Operation Mastiff was an operation conducted by the U.S. 1st Infantry Division in the Dầu Tiếng District, lasting from 21 to 25 February 1966.

Prelude

U.S. intelligence reports indicated that the

People's Army of Vietnam The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN; vi, Quân đội nhân dân Việt Nam, QĐNDVN), also recognized as the Vietnam People's Army (VPA) or the Vietnamese Army (), is the military force of the Socialist Republic of Vietnam and the armed wi ...

(PAVN) 9th Division planned to attack the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 8th Regiment, 5th Infantry Division in the Dầu Tiếng District and was massing its forces in the Boi Loi Woods 12 km south of Dầu Tiếng. U.S. commander General William Westmoreland ordered MGen

Jonathan O. Seaman Lieutenant General Jonathan Owen Seaman (December 11, 1911 – February 18, 1986) was a career officer in the United States Army and a combat commander in World War II and the Vietnam War. Education and early career Seaman was born in Manil ...

to launch a spoiling attack on the PAVN. Concerned about possible leaks by the ARVN

III Corps 3rd Corps, Third Corps, III Corps, or 3rd Army Corps may refer to: France * 3rd Army Corps (France) * III Cavalry Corps (Grande Armée), a cavalry unit of the Imperial French Army during the Napoleonic Wars * III Corps (Grande Armée), a unit of t ...

staff, MGen Seaman shared a false plan indicating that the target was the

Michelin Rubber Plantation Michelin Rubber Plantation was located near Dầu Tiếng District in Bình Dương Province, 72 km northwest of Saigon. The plantation was established by the Michelin company in 1925 and at it was the largest rubber plantation in Vietnam. T ...

east of Dầu Tiếng and

B-52 The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is an American long-range, subsonic, jet-powered strategic bomber. The B-52 was designed and built by Boeing, which has continued to provide support and upgrades. It has been operated by the United States Air ...

strikes were conducted in that area to lend it credibility. It was hoped that this would cause the PAVN to move their forces to the west bank of the

Saigon River The Saigon River ( vi, Sông Sài Gòn) is a river located in southern Vietnam that rises near Phum Daung in southeastern Cambodia, flows south and south-southeast for about and empties into the Soài Rạp, which in its turn empties into the ...

where the real operation would take place. After this ruse had been in place for a week the real operation commenced.

Operation

On the morning of 21 February 142 helicopters began lifting the 2nd and 3rd Brigades of the 1st Infantry Division to establish a cordon around a 100 square kilometer area around the west bank of the Saigon River. The units then moved in from the north and south discovering abandoned base areas, hospitals and supplies but few PAVN soldiers.

Aftermath

Operation Mastiff officially concluded on 25 February, the US claiming PAVN/VC losses were 61 killed (40 in a single airstrike), U.S. losses were 17 killed. The operation was a major disappointment for the U.S. command as the PAVN 9th Division was not engaged and the PAVN had again demonstrated their ability to choose when and where it would stand and fight.

References

{{DEFAULTSORT:Mastiff, Operation Conflicts in 1966 1966 in Vietnam Battles involving the United States Battles involving Vietnam Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1966 History of Bình Dương province