variation on the flag of North Vietnam. Sometimes the lower stripe was green. , active ...

(VC) forces killing at least 30. On 3 May as Company M was crossing the Thu Bồn River on LVTHs to search the hamlet of Phu Long (1) they were fired on by VC, later identified as coming from the R-20 Battalion. A 4-hour firefight followed before Company M, reinforced by 2 other companies and with air and artillery support secured the hamlet, finding 15 VC dead for the loss of 5 Marines.

Aftermath

Operation Georgia concluded on 10 May, the Marines had lost 9 killed and the U.S. claimed the Vietcong were alleged to have had 103 killed. While the operation officially concluded, the Marines established a permanent presence in the area, developing the airstrip into An Hoa Combat Base.

Notes

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Georgia, Operation Battles and operations of the Vietnam War United States Marine Corps in the Vietnam War Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1966 History of Quảng Nam province