Page 224 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

into srnall group6 setting up holding positions in high building and
spreading along a 3 krn long front. A cornpany oI the 38th Ranger
Battalion carne to reinforce at 5 orcLock in the rnorning. The Rangers
and the Marines then conducted a cornbined rnop-up operation but they
were delayed in their advance by violent enerny fire directed frorn
built-up areas. In the afternoon' they reached the above Housing
Quarter but pulled back once again at nightfall. So the battle front
rernained unchanged. This was the third tirne that figh.ting had occurred
in this srnall c orne r.

Cn the fourth day of the baitle i, e. on May 30th, the 38th
Ranger Battalion launched a flank attack on the objective which was
still the Phu Larn A Housing Quarter, Their line of departure was frorn
a creek at Phu Larn Bridge while the Znd Marine Battalion now in fu1l
strength led the frontal attack frorn the city. The Marine C ornrnand
Post was stationed in a rnultistoried house 15Orn frorn Phu Dinh - Hau
Giang Crossroads,

During the night, the enerny not only rernained in Phu
Larn A but also occupied the Cong Thanh Garage at No 704, Hau Giang
street. After a firefight for rnore than Z hours, this garage suJfered
rather heavy darnages. Inside, large stains of blood were seen but
the enerny had departed.

The Eagle Dry Battery Factory near the Cong Thanh
Garage was hit with all kinds of explosives and was heawily darnaged'
The attack to seize this objective clairned 3 Marines killed and one
wounded by the first enerny burst of fire. Only in the aJternoon were
tanks able to rnaneuver and fire on the factory. The enerny still
resi.sted stubbornly so air strikes were later directed to elirninate
the defenders. A big fire was touched off.

Phu Larn A Housing Quarter was also seized during the
day by strenuous efforts because the enerny had delayed the advance
of our troops by fighting frorn dorninating buildings along Hau Giang
street. 10 VC of the 6th Binh Tay Battalion and the 308th Battalion
were captured. They disclosed that in execution of the plan of attack
their units were dispersed in tearns of four to inan Positions in dorni-
nating buildings and were ordered to fight to the last rnan-
On every killed VC body was {ound a 3 point ordelio

irnplernent the plan of attack. These points were as follows :
1. Only I squad is to be used to attack a police station.

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