Battle of Ia Drang

Battle of Ia Drang
	Part of the Vietnam War
	; US soldiers air-lifted into LZ X-Ray.
Date	14–18 November 1965; (5 days)
Location	Chu Pong-Ia Drang complex, Central Highlands, South Vietnam
Result	Both sides claimed victory
Belligerents
United States; Supported by:; South Vietnam	North Vietnam
Commanders and leaders
Richard T. Knowles 1st Air Cavalry Division Fwd CP; Tim Brown 3rd Air Cavalry Brigade; Harold G. Moore, 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry; Robert McDade, 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry; Robert B. Tully, 2nd Battalion, 5th Cavalry	Nguyễn Hữu An B3 Field Front Fwd CP; Phạm Công Cửu 66th Regiment Deputy Cmdr; Lã Ngọc Châu 7/66; Lê Xuân Phôi 8/66 †; Nguyễn Văn Định 9/66
Units involved
1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) 3rd Brigade: 1st Bn, 7th Cavalry; 2nd Bn, 7th Cavalry; ; 2nd Brigade: 2nd Bn, 5th Cavalry; ; 1st Battalion, 21st Artillery Two batteries of artillery (included 24 M2 howitzers);	33rd Regiment: 1st Battalion; 3rd Battalion; 66th Regiment: 7th Battalion; 8th Battalion; 9th Battalion;
Strength
Total: ~1,000 U.S. cavalry troops and ~900 ARVN troops; Two batteries of artillery; Elements of multiple aircraft and helicopter support units flew 740 CAS sorties, along with 5 B-52 missions with 96 sorties	Total: ~2,500 troops; Separate 12.7 mm anti-aircraft gun and mortar units
Casualties and losses
United States: 237 killed, 258 wounded, and 4 missing (~50% of troop strength); South Vietnam 132 killed, 248 wounded, and 18 missing	U.S. claimed: 1,037–1,745 killed; PAVN report: 554 killed and 669 wounded (~49% of troop strength)

The battle of Ia Drang (14–18 November 1965) was the first major battle between North Vietnam and the United States during the Vietnam War. This battle was a part of the Pleiku campaign.

References

↑ ^1.0 ^1.1 Moore, Harold; Galloway, Joseph (1992). We Were Soldiers Once... and Young. Harper Torch. ISBN 0-679-41158-5.

[Moore-1] 1.0 ^1.1 Moore, Harold; Galloway, Joseph (1992). We Were Soldiers Once... and Young. Harper Torch. ISBN 0-679-41158-5.

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