On 2 March 1969 the 1st Battalion 4th Marines began Operation Purple Martin north of the Rockpile to engage the PAVN 246th Regiment which was believed to be located in the area.[3]: 52 After retaking Landing Zone Mack, on 13 March the Marines moved along the ridgeline to retake Landing Zone Sierra which had been abandoned two months earlier and was now used by the PAVN to mortar Marines positions. Company I led the attack on Sierra and found that the PAVN were dug in, in well-prepared bunkers, the LZ was secured by the afternoon for the loss of 10 Marines and 23 PAVN killed.[3]: 54–5 On 14 March the PAVN shot down a CH-46D BuNo 154841 of HMM-161 with a B-40 rocket as it conducted a resupply and medevac mission, killing 12 Marines and one Navy corpsman and the PAVN then launched a counterattack on the LZ which was beaten back.[3]: 55
On 10 August 1969 the PAVN 9th Regiment attacked a 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines night defensive position near LZ Sierra resulting in 13 Marines and an estimated 17 PAVN killed.[3]: 143
Current use
The base has reverted to jungle.
References
^Kelley, Michael (2002). Where we were in Vietnam. Hellgate Press. p. 466. ISBN978-1555716257.
^Shulimson, Jack (1988). US Marines in Vietnam: 1968 The Defining Year. History and Museums Division Headquarters United States Marine Corps. p. 448. ISBN9781494285715. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
^ abcdSmith, Charles (1988). US Marines in Vietnam High Mobility and Standdown 1969. History and Museums Division Headquarters United States Marine Corps. ISBN9781494287627. This article incorporates text from this source, which is in the public domain.
landing, zone, sierra, marine, corps, base, located, northwest, lộ, quảng, trị, province, central, vietnam, coordinates16, typemarinessite, historybuilt1968in, use1968, 9battles, warsvietnam, wargarrison, informationoccupants3rd, marine, divisionhistory, editt. Landing Zone Sierra was a U S Marine Corps base located northwest of Cam Lộ Quảng Trị Province in central Vietnam Landing Zone SierraCoordinates16 50 20 N 106 49 16 E 16 839 N 106 821 E 16 839 106 821 Landing Zone Sierra TypeMarinesSite historyBuilt1968In use1968 9Battles warsVietnam WarGarrison informationOccupants3rd Marine DivisionHistory EditThe base was located on Mutter s Ridge north of The Rockpile approximately 16 km northwest of Cam Lo 1 On 15 November 1968 a 1st Battalion 3rd Marines patrol near Sierra was ambushed by a People s Army of Vietnam PAVN force resulting in 7 Marines killed 2 On 2 March 1969 the 1st Battalion 4th Marines began Operation Purple Martin north of the Rockpile to engage the PAVN 246th Regiment which was believed to be located in the area 3 52 After retaking Landing Zone Mack on 13 March the Marines moved along the ridgeline to retake Landing Zone Sierra which had been abandoned two months earlier and was now used by the PAVN to mortar Marines positions Company I led the attack on Sierra and found that the PAVN were dug in in well prepared bunkers the LZ was secured by the afternoon for the loss of 10 Marines and 23 PAVN killed 3 54 5 On 14 March the PAVN shot down a CH 46D BuNo 154841 of HMM 161 with a B 40 rocket as it conducted a resupply and medevac mission killing 12 Marines and one Navy corpsman and the PAVN then launched a counterattack on the LZ which was beaten back 3 55 On 10 August 1969 the PAVN 9th Regiment attacked a 2nd Battalion 3rd Marines night defensive position near LZ Sierra resulting in 13 Marines and an estimated 17 PAVN killed 3 143 Current use EditThe base has reverted to jungle References Edit Kelley Michael 2002 Where we were in Vietnam Hellgate Press p 466 ISBN 978 1555716257 Shulimson Jack 1988 US Marines in Vietnam 1968 The Defining Year History and Museums Division Headquarters United States Marine Corps p 448 ISBN 9781494285715 This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain a b c d Smith Charles 1988 US Marines in Vietnam High Mobility and Standdown 1969 History and Museums Division Headquarters United States Marine Corps ISBN 9781494287627 This article incorporates text from this source which is in the public domain This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps This article about the Vietnam War is a stub You can help Wikipedia by expanding it vte Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Landing Zone Sierra amp oldid 1063481791, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
