Operation Desert Rat

Operation Desert Rat
Part of Laotian Civil War; Vietnam War
Date 16 February – 3 April 1971 Location Rear of Communist forces on the Ho Chi Minh trail Result Harassment of North Vietnamese forces 21 Communist espionage agents arrested by Royal Lao Armed Forces Royal Lao forces retreat after the failure of Operation Lam Son 719 Territorial changes North Vietnam captures the Bolaven Plateau
Belligerents
Kingdom of Laos Supported by  United States	North Vietnam
Units involved
Groupement Mobile 33 21st Special Operations Squadron	Two battalions
Strength
Regimental-strength	50,000 total; exact numbers opposing RLF unknown
Casualties and losses
Unknown	121 killed 39 supply trucks destroyed

Operation Desert Rat (16 February – 3 April 1971) was a diversionary attack by a Laotian irregular regiment upon the crucial communist supply line, the Ho Chi Minh trail. Carried out by the Central Intelligence Agency sponsored Groupement Mobile 33, the Desert Rat offensive struck the rear of the 50,000 North Vietnamese troops combating Operation Lam Son 719 beginning on 16 February 1971. With 16 daily tactical air sorties and airborne forward air controllers available, the Desert Rat guerrillas used their hilltop position near Moung Phine to spot targets for bombing. It also raided, skirmishing 110 times, killing 121 communist soldiers, and sowing 1,500 mines along North Vietnamese lines of communication. On 20 March, it was assaulted by two communist battalions. The major threat of Lam Son 719 ended, leaving the communists free to deal with the minor one of Desert Rat. However, the guerrillas split into three columns and exfiltrated by 3 April 1971. The Royal Lao Government had lost control of the strategic Bolovens Plateau to the communist invaders.