Operation Sea Dragon occurred during the Vietnam War and was a series of American-led naval operations beginning in October 1966 to interdict sea lines of communications and supply going south from North Vietnam to South Vietnam, and to destroy land targets with naval gunfire. Sea Dragon assets were a part of Task Force 70.8, whose mission was naval shore bombardment. The U.S Navy Seventh Fleet destroyers USS Mansfield (DD-728) and USS Hanson (DD-832) commenced operations on 25 October 1966 off the coast of Quang Tri Province to intercept and destroy waterborne supply craft which were attempting to carry supplies and personnel from North Vietnam to areas south of the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in South Vietnam. Although the initial sweep by the two destroyers was unproductive, by February 19