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Operation Crazy Horse (16 May to 5 June 1966), named after Lakota warrior Crazy Horse, was a search and destroy mission during the Vietnam War conducted by military forces of the United States, South Vietnam, and the Republic of South Korea in two valleys in Binh Dinh province of South Vietnam. The U.S. estimated that 507 communist Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army soldiers were killed during the operation. The Americans had 83 soldiers killed. 14 Koreans and 8 South Vietnamese soldiers were killed. The objective of the operation was to destroy the 2nd Viet Cong regiment (approximately 2,000 men) believed to be in the area and thereby prevent a communist attack on the Vinh Thanh Civilian Irregular Defense Group camp. The U.S. forces had the continuing objective of protecting Highway 19 and the base camp of the 1st Cavalry Division (Airborne) at An Khe from harassment by the Viet Cong. ==Background== In September 1965, the 1st Cavalry Division (Airborne), newly arrived in South Vietnam, carved out Camp Radcliff, its base, near the town of An Khe to ensure that Highway 19 which reached from the coast of South Vietnam to the Central Highlands city of Pleiku remained under the control of allied forces. Almost immediately the 1st Cavalry began mounting operations against communist forces in the Vinh Thanh valley, northwest of An Khe. Vinh Thanh Valley was small, approximately long and less than wide but heavily populated and dominated by the Viet Cong.〔"Publication, 1st Cavalry Division Association - Interim Report of Operations, First Cavalry Division, July 1965 to December 1966", ca. 1967, Folder 01, Box 01, Richard P. Carmody Collection, The Vietnam Center and Archive, Texas Tech University. Accessed 17 Apr. 2015. east of Vinh Thanh Valley was the Suoi Ca Valley. The two valleys were separated by a chain of heavily-forested mountains rising as much as over the river valleys. The soldiers dubbed Suoi Ca Valley "Happy Valley" (not to be confused with another American-named "Happy Valley" near the city of Danang). A trail crossing the mountains between the two valleys was named the "Oregon Trail." The U.S. estimated that a regiment of main force Viet Cong guerrillas controlled Suoi Ca Valley. In late 1965, sweeps through the two valleys by the 1st Cavalry failed to find large numbers of Viet Cong. They were believed to have fled the valleys, but to have returned after the 1st Cavalry withdrew to its base.〔"Publication, 1st Cavalry Division Association - Interim Report of Operations, First Cavalry Division, July 1965 to December 1966", ca. 1967, Folder 01, Box 01, Richard P. Carmody Collection, The Vietnam Center and Archive, Texas Tech University. Accessed 17 Apr. 2015. In early May 1966, Montagnard irregulars and U.S. Special Forces soldiers in the Vinh Thanh valley reported clashes and increased activity by the Viet Cong in the area and a possible major attack on 19 May, the birthday of North Vietnamese leader Ho Chi Minh. 1st Cavalry commander General John Norton ordered Operation Crazy Horse to preempt the attack and attempt to destroy the Viet Cong regiment believed to be in the area. Norton was prepared to dedicate up to five battalions of 1st Cavalry troopers to the task.〔Garland, John M. (2000) ''Combat Operations: Stemming the Tide, May 1965 to October 1966'' United States Army in Vietnam, Center of Military History, United States Army, Washington, D.C. pp 219-220〕 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 Crazy Horse」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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