Combat· Vietnam War
Operation DEWEY CANYON
Operation Dewey Canyon was one of the most successful and daring regimental operations of the Marine war in Vietnam, a deep thrust into the remote A Shau and Da Krong valleys in the rugged mountains near the Laotian border, where the North Vietnamese had built a major base and supply system. Pushing into trackless, fog-shrouded high country far from support, the Marines advanced southward through the mountains by leapfrogging fire support bases from ridge to ridge, fighting entrenched enemy forces and uncovering vast quantities of weapons, ammunition, and supplies, including artillery and trucks. The operation cut into the enemy's infiltration routes and destroyed a base area he had considered secure, demonstrating the reach and tenacity of a Marine regiment operating in extreme terrain. Dewey Canyon was a hard-fought tactical triumph, mounted just as American forces were beginning to wind down, and it stands as a classic example of mobile mountain warfare.
Engagements in this conflict (3)
Record no. 693