Page 228 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Our relief forces then rnoved into the battle area whlle
a blocking force consisting of policernen and personnel frorn Cay
Mai Intelligence Schoo1 were Positioned all along Mai Xuan Thuong
Street frorn the intelligence School as far as Nhi Thien Duong Bridge'
To the left was Dong Khanh Street, to the right Hong Bang Street and
farther outside Tong Doc Phuong Street, everything was guarded by
the Rangers and the Policernen.
The civilian residents in the battle area had been warned
to leave their homes prior to H. hour by Colonel Tran Van Hai
through a loudspeaker. He also at the sarne tirne transmitted the order
of the General, Chief of the Joint General Staff urging all troops to
respect the peoplers property. Sorne prisoners of war were also al-
lowed to caLl out to their cornrades to lay down their arms' At 1030
hours the operational forces started their advance' A colurnn depart-
ing frorn Tong Doc Phuong - Nguyen Trai Crossroads rnoved down
the road. The enerny returned fire prornptly in Tong Doc Phuong
Street but our trooPs gradually drove thern to Phung Hung Street
where the enerny had opened case - like holes through the walls of the
buildings. Such tactics proved to be effective. We had to use M' 79
gte.rade launchers and 5 Trnrn recoilless rifles to reduce hostile posi-
iion" orl. by one. Phung Hung Street euffered rather heavy darnages
particularly at the textile rnarket and the area lying between Nguyen
Trai and Dong Khanh Streets'
Early in the afternoon the enemy pushed close to Ly
Thanh Nguyen Street' Many violent engagernents broke out' Ten VC
lay dead on the battle area.
Another police force advanced along Hau Giang and Phan
Dinh Ho Streets under the c ornrnand of Lieutenant Colonel Le Ngoc
Tru and within supporting range of heavy rnachine guns caI' 50 rnount-
ed on tanks. Sorne policernen fell dead under intense enemy fire'

In the rnorning, rnany Skyraiders flew in to provide air
support. Many fires broke out in New Cholon at noon' The firernen
carne and extingulshed the flarnes, saving in time the rice depots
while the f ighting was still raging.

The situation at Phu Larn A calmed down as the battle
front shi{ted into Cholon. We had cornpletely gained control of the
Phu Larn A Housing Quarters, Rural Roads 14 and 15, Road 46 and
Minh Phung Street in Cholon'

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