Page 232 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

The rocket and the rnachinegun bullets had hit the Ope-
rational C ornrnand Post and killed rnany high ranking o{ficers. These
were:
Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Van Luan, Director, City National Police.
Lieutenant Colonel Le Ngoc Tru, Chief , Saigon 5th Police Precinct
Lieutenant Colonel Dao Ba Phuoc, 5th Ranger Group C ornrnander
Lieutenant Colonel Pho Quoc Chu, Director, Saigon Port Directorate
Major Nguyen Ngoc Sinh, Assistant Director, City National Police
Major Nguyen Bao Thuy, Chief, City Security Serwice and brother
of Lieutenant General Nguyen Bao Tri'

Other high ranking officer rnore or less severely wounded
were:

C o1one1 Van Van Cua, Mayor of Saigon, with f airly 6erious wounds.
Colonel Nguyen Van Giarn, Capital Military District C ornrnander with
light wounds.
Lieutenant Colonel Tran Van Phan, Assistant Director General,
General National Police with an arnputed leg'

The location of the incident was only 150 rneters frorn
the line of contact. This disastrous and irnportant event had stirred
a strong ernotion arnong the political circle. Although it was an acci-
dent, doubtful rurnors still ascribed it to a liquidation'
The battle of Cholon was in the fourth day. The situation
appeared to be rnore critical. The enerny had opened cave - like
holes through the walls to spread their {orces throughout the area.
Therefore, the battle was no longer lirnited to any distinct quarter
but on the contrary isolated gunlights were heard everywhere.
On June 4th, in the afternoon, tear gas canisters were
dropped {rorn the air. Irnrnediately following the expansion of the gas,
the 3Oth Ranger Battalion in coordination with the policernen a1l wear-
ing rnasks rnoved in but were able to gain control o{ only a few places.

Tear gas was of little effect because when our troops
appeared the enerny could still fire on thern as effectively as ever.
It is sai(i that they were also wearing rnasks. But in reality they
covered their rnouth and noses with water soaked rags or cloth to
breathe through as the gas spread to thern.
Just at nightfall our troops withdrew to their initial
locations. After which the enerny rnoved up to reoccupy their previous
positions. The battle area rernained unchanged after the night.

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