Battle of Hamburger Hill

The Battle of Hamburger Hill took place on Hill 937 (as it was 937-meter above the sea) between the U.S. and ARVN against PAVN forces from May 10 to 20, 1969. The battle was a part of Operation Apache Snow, which aimed to drive PAVN out of the isolated A Shau Valley in the South Vietnamese province of Thua Thien-Hue. The hill where the battle took place is called by this unique name due to its grinding nature as a reference to a similar battle called “The Battle of Pork Chop Hill” during the Korean war.

Although the hill was of little strategic value, U.S. commanders ordered direct assaults, which began on 10 May 1969 with the 101st Airborne Division and troops of the 9th Marine Regiment, the 5th Cavalry Regiment, and the 3rd ARVN Regiment. Despite military command estimating that they would reach the summit in a matter of hours, it took 10 more days and nearly 12 full assaults. The U.S. Army dropped more than 1,088 tons of bombs, 142 tons of napalm, 31,000 rounds of 20-mm shells, and 513 tons of teargas on North Vietnamese forces. 72 Americans were dead and more than 370 were wounded. Estimates of North Vietnamese losses vary, but at least 630 were killed. As a result, the battle caused lots of public outrage and controversy when reaching Washington.

Despite having won the battle, U.S forces withdrew from the hill soon after. The North Vietnamese soon reoccupied it. The result of The Battle of Hamburger Hill forced the US into rethinking their military strategy of“maximum pressure” against the North Vietnam into one of “protective reaction.”

• Date: May 10 - 20, 1969
• Location: Hill 937, South Vietnam.
• Result: US victory.