June On 1 June, a unit of the 2nd Brigade,
1st Infantry Division found a PAVN/VC base camp near
Dầu Tiếng Base Camp with an arms cache containing 81
SKS rifles, three light machine guns, and two radios. At 14:25, a unit of the 1st Brigade (
9th Infantry Division) air assaulted into a hot landing zone near
Bến Lức District and engaged PAVN/VC forces, who withdrew at 19:15, leaving 11 dead. U.S. losses were five killed and a
UH-1 Iroquois was shot down west of
Saigon. On 2 June, between 01:40 and 03:25, 15 rounds of mortar/rocket fire hit Saigon killing five civilians and destroying three houses. At 11:15, helicopter gunships from the cavalry squadron of the 25th Infantry Division engaged enemy forces west of
Phú Cường and cavalry troops were later landed in the area. The enemy withdrew at 18:00, leaving 33 dead among 37 destroyed bunkers. At 13:40, a unit of the
199th Light Infantry Brigade (199th LIB) engaged an enemy force northeast of
Tân Uyên. The enemy withdrew at 18:15 leaving 12 dead; U.S. losses were 3 killed. Only one contact was made by the New Zealand infantry company of 4 RAR/NZ. On 3 July, 1 RAR left the operation. On 25 June at 07:55, two UH-1s collided west of
Bearcat Base killing 12 U.S. Army personnel, 16
Thai soldiers and one ARVN soldier. A unit of the 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, engaged an enemy force northeast of Tân An killing two and capturing five. On 26 June, units of the 1st and 3rd Brigades of the 9th Infantry Division continued to engage the enemy force northeast of Tân An. The enemy withdrew at 15:00 leaving 40 dead, 9 captured and 16 individual and two crew-served weapons; U.S. losses were 11 killed. On 4 July, a unit of the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, found a bunker complex and weapons cache in Bình Dương Province containing seven
RPG-7 launchers, 110 RPG-7 grenades and an 82 mm mortar. On 5 July at 16;50, a company from the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, found a weapons cache in Bình Dương Province, north-northwest of Saigon containing seven 122 mm rocket motors and four warheads. On 3 August at 09:00, a unit of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, captured five suspected VC northeast of
Đức Hòa District and at 10:05, one of the captives lead the unit to a weapons cache containing seven 107 mm rockets and other munitions. Another Division unit found six 122 mm rockets northwest of Saigon. On 4 August units of the 1st and 3rd Brigades, 25th Infantry Division engaged an enemy force southwest of Cần Đước killing 52; U.S. losses were two killed. A UH-1 was shot down west-northwest of Cần Đước. On 6 August, another UH-1 was shot down 9 miles southeast of Phước Vĩnh. A unit of the 1st Brigade, 25th Infantry Division found 16 107 mm rockets northwest of Saigon. At 01:15, Katum Camp was attacked by the VC 5th Sapper Battalion, who were beaten back losing 59 troops and 20 individual and seven crew-served weapons. A company from the 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, was inserted into a hot landing zone south of Cần Giuộc, one UH-1 was shot down. Other brigade units reinforced and artillery, helicopter gunships and air support was provided, 66 PAVN/VC were killed and 25 captured and 29 individual and eight crew-served weapons; U.S. losses were three killed. At 16:30, five mortar rounds hit a
Seabee motor pool southeast of Saigon. On 19 August, at 21:25, Katum Camp received 325 rounds of mortar fire followed by a ground probe. The enemy withdrew after 15 minutes with unknown losses. On 20 August, a
CH-47 Chinook was shot down north-northeast of Tân An. On 5 September at 12:15, a unit of the U.S. 3rd Brigade, 101st Airborne Division air-assaulted into a hot landing zone east of Trảng Bàng and engaged an enemy force. Elements of the armored cavalry squadron of the 25th Infantry Division and other units from the Brigade maneuvered into blocking positions. Artillery, helicopter gunships and airstrikes were provided in support. By 16:00, additional units of the Brigade reinforced and took up blocking positions in an attempt to cordon the enemy force, then estimated at battalion size. Contact continued into the evening of the 5th and morning of the 6th when the ARVN 2nd Battalion, 49th Regiment, 25th Division, was inserted into the area. Sporadic action continued and contact was finally lost at 13:30 on the 6th when the enemy evaded the cordon. The total number off PAVN/VC killed in the 2-day battle was 103; U.S. losses were 31 killed. On 5 October at 18:00, a UH-1 was shot down south of Tây Ninh killing one on board. On 6 October at 09:00, a unit of the cavalry squadron of the 1st Infantry Division engaged an enemy force southwest of An Lộc. The enemy broke contact at 11:40 but another unit of the squadron engaged the enemy until they withdrew at 16:45, leaving 43 dead, and 13 individual and four crew-served weapons; U.S. losses were one killed. At 11:15, a unit of the 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division, found a weapons cache northeast of Biên Hòa containing two light machine guns, 32 individual weapons, 45 82 mm mortar rounds and over 5,000 rounds of 7.62×39 mm munitions. At 13:00, a unit of the 1st Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, engaged an enemy force south of Bến Lức, supported by artillery and helicopter gunships, killing 12 and capturing two individual weapons. On 3 November at 15:45, a Chieu Hoi led a unit of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, to a munitions cache north of Đức Hòa containing 247 RPG-7 grenades. On 4 November, between 20:20 and 21:05, helicopters from the 12th Combat Aviation Group sank six sampans southeast of Cần Giuộc, killing 17 PAVN/VC. Three UH-1s were shot down in Bình Dương and Hậu Nghĩa Provinces with one U.S. soldier killed. On 5 November at 14:45, a company from the 3rd Brigade (25th Infantry Division) operating 4 miles east of Dầu Tiếng, engaged an entrenched enemy force, killing seven. At 12:30, the S.S. President Jefferson received RPG and small arms fire on the Nhà Bè causing minimal damage, PBRs and helicopter gunships attacked the firing positions with unknown results. On 3 December at 10:25, a unit of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division was air assaulted into an area west-southwest of Phước Bình and 20 minutes after landing were attacked by an enemy force. Supporting fire was called in and the battle continued until 15:00, when the enemy withdrew leaving one dead; U.S. losses were 25 killed. At 10:45, an aerial observer spotted four sampans with 12 PAVN/VC on board west of Tây Ninh and called in artillery fire that destroyed all four sampans and killed ten PAVN/VC. A UH-1 was shot down south-southeast of Đồng Xoài. On 4 December at 02:45, a unit of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, in a night-defensive position southeast of Katum received 75–100 82 mm mortar rounds followed by a ground assault. The unit was supported by artillery and helicopter gunships, and the enemy withdrew at 05:15, leaving 37 dead along with nine individual and two crew-served weapons. At 14:30, a company from the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, patrolling west-northwest of Sông Bé found a munitions cache containing 600 60/82 mm mortar and 100 75 mm recoilless rifle rounds. At 15:10, a unit of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division sweeping the area 15 miles west-southwest of Phước Bình, was attacked by an enemy force; the enemy withdrew after 50 minutes. A UH-1 was shot down west of An Lộc killing six on board.
January On 1 January,
Staff Sergeant Rodney J. T. Yano, of the air cavalry squadron of the 11th ACR, saved the lives of the crew of his UH-1, when a
white phosphorus grenade exploded on the helicopter during operations near Biên Hòa. For his actions, he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. On 3 January, an explosion in the mess hall of the
20th Engineer Brigade at Củ Chi Base Camp killed 15. On 11 January 1969, a convoy was ambushed on Highway 13 near Quần Lợi.
First Lieutenant Harold A. Fritz organized the defense, actions for which he was later awarded the Medal of Honor. On 14 January, a convoy of the 48th Transportation Group was ambushed in Tây Ninh Province. 122 PAVN/VC were killed, and three individual and one crew-served weapons were captured; U.S. losses were seven killed. Also on 14 January in Tây Ninh Province, First Lieutenant
John E. Warren Jr. smothered an enemy hand grenade with his body, an action for which he was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor. On 30 January, Company D of the 2nd Battalion,
8th Cavalry Regiment, found an underground hospital complex under construction north of Phú Cường. On 31 January, a unit of the 2nd Battalion,
12th Cavalry Regiment, found 69 tons of rice in two caches in Tây Ninh Province.
February On 1 February at 00:10, a firebase of the 3rd Brigade (1st Infantry Division) northeast of Dầu Tiếng, was hit by 160 rounds of 60/82 mm mortar fire followed by a ground probe. The defenders returned fire, supported by artillery, helicopter gunships, AC-47s and airstrikes, and the enemy withdrew at 04:45, leaving behind 14 dead; U.S. losses were two killed. At 08:30, helicopter gunships of the 1/9th Cavalry attacked an entrenched enemy force south of Katum, and called in artillery and airstrikes, killing 28 PAVN/VC and destroying three bunkers. A company from the 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, that was patrolling northeast of Phú Cường, found a weapons cache containing 33 SKS, three light machineguns, three 60 mm mortars and one 75 mm recoilless rifle. A unit of the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, found a 12-ton rice cache northeast of Phú Cường, while the 1/9th Cavalry found a 10-ton rice cache southeast of Lộc Ninh. At 16:00, a company from the 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, patrolling north of Tân An, engaged an enemy force; sporadic contact continued until the enemy withdrew at 23:05, leaving 53 dead, two captured and 27 individual and two crew-served weapons. At 21:00, a unit of the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, engaged 10–15 PAVN/VC west of Phú Cường, killing nine, and capturing two AK-47s and three pistols. On 2 February at 08:45, a company from the 199th LIB operating northwest of Saigon engaged an enemy squadron; at 09:30 a unit of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, reinforced them. The enemy withdrew at 19:10 leaving 18 dead; U.S. losses were six killed. A unit of the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, found an 8-ton rice cache northeast of Phú Cường. At midday, a unit of the armored cavalry squadron of the 25th Infantry Division engaged an enemy company north of Go Dau Ha. The unit was supported by artillery, helicopter gunships and airstrikes, and reinforced at 18:20 by a South Vietnamese Marine battalion. The enemy withdrew at 23:10 leaving 42 dead; U.S. losses were three killed. On 3 February at 10:45, a company from the 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, operating northeast of Tây Ninh, found a munitions bunker containing 61 82 mm mortar rounds and three sniper rifles. At 12:30, a unit of the 11th ACR patrolling north of Lai Khê engaged an enemy force. The enemy withdrew at 17:50 leaving 18 dead, seven captured, and three individual and one crew-served weapons; U.S. losses were two killed. At 18:30, a firebase of the 25th Infantry Division northwest of Go Dau Ha was hit by 15 107 mm rockets, causing minimal damage. On 4 February at 00:50, Katum Camp was hit by 100 rounds of 60/82/120 mm mortar fire causing little damage. At 15:00, a unit of the armored cavalry squadron of the 25th infantry Division, patrolling northeast of Dầu Tiếng and supported by artillery and airstrikes, upon engaging six enemy bunkers foumd 16 PAVN/VC dead in the wreckage. On 5 February, a UH-1 was shot down in Long Khánh Province killing four on board. On 6 February at 20:00, a unit of the 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, engaged 20 PAVN/VC northeast of Tân An; the enemy withdrew but then attacked the unit again before withdrawing at 23:00, leaving 14 dead. At 22:30 a unit of the 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, in a night-defensive position east-southeast of Tân An received a ground probe; the unit returned fire and the enemy withdrew after 30 minutes. On 7 February at 11:00, a company from the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, found a 28-ton rice cache northeast of Tây Ninh. On 8 February at 06:30, three U.S. civilian employees of
Lear Siegler contracted to the U.S. military were ambushed as they drove along Highway 15 north of Long Thành; two were killed. At 13:20, a unit of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, engaged an enemy force southwest of Bến Cát, supported by artillery, helicopter gunships and airstrikes. The enemy withdrew at 19:45, leaving 12 dead, and seven individual and four crew-served weapons; U.S. losses were one soldier and one Kit Carson Scout killed. Also at 13:30, mechanized infantry of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, engaged an enemy force southwest of Bến Cát. The unit was supported by artillery, helicopter gunships and airstrikes until the enemy withdrew at 19:45, leaving 22 dead, and two individual and one crew-served weapon; U.S. losses were five killed. At 14:30, a helicopter gunship from the 1/9th Cavalry received fire east of Lộc Ninh; they returned fire and directed airstrikes onto the location. Aerorifle troops were landed and found 16 PAVN/VC dead and one crew-served weapon among eight destroyed bunkers. At 16:30, a CIDG unit searching a bunker complex in the same area was engaged by an enemy force and supporting fire was provided by helicopter gunships and airstrikes until the enemy withdrew at 17:40. The 1/9th Cavalry aerorifle platoon was landed and found 17 PAVN/VC killed and one crew-served weapon. On 9 February at 12:30, an armored unit from the 25th Infantry Division found a munitions cache northwest of Phú Cường containing 22 107 mm rockets, 18 122 mm rockets, 45 82 mm mortar rounds and 33 RPG-7 grenades. At 13:00, a unit of the 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, found a munitions cache west of Bến Lức containing 517 RPG grenades and 62,000 rounds of 7.62×39 mm. At 17:00, a unit of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, found a 20-ton rice cache south of Katum. An OH-6 was shot down east-southeast of Katum. On 10 February at 10:15, a unit of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, found a 30-ton rice cache south of Katum. At 16:00, the 1/9th Cavalry found 150 82 mm mortar rounds southwest of An Lộc. At 18:30, a base camp west of Tây Ninh was hit by 10 107 mm rockets, causing minimal damage. On 11 February at 14:30, a unit of the armored cavalry squadron of the 25th Infantry Division found a 10-ton rice cache north of Trảng Bàng. At 21:50, helicopter gunships attacked 100 PAVN/VC east of Biên Hòa. Nearby, a reconnaissance unit found a 122 mm rocket firing position. Both positions were hit by artillery, helicopter gunships, AC-47s and airstrikes throughout the night causing numerous secondary explosions; 50 PAVN/VC casualties were discovered in the strike areas. At 23:00, the Bình Điền bridge and a base of the 199th LIB northeast of
Bình Chánh District were hit by mortar and RPG fire. The firing continued for 20 minutes until the enemy withdrew. On 12 February at 10:30, a unit of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, found a 10-ton rice cache south of Katum. At midday, a unit of the 1st Infantry Division found a weapons cache east of Cat Lai containing 44 individual weapons. Also at midday, aeroscouts from the 1/9th Cavalry received ground fire northwest of Phước Bình with two OH-6s and one UH-1 being shot down with three crewmen killed. Artillery and airstrikes were called in killing 64 PAVN/VC. On 13 February at 14:00, a unit of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, found a 32-ton rice cache northeast of Trảng Bàng. At 16:00, helicopter gunships of the 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, drew fire north of Lộc Ninh and returned fire, killing 11 PAVN/VC and destroying ten huts. A UH-1
medevac was shot down east-northeast of Trảng Bàng. On 14 February at 10:30, a unit of the armored cavalry squadron of the 25th Infantry Division found a 5-ton rice cache northeast of Go Dau Ha. An hour later, another unit operating in the same area found another 6 tons of rice and destroyed 48 bunkers. On 15 February at 01:00, a unit of the 3rd Brigade, 9th Infantry Division, in a night-defensive position southeast of Tân An, was attacked by an enemy company. The unit returned fire, supported by artillery and helicopter gunships. The enemy withdrew leaving three dead and nine 107 mm rockets and an RPG launcher; U.S. losses were two killed. At 09:15, an OH-6 from the 1/9th Cavalry was shot down northeast of Tây Ninh and the aerorifle platoon was landed at the crash site. At 09:40, two UH-1s extracting troops from the area were shot down resulting in five U.S. killed. On 16 February at 14:40, a unit of the 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, was attacked northeast of Phú Cường. The unit returned fire, supported by helicopter gunships and airstrikes, and the enemy withdrew at 17:25; U.S. losses were one killed. At 16:00, mechanized infantry of the 2nd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division, supported by artillery and helicopter gunships, engaged an enemy force southwest of Bến Cát. The enemy withdrew at 17:30, leaving 32 dead, and 15 individual and six crew-served weapons. At 18:00, Allied forces suspended operations for a 24-hour
Tết ceasefire. ==Aftermath==