Page 114 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Let it also be said that early that evening, enerny troop6
also fired at the residence of the U.S, Arnbassador in a different area
of the sprawling city. They did it frorn the Mac Dinh Chi cernetery
which practically borders on the villa o{ Mr. Ellsworth Bunker ,
Frorn the above it can be eaid that although enemy acti-
vity indicated a definite decline, especially in the suburban areas'
his pressure on the confine6 of the FiJth and Sixth Precincts was very
rnuch in evidence. His troops started what later was called city guer-
rilla war by trying to stay as close as possible to the people frorn
whorn they could extort food and inforrnation and arnong whorn they
could hlde to reappear again once governrnent soldier-s left for another
afea.
Because cornrnunist pressure was deterrnined to be most
intense in zone rrDrr its cornrnand was to be given additional troops.
These incl"uded a U. S. rnechanized cornpany to replace the 3oth Ranger
Battalion assigned to the Seventh Precinct, an Arnerican infantry
battalion assigned to Phu Tho Hoa in replacernent of the 33rd Ranger
Battalion, a battalion of signal atudents narned Battalion Tran
Nguyen Han, and a battalion of artillery students baptised for that occa-
sion Battalion An Duong Vuong.

On 10 February, the rnilitary cornrnand of zone rrDrr
redeployed its troops in the forrn of two task forces. Task Force One
which included the 33rd and 38th Ranger Battalions, a Ranger recon-
naissance cornpany, an arrnored squadron, and Battalion Tran Nguyen
Han was tasked to take control of the Phu Larn area and all areas to
the northwest. This unit also had the task of preventing any enerny
attacks frorn the outside against the Sixth Precinct.

Task Force Two which included the 4I st and 3Oth Ranger
Battalions and Battalion An Duong Vuong was to take over control
of the Seventh and Eighth Precincts. It also had the task of protecting
the rnany depots and industrial installations i.n this irnportant area.

As of 9 February the cornrnand of zone rrDI had rnoved
to the Cay MaiSchool frorn where it directed aLl operations. Prior
to launching Operation Tran Hung Dao,a battalion of airborne student
had been operating in this area but on l0 February thi.s battalion was
sent to another ar ea.
Also participating in operati.on Tran Hung Dao were
soroe 2,500 Revolutionary Developrnent cadre dispatched to Saigon

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