Mayaguez Seized: U.S. Forces Strike Cambodia
Khmer Rouge naval forces seized the American container ship SS Mayaguez in international waters off the coast of Cambodia on May 12, 1975, just two weeks after the fall of Saigon. President Gerald Ford ordered a military rescue that involved Marines, Air Force, and Navy units attacking the island of Koh Tang and the port of Kompong Som. The operation was chaotic: the crew had already been released by the time Marines assaulted Koh Tang, where they encountered unexpectedly strong resistance. Forty-one Americans were killed, three were left behind on the island, and 50 were wounded. The three abandoned Marines were captured and executed by the Khmer Rouge. The incident was technically the last official battle of the Vietnam War era, though its confused execution raised serious questions about post-Vietnam military readiness.
May 12, 1975
51 years ago
Key Figures & Places
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