Action of 1 March 1968
Encyclopedia
The Action of 1 March 1968 refers to three naval engagements fought during the Vietnam War
on the same morning. A large force of American
and South Vietnam
ese warships assigned to Operation Market Time
engaged three North Vietnamese ships at different locations along the South Vietnamese coast. In the action, the three North Vietnamese vessels were destroyed while the Americans and South Vietnamese ships sustained only light damage. Though the battles took place several miles from each other, they were all part of the same operation to defeat a North Vietnamese attempt to resupply the Viet Cong.
heading towards the South Vietnamese coast from north of the DMZ. By the next morning, three more trawlers were discovered so the units of Operation Market Time were deployed for interception. The trawlers did not fly flags so it was not until the start of the engagement that the Americans and South Vietnamese discovered their origin. The trawlers were steel hulled vessels, 100 feet long and armed with 57-millimeter recoilless rifle
s and machine gun
s. All four were loaded with weapons and ammunition intended to be delivered to the Viet Cong. The United States Navy
, South Vietnamese Navy and the United States Coast Guard
established a blockade of South Vietnam beforehand to prevent infiltrations of this type. A twelve mile no go zone existed along the entire South Vietnamese coast and the blockading ships had the authority to seize any vessel within it. American and South Vietnamese forces that engaged in action included the minesweeper
, the Coast Guard cutter
s , , , , the swift boat
s PCF-18, PCF-20, PCF-42, PCF-43, PCF-46, PCF-47 and PCF-48, two junks
and one patrol boat
. Two American helicopter gunships also participated in combat and one other aircraft was used to fire flare
s.
rounds from PCF-47 were direct hits and the trawler exploded with a massive explosion due to the munitions aboard. Fourteen dead North Vietnamese sailors were recovered the following morning. Rifles, machine guns and rocket launchers; along with considerable ammunition and explosives were recovered from the sunken trawler. The salvage operations extended over 12 days and included the recovery of a 14.5 millimeter antiaircraft gun and 68 cases of ammunition.
and six miles off the coast, USCGC Androscoggin under Commander
William H. Stewart, intercepted a third trawler identified as T-D. Commander Stewart ordered the North Vietnamese to identify themselves at 0112 but there was no response so Androscoggin shot 5-inch star shells into the air to illuminate the trawler. It was then that the trawler was identified as enemy so the Androscoggin opened fire at 0120 with naval and .50 caliber machine gun fire. T-D returned fire, laid a smoke screen and turned into the American's direction but one of the Androscoggins shells hit T-Ds after starboard side so it turned around and headed for the shore. Two United States Army
helicopters engaged at this point with the Point Grey, Point Welcome, USS Persistent, PCF-18 and PCF-20. Among many other hits, Point Welcome struck the trawler twice with 81-millimeter rounds. T-D then grounded off the mouth of the Tha Cau River at 0210. A civilian junk passed through the battle area and it forced the American ships to cease fire so at 0220, the North Vietnamese tried to scuttle
their ship and failed but a second attempt at 0235 succeeded in destroying the vessel. The American cutters received several small arms hits but they were only slightly damaged, debris from near misses and from the T-Ds scuttling also caused additional minor damage. No American or South Vietnamese casualties were reported.
but soon after being detected, the trawler turned around and headed back out to sea without being engaged. The three battles are considered to be the greatest American and South Vietnamese naval victory during the Vietnam War.
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
on the same morning. A large force of American
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
and South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
ese warships assigned to Operation Market Time
Operation Market Time
Operation Market Time was the United States Navy’s effort to stop troops and supplies from flowing by sea from North Vietnam to South Vietnam during the Vietnam War...
engaged three North Vietnamese ships at different locations along the South Vietnamese coast. In the action, the three North Vietnamese vessels were destroyed while the Americans and South Vietnamese ships sustained only light damage. Though the battles took place several miles from each other, they were all part of the same operation to defeat a North Vietnamese attempt to resupply the Viet Cong.
Background
On 28 February 1968, American SP-2H Neptune aircraft detected a North Vietnamese SL class naval trawlerNaval trawler
A naval trawler is a vessel built along the lines of a fishing trawler but fitted out for naval purposes. Naval trawlers were widely used during the First and Second world wars. Fishing trawlers were particularly suited for many naval requirements because they were robust boats designed to work...
heading towards the South Vietnamese coast from north of the DMZ. By the next morning, three more trawlers were discovered so the units of Operation Market Time were deployed for interception. The trawlers did not fly flags so it was not until the start of the engagement that the Americans and South Vietnamese discovered their origin. The trawlers were steel hulled vessels, 100 feet long and armed with 57-millimeter recoilless rifle
Recoilless rifle
A recoilless rifle or recoilless gun is a lightweight weapon that fires a heavier projectile than would be practical to fire from a recoiling weapon of comparable size. Technically, only devices that use a rifled barrel are recoilless rifles. Smoothbore variants are recoilless guns...
s and machine gun
Machine gun
A machine gun is a fully automatic mounted or portable firearm, usually designed to fire rounds in quick succession from an ammunition belt or large-capacity magazine, typically at a rate of several hundred rounds per minute....
s. All four were loaded with weapons and ammunition intended to be delivered to the Viet Cong. The United States Navy
United States Navy
The United States Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven uniformed services of the United States. The U.S. Navy is the largest in the world; its battle fleet tonnage is greater than that of the next 13 largest navies combined. The U.S...
, South Vietnamese Navy and the United States Coast Guard
United States Coast Guard
The United States Coast Guard is a branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the seven U.S. uniformed services. The Coast Guard is a maritime, military, multi-mission service unique among the military branches for having a maritime law enforcement mission and a federal regulatory agency...
established a blockade of South Vietnam beforehand to prevent infiltrations of this type. A twelve mile no go zone existed along the entire South Vietnamese coast and the blockading ships had the authority to seize any vessel within it. American and South Vietnamese forces that engaged in action included the minesweeper
Minesweeper (ship)
A minesweeper is a small naval warship designed to counter the threat posed by naval mines. Minesweepers generally detect then neutralize mines in advance of other naval operations.-History:...
, the Coast Guard cutter
United States Coast Guard Cutter
Cutter is the term used by the United States Coast Guard for its commissioned vessels. A Cutter is or greater in length, has a permanently assigned crew, and has accommodations for the crew to live aboard...
s , , , , the swift boat
Swift Boat
Swift Boat may refer to:*a Patrol Craft Fast*Swift Vets and POWs for Truth, originally named Swift Boat Veterans For Truth*Swiftboating, political jargon for a particular form of character assassination as a smear tactic...
s PCF-18, PCF-20, PCF-42, PCF-43, PCF-46, PCF-47 and PCF-48, two junks
Junk (ship)
A junk is an ancient Chinese sailing vessel design still in use today. Junks were developed during the Han Dynasty and were used as sea-going vessels as early as the 2nd century AD. They evolved in the later dynasties, and were used throughout Asia for extensive ocean voyages...
and one patrol boat
Patrol boat
A patrol boat is a relatively small naval vessel generally designed for coastal defense duties.There have been many designs for patrol boats. They may be operated by a nation's navy, coast guard, or police force, and may be intended for marine and/or estuarine or river environments...
. Two American helicopter gunships also participated in combat and one other aircraft was used to fire flare
Flare (pyrotechnic)
A flare, also sometimes called a fusee, is a type of pyrotechnic that produces a brilliant light or intense heat without an explosion. Flares are used for signalling, illumination, or defensive countermeasures in civilian and military applications...
s.
Action off Bo De River
The trawler designated in U.S. Navy records as An Xuyen Province Trawler (map reference 1) was first sighted on 28 February approximately 150 miles east southeast of Vung Tau holding a southeasterly course. On the evening of the 29th she changed to a westerly course and started a covert surveillance. The trawler crossed the 12 mile limit at 0120 1 March and began a run for the beach near the mouth of the Bo De River at 0200. Winona fired warning shots eight miles off the coast which were ignored so she opened up with her 5 inch/38 caliber gun after receiving return fire from the trawler. The trawler exploded in a huge fireball after taking several direct hits and sank approximately seven miles off the beach. Winona was struck by several pieces of debris from the explosion, however only minor injuries were sustained by the crew during the action. It was the only single ship action fought between American and communist forces during the war.Action off Nha Trang
The trawler designated Khanh Hoa Province Trawler (map reference 2) was first sighted by Market Time aircraft on 29 February approximately 90 miles east northeast of Nha Trang with a southwesterly course. Surveillance was continued by Market Time vessels until she crossed the 12 mile limit 28 miles northeast of Nha Trang. Ignoring warning to heave to for boarding, the trawler continued on towards the beach. A South Vietnamese Navy patrol boat opened fire on the trawler and it quickly changed course and returned fire. Assisted by a U.S. Air Force AC-47 gunship, swift boats PCF-42, PCF-43, PCF-46, PCF-47, PCF-48 and two SVN junks sortied to help the patrol craft chase the trawler to a cove where it ran aground in the Hon Heo Secret Zone At 0230, 1 March, five 81-millimeter mortarMortar (weapon)
A mortar is an indirect fire weapon that fires explosive projectiles known as bombs at low velocities, short ranges, and high-arcing ballistic trajectories. It is typically muzzle-loading and has a barrel length less than 15 times its caliber....
rounds from PCF-47 were direct hits and the trawler exploded with a massive explosion due to the munitions aboard. Fourteen dead North Vietnamese sailors were recovered the following morning. Rifles, machine guns and rocket launchers; along with considerable ammunition and explosives were recovered from the sunken trawler. The salvage operations extended over 12 days and included the recovery of a 14.5 millimeter antiaircraft gun and 68 cases of ammunition.
Action off Tha Cau River
Forty miles from Chu LaiChu Lai
Chu Lai is a sea port, urban and industrial area in Dung Quat Bay, Núi Thành district, Quang Nam province of Vietnam. The city is served by Chu Lai Airport.-Vietnam War:...
and six miles off the coast, USCGC Androscoggin under Commander
Commander
Commander is a naval rank which is also sometimes used as a military title depending on the individual customs of a given military service. Commander is also used as a rank or title in some organizations outside of the armed forces, particularly in police and law enforcement.-Commander as a naval...
William H. Stewart, intercepted a third trawler identified as T-D. Commander Stewart ordered the North Vietnamese to identify themselves at 0112 but there was no response so Androscoggin shot 5-inch star shells into the air to illuminate the trawler. It was then that the trawler was identified as enemy so the Androscoggin opened fire at 0120 with naval and .50 caliber machine gun fire. T-D returned fire, laid a smoke screen and turned into the American's direction but one of the Androscoggins shells hit T-Ds after starboard side so it turned around and headed for the shore. Two United States Army
United States Army
The United States Army is the main branch of the United States Armed Forces responsible for land-based military operations. It is the largest and oldest established branch of the U.S. military, and is one of seven U.S. uniformed services...
helicopters engaged at this point with the Point Grey, Point Welcome, USS Persistent, PCF-18 and PCF-20. Among many other hits, Point Welcome struck the trawler twice with 81-millimeter rounds. T-D then grounded off the mouth of the Tha Cau River at 0210. A civilian junk passed through the battle area and it forced the American ships to cease fire so at 0220, the North Vietnamese tried to scuttle
Scuttling
Scuttling is the act of deliberately sinking a ship by allowing water to flow into the hull.This can be achieved in several ways—valves or hatches can be opened to the sea, or holes may be ripped into the hull with brute force or with explosives...
their ship and failed but a second attempt at 0235 succeeded in destroying the vessel. The American cutters received several small arms hits but they were only slightly damaged, debris from near misses and from the T-Ds scuttling also caused additional minor damage. No American or South Vietnamese casualties were reported.
Aftermath
, shadowed the trawler T-C forty-two miles north of Qui NhonQui Nhon
Qui Nhơn , also Quy Nhơn, is a coastal city in Binh Dinh province in central Vietnam. It is composed of 16 wards and five communes with a total of 286 km². Quy Nhon is the capital of Bình Định province. As of 2009 its population was 280,900. Historically, the commercial activities of the city...
but soon after being detected, the trawler turned around and headed back out to sea without being engaged. The three battles are considered to be the greatest American and South Vietnamese naval victory during the Vietnam War.