Battle of Suoi Tre

Battle of Suoi Tre
Part of Operation Junction City, Vietnam War
Map of engagements during Operation Junction City
Date 21 March 1967 Location 11°29′35″N 106°15′58″E / 11.493°N 106.266°E / 11.493; 106.266 Suoi Tre, Tay Ninh Province, South Vietnam Result American victory
Belligerents
United States	Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
James A. Grimsley	Unknown
Units involved
2nd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment 2nd Battalion, 77th Artillery Regiment	272nd Regiment
Strength
	~1,500
Casualties and losses
36 killed 190 wounded	US body count: 647 killed 7 captured 94 individual and 65 crew-served weapons recovered

The Battle of Suoi Tre (Vietnamese: suối Tre) occurred during the early morning of 21 March 1967 during Operation Junction City, a search and destroy mission by American military forces in Tay Ninh Province, South Vietnam. After being challenged heavily to begin with, the Americans gained the upper hand and completed a convincing victory over the Viet Cong (VC). They claimed to have found 647 bodies and captured seven prisoners, while recovering 65 crew-served and 94 individual weapons. The Americans losses were 36 dead and 190 wounded, a fatality ratio of more than twenty to one in their favour.

On 19 March, American helicopters dropped two infantry battalions off in a clearing near Suoi Tre to build a fire support base to be used in search and destroy missions against the VC. During the airlift, seven helicopters were damaged. On March 21, a VC attack started before dawn at 06:30, starting with a mortar attack followed by a large-scale infantry charge. The VC overwhelmed parts of the American perimeter at first, and forced them to withdraw inwards. After a period, American reinforcements broke through the VC envelope to assist their besieged colleagues, and firepower and artillery helped them gain the upper hand. The VC stubbornly fought on, with some carrying wounded compatriots forward in follow-up infantry charges, but they were eventually forced to withdraw with heavy casualties.