The 8th Marine Battalion
"Sea Eagles"
Colonel Pham Van Chung
Master Sergeant Tchen A Sieu, Staff Sergeant Nguyen Van Thanh, and I were all three squashed into a cesna with only two seats. It was the first time that we had been transported by a small civilian aircraft. To make the situation that little bit more uncomfortable, we had our firearms and other equipment with us as well. We had just left Tan Son Nhut Airport, bound for Pochengton Airport in Phnom Penh, Cambodia. We were not at all used to the lightness of the small aircraft, and once airbourne, we had the impression that we were not actually sitting on anything - rather, that we were for some reason merely floating up there with the clouds.
In our military experience, whenever we had to be transported, we usually sat on the floor of helicopters, C47, C123, or C130 aircrafts. The noise level of all three was terribly high. We had grown accustomed to the seemingly chaotic environment of military airfields: the drone of helicopters, the thundering jet aircraft engines, the loud sounds of troops boarding or alighting, the sight of wounded soldiers carried away in litters, and often all of the above was to the accompanying sound of shelling - sometimes near, sometimes not. It was a quintessential atmosphere of war. Being in the National Reserve unit wherever we were transported, we were sure to be greeted by the sight of smoke and fire upon arrival at the new destination.
On this particular instance, I had been told to go and replace Lieutenant Colonel Ngo Van Dinh's position with the 369th Marine Brigade. He himself was to go and attend a senior course on “Command and Staff”.
The date was December 1970, and it was the end of the wet season.At Pochengton Airfield, large puddles dotted the runway. It was not as noisy as Tan Son Nhut. It also seemed poorer. I had never been here before. Looking around I remarked the barbed wire fence, the sand bags, the mounds of earth, and the soldiers running to and fro... Looking at the scene I felt sad. Why must such beautiful, green, fertile countries, like Cambodia and my own, have their peace shattered? Why must they endure the destruction, the suffering?
Before the cesna landed we caught sight of a helicopter hovering nearby. Disembarking the aircraft all three of us streched and moved our aching shoulders backwards and forwards to remove the “pins and needles” - we had been wedged into that tiny space for such a long time. Captain Doan Trung Uong, G3 officer of the Brigade approached to welcome us. He saluted me and said, “Lieutenant Colonel Dinh sent this helicopter to take you to Neak Luong.” Captain Doan and I had not seen each other in a long time. We were happy to catch up with each other. We jumped on to the floor of the helicopter and was airlifted to the 369th Brigade Headquarters, which were some 45km away in the south east.
I hoped that Lieutenant Colonel Dinh and I would have one or two days together before going our separate ways to assume our respective responsabilites. Dinh and I had been in the same 4th Supplementary Class, Reserve Officer, in Dalat in 1954. Our friendship had developed even further when we both entered the Marine Corps. As I was his senior by a few years, he had the habit of calling me “Elder brother”. Although he had transferred the Brigade to me, there had not really been a formal transfer of power as such. Upon seeing me, he said, “The Brigade Chief of Staff - Major Doan Thuc, will brief you about the situation. My body guards and I have to board this helicopter immediately if we are going to reach that cesna in time to fly back to Saigon.” He tendered his hand to me. “Elder brother... Good luck with your stay here.” And with that he was gone.
Some months ago, the 369th Marine Brigade had performed an incursion into Cambodia led by the Commander of IV Corps, Lieutenant General Ngo Quang Truong. For the moment, it seemeed that the tactical area of responsability of the Brigade was relatively safe. The Brigade Staff and the 1st Marine Artillery Battalion - commanded by Major Doan Trong Cao, were stationed at Neak Luong. The other three Marine Battalions were positioned at a distance of 5,6 km apart. Major Vo Tri Hue commanded the 5th Battalion, the 8th Marine Battalion came under the control of Major Nguyen Van Phan, and Major Nguyen Kim De was the commander of the 9th Battalion.
The Brigade had a number of tasks. The first was to search and destroy the enemy in TAOR. It was also required to protect the waterway - the Mekong River, so that boats could pass through and keep the citizens of Phnom Penh in food and other consumer products. This was necessary since Cambodia's main harbour in the south west was out of use due to the enemy's wreaking havoc there. The Brigade was to stop the enemy from planting mines, and ambushing or shelling the supply boats which were scheduled to travel down the Mekong River every 20 to 30 days.
Usually a few days before the fleet of boats was scheduled to pass, marines would be sent on operations on both banks of the river, for a distance of about 3km. Then they would occupy important tactical posts. Using that method, were were able to control an entire stretch, beginning 25 km west of Chau Doc, Vietnam, and ending at a distance of 10km from Phnom Penh. The segment closest to Phnom Penh was relatively safe, and could be protected by the Army of the Republic of Cambodia. On the days when the fleet of boats was due to pass, the Brigade would recall a Marine Battalion from the operation area back closer to the area near the 369th Brigade Headquarters. A helicopter squadron sent from Can Tho in Vietnam was also there, just in case the boats met with difficulties.
At 10.45am, on a day towards the end of January in 1971, the supply boats were ambushed at the point between the 369th Brigade TAOR and the 2nd Cambodian Brigade TAOR. The Marine Brigade had sent a signal team to accompany the fleet commander, and they had sent word back to us immediately upon being ambushed. The G3 Officer of the Brigade - Captain Doan Trung Uong, myself, and a Corporal signalman, boarded a helicopter. It was piloted by the commander of the Helicopter Squadron, a Captain in the Airforce. I had also ordered the 8th Battalion to board helicopters as well.
Upon reaching the area where the ambush occured, the command helicopter flew lower so we could assess the situation. The enemy was lying along the south east bank of the river, the same side as Neak Luong. They were firing heavily on the fleet. Looking down, I saw the water in the river splashing up angrily each time a bullet missed its mark. They were armed with 12.7mm, grenade launchers, 60mm and 82mm mortars, and both 57 and 75mm recoiless rifles. A boat scored a hit which caused smoke to coil up, but it continued to sail along with the rest of the fleet. It was lucky that none of the boats had exploded on the spot from the mines, or even worse been so severely hit that they stopped and became a blockage in the river.
The two gunships which had followed us from Neak Luong were ordered to intervene. Diving down, they discharged their machine guns and rockets into the river bank. Enemy antiaircraft guns fired back up at us. We flew around them, and to the back of the enemy, we spotted two big pieces of land, situated at about 300m behind the enemy. We decided to land the marines down there. I made radio contact with Major Phan who was flying with his Company, also in this first wave of helicopters. I ordered gunships to clear the landing area. Landing zones usually had to be cleared by an elaborate concoction of fire, ranging from artillery, to air fire power, to gunship rockets. But right now there was no time for such thorough preparation of the zone. None of us wanted to give the enemy time to get away. No sooner had the two gunships launched their rockets, the marines of the 8th Battalion were put down to land.
The 8th Battalion had already been divided in half: the Alpha Command Group was composed of the Battalion Staff and two Companies; the Battalion executive officer - Major Tran Ba, commanded two other Companies in Bravo Command Group. The first wave of the airlift had only just been completed when the second wave appeared in the sky. The latter were dropped off on the other landing zone, a little further north, but still behind the enemy. As the hour drew to a close, both command groups had completed their landing.
The enemy K17 Battalion, backed up with heavy guns, was trying to make a name for themselves on the world stage: they were trying to sink all the international supply boats. But the 8th Battalion destroyed their dreams and the battle unfurled as follows...
Major Phan and I had previously agreed that we were to attack with a blitzkrieg to prevent the enemy from having the time to get away. Now in the command helicopter, we ceased direct communications with Phan, so he could issue orders to his units. Although we did not have anymore direct speech with him, we were able to follow his communications. His voice came over loudly in the hand set:
“Fuck! Spread out!” we heard him yell to his troops. “Go forwards. Head straight for the river bank! Leave the wounded there for now. Just go!”
In the command helicopter I looked down and saw that Phan and his Battalion staff had linked up with other “Sea Eagles”, and in a phalanx they were now charging at the enemy. The NVA, seeing that they were being attacked from the rear, let go of their grip on the boats, turning instead to discharge their fire at the advancing Alpha and Bravo Command Groups. The marines advanced, spurred on by the knowledge that their only chances of survival lay in dashing forwards as fast as possible - no one wanted to linger in the open and completely uncovered terrain.
Flying overhead and listening to Phan issue orders to his men, panting as he charged, we were witness to his prowess at leading. He displayed all the characteristics of a hungry tiger, only he was hungry for the defeat of the opposition. Phan had been a Thu Duc Reserve Officer. He was also the son-in-law of the millionaire who had run in the presidency campaign against President Ngo Dinh Diem. When he fought against the communists he displayed a tiger-like ferocity, but back at base camp he was the most friendly and cheerful of men. He had many friends in the top social circles of Saigon, but he never had anything snobby about him. Phan was a hot tempered chap, frank and bold, and he had more than once dealt the enemy deadly blows. What very few people knew about Phan, was that he had been blessed with one of the most beautiful singing voices. It was desperately melancholy... and had far more beauty to it than the contemporary female singer in Vietnam who had built her career on having a similar sad element to her voice. He sang rarely, only on depressingly cold and foggy nights, when the lights had been dimmed in the hallway - and then, only if he had consumed a few glasses of cognac and polished off at least half a packet of cigarettes.
Phan was right up there with our best Battalion Commanders, among them: Pham Nha, Nguyen Xuan Phuc (also known as Fire Robert), Do Huu Tung, Le Ba Binh, Pham Cang, Nguyen Dang Tong, Nguyen Dang Hoa, Nguyen Van Canh...
The fighting on the Bravo Command Group's front was no less fierce. They too were on open terrain. The group was commanded by Tran Ba, a native of Hue. We followed their progress on the hand set, and heard Tran Ba yelling to his men.
“Charge!” his voice thundered. “Rush forwards. Run, damn it!”
Tran Ba had been in the Army Junior School; upon graduation he became a Special Officer. He was a tall guy, and we all had to admit, also very goodlooking. Even when he was still a platoon leader, a Company Commander, we recognised that he had all the necessary qualities to be an excellent Battalion Commander in the Marine Corps. It was a great tragedy when he was later killed in action, serving as the executive officer of the 5th Battalion in 1972.
Marine Artillery had been positioned at Neak Luong, 10km away. It was nearly out of the range of the 105mm Howitzers. I ordered Major Doan Trong Cao, Commander of the 1st Marine Artillery Battalion, to ferry an Artillery Company to the west bank of the Mekong river. From there they were to move closer to the battle ground. The Company's fire support proved to be very effective. Their efforts were truly admirable considering that they did not have the protection of any Rifle Company. Throughout the night, the Artillery Company was successful in defending itself as well as providing the other fighting forces with immeasurable support.
The unexpected appearance of this Company terrified the enemy, who consequently found themselves trapped. Their defensive line was broken after three hours of fierce fighting; the enemy themselves were either killed or captured. The ones who remained scattered and tried to flee, most of them heading north along the river bank with the Marine Artillery and helicopter gunships hot on their heels.
Closer to the river back Marines and the enemy were mixed up like grains of salt and pepper. But the Marines gained momentum and the communists were killed. A great number were also captured, and we amassed quite a haul of weapons.
The radio crackled to life. “Cao Bang! Sea Eagle is calling”
Cao Bang was my radio code name. I responded. “Cao Bang is listening.”
“Great Eagle, we didn't let up until they were dead. A large number of weapons have been seized, among them about three 75mm collective weapons. Some of them fled up along the river to the north. Could you tell the 2nd Cambodian Brigade to head them off?”
Praising Phan, I then radioed the Colonel who commanded the 2nd Cambodian Brigade to inform him how the land lay. This very same Colonel later became General, and Chief of Staff of the Cambodian Army under President Lon Nol.
During the course of the battle the 8th Marine Battalion's casualties numbered 30 - wounded and killed. Whilst on the subject, more than 100 enemy corpses lay scattered on the battleground. The exact number of communists who had fled and then been downed by Marine artillery and gunships was unknown. 20 of the enemy were captured alive. Amongst the weapons seized there were: AK 47, B40, B41, 82mm Chinese mortars, two 12.7mm machine guns, three 57mm and two 75mm recoiless rifles.
The following day, Lieutenant General Ngo Quang Truong - the Commander of IV Corps flew from Can Tho to visit the 369th Marine Brigade. He said that he had come to praise the Brigade and the 8th Battalion on behalf of the staff of IV Corps, and the Colonel Chief of G3.
“You reversed the situation rapidly,” he continued, “and you are all to be heartily congratulated on your speed, courage, and audacity. You didn't give the enemy anytime to react. That was a great move, mobilising the artillery to the battle site. That really took them unawares...”
Of the international fleet of boats, some had been damaged slightly; one sailor had been killed, and another three wounded.
One month later, the 369th Marine Brigade was moved back to Saigon. In the two days that we were there, we were supplied with more equipment, ammunition, food, and manpower. Then C130 aircrafts airlifted us directly to Khe Sanh airfield from where we were to participate in Operation Lam Son 719 into Laos.
Colonel Pham Van Chung
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