Page 113 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

at the Viet Cong resistance spot,forcing the enerny to withdraw in the
direction of Alley 235, TL'e V.C.-held bus was captured. But at that
very rninute V. C. rnachinegun fire was directed on the attacking ele-
rnent frorn a rnultistoried building nearby. Two arrnored cars irnrne-
diately advanced in that direction but a hail of B.40 rockets prevented
thern frorn doing any good.

At the sarne tirne the local population poured out into the
street in an ef{ort to get away frorn the battle zone. This forced the
Rangers to ternporarily cease fire while Polwar troops continued to
encourage those too scared to leave the battle area. In spite of the
enernyrs effort to keep thern as hostages,the people turned their back
to the foe and left.

By 1600 hours the battle resurned with governrnent sol-
diers fanning out under the protection of gunships criscrossing the
sky and {iring on enerny Positions as indicated to thern by the ground
troops through srnoke grenades. In their effort to resist the advancing
Rangers,the insurgents succeeded in wounding Lieutenant Nghenh but
the deputy battalion cornrnander sirnply had his bloody nose bandaged
and continued to lead his troops in the attack.

After restoring order in Minh- Phung,the troops started
sweeping the rnany alleys in this area. The Viet Cong retreated in
the direction of Xorn Dat and to Protect their withdrawal set fire
to rnany houses. The fire spread rapidly but it only reached
Huynh Tan Phat shop where it was extinguished by the soldiers turned
firernen. The rangers also turned relief workers when they helped the
people take their possessions to the Minh- Phung Elementary School
whi.ch was tc, 'erve as refugee center for the following rnonths.
By early evening the whole area was liberated. An MP
aspirant or warrant officer and a private second class who had been
kidnapped by the insurgents were freed. They told the operating
troops that enelny strength in the area was about 30 Viet Cong arrned
with AK.47 autornatic rifles, B.40 rocket launchers, and rnachineguns'

Meanwhile a cornbined Po1ice-Ranger force had also
clashed with the enerny in the area of Su Van Hanh, Tran Hoang Quan,
Tran Nhan Ton, and Minh Mang Streets. While losing only two dead
and l5 wounded the governrnent troops killed 15 Viet Cong, captured
17 others including a senior captain who was deputy cornrnander of
the Binh Tan Sixth Battalion, and ccinfiscated l7 weapons including two
B,40rs,

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