Operation HAPPY VALLEY

[FJ_MD]

After the first months of 1965, VC domination in the Vinh Thanh valley is total. Forts, schools, churches, bridges and other buildings are metodically burned. The former village and hamlet leadership is destroyed or discredited.


The mission is to provide security for batteries A and C, 77th artillery, and company B, 8th engineers, during the construction and establishment of a US special forces camp, and to pacify the valley through offensive military operations.



Assaulting units have to travel as lightly as possible to increase mobility in the rugged terrain. No more than one 81mm mortar may be carried by each company, leaving the others at the battalion base.
The combat support company may be used as an additional maneuver element. So reconnaissance platoon, antitank platoon, heavy mortar platoon and company headquarters, may be given a mission as a blocking force into which the assaulting companies maneuver the enemy. Other roles may be security for the CP, eagle flights and as a battalion quick reaction force.



Operation Happy Valley is divided in three different phases:


(1) Domination
(2) Resettlement and Reconstruction
(3) Consolidation



Units of the 1st cavalry division will be involved only in the first phase (Domination)
In this phase air assault of one and two company sizes will be conducted daily against know
or suspected VC locations, covering an area from 3000 to 5000 meters in leght and 1000 meters in width. Rice paddies, hamlets and narrow valleys will be the average terrain on wich the units will move. When hill terrain will be the common ground, a manouver element will be helilifted to the high ground, which then will move down towards a prepositioned blocking force in the valley covering the natural and expected routes of VC withdrawal. VC camps and training camps may be present.

On each LZ artillery preparatory fire will soften possible enemy presence and clear the ground for the assaulting forces. Precise timing is necessary to avoid friendly casualties in the landing. Air strikes will be followed by intensive 105MM howitzer fire and after the landing gunships will sweep the surrounding area. However, no orbit areas are possible over the LZ because small arms fire from the surrounding hills make helicopters very vulnerable.

Eagle flight will be available if needed.