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Vietnam "Battle of La Drang" US Half Dollar Commemorative Coin
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Also known as the Battle of Ia Drang Valley, the Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle of the Vietnam War between US Army regulars and the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN/NVA) or North Vietnam. Your new coin pictures a UH-1 Huey helicopter dispatching infantry while under attack.
Ia Drang was a two-part battle occurring between November 14 and 18, 1965, at two landing zones northwest of Plei Me in South Vietnam. The battle began with two days and nights of heavy Vietnamese assault on the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, positioned at Landing Zone X-Ray. Surrounded by a much larger enemy force, the Americans had the advantage of greater air and artillery support. Eventually, the US soldiers repulsed the attacks.
On November 17, the Vietnamese launched a surprise attack against the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, located at Landing Zone Albany. Because both sides were in close proximity to each other, US forces couldn’t use their superior air and artillery power. This turned out to be the deadliest ambush of a US unit during the entire war. The battalion had a casualty rate of over 50 percent as a result of the ambush. In addition, nearly half of the 300 American deaths during the larger 35-day Operation Silver Bayonet occurred during this 16-hour fight.
The Battle of Ia Drang was later documented in the critically acclaimed book, We Were Soldiers Once... And Young. One of its authors was a journalist who was at the battle. In 2002, the first part of the battle (based on the book) was made into a film starring Mel Gibson and Barry Pepper.
Also known as the Battle of Ia Drang Valley, the Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle of the Vietnam War between US Army regulars and the People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN/NVA) or North Vietnam. Your new coin pictures a UH-1 Huey helicopter dispatching infantry while under attack.
Ia Drang was a two-part battle occurring between November 14 and 18, 1965, at two landing zones northwest of Plei Me in South Vietnam. The battle began with two days and nights of heavy Vietnamese assault on the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, positioned at Landing Zone X-Ray. Surrounded by a much larger enemy force, the Americans had the advantage of greater air and artillery support. Eventually, the US soldiers repulsed the attacks.
On November 17, the Vietnamese launched a surprise attack against the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry, located at Landing Zone Albany. Because both sides were in close proximity to each other, US forces couldn’t use their superior air and artillery power. This turned out to be the deadliest ambush of a US unit during the entire war. The battalion had a casualty rate of over 50 percent as a result of the ambush. In addition, nearly half of the 300 American deaths during the larger 35-day Operation Silver Bayonet occurred during this 16-hour fight.
The Battle of Ia Drang was later documented in the critically acclaimed book, We Were Soldiers Once... And Young. One of its authors was a journalist who was at the battle. In 2002, the first part of the battle (based on the book) was made into a film starring Mel Gibson and Barry Pepper.
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