The Do Xa Campaign
Lieutenant Colonel Doan Trong Cao
In April 1963, a large scale operation was organized at the I Corps and II Corps border. The objective was to attack the Communist enclave of DoXa which was situated between 3 provinces; Kontum, Quang Nam and Quang Tin.
The Marine Task Force was composed of the 2nd and the 4th Marine Battalions, Artillery 75mm Company A, and other supporting units. Lt.Colonel Le Nguyen Khang, Commandant of the Marine Brigade and Major Nguyen Ba Lien, Assitant Command/Chief of Staff, directed the operation. Both had been newly promoted on the 1st of April 1963. The 2nd, the 4th, and the Artillery battalions were commanded by Captain Nguyen Thanh Yen, Captain Bui The Lan, and Captain Nguyen Van Truoc respectively. Artillery Company A was commanded by First Lieutenant Doan Trong Cao.
Marine Brigade was airlifted by C123 Aircrafts from Saigon to Quang Ngai, then were transported from there to the airstrip in Tra Mi, in Quang Tin by military trucks. From Tra Mi, the whole brigade was airlifted by helicopters to Do Xa. H 21 helicopters from the US Infantry were used. This kind of helicopter was good for transporting troops in Delta regions, but were very unsuitable for mountainous terrain. It usually carried five soldiers per trip. They were later replaced by H34 helicopters from the US Marines.
The Do Xa enclave was where supplies and troops from the North was sent after their passage through Southern Laos.
It was a successful operation. Marines fulfilled the objectives: all enemy rice stores, rice paddies, potato fields, and logistical warehouses containing canned food, ammunition, fuel, explosives weapons, and uniforms were destroyed. The enemy hospital was also brought down. One NVA doctor and four female nurses were captured. A communication centre and a radio station were rooted out. Nearly half a hundred NVA compounds and barracks were wiped out.
After this operation, the Brigade was transported to Song Cau, south of Cu Mong Pass for R & R. There they waiting to take part in another operation between Pleiku & Qui Nhon.
Lieutenant Colonel Doan Trong Cao
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