Page 312 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Battalion and a rnortar cornpany assaulted the Interrogation Center
and the B12 c ornrna; r1 headquarters as well as the adjoining Arnerican
billet, Nowhere did the enerny achieved his objectives since his bat-
talions being badlv understrength and his rren weary f ollowing a hectic
day of fighting elsewhere. The accurate counter battery fire by
friendty artillery destroyed the enernyrs rnortar cornpany at the be-
ginning of the assault and helped throw back both enerny assaults.

But fighting continued to rage during the rest of the
ni.ght. A sweep operation conducted by friendly troops in the sarne
general area turned up Z0 enerny bodies and three BZmrrr Erortars.
The night fighting at the latter stages involved the enernyrs 304th
Pro'incial MainJoi:ce Battalion and 406th Sapper Battal'ion. Both
were understrength. These units resurned the assault.

The enerny directed his big guns at the installations
but thanks to well dug forti{ications and the presence of rnany troops
who hurriedly returned to their carnp, all cornrnunist assaults failed.
A depot of military gear , however, was set afire.

At night, flares hung over the sky and the governrnent
troops were effectively supported by air and artillerv"

On the second day o{ the holiday season, governrnent
units again were dispatched to restore order in the city. Si.nce their
numbers were lirnited all ihey could do was sweeP areas irnrnediately
bordering on the adrninistrative rnilitary sections. They were also
to receive sorne help frorn US troops ccrning in frorn the direction
of the Da B1a bridge.
Reinforcernents sent to reli.eve enernv pressure at the
installations of the 204th Polwar C ornpany counted 12 cornmunists dead.
Following this they tried to liberate the Bac Ai Pagoda where a strong
enemy force had entrenched itsel{. They were not able to dislodge
the enerny forces but had to call ln artillery while US troop.s blocked
all retreating roads through the cernetery. It took government trooPs
several assaults before they reoccupied the pagoda' About 50% of the
pagoda wa6 destroyed during the fight.

During the second day of the holiday season enemy
troops still kept to downtown areas but they failed to occupy anv of
the rnany adrninistrative and rnilitary installations in the city. At
1800 hours all the troops on 6weep operati.ons returned to the barracks.
In the evening huge US Chinook helicopters had brought

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