Page 392 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

Cong Trang and Cao-Thang carnps and the Trinh Tuong Carnp on Luong
Ngoc Quyen Road, which was about one kilorneter frorn the provincial
adrninistrative headquart er s.
The enerny unit cornrnitted to the assault was the 48Znd
VC Battalion, This was a main-force VC unit with a strength of about
300 rnen which had been operating in Binh Thuan for a long tirne.

The enerny force rnoved in two colurnns. One colurnn
included Cornpanies Cl and C2 supported by a heavv \/eapon had the
rnission o{ assaulting the Trinh Tuong Carnp. The other colurnn
which included C ornpany C3 was to attack the Phu KhanhHarnlet'

The Trinh Tuong Carnp was defended by a platoon o{ the
Artillery Battalion Z3B znd elernents b{ the 954th Regional Force Corn-
pany. There were a total of about 50 rnen. The ca(rp was the horne
base of the 44th Infantry Regirnent whose rnain force was operating in
the field. Following a long pre-Tet operation in the province rnost of
the 954th RF Cornpny troops were allowed a Tet horne leave.

Though outnurnbered and outgunned the defenders rnanaged
to turn back all of the enernyrs assault waves. At daylight, nearly Z0
enerny bodies were found in the area. The enernyrs heavy weapons had
been used to soften up the carnp prior to the actual ground assault.
Throughout the night of Jan 30 they also directed diver.sionary rnortar
and cannon fire at the Dinh Cong Trang Carnp.
Enerny troops still surrounded the Trinh Tuong Carnp. On
the rnorning of the second day of Tet or Jan 31, Maj Tran Van Cha,
deputy province chief, Ied two understrength RF cornpanies, the 208th,
and 954th, to relieve enerny pressures frorn the beleaguered carnp.
Many of the I50 rnan force had hurriedly returned frorn their Tet horne
leave. These units rnoved up Nguyen Hoang Road rnaneuvering behind
the carnp and engaged the enerny wiro was equipped with new AKrs and
B40 rocket launchers. The relief colurnn tried unsuccessfully to rnove
further but had to fight a delaying battle waiting for reinforcernents.
Lt Col Nguyen Khac Tuan, .province chief, led another
cornbat unit up Luong Ngoc Quyen Road and directly hit enerny lines
facing the carnp. This unit was later cornrnanded by Lt Lu Tay Tuu,
Binh Thuan subgector intelligence officer. The unit had only 48 rnen,
all seasoned soldiers,

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