Operation Frederick Hill was a security operation during the Vietnam War in Quang Tin Province, that took place from 18 March 1969 to 28 February 1971.
Background The operation was conducted by the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, 23rd Infantry Division in cooperation and coordination with the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 5th Regiment to secure pacification operations near the coastal areas and the destruction of People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Vietcong (VC) units operating in the area.
Operation 1969 On 31 March at 15:00, troops from the Brigade's armored cavalry squadron engaged PAVN/VC soldiers north northwest of Tam Kỳ. The PAVN/VC withdrew leaving 10 dead and 1 weapon.
On 7 May an element of the brigade found two weapons caches totaling 4.5 tons southwest of Tam Kỳ. At 01:24 on 12 May a PAVN/VC force attacked a brigade night defensive position south of Hoi An, the attack was repulsed and 36 PAVN/VC killed and 11 individual and 7 crew-served weapons were captured, US losses were 4 killed. On 12 May while sweeping a landing zone southwest of Tam Kỳ, US forces discovered 20 PAVN/VC bodies and 11 individual and 2 crew-served weapons. On 13 May at 19:00 a brigade night defensive position southwest of Tam Kỳ was attacked by PAVN/VC, the attack was repulsed and 22 PAVN/VC were killed. On 14 May at 06:45 a PAVN/VC force attacked a brigade element southwest of Tam Kỳ, the contact continued until 13:00, US losses were 1 killed. On 15 May at 02:00 PAVN/VC attacked a brigade night defensive position southeast of Tam Kỳ, the assault continued until 07:00 following which five PAVN/VC bodies were found. At 09:50 a further 10 PAVN/VC were engaged and killed around the perimeter and at 10:15 a further 17 bodies were found together with 3 individual and 1 crew-served weapon, US losses were five killed. On 16 May a brigade unit discovered the bodies of 25 PAVN/VC southwest of Tam Kỳ they had apparently been killed by artillery and airstrikes. At 16:50, armored cavalry discovered the bodies of a further 16 PAVN southwest of Tam Kỳ, also killed by artillery and airstrikes. The dead were identified as being from the PAVN 2nd Division.
On 10 June at 16:15 brigade units engaged a PAVN/VC force west of Tam Kỳ, 1 PAVN/VC was killed in the brief engagement and then the bodies of 10 other PAVN/VC killed by an air strike the previous day were found. On 11 June at 02:20 the PAVN/VC attacked a brigade fire support base using a flamethrower, hand grenades, Rocket-propelled grenades (RPG), satchel charges, and small-arms fi and automatic weapons fire. About 30 PAVN/VC penetrated the perimeter, and close-in fighting ensued while they were either killed or driven out of the perimeter. During the action, a USAF AC-47 Spooky gunship and helicopter gunships supported the base. PAVN/VC losses were 27 killed, 1 flamethrower and 12 individual weapons were captured, US losses were 14 killed.
On 14 July at 14:15 an aerial observer reconnoitering for the brigade sighted 10 PAVN/VC southeast of Hoi An and directed tactical air strikes onto the location, killing all 10. On 17 July at 08:00 a Combined Action Platoon received small-arms fire from an estimated two PAVN/VC squads north of Tam Kỳ; they fought back with unit weapons and directed artillery fire onto the enemy location. The PAVN/VC withdrew leaving 13 dead and 5 individual weapons. On 23 July at 07:30 brigade infantry engaged in a short small-arms fire with a PAVN/VC force west northwest of Tam Kỳ. The PAVN/VC withdrew, and the troopers continued to sweep, and made contact two hours later, in the same general area, killing 7 PAVN/VC.
On 4 August at 17:15 a brigade unit received small-arms fire northwest of Tam Kỳ, they fired back and the PAVN/VC withdrew leaving 6 dead. On 10 August at 07:30 southeast of An Hoa Combat Base a brigade unit engaged an estimated PAVN/VC platoon, killing 5, US losses were 1 killed. That same day at 10:15 northwest of Tam Kỳ, a brigade air cavalry element supported by helicopter gunships engaged an estimated PAVN/VC company, the PAVN/VC withdrew leaving 20 dead, and ten weapons (one crew-served). On 12 August at 02:10 PAVN/VC attacked a brigade night defensive position west of Tam Kỳ with 82 mm mortar fire followed by a ground attack. The unit fought back with small arms and automatic weapons and artillery support. The PAVN/VC withdrew at daylight, leaving 50 dead and 2 PAVN/VC were captured. At 02:45 on 12 August a brigade fire support base northwest of Tam Kỳ was attacked by PAVN/VC who penetrated the perimeter but were repulsed by the defenders. US losses were 12 killed while only 1 PAVN/VC body was found.
On 8 September at 10:50 a brigade unit received rocket-propelled grenade fire and fire from a command-detonated mine from an unknown number of PAVN/VC while operating west of Tam Kỳ, the troopers returned fire supported by artillery fire. US losses were 2 killed. At 14:00 on the same day a brigade unit north northwest of Tam Kỳ received small-arms fire from an estimated PAVN/VC squad, the troops returned fire and were supported by artillery and the PAVN/VC disengaged. On 9 September at 18:00 a brigade unit operating southwest of Tam Kỳ received small-arms fire, a search of the area found a weapons cache containing 8 individual and 2 crew-served weapons. At 19:15 that evening a brigade unit received rocket-propelled grenade fire west of Tam Kỳ, US losses were 1 killed. On 17 September a brigade unit found a mass grave containing the bodies of 17 PAVN/VC west of Tam Kỳ. On 21 September at 16:35 a brigade reconnaissance element directed mortar fire onto 7 PAVN/VC they had sighted west of Tam Kỳ killing 5 of them. On 22 September at 09:45 a brigade unit air-assaulted into an area west of Tam Kỳ. Three UH-1 helicopters were hit by PAVN/VC ground fire and made forced landings in the vicinity, destroying two of the helicopters and damaging the third. The infantrymen contacted and engaged a PAVN/VC force in the area of the landing zone. Heavy small-arms fi and automatic weapons fire was exchanged and the PAVN/VC employed RPGs. Another element of the brigade reinforced, and fighting continued into the early afternoon with helicopter gunships and artillery supporting the ground troops. At 13:10 the PAVN/VC withdrew, leaving 15 dead and one crew-served weapon, US losses were 5 killed. On 30 September helicopter gunships from the 212th Combat Aviation Battalion observed and engaged PAVN/VC north of Tam Kỳ killing 26 PAVN/VC and destroying two sampans and two structures.
On 2 October a brigade unit found 8 PAVN/VC bodies southwest of Tam Kỳ, they had apparently been killed in air strikes several weeks previously.
On 6 December at 10:30 a brigade unit engaged a PAVN/VC force southwest of Tam Kỳ. The PAVN/VC employed small-arms fi, automatic weapons and mortars. The infantrymen returned fire supported by artillery and helicopter gunships. One PAVN/VC was killed and 2 US were killed. On 26 December at 07:15 a brigade armored cavalry unit received RPG fire northwest of Tam Kỳ, the troops returned fire with unit weapons, including tank guns and heavy machine guns, and at 07:30 the PAVN/VC withdrew. The unit pursued and reestablished contact in the same general area at 09:25. At 11:00 the PAVN/VC withdrew, leaving 2 dead. US losses were 2 killed.
1970 On 6 January at 12:00 elements of the armored cavalry squadron and ARVN Regional Force troops engaged a PAVN/VC force west of Tam Kỳ. Heavy small-arms fi and automatic weapons fire was exchanged and the combined ground force was supported by helicopter gunships and artillery. At 12:15 a UH-1 helicopter was hit by PAVN/VC ground fire and crashed in the vicinity. At 12:30, an AH-1 Cobra helicopter gunship was hit by ground fire and crashed. As fighting continued, at about 16:00, in the same general area, another AH-l was hit by 12.7mm anti-aircraft machinegun fire and crashed. At 18:25 the PAVN/VC withdrew leaving 45 dead and two individual weapons. On 7 January at 08:30 armored cavalry troops received small-arms fi, automatic weapons and RPG fire from an unknown size northwest of Tam Kỳ. The troops fired back supported by helicopter gunships and artillery. At 15:00 the PAVN/VC withdrew, leaving 39 dead, 16 individual and 7 crew-served weapons, US losses were 5 killed. On 11 January at 02:15 a brigade reconnaissance unit received small-arms fi and automatic weapons fire along with hand grenades west of Tam Kỳ. The unit fought back supported by artillery fire. The PAVN/VC withdrew, leaving 8 dead and 1 individual weapon, US casualties were 2 killed. At 10:20 the same day a brigade unit engaged an estimated 8-12 PAVN west northwest of Tam Kỳ, killing 5 PAVN and capturing 1 individual weapon. At 16:10 the same day a brigade unit engaged an estimated PAVN/VC company west of Tam Kỳ. The PAVN/VC used small-arms fi and automatic weapons fire from fortified positions and were supported by 60mm and 82mm mortar fire. Fighting continued until 19:00 when the PAVN/VC withdrew. US losses were 2 killed. On 12 January at 09:45 a brigade unit received small-arms fi and automatic weapons fire from 15-20 PAVN/VC west of Tam Kỳ. The infantrymen fired back supported by artillery and the PAVN/VC withdrew, leaving behind 5 dead. At 13:00 to the northwest, other infantrymen of the brigade, reinforced by the division's armored cavalry squadron, received heavy small-arms fi, automatic weapons and RPG fire. The troops fired back with unit weapons and were supported by artillery and helicopter gunships. Fighting continued until 15:00 when the PAVN/VC withdrew, leaving 19 dead and 5 individual weapons, US casualties were 1 killed. At 15:15 800 meters to the southwest another Brigade unit reinforced with armored cavalry troops, received heavy small-arms fi, automatic weapons and RPG fire. The troops returned fire with unit weapons, and were supported by helicopter gunships and artillery. Fighting continued for about two hours until the PAVN/VC withdrew. The bodies of 31 PAVN/VC were found together with 4 individual weapons and two 12.7mm heavy machine guns. On 29 January at 10:15 a brigade unit observed an estimated 45-50 PAVN/VC with packs and weapons west of Tam Kỳ, artillery fire was directed onto the location and they were also hit by helicopter gunships and tactical aircraft. The PAVN/VC withdrew leaving behind 6 dead, 1 individual weapon and 9 packs. On 30 January at 12:00 brigade armored cavalry troops received heavy small-arms fi, automatic weapons and RPG fire southwest of Tam Kỳ. The troops returned fire supported by artillery, helicopter gunships and USAF F-4's from the 37th Tactical Fighter Wing. The PAVN/VC withdrew two hours later, leaving 5 dead. On 31 January at 18:10 a brigade unit observed 20 PAVN/VC west of Tam Kỳ, artillery fire was directed onto the location and the bodies of 10 PAVN/VC were observed in the strike area.