II Field Force Vietnam
Template:TOC-right II Field Force Vietnam was an intermediate tactical headquarters below the level of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) To avoid confusion vith South Vietnamese Corps Tactical Zones, U.S. corps were called "Field Forces". IIFFV's counterpart was ARVN III Corps Tactical Zone, which included Saigon and its immediate surrounding provinces.
II Field Force was headquartered at Long Binhl. [1]
It had the 53rd Signal Battalion supporting its connectivity to its forward command post; the Corps Area Communications Systeml run by the 1st Signal Bridade under MACV managed its higher-level communications and its connectivity with I Field Force [2]
Units assigned
As with any U.S. Army Corps, it had no fixed troop organizations, with units assigned as needed. There was a standing II Field Force Artillery headquarters, to which various units were assigned at various times. [3]
Other major combat units assigned, which had been assigned at times to I Field Force Vietnam included:
- 1 Infantry Division (U.S.)
- 25 Infantry Division
- 173rd Airborne Brigade
- 12 Aviation Group
- 196 Infantry Brigade
- 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment
Operations conducted
Quarter beginning October 1996
Several operations were used to secure IIFFZ base areas, and to support temporarily attached units. [1]
- Operation ROBIN: to receive the 3d Brigade, 4th Infantry Division at the ports of Saigon and Vung Tau, and to safeguard the transport to, and initial occupation of, thedesignated brigade b&se camp at Bear Cat
- Operation WINCHESTER, reinforcing III Marine Ampbibious Force while in I CTZ, was implemented by the 4/503 Battalion of the 173rd Airborne Brigade
- Operation UNIONTOWN, a static security mission involving the support in the Long Binharea, the TAOR for the 173d Airborne Brigade (Separate), and the II FFORCEV Command Post,was conducted by the llth Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 2d Battalion, 173d Airborne Brigade (Separate), in that sequence.
- Operation TOLEDO, a combined operation controlled by II FFZ, used a US airborne brigade, two ARVN ranger battalions, a US Marine battalion landing team, an Australian battalion task force and US Army, Navy and Air Force support units. The operation was conducted in Phuoc Tuy and Binh Tuy Provinces with the initial area of interest in the May Tao Secret Zone. The latter was VC base camp where the enemy engaged an element of the 1st Infantry Division in Operation ABILENE in April 1966. Results were capture of large amount of supplies but no major combat.
- Operation BLUE JAY (Aug -Sep 66) supported the deployment of the 196th Infantry Brigade to the to its base in Tay Ninh.; the 25th Infantry Division was the sponsor, along with direct air force airlift from the port of Vung Tau to Tay Ninh, along with road convoys.
1967
IIFFV conducted major combat operations in 1967, Operation CEDAR FALLS and Operation JUNCTION CITY.[4]
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 Adjutant General Office, U.S. Army (15 November 1966), Operational rept. for quarterly period ending 31 Oct 1966, Lessons Learned, Headquarters, II Field Force Vietnam, AD0512784
- ↑ Rienzi, Thomas Matthew (1972), CHAPTER V: Communications Operations in Combat, Vietnam Studies: Communications-Electronics 1962-1970, Office of the Chief of Military History, U.S. Department of the Army
- ↑ SECOND FIELD FORCE VIETNAM ARTILLERY, 8 March 1966 - 2 May 1971
- ↑ Rogers, Bernard William (1989), Part Two, JUNCTION CITY, 22 February- 14 May 1967, CHAPTER VIII: Planning and Preparation, Vietnam Studies: CEDAR FALLS-JUNCTION CITY: A turning point, Office of the Chief of Military History, U.S. Army