Page 95 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

The following day, 1 February, the Second Marine Batta_
lion was dispatched to Gate-Four to help with the task o{ clearing this
all irnportant area. The cornrrrander of the Airborne Division requested
that his troops be given the honor of dislodging the intruders. The request
was granted. The Sixth Airborne Battalion was brought to the scene and
in conjunction with the units already engaged counterattacked the enemy.
A {ew rninutes before the counterattack began,helicopter
gunships had been brought in for intense strafing o{ the installations
occupied by the Headquarters Cornpany and the AG School. Fotlowing
the stra{in,g, airborne troops advanced toward the enerny frorn Gates
Three and Two in a pincer rnovernent that grew tighter with each passing
second. Outnurnbered and outgunned,the insurgents broke off in the
direction of Vo Di Nguy boulevard.

The clearing operation was pronounced terrninated by I000
hours. The enerny had teft behind a dozen bodies. According to rnilitary
dependents, stuck in the battle zone during the fighting, he did have time
to evacuate rnany of his dead and wounded. llis firepower during this
battle was great for the sirnple reason that he took advantage of ready
fortifications and sorne of the weapons left behind by our troops in their
hasty retreat during the first hours of the offensive. sorne of the weapons
stoxed at the cornrnand post of the Headcluarters Cornpany were burned.
The Cornrnunist troops retreating frorn the Headquarters
were irnrnediately chased by south vietnarnese rnarines frorn the second
Marine Battalion: The Marines had corne to Vo Di Nguy Boulevard and
dislodged rninor V. C. forces frorn the railroad track leadir3 to the
Chuong Cho Intersection. The Blood Bank was also speedily liberated
by governrnent soldiers.

Early in the afternoon the First Marine Battalion was
helilifted to Go Vap to prevent the enerny frorn withdrawing in a
southward direction. Hours later another battalion, the Fourth lv{arlne,
also was brought to the sarne area, It was only a rnatter of hours
before the Cornrnunists were driven out of the Co Loa and phu Dong
Carnps. In fact, by i830 hours that day, these two irnportant installations
wef e pronounced liberated.
Remnants of the Viet Cong {orce realized they were being
surrounded. In a desperate e{fort to get away {rorr-r this enorrnous trap,
they rnounted a three pronged attack on positions of the First Marine.
This effort only resulted in greater casualties on the part of the
assailants.

-99-