Battle of Khe Sanh The attack finally came on January 21, 1968, when PAVN forces began a massive artillery bombardment of Khe Sanh, hitting the base's main store of ammunition and destroying. Besieged, Khe Sanh could only be resupplied by air. [108] The most dramatic supply delivery system used at Khe Sanh was the Low Altitude Parachute Extraction System, in which palletized supplies were pulled out of the cargo bay of a low-flying transport aircraft by means of an attached parachute. Marines remained around Hill 689, though, and fighting in the vicinity continued until 11 July until they were finally withdrawn, bringing the battle to a close. Operation Pegasus, begun the day after Scotland ended, lasted until April 15. MACV therefore initiated an operation to open Route 9 to vehicle traffic. [61] To cover a defilade near the Rao Quan River, four companies from 2/26 were immediately sent out to occupy Hill 558, with another manning Hill 861A. 6,000 men North Vietnamese Vo Nguyen Giap Tran Quy Hai Approx. It was a bad beginning to a long 77-day siege. Indeed, had enemy forces not been at Khe Sanh, they could have joined the NVA and VC who occupied Hue, a much more important strategic target. The village of Khe Sanh was the seat of government of Hng Hoa district, an area of Bru Montagnard villages and coffee plantations about 7 miles (11km) from the Laotian frontier on Route 9, the northernmost transverse road in South Vietnam. [75], Niagara I was completed during the third week of January, and the next phase, Niagara II, was launched on the 21st,[76] the day of the first PAVN artillery barrage. Five Marines were killed on January 19 and 20, while on reconnaissance patrols. [9], The precise nature of Hanoi's strategic goal at Khe Sanh is regarded as one of the most intriguing unanswered questions of the Vietnam War. It was not sufficient to simply be an American military person killed in the fighting there during the winter and spring of 1967-68. For a succinct overview of the creation of the CIDG program and its operations. See also Pisor, p. 108. New material will be added to that page through the end of 2018. None of the deaths associated with Scotland II are included in the official count. The NVAs main command post was located in Laos, at Sar Lit. Contribute to chinapedia/wikipedia.en development by creating an account on GitHub. How many American soldiers died in the Battle of Ia Drang? The Operation Scotland tactical area of responsibility (TAOR) was limited to the area around Khe Sanh along Route 9 in western Quang Tri province. The Marine defense of Khe Sanh, Operation Scotland, officially ended on March 31. McNamara wrote: "because of terrain and other conditions peculiar to our operations in South Vietnam, it is inconceivable that the use of nuclear weapons would be recommended there against either Viet Cong or North Vietnamese forces". Gordan L Rottman, Osprey Campaign 150: The Khe Sanh 1967-68, p. 51. ~45,000 in total[11]~6,000 Marines at the Combat Base of Khe Sanh[12] Early in the war US forces had established a garrison at Khe Sanh in Quang Tri province, in the . Sunday marked the 50th anniversary of the start of the war's most famous siege, a 77-day struggle for a rain-swept plateau in central Vietnam that riveted the U.S. in 1968, and opened a year of . WALKI NA WZGRZU: PIERWSZA BITWA KHE SANH Edwarda F. Murphy'ego - twarda okadka w bardzo dobrym stanie | Books & Magazines, Books | eBay! [96], The Marines at Khe Sanh had a plan in place for providing a ground relief force in just such a contingency, but Lownds, fearing a PAVN ambush, refused to implement it. [125], By mid-March, Marine intelligence began to note an exodus of PAVN units from the Khe Sanh sector. [102], The Lao troops were eventually flown back to their homeland, but not before the Laotian regional commander remarked that his army had to "consider the South Vietnamese as enemy because of their conduct. Making the prospect even more enticing was that the base was in an unpopulated area in which American firepower could be fully employed without civilian casualties. [111] The base could also depend on fire support from US Army 175-mm guns located at Camp Carroll, east of Khe Sanh. "[84], Meanwhile, an interservice political struggle took place in the headquarters at Phu Bai Combat Base, Saigon, and the Pentagon over who should control aviation assets supporting the entire American effort in Southeast Asia. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, then began planning for incursion into Laos, and in October, the construction of an airfield at Khe Sanh was completed. The Marine Corps casualty reporting system was based on named operations and not geographic location. It was a two-part battle which took place from November 14 to 18, 1965 at the la Drang Valley, South Vietnam. Five days later, the final reinforcements arrived in the form of the 37th ARVN Ranger Battalion, which was deployed more for political than tactical reasons. On January 31, while approximately 50,000 U.S. and South Vietnamese troops were occupied in defending or supporting Khe Sanh and other DMZ bases, the communists launched an offensive throughout South Vietnam. Army deaths at FOB-3, however, were not included in the official statistics either. First had been Operation Full Cry, the original three-division invasion plan. As a result of this intelligence, KSCB was reinforced on 22 January 1968 by the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment. If firepower determined the outcome of the fight, it was airlift that allowed the defenders to hold their positions. by John Prados. [151] From 12 June to 6 July 1969, Task Force Guadalcanal comprising 1/9 Marines, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment and 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 2nd ARVN Regiment occupied the Khe Sanh area in Operation Utah Mesa. The Marine defense of Khe Sanh, Operation Scotland, officially ended on March 31. SOG Reconnaissance teams also reported finding tank tracks in the area surrounding Co Roc mountain. If that failed, and it did, they hoped to attack American reinforcements along Route 9 between Khe Sanh and Laos. As a result, "B-52 Arc Light strikes originating in Guam, Okinawa, and Thailand bombed the jungles surrounding Khe Sanh into stubble fields" and Khe Sanh became the major news headline coming out of Vietnam in late March 1968. Less likely to be mentioned is the final high-casualty engagement between units of the U.S. infantry and the North Vietnamese Army. Hundreds of mortar rounds and 122-mm rockets slammed into the base, levelling most of the above-ground structures. The site linked to another microwave/tropo site in Hu manned by the 513th Signal Detachment. Operation Pegasus: ~20,000 (1st Air Cavalry and Marine units), U.S. losses:At Khe Sanh: 274 killed2,541 wounded (not including ARVN Ranger, RF/PF, Forward Operation Base 3 US Army and Royal Laotian Army losses)[15]Operation Scotland I and Operation Pegasus: 730 killed2,642 wounded,7 missing[15]Operation Scotland II (15 April 1968 July 1968):485 killed2,396 wounded[1]USAF:5 ~ 20 killed, wounded unknown[1]Operation Charlie for the final evacuation:At least 11 marines killed, wounded unknown[1] The deaths of U.S. Air Force personnel, estimated between five and 20, are also omitted. [122] The majority of these were around the southern and southeastern corners of the perimeter, and formed part of a system that would be developed throughout the end of February and into March until they were ready to be used to launch an attack, providing cover for troops to advance to jumping-off points close to the perimeter. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The Hill Fights: The First Battle of Khe Sanh by Murphy, Edward F. (mass_market) at the best online prices at eBay! The heavy reliance on American airpower was an ominous sign for Vietnamization and . Its mission was to destroy the Special Forces and their Vietnamese allies and to ambush any reinforcements coming from Khe Sanh. [30], In early October, the PAVN had intensified battalion-sized ground probes and sustained artillery fire against Con Thien, a hilltop stronghold in the center of the Marines' defensive line south of the DMZ, in northern Qung Tr Province. [41], To prevent PAVN observation of the main base at the airfield and their possible use as firebases, the hills of the surrounding Khe Sanh Valley had to be continuously occupied and defended by separate Marine elements. The North Vietnamese lost as many as 15,000 casualties during the siege of Khe Sanh. The Marines pursued three enemy scouts, who led them into an ambush. 1st Marine Aircraft Wing records claim that the unit delivered 4,661 tons of cargo into KSCB. On April 20, Operation Prairie IV began, with heavy fighting between the Marines and NVA forces. Operational control of the Khe Sanh area was handed over to the US Army's 1st Air Cavalry Division for the duration of Operation Pegasus. [65] The fighting and shelling on 21 January resulted in 14 Marines killed and 43 wounded. The Marines were extremely reluctant to relinquish authority over their aircraft to an Air Force general. Lownds feared that PAVN infiltrators were mixed up in the crowd of more than 6,000, and lacked sufficient resources to sustain them. [36], Things remained quiet in the Khe Sanh area through 1966. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. However, even if Westmoreland believed his statement, his argument never moved on to the next logical level. They were not included in the official Khe Sanh counts. [25], Marino stated that "by 1966, Westmoreland had begun to consider Khe Sanh as part of a larger strategy." The NVA continued shelling the base, and on July 1 launched a company-sized infantry attack against its perimeter. U.S. Marines and their allies killed thousands of NVA, but to solve the riddle of Khe Sanh, you have to recount the numbers. [80] Westmoreland had already ordered the nascent Igloo White operation to assist in the Marine defense. The American military presence at Khe Sanh consisted not only of the Marine Corps Khe Sanh Combat Base, but also Forward Operating Base 3, U.S. Army (FOB-3). All of the attacks were conducted by regimental-size PAVN/VC units, but unlike most of the previous usual hit-and-run tactics, they were sustained and bloody affairs. [100][Note 6], Lownds infuriated the Special Forces personnel even further when the indigenous survivors of Lang Vei, their families, civilian refugees from the area, and Laotian survivors from the camp at Ban Houei Sane arrived at the gate of KSCB. According to this history, originally classified as secret, the battle deaths for all major NVA units participating in the entire Highway 9Khe Sanh Front from January 20 until July 20, 1968, totaled 2,469. [141] Because of the close proximity of the enemy and their high concentration, the massive B-52 bombings, tactical airstrikes, and vast use of artillery, PAVN casualties were estimated by MACV as being between 10,000 and 15,000 men. The base was officially closed on July 5. [127] At 08:00 the following day, Operation Scotland was officially terminated. The monumental Battle of Khe Sanh had begun, but the January 21 starting date is essentially arbitrary in terms of casualty reporting. Johnson backed the Marine position due to his concern over protecting the Army's air assets from Air Force co-option. [109], The resupply of the numerous, isolated hill outposts was fraught with the same difficulties and dangers. Even so, Westmoreland insisted for it not only to be occupied by the Marines but also for it to be reinforced. Aug 23, 2013. Rod Andrew, Jr., a history professor at Clemson University and colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, has written an easily read and thoroughly . Site will be misbehaving during our migration to new (better!) On July 10, Pfc Robert Hernandez of Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, was manning an M-60 machine gun position when it took a direct hit from NVA mortars. "[155], According to military historian Ronald Spector, to reasonably record the fighting at Khe Sanh as an American victory is impossible. The exact number of casualties suffered by both sides during the Khe Sanh battle is very difficult to ascertain, given that in many cases the two warring factions provided their own disparate counts. In 1966 the Marines built a base adjacent to the Army position, and organized their combat activities around named operations. On July 11, the Marines finally left Khe Sanh. [93], The situation changed radically during the early morning hours of 7 February. [79] On an average day, 350 tactical fighter-bombers, 60 B-52s, and 30 light observation or reconnaissance aircraft operated in the skies near the base. [117], Cumulative friendly casualties for Operation Scotland, which began on 1 November 1967, were: 205 killed in action, 1,668 wounded, and 25 missing and presumed dead. On January 14, Marines from Company B, 3rd Recon Battalion, were moving up the north slope of Hill 881 North, a few miles northwest of Khe Sanh Combat Base. The NVA 304th Divisions history notes that on 9 July 1968, the liberation flag was waving from the flag pole at Ta Con [Khe Sanh] airfield. On July 13, 1968, Ho Chi Minh sent a message to the soldiers of the Route 9Khe Sanh Front affirming our victory at Khe Sanh.. The link-up between the relief force and the Marines at KSCB took place at 08:00 on 8 April, when the 2nd Battalion, 7th Cavalry Regiment entered the camp. [64], The main base was then subjected to an intense mortar and rocket barrage. Of the 7877 officer casualties, 7595 or 96.4% were white, 147 or 1.8% were black; 24 or . [88] Westmoreland was so obsessed with the tactical situation that he threatened to resign if his wishes were not obeyed. Taking place between March and July 1970, the Battle of Fire. [99] The relief effort was not launched until 15:00, and it was successful. The origin of the combat base lay in the construction by US Army Special Forces of an airfield in August 1962 outside the village at an old French fort. [89] As a result, on 7 March, for the first time during the Vietnam War, air operations were placed under the control of a single manager. The Marines and their allies at Khe Sanh engaged tens of thousands, and killed thousands, of NVA over a period of many weeks. [43] Lieutenant General Robert E. Cushman Jr. relieved Walt as commander of III MAF in June. "[159] In assessing North Vietnamese intentions, Peter Brush cites the claim of Vietnamese theater commander, V Nguyn Gip, "that Khe Sanh itself was not of importance, but only a diversion to draw U.S. forces away from the populated areas of South Vietnam. The PAVN claim that during the entire battle they "eliminated" 17,000 enemy troops, including 13,000 Americans and destroyed 480 aircraft. Murphy 2003, pp. The fighting around Khe Sanh began January 21, 1968, and concluded around April 8, 1968. During the darkness of January 20-21, the NVA launched a series of coordinated attacks against American positions. The Marines suffered 155 killed in action and 425 wounded. The Laotians were overrun, and many fled to the Special Forces camp at Lang Vei. [90], The Tet Offensive was launched prematurely in some areas on 30 January. Fighting around Khe Sanh was continuous. The Battle of Khe Sanh (21 January 9 July 1968) was conducted in the Khe Sanh area of northwestern Qung Tr Province, Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), during the Vietnam War. Cushman, the new III MAF commander, supported Westmoreland perhaps because he wanted to mend Army/Marine relations after the departure of Walt. Unlike the official figures, Stubbes database of Khe Sanh casualties includes verifiable names and dates of death. Home > Features > Battle of Khe Sanh > View All. The combat losses in February and March 1967 were a prelude to the "First Battle of Khe Sanh," one of the Vietnam War's hardest-fought battles, . The 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh was the longest, deadliest and most controversial of the Vietnam War, pitting the U.S. Marines and their allies against the North Vietnamese Army. They asked what had changed in six months so that American commanders were willing to abandon Khe Sanh in July. [69] Due to the arrival of the 304th Division, KSCB was further reinforced by the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment on 22 January. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group, microwave/tropospheric scatter technology, "The Battle of Khe Sanh 40th Anniversary: Casualties in May 1968", "The Battle of Khe Sanh 40th Anniversary: Casualties in June 1968", https://web.archive.org/web/20080215233328/http://www.historynet.com/wars_conflicts/vietnam_war/3029941.html?featured=y&c=y, https://www.historynet.com/recounting-the-casualties-at-the-deadly-battle-of-khe-sanh/, https://www.historynet.com/the-withdrawal-from-khe-sanh/?f, "Khe Sanh: 6,000 Marines Dug In for Battle", "The US's secret plan to nuke Vietnam, Laos", "Memorandum for the President, 19 February 1968", "Battlefields of Khe Sanh: Still One Casualty a Day", "The US Army Quartermaster Air Delivery Units and the Defense of Khe Sanh", "5 things you didn't know about Khe Sanh", "Operational Report Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 8th Battalion 4th Artillery, Period Ending 30 April 1971", "Narrative of Events of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) During LAM SON 719", United States Army Center of Military History, Bibliography: The Tet Offensive and the Battle of Khe Sanh, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Khe_Sanh&oldid=1142289112. As early as 1962, the U.S. Military CommandVietnam (MACV) established an Army Special Forces camp near the village. The advance would be supported by 102 pieces of artillery. The enemy by my count suffered at least 15,000 dead in the area.. Battlefield boundaries extended from eastern Laos eastward along both sides of Route 9 in Quang Tri province, Vietnam, to the coast. About two hours later, an NVA artillery barrage scored a hit on the main ammunition dump at Khe Sanh Combat Base, killing Lance Corp. Jerry Stenberg and other Marines. The Americans had forewarning of PAVN armor in the area from Laotian refugees from camp BV-33. [118], On the night of the fall of Lang Vei, three companies of the PAVN 101D Regiment moved into jump-off positions to attack Alpha-1, an outpost west of the Combat Base held by 66 men of Company A, 1st Platoon, 1/9 Marines. The tower at Khe Sanh instructed the pilot to take evasive action and go around for another approach. [107] The greatest impediments to the delivery of supplies to the base were the closure of Route 9 and the winter monsoon weather. [53] Two divisions, the 304th and the 325th, were assigned to the operation: the 325th was given responsibility for the area around the north, while the 304th was given responsibility for the southern sector. Siege at Khe Sanh: ~17,200 (304th and 308th Division), Defense at Route 9: ~16,900 (320th and 324th Division), This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 15:52. The badly-deteriorated Route 9 ran from the coastal region through the western highlands and crossed the border into Laos. Operation Scotland II continued until the end of the year, resulting in the deaths of 72 more Marines. Lima Company finally seized the hill after overcoming determined NVA resistance. [21], The fighting at Khe Sanh was so volatile that the Joint Chiefs and MACV commanders were uncertain that the base could be held by the Marines. The ground troops had been specially equipped for the attack with satchel charges, tear gas, and flame throwers. At 00:30 on 21 January, Hill 861 was attacked by about 300 PAVN troops, the Marines, however, were prepared. [167], Another theory is that the actions around Khe Sanh and the other battles at the border were simply feints ands ruse meant to focus American attention and forces on the border. American intelligence estimated that between 10,000 and 15,000 PAVN troops were killed during the operation, equating to up to 90% of the attacking 17,200-man PAVN force. These forces, including support troops, totaled 20,000 to 30,000. The Battle of Khe Sanh began on January 21, 1968, when forces from the People's Army of North Vietnam (PAVN) carried out a massive artillery bombardment on the U.S. Marine garrison at Khe Sanh, located in South Vietnam near the border with Laos. Upon closer analysis, the official figure does not accurately portray even what it purports to represent. On April 5, 1968, MACV prepared an Analysis of the Khe Sanh Battle for General Westmoreland. 239240. Tolson was not happy with the assignment, since he believed that the best course of action, after Tet, was to use his division in an attack into the A Shau Valley. The PAVN infantry, though bracketed by artillery fire, still managed to penetrate the perimeter of the defenses and were only driven back after severe close-quarters combat. Nevertheless, the US commander during the battle, General William Westmoreland, maintained that the true intention of Tet was to distract forces from Khe Sanh. [33] Troops of the US 1st Infantry Division were able to respond quickly. During the 1968 Tet Offensive, as many as 30,000 Communist Vietnamese forces surrounded roughly 6,000 U.S. marines defending a combat base on .. Week of February 21 [150] On 31 December 1968, the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion was landed west of Khe Sanh to commence Operation Dawson River West, on 2 January 1969 the 9th Marines and 2nd ARVN Regiment were also deployed on the plateau supported by the newly established Fire Support Bases Geiger and Smith; the 3-week operation found no significant PAVN forces or supplies in the Khe Sanh area.
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