Texas Tech University

Scotland

Operation
Title
Scotland
Start Date
11/1/1967
End Date
3/31/1968
CTZ
I
TAO
Quang Tri Province (action centered in Khe Sanh area)
Objective
search and destroy operation; To rid the Khe Sanh area of the PAVN who were massing in the area.
Description
Originally, only the 3/26th and the 1/26th were at Khe Sanh. Since it appeared that PAVN troops were massing in the area, the USA sent in the 3/26th. On 20 January, the 1/26th and 3/26th fought a PAVN battalion between hills 881 South and 881 North, beginning the second Battle of Khe Sanh. On 21 January the PAVN overran Khe Sanh and blew up an ammunition dump, but because of the fight the day before, they did not attack 881S and could not use both hills as fire bases. They did occupy 881N, however. The ARVN Ranger battalion soon joined the Marine battalions in and around Khe Sanh. The base at Khe Sanh itself was never actually threatened by ground forces. It was the Marines in the outlying hills and listening posts that had more impact on the operation. From their outposts, the Marines directed artillery and air strikes and alerted the base about launches from PAVN held Hill 881N. In February, at Hill 861A, the Marines were attacked by PAVN 325C Division. The PAVN 304th Division overran Lang Vei Special Forces camp on the 6th. On 25 February a PAVN company ambushed the patroling 3d Platoon, Company B, 1/26th, as well as the relief platoon. Company B suffered massive casualties, nearly two-thirds of its men were lost. The Doomed Patrol lost every soldier and their bodies were not recovered for two weeks. The PAVN began to withdraw in mid-March, and the last conflict occurred on 30 March when Company B, 1/26th attacked and entrenched PAVN battalion. Operation SCOTLAND then gave way to the combined forces Operation PEGASUS on 1 April 1968.
Allied Units Involved
Unit
26th Marines
Branch
Headquarters, United States Marine Corps
Branch Abbrv.
HQ, USMC
Unit
3d Marine Division
Branch
United States Marine Corps (3d Battalion, 26th Marines (3/26th), 1st Battalion, 26th Marines (1/26th), 2d Battalion, 26th Marines (2/26th), 3d Battalion, 26th Marines (3/26th))
Branch Abbrv.
USMC
Unit
1st Battalion, 9th Marines
Branch
United States Marine Corps
Branch Abbrv.
USMC
Unit
1st Battalion, 13th Marines
Branch
United States Marine Corps
Branch Abbrv.
USMC
Unit
37th Ranger Battalion
Branch
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Branch Abbrv.
ARVN
Killed in Action
205+ (USMC)
Wounded in Action
1,688 (USMC)
Enemy Units Involved
Unit
People's Army of Viet Nam
Branch Abbrv.
PAVN
Killed in Action
1,561-1,600 (PAVN)
Sources
Author
Shelby L. Stanton
Title
Vietnam: Order Of Battle
Author
Spencer C. Tucker
Title
The Encyclopedia Of The Vietnam War: A Political, Social & Military History
Author
National Archives and Records Administration
Title
Preliminary Checklist Of United States Military Operations In Southeast Asia

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