Operation Piranha
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| Operation Piranha | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Part of the Vietnam War | |||||||
 Map of Operation Piranha | |||||||
| |||||||
| Belligerents | |||||||
 South Vietnam United States |
 Viet Cong | ||||||
| Commanders and leaders | |||||||
| Col. Oscar F. Peatross | |||||||
| Units involved | |||||||
|
South Vietnam: 2nd Battalion, 4th Regiment 3rd Vietnamese Marine Battalion United States:1st Battalion, 7th Marines 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines | 1st Regiment | ||||||
| Casualties and losses | |||||||
|
5 killed 2 killed |
US/ARVN body count: 178 killed 360 prisoners and suspects captured | ||||||
Operation Piranha was a US Marine Corps operation during the Vietnam War that took place on the Batangan Peninsula from 7 to 10 September 1965.
Following the conclusion of Operation Starlite, on 24 August 1965, Marine intelligence concluded that the 1st VC Regiment had withdrawn into the Batangan Peninsula. Reconnaissance photos of the Peninsula showed a V of older field fortifications pointing inland with the open end to the sea and a new second V further inland under construction.[1]: 84
The plan of operations was for a Battalion Landing Team (BLT) of the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines to land across White Beach north of the Peninsula and push south, while 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, would be helilifted in by MAG-16 to set up blocking positions 4 km inland. 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines would remain available as a floating reserve. The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 2nd Battalion, 4th Regiment and the 3rd Vietnamese Marine Battalion would be helilifted into the south of 3/7 Marines to clear and search the An Ky Peninsula.[1]: 84
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