134:
165:
93:
109:
121:
146:
983:
For the next week, tactical air strikes against the
Communists helped GM 33 maintain its position. There were two supporting artillery fire bases covering the town. Two more GMs were scheduled to arrive as reinforcements. The Vietnamese had faded from view, leaving the Pathet Lao as occupation troops
970:
On 19 December, GM 33 moved west on Route 23, approaching the 9th
Regiment from behind. On 23 December, GM 33 managed to link up with the Thais who were forcing their way eastward. Meanwhile, back at Paksong, five Thai battalions garrisoned the town, with two more Thai battalions deployed along Route
980:
caused the Thai mercenaries to evacuate the town. The next day, a
Royalist try at retaking the ruins was foiled. On 10 February, the MR 4 Special Battalion supplanted GM 33 at Tha Theng. GM 33 moved south, and overcame light opposition to reoccupy the remains of a flattened Paksong on 12 February.
979:
In early
February 1973, two battalions of the PAVN 9th Regiment and some supporting Dac Cong sappers moved south approaching Paksong. On 7 February, they occupied the Phou Nongkin high ground seven kilometers northeast of Paksong. Reports of Communist tanks appearing to stiffen the PAVN advance
931:
Nearby, the PAVN 9th
Regiment still held Route 23. Beginning at the end of October, the RLG forces repeatedly attacked Laongam on Route 23. A Thai mercenary battalion drawn from ranger forces was turned back with heavy casualties. On 17 November, two other Thai battalions failed in an assault.
955:
By 26 November, GM 33 was in Houei Sai. The 1,580 troops of GM 401 were hopscotched to a landing zone four kilometers northwest of Houei Sai via the helicopters of the 21st SOS. The two GMs, Thai and Lao, then pulled parallel sweeps toward
Paksong, securing it by 6 December 1972.
987:
The ceasefire was to go into effect at 1200 hours 22 February 1973. At 1145 hours, the
Communists opened a terrific bombardment on Paksong. By 1205 hours, the Thai troops were fleeing. By nightfall, PAVN troops had settled into the blasted village.
928:(21st SOS) early on 23 October. On 26 October, they captured Lao Ngam. Over the following 25 days, GM 33 guerrillas would destroy three Communist tanks while sweeping south of the occupied transshipment point.
865:
proved insufficient to sever the Trail. Despite these failures, the CIA continued its attempted offensives to disrupt the Trail's activities. Among the latter operations were three similarly named offensives:
205:
959:
By 15 December, GM 401 was deployed in a triangle around the town, with only light skirmishing. A commanders' briefing was held that day. It was hit by a
Communist 85mm
943:(GM 401) at Houei Sai. From there they would close in on the rear of the Communist force blocking the Royalist advance up Route 23. This pincer movement, centered on
198:
639:
191:
1140:
1125:
967:
adviser, the deputy commander of GM 401, and a Thai battalion commander; the colonel in overall command of the operation was wounded.
932:
However, a newly arrived battalion still lacking its heavy weapons took up the attack and was successful in pushing its way onto the
1110:
228:
925:
850:. Ongoing air and ground campaigns sponsored by the United States seeking to sever the Trail had no lasting effect on Communist
843:
535:
334:
917:
858:
785:
374:
831:
769:
1156:
793:
437:
306:
633:
883:
871:
753:
612:
605:
542:
356:
768:
on the plateau on 6 December 1972 and held it until a ceasefire took effect at midday on 22 February 1973. A
809:
797:
708:
472:
416:
687:
659:
451:
361:
255:
234:
901:
894:
862:
694:
680:
673:
584:
486:
395:
318:
250:
867:
839:
813:
749:
741:
626:
598:
577:
514:
500:
493:
423:
268:
905:
861:(CIA) instigated a number of guerrilla operations against the Trail. The enormous South Vietnamese
835:
715:
381:
244:
801:
789:
781:
666:
521:
458:
444:
430:
388:
329:
312:
299:
293:
280:
261:
240:
183:
1136:
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1106:
827:
821:
761:
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591:
563:
549:
507:
324:
274:
216:
27:
933:
890:
817:
757:
570:
367:
847:
164:
98:
1103:
At War in the Shadow of
Vietnam: U.S. Military Aid to the Royal Lao Government 1955–1975
939:
On 21 November, GM 33 was ordered southeastward to link up with the Thai mercenaries of
805:
722:
651:
528:
465:
344:
339:
1150:
350:
139:
114:
964:
619:
479:
409:
287:
1021:
Conboy, Morrison, pp. 217–224, 268–272, 276–284, 289–291
913:
701:
31:
897:
556:
150:
960:
851:
909:
402:
126:
944:
765:
74:
1133:
The War
Against Trucks: Aerial Interdiction In Southern Laos 1968–1972
904:, to secure a landing zone six kilometers southwest of the Communist
772:
attack began at 12:05 the same day and overran Paksong by dark.
145:
846:'s victory depended on the Trail's supply line, located in the
187:
920:(CIA) supplied a guerrilla regiment for an aerial invasion.
889:
On the evening of 23 October, in a preliminary movement, 50
963:
shell, killing eight Royalists. Among the dead were a CIA
924:(GM 33), 1,200 strong, rode in on the helicopters of the
740:(21 November 1972–22 February 1973) was the final
756:, it too was aimed at regaining control of the
63:Ceasefire officially ends the Laotian Civil War
20:
199:
8:
882:Operation Black Lion V immediately followed
1116:Conboy, Kenneth and James Morrison (1995).
1076:
1074:
1064:
1062:
1060:
1058:
1056:
1054:
206:
192:
184:
17:
1135:. Air Force History and Museums Program.
1118:Shadow War: The CIA's Secret War in Laos
996:
947:, was dubbed Operation Black Lion V.
764:. This last assault took the town of
73:Royal Lao forces temporarily capture
7:
1089:Conboy, Morrison, pp. 397–398.
1039:Conboy, Morrison, pp. 396–399.
1030:Conboy, Morrison, pp. 351–353.
14:
45:21 November 1972–22 February 1973
926:21st Special Operations Squadron
834:(PAVN) strategy for beating the
640:1973 Laotian coup d'état attempt
163:
144:
132:
119:
107:
91:
1048:Conboy, Morrison, pp. 353, 396.
874:, and Operation Black Lion V.
844:Democratic Republic of Vietnam
1:
748:. Launched as a followup to
215:Military engagements of the
1101:Castle, Timothy N. (1993).
984:for the pending ceasefire.
918:Central Intelligence Agency
859:Central Intelligence Agency
786:Operation Junction City Jr.
1173:
1131:Nalty, Bernard C. (2005).
1012:Castle, pp. 108–109.
863:attack of 18 February 1971
794:Operation Honorable Dragon
779:
1080:Conboy, Morrison, p. 397.
1068:Conboy, Morrison, p. 396.
229:North Vietnamese invasion
226:
156:
84:
37:
25:
893:were parachuted in from
884:Operation Black Lion III
872:Operation Black Lion III
832:People's Army of Vietnam
770:People's Army of Vietnam
754:Operation Black Lion III
357:Battle of Ban Houei Sane
335:1966 Laotian coup d'état
810:Operation Silver Buckle
798:Operation Diamond Arrow
760:, which overlooked the
951:Operation Black Lion V
738:Operation Black Lion V
362:Battle of Lima Site 85
256:Battle of Luang Namtha
173:MR 4 Special Battalion
21:Operation Black Lion V
1003:Nalty, pp. 5–8.
941:Groupement Mobile 401
251:Battle of Ban Pa Dong
922:Groupement Mobile 33
868:Operation Black Lion
840:Second Indochina War
814:Operation Desert Rat
750:Operation Black Lion
742:Royal Lao Government
536:Sourisak Montry VIII
906:transshipment point
836:Republic of Vietnam
830:was central to the
245:Battle of Vientiane
802:Tchepone Operation
790:Operation Maeng Da
782:Operation Left Jab
330:Battles of Nakhang
313:1965 Laotian coups
294:1964 Laotian coups
241:1960 Laotian coups
1157:Laotian Civil War
1141:978-1-47755-007-6
1126:978-1-58160-535-8
1120:. Paladin Press.
828:Ho Chi Minh Trail
822:Operation Fa Ngum
762:Ho Chi Minh trail
746:Laotian Civil War
744:offensive of the
732:
731:
375:Junction City Jr.
325:Battle of Nam Bac
275:Battle of Lak Sao
218:Laotian Civil War
182:
181:
80:
79:
28:Laotian Civil War
1164:
1090:
1087:
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1046:
1040:
1037:
1031:
1028:
1022:
1019:
1013:
1010:
1004:
1001:
934:Bolovens Plateau
891:Commando Raiders
818:Operation Sinsay
758:Bolovens Plateau
438:Honorable Dragon
221:
219:
208:
201:
194:
185:
178:Dac Cong sappers
171:Mobile Group 401
168:
167:
149:
148:
138:
136:
135:
125:
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113:
111:
110:
97:
95:
94:
39:
38:
18:
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1007:
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994:
977:
953:
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848:Kingdom of Laos
824:
778:
735:
734:
733:
728:
634:Phou Phiang III
222:
217:
214:
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177:
172:
170:
169:Mobile Group 33
162:
143:
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133:
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120:
118:
117:
108:
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99:Kingdom of Laos
92:
90:
69:
55:
12:
11:
5:
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1159:
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1114:
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1032:
1023:
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1005:
995:
993:
990:
976:
973:
952:
949:
879:
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806:Project Copper
777:
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730:
729:
727:
726:
719:
712:
705:
698:
691:
684:
677:
670:
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652:Air operations
648:
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623:
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613:Black Lion III
609:
606:Phou Phiang II
602:
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581:
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567:
560:
553:
546:
539:
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529:Phou Khao Kham
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476:
469:
462:
455:
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441:
434:
427:
420:
413:
406:
399:
392:
385:
378:
371:
364:
359:
354:
347:
345:1967 Opium War
342:
340:Ban Naden raid
337:
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327:
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315:
310:
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296:
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157:Units involved
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129:
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1112:
1111:0-231-07977-X
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755:
751:
747:
743:
739:
725:
724:
720:
718:
717:
713:
711:
710:
709:Commando Hunt
706:
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703:
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489:
488:
484:
482:
481:
477:
475:
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473:Silver Buckle
470:
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463:
461:
460:
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453:
449:
447:
446:
442:
440:
439:
435:
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428:
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421:
419:
418:
417:Diamond Arrow
414:
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404:
400:
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197:
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147:
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140:North Vietnam
130:
128:
116:
115:United States
104:
100:
89:
88:
83:
76:
72:
67:
66:
62:
59:
58:
54:Southern Laos
52:
49:
48:
44:
41:
40:
36:
33:
29:
24:
19:
1132:
1117:
1102:
1085:
1044:
1035:
1026:
1017:
1008:
999:
986:
982:
978:
969:
965:paramilitary
958:
954:
940:
938:
930:
921:
916:Unit of the
888:
881:
856:
826:The crucial
825:
737:
736:
721:
714:
707:
700:
693:
688:Pony Express
686:
679:
672:
665:
660:Booster Shot
658:
650:
649:
632:
625:
618:
611:
604:
597:
590:
583:
576:
569:
562:
555:
548:
541:
534:
527:
520:
513:
506:
499:
492:
485:
478:
471:
464:
457:
452:Counterpunch
450:
443:
436:
429:
422:
415:
408:
401:
394:
387:
380:
373:
366:
349:
317:
305:
298:
286:
279:
267:
260:
233:
176:9th Regiment
103:Supported by
102:
85:Belligerents
914:Savannakhet
902:pathfinders
898:Twin Otters
895:Air America
838:during the
702:Project 404
695:Tiger Hound
681:Steel Tiger
674:Barrel Roll
585:Strength II
487:Lam Son 719
396:Off Balance
68:Territorial
32:Vietnam War
1096:References
878:Background
780:See also:
627:Maharat II
599:Black Lion
578:Strength I
515:Phiboonpol
494:Desert Rat
424:Snake Eyes
403:About Face
382:Toan Thang
269:Pincushion
151:Pathet Lao
975:Aftermath
961:field gun
854:efforts.
852:logistics
716:Raindance
501:Xien Dong
1151:Category
910:Lao Ngam
776:Overview
667:Millpond
645:Hin Heup
522:Sayasila
459:Tchepone
445:Tailwind
431:Maeng Da
389:Left Jab
351:Sone Pet
300:Triangle
281:Hardnose
262:Momentum
127:Thailand
50:Location
26:Part of
945:Paksong
766:Paksong
592:Fa Ngum
564:Maharat
550:Thao La
543:Bedrock
508:Phoutah
235:Hotfoot
75:Paksong
70:changes
1139:
1124:
1109:
842:. The
820:, and
571:Sinsay
466:Copper
368:Pigfat
137:
124:
112:
96:
60:Result
992:Notes
307:Unity
1137:ISBN
1122:ISBN
1107:ISBN
971:23.
857:The
752:and
723:Menu
319:Star
288:Wapi
42:Date
908:of
900:as
620:972
480:74B
410:139
1153::
1105:.
1073:^
1053:^
936:.
912:.
886:.
870:,
816:,
812:,
808:,
804:,
800:,
796:,
792:,
788:,
784:,
30:;
1143:.
1128:.
1113:.
557:Z
247:)
243:(
207:e
200:t
193:v
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