Operation Hump

Operation Hump
Part of the Vietnam War
US paratroopers under fire during Operation Hump
Date 5–8 November 1965 Location Bắc Tân Uyên District, Đồng Nai Province, South Vietnam 11°06′04″N 106°56′53″E / 11.101°N 106.948°E / 11.101; 106.948 Result Allied victory
Belligerents
United States  Australia  New Zealand	Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
Ellis W. Williamson John E. Tyler Lou Brumfield	Trần Văn Trà[1]: 75
Units involved
173rd Airborne Brigade 1 RAR 161 Bty	271st Regiment (aka Q761) 3rd Battalion[1]: 78–79  274th Regiment[1]: 76  D800 Battalion
Strength
400	1,200
Casualties and losses
49 killed 2 missing (Found deceased).[2]	US body count: 400-700 killed

Operation Hump was a search and destroy operation initiated by United States and Australian forces on 5 November 1965, during the Vietnam War.

The US-Australian objective was to drive out Viet Cong (VC) unit who had taken up positions on several key hills in War Zone D in an area about 17.5 miles (28.2 km) north of Bien Hoa. The U.S. 1st Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment (1/503rd), 173rd Airborne Brigade conducted a helicopter assault on an LZ northwest of the Dong Nai River and Song Be River. The 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment (1RAR) was deployed south of the Dong Nai river. On 8 November the major engagement of the operation took place when a VC regiment attempted to encircle and overrun the 1/503rd resulting in 49 U.S. killed and between 400 and 700 VC killed. On the same day in an engagement known later as the Battle of Gang Toi, 1RAR attacked a VC bunker and trench system, killing six VC and capturing five, while losing two missing.