Page 237 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

were forced to Iight to the death wi.thin our tightening encirclernent.
Many others frorn disorganized units fled for hideouts located within
this area. At 1000 hours 10 VC carne out to surrender. Arnong thern
were one woman and two rnen all of which were Chinese born cadre.
They declared they were of the 6th Battalion inJiltrated frorn Phu Larn,
In total on the rnorning of June 6th in particular we
captured ten 8.40s and 8.41s, one M.79, 2 carbines, 38 AKs, and
6 autornatic r ifle s.
At night the enerny rnade an atternpt to escape. Frorn the
direction of Father Tarnrs Church I VC were killed by the 6th Precinct
Policernen in Iront of the Asia Restaurant. Also during the night the
Rangers killed 10 other VC in an arnbush while they were running frorn
Tong Doc Phuong Street to the Sth.Precinct.

But on the night of June 6th and early rnorning of June
7th, a large group of VC disguised a6 Marines and Field Force Police-
rnen infiltrated into the area at the end of Bang Ky Bridge and the
Truong Van Ben Soap C ornpany on Kirn Bien Street. In the rnorning
our troops returned to search Father Tarots Church area, Also on
this day the Ranger Cornrnand transferred the entire 38th Ranger Bat-
talion frorn Phu Larn to replace the 35th Ranger Battalion leaving the
zone of operations for rehabilitation. The newly arrived battalion was
c ornrnanded by Captain Nghenh acting Battalion Cornrnander and was
split into Z colurnns; one cornposed of the lst and the Znd Cornpanies
carne to relieve the 35th Ranger Battalion for fur.ther operations in
the quadrangle Tong Doc Phuong - Hoc Lac, The 3rd and the 4th
Cornpanies were sent to restore security at Ba Cang area. It accorn-
plished its rnission by destroying an estirnated VC platoon still strag-
gling on Van Tuong, Go Cong, Ngo Thanh Tinh Streets.
In the rnorning the National Police Field Force repelled
the enerny frorn their defensive positions in the Truong Van Ben Soap
Factory and killed about 30 VC, The factory was severely darnaged.
4 VC rallied and 2 were captured on Go Cong Street.

The Ranger colurnn departed frorn Khong Tu Street via
the Soap Factory to the corner o{ Van Tuong Street. Many isolated
clashes broke out on their arrival. Irnrnediately the Rangers captured
the building s and Palikao Bridge (Ba Cang) situated on the corner of
Go Cong, Ngo Nhan Tinh Streets. Frorn the corner of Van Tuong and
Trinh Hoai Duc Streets to the bank of the creek on the other side of
the swarnpy area the VC were firrnly entrenched in their positions by

-240-