Hobby Master Archive

Operation Lam Son 719 was supposed to be an ARVN (Army of the Republic of South Vietnam) assault to destroy the NVA (North Vietnamese Army) sanctuary base 604 and the large cache of supplies located there. The operation took place in early February into late March 1971. Base 604 was located on the Ho Chi Minh Trail in the south east corner of Laos. From this base the NVA could easily launch attacks into South Vietnam. The US military helicopters supplied all the aviation needs for this operation by lifting ARVN troops and supplies in and out of Laos. Part of the operation would also require the evacuation of wounded. This area was very well fortified area with more than 30 NVA battalions as well as heavy anti-aircraft, armor and artillery support. The largest tank battles in the Vietnam War up to that time took place during Lam Son 719. The American helicopter units faced the heaviest anti-aircraft fire of the entire Vietnam War. In February 1971 while escorting a Dustoff to medevac some wounded UH-1C Huey Frog Shark Gunship “Surfer Girl” was downed by heavy ground fire from three separate locations. On board were CPT Souder and WO Bruce Marshall with the latter being wounded in both legs. They managed to land the Huey even though it sustained over 15 hits and significant damage. The Dustoff they were escorting had to land and safely rescue them. The 174 AHC lost UH-1C #66-15161 “Surfer Girl” that day. The South Vietnamese government had committed 17,000 of its finest troops to Operation Lam Son 719 but they were badly mauled by the NVA and the entire operation was deemed a failure and a great blow to the morale of the ARVN from which they never recovered. The South Vietnam government claimed to have killed 13,341 NVA and wounded countless more. The NVA also lost 75% of their tanks and huge quantities or ammunition and rice. The ARVN claimed to have lost 5,000 troops and almost all their APV and tanks. The US estimates place the ARVN troop losses at closer to 10,000. The US losses totaled 65 helicopter crewmen KIA, 818 WIA and 42 MIA with 618 helicopters damaged. Of the 618 helicopters, 106 were considered completely destroyed.