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From the Stars and Stripes archivesSniper starts river battle, but allies end it
Stars and Stripes
December 14, 1967
American and South Vietnamese officers display a captured Viet Cong drawing of a U.S. aircraft. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
American and South Vietnamese officers display a captured Viet Cong drawing of a U.S. aircraft. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
Weapons captured from Viet Cong troops during the battle are displayed. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
Viet Cong detainees, bound together, await transportation to an interrogation center. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
(John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
(John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
A South Vietnamese marine gives a prisoner a drink of water. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
A South Vietnamese marine lights a cigarette for a Viet Cong prisoner. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
A South Vietnamese marine gives a prisoner a drink of water. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
Viet Cong detainees, bound together, await transportation to an interrogation center. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
(John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
Boats are beached near where Americans from the 9th Infantry Division's 2nd Brigade Riverine Force and South Vietnamese from the 5th Vietnamese Marine Battalion battled the Viet Cong along the My Tho River, 65 miles southwest of Saigon. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
Viet Cong detainees, bound together, await transportation to an interrogation center. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
A South Vietnamese marine checks the condition of Viet Cong prisoners awaiting a move to an interrogation center. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
A marine from the 5th Vietnamese Marine Division poses next to a small Viet Cong boat on the banks of the My Tho River, 65 miles southwest of Saigon. In the background is an armored troop carrier. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
Armored troop carriers are docked to an LST on the My Tho River, the base for the riverine force. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
An armored troop carrier on the My Tho River. (John Olson/Stars and Stripes)
The battle began when it sniper gave away Viet Cong positions by opening fire on a river assault force of U.S. infantrymen and Vietnamese marines moving up the My Tho River.
It ended at nightfall with 235 Viet Cong dead and the river banks in the hands of the Americans and Vietnamese marines.
Troops of the U.S. 9th Inf. Div. and 5th Vietnamese Marine Bn. had boarded armored troop carriers of the mobile rlver force before dawn and were steaming up the My Tho River 65 miles southwest of Saigon.
About 2,000 meters up river, the lead Vietnamese marines came under sniper fire. The allied force returned the fire, landed the troops and the battle was on.