Page 254 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Enerny positions in Lai Chu, just outside the northwest-
ern walls of the citadel , were pounded continuously by friendly artille-
ry and jet fighters' This area was believed to be the enernyrs central
cornrnand headquarters. Fighting inside theCitadel was very sporadic'

Refugees took advantage of the irnproved sltuation and
strearned frorn various points toward saJer areas' such as Tay Loc,
Tay Linh and Mang Ca' These areas becarne rnajor refugee centers'
Public adrninistration on both sides of the river of the city was tho-
roughly disrupted. There were a sevete shortage of officials' Many
officials were rnurdered or abducted, others died accidentally in the
fighting, stil1 others sirnply fled'
On Feb. 13 or the f i-fteenth day of the fir st lunar rnonth,
for the first tirne in fifteen days, the rnonsoonal drizzle stopped'

The sky was sti1l lightly clouded but there w?s sor:ne sun-
shine in the city, Wave aJter wave of jet bornbers flew in and gave
close air support to the foot soldiers fighting in the Citadel'
Fair weather lasted about three days favoring the air-
liJt of the rnain force of the Vietnarnese Marine Battle Group A frorn
Saigon to relieve the badly exhausted Vietnarnese airborne' The Mari-
nes landed at Phu Bai airfield. Frorn here they rnoved to the pier
which is on the right bank of the Perfurne River, then they used land-
ing craft to move over to Bao Vinh quay' Two of the Battle Group's
three battalions rnoved safety into theCitadel on Feb' 12'

Battle Group A was cornrnanded by Maj. Hoang Thong'
assisted by Maj, Luong.
The Battle Groupr s Fir st Battalion, under the cornrnand
of Maj. Phan Van Thang, and Fifth Battalion, under the cornrnand of
Maj. Pharn Var' Nha, sLrted the Grouprs Cperation Song Than 739/68
within the walls of the c entury- o1d C itadel It rnay be worthy of note
'
that just before initiating their fighti'ng in Hue this battle Group had
scored a rnajor victory in Cai Lay and Go Vap during the enernyrs
Tet of{ensive. These districts were sorne 40 rnile s south and three
rniles north of Saigon, respectively.
The second stage of the operation to liberate the
Citadel was conducted in six operational areas A, B, C' D, E and F
(see chart o{ oPeratlon, stage II).
Area A was the northeastern corner of the Citadel

-257_