The 2nd Marine Battalion
at the Final Assault to Recover Quang Tri
Captain Tran Van Loan
According to deployment plans of Marine Headquarters, the old citadel was put in Command of 2 Marine Brigades. The northern half was the area of responsibility of Brigade 147 of Colonel Nguyen Nang Bao, which composed of Battalions 7, 8 and 3. The 3rd made most of the fighting force. The southern half was in control of Brigade 258 of Colonel Ngo Van Dinh. This Brigade was consisted of Battalions 1, 2, 5, 6, and 9 and had greater responsibilities, as along with normal operations it also had to clear all NVA block points set up inside Quang Tri city. The 6th Marine Battalion was the main force of this Brigade and was assigned to retaking the old citadel. Battalions 1 and 2 were to reoccupy Quang Tri city, whilst Battalions 5 and 9 served as reserve forces.
After many gun battles with NVA units of North Vietnamese Division 318, the 2nd Battalion returned to Marine Brigade 369 Headquarters of Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen The Luong, which was situated at Van Trinh village, in Thua Thien. After a 5 day break from the fighting, the 2nd Battalion received orders to move by GMC on 8.9.1972 to reinforce Brigade 258. The 2nd was to replace Group A of the 5th Battalion at Truong Ke Kiln located at Long Hung T junction (intersection of National Route 1 and Le Huan street to the old citadel of Quang Tri) Group B of the 5th Battalion of Major Tran Ve stayed at 2nd Battalion Headquarters of Major Tran Van Hop. Meanwhile, Battalion 1 of Major Nguyen Dang Hoa, which had previously replaced the 2nd Battalion at Trieu Phong, was exchanging positions with a Ranger group. It would then return to permute with the 9th Battalion at Doi Duong, in Quang Tri province. The 9th Battalion had occupied the Military and Civilian Hospital, the engineering administration building and Bo De high school along Tran Hung Dao Avenue.
* 9.9.1972
Early in the morning, Company 2 of Captain Tu Duc Tho was sent to enter Thach Han village which was surrounded by thick groves of bamboo and located next to Quang Tri city. As soon as its first two Platoons crossed Ho Dac Hanh street, they met violent resistance from the enemy, who were firing machine guns and 12.8mm antiaircraft artillery. Enemy 82mm recoilless rifles and 130mm artillery from Cam Lo and Dong Ha caused the attacking prong of the executive officer of the Company of 1st Lieutenant Tran Dinh Cong to halt. Despite the heavy gunfire, the Company held obstinately to that position. Night soon fell, and the enemy was beginning to think that he was taking the active role, due to the quiet Marine response. As soon as darkness fell, the Marine Divine Arrow batteries let lose a barrage of 105mm Howitzer time fused rounds. Simultaneously claymore mines fixed onto bamboo trunks detonated. Enemy bunkers under the bamboo hedges were revealed as the fire power cleared the bamboo. There were excited shouts as the Marines took the stunned enemy by surprise.
"Charge! Charge!"
Fighters from Company 2 sprang from cover and raced to the enemy bunkers. M67 hand grenades M67 and M72 rockets, and 66mm rounds exploded shattering the ground. The village was recaptured. Several NVA were killed or wounded, with the remainder fleeing to other communist positions within Quang Tri city. The recapture took place at 2.00am of 10.9.1972. From that moment, the 2nd Marine Battalion headquarters at Long Hung T-junction would no longer be within NVA sniper range. I recalled the day when the 2nd Battalion had arrived at Long Hung T-junction on the 8.9.1972, when there was a re-supply of food and ammunition and añitional men from Saigon. Among the new comers, was a young medic, aged 17, whose name I forgot to ask. I allowed him to place his hammock next to mine, under a two storey house which had belonged to the owners of the kiln. This was so he could tell me about Saigon. We were talking light heartedly about the capital for around 15 minutes, when the young medic stopped talking. I thought that after a long and arduous journey he was exhausted and fell asleep during the conversation, so I stopped to let him rest. Moments later there was a loud shout from Dr Hong's medical platoon, as they warned that a sniper's bullet had passed my hammock and hit the medic. The bullet passed straight through the young medic's heart, killing him instantly. I suñenly noticed the drops of ruby red dripping through his hammock. I could only attribute such a terrible occurrence as an act of fate. Ever since the 27.7.1972 the area surrounding Quang Tri was a shooting range for NVA snipers, this stopped with the South Vietnamese counter-offensive that retook Quang Tri and cleared the area of all NVA.
Yet that night was not without further incident. The Marines on the ground also received help from a formation of US fighter jets. Lieutenant Gordon W. Keiser, senior advisor to Brigade 258 and the head of a 20 member advisory team, informed Brigade G3 Chief Major Huynh Van Luom, that’s flight of F4.C had been flying above Quang Trò The fighters had asked him whether the VNMC wanted any targets to be attacked, or else they would dump their remaining bombs into the sea before returning to their aircraft carrier. After being reported about the free air strike, Colonel Ngo Van Dinh, the Brigade 258 commandeer, made a quick and bold move. He could not afford to waste time by asking permission from Marine Division Headquarters for fear of loosing such an opportunity. Colonel Dinh therefore called for an immediate at the south eastern corner of the old citadel (found at the T-junction formed by Le Thai To and Duy Tan streets, opposite the Information Institution of Quang Tri City). The Colonel insisted that the air strikes had to be very accurate because friendly troops were very close in the vicinity. He made it clear that if it was impossible to hit the target accurately, it would be better to not continue the strike as it would risk the lives of his Marines. The 8 bombs from the 2 F4.C were dropped with great accuracy, as they were laser guided Smart Bombs. They destroyed the whole 5m thickness of the Old Citadel wall and so created a favourable opening for Captain Nguyen Phuc Dinh's 3rd Company of the 6th Marine Battalion to advance and attack.
* 10.9.1972
Early on the morning of 10.9.1972, Company 2 of Captain Tu Duc Tho supported by a M48 Tank Company of Battalion 2, Regiment 20, continued to advance along Quang Trung Street to pursue NVA. The enemy clung to the ruins of destroyed houses and fought back. After a day of resistance, they fled leaving a number of dead, firearms and various types of equipment. Company 2 then took control of all targets on either side of Quang Trung street, namely Phuoc Mon Girls High School, Thach Han Cathedral and Thanh Tam High School. Despite the expulsion of the NVA infantry and capture of some equipment, no NVA tanks were able to be captured, as the enemy were unable to deploy and use their tanks.
This was not the case at Dien Mon village, Huong Dien, Thua Thien months before during June 1972, when the NVA were able to deploy tanks to support their infantry. This resulted in fierce battles between Marine Brigade 147 and NVA infantry and tanks. The 2nd Marine Battalion was airlifted from a protestant church in Phong Dien to reinforce Brigade 147 at Huong Dien. While protecting road 555 between the villages, a platoon from Company 2 by chance captured a new NVA PT.76 amphibious tank. It was concealed in large thickets along the road and hence rendered invisible from it. It was filled with varied equipment, weapons, ammunition and food, mainly cans of shrimp paste. It was utterly by chance. A Marine was forced into the thickets by a pressing call of nature, and whilst añressing it found the unguarded tank with its stores of supplies. The amphibious PT.76 tank was subsequently captured and then exhibited by the I Corps Headquarters in Hue and was even visited by the President of the Republic of South Vietnam.
However the glory gained from the capture of an enemy tank was not in stall for the troops on 10.9.1972. Their position secured on Quang Trung Street, the 2nd Marine Battalion also sent a pronged attacked on the right flank close to the citadel to ensure security. This attack was in command of Captain Le Quang Lien, Commander of Company 4. Most of the 2nd Marine Battalion Commanders had originally been Company 4 commanders, for example Colonel Ngo Van Dinh, Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Xuan Phuc, and presently Major Tran Van Hop. The companyùs reputation had also grown in its ability to accomplish its operations extraordinarily, with an adept ability to advance with lightning speed, such as securing a 30km segment of inter-village road 555 in just 48 hours and then reinforcing 1st Marine Battalion with operations. Other military feats had contributed to the companyùs repute. Two months earlier on 13.7.1972, strongly supported by APC Battalion 3/18 of Captain Minh, the 4th Company destroyed and captured around 10 enemy tanks of different makes at Thanh Le village. This victory earned the 2nd Marine Battalion the title of "Best unit in I CORPS in destructing enemy tanks" from the President of the Republic of South Vietnam. 2nd Lieutenant Nguyen Huu Hao the executive officer of Company 4 was awarded a "Special Achievement Medal" by the President at a ceremony organised in the Independence Palace. He was also granted a holiday to Taiwan, another outpost against communism.
Now the 4th Company, supported by M48 tanks of the 2/20 Tank Battalion of Captain Le Ba Nam, was engaged at the intersections of Le Huan, Quang Trung, Ho Dac Hanh, Duy Tan streets. The company rapidly passed by Nguyen Hoang bus terminal to occupy targets situated along Phan Thanh Gian and Le Thai To, close to the wall of the old citadel, before encountering strong resistance. All kinds of NVA weaponry from the blocking point outside and from positions on the wall aimed and fired the 4th Company, of the Crazy Buffalos. The battle inside this part of Quang Tri city was difficult, considering the surroundings were a barren waste of destroyed houses. Luckily there was support fire from M48 tanks, whose artillery pounded NVA positions so that they were unable to pop up from hiding places and return fire. This created favourable conditions for Company 4 to spring forward and throw hand grenades in NVA bunkers and trenches. They ran out, scattering chaotically like a panicked nest of rats. A number were wounded and killed. We captured many weapons of all kinds. In the evening of 10.9.1972 Captain Le Quang Lien reported to 2nd Marine Battalion Headquarters that Company 4 had completely resecured the Dai Chung cinema area, which was adjacent to the rear gate of the old citadel on Le Thai to Street.
* 11.9.1972
On the 3rd day of the final assault, the morale of 1st ad 2nd Marine Battalions continued to increase. Advancing in rows along Tran Hung Dao Street was the 2nd Battalion, Group B of the 1st Battalion Commanded by Captain Nguyen Cao Nghiem and composing of Company 1 of Captain Bui Bon and Company 3 of 1st Lieutenant Vang Huy Lieu. They were able to clear difficult positions such as the Riot Police station, the Electricity Station, the local girl's primary school and finally the Luong Giang and Sang Tao bookshops, all of which were held strongly by NVA units. The most difficult to recapture was Quang Tri National Police Station.
That morning on the 11.9.1972 the 2nd Battalion's group B commanded by Captain Pham Van Tien and Company 2 reached the 1st Battalion's Group B at the intersection of Tran Hung Dao and Quang Trung streets. The 2 commanders who had been military class mates, shook hands and had a laugh, as they has previously done during their rotation of positions at Nai Cuu hamlet, Bich La Nam on the Vinh Dinh river, Trieu Phong district in the morning of 15.7.1972. The 2nd Marine Battalion then ordered Company 5 of 1st Lieutenant Huynh Van Tron to replace Company 2 at the intersection of Tran Hung Dao and Quang Trung streets, so that they could continue the attack on the city centre. 1st Lieutenant Tron, after having replaced Company 2 quickly sent his men to raid Quang Tri market area to flush out the enemy. The market was very hard to retake. Located in the centre if the city, it occupied a large rectangular area bordered by rows of storied shops and buildings laying along Tran Hung Dao, Quang Trung, Gia Long and Phan Boi Chau Streets. Although the area had recently taken heavy shelling from both Northern and Southern forces, the buildings although significantly damaged remained standing, still served as perfect defensive positions for the enemy, especially their professional snipers.
After barrages of 105mm artillery from Howitzers, Marines advanced forward on the road leading to the market gate, to try and occupy Quang Tri pharmacy and Van Hoa book shop, which would serve as springboards for further Marine attacks. However, the advance was stopped by violent NVA machine gun and B40 rocket fire from the shop fronts and by enemy 130mm Artillery firing from positions to the north. Under the suñen fierce attack, Company 5 lost several men.
Captain Tien then ordered M48 tanks to enter the battle. Adjusting their turrets, they aimed the 90mm turrets at the top floor windows and fired, whilst their 50 calibre machine guns gave covering fire. Marines quickly destroyed the NVA road blocks along Quang Trung and Tran Hung Dao Streets. The communist being ousted from their positions made a break for it, and fled, leaving their dead and wounded. A great many weapons were captured, such as AK47 assault rifles with red butts, which were unlike the common AK47, did not have the wooden butts. It was the first time that the VNA had used these AK's in Quang Tri, hence it was also the first time we had captured such weaponry. We were able to identify the NVA unit in this area, as Regiment 995 of Division 325A, which had recently arrived to reinforce other communist forces. Following Captain Tien's orders, 1st Lieutenant Tron was to quickly solidify the captured positions by setting up mines in surrounding areas to prepare for the next dayùs assaults. Throughout the night of 11.9.1972, NVA sent powerful units across the Thach Han River to recapture lost territory in Quang Tri City.
In añition to capturing more territory from the North Vietnamese, the 2nd Marine Battalion had also cut NVA logistics line (id route 560 from Cua Viet port, through to Trieu Phong district to the old citadel) The routes of resupply were all interrupted, causing the enemy much trouble, hence they had to be changed. The Red China supply ship, the Hong Ky continued to unload logistics at Cua Viet, but the NVA could no longer use convoys to transport as all their land routes were cut. Instead, small boats were deployed with supplies and sent to Dong Haï From there Molotova trucks transported them along National Route 1 southwards, for 12km and then unloaded them to NVA in the area enclosed by Nhan Bieu village and Co Thanh village on the other bank of the Thach Han River in Quang Tri City. At night, small groups of NVA carried these supplies on their backs and forded the Thach Han River. The Marine assaults were effective not only by capturing territory, but by also disrupting vital enemy supply routes, forcing them to waste their logistical capabilities on transportation.
* 12.9.1972
Early that morning, after heavy barrages from NVA 130mm, 122mm artillery and 107mm rockets to the north, NVA infantry charged the defensive lines of Company 5, and attempted to dislodge the Marines from the Quang Tri market. They attacked furiously and managed to occupy some positions in Quang Trung Street, but were unable to advance further.
With strong support from M48 tanks, 90mm guns, 50 calibre machine guns, 106mm recoilless rifles from M113 APC vehicles, and flamethrowers, the Marines rapidly repelled the enemy and reoccupied lost positions. Salvos of Tank Artillery and especially machine gun fire fell on NVA blocking positions situated along both sides of Gia Long and Phan Boi Chau streets. Stones, bricks, house fragments and dust were flying everywhere as the intense Marine firepower wreaked havoc on NVA positions. The enemy under such heavy fire were unable to pop up from the foxholes and defences, and were forced to simply raise their weapons over the trenches and return fire in a general direction without aiming at all. They also tried to destroy our tanks with their B40 and B41 rockets, but being disconcerted from the deadly fire around them, they were unable to aim, and the rockets flew very high above their targets. The relieving NVA forces who had thought they could reinforce and resupply trapped Communist forces in Quang Tri, were themselves surrounded and besieged by a relentless Marine attack. With the relieving enemy force surrounded and left to fight for their lives, this gave Company 5 the opportunity to annihilate larger NVA targets bunkered in Quang Tri City around the newly captured market. By late afternoon, Company 5 had taken control of the centre of the city. The Company then began to consolidate its positions, and also conducted searches to find any residual enemy forces. The area was clear, with the enemy fleeing before the superior fire power of the Marine and Tank units. They left behind numerous dead and wounded, several were also captured alive (most being teenagers) Communist weaponry was also gathered. Even by midnight the gathering was still not completed.
* 13.9.1972
Early in the morning Company 4 made contact with Company 1 of Captain Nguyen Van Loan of the 6th Marine Battalion, who was on the right flank near the western wall of the old citadel. Captain Lien then ordered Company 4 to assault enemy blocking points along both sides of Phan Thanh Gian and Ly Thai To Streets, in the direction of the city centre. Under the fierce Marine attacks, the enemy had changed tactics and were now using their professional snipers to cause as many casualties as possible and reduce our units. Captain Le Quang Lien and Captain Nguyen Van Loan had nearly lost their lives to snipers whilst discussing and planning a new offensive. Later, one of the snipers revealed his position and killed. We seized his notebook containing vivid details, such as the speed of the wind, position of victims before and after being shot. The number of victims numbered 21, before he himself died by the sword. M48 tanks and M113 APC's were helping Company 4 to occupy target areas. Stubborn NVA units who were putting up a fight were soon rendered dead in their trenches and bunkers, by M67 hand grenades and M79 grenade launcher (The NVA most feared the M79 grenade launcher. The enemy called these "HanñHeld Mortars") Many NVA refusing to surrender tried to flee, but these were shot immediately. We again seized a large number of weapons and equipment, and also dry rations which the enemy soldiers had thrown to lighten their load as they retreated. Ten M113 APC's and one large truck were unable to transport all the captured supplies back to 2nd Marine Battalion Headquarters. Yet this was not the only time the mechanised units had helped us. It is also worth mentioning all the times, the M48 tank and M113 APC squadrons supported our Marine units in fighting and med evacuating the wounded during the retaking of Quang Tri City.
By the night of the 13th, Marine Battalions 1, 2 and 8 had recaptured 4/5 of the city of Quang Tri, and were preparing to encircle the remaining NVA stronghold holding out in the old citadel. Meanwhile the 6th and 3rd Marine Battalions of Lieutenant Colonel Do Huu Tung and of Major Nguyen Van Canh, had been ready at the foot of the south west and north east walls respectively. The encirclement of the old citadel was complete, and the entrapped NVA were now praying for their lives.
Yet despite the successes and speed of the recapture of Quang Tri, in distant government offices high above, there were defeatist and pessimistic strains of thought circulating. One such defeatist was US Secretary of Defence Melvin Laird.
"South Vietnam should better concentrate their forces to protect areas still in their hands, and should denounce all intentions of recovering Quang Tri City and its old citadel to avoid losses"
The Secretary of Defence was however refuted by a hawk of US Republican party Mr Harriman, who was the Under-Secretary of State Department, and at the same time chief of the US delegation at La Celle Saint Cloud peace talks in Paris.
"If the old citadel and Quang Tri City are to be put on the table of the peace talks, we (South Vietnam) would certainly want it to be in our hands."
This simple show of support further strengthened the words of the President of the Republic of South Vietnam on 19.6.1972, who urged the Army to recapture the sovereign land of South Vietnam. These words by Under-Secretary Harriman and the President made Lieutenant General Ngo Quang Truong, the I Corps Commander and Brigadier General Bui The Lan Commander of Marine Division, even more determined to recover it from the communist war machine.
* 4.9.1972
At exactly 5.00 am in the morning, the enemy began heavy shelling with 130mm, 120mm and 105mm Artillery. 122mm and 107mm rockets were also fired from Cam Lo and Dong Ha onto all Company 5 positions around Quang Tri market and on Company 4 defensive lines at the intersection of Phan Boi Chau and Phan Dinh Phung Streets. Company 4 reported that the Company Headquarters was hit by a 130mm round, but fortunately Captain Le Quang Lien and his two radio men had suffered only tightness in the chest with dyspnea and minor scratches. Ironically what saved their lives was the solid A-shaped bunker left behind by NVA units.
After the artillery and rockets, came fire from 82mm and 61mm mortars from the Town Hall, from inside the old citadel and from the other side of the Thach Han River. The 2nd Marine Battalion knew that the enemy would then apply their favoured tactic, "Shelling first, then Charge!"
As expected, NVA simultaneously charged forward with AK's and B40's. Waiting until they got closer, Marines of Company 4 suñenly detonated Claymore mines, and drove them back. The Marines sprang forward and reoccupied some more blocks before having to stop due to the covering enemy machine guns. Captain Lien and his FO radioed fire adjustments to artillery batteries, and ordered 105mm shells with time fuses to destroy the enemyùs solid A and T-shaped bunkers. The delayed fuses meant that the shell would pierce the wall of the bunker and then explode, thus killing all inside it. The 90mm artillery and 50 Calibre Machine guns on M48 tanks fired simultaneously, covering the Marines whilst both advanced. Together the tanks and Marines were able to destroy target areas and occupy new positions. At 17:00 pm, Company 4 mastered the situation and occupied targets along and close to Tran Hung Dao and Phan Dinh Phung Streets; these targets included the Court House, the USOM of USA, and a position facing the Town Hall.
Forming rows with Company 4, Company 5 departed Quang Tri Market at the Phan Boi Chau defensive line to occupy targets along Tran Hung Dao up to Gia Long Street and up to the Thach Han River. The right flank was protected by Company 4, but the left was exposed and bare. Quang Tri Province was entering the Monsoon Season with its heavy downpours and storms. Thus the Thach Han River periodically rose and fell, flooding the streets. This made me remember the years of my childhood here in Quang Trò. I sometimes followed other children to see "cat ro" at the deep moat next to my house, which lay in front of the gate of Dinh Cong Trang citadel. I attended from Year 10 to Year 12 in 1965 - 1967 with a friend named Le Ba Nam. Nam and a number of friends left school to voluntarily enter Class 20 of Thu Duc Military School. I later moved to Saigon and attended Dalat Military Academy. Seven years had passed, and unexpectedly I met my old friend Captain Le Ba Nam, who was now the Commander of M48 Tank Battalion 2/20. The Quang Tri sky was covered with the usual melancholy clouds of the wet season, but it remained dry and still. The conditions were now favourable for our attack; however it was also favourable for the enemy to escape.
FO worked hard. The 3rd MarineArtillery Battalions fired TOT in support of a Company 5 advance and destroyed a enemy weapon's dump on the other side of the Thach Han River. Shelling fell abundantly on enemy positions like never before. This was due to a recently delivered supply of Artillery rounds, which were continually re-supplied to the batteries by trucks, helicopters and Navy Boats, day and night to meet he demand, at My Thuy beach in Hai Lang District in Quang Tri Province. Mountains of 105mm Howitzer rounds were placed along National Route 1 for Marine Batteries to use, which was also convenient as it allowed the Marines to load their trucks without any slow and tiring paper work. The fighting was so fierce on the front that the Marines simply needed the weaponry quickly and efficiently to recover the old citadel and Quang Tri as soon possible, before the next peace summit in Paris.
In the afternoon of 14.9.1972, Company 5 occupied several targets, namely the Post Office, Youth Centre, Treasury House, and the approach to the residence of the Quang Tri Mayor. Several enemy weapons were captured. Remaining NVA withdrew and fortified the Mayor's residence and the Quang Tri Town Hall.
* 15.9.1972
The night of the 14th, there was an urgent briefing at the 2nd Marine Battalion headquarters positioned at Long Hung T-junction. Major Tran Van Hop decided to give Company 4 the responsibility to attack and recover the last 3 targets, numbered 27, 28 and 29, which were circled in red on the 1/12.500 map of the old citadel and Quang Tri City. They were Quang Tri Mayor's Residence, Quang Tri Town Hall and the Primary Education Building. In añition to Marine Artillery, Company 4 was reinforced with two M48 Tanks, 2 M113 APC's armed with very strong flamethrowers. Company 5 in the rear served as a reserve and was called into action when the need came.
To prepare for the rapid attack of Company 4 early in the morning of the 15th, Marine Artillery pounded all previewed coordinates with harassment and interdiction fire throughout the night along both sides of the Thach Han river, around the Mayor's Residence and around the Town Hall, especially at the corner of Tran Hung Dao and Trinh Minh The Streets. Trinh Minh The Street was an arterial street leading from Dinh Cong Trang Old Citadel gate to Gia Long street at the river bank. The aim was to impede all NVA reinforcements' movements, and further intimidate and demoralise the trapped NVA in their increasingly tenuous positions. At exactly 6:00 am 15.9.1972, 2nd Lieutenant Nguyen Huu Hao nicknamed "The 72 year old man", who was the executive officer of Company 4, suñenly ordered two Platoons from two different directions to cross the departure line at Tran Hung Dao street, with tank support, to attack the Mayor's residence. NVA resisted by firing AK 47 and B40, mainly aiming at our tanks. The trapped communists, with their reduced morale, were unable to aim or fire properly, with all their rockets flying too high above the tanks. Even their AK fire was inaccurate with the gunners firing recklessly. Under covering of 50 calibre machine gun fire, which battered enemy defensive positions, the Marines charged and fired continuously and quickly overran the target. Demoralised and battered NVA attempted to flee to the Town Hall hoping to escape the fierce Marine assault and fight another day. But they were too late. During the fighting at the Mayor's residence, some Marines had dispersed to clear all the blocking points set up by the Communists in the surrounding areas, and had even taken and occupied the Town Hall.
With no escape, NVA were running chaotically in all directions, like angry bees from broken hive. Company 4 took opportunity of the chaos to occupy the last target, target 29, which was the Primary Education Building. This building, opposite the Town Hall on Trinh Minh The Street, had been the command post of NVA Regiment 48 of Dien Bien Steel Division 320B. In their flight from the buildings, they had left behind radios. We were able to hear their reports in frightened voices and then obscenities and insults from their superior officers all mixed together chaotically. Afterwards, Company 4 had made contact with Company 2 of the 8th Marine Battalion in Brigade 147, and began fighting from the north of the Quang Tri boys primary school, sweeping away remaining NVA elements. By 9:30 am on the 15.9.1972, the fighting had temporarily ended, and the Marines had completely mastered the situation in Quang Tri City. In the aftermath, we began to search and clear the battlefield. We seized more than 500 personal firearms and collective weapons of all kinds, mainly AK47 assault rifles, B40 and B41 rockets, and finally 61mm and 82mm rounds stored in large bunkers. About 100 NVA were killed, 18 were captured. At the Command Post of NVA regiment 48 positioned inside the Primary Education Building, we captured various types of equipment.
* A centre of communications, consisting of 30 Chinese 701, yellow radios functioning at low a frequency under 45.00
* 50 boxes of dried rations for the NVA lower ranks
* 10 boxes of "702" dried rations for NVA Commanders
* A store of medicines which the NVA had stolen from Quang Tri military and civilian hospitals when the city had fallen into their hands in May 1972.
* Bicycles were also seized.
Through information gathered from the NVA prisoners and civilians, we knew that NVA morale was very low. In fact, we found out that the NVA Commanders had cheated their own troops and forced them to stay and defend the old citadel, whilst the Command escaped across the Thach Han River during the night on 14.9.1972. So when the Marines attacked the old citadel, the NVA trapped inside without any senior commanders to direct a proper defence, fought like a headless snake, under the assault by Company 3 of 6th Battalion commanded by Captain Nguyen Phuc Dinh, and by two Companies of the 3rd Marine Battalion, namely Company 3 of Captain Nguyen Van Thach and Company 2 under Captain Giang Van Nhan. After a night of violent fighting, at 6:00am of 15.9.1972, 1st Lieutenant Van Tan Thach's platoon succeeded in occupying the north east side, and Company 3 of the 6th Battalion managed to capture the south-west side of the old citadel. By late morning of the 16.9.1972, the yellow flag with the three red stripes of the National Flag of South Vietnam was flying high over the old citadel. The last NVA stronghold in the city had fallen, and they were finally defeated at Quang Trò After receiving the news of the victory, Colonel Ngo Van Dinh the commander of Brigade 258, Brigadier General Bui The Lan reported it to I Corps Headquarters, and to ARVN JGS, and to the Military Special Staff of the Presidential Palace. Marine Division had accomplished the mission of the recapture of Quang Tri four days before the deadline. It was the pride and joy of the whole Republic of South Vietnam.
* 16.9.1972
At noon, the National Flag and the Marine Corps Flag were flying high above the old citadel. The presence of these two flags told the world that the Republic of South Vietnam and its armies had smashed all malicious intentions of the communist north, supported by the USSR, Red China and the other allied communist republics across the world. Against all oñs and superior communist weaponry, the armies of South Vietnam had recovered lost territory, putting the North Vietnamese to route.
After receiving the news that ARVN and Marines has recovered the old citadel and Quang Tri ahead of the deadline, the President of South Vietnam sent a telegram to the general chief of JGS. He expressed his immense pride and admiration of the armed forces, as well as passing on the congratulations from the Government Officials gathered in the Independence Palace in the morning of 16.9.1972. The President also promised that he would come to visit the Marines. Lieutenant General Ngo Quang Truong, I Corps and MRI Commander, also sent a telegram to express his admiration and immense honour of being able to Command the Marine Division in this campaign. Quang Tri was a victory, common to all units of ARVN. South Vietnam owed this victory not only to the armed forces, but also to the US for its active military support. Quang Tri was free again.
Captain Tran Van Loan
No comments:
Post a Comment