Project Copper

Project Copper
Part of Vietnam War (LaosCambodia • Vietnam)
TypeCoordinated military action
Location
Laotian and Cambodian border
Planned byRLAF, FANK, CIA, DOD
Commanded byLim Sisaath, Hatsaty Sinsay, Lon Non
ObjectiveInterdict the Sihanouk Trail; train irregular forces
DateLate-1970—May 1971
Executed byRLAF, FANK, CIA, DOD, ARVN
OutcomeInterdiction failed, project abandoned
Project Copper
DateDecember 1970—9 January 1971, February 1971—June 1971
Location
ActionCapture strategic positions along the Sihanouk Trail
Result Forces withdrawn and re-assigned
Belligerents
 Kingdom of Laos
 Khmer Republic
Supported by
 United States
 South Vietnam
 North Vietnam
Commanders and leaders
Laos Hatsaty Sinsay
Khmer Republic Lim Sisaath
Khmer Republic Lon Non
Units involved
Three commando battalions
15 Brigade d'Infanterie
Bataillon Chasseur 202
Casualties and losses
82 Unknown

Project Copper was a coordinated military action undertaken by the Kingdom of Laos and the Khmer Republic from 1 January–May 1971. It used U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) funds channeled through the Central Intelligence Agency to train three Cambodian battalions to interdict the Sihanouk Trail before it joined the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Committed to battle in southern Laos on 1 January 1971, one battalion deserted the battlefield, a second one mutinied during training, and a third had to be repurposed after suffering 80 casualties. By late January, the project was temporarily suspended.

Project Copper was revived in March 1971. Lon Non committed his 15 Brigade Infanterie (15 BI) to the task. One battalion of the brigade occupied two minor outposts. The Cambodian troops were recalled for duty near Phnom Penh, with the last of them being repatriated in June 1971. Thus began and ended military cooperation between the two governments.