Operation Wheeler/Wallowa
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Operation Wheeler/Wallowa was an operation during the Vietnam War. It was an offensive on the part of the Americans, of which the My Lai Massacre by a Company led by Capitan Ernest Medina was part.
Operation Wheeler was characterized by battalion size combat assaults of the high ground west of Tam Ky in Quang Nam province. These combat assaults were followed by search and destroy operations to find and destroy enemy forces, base camps, and fortifications. On 11 Sep 1967, the operation was launched under the control of the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division.
Operation Wallowa involved intensive surveillance of the Hiep Duc-Que Son Valley. Small units were combat assaulted into the area to find the enemy prior to the insertion of ready reaction forces. On 4 Oct 1967, the operation was begun under the control of the 3rd Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division (Ambl).
On 11 November 1967 both Operations Wheeler and Wallowa were merged to facilitate coordination and control. Seven US Army infantry battalions were participating in the action.
On 12 Feb 68, after participating in Task Force Miracle (the defense of Da Nang during the Tet Offensive), the 1st Battalion 6th Infantry returned south and conducted combat operations under the control of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division. On 27 Feb 68, the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division tactical area of operations passed to the 196th Infantry Brigade, and the 1st Battalion 6th Infantry came under their operational control. The 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division moved out of the Americal Division area and deployed in the II Corps Tactical Zone further to the south.
References
- http://www.lzcenter.com/Operations.html#Wheeler Wallowa Article by Pete Shotts used with permission.