Operation Game Warden

Operation Game Warden

USS Harnett County (AGP-821) part of CTF 116
DateDecember 18, 1965
LocationMekong Delta, South Vietnam
Result

American/South Vietnamese operational success

  • South Vietnam’s extensive inland waterways secured
  • Viet Cong fleet decimated
Belligerents

United States United States

South Vietnam South Vietnam		 Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
United States William Westmoreland
United States David L. McDonald
Casualties and losses
United States 39 killed
366 wounded
9 MIA		 2,000 Viet Cong craft destroyed, damaged, or captured
1,400+ killed, wounded or captured

Operation Game Warden, Task force 116, was an operation to deny Viet Cong access to the resources in the Mekong Delta which was conceived of in December 1965. U.S. naval forces, backed by Marine artillery on the ground, launching a rapid surprise attack on the dozens of small Viet Cong ports which were scattered around the Delta. Unprepared in the face of intense U.S. firepower, which included U.S. F-4 Phantoms dropping special illumination bombs which blinded the Viet Cong deck gunners, leaving to them being unable to accurately return fire on the attacking U.S. craft, the Viet Cong were incapable of mounting a stiff resistance. Much the Viet Cong fleet and its operators were destroyed.

History

The U.S. navy had been steadily consolidating its forces around the Delta for months, assembling several new special test weapons, which the naval commanders were anxious to use.

Units

See also

References

Further reading

External links

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