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BATTLE OF CORAL BY JOEL DOBBIN 10H
OUTLINE • The Battle of Coral was fought in May and June 1968 during the Vietnam War, between the 1st Australian Task Force (1 ATF) and the communist forces of north Vietnam, north-east of Saigon. In response to intelligence reports, two Australian battalions were deployed from Phuoc Tuy province to establish fire support bases. 26 days and was the biggest unit-level action of the war for the Australians.
WHO WAS INVOLVED? • South AustraliaNew ZealandUnited States • North North VietnamViet Cong • Australian Commander Donald Dunstan • Strength of the South Two battalions, plus armour and artillery support • Strenghth of the north 3,000 to 4,000[1]
CONTACT 1 • The Australians were then subjected to heavy rocket and mortar fire during the evening of the 12 of may and at 1:45 am the next day the enemy attacked. More than 400 troops from the 141st North Vietnam Army (NVA) Regiment assaulted Coral, over-running the 1RAR Mortar Platoon and forcing the abandonment of one of the pits containing a 105 mm Howitzer Field Battery.
CONTACT 2 • After a fierce engagement the Australians eventually repelled the North Vietnamese assault by 8:00 AM, with the gunners firing their single remaining field gun backed up by considerable support from American aircraft and helicopter gunships. 10 Australians were killed and 25 wounded, whilst the North Vietnamese left behind 51 dead and one prisoner.
CONTACT 3 • A Squadron, 3rd Cavalry Regiment (APC’s) arrived by road on 13 May. Coral was again assaulted on 16 May, coming under a heavy barrage at 2:15am followed by a regimental sized attack. Three companies from 1RAR all came under heavy attack. Again the base was infiltrated but after a six hour battle the North Vietnamese were again forced to withdraw after suffering heavy losses. 5 Australians were killed and 19 wounded, whilst the North Vietnamese left behind 34 dead. Intelligence assessments later indicated that 75% of the NVA troops that took part were unwounded.
BALMORAL 1 • Colonel Donald Dunstan the 1ATF commander decided to establish 3RAR in a new location, the battalion moved to a Fire Support Base Balmoral on 24–25 May, 6 kilometres north of Coral. The infantry were supported by Centurion tanks from C Squadron, 1 Armoured Regiment . Following a rocket and mortar barrage at 3:45am on 26 May, the base was assaulted by enemy infantry. The attack was repelled with heavy casualties by the combined firepower of the tanks and infantry. The next day the Australians at Coral assaulted a number of enemy bunkers that had been located just outside the base, with a troop of Centurions supported by infantry destroying the bunkers and their occupants without any losses.
BALMORAL 2 • A second major North Vietnamese attack, again of regimental strength, was made against Balmoral at 2:30am on 28 May but was called off after only 30 minutes. The North Vietnamese were soundly defeated leaving 55 dead and six prisoners. Australian losses were one man killed and six wounded.
AFTERMATH • North Vietnamese casualties included 267 killed (confirmed by body count), 60 possibly killed, 7 wounded and 11 captured, although this is considered a conservative assessment and was undoubtedly considerably higher. Australian losses were 25 killed and almost 100 wounded.
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