Battle of Prek Klok II

Battle of Prek Klok II
Part of Operation Junction City, Vietnam War
Prek Klok, 24 April 1967
Date March 10, 1967 Location Prek Klok, Tay Ninh Province South Vietnam 11°29′N 106°12′E / 11.483°N 106.200°E / 11.483; 106.200 Result US victory
Belligerents
United States	Viet Cong
Commanders and leaders
Lt. Col. Edward J. Collins	Unknown
Units involved
2nd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Regiment (Mechanized) Batteries B and C, 2nd Battalion, 33rd Artillery Regiment	272nd Regiment
Strength
	Two battalions
Casualties and losses
3 killed	US body count: 197 killed 5 captured 12 weapons recovered

The Battle of Prek Klok II occurred on March 10, 1967, during Operation Junction City when American military forces were conducting a search and destroy operation against the Viet Cong (VC) forces in Tay Ninh Province west of the capital of South Vietnam, Saigon. During the course of the operation they had already had a significant engagement in the Battle of Prek Klok I. During the night, Artillery Fire Support Patrol Base II at Prek Klok was attacked by two communist battalions, resulting in a short battle. This was the second major battle of Operation Junction City.^[1] The VC started by mortaring the base and launching anti-tank fire at the M113 armored personnel carriers (APCs) surrounding the base. Attacks came from the north and east, followed by an infantry charge out of wooded areas from the southwest. With the help of air strikes from nearby planes, as well as artillery and ample supplies flown in by helicopter, the Americans easily repelled the communist attack. The Americans killed 197 VC but lost only three of their men.