Operation Reindeer

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This article is about the South African military operation. For the planned invasion of northern Scandinavia, see: Operation Reindeer (Scandinavia).

Operation Reindeer, which took place on 4 May 1978, was South Africa's first major military operation in Angola.

The South African operation consisted of an assault by 2 South African Infantry Battalion on two South-West Africa People's Organisation (SWAPO) base complexes, Chetequera and Dombondola, near to the then-South-West Africa/Angola border; a heliborne assault by the elite 32 Battalion on SWAPO's Omepepa-Namuidi-Henhombe base complex around 20 km east of Chetequera; and finally, the attack the operation is most known for — a daring airborne assault by paratroopers on the town of Cassinga, 260 km inside Angola and SWAPO's headquarters base for the entire region.
See Battle of Cassinga

[edit] Order of battle

[edit] Chetequera and Dombondola

2 South African Infantry Battalion

• Combat Group Juliet (assault on Chetequera)
• Combat Group Joubert (assault on Dombondola)
• Combat Group Serfontein (assault on Dombondola)

[edit] Cassinga

Composite Parachute Battalion

• Made up of elements from 1, 2 and 3 Parachute Battalions
  

9 Rifle Platoon
11 Rifle Platoon
2 Hawk Groups from 1 Parachute Battalion

[edit] Omepepa-Namuidi-Henhombe

32 Battalion