Page 187 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

cornrnanded by Captain Nguyen Van Dinh, Before opening up with srnall
arrns fire, they had bornbarded this unit violently with five 8Zrnrn rnor-
tars. They assaulted 4 tirnes but failed to break through the Airborne
line, Captain Dinh disclosed that the enerny firepower v/as very power-
{u1 and consisted of rnachine gqns, autornatic rifles and also of B.40rs
By 7 orclock in the rnorning the enerny withdrew. The 5th cornpany
rushed forward over the line to conduct a rnop up operation 7 crew ser-
ved and l7 individuaL weapons were captured. The 70 VC killed were
left behind on the battlefield.

The 5th Airborne Battalion was reinforced with the 7th
and the lst Airborne Battalions to conduct a pursuit operation. The
battle raged throughout the second day at Tan Thoi Hiep with the parti-
cipation of tactical air and arrnored personnel carriers in support of
friendly forces.
The battle was of such significance that if the Airborne
defensive line had been broken through, the enerny could have penetra-
ted through Xorn Moi into the Capital along the sarne axis of advance
they had used during Tet.

On the second day, l3! VC were killed, 5 were captured
and 1t B.40, 6 heavy rnachine guns, 52 individual weapons of aI1 kinds
confiscated. On our side there were Z1 killed and 52 wounded.

Major General Du Quoc Dong, the Airborne Diwision
cornrnander was always present on the battlefield and was eager to see
all enerny units destroyed without leaving thern any chance to escape.
General Cao Van Vien, Chief of the Joint General Staff
RVN Arrned Forces also carne to inspect the {ront while the battle was
stil1 raging. He observed the {ighting in progress frorn the roof floor
of the Thien Huong Glutarnic Acid Factory only 500rn frorn the frontlinq

On the third day, the fighting took place around Giac Hoa
Pagoda, 400rn Irorn the Glutarnic Acid Factory where it was reported
that the enerny had set up strong defensive positions,

Tactical aircraft, skyraiders and jet fighters F.105,
durnped tons of bornbs onto the targets. Following the air strikes
in{antryrnen and arrnored personnel carriers in a cornbined action
rushed forward onto the battlefield taking up position in the rnany
ditches and open gardens, The surrounded enerny force still tried to
resist in an atternpt to fight its way out. But the encirclernent ring was
drawn tighter and tighter, On May 1Oth about nightfall the artillery

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