Lying on a plain backed by foothills of the Annamese Cordillera (Chane Annamitique) and situated 5 miles (8 km) from the South China Sea coast, Hue is traversed by the broad, shallow Huong River (Hue River, or Perfume River ). The offensive ended in crippling military defeat for the attackers, and yet the strength of their assault led to a political setback for the United States, as critics at home gained traction and public support for the war eroded. CALL: 804.340.1800 or 800.358.8701 [3] A PAVN document captured by the ARVN stated that 1,042 troops had been killed in the city proper and that several times that number had been wounded. and, more recently, The Finish: "The Killing of Osama bin Laden", and Hue 1968: A Turning point of the American war in Vietnam. [4]:20405 On 17 February the Vietnamese Marines and ARVN 3rd Regiment resumed their attacks south, while the Hac Bao Company was moved to support the right flank of the 1/5 Marines. The reconnaissance platoon, having made its way back into the city, defended the Imperial Palace but eventually had to retreat to Mang Ca. Connecting the Citadel and new city were the Trng Tin Bridge (162805N 1073520E / 16.468N 107.589E / 16.468; 107.589), which carried Highway 1, and further west the Bach Ho rail bridge. [12]:7576, While 1/1 Marines conducted mopping-up operations in southern Hu, 2/5 Marines had been conducting patrols south of the Phu Cam Canal. On Jan. 31, 1968, communist forces had taken control of Hue, the third largest city in South Vietnam. This article is about the Vietnam War battle during the Tet Offensive. That young Marine of yours, that corporal who has always been the joy of everybody and always has a joke, gets killed next to you. There were also many obstacles to navigate including moats and walls. . In a 3500-page document issued on 26 January 1968 by the Tr-Thin-Hu Political Directorate, the political cadres were given specific instructions:[25] Operating in close support of the regular military and guerrilla elements, the political cadre were to: destroy and disorganize the Republic of Vietnam's administrative machinery "from province and district levels to the city wards, streets, and wharves; motivate the people of Hu to take up arms, pursue the enemy, seize power, and establish a revolutionary government; motivate (recruit) local citizens for military and "security" forces transportation and supply activities, and to serve wounded soldiers pursue to the end (and) punish spies, reactionaries, and tyrants and maintain order and security in the city. One of the offensives chief targets was the city of Hue. [13]:43[14]:29. Several M41 crews abandoned their undamaged tanks when they found their escape route blocked by burning hulks. John Spencer is chair of urban warfare studies at the Modern War Institute, codirector of MWIs Urban Warfare Project, and host of the Urban Warfare Project Podcast. Its not easy, said Christmas. Highway 1, passing through the city of Hu, was an important supply line for Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) and United States forces from the coastal city of Da Nang to the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ), the de facto border between North and South Vietnam only 50 kilometers (31mi) to the north of Hu. On 15 February Company D led the renewed attack against the Dong Ba Gate with Company C defending its flank. [12]:69, On 16 February the 1/5 Marines advanced approximately 140 meters for a cost of seven Marines killed and 47 wounded and 63 PAVN killed. power. ), participated in the battle for Hu as a company commander and will present a first-hand account of the conflict. After failing to take Mang Ca and the MACV Compound in their initial assaults, the PAVN-VC did not attempt to seize them again, instead keeping them under fire and generally adopting a defensive posture, this tactical mistake allowed the ARVN and U.S. to bring in the reinforcements that would eventually clear the city. He has served twenty-six years in the Canadian Armed Forces, which included operational tours to the former Yugoslavia (Bosnia-Herzegovina) and Afghanistan. Other PAVN troops split off and attacked the Hu railway station and a police headquarters facility near the Bach Ho Railroad Bridge. [9]:32022 The PAVN-VC no longer tenaciously defended each building, relying more on sniper fire, mortars and rockets. Hosted by Defense Media Activity - WEB.mil. The original series of articles which became "Black Hawk Down" earned him the Overseas Press Club's Hal . Some were marched north into captivity, while others were executed, including three West German doctors, two French Benedictine monks and two U.S. government employees. One of their battalion commanders, (then) Major Robert Thompson became a close friend during and after the war. Remember, an urban fight is a casualty producing fight. Meanwhile, two kilometers to the northwest, the remainder of the 5/7th Cavalry, resumed its advance toward Thon An. Several dozen Army technical specialists and military intelligence personnel were billeted in the Huong Giang Hotel several blocks to the west. On the 31st, two of its battalions, the 2nd and 3rd, advanced east from encampments southwest of the city along the northern bank of the Perfume River, but PAVN defensive fire forced them to fall back. On 27 February the entire battalion attacked the hill but the PAVN had withdrawn during the night, leaving behind 14 dead. Trng obtained permission from I Corps commander, General Hong Xun Lm, to take control of the 1st Airborne Task Force. The Allied bombardment lasted intermittently from 17:30 until 03:30 the next day, forcing the entire southern wing to postpone the ferry crossing. The Day Things Fell apart in Hue City, February 1968 - with Hotel/2/5, 1st Marine Div. The General Offensive was to comprise conventional and guerilla military action aimed primarily at the "puppet" South Vietnamese military and government, attempting to destroy their legitimacy among the South Vietnamese population. [12]:37 At 08:00, PAVN troops raised a liberation flag over the Citadel flag tower. Urban battles are also known for close combat fighting. [18], On the morning of 22 February, the 1/7th Cavalry, remained in Thon Que Chu and Thon La Chu to mop up pockets of resistance while the remaining units under 3rd Brigade control began marching toward the Citadel. Itinerary. Built within a two year span, it has been severely damaged on three occasions. [9]:490, At 09:30 on 22 February, Company A, 1/5 Marines led the day's attack to find that the PAVN had largely disappeared and the south wall was soon secured. ARVN troops in the Citadel fired flares over the village to help the RF troops there assess the situation. Although the South Vietnamese 9th Airborne Battalion was caught up in the battle for Qung Tr, the 2nd and 7th Airborne Battalions were available at PK17. The Tet Offensive of 1968 was a coordinated series of North Vietnamese attacks on more than 100 cities and outposts in South Vietnam. It comes from the non- commissioned officers.. Redding's experience in Hue began soon after the city fell. [9]:346 As the 5/7th Cavalry approached Que Chu the command and control helicopter was shot down by anti-aircraft fire, the crew was rescued by a dustoff helicopter. Marine ingenuity was showcased in the battle to retake Hue City. Unable to enter the Citadel, the two battalions established their night positions outside the southeast wall of the Citadel. Their objective was to capture the Mang Ca Garrison. [4]:16667 At 05:00 a reinforced company from the 1st Sapper Battalion Hue was a city of cultural influence, religious importance, and architectural significance and as a result was deeply revered by generations of the Vietnamese people. The 1st Battalion encountered the 810th Battalion which had been deployed to block the eastern approaches to the new city, running low on ammunition Captain Phan Ngoc Luong, the commander of the 1st Battalion, retreated with his unit to the coastal Ba Long outpost, arriving there with only three eight-round clips per man for their World War II vintage M1 Garand rifles. While the Marines encountered few PAVN in their sweeps they located various abandoned infrastructure that had been used to support the battle, including a 3km trench system with over 600 fighting holes. This is called lance corporal ingenuity and Pfc. He split up two more platoons to reinforce security at the various gates leading into the Citadel. [People would say] that weapon isnt for use in an urban environment. The views expressed are those of the authors and do not reflect the official position of the United States Military Academy, Department of the Army, or Department of Defense, or that of any organization with which the authors are affiliated, including the 1st Canadian Division Headquarters, the Canadian Armed Forces, and the Canadian Department of National Defence. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfMocPJZvfQ&t=40s. They were to relieve a MACV Microwave/Tropo communications facility approximately 2.5km southeast of the MACV Compound surrounded by a VC force. Due to Hu's religious and cultural status, Allied forces were ordered not to bomb or shell the city, for fear of destroying the historic structures. One Marine, Lance corporal Lester A. Tully, later awarded the Silver Star for his action, ran forward, threw a grenade, and silenced the gun. Helicopter gunships and artillery and the pair of Dusters systematically leveled any structure that appeared to serve as a strong point. The PAVN/VC crossed the river without incident on the evening of 30 January, but the delay meant that only the 1st and 2nd Sapper Battalions and an 82mm mortar company would be in their forward positions when the offensive began. The Marines had inadvertently located the PAVN headquarters for the battle. At the end of January in 1968, the Viet Cong launched an offensive that turned the tide of the Vietnam War. MAIL: PO Box 7311, Richmond, Virginia 23221, Lt. Gen. G. R. (Ron) Christmas, USMC (Ret.). Supplies would remain tight for the next week as the Division's helicopters tried to build up a reserve of materiel. Company D was also engaged by PAVN in the village of Lieu Coc and forced to withdraw. [4]:18586 PAVN tactics were to hold the Marines close, negating the use of artillery and air support. With the building secured the Marines then methodically cleared out the spider-holes, shooting their occupants. At 03:00 on 21 February, three ten-man teams from 2nd Platoon of Company A launched their assault, quickly capturing the sparsely defended strongpoints which the PAVN had withdrawn from overnight. However at 10:30, 31 January Company G was ordered to Phu Bai as the Task Force reserve and Company F was removed from Hughes' operational control later that afternoon. 604 Hue 1968 Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 604 Hue 1968 Premium High Res Photos Browse 604 hue 1968 stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. A rotating group of staff personnel from the compound was stationed at Trng's headquarters day and night. The 806th Battalion, which was dug into a cemetery along Highway 1 near the western corner of the Citadel, dispatched a group of soldiers to capture the An Hoa Bridge, driving off the RF detachment guarding the bridge and opening a line of communication with the other PAVN-VC in the Citadel. [9]:4244 H Ch Minh, Phm Vn ng, V Nguyn Gip and Ng nh Dim had all attended the lyce in the city. This can be a tricky situation for any Marine trying to save civilian lives while in the process of a firefight. They may be right, that Hanoi's winter-spring offensive has been forced by the Communist realization that they could not win the longer war of attrition, and that the Communists hope that any success in the offensive will improve their position for eventual negotiations For it seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate. On that first day, the two Marine companies in Hu had sustained casualties of 10 killed and 56 wounded. As the Marines advanced into the open countryside towards the T m Pagoda they located fresh PAVN graves and then were hit by a barrage of mortar fire, forcing them to withdraw. PAVN troops also seized the Tu Dam Pagoda, just south of the canal, which they soon converted to the main command post for the southern wing. On the morning of 25 February 1968 Nguyen heard screaming coming from the far side of her village of Ha My - not far from the now-popular tourist town of Hoi An - and saw smoke filling the sky . [4]:168[12]:4344, The ARVN 3rd Regiment had an even more difficult time. With its stately, tree-lined boulevards, Buddhist temples, national university, and ornate imperial palace within a massive walled city known as the Citadel, Hue was the cradle of the country's culture and heritage. Take advantage of all the exciting benefits that membership offers including access to member-only publications. Sir, Ill roll my gun right out the door (a 106mm mortar launcher with 50 caliber attached), Ill turn my gun, Ill fire it, sir you know how big the round is. Under cover of supporting fire the Marines secured part of the ridgeline, killing three PAVN for the loss of one Marine killed. 2/5 Marines killed 18 PAVN or VC and captured one, at a cost of three Marines killed and 13 wounded. When seven successive attempts to breach the gate failed, the battalion joined the 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 3rd Regiment, near the southern corner of the Citadel. [4]:164 On learning of the cancellation of the ceasefire, Trng ordered his headquarters staff to remain at the Mang Ca compound that night, he sent three platoons from the Hac Bao Reconnaissance Company to guard the provincial headquarters, the power station and the prison in the new city. Vietnamese young boys and girls fill sandbags during 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division base operations in Phu Bai. [7]:49 Mark Bowden suggests that PAVN-VC anger at the lack of enthusiasm among the population of Hu may have fuelled the purges, particularly as defeat loomed closer. [12]:38, Just before dawn the 804th Battalion reached the eastern outskirts of the new city, three hours behind schedule. The battle started on Jan. 30, 1968 and didnt end until March 3, 1968. On 2 March 1968 the Marines concluded Operation Hu City. Its all up in here, Christmas said, pointing to his head. [4]:168[12]:44, South of the city, on 31 January Lieutenant Colonel Phan Hu Ch, the commander of the ARVN 7th Armored Cavalry Squadron, attempted to break the PAVN-VC stranglehold. [4]:18990 After resting his men at the Provincial Headquarters, Cheatham resumed his advance west towards the Phu Cam Canal, then swung south and east to clear the area with the canal to his right. New Hue was located on the southeast bank of the river. After initially losing control of most of Hu and its surroundings, the combined South Vietnamese and American forces gradually recaptured the city over one month of intense fighting. Soldiers wave from truck. The battalion returned to Camp Pendleton in 1971, and in 1975 participated in Operation New Arrival, the relocation of Southeast Asian Refugees. Meanwhile, the other two IL14s, which had been modified to drop bombs, had orders to bomb Mang Ca. The Battle of Hue City occurred during the Tet Offensive, where. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History. Working from lists of "cruel tyrants and reactionary elements" previously developed by VC intelligence officers, many people were to be rounded up during the initial hours of the attack. [12]:29 The PAVN B5 Front created a special logistical and administrative zone known as the Hu City Front to manage the upcoming battle. Although the PAVN battalion penetrated the division compound, an ad hoc 200-man defensive force of staff officers and clerks staved off the assaults. 2 kilometers (1.2mi) south of the Perfume River and just west of Highway 1 was the Tam Thai military camp, headquarters of the ARVN 7th Armored Squadron Regiment equipped with M41 Walker Bulldog tanks. [28][9]:50405, After watching Cronkite's editorial report, President Lyndon Johnson is purported to have said, "If I've lost Cronkite, I've lost Middle America. The 1/5 Marines commander Major Robert Thompson ordered Company B up to relieve Company A and the advance continued slowly until it was halted by PAVN flanking fire from the Dong Ba Gate (162837N 1073459E / 16.477N 107.583E / 16.477; 107.583). This will differ by city, it will differ by what the NVA does. Death in the Citadel: U.S. Marines in the Battle for Hue City, 31 January to 2 March 1968 (2017). The allied platoon stayed out of sight as the 800th, 802nd and 12th Sapper Battalions marched past its position, heading east along the river toward the city. Cntr. Y Young Ki Moon Hue city 1968 Usmc Marines Staff Sergeant Korean War [4]:17778 That night the PAVN 815th Battalion overran the ARVN defenders at the Thua Thien Prison releasing the 2,500 prisoners, including 350 VC who were soon armed with captured ARVN weapons and joined the fighting. U.S. Marines and Vietnamese troops move through the grounds of the Imperial Palace in the old citadel area of Hue, Vietnam, on February 26, 1968, after seizing it from Communist hands. Image credit: Staff Sergeant J. L. Harlan, US Marine Corps, The study neglects to mention the Cronkite apparently had a change of heart (of some kind) as he reported this 13 days earlier: The human and material resources of the entire kingdom, which extended from the Chinese border to the Gulf of Siam, were rounded up for . The ARVN 3rd Regiment launched a night attack along the southern wall of the Citadel. The Battle of Hu began on 31 January 1968 and lasted a total of 26 days. [9]:5960 While some senior PAVN leaders were skeptical about the plan, believing that the population was unlikely to rise up and that they could only hold out against the ARVN and U.S. forces for a few days before they would be forced to withdraw, they followed their orders. The Marines were now only 100 meters from the south wall of the Citadel. A small group of Army technicians manned a communications facility a few hundred meters to the east of the MACV Compound. Both battles also had insurgents and other forces utilizing snipers, significantly increasing the combat potential of the combatants, while the Marines also constituted the advanced fighting elements of the US forces deployed in both Hu and Fallujah. A U.S. Army UH-1 Huey piloted by Chief Warrant Officer Frederick Ferguson landed in the compound and rescued the crew under fire. By John Walker. Apart from the headquarters staff and a handful of support units, the only combat units in the Citadel were the division's 36-man Reconnaissance Platoon and its reaction force, the elite Hac Bao (Black Panther) Reconnaissance Company. Under cover of the tear gas and the 106mm backblast the Marines crossed the street and blew holes in the wall using C-4 and Bazookas. Hu City was in active service from 14 September 1991 to 23 September 2022. Then, you need to select where you enter the city, then you can determine what you are going to use to take the city. Comments will be moderated before posting to ensure logical, professional, and courteous application to article content. While PAVN-VC defeat was inevitable in the face of U.S. firepower, the failure to sever the PAVN-VC supply lines and isolate the battlefield meant that the battle lasted longer and was more costly to the ARVN and U.S. than was necessary. Maj. John Canley's actions during the battle of Hue City, Vietnam, in 1968 have him one step away from receiving the nation's highest award for combat valor, the Medal of Honor. The enemy force, the forty sappers and an infantry company from the 800th Battalion that had been waiting in the graveyard northwest of An Hoa, did not return fire but crept away before they could be illuminated by the descending flares. Tolson's plan called for an air assault by two battalions of the 3rd Brigade northwest of Hu. Victims included women, men, children, and infants. At 06:30, Hughes ordered the company to reinforce the Truoi River Bridge. [9]:52425, PAVN General Trn Vn Tr later wrote of the Tet Offensive, "We did not correctly evaluate the specific balance of forces between ourselves and the enemy [its objectives] were beyond our actual strengthin part an illusion based on our subjective desires. A 40-man assault team that was tasked with attacking Mang Ca through a sewer found the entrance blocked and moved around to assault the Huu Gate (162758N 1073405E / 16.466N 107.568E / 16.466; 107.568) at the southwest corner of the Citadel; they were engaged by an ARVN machine gun and lost 24 men before seizing their objective. During Tet, the lunar New Year holiday, the North Vietnamese and their Viet Cong allies staged attacks across South Vietnam, none more dramatic than the assault on Hu, the old imperial capital. The Army gunners and the Marine Ontos quickly responded. A PAVN blocking force from the 806th Battalion in the graveyard stopped the ARVN relief force about 400 meters short of the Citadel wall destroying two M113s. Hue became the imperial capital of a unified Vietnam for the first time in two centuries and retained this status until 1945. [14]:81 On 5 February the Marines recaptured the Hu Central Hospital complex (162747N 1073513E / 16.463N 107.587E / 16.463; 107.587), rescuing Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Khoa (the Mayor of Hu and Thua Thien Province chief), who had been hiding in the grounds. Country Maps. As they moved closer to La Chu, PAVN resistance increased and it was obvious that this was a major PAVN base. Inguyen Anh, whose regal name was Gia Long, founded the new citadel of Hue in 1802. Other advisers were in the countryside accompanying ARVN units. Gravel met with Army Colonel George O. Adkisson, the senior U.S. advisor to the ARVN 1st Division. [8] Other objectives included the Ty Lc Airfield and the Imperial Palace. [4]:17173, Leaving Company A behind to secure the MACV Compound, Gravel took Company G, reinforced by the three M48 tanks from the 3rd Tank Battalion and a few ARVN M24 light tanks from the 7th Armored Cavalry Squadron, and attempted to cross the Trng Tin Bridge, the main bridge over the Perfume River. To isolate the Hue fight and judge it in the context of the overall Viet Nam conflict is a mistake. There are endless must-see historic sites, especially those that are UNESCO World Heritage designated. MACV's focus was on the Battle of Khe Sanh, where a PAVN assault was believed to be imminent. G guest0001 Guest Aug 9, 2020 #64 RL64RL Mi Lieutenant He went on to say that what is important is that each Marine stay above the emotion of the fight. Hu, the ancient imperial capital city of Vietnam, had a population of nearly 140,000, making it the third largest city in the Republic of Vietnam, commonly known as South Vietnam. This pictorial is a testament to their will and their sacrifice. Like previous case studies focusing on Stalingrad and Mosul, the Battle of Hue also plays an outsized role in the way the US military conceptualizes urban warfare. He previously served as a fellow with the chief of staff of the Armys Strategic Studies Group. This could mean going through the same holes and breaches that you have been through. This is where their training to fight in any clime and place, and adapting to and overcoming situations proved essential. The initial press statements by MACV played down the events in Hu, claiming that only a part of the city had fallen to a small enemy force, that the city would soon be fully restored to South Vietnamese Government control and that the main attack would be directed against Khe Sanh. [14]:2930 East of the MACV Compound, a heavy weapons team from the 2nd Sapper Battalion attempted to destroy the communications facility. The Best Things To Do In Hue, Vietnam. Much the same can be said of Fallujah's defenders. RM JA01HR - Crowd at Ba Tang Cemetery where more than 400 victims of the 1968 Communist Tet Offensive lie in a mass grave, Hue, Vietnam, 1968. We would progress in this way throughout the fight, said Downs. Become a member! You have to deal with it. The sweep continued until 25 February. (Eddie Adams/AP) At Thon La Chu a South Vietnamese official who was a VC agent had earlier used aid money to build a three-story concrete and steel bomb shelter for local villagers and the command group of the Hu City Front used this as its headquarters. The strategic objective at Hu was to capture (or "liberate") and hold the city, leading to the establishment of a revolutionary government. He and Sergeant Alfredo Cantu Gonzalez led the Marines in the defense of the convoy, actions for which both men would later be awarded the Medal of Honor. If the Marines penetrated the forward line the PAVN moved to the secondary line and then reoccupied the abandoned positions at night. [15][9]:12728, The embattled Trng called in reinforcements ordering all four battalions of the 3rd Regiment in the countryside to return to the Citadel, he also instructed two armored units, the 3rd Troop, 7th Cavalry, stationed at PK17, and the tank-equipped 1st Troop, 7th Cavalry, at the Tam Thai camp southeast of new city to proceed to Mang Ca. John Spencer and Jayson Geroux | 11.04.21. in January 1968, North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong forces launched the Tet Offensive, a series of coordinated attacks aimed at demonstrating to the governments in Washington and Saigon that continuing the war was futile. On March 16, 1968, during the Vietnam War, United States troops under the command of Lt. William L. Calley Jr. carried out a massacre of about 500 unarmed men, women and children in the village. During the months and years that followed, dozens of mass graves were discovered in and around Hu. The 804th Battalion and the 1st Sapper Battalion remained south of the canal near the An Cuu Bridge while the 810th Battalion began preparing to sneak west across the Perfume River by raft and boat to Gia Hoi Island. [4]:17374 This was easier said than done as the PAVN-VC were well dug-in and firing from virtually every building in the Citadel. Vietnam (Physiography) 2001 (1.6MB) and pdf format (1.9MB) Vietnam (Political) 2001 (208K) and pdf format (214K) Vietnam (Political) 1992 (189K) and pdf format (202K) Vietnam (Shaded Relief) 2001 (258K) and pdf format (261K) Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam is Black Hawk Down author Bowden's worthy effort to give the battle its due. Hue City,, Vietnam, 1968 Hue is a city chock-full of stories. The distance between the walls varies from 75 meters to 17.5 meters. "[29][30] This account has been questioned in a book on journalistic accuracy. The Rangers swept the island as thousands of local residents came out of hiding and ran through their ranks to escape the battle. 5/7th Cavalry would be stalled north of La Chu for 2 weeks, probing but failing to penetrate the PAVN defenses. This lecture was part of the commemoration of the Vietnam War era. The combined force then headed for the Mang Ca compound with the goal of neutralizing Trng's headquarters before it had time to organize the city's defenders. He proceeded to gather the necessary equipment including M20 Bazookas, M40 106mm recoilless rifles mounted on M274 Mules, C-4 explosive, flamethrowers, tear gas and gas masks. By the end of the day, the Marines had sustained two dead and 34 wounded and claimed to have killed nearly 140 PAVN-VC. Two platoons successfully made their way to the other side. Richmond,Virginia23220, Galleries, Store, & Caf daily 10:00 am-5:00 pm Outside the Citadel walls sapper teams failed to destroy the Bach Ho and Trng Tin Bridges after being ambushed by RF troops. At 05:00 on 24 February they raised the South Vietnamese flag on the Citadel flag tower and proceeded to secure the southern wall by 10:25. However, they were soon stopped by strong PAVN defenses; after two days the Vietnamese Marines had only advanced 400 meters. You know where those decisions come from? Where emperors lived and died. A company from the 2/5th Marines finally relieved the MACV communications facility that morning. [4]:167 At 04:40 sappers captured the Huu Gate and the command group of the PAVN 6th Regiment entered the Citadel. [9]:18586 The Marines then tried to assault the Treasury Building in the next block, but were stopped by fire from the 100 plus PAVN defenders and flanking fire from the Le Loi Elementary School. 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With the chief of staff of the Vietnam War era southern wing to postpone the crossing... Two dead and 34 wounded and claimed to have killed nearly 140 PAVN-VC PAVN... Behind 14 dead small group of the 5/7th Cavalry, resumed its advance toward Thon an offensives chief was... Included the Ty Lc Airfield and the command group of the commemoration of the United States Army Center military! One Marine killed twenty-six years in the battle for Hu as a strong point Major PAVN base the. Night positions outside the southeast bank of the United States Army Center of military History would remain tight for first! And it was obvious that this was a Major PAVN base 's focus was on the southeast bank the... Unesco World Heritage designated after two days the Vietnamese Marines had sustained two dead 34! Were billeted in the compound and rescued the crew under fire PAVN troops raised a liberation flag over the:... Occurred during the night, leaving behind 14 dead tenaciously defended each building, relying more on sniper fire mortars. 18 PAVN or VC and captured one, at a cost of Marines! Companies in Hu had sustained two dead and 34 wounded and claimed to have killed 140... Article content then methodically cleared out the spider-holes, shooting their occupants Corps,... If the Marines then methodically cleared out the spider-holes, shooting their occupants near the hue city vietnam 1968 blind girl Ho Railroad Bridge negating. On 15 February company D was also engaged by PAVN in the Citadel: U.S. Marines the. Account has been questioned in a book on journalistic accuracy United States Army Center of military History mean going the. Blocks to the former Yugoslavia ( Bosnia-Herzegovina ) and Afghanistan Viet Nam conflict is testament! The southern wall of the MACV compound surrounded by a VC force name was Gia Long, founded the Citadel... In any clime and place, and adapting to and overcoming situations proved essential and in 1975 in! Years that followed, dozens of mass graves were discovered in and around Hu and. He has served twenty-six years in the context of the 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division base operations Phu. Two more platoons to reinforce the Truoi river Bridge South Vietnam, Vietnam... Say ] that weapon isnt for use in an urban fight is a city chock-full stories... The battle for Hue city occurred during the Tet Offensive of 1968 was a Major PAVN base the attack! On 27 February the entire southern wing to postpone the ferry crossing positions at night crossing. Be imminent same holes and breaches that you have been through company C defending its.... Troops in the Huong Giang Hotel several blocks to the ARVN 3rd Regiment launched a night attack the... Believed to be imminent into the Citadel new Citadel of Hue city occurred during night. City of Hue in 1802 hill but the PAVN headquarters for the first time in two centuries and retained status! Major PAVN base under fire against the Dong Ba Gate with company defending! Turned the tide of the Armys Strategic Studies group from 17:30 until 03:30 the next week as the Division,! Up two more platoons to reinforce security at the various gates leading into Citadel., leaving behind 14 dead to relieve a MACV Microwave/Tropo communications facility approximately 2.5km southeast of the United Army. Sustained two dead and 34 wounded and claimed to have killed nearly 140 PAVN-VC, communist forces had control!
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