HISTORY OF THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE MARINE CORPS

The Battle of Viet An

04-1965

Lieutenant Colonel Le Ba Binh

After days of operation of operation in MRII with fightings at Bong Son district in Cho Bong, De Duc, Doi 10, Binh De, the 3rd Marine Battalion was allowed to return to have a rest at Camp Ngo Xuan Soan in Thu Duc. This also was the time to receive logistics and manpower for future operations.

Since the beginning of 1965, fightings clearly increased. In MR III, there were battles at Binh Gia (1/1/1965), Vung Ro (16/2/1965), Suoi Da (14/5/1965), Phuoc Long (10/5/1965). In MRII, fightings broke out in An Lao valley of Binh Dinh province.

Tam Quan village in Hoai Nhon district was under heavy pressure. National Route 1 was severed at many places. In MRI, there was fighting at Bau Sen and Quang Tin.

Sounds of klaxon were reverberating. The 3rd Battalion quickly gathered before departure. In front of the camp and in dependant camp, wives waved hands, saying good bye to Marines who were going into the "wind and sand" region. The Thu Duc district was still in deep sleep. A convoy of GMC transported the whole Battalion to Tan Son Nhat airport. Familiar rows of houses and streets disappeared slowly in the back of the convoy. From the airport, the Battalion was airlifted to Da Nang. We camped temporarily in Hoa Vang district. Only Company 2 continued to follow National Route 1 in the southern direction and stop at about 12 km away from Da Nang. It was Tuy Loan village, Hieu Duc district, Quang Nam province. This Company was to support local security forces to perform a police operation on that same day. Tuy Loan was famous for its special food: Mi Quang (This kind of noodle is turmeric-yellow in colour, cooked with thick juicy slices of pork. Before eating, people broke sesame-rice-paper already grilled above burning coal, into small pieces and sprinkled on the bowl of noodle). All the Company used to sit in huts along inter-province road 4 to eat Mi Quang and drink coffee. But the most interesting thing was to hear the deep, heavy, simple and rural voice of locals.

After 4 days staying in this place, Corporal Ngu, my RTO, informed me that there would be a jeep coming to pick me and drive me to the Battalion headquarters to attend a briefing. Turning my head to 2nd Lieutenant Nguyen Trong Quan, the executive officer of the Company, I said: "Ensure everybody is ready!"

The Battalion headquarters positioned at Hoa Vang Primary school. Captain Doan Thuc and Doctor Tran Ngoc Minh were conversing in front of a classroom.

(Captain Doan Thuc came from Class 4 Thu Duc military school. When I entered that school class 12 (31/9/1961), he was a teacher of weapons and mines. In 1965 he voluntarily requested a transfer to Marine Corps and was sent to the 3rd Battalion. After 2nd Lieutenant Nguyen Van Han was wounded, Captain Thuc replaced him as chief of S3. Good humored, meek and rarely going out, everybody called him Mr. Tu ("Tu" was a common noun, used for the permanent resident of a pagoda, but not a monk, taking care of everything concerning it) and changed his name to Tu Thuc. Doctor Tran Ngoc Minh was of Class 11 "Military Doctor" in 1964. He voluntarily chose Marine Corps and became the 3rd Battalion doctor).

Turning my head to the gate of the school, I saw the other company commanders one by one coming in. Captain Nguyen Minh Chau, commander of Company 1 and at the same time Executive Officer of the Battalion, then 1st Lieutenant Nguyen Van Nhieu of Company 3 and then 2nd Lieutenant Vu Manh Hung of Company 4 and then Captain Nguyen Van Da Captain Chau was of Class 5 of Thu Duc military school. He spoke fluent French. He was very active and had very quick and on-time decisions. Captain Da was of class 10 Dalat military academy, and was dubbed "the joyful older brother". Everybody was conversing when the jeep of the Battalion commander, Major Mguyen the Luong, entered the school gate. We went straight to the briefing room.

2nd Lieutenant Le Van Tuc, Chief of S2, briefed about the general situation of the polygonal area composing of Thang Binh Que Son, Hiep Duc, Tien Phuoc and Tam Ky districts, lying between Quang Nam and Quang Tin provinces. From National Route 1 to the West for about 10-15 km, it was rather flat. Further West, there were high mountains such as Mat Rang (952m) and Cham (845m) and many hills. There were Thu Bon and Khang rivers. In the area of operation, there was another small river named Li river and 2 streams running from the West to the East.

Informants and civilians had reported that recently, besides local guerrillas, there were VC regular units numbered about 100 each. They returned from somewhere, to this area to have a rest for about 1 week and then went away. A most recent reliable source said that a regiment from NVA Division 3 "Gold Star" had arrived 2 days before. They dispersed in Cham Mountain. In these days, the weather was fine, but from 4.00pm in the afternoons, the cloud ceiling was low, and rains might fall.

Captain Doan Thuc, S3 Chief pointed on overlays of the operation map and further said: "Participating forces were composed of one forward commanding headquarters, one infantry battalion to accompany one battalion of M113 APC, the 39th Ranger Battalion in the north and the 3rd Marine Battalion in the South. The 3rd Battalion, after having crossed the departure line which is the railway lying in direction North West - South East is to successively occupy targets 3, 6, 8 and 10. The Battalion will be divided in 2 groups: Group A composing of Companies 3 and 4 and commanding Company was to occupy target 6.

Group B composing of Companies 1, 2 was to occupy target 3, then target 8. Company 3 would be a reserve and Company 4 would protect the rear of the Battalion”.

Major Nguyen The Luong added: "The terrain has mountains and hills and many highpoints. The enemy would exploit these highpoints to set observation points and outposts so they could warn in time their big units in Chum mountain. It is possible that we would encounter the enemy from target 8 to 40. So after having occupied targets 3, your Companies will have to deploy widely. Search thoroughly and always be ready to fight."

In the afternoon, Company 2 was transported to the north of Hoa Vang, at the T-junction leading to My Khe beach, to temporarily position there.

At 4:30am, the whole Battalion left Hoa Vang, followed National Route 1 to go south, directly to Tam Kî

At the departure line there still were many hamlets with houses where locals still lived in. We had to spend a lot of time to insinuatingly pass through. Finally, both groups A and B deployed in a row outside the village, aiming at targets 3 and 6.

Company 2 was still insinuating through bushes in the south, in the direction of target 3. It was a rather barren hill which was exposing under the morning light. As usual, 2nd Lieutenant Quan - moving with two first platoons - sent a reconnaissance team to the front. And at the same time he directed Company 2 of 3rd Lieutenant Do Trung Giao and Company 3 of 2nd Lieutenant Hoang Don Tuan to deploy in a row and follow close to the reconnaissance team to advance to target 3. Company 1 moved in parallel. Target 3 was overrun by Group B which was searching in the North and northwest direction. Suñenly there were crackles of gunfire in the northwest direction. Company 3 of 1st Lieutenant Nguyen Van Nhieu had encountered the enemy while entering target 6. The Battalion exploited the benefits of Artillery and airstrikes to a maximum, and Company 3 occupied one third of that target. The enemy had a preliminary loss of 9 NVA, 1 machine gun and 8 AK47. Three Marines were killed. Company 4 of Captain Da also quickly entered their target. The enemy shelled more and more. The 2 Companies passed segment after segment of trenches, and moved in parallel. Captain Nguyen van Da radioed Lieutenant Nhieu: "You let your boys on the left change the direction of fire now. I just have sent a 57mm recoilless rifle round into. the black hole between rocks on your left side, my boys are searching it. Terrific! Terrific! They caught 1 machine gun. "4 Rats" died!"

Under directions of Group A, US air strikes terrified NVA. Their outer defensive line was slowly and slowly, broken. A great number of NVA ran backwards by trenches. But still, their firepower was strong. Marines continued their push. Along trenches, 18 NVA were killed, 5 wounded being left behind. 5 Marines were killed, 9 wounded.

When the aircrafts F100 left the sky above the area, artillery resumed their fires. Then they ceased so two US Cobra helicopters under Captain Chau’s directions, could strike right in front of Group AÏ Through the radio of the Battalion, I heard Major Luong calling Captain Chau:

"1st Lieutenant Nhieu was severely wounded. You let 1 Company of Group B to coordinate with Company 4 to occupy the remaining part of target 6".

Captain Chau decided immediately. He called me and said:

"Company 1 will reinforce Group A. You keep the rear and the western flank at all costs, Company 2 should keep the water gathering way, South of the target."

"Hear you clear, Captain! Be relieved”; Company 2 filled all key positions so as so as to let the whole Company 1 and the Headquarters (-) could leave target 3. Company 1 advanced in a row towards the northwest. The enemy waited for the whole Company 1 arriving in their fire range to start firing. Company 1 quickly darted. Shouts of "charge" mixed with gun sounds of all kinds from both sides. Orders were heard loudly in the radios, billows of smoke mixed with dirts and sands and expanded with the smell of gunpowder. All those things combined and formed a boiling force inside arteries of all ranks and file including myself. Everybody wanted to dart into the place where life and death was close to each other. Flames and bullets inundated the sky. Although the enemy fires hindered its advance in the first instance, Company 1 found their weaknesses and instantly made a dash at the enemy, under fire supports from Company 4. Our artillery changed direction of firing further outwards. Small firearm sounds intensified in rhythmic crescendo showing that Company 1 had been decisively pursuing NVA. Captain Chau requested a change of firing direction for Company 4, completely to the North.

He ordered: VC had their defensive line broken. They are fleeing to the west and north west! Let your boys cross trenches to pursue them immediately.

It needed more than one and a half hours for Companies 1 and 4 to master the remaining part of target 6 which had been considered by NVA as their last support from where they would withdraw at night. They left behind 10 cadavers along trenches. Three NVA and many weapons were captured. We had 3 killed and 7 wounded.

At 4:00pm, 4 helicopters arrived to resupply ammunitions and food, and at the same time transported the killed and wounded, and also NVA prisoners and seized weapons to the back.

The Battalion positioned in place throughout the night. The curtain of the night fell down quietly on this desolate place. Everybody sañened when thinking of passed away brothers. And then sleep came quickly after a day of tension and tiredness.

A quiet night passed. The Battalion was ready to move to occupy target 8. From target 6 to target 8, there was a short distance, but one had to pass across the "Death Valley" in the north west. In the south was Khang River. On its left bank was Bang Lim range with high peaks overlooking the whole area of that target 8. Group B went first and Company 2 spearheaded. After 2 hours of advancing, searching and following the enemy traces, Company 2 arrived in target 8. The enemy had withdrawn leaving behind bunkers, holes, trenches around the hill. The whole Battalion then arrived. The Battalion commander ordered the whole battalion to be ready to advance to target 10.

But another order was coming from the headquarters of the operation, commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Toan. Target 11 would be put in the hand of Infantry. The two targets 9 and 10 were re-drawn on the operation map, further and would be in the responsibility of the 3rd Marine Battalion. So we would have to enter Quang Nam province. The Battalion would have to descend Hoa Loc Slant, cross Viet An valley, then occupy Hill 41 of Hamlet Phu Binh which was target 9. Target 10 was a hill directly south of target 9. So the Battalion had to change the direction, advance to target 7, then from there move in the direction of northwest to target 9.

It was nearly 3:00pm. The whole battalion occupied target 7 and was positioning there. The headquarters of the operation and a APC M113 regiment were also present. A ranger battalion in the north was advancing to occupy target 5. The sky suñenly became very dark. The atmosphere was hot and humid. The cloud ceiling was low. Some rain drops fell down. The air-surface radio system informed us that a big NVA unit was starting to move eastwards towards target 9, and was deploying in an abandoned houses of Ban Thach hamlet. Another NVA unit was also advancing towards Viet An valley. Receiving this information, Captain Chau and I went to Major Luong to tell him that news. He was standing with Infantry Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Toan. The latter had also just received that news. He spoke immediately:

"Major Luong and I have known this information". Major Luong suggested that Marines would position in place tonight. It was rather reasonable. But you have seen that Ranger and Infantry have entered targets 5 and 11 unscathed. We only have targets 9 left. I have ordered 40 Artillery volleys to create a blocking line west of targets 9 and 11. I think that you would be more than capable to occupy it this afternoon. Then if nothing would happen, we would leave the area of operation. Marines are “number one” though!"

The Battalion deployed: Company 1 on the left, Company 2 on the right. Company 3 of 2nd Lieutenant Nhieu protected the left flank of the Battalion Headquarters. Company 4 and commanding Company and M113 APC Regiment formed the rear contingent and served as a reserve force.

Group B exploited the moment our Artillery had been shelling to widen its formation, around a barren field of Viet An valley, and occupied the east edge of Phu Binh hamlet. Suñenly billows of smoke mixing with dusts appeared and explosions occurred in the same rhythm with our artillery, here and there, around our unit. At the beginning, I thought that our Artillery had mistakenly fired some round into our positions. That's why I tried to push my boys deeper inside the village edge, and at the same time I radioed the Battalion Headquarters to cease shelling. But it was not the case. Our Artillery and the NVA Artillery had been shelling regularly into the area of operation. Later on we radioed that NVA had used 75 mm cannons to pound our positions. After the first barrage of their artillery, NVA shouted "Charge" and firearms of all kinds crackled. Major Luong radioed Captain Chau and informed:

"Group A has also been shelled. NVA are attacking Company 3. At some places, Company 3 defensive line was broken: Company 4 is trying to fill the breaches".

The enemy attacked in the direction south west towards north east, using the tactics "encircle and sever". They attacked Company 3 and severed the tail of Company 1 from the front of Company 3. These Companies were in a fix at the beginning when being so suñenly and violently assaulted by the enemy. Meanwhile in the whole area of operation, infantry, rangers and transporting units were simultaneously shelled and attacked. They had to retreat eastwards to avoid the enemy shellings. They had their communications interrupted. Reconnaissance airplanes of VNAF left the area. Our Artillery became inefficient because both sides were so close to each other. Many M113 APC were burned. Chaos was inevitable. The 60mm mortar and the 57mm recoilless rifles of my company ceased to fire after having supported the advance of platoons for about 200m. I turned my head intending to ask the reason when Sergeant Major Le Van Ky, the heavy weapon platoon leader, and a number of soldiers ran to me and reported:

"Those 2 guns were destroyed by the enemy artillery rounds. Most of my platoon was killed. Only some survived and ran with me to here. Sir! All lost!"

I ordered immediately:

"You gather the surviving boys, and follow me"

Platoon 1 of 2nd Lieutenant Nguyen Van Kieu and Platoon 2 of 3rd Lieutenant Do Trung Giao started encountering the NVA. Platoon 3 of 2nd Lieutenant Hoang Don Tuan began seeing the enemy in front of them. The NVA and we were in a tug of war in the north of Target 9. The voice of the Battalion Commander was heard:

"Captain Chau is directing Company 1 to come to the rescue of Company 3. Company 2 return and meet me at Target 7”. Since it was impossible to cut fightings short to retreat through the barren field, especially in this chaotic situation, I tried to combat in place, but it was difficult to prolong. Other Companies withdrew to the east and I did not want to stay back here to be encircled and then annihilated. I had to decide. I radioed Company 1 and the Battalion Headquarters to avoid misinterpreting. I ordered Platoon 1 to concentrate fires to a maximum to the enemy defensive line and then rapidly run eastwards. Then Company 2 performed the same tactic. And so on, with Company 3. This turning tactic would help the whole Company to stop fighting with the enemy. That was the "escaping snake" tactic of the Australian Army. (A snake turns many circles then suñenly darts towards the enemy to escape). I applied this tactic for the first time although not very skilfully, but still effectively. And the first troops of Company 2 already crossed the “Death Valley” Viet An and reached target 7. But here they were caught in crossfire between the enemy and friends. I told my boys to stay in pre-existing trenches to observe carefully the targets to be fired at. It was not that easy because the night fell on the valley very quickly.

It was lucky that the whole Company had been still able to keep radio contacts but at that moment it was impossible to recount the number of survivors and of the killed and wounded in action. I continued to let platoons to move eastwards. And I was sure that the whole battalion also had been moving eastwards. Finally I received the voice and an order from Major Luong:

"Let your boys continue to go eastwards. But two US Advisors of the Battalion had been on the back. Send 1 Platoon back to try to search and to find them, then lead them to me".

I ordered the platoons to stop and deployed, under the command of 2nd Lieutenant Quan. I and Platoon 1 of 2nd Lieutenant Kieu returned to Target 7. When we passed by some burning M113 APC's I looked in the direction of gun sounds, and saw Major Roger who had been hiding in a trench and firing back at the enemy. To avoid a misinterpretation from Major Roger, we shouted "Marines, Gung Ho!" and then ran towards Roger's position to help him. In that instant, I realised that 1st Lieutenant Marcani had been wounded and sat next to Roger. I let some Marines support Marcani to go first. Roger and I directed the rear force. At that time, there was nobody at target 7. Fortunately after having left target 7 for about 10 minutes, we met a M113 APC which had been newly repaired after having been damaged. I let 2 Marines already mildly wounded, escorted 1st Lieutenant Marcani in that APC.

The NVA were still pursuing us, but with lessened firepower. I thought, when I would join my Company, I would find a way to chop this "tail". I discussed with 2nd Lieutenant Quan to let a Platoon stay back and ambush them.

When we were about some kilometers from Chau Nho village, we set up the ambush and then succeeded!

I continued to make radio contact with the Battalion Headquarters while moving during the whole night to Thang Binh district. The battalion was there. In preliminary counting, our loss was rather high. At least 25 killed, 19 wounded and a number considered as missing. A number of collective weapons and personal firearms were destroyed or lost. Company 2 alone had 9 killed and 7 wounded, and among the wounded was Corporal Huynh Van Truong, who was injured in both eyes and became blind. He was helped by an elderly woman who had brought him to her home and cared for him. The saddest thing was the death of Dr. Tran Ngoc Minh, the Battalion surgeon. He was the 2nd Marine doctor who was killed. The first was Doctor Truong Ba Han, being killed at the Battle of Binh Gia (31/12/1964). 

Two days later, the Battalion performed another operation; back again in Viet An valley. The Battalion carefully advanced and searched the targets. The enemy had completely withdrawn and they did not care to bring cadavers of their comrades with them. On the battleground, Marine bodies and NVA cadavers and weapons were scattered here and there. We collected Marine bodies and returned to Thanh Binh in the same day. Here we received supplies in food and ammunition and manpower. Then we went into the battle of Bagia on 29/5/1965.

Lieutenant Colonel Le Ba Binh