* LZ Albany alone claimed 155 KIA on Nov 17, making it the single deadliest U.S. action of the war. LZ X-Ray resulted in another 79 KIA over two days, Nov 14 – 16.
** 158 of the KIA were sustained at Dak To over six days, Nov 17 – 23.
*** Editor’s Note: Battle deaths in Sigler’s book for FSB Ripcord are listed as 61. Based on Keith Nolan’s research a better figure is 75 KIA, including one ARVN interpreter attached to A Co., 2/506th Infantry. This makes the battle of Fire Base Ripcord the 10th deadliest battle of the Vietnam War. – Chuck Hawkins, editor
Note: Lengthy operations are excluded. Only actions that could be categorized as single or directly related engagements are tabulated.
Source: From VFW magazine, November 2001; reprinted from Sigler, david B. Vietnam Battle Chronology; U.S. Army and marine Corps Combat Operations, 1965 – 1973.
Special thanks go to Rick Blythe (HHC, 2/506) for supplying this information to Ripcord report.