Page 247 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

On the second day of Tet enerny troops invaded several
populated sections of the city located on the left bank of the perfurne
River. The Inner Citadel or Irnperial Palace area, the Dong Ba rnarket
place, the Thuong Tu, Chanh Tay and An Hoa gates carne under their
control. The enerny also easily seized the southern part of the city
Iocated on the right bank of the river. Enerny elernents were seen in
the streets encircling friendly rnilitary positions. They had already
occupied various friendly adrninistrative buildings, including the
adrninistrative headquarters of Thua Thien province, the university
c ornpound and other buildings. The MACV square, the Thua Thien
sector c ornrnand headquarters, the radio station, the pi).ot school and
the Navy dock were still untouched.

On the second rnorning of Tet the First Division Corn-
rnander ordered the Znd Airborne Battalion to rush to the city frorn
their location at Tu Ha to assist in relieving enerny pressure on the
city. The paratroopers could hardly rnove into the city in the face
of the enernyrs heavy fire frorn civilian houses. They also lacked air
support which was not available due to bad weather. A counter-attack
by tine 3f3 Battalion frorn the Narn Giao rnarket also failed to relieve
enemy pre6sure in the area. The 7th Arrnored Cavalry stationed at
An Cuu then ordered to rnove toward the Citadel.

During the rnorning three atternpts to enter the city by
the 7th Arrnored Cavalry cornrnanded by Lt. Co1. Phan Huu Chi, were
unsuccessful. Around noon an Arnerican convoy carne frorn phu Bai
to reinforce Co1, Chirs arrnor colurnn, which again trled to reach the
city with three tanks leading the counter-attack. The Arnerican convoy
kept firing into the sugar fields on both sides of the road and stopped
at the cityrs outskirts, The three tank6 pushed ahead and finally
reached the City Police Headquarters in downtown Hue. The Head-
quarter6 was still in friendly hands. Co1, Chirs tank was hit by an
enerny 8.40 rocket fired frorn a nearby house, He was killed.

The situation in Hue was wery con{used throughout the
second day of Tet. A11 rnilitary installations were still in friendly
hands. Only the recruiting office near the Bach Ho bridge and the
field police base were occupied by the enerny after the overwhelrningly
outnurnbered defenders had fled. The Le Lai carnp, where the 8IIth
Ordnance C ornpany was stationed, was also overrun alter a few daysr
resistance. The defenders had run out of arnrnunition and fled.

At 8 o'cLock in the rnorning on the third day of Tet,

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