Battle of Ia Drang
Image taken from wikipedia.org
Throughout 1964, United States Marines engaged enemy Vietcong in southern Vietnam. Yet throughout all of this period, American forces never engaged the actual North-Vietnamese Army. The United States Government soon wanted the soldiers to engage these troops. They called in the elite 7th Cavalry Division. The objective was to test the new helicopter techniques which were to be used as the main source of combat. The division arrived in South Vietnam. Their mission was to land in a valley known as the Ia Drang and force the Vietnamese to fight.
Touchdown was smooth. More than 350 troops landed in the valley, but within hours were outnumbered by a force of thousands of veteran North Vietnamese soldiers. Lieutenant Colonel Hal Moore, the leader of the battalion, had studied defensive tactics so he would be able to hold off a potential slaughter. This was the first true large-scale battle of the Vietnam War. This battle claimed hundreds of American lives along with thousands of North-Vietnamese soldiers. At times there was no frontline. American and Vietnamese troops engaged in hand-to-hand combat throughout most of the battle. Helicopter, artillery, and plane strikes were called almost every minute. However, by the end of three days of bloody combat, the Americans were victorious.
