46th Infantry, 196th and 198th Inf Bdes, The Virtual Wall® Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall

The 1st and 5th Battalions of the 46th Infantry were ORGANIC/ASSIGNED to the 23rd Infantry (AMERICAL) Division and were ATTACHED to the 196th and 198th Brigades using operational control (OPCON) orders, as necessary. The battalions were, for the most part, OPCON to the 196th Infantry Brigade and 198th Infantry Brigade, respectively, during the period 15 February 1969 to 1 November 1971.

The following is an excerpt from the Preliminary Inventory of Retired Records of the USA 23rd Infantry Division during the Vietnam War, 1967 - 1971 which is at the Texas Tech University Virtual Vietnam Archive (Search for document 1070801002A ) :

1/46th Infantry relieved 12 May 1967 from assignment to 1st Armored Division and assigned to the 198th Infantry Brigade (to Vietnam).

1/46th Infantry relieved 15 February 1969 from assignment to 198th Infantry Brigade and assigned to the 23d Infantry Division.

1/46th Infantry relieved 1 November 1971 from assignment to 23d Infantry Division and assigned to the 196th Infantry Brigade.

1/46th Infantry Relieved 13 September 1972 from assignment to196th Infantry Brigade and assigned to the 1st Armored Division in the United States.

5/46th Infantry relieved 15 February 1969 from assignment to 198th Infantry Brigade and assigned to 23d Infantry Division.

As a result of the assignment of the 46th Infantry battalions to the 23rd Infantry Division, visitors will not see the shoulder patches for the 196th and 198th Infantry Brigades within the medals display box on each individual's memorial page. The reason is because The Virtual Wall bases unit information on assignment of person to a unit and unit's with higher assigned headquarters.

A review of available Operational Reports, Lessons Learned, for the 23rd Infantry Division, confirms for the most part, the 1st Battalion, 46th Infantry was attached to or under the OPCON of the 196th Infantry Brigade during OPERATION FREDERICK HILL. The operation was conducted in Quang Tin Province by elements of the 196th Infantry Brigade and 23rd ID in conjunction with Government of Vietnam forces with the mission of search and clear/pacification. The operation began 18 March 1969 and ended 1 March 1971.

The 5th Battalion, 46th Infantry, for the most part, was attached to or under the OPCON of the 198th Infantry Brigade during OPERATION GENEVA PARK. The operation was conducted in Quang Tin and Quang Ngai Provinces. Elements of the 198th Infantry Brigade and 23rd ID in conjunction with Government of Vietnam forces had the same mission of search and clear/pacification. The operation also began 18 March 1969 and ended 1 March 1971. Both battallions were used for other smaller operations when needed.

Because of the review, we will display the Brigade patches at the top of the text box on those from the 46th Infantry when the unit was not assigned to a Brigade during the period 15 February 1969 to 1 Novermber 1971. The 1st Battalion would have worn the 196th shoulder patch while the 5th Battalion would have worn the 198th shoulder patch.