Page 285 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968
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points Khe Moc Nang and Dinh Mon on the night of Jan 30. It did not
reach the city proper until 0700h.because one of its elernents was
arnbuehed by friendly troops at the Liern bridge intersection.
The 5th Regirnent started out frorn the Nui Gi.o (Windy
Mount) area about 12 krns west of Hue, rnoved northeastward through
the Soc Chang Brook, assernbled near the Truong Son outpost and
crossed several rice{ields to regroup at Coi Ke. Another enerny bat_
talion joined the 5th Regirnent to cross the Thong Cung Mountain. They
regrouped at Thanh Khe harnlet, crossed Highway No 1 and were
joined by two DKZ-75 cornpanies. They split into colurnns, one posi_
tioning at La Chu and the other at Duc Buu - Ngo .t,uong, just north of
the Mang Ca carnp.
The 9th Regirnent, which was a support and replacernent
unit' included the 416th and 4l8th Battalions rnoving frorn the Don Trau
Mountain area, Z0 krns west of Hue. It crossed. the Bo Rjver to the
Thong Cung Mountain where it was reinforced by Battalion K6, 6th
Regirnent, and rnoved northeastward along the Van Trung Xa and Lieu
Coc Phuong roads then through La Chu, Trieu Son Tay and Col Ke
successively to a staging area just northwast of the city.
In addition, the enerny set up a supply route, Route
12, leading to the north of the city to bring supplies in and wounded
out of the city,
Finally the 8th Regirnent sent one of its rnajor eLernent
into the city {rorn the northern side. The enernyrs offensive plan had
be en plotted c arefully.
According to enerny docurnents seized frorn the 6th
Regirnent by attacking the northern side of the Citadel they would
attack the headquarters of the lst ARVN InJantry Division C ornrnand
and the An Hoa gate,
The enerny divided a sapper cornpany of his lnto four
groups of ten rnen each, Each group was equipped with two 840 and
one B41 rocket launchers, AK and CKZ rifles. Each of the riJles had
200 rounds of arnrno and each of the sapper s was given 20 exllosrve charge
and a quantity of dog poison. The cornrnanding officer of the LZth Bat_
talion personally supervised ttrese four groups. The sapper company
cornrnander led the advance party, Battalion Kl detailed one of its
platoons to join the assault and the platoon was led by the battalion
cornrnander, At H-hour, drese groups quretly crossed the river frorn
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