[9]:475[13]:45, On 21 February following intensive radar-guided airstrikes and artillery strikes, the four Cavalry battalions launched a four-pronged attack from the north, west and south on Que Chu and La Chu. It helps him remember them. MACV's focus was on the Battle of Khe Sanh, where a PAVN assault was believed to be imminent. The world is urban and thats where youre going to fight and its up to you to ensure that you prepare yourself. Hue Tet Offensive 1968 and city tour Hue Pre Tet January 1968 by Lt. Charles Brown 1/5 Cav. Attacking in a southeasterly direction, the two battalions would then attempt to close the PAVN-VC supply line into Hu. Retired Sgt. 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. 2/5 Marines killed 18 PAVN or VC and captured one, at a cost of three Marines killed and 13 wounded. The Battle of Hue City occurred during the Tet Offensive, where. Upon their flashlight signals, the 800th Battalion and several teams from the 12th Sapper Battalion rushed through the gate and headed northwest towards Ty Lc Airfield. That evening, the PAVN-VC northern attack wing began moving towards Hu from base camps in the western hills. This could mean going through the same holes and breaches that you have been through. The armored troop at Tam Thai was first to respond to Trng's order. 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. Gravel launched a two-company assault supported by tanks towards the Provincial Headquarters and Thua Thien Prison, seven blocks west of the MACV Compound where the ARVN were believed to still be holding out. 1/7th Cavalry then dug in to night defensive positions. The Marines then pushed into the Treasury building which the PAVN had hastily abandoned. [5][6][21], 844 civilians were killed and 1,900 wounded during the battle. On 23 February, the 2/12th Cavalry and the 2/501st Infantry, resumed their battle at the Sau Canal. The Tet Offensive was a military campaign . Within Hu, approximately 100 U.S. Army advisers and administrative personnel, as well as a few Marine guards, were headquartered in the new city in the lightly defended MACV Compound (162758N 1073531E / 16.466N 107.592E / 16.466; 107.592) a block and a half south of the Perfume River on the east side of Highway 1. An Ontos was brought forward to blast an entry into the building, but was disabled by a B-40 rocket. This and subsequent optimistic reports were soon contradicted by press reports as journalists made their way into the city and reported on the extent of PAVN-VC control and the bitter house-to-house fighting that was underway. Notes were created from Richard Camp's (Col. Those not reporting voluntarily were hunted down. 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. "[4]:171, As the Marines approached the southern suburbs of the city they came under increasing fire from the PAVN 804th Battalion. Gen. Michael Downs, who were then captains serving as commanding officers in Hue, recently spoke about their experiences in the Battle of Hue City to an eager group of staff-noncommissioned officers (SNCOs) during a Professional Military Education (PME) event held at Marine Corps University. 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: RM 2B00WAF - Vietnam: U.S. Marines advance past an M48 Patton tank during the battle for Hue, Tet Offensive, 1968. As the Marines approached the base at 07:00 they were met by PAVN mortar and machine-gun fire; artillery fire was called in on the PAVN positions and the Marines entered the base at 08:50. 31 January-25 February 1968 . On the off chance that military and political analysts are right, in the next few months we must test the enemy's intentions, in case this is indeed his last big gasp before negotiations. 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. The Marines together with five M48s from the 1st Tank Battalion would later be loaded onto Mike boats at the LCU ramp in southern Hu and ferried across to Mang Ca. [12]:29 The PAVN B5 Front created a special logistical and administrative zone known as the Hu City Front to manage the upcoming battle. [9]:268, Back at Phu Bai, Cheatham was reviewing Marine urban fighting doctrine which recommended staying off the streets and moving forward by blasting through walls and buildings. [9]:470, Foreign civilians captured in the city received varying treatment. [12]:57, Gravel's 1/1 Marines had been clearing the area to the east and south of the MACV Compound and on 10 February they captured the soccer stadium (162801N 1073549E / 16.467N 107.597E / 16.467; 107.597), providing a second, safer helicopter landing zone. [4]:21113, On 28 February 1/5 Marines and 2/5 Marines launched an operation to the east of Hu to try to cut off any PAVN forces moving from Hu towards the coast. It was mid-February 1968, and American and South Vietnamese forces were. At about 04:00 a PAVN company attacked the ARVN security detachment defending the Highway 1 bridge over the Truoi River (161916N 1074623E / 16.321N 107.773E / 16.321; 107.773) and the nearby CAP H-8. The two generals not only told the SNCOs about the difficult fight, but also told them about the lessons learned that can be beneficial to Marines today. 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. PAVN-VC losses are a matter of debate. After marching southwest approximately 4 kilometers (2.5mi), the team concealed itself in some bushes near the river and waited. 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. The distance between the walls varies from 75 meters to 17.5 meters. Downs said that Hue City has been rebuilt since the battle; however, there are still reminders of the fight that occurred there. The battle started on Jan. 30, 1968 and didnt end until March 3, 1968. The Post Office also seemed abandoned until the Marines located a vault inside the building, they proceeded to gas out the PAVN inside killing more than 24 of them as they emerged. February 1968. [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. [9]:10607 The 802nd Its pretty easy to get emotional, but what leaders get paid for is to stand above the emotion. The Marines had to use the weapons that were available and often, they were used for other than their intended purpose. Neither flight crew could find the city in the fog, however, and both aircraft returned to North Vietnam without dropping their bombs. [4]:174, North of the Perfume River, on 1 February, the ARVN 1st Division enjoyed some limited success. . Then, you need to select where you enter the city, then you can determine what you are going to use to take the city. Hue's university has for centuries played an important role in Vietnam. [9]:362 The "Report from Vietnam: Who, What, When, Where, Why?" The new combat headquarters, staffed by high-ranking officials from the Tr-Thin-Hu Front, local party members, and military officers from the units involved in the attack, had authority over the city and the three districts that surrounded it. None of that was available. I live with that to this day, Christmas said. [12]:3839, In the early morning a U.S. Army helicopter was shot down over the city; the crew sought refuge with a group of ARVN in a small compound. A 75mm recoilless rifle knocked out one of the supporting tanks. The Citadel, or Imperial City, is the walled-in portion of Hu sitting on the north bank of the Perfume River. Hu 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam Mark Bowden 4.32 6,405 ratings729 reviews Goodreads Choice Award Nominee for Best History & Biography (2017) In the early hours of January 31, 1968, the North Vietnamese launched over one hundred attacks across South Vietnam in what would become known as the Tet Offensive. She is named for the Battle of Hu, fought in the city during the Tet Offensive of 1968 by the 1st . The patrol commander reported by radio what he had seen, Trng immediately dispatched a light observation airplane from the Ty Lc Airfield to look for the enemy force. Beginning in February 1968, in the South Vietnamese city of Hue, 11 battalions of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), two U.S. Army battalions, and three U.S. Marine Corps battalions, for a total of 16 battalions, defeated 10 battalions of the People's Army of Vietnam and the Viet Cong. All told, the PAVN-VC hit some 18 targets from bridges, CAP units, and company defensive positions. Two platoons successfully made their way to the other side. Its not just the round but all the debris that comes off of it. You know where those decisions come from? 4,856 civilians and captured ARVN personnel were executed by the PAVN-VC or went missing during the battle according to the South Vietnamese Government. 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. The Treasury building was hit by M-48 and 106mm fire and tear gas, while a M274 Mule-mounted 106mm recoilless rifle engaged the machine gun in the Le Loi Elementary School. No later than February 13, 1968, 1/5 Alpha Co, will rendezvous with 1st ARVN Division at the Northeast of the Citadel to clear Hue City in order to gain control of the city, removing all enemy fighters. The original series of articles which became "Black Hawk Down" earned him the Overseas Press Club's Hal . But in the 1968 Tet Offensive, the war spilled out of the jungle into the streets of Hue City. The PME was planned in honor of the 50th anniversary of the battle and it also honored Vietnam Veterans Day, which is March 29. [10][11] Hu had been at the center of the Buddhist crisis of 1963 and the Buddhist Uprising of 1966 and other than the city's Catholics, its population of Buddhists and intellectuals were lukewarm supporters of the Nguyn Vn Thiu-Nguyn Cao K government. Coming upon the central police headquarters in southern Hu, the tanks attempted to relieve the police defenders, but a B-40 rocket made a direct hit on Chi's tank, killing him instantly. [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. The PAVN-VC could not afford to engage in a firefight at this point, and they succeeded in sneaking away without raising further alarms. During the next five years the battalion participated in combat operations in Hue city, Que Son, Phu Bai, Dong Ha and Phu Loc. Major Jayson Geroux is an infantry officer with The Royal Canadian Regiment and currently with 1st Canadian Infantry Division Headquarters. RF soldiers opened fire and radioed a warning to Trng's headquarters. Downs agreed that the emotional aspect of the fight is important and that he had his own way of dealing with the pain. As LaHue later wrote: "Initial deployment of forces was made with limited information. 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. Company H withdrew so that air strikes could be launched and these knocked out mortar and machine gun positions killing 20 PAVN; however, one bomb fell short killing four Marines. Michael Bowden's new history Hue 1968: A Turning Point of the American War in Vietnam pulls off a rare feat: it takes a conflict of terrible scale and consequence, and allows us to see it. More than half the company's 147 men had been wounded or killed in that day's fighting. 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. Significant architectural element in Hue, the bridge was designed by Gustave Eiffel, the French structural engineer famous for Paris's Eiffel Tower, and was completed in 1899 by the French Colonial government. [26] Bowden conservatively estimates that 2,000 people were executed. the book is full of emotion and color . The PAVN strongly defended the perimeter, but once the Cavalry forces broke through with the support of two newly arrived M42 Dusters, they found that the base had been largely abandoned while the Cavalry had been building up their forces for the attack. Joe Ronnie Hooper", "Command Chronology for period 1 February to 29 February 1968", "Communist political executions at Hue in the 1968 Tet Offensive", "Soldiers of North Vietnam strike a pose for her camera", "Who, What, When, Where, Why: Report from Vietnam by Walter Cronkite", "Chris Matthews invokes the 'if I've lost Cronkite' myth in NYT review", "The Grim Calculations of Retaking Fallujah", "Many U.S. This article is about the Vietnam War battle during the Tet Offensive. [9]:269, About 11:00, Company H, 2/5 Marines, crossed the An Cuu Bridge in an armed convoy. 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 2nd Airborne Battalion reinforced the convoy and conducted a flanking attack. 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. [12]:34, At 03:40, ten minutes behind schedule, elements of the PAVN 164th Artillery Regiment fired a barrage of 122mm rockets into the new city from firing positions in the southwestern hills. If you can use the weapon to do what you need to do in the city, you use the weapon. [12]:38, A company each from the 815th and 818th Battalions entered the western edge of the new city around 04:50, eighty minutes behind schedule. But, also like Stalingrad and Mosul, Hue was also a fundamentally unique battle in certain key ways, and the case study sheds light on the unique lessons that can be derived from it. Cntr. Soldiers wave from truck. [7], In addition to the significant civilian casualties inflicted in the battle, eighty percent of the city was destroyed and 116,000 civilians out of the pre-battle population of 140,000 were made homeless. This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Marine Corps. Hue 1968 pays particular attention to key role played by journalists played in exposing the fact that a major battle was taking place in Hue, contrary to inaccurate claims from . The third installment aims to help answer those questions by examining the Battle of Hue. I witnessed the fighting in Hue at close quarters and came away with the impression that it was a bloodbaththat neither side "won" or "lost." While originally designed to be two volumes, it was decided that unity and cohesion required one book. But, both generals agreed that you learn from those mistakes and you have to live with them. [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. This is called lance corporal ingenuity and Pfc. Y Young Ki Moon Hue city 1968 Usmc Marines Staff Sergeant Korean War Hue became the imperial capital of a unified Vietnam for the first time in two centuries and retained this status until 1945. While the ARVN 1st Division had cancelled all Tt leave and was attempting to recall its troops, the South Vietnamese and American forces in the city were unprepared when the Vit Cng (VC) and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) launched the Tet Offensive, attacking hundreds of military targets and population centers across the country, including Hu. [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. They were to relieve a MACV Microwave/Tropo communications facility approximately 2.5km southeast of the MACV Compound surrounded by a VC force. Unknown to the Marines, the ARVN Airborne had withdrawn from the area two days previously when the Vietnamese Marines began to arrive at Mang Ca and the PAVN defenders had used this opportunity to reoccupy several blocks and reinforce their defenses, Company A was engaged by the PAVN and quickly suffered 35 casualties. Redding's experience in Hue began soon after the city fell. On 16 February two companies from the 1st Battalion, 8th Cavalry Regiment, fought elements of the 803rd Regiment, 324B Division, about 20 kilometers (12mi) northeast of Hu, killing 29 PAVN before they broke contact the following day. He led an armored column toward Hu, but like the other South Vietnamese units, found it impossible to break through. 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