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After Action Report -^/Operation SARATOGA

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UNCLASSIFIED AD NUMBER AD390664 CLASSIFICATION CHANGES TO: UNCLASSIFIED FROM: CONFIDENTIAL LIMITATION CHANGES TO: Approved for public release; distribution is unlimited. Document partially illegible. FROM: Distribution authorized to U.S. Gov't. agencies and their contractors; Administrative/Operational Use; APR 1968. Other requests shall be referred to Office of the Adjutant General, (Army), Washington, DC. Document partially illegible. AUTHORITY 30 Apr 1980, DoDD 5200.10; OAG D/A ltr 29 Apr 1980 THIS PAGE IS UNCLASSIFIED SECURITY MARKING The classified or limited status of fris report applies to each page» unless otherwise marked. Separate page printouts MUST be marked accordingly. THIS DOCUMENT CONTAINS INFORMATION AFFECTING THE NATIONAL DEFENSE OF THE UNITED STATES WITHIN THE MEANING OF THE ESPIONAGE LAWS, TITLE 18, U.SeC, SECTIONS 793 AND 794. THE TRANSMISSION OR THE REVELATION OF ITS CONTENTS IN ANY MANNER TO AN UNAUTHORIZED PERSON IS PROHIBITED BY LAW. NOTICE: When government or other drawings, specifications or other data are used for any purpose other than in connection with a defi- nitely related government procurement operation, the U. S. Government thereby incurs no responsibility, nor any obligation whatsoever; and the fact that the Government may have formulated, furnished, or in any way supplied the said drawings, specifications, or other data is not to be regarded by implication or otherwise as in any manner licensing the holder or any other person or corporation, or conveying any rights or permission to manufacture, use or sell any patented invention that may in any way be related thereto. *> m "^M*W,-LL, .' — ; ACSFöK AL H DEPARTMENT OF THE kRWiY (■ i t. OFFICE OF THE ADJUTANT GENERAL. ♦ V WASHINGTON. D.C. 20310 IN REPLY RCrER TO AGAM-P (M) (29 May 68) FO|rfr-RD-68X015 5 June 1963 SUBJECT; Combat After Action Report -^/Operation SARATOGA*,' / Tu r i ii i ; rii Ticmffm&KEm IEML.XQO» 'fci ü oCO SEE DISTRIBUTION "E^s document contains information affecting the National Te•'■:;■":3 of the ün:lt<?ä states within th3 nesning of the F:-:"'M--.C- Laisrs, Title, 13, U. S. C, Section 795 and 794« It:: tr-nnsialssiCTi or t;?c revelation o£ its contents in any RSLiiior to ■-.:•: • r:;..\V:v:T'LZKri porscn is prohibited by law." 1. Subject report is forwarded as inclosure for review and evaluation } i .in accordance with paragraph 5b, AR 525-15. k / fc Combat after act! t-u rept. £>« petti.4 exilXQ ** ff*5Ä fefl — T: IffFormation contained'in^thisrreport is provided to insure appro- priate benefits in the future from lessons learned during current operations and may be adapted for use in developing training material. t" * - BY ORDER OF THE SECRETARY OF THE ARMY: u ) CO LU i Jj[ £ JdJJL ^ KENNETH G. WICKHAM 1 Incl .*-- Major General, USA as The Adjutant General r . * DISTRIBUTION Commanding Generals US Continental Army Command US Army Combat Developments"Command Commandants US Army War College US Army Command and General Staff College US Army Adjutant General School US Army Air Defense School US Army Armor School US Army Artillery and Missile School US Army Aviation School US Army Chemical School US Army Civil Affairs School US Army Engineer School US Army Infantry School Regraded unclassified when separated US Array Intelligence School from classified inclosure. ^ xs CONFIDENTIAL Ar (0D3 &5d) ·•· THIS DOCUMENT IS BEST QUALITY AVAILABLE. THE COPY FURNISHED TO DTIC CONTAINED A SIGNIFICANT NUMBER OF PAGES WHICH DO NOT REPRODUCE LEGIBLYo '· me- fl (b \ CONFIDENTIAL 2sm INFAJTOY DIVISION- APO San Francisco" 9*225 AVDCbH SUBJECT: Combat After Action Report TO; tm :'J3T^3UT10W ^S"~ (Jif c i Combat Operation After Action Report for Operation SARATOGA is forwarded for necessary action and/or information. f ';(_;. ' V XXV 4'Incl 7*. p. ?1EL*T?. 1. Ihcl 1 - OUAl lot Brigade-"~^ ?XT; So 2. Incl 2 - OCUAH 2nd Brigade -sst A'-.-jufcant -3r-Incl 3 QQJU2 ard.SblgadeHithdrawn, Hqs, DA 4. Incl 4- <XK*3 3rd Bh, 22nd Inf 5; Incl 5 - CD.VLS 3rd Sqdn; Atk Caw A. Incl 6 - ©AAS 3rd %dn, 17fc& dfcv DISTIT BUTTON: 3-U3ARV, ATTNs AVHC3-iH l-ACSKH, DA 3-I'ACV, ATTO: HAG-JU3 A-IIFFDHCitf,' JTTFi G-3 (MT) t-CbnQ«nrt«nt, USA Inf Sc!*, ft Banning Si 31029 1-US ^litvyAcpden^, 4.TTW: Lüvwiin, tost Point, NY 1099^ CONFIDENTIAL 68X015 / CONFIDENTIAL DEPARTMENT OF THE AHMT Headouarters, 1st Brigade 25th Infantry Division APO San Francisco 96385 AVDCFB-C 13 April I960 SUBJECT: Combat Operations After Action Report (Operation SARATOGA) (RCS: MACV J3-32) Commanding General 25th Infantry Division ATTO: AVDCDH APO San Francisco 96225 1. (U) KAKB OF OPERATIC?:; Operation SARATOGA. 2. (U) DATES OF OPERATION: 250001 February 1968 - 1024C0 2&rch 1968. 3. (U) LOCATION: TAY NINH and BINH DUONG Provinces, RVN. 4. (U)' COMMAND HEADQUARTERS: Headouarters, 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division 5« (C) REPORTING OFFICER: Colonel Fremont B. Hodson Jr. 6. (C) TASK ORGANIZATION: a. HQ, 1st Brigade b. 2-14 Infantry c. 2-22 Infantry (Mech) d. D Trp 3-1V Cav (Released from OPCON, 070700 March 1968) e. 7-11 Arty (DS) f. 1-27 Arty GSR ' g. 2-32 Arty (GS)(~) h. 5-2 Arty <GS)(-) DOWNGRADED AT 3 VEAÜ INTERVALS; • 7. (C) SUPPORTING FIRES: DECLASSIFIED AFTE2 12 YEARS. — DÖD D;?. 5200.10 CONFIDENTIAL ' i t> AVDCFB-C SUBJECT: Combat Operations After Action Report (Operation SARATOGA) (RCS: MACV J3-32) a* Artillery: Artillery support was characterized by daily move- ment of the firing batteries to support the airmobile operations of ?-14 Inf. Fire support bases used were: (1) FSB WAINWRIGHT II (XT 285 509) (2) FSB B0V7IE (XT 239 427) (3) FSB HULL (XT 260 380) (4) FS3 LOGAN I (XT 316 552) (5) FSB LOGAH II (XT 231 581) A total of 6;,851 ffii, 131 W?,j and 14r/ illumination rounds \rare expended. Ar- tillery fire accounted for i en::.ry KIA (BC) and 6 enemy KIA (POSS). GS units were used for firing TCTc, preparations of landing zones« large tactical tar- gets, and the H&I program, b. Tactical Air. Tactical Air Support was provided by the 7th USAF. The missions were controlled by '.he 1st Brigade TAG?. The following summarizes USAF activities in support of Operation SARATOGA. (1) Missions flown: 59 (2) Figi4Vor Sorties! 118 a. Preplanned: 47 b. Preplanned (diverted): 21 c. Divert: 3 d. Inmdiates 47 (3) Bomb Damage ACOSSIRC.Vö; 169 bunkers destroyed, 23 bunkers damaged, 762 meters of troncri destroy.::, 1310 meters of trench uncovered, 8 spider holes destroyed, 100 spider holj-.-s uncovered, 100 meters of tunnel -un- covered, 1 tunnel entrance ©Äpoaru, 3 V-oxes of supplies destroyed, 3 boxes of supplies damaged, 3 automatic vcrpons destroyed (possible), 4 enemy killed (BC), c* Army Avi-.:e.c,-: Army AviaLicn statistics for operation SARATOGA are as follows: (1) Sorties (UH-IC. UH-1D Aircraft): 155 a. Combat assaults { .. ips): 3G COrw.DENTSAL A CONFIDENTIAL AVDCFB-C ' SUBJECT: Combat Operations After Action Reoort (Operation SARATOGA) (RCS: MACV J3-$0 b, Tactical troop lifts: 60 C„ Resypplyj 20 c», Air 3P»O, C&C, & Misc: 45 (2) F.-^hier, C!W7 Aircraft: 52 a, Rerurply: 45 0:. Evac.wt.len: 0 c, Other--»? 7 (3) Sorties C;V£? Aircraft: 200 a. Tactic.:;; 190 b. AdmlfJ.rviirative: 10 8. (C) INTELLIGENCE: Unheil i.g*:ice studies rnd eypericrces prior to the start of Op?^.lion"äUlATOG/'« indicate*}! the presence cf th's D14 Local Force Battalion ar.tl 4-16 Local Force Companies in the lrt Brigade area of operations. D-16 Local Force Battalion which normally operated in the AO had departed in late January to •caxce part in tha TET Offensive. Also located in or on the boundaries of the AO were the 680th Training and Rear Service Regiment, and elements of the 83d Rear Service Group. The local force elements were thought to be dispersed down to platoon level in order to avoid cor tact, while con- while conducting limited attacks against RF-PF outposts, and conducting re- supply and propaganda activities, D-14 was kno-.ai to be understrength following attacks on TAY NINH City during mid-February« Iheir location was thought to be somewhere east of TAY NINH. C-40 Local Force company was located in the "STRAIGHT EDGE WOODS» vie (XT 1637) and generally conducted platoon sized operations in areas to the south and southwest of TAY NINH City, There had been no recent contact with this unit* In the MICHELLE FLA^TATION the C-64 Local Force Co with several guerilla units had been conducting usual propaganda and hrrrassijig activities. Little was known of the 660th Be iiment except that it generally operated along the CAMPCDIAN Border vie XT 0065. The 83d Rear Service Group was located in the TRAPITZOID conducting resuppiy and administrative activities, Special Agent reports indicated the bulk of activity in the AO was centered in the northern T3AFEZ0ID (83d Rear Service) and north of XA7UM on the CAMBODIAN* Border (C03VN HQ> VR*s, Red Faze andSLARs indicated possible resuppiy routes coming east from C\MBCDIA on the ORIENTAL RIVEIt and through the STRAIGHT EDGE, and north from CAH30DIA through 30 TUC toward the SAIGON RIVER. 3 CONFIDENTIAL ' / CONFIDENTIAL AVDCFB-C SUBJECT: Combat Operations After Action Report (Operation SARATOGA) (RCS: MACV J3--32) Vegetation varied from triple canopy jungle to large areas of open rice paddies. The terrain was generally flat and the central and Southern portion of tho AO were rail populated. Major rivers in the area were the SAIGON and ORIENTAL. Weather did not hamper or prohibit friendly- troop movements. Road? in the area were in good condition and were used for resupply and movement of infantry and artillery.
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