Operation APACHE SNOW and Hamburger Hill

In Operation APACHE SNOW, elements of the U.S. Army 101st Airborne Division, 9th Marine Regiment, and a South Vietnamese infantry regiment move to disrupt North Vietnamese activities in the A Shau Valley. The valley is an important enemy staging area for the Ho Chi Minh Trail. In an assault on Ap Bia Mountain on May 11, allied forces meet heavy resistance from multiple enemy battalions in fortified positions. Allied troops secure the mountain on May 20 after suffering significant casualties. American servicemen and journalists name it the battle of “Hamburger Hill.” It is one of the bloodiest engagements of the war.

APACHE SNOW concludes on June 7 and succeeds in forcing North Vietnamese troops out of the valley, but they return shortly after U.S. forces leave the area.¹