Operation Black Lion III

Operation Black Lion III
Part of Laotian Civil War; Vietnam War
Date 18 October 1972 – 22 February 1973 Location Southern Laotian panhandle Result Royalist capture Salavan, fail to take Paksan
Belligerents
Kingdom of Laos Supported by  United States	North Vietnam Supported by:  Soviet Union  People's Republic of China
Units involved
Commando Raiders Groupement Mobile 41 Groupement Mobile 42 Groupement Mobile 43 Groupement Mobile 33 21st Special Operations Squadron	9th PAVN Regiment
Strength
Regimental-size	Regimental-size
Casualties and losses
Unknown	Unknown

Operation Black Lion III (18 October 1972 – 22 February 1973) was one of the last Royal Lao Army offensives of the Laotian Civil War. Aimed at regaining the Lao towns of Paksong and Salavan and their associated airfields for Lao usage, the three regiment offensive captured Salavan on 20 October 1972, and Paksong shortly thereafter. Although the besieged Royalists would hold through early February 1973, they would be routed by PAVN tanks and infantry just before the 22 February 1973 ceasefire ended the war.