The initial assault was on the left flank by Company A, 1/1 Marines which was tasked with securing a Catholic chapel and the Jeanne d'Arc High School (162754N 1073528E / 16.465N 107.591E / 16.465; 107.591). After a few minutes, the RF soldiers stopped shooting, and some began to wonder whether they had seen enemy troops or had been firing at shadows. [12]:60, On 10 February two forward observers from the Marines' 1st Field Artillery Group were flown into Ty Lc to help coordinate artillery and naval gunfire to support the fighting within the Citadel, however Trng instructed them that the Imperial Palace was not to be fired on. [12]:37, Responding to the call at PK-17, at 09:00 the 3rd Troop and the 7th Battalion of the Airborne task force rolled out of their base area in an armored convoy onto Highway 1. Vietnam (Physiography) 2001 (1.6MB) and pdf format (1.9MB) Vietnam (Political) 2001 (208K) and pdf format (214K) Vietnam (Political) 1992 (189K) and pdf format (202K) Vietnam (Shaded Relief) 2001 (258K) and pdf format (261K) And more than a half century on, what lessons should we take from the battle as we prepare for a future of warfare that is increasingly likely to be urban? [9]:28086 After securing the Jeanne d'Arc High School, Company A, 1/1 Marines recaptured the Le Loi Elementary School. The Hu City Sapper Unit and the 12th Sapper Battalion were also located in Base Area 114. On that first day, the two Marine companies in Hu had sustained casualties of 10 killed and 56 wounded. After the Vietnam War, Hue's unique history fell to ruin as the imperial era wasn't viewed favourably by the communist authorities. By dawn, our troops were still unable to advance". The headquarters of the PAVN 6th Regiment and two of its battalions were thought to be in Base Area 114, 30 kilometers (19mi) southwest of Hu, while the third battalion from the regiment was approximately 35 kilometers (22mi) northwest of the city, operating on the coastal flats. In the early morning hours of 1 February the PAVN withdrew and at midday a Hac Bao unit led the Airborne force into Mang Ca. But as the intensity of the battle increased, the policy was eliminated. Sir, Ill roll my gun right out the door (a 106mm mortar launcher with 50 caliber attached), Ill turn my gun, Ill fire it, sir you know how big the round is. Were all emotional, we care about our Marines. If the Marines penetrated the forward line the PAVN moved to the secondary line and then reoccupied the abandoned positions at night. [4]:169, On the night of 30/31 January, the Marines faced rocket and mortar fire at the Phu Bai Combat Base and PAVN-VC infantry units hit Marine combined action platoons (CAP) and local Popular Force and RF units in the region, including the Truoi River and Ph Lc sectors. [14]:105 On 13 February, Abrams established MACV Forward at Phu Bai, effectively replacing Cushman and assuming overall control of all U.S. forces in I Corps. This is where their training to fight in any clime and place, and adapting to and overcoming situations proved essential. [3] A PAVN document captured by the ARVN stated that 1,042 troops had been killed in the city proper and that several times that number had been wounded. Marine ingenuity was showcased in the battle to retake Hue City. The following maps were produced by the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency, unless otherwise indicated. This will differ by city, it will differ by what the NVA does. The ambush destroyed several vehicles and threw the 1st Troop, 7th Cavalry, into confusion. [People would say] that weapon isnt for use in an urban environment. RM 2B00WAF - Vietnam: U.S. Marines advance past an M48 Patton tank during the battle for Hue, Tet Offensive, 1968. This could mean going through the same holes and breaches that you have been through. Rather, the Modern War Institute provides a forum for professionals to share opinions and cultivate ideas. A Mule was brought forward to blow a hole in the building and the Marines advanced under cover of tear gas. 4) Take in a Performance at the Royal Theatre. 7) Walk Around the Thai Hoa Palace. The heavy damage was the result of the artillery, air, and mortar pounding the area received for 25 days while the Viet Cong/NVA held the area. Task Force X-ray including 1/5 and 2/5 Marines (2,500) and 1st ARVN Battalion. PAVN soldiers also fired 130 82mm mortar rounds into the Mang Ca Compound the opening minutes of the battle. [24], The PAVN-VC's actions were based on a series of orders issued by the PAVN High Command and the Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam (PRG). On the night of the 6th, the PAVN counterattacked, with a battalion from the 29th Regiment scaling the southwest wall and pushing the 4th Battalion back to Ty Lc. The Marines decided to withdraw. It started on Jan. 30, 1968, the eve of Tet (the Vietnamese lunar new year): More than 80,000 soldiers from the People's Army North Vietnamese and southern allies staged simultaneous attacks on cities, towns and U.S. bases throughout the south, a mass occupation meant to inspire the rest of South Vietnam to rise up . On the 7th the 3rd Regiment, which had been futilely trying to break into the southeast corner of the Citadel, was moved by Mike boats to Mang Ca to reinforce his units inside the Citadel. In preparation for this, MACV was in the middle of Operation Checkers: moving the 1st Marine Division to Qung Tr Province in order to support Khe Sanh and defeat any other PAVN attack across the DMZ. [9]:361, On 7 February the PAVN twice ambushed a 25 vehicle supply convoy supported by two Ontos going along Route 547 (162602N 1073549E / 16.434N 107.597E / 16.434; 107.597) from Phu Bai to the 11th Marines Firebase Rockcrusher (162335N 1073408E / 16.393N 107.569E / 16.393; 107.569) which provided artillery support to Allied forces fighting in and around Hu. [17] On reaching the ARVN base, the 2/12th Cavalry dug in there for the next 4 days. Hue. One of the offensives chief targets was the city of Hue. For the board wargame based on this battle, see, The 1st Cavalry Division attacks PAVN supply lines, Last edited on 24 February 2023, at 12:50, Massacre perpetrated by Vietcong and the PAVN, dressed in ARVN uniforms killed the guards, Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support, Provisional Revolutionary Government of the Republic of South Vietnam, Opposition to United States involvement in the Vietnam War Developments in the war, News media and the Vietnam War Tet Offensive, 1968, November 2004 anti-insurgent Marine operation, United States Army Center of Military History, "The History Place Vietnam War 19651968", "Urban Operations: An Historical Casebook", "An Excerpt from the Viet Cong Strategy of Terror", "Pham Van Dong, Voice of Vietnam's Revolt, Dies at 94", "Vietnam War Medal of Honor Recipients (AL)", "Medal of Honor Monday: Army Sgt. He has served twenty-six years in the Canadian Armed Forces, which included operational tours to the former Yugoslavia (Bosnia-Herzegovina) and Afghanistan. [4]:208 Company L, 3/5 Marines was then tasked with clearing the area to the Thuong Tu Gate and out to the Trng Tin Bridge. The Allied bombardment lasted intermittently from 17:30 until 03:30 the next day, forcing the entire southern wing to postpone the ferry crossing. A rotating group of staff personnel from the compound was stationed at Trng's headquarters day and night. As the Marines approached the base at 07:00 they were met by PAVN mortar and machine-gun fire; artillery fire was called in on the PAVN positions and the Marines entered the base at 08:50. Christmas was leading Hotel Company into Hue City from the south. Lessons Learned, Charlie 1/5, Operation Hue City, 31 January 1968 to 5 March 1968 To the uninitiated in Rules of Engagement, they're a set of rules established by high command that dictate what weapons and tactics may be used. Lying on a plain backed by foothills of the Annamese Cordillera (Chane Annamitique) and situated 5 miles (8 km) from the South China Sea coast, Hue is traversed by the broad, shallow Huong River (Hue River, or Perfume River ). At 02:33, a signal flare lit up the night sky, and two battalions from the PAVN 6th Regiment attacked the western wall of the Citadel. This equipment was loaded onto a convoy which arrived at the MACV Compound at 13:00 on 3 February. After failing to take Mang Ca and the MACV Compound in their initial assaults, the PAVN-VC did not attempt to seize them again, instead keeping them under fire and generally adopting a defensive posture, this tactical mistake allowed the ARVN and U.S. to bring in the reinforcements that would eventually clear the city. The Day Things Fell apart in Hue City, February 1968 - with Hotel/2/5, 1st Marine Div. [4]:223 Delaying the counterattack until a clear strategy was developed and the necessary forces assembled might have reduced casualties among the ARVN, U.S. forces and civilians and shortened the battle. Comments will be moderated before posting to ensure logical, professional, and courteous application to article content. These included ARVN soldiers, civil servants, political party members, local religious leaders, schoolteachers, American civilians and other expatriates. The Cavalry force soon encountered two dug-in PAVN Battalions around the villages of Thon Que Chu and Thon La Chu which they were unable to overcome as fog prevented their usual gunship support. Gravel launched a two-company assault supported by tanks towards the Provincial Headquarters and Thua Thien Prison, seven blocks west of the MACV Compound where the ARVN were believed to still be holding out. The PAVN-VC could not afford to engage in a firefight at this point, and they succeeded in sneaking away without raising further alarms. If you can use the weapon to do what you need to do in the city, you use the weapon. Beginning in February 1968, in the South Vietnamese city of Hue, 11 battalions of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), two U.S. Army battalions, and three U.S. Marine Corps battalions, for a total of 16 battalions, defeated 10 battalions of the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong. [4]:213 Allied air and artillery support was restricted by the poor weather, supply difficulties and, initially, by restrictions intended to limit damage to Hu's historic structures. The operational plan was for the Marines to move west from Ty Lc and then turn south. Bowden has also written for Talk, Men's Journal, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone and Playboy, among others. [9]:33235 The Marines raised an American flag to celebrate their victory, but shortly thereafter were ordered to lower it, as according to South Vietnamese law, no American flag was permitted to be flown without an accompanying South Vietnamese flag. The 806th Battalion, which was dug into a cemetery along Highway 1 near the western corner of the Citadel, dispatched a group of soldiers to capture the An Hoa Bridge, driving off the RF detachment guarding the bridge and opening a line of communication with the other PAVN-VC in the Citadel. Company B joined the assault and after six hours the Marines had secured the base of the gate and later the entire gate, at a cost of six Marines killed and 50 wounded and 20 PAVN killed. ARVN troops in the Citadel fired flares over the village to help the RF troops there assess the situation. The Battle of Hue City occurred with the Tet Offensive, where Marines were surprised by a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) attack during what was supposed to be a cease fire negotiated during a. The following pictures are real eye-openers for anyone who's been to Ho Chi Minh City recently. [9]:10607 The 802nd To say that we are mired in stalemate seems the only realistic, yet unsatisfactory, conclusion. The attack resumed the following morning and the ridge was secured with 20 PAVN and two Marines killed. [9]:356 A pontoon bridge had been built across the Phu Cam Canal, restoring the road access that had been lost when the An Cuu Bridge was blown up. [12]:69, On 16 February the 1/5 Marines advanced approximately 140 meters for a cost of seven Marines killed and 47 wounded and 63 PAVN killed. In some of the buildings today, the remnants of the fight remain; there are pock marks in some of the buildings exteriors that were hit with machine gun fire and M16 bullets. As LaHue later wrote: "Initial deployment of forces was made with limited information. Also on 28 January, the 810th Battalion, 4th Regiment and the 2nd Sapper Battalion began marching toward the city from locations along the coast east of Hu. The supporting fire continued throughout the day, but the PAVN did not abandon their positions. On 4 January 1968, MACV J-2 (military intelligence staff) received a report that a Vietcong sapper team had obtained jobs at the Tan Son Nhut airbase from which they planned to attack MACV. Hue was a major part of North Vietnam's Tet Offensive, and even. [5][6][21], 844 civilians were killed and 1,900 wounded during the battle. [12]:27 The 1st Division's units were spread throughout I Corps, two battalions of the 3rd Infantry Regiment were west of Hu, one on a routine sweep mission and the other undergoing training at the Van Thanh center, while the remaining two battalions of the regiment were searching for the PAVN-VC near the coast southeast of Hu. By the last week of January, most of its combat units had arrived, but many of the division's logistical components were still in transit. and, more recently, The Finish: "The Killing of Osama bin Laden", and Hue 1968: A Turning point of the American war in Vietnam. 31 January-25 February 1968 . Built within a two year span, it has been severely damaged on three occasions. Shortly after 04:30, a column of M41 tanks and M113 armored personnel carriers (APCs) left the compound and headed up Highway 1. [4]:197, On 13 February Companies A and C, 1/5 Marines left Mang Ca and moved south along the eastern wall of the Citadel, while Company B remained in reserve. PAVN troops also seized the Tu Dam Pagoda, just south of the canal, which they soon converted to the main command post for the southern wing. [12]:34, At 03:40, ten minutes behind schedule, elements of the PAVN 164th Artillery Regiment fired a barrage of 122mm rockets into the new city from firing positions in the southwestern hills. He and Sergeant Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez led the Marines in the defense of the convoy, actions for which both men would later be awarded the Medal of Honor. While the helicopters and men of the Division were soon in position, most of their heavy and support equipment was loaded on trucks that would have to proceed by convoy up Highway 1. Neither flight crew could find the city in the fog, however, and both aircraft returned to North Vietnam without dropping their bombs. The PAVN-VC forces rapidly occupied most of the city. As the PAVN-VC area of control within Hu shrank, the pace of executions increased to prevent the "enemies of the people" being freed by ARVN or U.S. forces or identifying the VC who had revealed themselves. [34] In his analysis of the Battle of Fallujah, Jonathan F. Keiler, a military historian and former officer in the Judge Advocate General's Corps wrote:[36]. While originally designed to be two volumes, it was decided that unity and cohesion required one book. At Ba Long, the battalion then embarked upon motorized junks and reached the Citadel the following day. [16] While a new supply port was being constructed on the coast, the Division relied on the Marine supply base at Tn M and supply convoys along Highway 1 from Da Nang. Four days would pass before they were at last able to punch a hole in the PAVN-VC lines and reach the MACV compound. A VC company armed with 82mm mortars and 57mm recoilless rifles veered north and took up a position near PK17 outpost to shell the ARVN airborne and armored units stationed there once the offensive began. Youve got to protect your corpsman, said Downs. [4]:200 Company D, 1/5 Marines arrived in the Citadel on the evening of 14 February after taking fire while crossing the Perfume River. Etsy Search for items or shops Close search Skip to Content Sign in 0 Cart Holiday Sales Event Jewelry & Accessories Clothing & Shoes Those not reporting voluntarily were hunted down. The distance between the walls varies from 75 meters to 17.5 meters. We walked them down the streets until they were out of the line of fire. With the city finally in sight, the three companies that made up the 804th Battalion headed off in different directions. At the end of January in 1968, the Viet Cong launched an offensive that turned the tide of the Vietnam War. Whether you like it or not you are all leaders and someday, one way or another, you will be involved in urban operations, Christmas said. [4]:177, On 2 February, the Marines made some minor headway and brought in further reinforcements. Brigadier General Foster LaHue, the Task Force X-Ray commander, actually had very little reliable intelligence on the situation. This and subsequent optimistic reports were soon contradicted by press reports as journalists made their way into the city and reported on the extent of PAVN-VC control and the bitter house-to-house fighting that was underway. The Tet Offensive began on January 30 as the North Vietnamese occupied Hue City. With the number of wounded rising, the Marines commandeered some abandoned Vietnamese civilian vehicles and used them as makeshift ambulances to carry out the wounded. By 22:15 that night, Tolson's command had agreed with III MAF on its designated area of operations in the Hu sector. Under cover of supporting fire the Marines secured part of the ridgeline, killing three PAVN for the loss of one Marine killed. This blog post will present an American military intelligence map from each era. [26] Bowden conservatively estimates that 2,000 people were executed. At the end of January in 1968, the Viet Cong launched an offensive that turned the tide of the Vietnam War. A forward fighting line was maintained directly opposite the Marines with a secondary line two blocks back. Since Vietnam was expected to be a jungle fight, Marines who fought in Hue had only one hour of training in urban combat. Urban battles are also known for close combat fighting. At about 04:00 a PAVN company attacked the ARVN security detachment defending the Highway 1 bridge over the Truoi River (161916N 1074623E / 16.321N 107.773E / 16.321; 107.773) and the nearby CAP H-8. [4]:213 MACV gave figures of 5,133 PAVN-VC killed at Hu. The views expressed are those of the authors, and do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense. The Army gunners and the Marine Ontos quickly responded. Both battles also had insurgents and other forces utilizing snipers, significantly increasing the combat potential of the combatants, while the Marines also constituted the advanced fighting elements of the US forces deployed in both Hu and Fallujah. Apart from the headquarters staff and a handful of support units, the only combat units in the Citadel were the division's 36-man Reconnaissance Platoon and its reaction force, the elite Hac Bao (Black Panther) Reconnaissance Company. The U.S. Navy Ticonderoga class-guided-missile cruiser USSHu City, commissioned in 1991, is named after the battle.
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