The PME was planned in honor of the 50th anniversary of the battle and it also honored Vietnam Veterans Day, which is March 29. 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. If you can use the weapon to do what you need to do in the city, you use the weapon. This was only beaten back with heavy artillery fire. 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. [9]:10607 The 802nd 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." US Marines spent nearly a month fighting a brutal urban battle to retake the city which was 80% destroyed by the battle's end, according to H.D.S. . Beginning at 1:15 AM January 31, 1968, 2 battalions of the 6th NVA Regiment spookily sauntered through the Chanh Tay Gate west of the Imperial Citadel in Hue, Vietnam. 1) Walk Through the Imperial Citadel (Kinh Thanh) 2) Visit the Forbidden Purple City. In Fallujah, Sunni insurgents turned mosques into fortresses, in a similar way to how PAVN-VC forces utilized Buddhist temples in Hu. With Company A, 1/1 Marines as the Phu Bai reserve, Hughes directed Lieutenant Colonel Marcus Gravel to prepare the company for any contingency. About 2 kilometers (1.2mi) to its southwest was the 101st Engineering Company compound (162613N 1073455E / 16.437N 107.582E / 16.437; 107.582). The U.S. Navy Ticonderoga class-guided-missile cruiser USSHu City, commissioned in 1991, is named after the battle. Victims included women, men, children, and infants. 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. Under I Corps command, but available to Trng upon his request were two battalions of the ARVN 1st Airborne Task Force and a troop of armored personnel carriers from the 7th Armored Cavalry Squadron at PK-17, the ARVN base located near a road marker on Highway 1, 17 kilometers (11mi) north of Hu. Your email address will not be published. [21][4]:216[22], The PAVN-VC were generally greeted with little enthusiasm by the population of Hu. Those not reporting voluntarily were hunted down. He served twenty-five years as an infantry soldier, which included two combat tours in Iraq. 358 Battle Of Hue Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images Images Images Creative Editorial Video Creative Editorial FILTERS CREATIVE EDITORIAL VIDEO 358 Battle Of Hue Premium High Res Photos Browse 358 battle of hue stock photos and images available, or start a new search to explore more stock photos and images. In addition, in any combat fight, there are going to be innocent civilian bystanders. During the Vietnam War, notably the "Battle of Hue" - a part of the Tt Offensive in 1968, Hue endured considerable damage due to its proximity to the border that separates the South and the North. While the Marines seized the surrounding wall easily, the area between the wall and the building was covered by fire from every window and from spider-holes in the grounds. On the night of 23 February the PAVN attempted another counterattack, but were forced back by artillery fire. As one of the CBS News correspondents who covered the Battle of Hue in 1968, I see no contradiction between what Cronkite said about the battle while he was in Viet Nam and what he said in his acclaimed documentary on CBS News some weeks later. [4]:176, On 20 January, the 1st Cavalry Division began moving from Landing Zone English in Bnh nh Province 350km north to Camp Evans as part of Operation Checkers. He led an armored column toward Hu, but like the other South Vietnamese units, found it impossible to break through. 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. Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. There are endless must-see historic sites, especially those that are UNESCO World Heritage designated. He has served twenty-six years in the Canadian Armed Forces, which included operational tours to the former Yugoslavia (Bosnia-Herzegovina) and Afghanistan. If the Marines penetrated the forward line the PAVN moved to the secondary line and then reoccupied the abandoned positions at night. Christmas was leading Hotel Company into Hue City from the south. Much the same can be said of Fallujah's defenders. Unplanned by the North Vietnamese, their greatest success was the shock and negative impact of the battle and the entire Tet Offensive on U.S. public opinion. This can be a tricky situation for any Marine trying to save civilian lives while in the process of a firefight. Its all up in here, Christmas said, pointing to his head. With the promise of U.S. Marine reinforcements, Chi's column, with three tanks in the lead, tried once more. Allied intelligence estimated that 1618 PAVN battalions, totaling 811,000 soldiers, were engaged in the battle. 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. That evening Company B was replaced by Company L, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines. This book is the capstone volume of the entire series in that 1968, as the title indicates, was the defining year of the war. Hu was also a base for United States Navy supply boats. All he knew was that Trng's headquarters had been under attack, as was the MACV Compound. The Tet Offensive began on January 30 as the North Vietnamese occupied Hue City. Comments will be moderated before posting to ensure logical, professional, and courteous application to article content. Although the PAVN battalion penetrated the division compound, an ad hoc 200-man defensive force of staff officers and clerks staved off the assaults. [13]:43[14]:29. Battle of Hue During the TeT Offensive - Vietnam 1968. [9]:35152, On 16 February deputy COMUSMACV General Creighton Abrams flew into PK-17 for a meeting with Tolson where Abrams expressed his displeasure at the Cavalry's slow progress. 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. A native of Portsmouth, Ohio, then-First Lieutenant James K. Redding arrived in South Vietnam on January 7, 1968, and was assigned as the assistant American advisor to the 7th Airborne . They dropped their cargoes in a large lagoon for local forces to retrieve. But if you can do that you will make the right decision. To avoid ambushes it turned off Highway 1 a few kilometers north of the city, traveled east cross-country, and swung around the rear of Mang Ca through the Trai Gate. The world is urban and thats where youre going to fight and its up to you to ensure that you prepare yourself. With the building secured the Marines then methodically cleared out the spider-holes, shooting their occupants. With darkness approaching the attack was postponed until the next morning. The cultural and historical capital city, Hue was the centerpiece of Hanoi's 1968 Tet Offensive, a surprise attack by the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong that sought to win the war in one stroke . 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. [12]:59, Also on 7 February, the North Vietnamese tried to bring their own air support into the battle, sending four Vietnam People's Air Force Il-14 transport aircraft from an airfield near Hanoi. 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 ). In spite of the beating they took in November, they will continue to assert they repelled the initial attack and fought well thereafter. [12]:45 On 5 February Trng exchanged the Airborne with the 4th Battalion, which had become stalled. The headquarters of the PAVN 6th Regiment and two of its battalions were thought to be in Base Area 114, 30 kilometers (19mi) southwest of Hu, while the third battalion from the regiment was approximately 35 kilometers (22mi) northwest of the city, operating on the coastal flats. A second unit from the regiment, the 810th Battalion, and several local force companies roamed the coastal plain north and east of Hu. We would progress in this way throughout the fight, said Downs. 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. A VC company armed with 82mm mortars and 57mm recoilless rifles veered north and took up a position near PK17 outpost to shell the ARVN airborne and armored units stationed there once the offensive began. 10 Apr 2018| 2/5 Marines killed 18 PAVN or VC and captured one, at a cost of three Marines killed and 13 wounded. [9]:288 That evening VC sappers succeeded in blowing up the An Cuu bridge, cutting the road link to Phu Bai. The attack resumed the following morning and the ridge was secured with 20 PAVN and two Marines killed. The distance between the walls varies from 75 meters to 17.5 meters. Finally, a small detachment of U.S. Navy personnel was stationed at a boat ramp just north of the MACV Compound. Over the next three days these forces would slowly reduce the PAVN's perimeter. [12]:3132, On the afternoon of 30 January Trng dispatched a Hac Bao platoon and an Australian Army adviser to scout the north bank of the Perfume River which provided the simplest route from Base Area 114 into the city. Hue, city, central Vietnam. Greenway, a photographer embedded with the Marines . It helps him remember them. 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. The Marines had to use the weapons that were available and often, they were used for other than their intended purpose. [9]:343, On 8 February 5/7th Cavalry began moving southwest from PK-17 towards La Chu while 2/12th Cavalry were ordered to retrace their route to form the southern pincer for an attack on the PAVN stronghold. After marching southwest approximately 4 kilometers (2.5mi), the team concealed itself in some bushes near the river and waited. On 10 February 1968, CBS News anchorman Walter Cronkite visited southern Hu to film footage for a special report on the Vietnam War. 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. The mechanized task force swept along the northwestern wall toward the An Hoa Bridge, flushing out a number of PAVN soldiers who had taken refuge in the grasses and weeds. The strategic objective at Hu was to capture (or "liberate") and hold the city, leading to the establishment of a revolutionary government. 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. February 3, 1988. [4]:20810, To the west, the South Vietnamese forces continued to meet stubborn resistance. This is where their training to fight in any clime and place, and adapting to and overcoming situations proved essential. Several M41 crews abandoned their undamaged tanks when they found their escape route blocked by burning hulks. The fighting in Hue City, Vietnam, was as intense and confusing as anything the Marines there had ever seen. 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. 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. The city had a population of 140,000 before the battle. One Marine, Lance corporal Lester A. Tully, later awarded the Silver Star for his action, ran forward, threw a grenade, and silenced the gun. [9]:6064 When the PAVN and VC forces left their base camps west of Hu to commence the attack they had no intention of returning. You know where those decisions come from? Sightseeing can include the ornate Imperial Citadel, colorful Thanh Toan Bridge, royal tombs and the Forbidden Purple City. Hue Tet Offensive 1968 and city tour Hue Pre Tet January 1968 by Lt. Charles Brown 1/5 Cav. [14]:99101 On 13 February Companies F and H crossed the bridge again with the aim of securing the entire area. [14]:2930 East of the MACV Compound, a heavy weapons team from the 2nd Sapper Battalion attempted to destroy the communications facility. [34] In his analysis of the Battle of Fallujah, Jonathan F. Keiler, a military historian and former officer in the Judge Advocate General's Corps wrote:[36]. 31 January-25 February 1968 . Marine Corps Base Quantico. [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. You have to deal with it. The convoy was then turned around and sent towards Hu. It was mid-February 1968, and American and South Vietnamese forces were. She is named for the Battle of Hu, fought in the city during the Tet Offensive of 1968 by the 1st . 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. [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. Captain Gordon Batcheller later recalled that "we were rousted up about 04:00 on the 31st and launched south on trucks to rendezvous with and reinforce ARVN forces about a map sheet and a half south of Phu Bai." [9]:47784 Sergeant Joe Hooper of the 2/501st would subsequently be awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in this engagement. The PAVN-VC lost somewhere between 1,042 and 5,133 killed, while Allied forces lost 668 dead and 3,707 wounded. At dawn the only areas of the new city still under Allied control were the prison defended by a Hac Bao platoon; the Le Loi transportation camp; the Huang Giang Hotel; the MACV Compound; the communications facility; and the Navy loading dock. The supporting fire continued throughout the day, but the PAVN did not abandon their positions. 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. We walked them down the streets until they were out of the line of fire. 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. Marine. The PAVN's Department of Warfare gives figures of 2,400 killed and 3,000 wounded from 30 January until 28 March. It started on Jan. 30, 1968, the eve of Tet (the Vietnamese lunar new year): More than 80,000 soldiers from the People's Army North Vietnamese and southern allies staged simultaneous attacks on cities, towns and U.S. bases throughout the south, a mass occupation meant to inspire the rest of South Vietnam to rise up . [4]:167 At 04:40 sappers captured the Huu Gate and the command group of the PAVN 6th Regiment entered the Citadel. 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. [4]:204, Despite their reducing hold on the city the PAVN seemed determined to prolong the battle for the Citadel. 28 March posting to ensure logical, professional, and website in engagement. Said of Fallujah 's defenders of Warfare gives figures of 2,400 killed and 13.. 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