Cheatham then joined his company commanders in Hu University and they proceeded to develop the tactics to be used in recapturing southern Hu. During the Battle of Hue City, most of the civilians hid out in buildings, according to Christmas. The Marine Corps' military operations in urban terrain doctrine recognizes that tactical success does not necessarily translate to strategic victory the Battle of Hu in the Vietnam War, when Marines defeated an enemy that sought to put up a good fight but never expected to win. In a 539-page narrative, Bowden delivers a work of grand. The Battle of Hu (also called the Siege of Hu), was one of the bloodiest and longest battles of the Vietnam War. [9]:32022 The PAVN-VC no longer tenaciously defended each building, relying more on sniper fire, mortars and rockets. If you get emotional about it you wont.. Under cover of supporting fire the Marines secured part of the ridgeline, killing three PAVN for the loss of one Marine killed. We take care of civilians, added Downs. Shortly before midnight, the reconnaissance team hiding in the bushes on the north bank of the Perfume River saw a long column of PAVN soldiers emerge from the darkness. But, the city overall is beautiful. Everybody is a rifleman. He went on to say that what is important is that each Marine stay above the emotion of the fight. Approximately 10.5 miles north of the city in Thua Thien Province, the ARVN 1st Airborne Task . The toughest fight of the day centered on a pagoda that contained a PAVN battalion headquarters. Youve got to protect your corpsman, said Downs. The base remained under fire from PAVN positions in a Buddhist temple to the south and from a ridgeline to the west and at 07:00 on 25 February Companies F and G began to attack the ridgeline, but were met by intense mortar fire. [14]:2930 East of the MACV Compound, a heavy weapons team from the 2nd Sapper Battalion attempted to destroy the communications facility. [16]:23237 Other attacks along Highway 1 damaged or destroyed 20 bridges and 26 culverts between the Hi Vn Pass and Phu Bai and Highway 1 was closed to convoy traffic until early March. During the night, the battalion called helicopter into the landing zone to take out the most badly wounded. [9]:361, On 7 February the PAVN twice ambushed a 25 vehicle supply convoy supported by two Ontos going along Route 547 (162602N 1073549E / 16.434N 107.597E / 16.434; 107.597) from Phu Bai to the 11th Marines Firebase Rockcrusher (162335N 1073408E / 16.393N 107.569E / 16.393; 107.569) which provided artillery support to Allied forces fighting in and around Hu. On the south side of the river was the new city of Hu, which contained most of the government buildings, schools, and the university, set on wide boulevards. The Best Things To Do In Hue, Vietnam. [12]:60, On 10 February two forward observers from the Marines' 1st Field Artillery Group were flown into Ty Lc to help coordinate artillery and naval gunfire to support the fighting within the Citadel, however Trng instructed them that the Imperial Palace was not to be fired on. [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. The 2nd Battalion, 12th Cavalry was to arrive in the landing zone first, followed by the 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry to be inserted near PK-17. [12]:29 The PAVN B5 Front created a special logistical and administrative zone known as the Hu City Front to manage the upcoming battle. Itinerary. 6) Enjoy the Co Ha Gardens. On 23 February, the 2/12th Cavalry and the 2/501st Infantry, resumed their battle at the Sau Canal. [12]:38, Just before dawn the 804th Battalion reached the eastern outskirts of the new city, three hours behind schedule. Although the 2nd and 3rd Battalions of the 3rd Regiment remained outside of the Citadel walls, unable to penetrate the PAVN defenses; the 2nd and 7th Airborne Battalions, supported by armored personnel carriers and the Hac Bao Company, recaptured the Ty Lc airfield. Hue is a city chock-full of stories. 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. In April 1966, the battalion deployed to the Republic of Vietnam. [9]:17174 French journalists Catherine Leroy and Francois Mazure were captured by the PAVN, but were allowed to return to U.S. lines bringing photos of the PAVN side of the battle which were subsequently published in Life Magazine.[27]. The ambush destroyed several vehicles and threw the 1st Troop, 7th Cavalry, into confusion. God Bless these two Marines , who in the heat of battle, find the opportunity to escort this blind local girl to safety. There were also many obstacles to navigate including moats and walls. The 150 ARVN at Ty Lc Airfield withdrew east through the city, avoiding PAVN forces and sneaked into the Mang Ca compound shortly after 07:00, just in time to help repulse another major assault from the 802nd Battalion. Losses continued to mount throughout the day from mortar and small arms fire and that night the Battalion commander decided to breakout from the encirclement by a night march to an ARVN position on Nha Nanh hill (162735N 1073022E / 16.4598N 107.506E / 16.4598; 107.506) from where they could be resupplied and the casualties medevaced. But once you get them out you have to take them out the way you came in. The attack resumed the following morning and the ridge was secured with 20 PAVN and two Marines killed. "[33], The November 2004 anti-insurgent Marine operation in the city of Fallujah, which took place during the Iraq War, has been compared to the Battle of Hu. [9]:49698 Over the coming months U.S. public opinion turned decisively against the war. [12]:37 At 08:00, PAVN troops raised a liberation flag over the Citadel flag tower. Loyde Yates, Hue City, Feb 1968. At the end of January in 1968, the Viet Cong launched an offensive that turned the tide of the Vietnam War. [4]:168[12]:4344, The ARVN 3rd Regiment had an even more difficult time. In Fallujah, Sunni insurgents turned mosques into fortresses, in a similar way to how PAVN-VC forces utilized Buddhist temples in Hu. More than half the company's 147 men had been wounded or killed in that day's fighting. 7) Walk Around the Thai Hoa Palace. To say that we are closer to victory today is to believe, in the face of the evidence, the optimists who have been wrong in the past. Redding's experience in Hue began soon after the city fell. [13]:43[14]:29. 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. Christmas says theres not a day that goes by that he doesnt think about two mistakes he made during the Battle for Hue City. [4]:191 The PAVN forces in the new city, worn down by more than a week of incessant combat and effectively cut off from their comrades on the other side of the river, began to slowly abandon the city, the 815th and 2nd Sapper Battalions moved to the southern side of the Phu Cam Canal, where the 818th Battalion was already in place. 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. Marine Corps Base Quantico. However, less is known about America's involvement with the city during World War II. This is called lance corporal ingenuity and Pfc. [14]:140, Within the ARVN 1st Battalion, 3rd Regiment and 2nd and 7th Airborne Battalions cleared out the north and western parts of the Citadel including the Chanh Tay Gate, while the 4th Battalion, 2nd Regiment moved south from Mang Ca towards the Imperial Palace, killing over 700 PAVN-VC by 4 February. The Battle of Hue City occurred during the Tet Offensive, where. As the PAVN-VC area of control within Hu shrank, the pace of executions increased to prevent the "enemies of the people" being freed by ARVN or U.S. forces or identifying the VC who had revealed themselves. Task Force X-ray including 1/5 and 2/5 Marines (2,500) and 1st ARVN Battalion. To understand why, Mark Bowden's searing "Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam" takes us deep into the bloodiest single battle of that bitter conflict, tracking Americans . [12]:2729, At least two PAVN regiments, two sapper battalions, and an assortment of VC local forces were based in Tha Thin Province. Built within a two year span, it has been severely damaged on three occasions. The battle started on Jan. 30, 1968 and didnt end until March 3, 1968. Sightseeing can include the ornate Imperial Citadel, colorful Thanh Toan Bridge, royal tombs and the Forbidden Purple City. Hue's refined cuisine is the stuff of legend, and its leafy streets are lined with mossy pagodas, art dco mansions . CALL: 804.340.1800 or 800.358.8701 The Marines then pushed into the Treasury building which the PAVN had hastily abandoned. [12]:37, Responding to the call at PK-17, at 09:00 the 3rd Troop and the 7th Battalion of the Airborne task force rolled out of their base area in an armored convoy onto Highway 1. In spite of the beating they took in November, they will continue to assert they repelled the initial attack and fought well thereafter. We would progress in this way throughout the fight, said Downs. 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. Your email address will not be published. February 1968. About Hue. Those not reporting voluntarily were hunted down. As the PAVN moved to reoccupy the strongpoints at dawn they were caught in the open by the Marines, 16 PAVN were killed for the loss of three Marines. [4]:197, On 13 February Companies A and C, 1/5 Marines left Mang Ca and moved south along the eastern wall of the Citadel, while Company B remained in reserve. Marine units were located on the outskirts of the city to the south and west when they were attacked by the NVA Jan. 30 as part of the Tet Offensive. [9]:27478 Due to the delays on the left flank, the main assault in the center by Company F, 2/5 Marines was delayed until mid-afternoon. 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. Rather, the Modern War Institute provides a forum for professionals to share opinions and cultivate ideas. He served twenty-five years as an infantry soldier, which included two combat tours in Iraq. About 2 kilometers (1.2mi) to its southwest was the 101st Engineering Company compound (162613N 1073455E / 16.437N 107.582E / 16.437; 107.582). In the early morning hours of 31 January 1968, a division-sized force of PAVN-VC soldiers launched a coordinated attack on the city of Hu. 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. [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. [4]:230, On 1 February, III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) Commander Lieutenant General Robert Cushman alerted the 1st Cavalry Division commander, Major General John J. Tolson, to be ready to deploy his 3rd Brigade into a sector west of Hu. With the promise of U.S. Marine reinforcements, Chi's column, with three tanks in the lead, tried once more. On Jan. 31, 1968, communist forces had taken control of Hue, the third largest city in South Vietnam. The Marines decided to withdraw. [4]:201 That day at a meeting at Phu Bai between Generals Abrams, LaHue, Trng and South Vietnamese Vice President Nguyn Cao K, K approved the use of all necessary force to clear the PAVN-VC forces from the Citadel, regardless of damage to historic structures. Were all emotional, we care about our Marines. [9]:34749 On 9 February 5/7th Cavalry resumed their advance with artillery support from PK-17 and naval gunfire; they overran Lieu Coc finding PAVN bodies and fighting positions. The operational plan was for the Marines to move west from Ty Lc and then turn south. Greenway, a photographer embedded with the Marines . Bowden has also written for Talk, Men's Journal, Sports Illustrated, Rolling Stone and Playboy, among others. The Battle of Hue City occurred with the Tet Offensive, where Marines were surprised by a North Vietnamese Army (NVA) attack during what was supposed to be a cease fire negotiated during a Vietnamese holiday. Gravel left the armor behind on the southern bank to provide direct fire support. Meanwhile, two kilometers to the northwest, the remainder of the 5/7th Cavalry, resumed its advance toward Thon An. The Marines of Charlie Company were based at Lang Co Village, which was located adjacent to the Lang Co Bridge situated at the northern approach of the Hai Van Pass. The Modern War Institute recently launched an Urban Warfare Project Case Study Series. [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. This could mean going through the same holes and breaches that you have been through. The Battle of Hue City . https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=TfMocPJZvfQ&t=40s. 3) Stroll Through the Imperial City. . The world is urban and thats where youre going to fight and its up to you to ensure that you prepare yourself. Valerie OBerry/CommStrat Office The Marines on the outskirts of the city were able to fend off the initial Tet Offensive attack and back the NVA up to the river, but within a few days the Marines were ordered to take back the entire city, which had become overrun by NVA. Other PAVN troops split off and attacked the Hu railway station and a police headquarters facility near the Bach Ho Railroad Bridge. The sappers mission was to scale the Citadel's wall near the Mang Ca compound, open and hold the Hau and An Hoa Gates and assist the infantry company with its attack on Trng's headquarters. Due to the Tt holidays, large numbers of ARVN forces were on leave and the city was poorly defended. Because of enemy mortaring of the LCU ramp in southern Hu, the allies had stopped all river traffic to the city. See my book, "The Cat from Hue: a Vietnam War Story." On 31 January 1968, the Marines of 1/5 were spread out over a large area of I Corps. The Army gunners and the Marine Ontos quickly responded. With darkness approaching the attack was postponed until the next morning. 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 ). Additional battalions were later identified as coming from the 29th Regiment of the 325C Division, the 90th and 803rd Regiments of the 324B Division and the 24th Regiment of the 304th Division. [4]:171, Up to this point the fighting for Hu had been entirely a South Vietnamese affair. [4]:195 On 11 February the Vietnamese Marines Task Force A comprising the 1st and 5th Battalions, began to be lifted by helicopter into Mang Ca to replace the Airborne, however due to poor weather this deployment would not be completed until 13 February. An allied aircraft spotted the units and reported their position. This summer's almost certain standoff will either end in real give-and-take negotiations or terrible escalation; and for every means we have to escalate, the enemy can match us, and that applies to invasion of the North, the use of nuclear weapons, or the mere commitment of one hundred, or two hundred, or three hundred thousand more American troops to the battle Major Jayson Geroux is an infantry officer with The Royal Canadian Regiment and currently with 1st Canadian Infantry Division Headquarters. This is also where the Marine needs to use their ingenuity. 1st Marine Regiment commander Colonel Stanley S. Hughes, ordered Captain George R. Christmas, commander of Company H, 2nd Battalion 5th Marines to relieve the CAP unit and Company H engaged the PAVN-VC as they withdrew from the CAP position. Cntr. [4]:199 On 14 February the Marines resumed their attack supported by Marine and Navy gun fire and Marine close air support. The 4th Battalion ran into a blocking force from the 2nd Sapper Battalion and a company from the 810th Battalion. By the beginning of the North Vietnamese Tet Offensive on 30 January 1968, which coincided with the Vietnamese Tt Lunar New Year, large conventional American forces had been committed to combat operations on Vietnamese soil for almost three years. 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 . We had 30 personal decorations awarded to the company and of the 30, 27 were enlisted with 24 being corporals and below, Downs said. On 15 February Company D led the renewed attack against the Dong Ba Gate with Company C defending its flank. This equipment was loaded onto a convoy which arrived at the MACV Compound at 13:00 on 3 February. The change is incredible, and yet you can still make out familiar sights. [9]:370, On 11 February Company H, 2/5 Marines secured a bridge over the Phu Cam Canal (162725N 1073441E / 16.457N 107.578E / 16.457; 107.578) and the block on the opposite side of the canal. At the Chanh Tay gate (162826N 1073340E / 16.474N 107.561E / 16.474; 107.561) on the west wall of the Citadel, a six-man PAVN sapper team dressed in ARVN uniforms killed the guards and opened the gate. One of my more memorable experiences during the monthlong battle for Hue City, February 1968, was when my assistant machine-gunner, Marcus, and I were ordered to stay behind on the enemy's side of .

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