Cua Dai River Operations 1969-70

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On September 27, 1967 Operation Green Wave was initiated
with Task Force 116 Patrol Boat River (PBR) vessels in an
attempt to control the Cua Dai River in I Corps. However,
this force encountered such fierce resistance from the VC
around Hoi An, that just ten days later the operation was
cancelled by its commander and the PBRs were sent back to
the Mekong Delta.

The river in this free ranging enemy territory remained
such a hostile waterway that it was considered totally
unassailable by commanders for the next year and a half
This situation changed dramaticlly as SEALORDS operations
entered its second, or pacification, phase in early 1969.

Acording to an article in the Stars & Stripes at the time:

"Long a Viet Cong stronghold, the Cua Dai River area has
been greatly pacified since early spring when VNN vessels
and US Navy Swift Boats began regular patrols in the area.
LT R.L. Andretta of Wheaton MD, the Senior Advisor, Coastal
Group 14, says "We generally used to have an operation once
a week around here, by inserting troops on the southern river
bank to harass the VC." The base itself frequently received
fire from that shore, and there had been a few attempts at
ground attacks on the base from the nearby village of Doi."

"These days however, 'Ambush Alley,' as the river was called,
is often navigated without incident, although firefights are
still a probability after dark. One former VC hideout is now
a training center for Vietnamese Regional Forces. And further
up the river, at Xuyen Long, a refugee camp has been built,
primarily housing displaced Vietnamese civilians. Construction
has already begun at the village's location which will soon
replace the huts that are now used as homes for the refugees.

As to the future of Coastal Group 14, LT Andretta says "I think
when I leave here next February, I will be able to water ski
anywhere on the Cua Dai whenever I please"

This video depicts this success story of pacification by USN
and Vietnamese forces that resulted in a dramatic turn around
for the people of the surrounding area of Hoi Anh

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[aries811]

thanks for this video. my family and i fled vietnam in a tiny fishing boat after the fall of saigon in '78 and stayed at the songkhla vietnamese refugee camp in thailand. we're trying to find info on that camp and we're coming up w/ almost nothing.

so thank you again for putting together this video. someday someone like me will be looking for this video and will thank you immensely!

[VeloNutMc52]

Very well done.

[jacklane61]

Excellent, thanks...