Page 199 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Pagoda. The fighting in the etreets lasted for 13 hours but began to
slowdown at 1900 hours. Our troops then took positions at various
points to bar all enerny routes of approach.

Gia Dinh Sector announced an around the clock curfew
At night the enerny shelled the 8i6th Police FieLd Force
Special Group in Gia Dinh causing the death of two policernen while
wounding ten other s.
On May ZTth our forces expelled the enerny frorn the
quadrangle lirnited by Nguyen Van Hoc, Le Quang Dinh, Hoang Hoa
Tharn and Ngo Tung Chau Streets. Security was cornpletely restored
in this are a.
The enerny gradually withdrew frorn Quan Tarn Pagoda,
Cay Queo, Xorn Ga Harnlets to rnove to newly prepared defensive
positions at Cay Thi, Bang Ky Bridge, Lo Voi Harnlet, Dong Ong Co
and Hang Xanh Street, On May ZTlh in the aJternoon Loudspeakers of
Gia Dinh Sector called for all refugees frorn Nguyen Van Hoc Housing
Quarter, Quan Tarn Pagoda Harnlet, Cay Queo, a quarter of Xorn Ga
Harnlet as {ar as Binh Hoa Crossroads to return to their hornes
because the situation was returning to norrnal.
On May ZTth friendly troops had only one violent clash
with the enerny positioned in a house close to Quan Tarn Pagoda
(Hoang Hoa Tharn Street). The fighting went on until nightfall and
touched off a srnall fire. A1l the 16 enerny defenders lay dead in their
position. We captured I heavy rnachine gun and 4 AK.47 e . On our
side 2 were killed and 11 were wounded.

On May 28th the Marines pursued their operations in
the area of Cay Thi, Bang Ky Bridge and Lo Voi Harnlet. Gunshlps
had 6trafed these areas to prepare for the ground attack which lasted
{or rnany hours and set rnany houses aJire.
Under the pressure of the Marines the enerny frorn Lo
Voi withdrew to the area southeagt of the Lido Swirnrning Pool.
Another enerny group still lingered northwe6t of Bang Ky Bridge in
an area thickly covered with trees To avoid causing darnage to
civilian properties our txoops were very cautious in the ernployrnent
of air and artillery support.

On May 28th our operational forces consisting of the
lst Marine Battalion cornrnanded by Major Phan Van Thang and the

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