Company 1 of the 6th Marine Battalion
in 1968
Major Le Van Huyen
1. General situation
In early 1968, the 6th Marine Battalion was airlifted from Saigon to the De Duc airstrip in the Bong Son district. It then moved along National Route 1, southwards, to position itself at the Duong Lieu village. The Battalion was under the command of Task force A. Obeying to the cease-fire, the Battalion rested. However, at the same time with New Year Eve midnight firecrackers, VC violated the cease fire and simultaneously attacked the Capital Saigon and many other provinces and cities in South Vietnam. Task force A received order to strengthen defensive lines and be ready to move.
At 7.00am, Tet Man Than, the 6th Battalion received an order to remove the VC out of Da Lat. The Battalion was airlifted by USAF C130 cargo aircrafts to this position and planned to land at Cam Ly Waterfall airstrip after 40-45 minutes. After a period of time flying over the airstrip, the aircrafts had to fly to Saigon because of the violent VC anti-aircraft guns. At this time, the Battalion headquarters could not make radio contact with each company. At 6.00pm, all companies arrived at the Tan Son Nhat airport.
The Battalion commander quickly briefed that the VC had occupied a number of places in Capital Saigon. Especially, they had occupied high-rise buildings and possessed advantageous positions. We would have a hard battle. Artillery fire supports and air strikes would have to be very restricted to avoid damages to civilian houses and properties as well as their lives.
The 6th Battalion was ordered to station inside the Le Van Duyet camp, where the Capital Special district headquarters had been, to protect it.
The next day, the Battalion received orders to dislodge the VC out of Thu Duc district. When the convoy arrived at the Bien Hoa Highway intersection, 1st Lieutenant Tran Dinh Them, administrative officer of the Battalion, arrived in his Jeep and informed us about the situation: the VC had attacked the 2nd and the 3rd Battalion Rear bases. They met strong resistance from the Marines who had been administrative soldiers, sick and wounded soldiers in convalescence or on leave. The VC sent five to seven waves of attack but they were repulsed. When daybreak came, they withdrew. Marines at rear bases had not searched the battlefields, because they were in too small a number.
The 6th Battalion pursued the enemy and then arrived at the defensive fences of the 2nd and 3rd Battalions Rear Bases. Twenty VC bodies littered along these fences and many VC weapons were seized.
After four days of battle in Thu Duc, the 6th Battalion brought back normal living activities to residents. Battalion 6 then performed operations in the area situated between the Cau Son and Binh Trieu bridges, in Dong Ong Co and Hang Xanh intersections. Company 1 of Captain Nguyen Dinh Thuy used to be the main force. He successfully commanded his boys in battling against the enemy. Thus, a number of the VC were killed while others fled.
In April 1968, Major Pham Van Chung, the Battalion commander transferred the unit to Major Nguyen Xuan Phuc and became commander of the Marine Training Center. At that time, Battalion 6 was in charge of security for Binh Loi Bridge, Saigon suburban areas and the Lai Thieu district. The Battalion deployed as follows:
"The Battalion headquarters positioned in a RF camp, south of Binh Loi Bridge.
"Company 1 positioned at Bang Ky Bridge. A platoon stationed at a leather factory.
"Company 2 in the east, protected a flank and the rear of the battalion headquarters.
"Company 3 positioned at south east of Binh Loi Bridge.
"Company 4 positioned along the railway in continuation with Company 3, in the direction of Go Vap.
2. Company 1 of the 6th Battalion
Company 1 of the 6th Battalion recovered the leather factory. At 7.00 pm, a VC battalion being led by their sappers, moved from Lai Thieu to Saigon. They wore life buoys to cross Saigon River and advanced directly to the defensive line of Company 4. The VC sappers crawled close to Company 4, incapacitated all obstacles and used all firearms to attack. Captain Le Van Cuu, the company commander did not let them overrun his company position. The battle lasted for more than an hour. The VC charged three to four times but they met the strong resistance of Company 4. Finally the VC succeeded in breaking the Company 4 defensive line and occupied some civilian houses in front of the Binh Loi leather factory. A platoon of Company 1 of Captain Thuy had been there and was pushed to the second floor of a building by the VC forces. This platoon continued to fight and frequently made radio contact with the Company headquarters.
Major Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the battalion's new commander ordered Company 4, to fill the breach of the defensive line at all costs. He also sent a M113 APC company and two helicopter gun ships as reinforcements. However, before long, one of the two gun ships had to land on a street because of the VC strong AAA (anti-aircraft artillery).
Company 1 of Captain Nguyen Dinh Thuy, from Bang Ky Bridge received orders to come and lift the enemy pressure and to recover the leather factory. He radioed the platoon leader on the second floor of the building to get important details of the situation. He decided at all cost to dislodge the enemy and rescue that platoon. He ordered:
- One platoon would advance in the darkness of the night towards the front of the building and use firepower to a maximum.
- The Company Headquarters and another platoon would approach by the rear of the building.
He himself, with a special group, darted forward with the spearheaded platoon. When he was close to the target, he observed and gave quick directions for deployment and a simultaneous charge.
A whistle blew as a signal. Machine guns, XM16s, M79s and grenades simultaneously clattered, mixing-in with shouts of "charge." Being unexpectedly attacked, the VC were terrified. After an hour of battle, Company 1 reoccupied the leather factory. A number of the VC were killed, others wounded and the surviving VC ran chaotically to escape.
Company 1 and 4 had slight losses. The whole VC battalion was like a decapitated serpent and was pushed toward a thick water coconut area. Marines' prongs closed in upon them. They had no chance to escape. The 6th Marine Battalion used the megaphone to urge them to surrender. One hour later, under the scorching sun of Saigon, 150 VC cadres surrendered one after another with all weapons. They wanted to save their lives.
The quick victory of Company 1 gave the 6th Battalion a famous glory. In this battle, Major Nguyen Xuan Phuc, the battalion commander was slightly wounded in the face while he had been following the battle. He refused to be med evacuated and his wound was bandaged by Dr. Pham Dinh Vy. The Commander then continued to give out orders.
However, the wound prolonged and did not heal well. He then transferred the Battalion to Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen The Luong.
In July 1968, the Capital Saigon resumed its normal, calm, daily life. Marines units were temporarily less busy. The 6th Battalion then was put under the command of Task force B and the latter prepared to go to MRIV. A convoy moved directly to Can Tho, then Cai Tac and Vi Thanh, Chuong Thien, Hoa Luu.
For more than a month, Battalion 6 performed operations in muddy regions (one was wet to waist level everyday!), from Long My to Canal Xa No, Thac Lac but there were no remarkable battles.
Leaving Chuong Thien, Battalion 6 moved to Can Tho and then was under the command of Task Force A.
3. A fallen hero
At that time, the 5th Marine Battalion was performing operations at Phung Hiep, Can Tho. The battles were fierce. Marine Task force A ordered a company of the 6th Battalion to be helilifted there as a reinforcement. Captain Nguyen Dinh Thuy voluntarily led his Company to fulfil this mission.
It was his eternal departure. He was killed when he had been directing his company to attack enemy positions. The VC had deployed at a village edge with all kinds of solid bunkers and trenches where their blocking cells had been. Their firepower was very strong, with mortars and anti-aircraft machine guns.
Captain Thuy sacrificed at a very young age, with his two body guards, leaving behind his parents, many siblings and a lover with whom he had planned to marry and build a family.
Major Le Van Huyen
No comments:
Post a Comment