Ho Bo Woods

Hố Bò woods are located in Bình Dương Province 20 km north of Củ Chi, 4 km to the west of the Iron Triangle and the Saigon River and some 56 km northwest of Saigon. The woods consist of rubber plantations, sparse to dense woods, and open rice paddies with some extremely large dikes, some 1–2 metres high.[1] The woods were used by the Viet Cong as a base area during the Vietnam War.

During Operation Circle Pines from 29 March to 5 April 1966, the 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment attacked the woods and discovered that the Viet Cong had built extensive bunker and tunnels systems with some of the tunnels three or four levels deep.[1]

On 19 July 1966 1st Platoon Company A, 1st Battalion, 27th Infantry Regiment was dropped at a landing zone (11°05′30″N 106°26′38″E / 11.0916°N 106.4438°E / 11.0916; 106.4438) in the woods where it was met by sniper fire, another platoon was dropped into a nearby landing zone (11°05′30″N 106°25′48″E / 11.0917°N 106.430°E / 11.0917; 106.430) to support the 1st Platoon and it too was heavily engaged by Vietcong fire. Several hours later an additional platoon was dropped into each landing zone and by 16:30 the 1st Platoon was extracted under fire. US losses for the action were 25 killed and 24 wounded. The following day the 1st Battalion, 5th Mechanized Infantry was sent from Củ Chi Base Camp to recover the bodies of 15 soldiers that had been left behind in the previous day's battle. The bodies were found neatly lined up but stripped of all weapons and equipment.[2] On 10 June 2013 the 1/27th Infantry would be awarded a Presidential Unit Citation for its actions on 19 July 1966.[3][4]

External image
Map of the Ho Bo Woods

References

  1. 1 2 "Operation Circle Pines after action report, 10 April 1966". 25th Aviation.org. Retrieved June 13, 2010.
  2. ↑ "Bobcats 1966". 1st Bn(M) 5th Infantry Society of Vietnam Combat Veterans Inc. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "Presidential Unit Citation" (PDF). Headquarters, Department of the Army. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
  4. ↑ "Presidential Unit Citation recognizes 'Wolfhound' gallantry in Vietnam". Hawaii Army Weekly. 14 July 2011. Retrieved 11 February 2015.
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