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| Keywords: BR, Vietnam, 1972, Easter Counter-Offensive, file 036.jpg en http //www marines mil/Portals/59/Publications/U S 20Marines 20in 20Vietnam 20The 20war 20that 20would 20not 20end 201971-1973 20PCN 2019000311200_1 pdf With Blue Ridge at one of its many operational 0330 GQs Operation Song Thanh 8-72 as a feint attack began off the coast of the Demilitarized Zone DMZ that lay between South and North Vietnam NVN forces had violated the DMZ in its Easter Offensive 1972 as they invaded South Vietnam down Highway 1 44 Phase one of Lam Son or Total Victory 72 the multi-division I Corps counteroffensive began after six days of extensive preparatory fires by all available supporting arms and an amphibious feint at the mouth of the Cua Viet River to seize a line aloing the Thach Han River A 9th MAB amphibious demoinstration on D-1 preceded the conteroffensive A special amphibious task group was activated by Task Force 76 to simulate the preparation VNMC units went on board ship from Tan My to add credence to the northern feint On 27 June 1972 the American amphibious forces moved to the objective area the North Vietnamese reacted quickly firing artillery at the amphibious ships from the mainland and offshore islands 45 Tiger Island 46 On 27 June Task Force 76 assembled off the coast parallel to the Cua Viet River Vietnamese Marines having been embarked from Tan My Naval Station were already aboard amphibious assault ships giving every indication of an impending seaborne operation In a strategy to fix and hold in place any forces north of the Cua Viet Just prior to dawn gunfire ships commenced a vigorous barrage of preparatory fires on beaches just north of the river Assault craft were already on course heading for the beach at 0800 when both airborne and surface formations suddenly turned away As was witnessed during a prior landing conducted for Song Than 6-72 NVA shore batteries attempted to thwart the invasion unleashing salvos of 130mm rounds at the surface ships and actually bracketing several including the USS Blue Ridge 47 USS Blue Ridge responded as shore batteries on Tiger Island off the Demilitarized Zone opened fire on BLUE RIDGE She returned 77 rounds from a range of 13 000 yards and removed herself from the threat 48 As counter battery fires from gunship escorts soon had active coastal artillery sites under fire before adjustments could be made and kept the surface ships from being hit 49 witnessed the NVS shore fire landing in the wake of the Blue Ridge and a ship to the starboard of her We were on the Schenectady and were heading out from the beach Tiger Island was passing on our port side It was flat and green and fairly low in the water We saw white flashes from the foliage then saw the shellbursts walking towards us both in the air and on the surface The Marines passing ammunition on the aft gun-mount didn't flinch and continued to pass ammunition to 3 50s which banged away The cruiser USS Newport News came in and opened up after which the guns on Tiger Island remained silent It was more fire than we had received during Song Than 6-72 50 USS Newport News boasting the most firepower in the fleet came about charging straight at Hon Co Tiger Island bringing main and secondary batteries to bear with devastating accuracy Nothing more was heard from Tiger Island 51 https //en wikipedia org/w/index php title USS_Blue_Ridge_ LCC-19 oldid 611915045 2013-12-03 23 53 03 http //www marines mil/Portals/59/Publications/U S 20Marines 20in 20Vietnam 20The 20war 20that 20would 20not 20end 201971-1973 20PCN 2019000311200_1 pdf U S MARINES IN VIETNAM THE WAR THAT WOULD NOT END 1971-1973 PD-USGov USS Blue Ridge LCC-19 Uploaded with UploadWizard | ||||
