VENETIC

Operation Montana Raider

Near Quần Lởi, 11 April 1969

by W.S. McCallum

Quần Lởi (in red) is located near the Cambodian border, north of Saigon:

Operation Montana Raider began on 5 April 1969. Under it, units of the 11 Armored Cavalry have been sent up from Dầu Tiếng to clear the area along Route 13, leading to the Cambodian frontier. The operation has succeeded in uncovering various rear area NVA units, including heavy support units...

Route 13 is deserted north of Quần Lởi.

News of the advancing US troops has travelled through the rural grap vine and local civilians have evacuated.

US ground recon units have reported no signs of NVA, but then they are not known for showing themselves in daylight:

Low-level air recon has also failed to spot any movement.

The fight

The first ACAV squads arrive on the scene on foot, following warily behind their M113s.

They are covering the flank of a troop of Sheridan tanks moving up Route 13.

The lead tank peels off, unaware that it is being watched...

An RPG fires from the farm ahead of the tank and it goes up in flames:

There are no survivors.

Immediately after that, an NVA mortar barrage hits one of the ACAV squads.

A Loach helicopter then arrives on the scene. Hovering just above a hooch, the forward observer in it calls in a US artillery barrage on the farm where the NVA are.

But the artillery fire falls wide.

The US troops waver, but some keep advancing, only to come under fire from an NVA sniper.

He manages to pins down three men, forcing them to take cover.

At that point, further air support arrives in the form of a US helicopter gunship.

The US player is somewhat dismayed to see that his helicopter has flown into the fire zone of an awaiting 37mm anti-aircraft gun.

The helicopter fires rockets at the AA gun, but its fire is wide.

Hastily adjusting their fire, the AA gun crew begins firing at the helicopter. Their shells whistle past the pilot’s cockpit, but their fire cannot keep up with the evading helicopter, which fires more rockets and scores a direct hit.

Deciding to open fire before they are spotted from the air by the approaching gunship, an NVA ZiS 3 76 mm gun in position beside the now destroyed AA gun opens up at the advancing M113.

While an HMG unit on the other side of the destroyed AA gun decides to take on the helicopter.

Once again, the helicopter pilot manages to dodge the hail of bullets coming his way and lets loose with more rockets, to devastating effect.

One HMG crew is blown away while the remaining one frantically adjusts fire, knowing they will be next if they do not score a hit....

The pilot is only just pivoting to line up his sights on the other HMG when tracer smashes the cockpit canopy and the helicopter goes up in flames.

The helicopter comes crashing to the ground.

At this point, the Loach helicopter pilot radios in more artillery support, and the results are devastating, destroying both the ZIS 3 and the remaining HMG.

Back on Route 13, the second Sheridan is penetrated by another round from the RPG in the farmhouse. No crew are killed, but they decide to hastily withdraw and shelter behind a shed.

The remaining Sheridan advances, determined to finish off the NVA hiding in the farmhouse.

The commander opens fire with his .50 calibre HMG, raking the house and killing various of the NVA, including the RPG team.

By this point, the ACAV units are reeling from the strength of the NVA opposition but, unbeknownst to them, they have broken the back of the disparate rear-area NVA units hastily thrown together to halt their advance. Even as the ACAV units are calling in more air and artillery support, the remaining NVA troops are hastily evacuating.

The result reflected so many real-life engagements during the Vietnam War: although the US commander was left with control of the battlefield, and NVA losses were heavy (3/4 of their force was wiped out), the US casualties were unacceptably high. Having one tank destroyed, another seriously damaged, and a helicopter downed meant that the NVA commander won the engagement in terms of points gained from damage inflicted.