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Operation Coronado IX was a riverine military operation conducted by the Mobile Riverine Force of the United States and elements of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam from November 1967 to January 1968 in an attempt to dismantle communist strongholds in the Mekong Delta.〔Fulton, pp. 50–150.〕 In the middle of November, clashes resulted in the capture of communist supplies and hideouts. During this period, the communists lost 178 men but killed only 26. For the next few weeks there was little contact, although some abandoned communist bunkers were destroyed and supplied captured. On 4 December, large engagement occurred when a communist battalion encountered a battalion of South Vietnamese marines. There were 266 Vietcong killed, mostly by South Vietnamese marines. The South Vietnamese Marines lost 40 killed, while the Americans suffered 9 dead. Over the next month and the Christmas period, there was only sproadic skirmishes, but at the start of the new year, there were some medium size battles in which the Americans killed a few dozen communists. After this there was little contact. ==First phase == It began with the movement of the Mobile Riverine Base from its late October anchorage off Vung Tau to an anchorage in the My Tho River near Đồng Tâm Base Camp. The series of actions in the operation was primarily conducted north of the My Tho River and directed against communist bases in Dinh Tuong Province.〔 The Mobile Riverine Force arrived off Dong Tam on 1 November 1967 and during early November concentrated on equipment maintenance and preparations for coming operations.〔Fulton, p. 135.〕 The 3d Battalion, 60th US Infantry Regiment,〔 disembarked and assumed the defense mission for Dong Tam Base.〔 The battalion's waterborne replacement was the 3d Battalion, 47th US Infantry Regiment, which began tactical operations in the southeastern part of Giao Duc District in western Dinh Tuong Province at 1500 on 2 November. During the nine-hour operation, the battalion destroyed 141 communist bunkers and evacuated 500 kg pounds of rice and an assortment of Vietcong engineering and medical materials from a cache. The evacuated materials were delivered to Dinh Tuong Province Headquarters for distribution within South Vietnamese government programs.〔 On 5 and 6 November, the two Americans operated in Cam Son Secret Zone. Barge-mounted artillery supported infantry from a position on the north shore of the My Tho River. During this operation the Mobile Riverine Force destroyed 34 bunkers, captured 360 kg of rice and 55 kg of salt, and killed five communists.〔 The Americans were joined by the 5th Battalion of the Republic of Vietnam Marine Corps at a shore camp near My Tho on 6 November, yielding a third anti-communist battalion. The South Vietnamese marine battalio had four rifle companies and a heavy weapons company, a strength equal to that of the two embarked American battalions. The Americans said that the South Vietnamese marines "brought a special esprit to the Mobile Riverine Force and fought extremely well throughout" the operation, under the leadership of a Major Nam,〔 who joined the Americans in the planning of the operation.〔 The US Navy assault craft, army artillery, and Air Force planes supported three infantry battalions.〔Fulton, p. 136.〕 After a short time used for training and maintenance, the Mobile Riverine Force and the South Vietnamese Marines resumed Coronado IX on 9 November, targeting the 263d and 514th Viet Cong Battalions in the Cam Son area. While the US 3d Battalion, 47th Infantry, and the 5th Republic of Vietnam Marine Battalion made beach assaults early on 9 November, the 4th Battalion, 47th Infantry, which had been moved by ATC to the Dong Tam airstrip, and then in a series of helicopter lifts entered the area of operations to become the fourth anti-communist battalion in action. All landings of anti-communist forces were unopposed and they saw few Vietcong.〔 On the second day the search for communist forces shifted to the east; troops were moved by boat and helicopter into the Ban Long〔 and the Ap Bac base areas. Only the South Vietnamese Marine battalion, which remained in its original location, saw action, killing seven communists.〔 On 14 November, to increase security for Highway 4 and the Dong Tam Base area, a new operation began, with support from American artillery at Dong Tam. While the 3d Battalion, 47th Infantry, remained at the Mobile Riverine Base for maintenance, the other battalions were transported by boat and helicopter to the north along the Kinh Xang Canal east of Dong Tam Base. The 5th Republic of Vietnam Marine Battalion and the 4th Battalion, 47th US Infantry, destroyed 63 bunkers and seized 900 kg of rice and 90 kg of salt. This operation continued through the night; platoon-sized ambush patrols were sent out along Highway 4 north of Dong Tam but could not intercept many communists.〔Fulton, p. 137.〕 On 16 November the Mobile Riverine Force began operations with the 3d Brigade, 9th US Division, and elements of both the 7th Division and 9th ARVN Divisions along the border of Kien Phong and Dinh Tuong Provinces.〔 The anti-communists targeted the 502d Local Force and 267th Main Force Vietcong Battalions, which IV Corps and II Field Force intelligence predicted were in Base Area 470. Troops of the 3d Brigade were landed by helicopter in the northern part of the area along with the 3d Battalion, 47th Infantry, which was initially under the control of the 3d Brigade. Since Base Area 470 lacked firm ground needed for artillery fire support bases, and artillery positioned along Highway 4 could not reach the area, experimental artillery firing platforms were used.〔 One platform accommodated an M102, 105-mm. artillery piece, ammunition, and space for the crews to operate. The legs of the platform were adjustable to various heights and a large metal "foot" on the bottom of each leg, provided support in the muddy rice paddies. A CH-47 helicopter carried the platform, artillery piece, ammunition, and crew to their operational locations in four lifts. One battery of 105-mm. artillery was used throughout the operation. On the second night of the 3d Brigade's operations, 17 November, the Vietcong attacked one of the brigade's fire support bases. The attack was repulsed several hours before the Mobile Riverine Force entered the operational area off the My Tho River on the Rach Ruong Canal. To allow the Mobile Riverine Force to enter the operational area, IV Corps South Vietnamese engineers, who were accompanying the assault forces early on the morning of 18 November, had to remove the center span of the bridge on the Rach Ruong Canal.〔 Before the bridge span was removed, a barge-mounted artillery fire support base was set up so that the artillery could fire on any communist troops encountered by the engineers. A 155-mm. fire support base was also established on Highway 4, 6 km east of the bridge. For better control, the Mobile Riverine Base was moved upstream from Dong Tam to an anchorage near Sa Dec. While the 5th Republic of Vietnam Marine Battalion conducted riverine assaults in the southern portions of the area, the 4th Battalion, 47th US Infantry Regiment landed troops by helicopter in the north.〔Fulton, p. 138.〕 Early on 18 November both battalions encountered the communists. The Mobile Riverine Force killed 45 communists, nearly half of these by helicopter gunships, and a large medical cache was uncovered. The Mobile Riverine Force, in contrast, had only four injured. Total losses for anti-communist forces were 26 killed and 155 wounded, while the Vietcong suffered 178 killed and had 33 taken prisoner.〔 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Operation Coronado IX」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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