Battles of Firebases Coral and Balmoral Part 1

Three months after the Tet Offensive, Australian forces moved to establish a Fire Support Base in Area of Operations Surfers (AO Surfers), in support of patrols to locate and destroy NVA units retreating through the area. Over a period of …

1968-05-15

LOF06

Three months after the Tet Offensive, Australian forces moved to establish a Fire Support Base in Area of Operations Surfers (AO Surfers), in support of patrols to locate and destroy NVA units retreating through the area. Over a period of 23 days Australian infantry, armor and artillery units deployed at FSPBs Coral and Balmoral came under attack from various large NVA and VC formations, until the enemy Withdrew, on June 5th. These two linked scenarios cover the key battles of that time, from the initial repelling of night attacks at FSPB Coral, through to the armored counterattacks of the 1st Armored Regiment.

North of Tân Uyên, South Vietnam

The Battle of Coral–Balmoral (12 May – 6 June 1968) was a series of actions fought during the Vietnam War between the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) and the North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 7th Division and Viet Cong (VC) Main Force units, 40 kilometres (25 mi) north-east of Saigon. Following the defeat of the PAVN/VC Tet offensive in January and February, in late April two Australian infantry battalions—the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the Royal Australian Regiment (RAR)—with supporting arms, were again deployed from their base at Nui Dat in Phước Tuy Province to positions astride infiltration routes leading to Saigon to interdict renewed movement against the capital. Part of the wider allied Operation Toan Thang I, it was launched in response to intelligence reports of another impending PAVN/VC offensive, yet the Australians experienced little fighting during this period. Meanwhile, the PAVN/VC successfully penetrated the capital on 5 May, plunging Saigon into chaos during the May Offensive in an attempt to influence the upcoming Paris peace talks scheduled to begin on the 13th. During three days of intense fighting the attacks were repelled by US and South Vietnamese forces, and although another attack was launched by the PAVN/VC several days later, the offensive was again defeated with significant losses on both sides, causing extensive damage to Saigon and many civilian casualties. By 12 May the fighting was over, and the PAVN/VC were forced to withdraw having suffered heavy casualties. US casualties were also heavy and it proved to be their most costly week of the war.

Wikipedia: Battle of Coral-Balmoral

Australian

North Vietnamese