Page 194 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

On the night o{ May 1Oth a US force positioned in Lasan
High School had all cornrnunicatj.ons cut off frorn the cornrnand post and
was isolated 200 rn frorn Cau Mat Bridge. The enerny firepower was
so i.ntense that M, 113 APCS were driven back. But although the force
was isolated it retained its capabil.ity to fight back. The enerny frorn a
strong point 3Orn frorn the school directed all its weaPons on the Arne-
ricans. At 1700 hours on May llth the isolated force was relieved by
a cornbined VN-US force supported by APCs. Al1 enerny positions in the
surrounding buildings had been destroyed by airstrikes. The VC withdrew
leaving behind 98 dead.
On May I lth in the daytirne VN-US forces continued to
rnop up the area o{ operations. In addition to the relief oPeration around
Lasan High School, friendly troops still continued to search Pharn The
Hien, Au Duong Lan Streets. The battle was indecisive' In spite of
violent air strikes l-n support of advancing allied forces scattered AK
bursts of fire were sti11 heard. When the tanks were within range the
enerny launched deadly 8.40 grenades. The enerny strove to hold their
ground by digging thernselves in. Fortified dug-outs 2rn frorn each
other were lined with bricks on the inside and roofed over with sofas
covered with rnud and leaves for carnouflage.
On the rnorning of May lZth the battle calrned down.US for-
ces were in charge of the cordon while the 35th Ranger Battalion and
the Police Field Force rnoved into Au Duong Thanh Street {or a search,
At only 50rn frorn the street, a sickening odor was encountered, The
accornpanying firernen had to pull VC corpses out of debris. At noon
friendly forces had the whole area under control. Al1 rernaining VC
had taken advantage of darkness on the night of May 11th to escaPe.

The darnage caused to the people rose to rnore than 8000
houses destroyed. Over 400 Cornrnunists were killed in this area of
operations along with 120 weapons of all kinds captured.

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