Battle of Trà Bình

The Battle of Trà Bình (Vietnamese: Trận Quang Thạnh; Korean: 짜빈동 전투 Tjabin-dong) was probably the most famous battle fought by the South Korean Marines during the Vietnam War. It was fought in the Trà Bình village, Trà Bồng District, in February 1967. The battle took place after a Viet Cong defector, a former commander of a training camp, revealed that the North Vietnamese Army were planning an attack on the ROKMC's 11th Company. On February 14, the North Vietnamese 40th and 60th Battalions moved into their positions in the forest surrounding the perimeter of the South Korean 11th Company. The regular VPA battalions were also supported by one VC local force battalion from Quang Ngai. With their troops built up around the area, the Communist forces planned to cut all communication lines and wipe out the South Korean forces in the area.

Fighting

At dawn on February 15, the battle began with the Viet Cong attempting to cut through the wires of the South Korean base. The South Korean marines were dug in and waiting with requests for air-support. Due to foggy weather, the supporting AC-47s could not engage the Viet Cong, so the South Koreans only had artillery support. When the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong had penetrated Korean positions, heavy fighting followed. Initially, the outnumbered South Koreans, though vastly superior in firepower, were pinned down, but the ranks of the Communist forces soon started to break up as the South Koreans counterattacked. When the fighting ended, South Korean forces reported that 246 enemy bodies had been left behind on the battlefield. In addition, they reported retrieving three flamethrowers, five anti-tank rocket launchers, two machine guns, 28 rifles, 100 pieces of dynamite, and over 6,000 rounds of ammunition.

Order of battle

Democratic Republic of Vietnam

Vietnam People's Army

2nd Division

1st Regiment

60th Battalion

21st Regiment

40th Battalion

Vietcong

One VC local force battalion

Republic of Korea

Republic of Korea Marine Corps

2nd Marine Brigade (Blue Dragon)

1st Battalion

1st Company

3rd Platoon

3rd Battalion

11th Company - Cpt. Jeong Kyung-jin (정경진; 丁京鎭)

See also

• Military history of South Korea during the Vietnam War
• Vietnam War
• 2nd Marine Division (Republic of Korea)

External links

• The Blue Dragon heroes who won a brilliant victory at Tra Binh Dong operation
• Archived October 28, 2003 at the Wayback Machine
• http://www.vnmilitaryhistory.net/index.php?topic=3422.0