Page 217 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

The AirL,,orne rangers had vrolent contact 100rn frorn the
line of departure in the vicinity of the textile factory at Xorn Ga cross-
roads. The four YC rnanning this advance position were killed.

At 8 orclock 106rnrn recoilless rijles had to be used. As
the fire lifted the airborne rangers rnoved into the attack but rnet only
weak resistance. At 0810 hours all the Delta tearns under the cornrnand
of Major Phan Van Huan advanced to seize the high buildings in the
zone of action. At 0825 hours another Airborne Ranger unit had violent
contact on the grounds of Buu LangPagoda. At the sarne tirne the first
c olurnn reported that they also were having contact with sorne resis-
tance nests. Later on the third colurnn was also engaged in a fight
inside a building.They later reported that a wounded vC was captured
prisoner. At 1050 hours the enerny frorn a position 50rn frorn the Airborne
Ranger Cornrnand Post launched a 8,40 rocket wounding aUS Major
advisor to the airborne rangers and a UPI reporter. At 1045 hours a
rnachine gun raranned by the airborne rangers and positioned 5Orn
frorn the VC defensive line destroyed a hostile 8.40 in a building. The
VC gunner was killed on the spot, The rernaining VC returned fire
with a B.40 wounding 3 rnore airborne rangers severely. Then they
set fire to a house next to the building assault by our troops, Before
withdrawing, the VC frorn a nearby garden launched four consecutive
B.40 rockets wounding 5 rnore arnong which was an Arrned Forces
photographer whose narne was Nguyen Van Cau.
The battle at Czy Thi was on the 4th day although after
3 days of hard fighting the enerny had lost 23 dead by body count and
a nurnber of others buried in caved-in dugouts.
Cn the afternoon of June 15th the battle tapered off.
The airborne rangers conducted another night raid. As it becarne
dark 6 Delta Tearns cornrnande<i by Lieutenant Tu Ba Tho and sup-
ported by the Znd and the 3rd Airborne Ranger Cornpanies split into
2 colurnns to penetrate into the battle area,

But when the above colurnns had crept into the enerny
line for about 3Orn a flare fired frorn Bang Ky Bridge revealed their
position, Then the clash erupted. Also, thanks to the flare the Delta
Tearns were able to discover in tirne the VC positi.oned in a house.
They quickly launched a 3.5 rocket which blew in the house killing
all it6 occupants"
Sorne tirne later the Delta Tearns and the Airborne
Rangers pulled out" During the raid friendly and enerny troops were
so cLose together that grenades frequently had to be used"

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