First Battle of Loc Ninh

First Battle of Loc Ninh
Part of Operation Shenandoah II of the Vietnam War

Civilian Irregular Defense Group compound and Loc Ninh Airstrip with Battery A, 6th Battalion, 15th Artillery, position in the foreground.
Date29 October – 7 November 1967 (1967-10-29 – 1967-11-07)
Location
Lộc Ninh (now in Bình Phước Province), South Vietnam
Result American and South Vietnamese victory
Belligerents
United States
South Vietnam
Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
John H. Hay Hoàng Cầm
Units involved
1st Infantry Division
ARVN Rangers
South Vietnamese Regional Force
Civilian Irregular Defense Group
9th Division
Casualties and losses
50 killed U.S body count: ~852

The First Battle of Loc Ninh during the Vietnam War occurred between 29 October and 7 November 1967, fought by the Viet Cong, Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), Civilian Irregular Defense Group and the United States Army.

The battle was part of the Operation Shenandoah II campaign. This battle represented the first time that Central Office for South Vietnam (COSVN) had coordinated attacks from different divisions, and was intended as "rehearsal" to experiment with urban-fighting techniques to be used for the Tet Offensive in 1968.

Operational goals of COSVN were in part, to draw US and ARVN forces away from the cities in an upsurge of activity, in preparation for the Tet Offensive.