Ia Dang Battle Analysis

The first significant battle between American troops and North Vietnamese Army was the Ia Drang Valley Battle of the Vietnam War. The Battle of Ia Drang took place in the Central Highlands of South Vietnam, setting in two main locations, the LZ X-Ray located at the eastern base of the Chu Pong Massif and LZ Albany located to the 2.5 km of X-Ray and lasted four days and three nights in the fall of 1965 from14 November to 18 November. The Battle of Ia Drang was part of the Pleiku Campaign and comprised the newly constituted U.S. 1st Cavalry Division, that was composed of 2nd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) with 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry (Airmobile) with 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry and 2nd Battalion, 7 Cavalry,

From 1st Air Cavalry Division Fwd, LT General Richard Knowles, from 3rd Air Cavalry Brigade, he served for 32 years, fighting in World War II, the Korean War and the Vietnam War. LT Gen. was decorated with the Silver Star, the Bronze Star with “V” device, the Distinguished Service Cross with four oak leaf clusters, the Distinguished Flying Cross with two oak leaf clusters, 25 Air Medals and a Purple Heart. CPL Tim J. Brown, from 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, was honored on Paul 10W, Line 120 of the Vietnam Veteran’s Memorial. LT Gen. Harold G. Moore, from 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry. He was a recipient of the Distinguished Service Cross, first of his West Point class to be promoted to brigadier, major and lieutenant general. LTC Robert McDade, from 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry, he was one of the few officers to serve with and infantry unit in three wars. Some of the awards are Word War II Victory Medal, Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross with Palm. LTC Walter B. Tully. On the other hand the Leaders and commanders from North Vietnam were Nguyen Hu An, B3 Field Front Fwd CP, Pham Cong Curu 66th Regiment Deputy Cmdr, La Ngoc Chau 7/66 Regiment, Le Xuan Phoi 8/66 Regiment and Nguyen Van Dinh 9/66 Regiment. For the Ia Drang Battle both sides were well equipped. From North Vietnam with a modern army organized and trained around 2,500 PAVN soldiers. The

The helicopters from 1st Calvary were transporting heavily armed gunships and supply choppers. Drastically reconnaissance helicopters and fixed the enemy, then assault the troops in a secure staging area in the landing zone (LZ). One secured, the LZ was used for different types of offensive and defensive operations. The first day, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry arrived to LZ-Ray, the troops were heavily assaulted while patrolling the dry creek bed from the 33rd NVA Regiment. They keep pushing forward in which began taking a lot of casualties. 2nd Platoon and 1st Platoon within approx. 25 min, five men of 2nd Platoon were killed. When the last troops arrive to the LZ, the insertion took place with intense NVA fire. C Company was able to call in and adjust heavy ordnance support with precision, devastating losses on the NVA forces. Date two “Attack at dawn”. J3/MACV notified 1st Air Cavalry that the time over target of the B-5 strike is set for 16:00. A firefight broke out, cutting through Charlie Company positions and into the command post and the American lines across the LZ. Two M60 crews were instrumental in preventing the North Vietnamese advance from overrunning lines. 1/7 Cavalry started getting heavy attacks on three sides. In defense, they call all available support aircraft in South Vietnam, drawing on a significant arsenal