Page 171 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Private Znd Class Nguyen Van Thanh succeeded in capturing a rnortar
tube. This did not halt cornrnunist resistance since at 1100 hours the
enerny continued to rnortar the radio station and rnany nearby installa-
tions. The Agrari.an Service o{ Thi Nghe and a gas station nearby were
hit and began to burn.

In the rneantirne sorrre cornrnunists tried to penetrate the
section of Thi Nghe near: the O1d Peoplers Housewhich resultedin sorne
fighting in the area. By night fall cakn again prevailed with the corn-
rnunist withdrawing to the Old Peoplers Horne. The following dayhouses
continued to burn in Thi Nghe and the c ivilian' population continued to
try to get out.
By 0700 hours that rnorning a Marine cornpany under Cap-
tain Phan Van Tan received the order to rnount a final assault on the
Old Peoplers Horne. The fight quickly grew in intensity causing sorne
additional fires and requiring rnore fire fighting equiprnent. In repor-
ting about the si.tuation Major Phan Van Thang stated that by the third
day of the Thi Nghe battle the enerny had about a platoon left in the Old
Peoplers Horne area,

Since Thi Nghe is basically a shanty town divided by
narrow and winding al1eys, the governrnent soldiers had a rnost diffi-
cult task dislodging the intruders. Moreover, the enerny rnade the task
rnore difficult by resorting to guerrilla tactics that take considerable
patience and tirne to defeat.
By I000 hours the Marines had the area under control.
The rernaining Viet Cong were cornpletely surrounded. The fighting
continued until past noon resulting in ten enerny soldiers killed, three
taken prisoners, and I5 weapons confiscated.

In surnrnary, the enerny Io st 27 dead, 20 taken prisoners
including several women cadre, 38 weapons of all kinds confiscated.
Most rernarkable was the uniforrn of enerry troops who wore shirts
sirnilar to those of the paratroops. Wornen cadre wore blue jeans. On
the governrnent side there were seven killed and two weapons lost. At
least 100 civilian houses burned.
Sorne o{ the Viet Cong who succeeded in withdrawing
frorn Thi Nghe were to rneet with governrnent Marines in the area of
the Binh Loi Bridge. They apparently had wanted to cross the Saigon
river and take refuge at the Trung Harnlet of the Binh Trung Village
sorne 500 yards frorn Cat Lai. But the enerny unit was caught by the
Marines who ki1led eleven cornrnunists and captured nine of their weapons.

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