The DMZ:  Operation Hickory (3dMarDiv) May 8, the thirteenth anniversary of the fall of Dien Bien Phu, was marked by particularly heavy mortar, rocket, and artillery attacks (fired in large part from sanctuary north of the DMZ) against Gio Linh, Con Thien, Camp Carroll, and Dong Ha. On 18 May the Marines began Operation HICKORY.   Their mission, "To remove enemy forces and installations from the southern half of the DMZ.   Under control of the 9thMarines, this was the first time the Marines had ventured into the DMZ in force.   Their attack was supported by a massive Navy-Marine-Air Force effort, the landing of SLF Alpha, and a parallel sweep by the 1st ARVN Division, Two Marine battalions -- the 2dBn 9thMarines and 2dBn 26thMarines -- led off by moving northward from their attack positions near Con Thien.   The 3dBn 4thMarines, which had just arrived at DONG HA by KC-130s from Okinawa -- was brought in by helicopter to positions northwest of Con Thien close against the Ben Hai River.   The Marine thrusts precipitated heavy fighting that lasted 48 hours and killed 61 enemy. Before daybreak, five battalions of the 1st ARVN Division in Opn Lam Son 54 moved north from Gio Linh along the axis of Route 1 to just below where Freedom Bridge crosses the Ben Hai, then peeled off the road to the right and left, and began sweeping southward. Special Landing Force Alpha -- 1stBn 3dMarines -- made a co-ordinated amphibious assault, using helicopters and surface craft, into the northeasternmost corner of the DMZ, just below the mouth of the Ben Hai.   The assault followed a tight time schedule to take advantage of the preparatory fires being delivered by five destroyers and two cruisers.   Attacking westward along the river bank, they killed 61 enemy.   The SLF then faced left and swept southward parallel to the ARVN sweep. On 20 May SLF Bravo -- 2dBn 3dMarines -- joined HICKORY in Operation BELT TIGHT, moving directly into the DMZ just south of the Ben Hai.  The battalion took some fire in the initial landing zones, but by moving a few hundred meters south found smoother going. The operation was over on 28 May.   As complicated as it was, it seemed to have completely surprised the enemy.   Half a dozen enemy battalions were caught off guard south of the DMZ.   At least 815 of the enemy were dead; 445 killed by the Marines, 370 by the ARVN.  The NVA had been served notice that the southern half of the DMZ would no longer be a sanctuary.  Their command and control arrangements had been disrupted, they had lost much in supplies and ammunition, and their fortifications had been dismantled.   But the Marines were under no illusion that the results of this operation were permanent. ** Left-click on the map to view a high resolution image.   To download, wait until the picture has finished loading into the pop-up window.  , Right-click on that image.  When the shortcut menu appears, select "Save Picture As" and, if desired, indicate where you want to save the downloaded file.   If you have difficulty, please contact us via the envelope at the bottom of our first page. ** This map is a large image and slow to download.   Depending on your internet speed, it may appear that nothing is happening, or that your computer is locked.  Please be patient.  If you're this far along, the system is ok ... just slow.

17 MAY 1967 - 25 MAY 1967

Memories to Share Bill Hancock -- 1stPlt John Jones -- 1stPlt Doc Kornaus -- 1stPlt

Command Chronology Updated: 26 Feb 2002

Something to Add?

 Resource Center 

                           Operation HICKORY --

"Opn Hickory WriteUp" Updated: 01 Mar 2002 OPN HICKORY After Action Report

  ** Left-click on a number or thumbnail to view a high resolution image.   To download, wait until the picture has finished loading into the pop-up window.  , Right-click on that image.  When the shortcut menu appears, select "Save Picture As" and, if desired, indicate where you want to save the downloaded file.   If you have difficulty, please contact us via the envelope at the bottom of our first page.
** These are large photos and slow to download.   Depending on your internet speed, it may appear that your computer is locked.  Please be patient.  If you're this far along, the system is ok ... just slow.