From Cau Khoi to Boi Loi
14-09-1968
Major To Van Cap
I. Sequence of Operation
A. Cau Khoi :
The 2nd Marine Battalion was positioned in Khiem Hanh district, at Hamlet Nha Viet along an inter-province route; life in the district was animated. Artillerymen were busily arranging guns in pits, piled rounds and some were pushing 155 mm Howitzers into position. Captain Dinh Xuan Lam - Chief of S3, and a US advisor came out of a briefing in the district. Lam was carrying a number of maps, speaking loudly with the advisor. Suddenly, he shouted as the two were passing by the place we had been sitting.
“I didn't get any orders”
I told Lam Tai Thanh (executive officer) that “This S3 Chief seemed to be playing the buffoon” and then added:
“This time, it seemed to be a significant thing”. In the last few months we fought inside cities - now we're going out to combat. I feel a little bit reluctant. There would be no more “girls watching us manipulate guns, no more joys.” Then Company Commanders were called to a briefing.
Officers present:
Major Ngo Van Dinh, Battalion Commander (Do Son). Chief of S3 : Captain Dinh Xuan Lam (Lam Dong).
Company Commanders:
- Captain To Van Cap (Can Tho), Company 1.
- Captain Tran Kim De (De Duc), Company 2.
- Captain Tran Van Thuong (Thanh Hoa), Company 3.
- Captain Vu Doan Dzoan (Gio Linh), Company 4.
According to intelligence sources, enemy forces composed of regular Battalion 14D Tay Ninh and regiment 33. The 2nd Marine Battalion was to perform a “search and destroy” operation.
1. Company 1 was to jump hawkishly onto enemy roads - the company was to be divided into three platoons. Each platoon consisted of 30 members who were armed with light weapons and a large number of grenades; rucksacks were left behind. Company 1 was to search targets 1, 2 and 3. If nothing happens, the Company would be picked up by helicopters on the same day. If there is fighting, company 1 was to combat. They would use artillery and air supports to a maximum and would wait for reinforcement from the 2nd Battalion. There would also be an American advisor accompanying Company 1 for coordination of fire supports.
2. The Battalion (-) had to be ready to move quickly when they receive order to reinforce Company 1.
a. Hawkish jumping :
I suggested to Major Ngo Van Dinh to give me permission to fly on a helicopter in order to inspect areas of targets. This would give me a general overview of the terrain. However, Major Ngo Van Dinh did not allow it because he believed that it may undermine the “factor of surprise.” When I informed our subordinate officers about my Company's mission, they complained:
“Why do you always voluntarily ask to be a pioneer?”
I pretended that I did not hear their complaints. I divided the responsibility to each platoon and insisted in great details to each of the following platoon leaders:
1st Lieutenant Nguyen Van Quan (platoon 12)
1st Lieutenant Huynh Vinh Quang (platoon 14)
1st Lieutenant Nguyen Van Ngo (platoon 16)
On the morning of 14-09-1968, nine helicopters picked up my whole Company. From above looking downwards, Landing zone 1 was a clearing in the middle of a rubber forest, 10km north-west of Khiem Hanh district. Normally, a helilift and landing as such would be escorted by L19 and some “cobras” helicopters, but this time, my Company was alone.
Helicopters did not land but remained hovering over the landing zone. The pilots gave sign for us to jump. Only when our feet touched the ground that we realised it was muddy. Its surface was covered with high tiger grass. My whole Company was swimming between and on the grass, soaked in water from head to feet. I was not given details of that landing zone beforehand. Due to lack of experience, I did not thoroughly study the map previously. On the map, there was a trail at one end of the landing zone, with a symbol of a bridge named Cau Khoi. That fact already showed that the clearing was a low area , muddy in rainy season. It was lucky that there had been no regrettable incident until my Company reached the rubber forest edge. I had to admit immediately that the “factor of surprise” had helped my Company to evade danger by inches. There had been not a single sign showing that a helicopter landing would occur. Early in the morning while fog had been blinding observation in the plantation, fleet of helicopters had come and then gone. VC had no time to prepare. Otherwise, only some AK 47's guarding the landing zone could transform us into ducks in front of hunting guns or “flesh targets”. We deployed to advance towards target 1. Platoon 14 of 2nd Lieutenant Quang crossed the forest in a row. Platoon 16 of 2nd lieutenant Ngo, on the night, protected the right flank.
b. Encountering the enemy :
Platoon 12 reported seeing a trail. I ordered it to stop and wait for the arrival of platoon 14. The latter had to move close to the forest and search. That is why it advanced slower; Platoon 12 sent a squad to the forefront to set an outpost. During that time, I rechecked our positions and then reported the coordinates to the Battalion Commander. Thanks to Cau Khoi Bridge and the trail, I could clearly recognise our positions: from the departure line to the trail, it was about 500m.
When Company 14 just touched the trail, eruptions of AK 47's fires exploded from the left edge of the forest. As a reflex, platoon 14 leaned against rubber tree trunks to retaliate. However, VC and Marines were too close to each other. Both sides lay in places and released their triggers. Honestly, the enemy saw us clearly, but we did not see them. They wanted to wait until my whole company was completely inside their gun range to fire. Unfortunately for them, platoon 14 of Huynh Vinh Quang had searched thoroughly while advancing and therefore, we begrudgingly had to start firing earlier. I was reporting to the battalion headquarters when suddenly the Executive Officer of Company 1, Lieutenant Lam Tai Thanh shouted:
“Authority! They are charging!”
The VC were advancing toward platoon 12 and 14 defensive lines like walking tree trunks. The pionner group of platoon 12 had 4-5 wounded; all were transported to the rear. Only one body was unable to be recovered. At that moment, 3rd Lieutenant Hoa, who had been in the Army for a very long time, and just had been transferred to Marine Corps recently, was accompanying 2nd Lieutenant Huynh Vinh Quang. Hoa was unfortunately hit by bullets in the groin.
In a forest of rubber trees, the side which was calm had skilled shooters - it was most likely that they would win. Marine Corps had all those characters. At first, from hearing Thanh's shout, I was a little bit anxious after the first glance. VC were advancing from three directions. I had already radioed the Battalion headquarters and now I saw Marines hiding behind rubber tree trunks to accurately fire back. I felt reassured.
After a white phosphorus round, volleys of Artillery rounds coming from Khiem Hanh district exploded on tree tops along the trail in front of platoon 12 and 14 defensive lines. The support was clearly effective. The enemy were seen retreating. Through the radio, I knew that the Battalion (-) was ready to be helilifted. The US advisor sitting beside me was stuttering that artillery would temporarily cease because aircrafts were going to enter the sky above the area.
I was upset because I wondered why the artillery would stop while it had been firing so effectively. Whose order was it? I radioed Lam, the S3 Chief. However, he was too busy arranging troops for reinforcement.
The VC were malicious. Having noticed the pause of our Artillery and heard the aircrafts sounds, they stood up. They used their “hugging tactics”, and moved toward us to avoid air strikes. I saw VC - very well camouflaged with twigs and leaves - advancing towards us from three directions. They used rubber three trunks as shields, fired and then moved forward, and so on.
Now I was anxious, “really anxious” not “a little bit anxious” like before. As mentioned earlier, we were lightly equipped. If I could not quickly annihilate them, we would rapidly be in shortage of ammunition. I requested an immediate dropping of bombs, but the US advisor said that, the pilot asked that our troops should firstly withdraw far from VC to have a safety margin!
My God! To withdraw right at this moment would mean no Marines would live to survive. They would not be killed by bullets, but by bayonets from the back. Too painful!
Having no English for a quick explanation to the American advisor, I shouted in the radio to Lam using plain language.
“Bomb now! Going to be overrun ÔØ Bomb now or we'll all be killed!”
There were two terribly deafening explosions. Stones, soil, dirt, sand, tree twigs and leaves completely covered the ground in front of the defensive lines of platoons 12 and 14.
The smoke dissipated. I observed VC disappear completely. They certainly had heavy losses, but of course were still hiding somewhere in shelters waiting for suitable opportunities. Furthermore, for unknown reasons, pilots also disappeared. This was probably because the US advisor had told them about safety for friendly troops. Knowing the life of company 1 was like “a bell hanging under a fine cotton thread.” Major Dinh urged US advisors to let gunship helicopter “cobras” to enter the arena immediately. These were terrific. They used to send air strikes very accurately with rockets and machine guns.
“Just strike from the trail northwards!” I requested the Battalion to ask, and I also told the US advisor about that target. Because the terrain was easily recognized, volleys of rockets and machine guns were continuously falling down along the trail and the forest edge. When cobras finished ammunition and flew away, US and Vietnamese Artillery from Khiem Hanh district resumed their shellings. The whole rubber forest in front of us now was composed of erect trunks denuded of twigs and leaves. The fighting temporarily ceased. Several soldiers jumped forward to seize enemy weapons, but I forbade them to do so. I ordered them to lie in positions, preparing their guns for a third wave of attack.
VC had a logical reason to stop attacking because our air supports were so accurate and the battalion had landed behind their back. From an active attacking role, they were fixed to take a passive defensive role now.
c. Reinforcements :
According to the plan of operation prepared beforehand, Company 1 had to try to maintain position whenever fighting would occur and was to wait for reinforcements. The battalion head quarters and Companies 3 and 4 were advancing toward target 1. Company 2 of Captain Tran Kim De landed in another landing zone and received order to make contact with company 1 at all costs. Fighting now broke violently in the direction of the Battalion headquarters.
Major Dinh recounted :
“Now the Battalion from three different places was advancing toward target 1. Immediately after the landing, Group A and the Battalion headquarters were involved in heavy combat. A 61mm mortar fell right on the place where I stood. Luckily, no one was wounded, but Captain W. (the Battalion US advisor) turned pale. Jet fighters and cobras ploughed enemy positions by air strikes. They had very solid bunkers and trenches, and were surrounded by the 201 battalion in three directions. At night they withdrew, leaving behind many bodies.”
Captain Tran Kim De received order to try to make contact with me, but it was so difficult. His company had been in intense fighting with the enemy. I frequently heard reports about the wounded and killed, among them 2nd Lieutenant Hong. Hong was a teacher and was mobilized. He was going to be specifically transferred back to the Department of education. In the TET Offensive 1968, Hong's platoon had been encircled by VC inside a two storey house in the Phu Dinh Street, Phu Lam and it had been rescued by platoon 14 of 2nd Lieutenant Huynh Vinh Quang. This time, Hong came to the rescue of Quang's platoon and was killed.
d. Self Care :
Night in the forest came quickly. Smoke of guns fires added speed to the rapid night fall. The other two prongs of the Battalion were heavily engaged. My company would be alone tonight. I told Thanh to control our defensive line thoroughly. I studied night defensive positions and previewed coordinates for artillery supports. We had ten wounded and three killed. If it was impossible to Medevac them, how could we move to other places to position overnight? I asked Huynh Vinh Quang and my US advisor to come to the landing zone to arrange Medevac by helicopter. Priority was reserved for wounded - bodies could be left behind.
Quang recounted the story of Medevac:
“There was not a suitable landing zone. However, close to the defensive line of VC, there was a small clearing. 12 Marines and I crawled towards it and found no danger. We deployed to protect it and gave a sign to the US advisor, with the meaning that a landing zone had been ready. Truly that landing zone was not at all safe, but I had to say that so we could Medevac the wounded. We waited long hours without seeing the dust off helicopters. I asked the US advisor. He said that they had been busy with the Medevac on the side of the battalion. Only at 11:00pm Medevac at this makeshift landing zone was accomplished. Probably having had great fear the US advisor also climbed up a helicopter and disappeared.
After that Medevac, it was too late to move to another place to position overnight. I took a risk of letting my company staying in place although I knew that that decision could invite danger. Moving to another place now could be more dangerous. Because the enemy had been watching and they may have charged any moment. That the US advisor had fled also caused us much difficulty in fire supports. I ordered my Company to lie in places and to shoot all moving objects.
At 4:00am, I heard many steps advancing towards us; I understood that VC had wanted to evade the 2nd Marine Battalion before day break. I did not have enough courage to wait for their close approach to fire. I nudged corporal Tha so he could understand that he was to blow inside the radio handset. That blow would be a radio code for the artillery to fire on prefixed coordinates.
Volleys of artillery rounds suddenly exploded onto the area from where steps had been heard. It was certain that the enemy had been chaotically running. Some of them darted towards us. The deputy leader of Platoon 12 ÔØ 1st Sergeant Tran grabbed one and killed him immediately. The next morning, we saw this VC body lying next to three Marine bodies which had not been evacuated the previous night.
After a safe night, filled with tension, I felt relieved because the Battalion had managed to make contact with us. I felt so exhausted then, and was craving for a cigarette! Not interested in seized weapons and enemy bodies count, I told Thanh to control and report results to the Battalion - I leaned against a rubber tree trunk and recalled all events in the last 24 hours. I shuddered. The moment that artillery temporarily paused for aircrafts to enter the sky, VC advanced towards us. I had seen a few Marines who were firing and at the same time retreating. I was chilled to the bone. Before I was able to shout to them, 1st Lieutenant Lam Tai Thanh, the executive officer of my company and 2nd lieutenant Quan had held them back and pushed them to the ground.
Thank you, brave Offiers of Company 1.
Without you, the panic might have quickly spread, everybody might have withdrawn and all of us would not have this opportunity to retell our stories.
Major Ngo Van Dinh (the Battalion Commander) commented:
“Intelligence sources about enemy forces in the region were rather accurate, fire supports were in time and efficient. The “search and destroy” operation performed by the 2nd Battalion was successful. VC battalion 14D was eliminated out of the list of capable fighting units (US intelligence sources). Company 1 had executed the order of operation correctly; otherwise it might have caused great damage to the Battalion.”
B. Boi Loi :
Three days after the Cau Khoi fighting, the 2nd Marine Battalion was airlifted to VC Boi Loi's secret sanctuary. The pick up zone was at Nha Viet Hamlet which was located on the inter-province route leading to Khiem Hanh. The order would be Company 4, Company 2, the Battalion Headquarters, Company 3 and then Company 1.
At 9:00am, when every company was ready in that order and helicopters were coming, Company 4 positions were suddenly shelled! That order had to change so that company 1 was picked up first, then Company 3.
The landing zone was an empty heath, about the size of a soccer field, moderately flooded, with tiger grass. Around it, there were forests and thorny bamboos. After having jumped out of helicopter, Company 1 had to quickly occupy a forest edge to protect the landing zone for the coming Company 3. When we were close to the forest edge, VC gun fires erupted. The situation differed from that of Cau Khoi fighting 3 days ago. There, we could cling to each rubber tree trunk. However, here, being completely exposed in a barren heath, the only way to be able to survive was to charge forward.
As “Crazy buffalos” we forced VC to retreat. All my Company 1 reached the forest edge safely and Company 3 of Captain Tran Van Thuong was landing. At that time, gunfire were everywhere. In front of the Company three, VC anti-aircraft guns fired continuously. Helicopters were unable to land anymore. Therefore, Companies 2 and 4 stayed back. Companies 1 and 3 were bearing the brunt.
a. About US advisors :
In Cau Khoi fighting, my American advisor climbed up in a Medevac helicopter to abscond. This time Major Dinh let Captain W. go with me. When we reached the forest edge, he fainted. He lay supine; his face was completely white. I was busy giving orders to my boys. When the whole Company 3 had accomplished the landing, I turned my head back and asked:
“Where is the advisor?” I was told that he had climbed onto a helicopter during Company 3's landing to escape.
I radioed the Battalion headquarters to inform about that certain incident. Captain Lam confirmed that Captain W. had returned. Major Dinh told me that he had caught a “cold” immediately after a VC mortar shelling at Cau Khoi. The Battalion told me to prepare a yellow smoke grenade to receive a new US advisor. VC anti-aircraft guns were strong. Before dropping a new advisor, 2-3 helicopters flew above and around the landing zone. They released thick white smoke, possibly to block the VC anti-aircraft teams' eyes. I received order to “throw the yellow grenade” right on the place where I had been standing.
“Did you receive him?” Captain Lam asked.
“How could I have received him when you have not sent him here?” I replied.
“He had jumped out of the helicopter. Find him!”
I gave an order to find him and also radioed company to ask, but nobody saw the US advisor.
“We have big trouble!”
To myself, I recalled Binh Gia battle - the 4th marine battalion had been trying to rescue a downed helicopter and suffered serious casualty. Two of my classmates namely Vo Thanh Khang and Nguyen Van Hung sacrificed their lives.
The Battalion Headquarters asked and urged me continuously, but what could I do? Right at that moment, 1st Corporal Bui Ngoc Duong - my body guard pointed with his index finger.
“Sir, over there, there was also a yellow smoke!”
Following his hand, I saw a dissipating yellow smoke, about 100m away. I reported this to the Battalion Headquarters. It confirmed that that US advisor had really jumped down on that area also marked by yellow smoke. The Battalion Commander, and also Lieutenant Colonel Ton That Soan (Task force B Commander) who had been flying above, ordered me to use all means to find him. I chose 1st Sergeant Tran Trang, an under officer of integrity, to lead seven strong marines to go toward that area. They were fired at. Trang gave me a hand sign, saying that four had been wounded and they had to lie there, to wait for Medevac first. My supervisors were impatient, incessantly asking me: “did you find him?”
I just said “No!”
I was really unnerved and did not know how to solve this problem. I asked captain Thuong to take care of my Company so I could have time to think about a solution. 1st Corporal Nguyen Van Tha, my RTO pointed me out a forearm waving, emerging from a group of grass in the barren heath. At the same time, numerous VC guns fired from the edge of the forest. They were directed at that waving hand which disappeared afterwards.
I already knew the position of that advisor. I had to rescue him, but I really did not want my boys to sacrifice themselves. Four were already wounded! Let us use all American means to save American lives. Marines' lives were not items coming from US aids. I could not afford to save one life, and sacrifice 2, 3, 4 or more. I ordered to gather all M79 grenade launchers of the Company. They were nine and three M60 machine guns.
A thought crossed my mind: “Let's discharge all that American ammunition to save the American.”
I chose Bui Ngoc Duong and Nguyen Van Hoi, my two courageous and nimble bodyguards to perform this “mission impossible”.
My order was “to fire M79 and M60 continuously at the forest edge from where VC were facing that American advisor - Duong and Hoi were to wear flak jackets, no weapons, run rapidly to the American advisor and carry him back.”
The rescue was successful. A 1st Lieutenant US advisor, whose name I did not know, was completely soaked in mud. Red blood coloured one side of his flanks. One armpit was injured by bullets, widely torn. Fortunately none of my boys were added to the list of the wounded.
The American advisor and four wounded marines were Medevacuated, and at the same time, I received a new US advisor, a Major.
Recounting this story, it seemed so simple. However factually, the rescue was extremely difficult and time consuming. I had been very afraid of receiving an order with the words “At all costs!” But both my superiors, Lieutenant Colonel Ton That Soan and Major Ngo Van Dinh did not use these words; they let me flexibly deal with it according to the situation.
Later, my superiors told me: “give the name of one of the rescuers, so American advisors could award him!”
I thought: “Why just one, and not two?”
It seemed too strict to stint rescuers of awards by giving just one medal.
“Who would be chosen among four wounded, Hoi and Duong?” I pondered.
The man who piggy-backed the American Advisor was Duong. I gave his name to my superiors. Duong then received a “Bronze star” and a Honda Motorbike. (However, the life of my bodyguard was too short. After I was wounded and left my unit, he was also killed in Cambodia!)
My Chinese horoscope said that I would be incompatible with US advisors, even in conversation. Three days, two battles, four advisors. The last time, on 19/6/1969, Captain Nguyen Xuan Phuc sent the US deputy advisor to go with me. Both of us were eliminated out of the battle. I had broken limbs and he had lost one arm! From then, I wished: “Please! Don't send any US advisors to go with me anymore!”
b. Was landing possible?
Back to the Boi Loi battle field, fighting continued. The two Companies were only able to cling to the edge of the thorny bamboos forest, with our backs facing forwards the landing zone outside. We did not advance forward. The enemy did not retreat. Hidden in the thorny bamboos forest, each side fired to keep the other side at bay. No matter what, he who advanced or retreated would be annihilated! It was an indecisive situation. I requested recompense for the quantity of M.79 and M.60 ammunition that were used in the rescue. My request was immediately satisfied. Late in the afternoon Major Dinh asked me:
“Can we land now? Is the landing zone cleared?”
“Impossible!” I replied immediately as anti-aircraft guns still fired whenever a helicopter would appear. We had practically cleared nothing. Besides, if the Battalion Headquarters and the other two Companies would land now, we would either have to extend our defensive lines or to attack, and thus, we might fall into a quagmire. Major Dinh understood my logical answer. He told me and Thuong to deal with the situation by ourselves. When I was sure that the Battalion would not land anymore, I was a little bit anxious. At that moment I was relieved because we had not needed to move forward to widen the defensive line. Moreover, tonight, Company 1 had Company 3 as a companion, not so lonely as in Cau khoi some days ago. I discussed with Thuong that we would position here in places. There was no need to fear. There was thick forest of thorny bambous in front of us and VC. We would fire immediately whenever there were noises. VC would not be able to throw grenades due to trees, blocking obstacles, between the two sides. Thorny Bamboos would offer VC great difficulties if they would want to charge. If they could charge easily they might have done so the moment we had landed. Later prisoners said that when we had landed, 2 VC Battalion approached the forest edge. That is why the encounter-fighting occurred.
I also told Thuong that we would need to pay greater attention to the landing zone in the east this morning, and to prepare thoroughly to defend that side by deeply digging fox holes, setting up illuminating devices and claymore mines. Grenades were to be placed in front of each marine.
c. The front was not quiet :
The Western front was slowly quieter during the night. I lay supine, chewing some dry cooked rice and listening to voices. Either Captain Lam or Major Dinh was on the radio. They took turn to fly on helicopters and informed us that there were “many torches in this direction, moving people in that direction”.
At about 3:00am, the western front boiled up. VC fired intensely, but I found that their fires seemed a little bit further, not as close as the previous afternoon. Marines absolutely obeyed orders. They did not fire unless there would be noises in front of them. When I heard gun sounds in the western direction, Thuong and I gave orders to prepare in the east direction. Everybody lay quietly and observed carefully. Each platoon leader moved on the defensive line to control each soldier's position. Artillery started sending illuminating flares up in the sky. Nothing. Everything was quiet. There were only black shadows of bushes moving accordingly to the speed of falling illuminating flares. They looked like shadows of moving people. Whenever I imagined that these shadows were VC crawling towards our defensive line, my flesh crawled. In the middle of the night, I sat there, craving for a cigarette and thought of my family. I felt a hot burning sensation in my eyes.
d. Stirring in the West, attack in the East :
I was lost in reflection when suddenly Duong, my bodyguard nudged me and gave me a pair of binoculars. Thanks to the light of the illuminating flares, I could discern shadows of crawling VC and differentiated them from shadows of standing bushes.
I ordered Tha to blow three times in the radio as predetermined, to inform Company 3 and the Battalion headquarters that the enemy had been appearing. In addition, Tam Nhot (Another RTO) blew in his radio to tell platoons to be ready.
VC did not realise that we had been aiming at them. My flesh no longer crawled.
Now I felt very confident. Inside, I laughed: “VC, damn with your ancestors! You miscalculated in playing the trick “Stir in the West, attack in the East” with the crazy buffalos!”
Thuong and I had correctly thought that they fired aimlessly in the West to disguise their advance in the East. We now felt very excited although we hoped very tensely. Holding the button to detonate a claymore mine, my hand had been profusely sweating. I waited until VC was in the range of the mine to detonate it. Its explosion was also my order to start firing. Other claymore mines followed to explode and all other personal and collective weapons fired simultaneously. Grenades were also thrown.
Under the light of the illuminating flares, I saw them running backwards in the barren heath. A number of black shadows moved and fired back weakly. Cobras gunship which seemed to have been ambushing in the sky, suddenly appeared, fired rockets and machine guns on the barren heath along the North-West direction. The American advisors directed Cobras: safety for friendly forces - destruction to enemy forces.
A strange thing was that there were no more VC anti-aircraft guns. Were all of them destroyed? Or did VC's main forces escape leaving behind only a contingent to play the trick? It was a one-way fighting. We fired at fleshy targets occasionally, until the next morning when Major Dinh ordered to clear the landing zone so that the remaining companies and the Battalion could land.
e. Deaths at the 25th hour :
I did not know yet whether Company 3 had any casualties, my Company was considered as unscathed except the four wounded during the rescue operation.
The happiest moment of a Commander was after the recount of soldiers; he found everybody unscathed. My two RTO, Tha and Tam Nhot and I sat on helmets, reported and received orders. We smoked to recompense the unattainable craving last night and shared the same mug of coffee given to us by Vinh - my orderly.
Suddenly Tam Nhot pointed at a thick bush:
“It looks like a B40 there!” Hearing these words, Tha turned his head, dropped the radio down and ran forward to retrieve it. I didn't have time to warn him. A loud explosion erupted, mud splattered over the place we had been sitting - 10 metres from the bush.
A VC had committed suicide by an explosive. His body and Tha's body were next to each other all torn apart. An order to search the area was issued. A clip of AK47 was fired, next to a bomb crater. This time, it was Van-Tha, (the orderly of Lam Tai Thanh) who was shot. In only five minutes, Tha and Van-Tha were killed.
The VC who had shot Van Tha, dived under the water inside the bomb crater. Some marines threw grenades down that crater. Bui Ngoc Duong pulled his body up, but he was not dead, only fainted by the blast. A while later he regained consciousness. I gave him a cigarette and asked about his unit and his native village.
“I originated from Tru village, Hai Phong city”, he said.
“I was also from Hai Phong, Cuu Vien village”, I told him.
I was shocked when knowing that this NVA was from the same native town as me. Tru village and Cuu Vien village were next to each other and had many relatives. Both were in the same An Lao district, Kien An town, Hai phong city. Why did we meet each other here? From which family was he? He might have the same family name “To” as me. I was pondering whether I would ask about any relation with me when Lam Tai Thanh helped by interfering. I was heart broken by the fact that his orderly Van-Tha just had been shot dead by this NVA, Thanh approached and threw two kicks upon that NVA.
“Why did you kick him?”
It was not I who asked that question, but it was Dr. Nguyen Ngoc Quynh who asked. He first landed with the Battalion Headquarters. The doctor was right to ask such a question, but only at the wrong place in a wrong time. Thanh was angry, he swore at the doctor. I had to calm him down by saying: “Please don't”
When the Battalion accomplished the landing, my mission was considered to be completed.
f. Not finished yet :
When we searched, we found ourselves in front of the defensive line of Platoon 14 of 2nd Lieutenant Huynh Vinh Quang. On the other side of thorny bamboos, there were two big holes, 50m from one another. They had been positions of VC antiaircraft guns.
An order came: “Tonight, we camp night here” Upon receiving it, I was pleased. It was especially good because we could keep the previous night positions with already dug foxholes. I just needed to widen my company defensive line to reach captain Doan and Captain De's Companies' defensive lines. I thought VC would not attack tonight. My orderly gave me a helmet of water for washing, then a bowl of Chinese noodles and a packet of Ruby Queen Cigarettes. I did not have time to light it and soldiers had been looking for water to pour inside their dry cooked rice bags. When an order “of immediate moving” was announced, I became furious.
Major Dinh called all Company Commanders :
“It's 5:00pm now. Everybody has to leave this place immediately. At 5:30pm B52 would bombard this area. Cap and De, you go first, direction X, start now!”
Again, my Company was to spearhead! We must execute such urgent and short order! My Company and De's Company advanced in parallel. Only after nearly a kilometre from our previous positions, we saw a thick forest, and new enemy foxholes, trenches, and also their telephone lines. Platoon 12 was engaging VC!
De's Company also started fighting. The last sun rays of the afternoon were still on the tops of trees, but on the ground it was already dim. In front of us, there were the VC. Above us, B52 were coming! Very damaging, very damaging. Major Dinh was impatient, asking about situations continuously. Platoon 12 of my Company already had some wounded, and one killed whose body had not been able to be recovered. The killed marine was Private 1st class Ho Truong Hong Hai. It was a beautiful name and easy to remember, but he died at such a young age - 19!
All two spearheading Companies were engaged in fighting. How could we advance through forest in darkness? How could we escape the area that going to be bombarded by B52? Certainly Major Dinh had understood that desperate situation and had discussed it with higher authorities. I heard on the radio:
“Company 4! Go back to previous positions!”
I sensed that “good news would come at a desperate moment.”
Although I had not received any order, I radioed 2nd Lieutenant Quan immediately:
“Platoon 12, stay in your position, and wait for a coming order! Try to recover Hai's body. Be very careful to avoid further loss. Chop a branch and use it to hook Hai's body down.”
We finally managed to retrieve Hai's body and at the same time, retreated back to previous positions.
Later, Major Dinh confided :
“When playing poker, if I have an Ace, I'm not anxious. I know 100% that B52 would not drop bombs as long as there still are Americans in the area - I told the Battalion US advisors that: Two spearheading companies have been engaging with the enemy. The terrain is difficult and it is night now. I decided not to move anywhere else. The battalion would continue to fight. If B52 would have to drop bombs, just let them do so!
Then the US advisor radioed back and forth, and finally he informed me that B52 would change targets. That is why I ordered the Companies to return to their previous positions. For the sake of safety, I let Company 4 which had not completely gone out of previous positions, to return and search positions of other Companies”.
Back to our previous positions, I ordered my Company to search them and then set sentry posts. My orderly threw some leaves on to a shallow hollow place. I lay on it. Hungry and exhausted, I fell in a shallow sleep. I had a dream about a man who had asked me to give back his sleeping place. He blew a ghostly breath with the odour of a dead rat onto my face. The next morning I told private 1st class Thang to dig and see if there was anything underneath.
“There was nothing sir! Only a skeleton with already decayed clothing!”
Thang then mumbled: “So another family might have been informed that a husband or son was been missing”.
II. Summary
An excerpt from a written article of Major Ngo Van Dinh:
“Lieutenant General Du Quoc Dong, Commander of Airborne Division and at the same time Commander of this operation visited the 2nd Marine Battalion. After this victory - I directed his helicopter to land right on the place where tens of VC bodies were lying.
That was the enemy loss after they had encountered only a contingent of the 2nd Marine Battalion. Had they engaged the whole battalion, their casualties would have been much higher. It was all thanks to intelligence sources, observations of their defensive positions, namely foxholes, trenches and bunkers, their anti-aircraft guns positions and on their telephone lines, this certainly was VC Regiment 33. Two Marine Companies fought one VC Regiment”.
Major To Van Cap
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