Page 209 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

force conducted a search in this area which was considered as secured.
The paratroopers discovered a rnass grave containing 56 VC corpses
and had to clean uP the area by rernoving a1I corpses for fear that the
odor and conditions rnight scare away the refugees.

The total results after the battle showed approxi.rnately
100 VC killed and 8 captured with 5 AKs, 1 B.40, I 8.41, I M' 79 and
l Chicorn pistol con-fiscated. Cn our side, only I NCO was killed.

We had won this battle thanks to our disposition of troops
which had blocked all enerny avenues of approach into the de{ensive
area of the Joint General staff Headquarters uni.ts. while enerny troope
were on their way to infiltrate into the area they were challenged by
an NCO on guard. They opened fire and killed the sentry. They in{end-
ed to storrn i.nto the cornrnand post of a colnpany positioned on the
defensive lirre. Our troops then reacted in tirne and instantly destroyed
the enerny point consisting of 5 VC. In the rnorning the 9th Airborne
Battalion carne to reinforce and conduct a search and destroy operation.
C ornrnanded by Major Nha, the battalion was divided into
di{ferenf colurnns advancing as far as the railroad. While crossing the
cernetery rnany bursts of AK were shot therefrorn and lightly wounded
3 paratroopers, The enerny used the tornbs as vantage points. There-
fore, the fighting could not be ended prornptly'

The 9th Airborne Battalion was assigned to 6earch the
quadrangle lirnited by Ngo Tung Chau, Hoang Hoa Tharn and Le Quang
Dinh streets. Other forces frorn the Joint General Staff conrpound
held blocking positions all around.
The battalion found it difficult and tirne consurning but
necessary to search and destroy one nest of resistance after another.
3 VC ..noutd rnan a position set up j.n a house or in a paqoda which
they could fire frorn as snipers' Houses i'n this area were disposed
without any plan and stood close together with dorninating building s
here and there which offered vantage positions to the snipers. The
capabllities of the airborne unit were not used to the rnaxirnum for
fear of causing great darnage to the people.

Throughout the rnorning of June 5th the paratroopers
in constant search for the enemy were only able to kill 2 VC, capture
1 and collect 2 AKs ar,d I 8.40. The battalion s\r'ept up frorn south -
north driving the enerny out of high buildings. The repelled VC then
joined those positioned in Truc Larn Pagoda. Also in this morning,

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