Battle of Loc Ninh
Encyclopedia
The Battle of Loc Ninh was a major battle fought during the North Vietnamese Nguyen Hue Offensive in the Vietnam War
, which is also known in Vietnam
as the American War. The battle occurred in Binh Long Province
, South Vietnam
, between April 4–7, 1972.
Towards the end of 1971, North Vietnamese leaders decided to launch a major offensive against South Vietnam, with the objective of destroying Army of the Republic of Vietnam
(ARVN) units and capturing as much territory as possible, in order to strengthen their bargaining position in the Paris Peace Accords
. On March 30, 1972, two North Vietnamese Army divisions smashed through the Demilitarized Zone
, marking the commencement of the Nguyen Hue Offensive. They quickly overwhelmed South Vietnamese units in the I Corps Tactical Zone. With the rapid collapse of South Vietnamese forces in the northern provinces of South Vietnam, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces began preparing for their next offensive, targeting Binh Long Province in the Mekong Delta
region. On April 4, the Viet Cong 5th Division opened their attack on Loc Ninh
, defended by the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment. After three days of fighting, the vastly outnumbered South Vietnamese forces, though well supported by American air power, were forced to abandon their positions in Loc Ninh.
, North Vietnamese leadership in Hanoi
decided to launch a major military offensive against South Vietnam. In what became known as the Nguyen Hue Offensive, the combined North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces employed combined arms
tactics using heavy weapons that were a radical departure from the low-intensity guerrilla warfare of previous years. Even though North Vietnam eventually used the equivalent of 14 army divisions, North Vietnamese leaders did not seek to win the war outright. Instead, their objective was to gain as much territory and destroy as many units of the South Vietnamese military as possible, in order to strengthen their bargaining position at the Paris Peace Talks.
The Nguyen Hue Offensive began on March 30, 1972, when the 304th and 308th North Vietnamese Divisions drove across the Demilitarized Zone
and attacked South Vietnamese positions in the I Corps Tactical Zone, which consisted of South Vietnam’s northernmost provinces. Caught by surprise, South Vietnamese General Vu Van Giai ordered his newly-created 3rd Infantry Division to withdraw towards the Cua Viet River, where it could reorganize. On April 2, ARVN Colonel Pham Van Dinh surrendered his 56th Infantry Regiment at Camp Carroll
, which enabled the North Vietnamese to take the former American fire base without a fight. Quang Tri City was captured by the North Vietnamese army on April 28, following several spirited counterattacks by South Vietnamese units around Dong Ha
.
With the northern provinces of South Vietnam under their control, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces turned their attention to the Mekong Delta
region, which formed part of the ARVN III Corps Tactical Zone. During the Nguyen Hue Offensive of 1972, the objective of the combined Communist forces in the zone was the capture of An Loc
, the capital of Binh Long Province
. The Viet Cong committed three infantry divisions to the mission (5th, 7th and 9th Divisions). North Vietnamese support came in the form of one artillery formation (69th Artillery Command), one armored regiment (203rd Armored Regiment), two independent regiments (205th and 101st Regiment), and one sapper unit (429th Sapper Group). The Viet Cong 5th Division was to initiate the offensive by taking Loc Ninh, while the 9th Division was assigned An Loc. The 7th Division was ordered to block National Highway 13
to prevent reinforcements from reaching An Loc.
. Even though it was obvious that preparations for a major Communist offensive were under way, South Vietnamese commanders were unable to predict their enemies’ intentions. In January 1972, the Viet Cong 5th Division was reported to have taken up positions in Snuol, a Cambodian city located about 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) west of Loc Ninh. In addition, South Vietnamese intelligence also detected the presence of the Viet Cong 7th and 9th Divisions in Dambe and Chup respectively. Between January and May 1971, the South Vietnamese army mounted Operation Toan Thang TT02, with the aim of destroying Viet Cong main force divisions based in Cambodia, specifically in the Snuol area
. But due to the death of General Do Cao Tri
, the commander of the ARVN III Corps Tactical Zone, in a helicopter accident, the South Vietnamese were forced to retreat from Snuol without achieving their objective.
During February and March 1972, South Vietnamese units patrolling the international border with Cambodia detected increased Communist activity in the Fishhook
area, most notably the presence of the Viet Cong 5th Division in an area north of Binh Long Province
. On March 13, a South Vietnamese mechanized task force operating in Cambodia discovered a huge depot which contained large quantities of assault rifles, machine guns, rockets, anti-aircraft guns and ammunition in Base Area 354 (Svay Rieng Province) and Base Area 708 (Kampong Cham Province). On March 27, a Viet Cong deserter from a reconnaissance company of the 7th Division revealed that his unit was surveying a portion of road between Tay Ninh
and Binh Long
in preparation for its next move. Between March 27 and April 1, more enemy prisoners and documents were captured by the South Vietnamese army, which revealed that the Viet Cong 7th and 9th Divisions were coordinating their efforts against an unidentified target.
The movements of Communist forces near the Cambodian-South Vietnamese border during the first three months of 1972 clearly indicated that a major offensive was in the making. However, the whereabouts of the next Communist thrust was the topic which concerned South Vietnamese and U.S. intelligence officers the most. In previous offensives, the Communist had used Tay Ninh
as an invasion route, as it was surrounded by Viet Cong bases in War Zone C
, the Iron Triangle
and the Parrot's Beak, Cambodia
. Thus, South Vietnamese and U.S. military intelligence reached a consensus that Tay Ninh would be the next target for the Communists' Nguyen Hue Offensive. To reinforce that perception, on April 2, the Viet Cong 24th Independent Regiment overran Fire Support Base Lac Long, defended by elements of the ARVN 49th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division, about 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) northwest of Tay Ninh.
The attacks on Lac Long and other outposts in Tay Ninh were a diversion designed to cover the main thrust into Binh Long Province. To initiate the campaign in Binh Long, the Viet Cong 5th Division (numbering about 9,230 soldiers) was ordered to take Loc Ninh, the northernmost town in the province. The Viet Cong were supported by the North Vietnamese 69th Artillery Command (3,830 soldiers) and the 203rd Armored Regiment (800 soldiers). In 1972, Loc Ninh was a small district town situated on Route 13; it was home to about 4,000 people, mostly members of the various Montagnard tribes. The task of defending Loc Ninh was entrusted to the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division, commanded by Colonel Nguyen Cong Vinh. It was supported by the 1st Cavalry Squadron, 1st Regional Force Battalion, and elements of the 74th Ranger Battalion.
Prior to the battle, the 9th Infantry Regiment had occupied the former U.S. Special Forces compound at the south end of the airfield, which was about 0.8 kilometre (0.497098189319845 mi) west of the district center. The district headquarters was defended by more than 200 South Vietnamese Regional Forces soldiers, who operated from a Japanese-built fortified bunker system located north of the airfield. To assist the 9th Infantry Regiment, the U.S. military provided seven advisors. The U.S. advisory team at 9th Regimental Headquarters was led by Lieutenant Colonel
Richard R. Schott, who was assisted by Major
Albert E. Carlson and Captain Mark A. Smith, and two communication specialists, Sergeant First Class Howard B. Hull and Sergeant Kenneth Wallingford. Additionally, Captain George Wanat and Major Thomas Davidson operated from the north end of the airfield, attached to the district headquarters. A French Journalist, Yves Michel Dumond was with the US advisers.
At around 6:50 am on April 5, the Viet Cong 5th Division moved across the Cambodian border to stage the main attack on Loc Ninh. The Viet Cong assault opened with a heavy barrage of artillery, rocket and mortar fire targeting the headquarters of the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment and the Loc Ninh district compound. Simultaneously, the Viet Cong mounted other attacks throughout the ARVN 5th Infantry Division's areas of operations in Lai Khe
and Quan Loi. There was also indirect fire on South Vietnamese positions in Phuoc Long Province
, mainly targeting Phuoc Vinh, Song Be, and Bo Duc. Following the artillery barrage, Viet Cong infantry, supported by about 25 tanks, attacked Loc Ninh from the west. In the initial assault, they tried to overrun the South Vietnamese regimental compound located at the south end of the airstrip. Despite the ferocity of the onslaught, South Vietnamese soldiers held their ground and fought desperately to hold the enemy at bay; South Vietnamese artillerymen even lowered the muzzles of their 105mm howitzers and fired directly at enemy infantry formations moving through the rubber trees.
Even though the situation was stabilized, the South Vietnamese were forced to retreat into small compounds at the north and south ends of the town. The intensity of the attack on Loc Ninh revealed the true intentions of the Communists; ARVN Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Minh
—commander of the III Corps Tactical Zone—and his American advisor Major General
James F. Hollingsworth realized that Binh Long, not Tay Ninh, would be the focus of the Communist offensive. In order to halt the Communist advance, Minh and Hollingsworth directed all available tactical support aircraft towards Loc Ninh. Almost immediately, South Vietnamese air force F-5 and A-1 fighter-bombers, United States Air Force
(USAF) A-37s
from the 8th Special Operations Squadron
based at Bien Hoa
, attack aircraft from the aircraft carrier
, and USAF F-4 and AC-130 aircraft from Thailand
began flying over the skies of Loc Ninh. U.S. and South Vietnamese tactical support aircraft were directed against Viet Cong and North Vietnamese formations by American advisers on the ground.
As the fighting intensified, Vinh ordered the 1st Cavalry Squadron—commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Duong—to withdraw from Fire Support Base Alpha to reinforce Loc Ninh. However, Duong refused, saying he would surrender his unit to the Viet Cong instead. Angered by this betrayal, Smith threatened to destroy the 1st Cavalry Squadron with American air power if it did not fight. Schott, in recognition of Smith’s combat experience and knowledge of the Vietnamese language, allowed him to take control of the situation. From that point on, Smith virtually controlled the South Vietnamese forces. A few moments later, elements of the ARVN 74th Ranger Battalion and the 3rd Battalion, ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment notified the regimental command post that they had broken out and were fighting their way back towards Loc Ninh. Meanwhile, the 1st Cavalry Squadron began moving west towards the Cambodian border with the Viet Cong, with the rest of their tanks and armored personnel carriers.
On the afternoon of April 5, the Viet Cong 5th Division launched another major ground assault on Loc Ninh from the west to try to break through the defenses of the southern compound. Again, American AC-130 and AH-1 Cobra
gunship
s stopped the Viet Cong formations in their tracks, as supporting North Vietnamese tanks were either destroyed or forced to pull back. Despite having suffered many casualties as a result of American air strikes, the Viet Cong continued their assaults well into the evening. In order to deal with the onslaught, Smith continued to direct the AC-130 Spectres against targets around Loc Ninh. Vinh, on the other hand, was either planning to surrender or desert when he ordered two of his soldiers to open the gates of the command compound at around 10 pm. Throughout the night, the North Vietnamese 69th Artillery Command continued bombarding South Vietnamese positions around Loc Ninh, as the Viet Cong massed for another assault.
On the morning of April 6, South Vietnamese forces reported hearing the sound of tanks moving toward the southern end of the district airfield. At about 5:30 am, the Viet Cong launched another attack from southern Loc Ninh, with the support of about 25 T-54 and PT-76
tanks. Viet Cong infantry initially managed to breach the South Vietnamese lines, but the attack soon stalled, and neither side gained a clear advantage. In the afternoon, elements of the Viet Cong E6 Regiment forced their way through the compound gates, but air strikes from U.S. AC-130s stopped them from advancing any further. By that stage, however, the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment had absorbed a significant number of casualties; it only had 50 soldiers left, while another 150 wounded were in the hospital bunker. To make matters worst, the defenders in Loc Ninh were virtually cut off from outside help, because heavy-caliber North Vietnamese anti-aircraft guns effectively prevented resupply and medivac flights into the area.
In an attempt to save Loc Ninh, Brigadier General Le Van Hung
—commander of the ARVN 5th Infantry Division—ordered Task Force 52 to move north to reinforce the beleaguered 9th Infantry Regiment. Task Force 52 consisted of the 2nd Battalion, 52nd Infantry Regiment, and the 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment; both units had been transferred from the ARVN 18th Infantry Division in late March to serve as a border screen for Hung’s forces. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ba Thinh—commander of Task Force 52—ordered the 2nd Battalion to advance towards Loc Ninh. Unfortunately, the unit immediately was ambushed at the junction of National Highway 13 and Route 17. Unable to withstand the Viet Cong’s superior firepower, it was forced to withdraw. To prevent Task Force 52 from evacuating to either Loc Ninh or An Loc, the Viet Cong pursued Task Force 52 and bombarded their bases with heavy artillery throughout the day.
Meanwhile, on the afternoon of April 6, the South Vietnamese inside Loc Ninh were slightly reinforced by the 3rd Battalion, ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment, along with the men of the 1st Cavalry Squadron at FSB
Alpha who had refused to surrender. Furthermore, wounded South Vietnamese soldiers who were still able to fight made their way back to the defensive perimeter to await the next wave of attacks. During the night, the South Vietnamese compound descended into chaos when North Vietnamese artillery scored a direct hit on the hospital bunker, killing a large number of wounded men. Later on, another round of rockets struck the South Vietnamese artillery compound, striking the ammunition storage bunker
, which exploded. From the eastern side of the district, the Viet Cong tried to penetrate the defense line at Loc Ninh, but were beaten off. Realizing that the situation had become hopeless, Vinh took off his uniform and told his men that they must surrender.
At 7 am on April 7, the Viet Cong massed for another ground assault from the north and west of Loc Ninh, with support from heavy artillery, tanks and armored personnel carriers. As the Viet Cong closed in, Vinh and his bodyguards ran out the opened gate and surrendered. Several South Vietnamese soldiers also tried to surrender, but they all returned to their positions after Smith stopped a South Vietnamese officer from raising a white T-shirt up the flagpole. By 8 am, the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment was completely overwhelmed when the Viet Cong overran the southern compound with their superior numbers. At around 10 am, all tactical air support was called off in order to clear the way for B-52 strikes against Viet Cong formations west of Loc Ninh. However, the B-52 strikes could not prevent the Viet Cong from overrunning Loc Ninh. By 4:30 pm, the Viet Cong were in complete control of Loc Ninh District.
, Cambodia. Yves-Michel Dumond was released on July 14, 1972. On February 12, 1973, the Americans were released in accordance with the Paris Peace Accord.
As Loc Ninh was succumbing, other Communist formations turned their attention to the provincial capital of An Loc. At 9 am on April 7, Brigadier General Le Van Hung ordered Task Force 52 to abandon its bases, destroy all heavy weapons and vehicles, and withdraw to An Loc, following their failed attempt at reinforcing the 9th Infantry Regiment. As Task Force 52 tried to break through National Highway 13, they ran into another large Viet Cong ambush. Ultimately it would take the soldiers of Task Force 52 about a week to reach An Loc, infiltrating through Viet Cong and North Vietnamese positions along the main road. Then, on the evening of April 7, the Viet Cong 9th Division attacked Quan Loi airfield, just 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) north of An Loc. Elements of the ARVN 7th Infantry Regiment defending the area were unable to hold off the Viet Cong, so they were ordered to destroy their equipment and join other South Vietnamese units in the provincial capital. The next step in the North Vietnamese offensive was the Battle of An Loc
.
Vietnam War
The Vietnam War was a Cold War-era military conflict that occurred in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia from 1 November 1955 to the fall of Saigon on 30 April 1975. This war followed the First Indochina War and was fought between North Vietnam, supported by its communist allies, and the government of...
, which is also known in Vietnam
Vietnam
Vietnam – sometimes spelled Viet Nam , officially the Socialist Republic of Vietnam – is the easternmost country on the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia. It is bordered by China to the north, Laos to the northwest, Cambodia to the southwest, and the South China Sea –...
as the American War. The battle occurred in Binh Long Province
Binh Long Province
thumb|right|[[Binh Duong Province|Binh Duong]], [[Phuoc Long Province|Phuoc Long]] and Binh Long provinces in map of South VietnamBình Long is a former province of Dong Nam Bo region in South Vietnam. It now corresponds to the western part of Binh Phuoc province. It was formed on October 22, 1956...
, South Vietnam
South Vietnam
South Vietnam was a state which governed southern Vietnam until 1975. It received international recognition in 1950 as the "State of Vietnam" and later as the "Republic of Vietnam" . Its capital was Saigon...
, between April 4–7, 1972.
Towards the end of 1971, North Vietnamese leaders decided to launch a major offensive against South Vietnam, with the objective of destroying Army of the Republic of Vietnam
Army of the Republic of Vietnam
The Army of the Republic of Viet Nam , sometimes parsimoniously referred to as the South Vietnamese Army , was the land-based military forces of the Republic of Vietnam , which existed from October 26, 1955 until the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975...
(ARVN) units and capturing as much territory as possible, in order to strengthen their bargaining position in the Paris Peace Accords
Paris Peace Accords
The Paris Peace Accords of 1973 intended to establish peace in Vietnam and an end to the Vietnam War, ended direct U.S. military involvement, and temporarily stopped the fighting between North and South Vietnam...
. On March 30, 1972, two North Vietnamese Army divisions smashed through the Demilitarized Zone
Demilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
, marking the commencement of the Nguyen Hue Offensive. They quickly overwhelmed South Vietnamese units in the I Corps Tactical Zone. With the rapid collapse of South Vietnamese forces in the northern provinces of South Vietnam, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces began preparing for their next offensive, targeting Binh Long Province in the Mekong Delta
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southwestern Vietnam of . The size of the area covered by water depends on the season.The...
region. On April 4, the Viet Cong 5th Division opened their attack on Loc Ninh
Loc Ninh
Lộc Ninh is a town in southern Vietnam. It is a rural district of Binh Phuoc province in the southeastern region of Vietnam. A major battle, the Battle of Loc Ninh, occurred there during the Vietnam War.-Transport:...
, defended by the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment. After three days of fighting, the vastly outnumbered South Vietnamese forces, though well supported by American air power, were forced to abandon their positions in Loc Ninh.
Background
In December 1971, following the defeat of South Vietnamese forces during Operation Lam Son 719Operation Lam Son 719
Operation Lam Son 719 was a limited-objective offensive campaign conducted in southeastern portion of the Kingdom of Laos by the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam between 8 February and 25 March 1971, during the Vietnam War...
, North Vietnamese leadership in Hanoi
Hanoi
Hanoi , is the capital of Vietnam and the country's second largest city. Its population in 2009 was estimated at 2.6 million for urban districts, 6.5 million for the metropolitan jurisdiction. From 1010 until 1802, it was the most important political centre of Vietnam...
decided to launch a major military offensive against South Vietnam. In what became known as the Nguyen Hue Offensive, the combined North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces employed combined arms
Combined arms
Combined arms is an approach to warfare which seeks to integrate different branches of a military to achieve mutually complementary effects...
tactics using heavy weapons that were a radical departure from the low-intensity guerrilla warfare of previous years. Even though North Vietnam eventually used the equivalent of 14 army divisions, North Vietnamese leaders did not seek to win the war outright. Instead, their objective was to gain as much territory and destroy as many units of the South Vietnamese military as possible, in order to strengthen their bargaining position at the Paris Peace Talks.
The Nguyen Hue Offensive began on March 30, 1972, when the 304th and 308th North Vietnamese Divisions drove across the Demilitarized Zone
Demilitarized zone
In military terms, a demilitarized zone is an area, usually the frontier or boundary between two or more military powers , where military activity is not permitted, usually by peace treaty, armistice, or other bilateral or multilateral agreement...
and attacked South Vietnamese positions in the I Corps Tactical Zone, which consisted of South Vietnam’s northernmost provinces. Caught by surprise, South Vietnamese General Vu Van Giai ordered his newly-created 3rd Infantry Division to withdraw towards the Cua Viet River, where it could reorganize. On April 2, ARVN Colonel Pham Van Dinh surrendered his 56th Infantry Regiment at Camp Carroll
Camp Carroll
Camp Carroll was a United States Marine Corps artillery base during the Vietnam War. It was located at , 8 km southwest of the town of Cam Lo. Camp Carroll was also at the centroid of a large arc of the strategic Highway 9 corridor south of the DMZ, which made it a key facility.-History:The...
, which enabled the North Vietnamese to take the former American fire base without a fight. Quang Tri City was captured by the North Vietnamese army on April 28, following several spirited counterattacks by South Vietnamese units around Dong Ha
Dong Ha
Đông Hà is the capital town of Quang Tri province, Vietnam. It is located at around . Dong Ha is situated at the crossroads of National Highway 1A and Route 9, part of the East-West Economic Corridor . It lies on the Reunification Express Railway and is served by Dong Ha Railway Station...
.
With the northern provinces of South Vietnam under their control, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong forces turned their attention to the Mekong Delta
Mekong Delta
The Mekong Delta is the region in southwestern Vietnam where the Mekong River approaches and empties into the sea through a network of distributaries. The Mekong delta region encompasses a large portion of southwestern Vietnam of . The size of the area covered by water depends on the season.The...
region, which formed part of the ARVN III Corps Tactical Zone. During the Nguyen Hue Offensive of 1972, the objective of the combined Communist forces in the zone was the capture of An Loc
An Loc
An Loc is a small town in Bình Phước Province in southern Vietnam, located approximately 90 km north of Saigon with a population of 15,000...
, the capital of Binh Long Province
Binh Long Province
thumb|right|[[Binh Duong Province|Binh Duong]], [[Phuoc Long Province|Phuoc Long]] and Binh Long provinces in map of South VietnamBình Long is a former province of Dong Nam Bo region in South Vietnam. It now corresponds to the western part of Binh Phuoc province. It was formed on October 22, 1956...
. The Viet Cong committed three infantry divisions to the mission (5th, 7th and 9th Divisions). North Vietnamese support came in the form of one artillery formation (69th Artillery Command), one armored regiment (203rd Armored Regiment), two independent regiments (205th and 101st Regiment), and one sapper unit (429th Sapper Group). The Viet Cong 5th Division was to initiate the offensive by taking Loc Ninh, while the 9th Division was assigned An Loc. The 7th Division was ordered to block National Highway 13
National Road 13 (Vietnam)
National Route 13 is a highway in southern Vietnam stretching from the northeastern outskirts of Ho Chi Minh City, the commercial centre of the country, towards the border to Cambodia...
to prevent reinforcements from reaching An Loc.
Prelude
During the last days of 1971, ARVN intelligence in the III Corps Tactical Zone had detected the buildup of North Vietnamese and Viet Cong formations across the border in neighbouring CambodiaCambodia
Cambodia , officially known as the Kingdom of Cambodia, is a country located in the southern portion of the Indochina Peninsula in Southeast Asia...
. Even though it was obvious that preparations for a major Communist offensive were under way, South Vietnamese commanders were unable to predict their enemies’ intentions. In January 1972, the Viet Cong 5th Division was reported to have taken up positions in Snuol, a Cambodian city located about 30 kilometres (18.6 mi) west of Loc Ninh. In addition, South Vietnamese intelligence also detected the presence of the Viet Cong 7th and 9th Divisions in Dambe and Chup respectively. Between January and May 1971, the South Vietnamese army mounted Operation Toan Thang TT02, with the aim of destroying Viet Cong main force divisions based in Cambodia, specifically in the Snuol area
Snuol District
Snuol is a district located in Kratié Province, in Cambodia....
. But due to the death of General Do Cao Tri
Do Cao Tri
Lieutenant General Đỗ Cao Trí was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam known for his fighting prowess and flamboyant style. Tri started out in the French Army before transferring to the Vietnamese National Army and the ARVN...
, the commander of the ARVN III Corps Tactical Zone, in a helicopter accident, the South Vietnamese were forced to retreat from Snuol without achieving their objective.
During February and March 1972, South Vietnamese units patrolling the international border with Cambodia detected increased Communist activity in the Fishhook
Fishhook, Cambodia
The Fishhook was the name given to a salient of Kampong Cham Province, southeast Cambodia that protrudes into Binh Long and Tay Ninh Provinces, Vietnam, approximately 80 km northwest of Saigon. The area consisted of generally flat plains adjacent to Mimot northeast through roughly rolling...
area, most notably the presence of the Viet Cong 5th Division in an area north of Binh Long Province
Binh Long Province
thumb|right|[[Binh Duong Province|Binh Duong]], [[Phuoc Long Province|Phuoc Long]] and Binh Long provinces in map of South VietnamBình Long is a former province of Dong Nam Bo region in South Vietnam. It now corresponds to the western part of Binh Phuoc province. It was formed on October 22, 1956...
. On March 13, a South Vietnamese mechanized task force operating in Cambodia discovered a huge depot which contained large quantities of assault rifles, machine guns, rockets, anti-aircraft guns and ammunition in Base Area 354 (Svay Rieng Province) and Base Area 708 (Kampong Cham Province). On March 27, a Viet Cong deserter from a reconnaissance company of the 7th Division revealed that his unit was surveying a portion of road between Tay Ninh
Tay Ninh
Tây Ninh is a town in southwestern Vietnam. It is the capital of Tay Ninh province, which encompasses the town and much of the surrounding farmland....
and Binh Long
Binh Long
Bình Long is a town of Binh Phuoc province in the southeastern region of Vietnam. As of 2003 the district had a population of 25,110. The district covers an area of 756 km². The district capital lies at An Loc....
in preparation for its next move. Between March 27 and April 1, more enemy prisoners and documents were captured by the South Vietnamese army, which revealed that the Viet Cong 7th and 9th Divisions were coordinating their efforts against an unidentified target.
The movements of Communist forces near the Cambodian-South Vietnamese border during the first three months of 1972 clearly indicated that a major offensive was in the making. However, the whereabouts of the next Communist thrust was the topic which concerned South Vietnamese and U.S. intelligence officers the most. In previous offensives, the Communist had used Tay Ninh
Tay Ninh
Tây Ninh is a town in southwestern Vietnam. It is the capital of Tay Ninh province, which encompasses the town and much of the surrounding farmland....
as an invasion route, as it was surrounded by Viet Cong bases in War Zone C
War zone C
A Vietnamese communist base area located in Tay Ninh province near the Cambodian border during the Vietnam war. Reportedly the general location of COSVN, the headquarters for communist military and political activities in the southern half of Vietnam....
, the Iron Triangle
Iron Triangle (Vietnam)
The Iron Triangle was a area in the Binh Duong Province of Vietnam, so named due to it being a stronghold of Viet Minh activity during the war...
and the Parrot's Beak, Cambodia
Parrot's Beak, Cambodia
Parrot’s Beak was the name given to a salient of Svay Rieng Province, southeast Cambodia that protrudes into Hậu Nghĩa and Kien Tuong Provinces, Vietnam, approximately 65 km northwest of Saigon....
. Thus, South Vietnamese and U.S. military intelligence reached a consensus that Tay Ninh would be the next target for the Communists' Nguyen Hue Offensive. To reinforce that perception, on April 2, the Viet Cong 24th Independent Regiment overran Fire Support Base Lac Long, defended by elements of the ARVN 49th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division, about 35 kilometres (21.7 mi) northwest of Tay Ninh.
The attacks on Lac Long and other outposts in Tay Ninh were a diversion designed to cover the main thrust into Binh Long Province. To initiate the campaign in Binh Long, the Viet Cong 5th Division (numbering about 9,230 soldiers) was ordered to take Loc Ninh, the northernmost town in the province. The Viet Cong were supported by the North Vietnamese 69th Artillery Command (3,830 soldiers) and the 203rd Armored Regiment (800 soldiers). In 1972, Loc Ninh was a small district town situated on Route 13; it was home to about 4,000 people, mostly members of the various Montagnard tribes. The task of defending Loc Ninh was entrusted to the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment, 5th Infantry Division, commanded by Colonel Nguyen Cong Vinh. It was supported by the 1st Cavalry Squadron, 1st Regional Force Battalion, and elements of the 74th Ranger Battalion.
Prior to the battle, the 9th Infantry Regiment had occupied the former U.S. Special Forces compound at the south end of the airfield, which was about 0.8 kilometre (0.497098189319845 mi) west of the district center. The district headquarters was defended by more than 200 South Vietnamese Regional Forces soldiers, who operated from a Japanese-built fortified bunker system located north of the airfield. To assist the 9th Infantry Regiment, the U.S. military provided seven advisors. The U.S. advisory team at 9th Regimental Headquarters was led by Lieutenant Colonel
Lieutenant Colonel (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Air Force, and United States Marine Corps, a lieutenant colonel is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of major and just below the rank of colonel. It is equivalent to the naval rank of commander in the other uniformed services.The pay...
Richard R. Schott, who was assisted by Major
Major (United States)
In the United States Army, Air Force, and Marine Corps, major is a field grade military officer rank just above the rank of captain and just below the rank of lieutenant colonel...
Albert E. Carlson and Captain Mark A. Smith, and two communication specialists, Sergeant First Class Howard B. Hull and Sergeant Kenneth Wallingford. Additionally, Captain George Wanat and Major Thomas Davidson operated from the north end of the airfield, attached to the district headquarters. A French Journalist, Yves Michel Dumond was with the US advisers.
Fall of Loc Ninh
From the beginning of April, there was a sharp increase in Viet Cong activities along National Highway 13, which connects Binh Long Province with Saigon. Between April 3 and 4, South Vietnamese Regional Force units clashed several times with the Viet Cong, resulting in the death of more than twenty Viet Cong soldiers. Furthermore, the French owner of the Cexso Rubber Plantation in Loc Ninh reported that the Communists had established field telephone lines northwest of the district. However, ARVN Colonel Nguyen Cong Vinh was reluctant to send reconnaissance patrols to that area. On the afternoon of April 4, the ARVN 9th Reconnaissance Company operating west of Loc Ninh was destroyed when it came into contact with elements of the Viet Cong main force units. On the same evening, the 3rd Battalion, ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment captured two enemy soldiers during an ambush operation. The Viet Cong prisoners revealed that they were from the 272nd Regiment, 9th Division, and that their unit was moving south to prepare for an assault on An Loc.Lai Khe
Lai Khê is a small settlement in Vietnam, to the northwest of Ho Chi Minh City and about 20 km north of Thủ Dầu Một. During the Vietnam War it was a garrison town as the 5th Division of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam was based there for most of the 1960s and 1970s.Tucker, pp. 526–533...
and Quan Loi. There was also indirect fire on South Vietnamese positions in Phuoc Long Province
Phuoc Long Province
thumb|right|200px|[[Binh Duong Province|Binh Duong]], Phuoc Long and [[Binh Long Province|Binh Long]] in map of South VietnamPhuoc Long is former province of Dong Nam Bo region in South Vietnam...
, mainly targeting Phuoc Vinh, Song Be, and Bo Duc. Following the artillery barrage, Viet Cong infantry, supported by about 25 tanks, attacked Loc Ninh from the west. In the initial assault, they tried to overrun the South Vietnamese regimental compound located at the south end of the airstrip. Despite the ferocity of the onslaught, South Vietnamese soldiers held their ground and fought desperately to hold the enemy at bay; South Vietnamese artillerymen even lowered the muzzles of their 105mm howitzers and fired directly at enemy infantry formations moving through the rubber trees.
Even though the situation was stabilized, the South Vietnamese were forced to retreat into small compounds at the north and south ends of the town. The intensity of the attack on Loc Ninh revealed the true intentions of the Communists; ARVN Lieutenant General Nguyen Van Minh
Nguyen Van Minh
Nguyễn Văn Minh was a general in the Army of the Republic of Vietnam during the Vietnam War. Minh entered military service during the First Indochina War in 1950 as an airborne officer serving in the French colonial forces. In November 1960, he supported a group of officers that staged an...
—commander of the III Corps Tactical Zone—and his American advisor Major General
Major general (United States)
In the United States Army, United States Marine Corps, and United States Air Force, major general is a two-star general-officer rank, with the pay grade of O-8. Major general ranks above brigadier general and below lieutenant general...
James F. Hollingsworth realized that Binh Long, not Tay Ninh, would be the focus of the Communist offensive. In order to halt the Communist advance, Minh and Hollingsworth directed all available tactical support aircraft towards Loc Ninh. Almost immediately, South Vietnamese air force F-5 and A-1 fighter-bombers, United States Air Force
United States Air Force
The United States Air Force is the aerial warfare service branch of the United States Armed Forces and one of the American uniformed services. Initially part of the United States Army, the USAF was formed as a separate branch of the military on September 18, 1947 under the National Security Act of...
(USAF) A-37s
A-37 Dragonfly
The Cessna A-37 Dragonfly, or Super Tweet, is a United States light attack aircraft developed from the T-37 Tweet basic trainer in the 1960s and 1970s...
from the 8th Special Operations Squadron
8th Special Operations Squadron
The 8th Special Operations Squadron is part of the 1st Special Operations Wing at Hurlburt Field, Florida. It operates CV-22 Osprey in support of special operations.-Mission:...
based at Bien Hoa
Bien Hoa
Biên Hòa is a city in Dong Nai province, Vietnam, about east of Ho Chi Minh City , to which Bien Hoa is linked by Vietnam Highway 1.- Demographics :In 1989 the estimated population was over 300,000. In 2005, the population wss 541,495...
, attack aircraft from the aircraft carrier
Aircraft carrier
An aircraft carrier is a warship designed with a primary mission of deploying and recovering aircraft, acting as a seagoing airbase. Aircraft carriers thus allow a naval force to project air power worldwide without having to depend on local bases for staging aircraft operations...
, and USAF F-4 and AC-130 aircraft from Thailand
Thailand
Thailand , officially the Kingdom of Thailand , formerly known as Siam , is a country located at the centre of the Indochina peninsula and Southeast Asia. It is bordered to the north by Burma and Laos, to the east by Laos and Cambodia, to the south by the Gulf of Thailand and Malaysia, and to the...
began flying over the skies of Loc Ninh. U.S. and South Vietnamese tactical support aircraft were directed against Viet Cong and North Vietnamese formations by American advisers on the ground.
As the fighting intensified, Vinh ordered the 1st Cavalry Squadron—commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Duong—to withdraw from Fire Support Base Alpha to reinforce Loc Ninh. However, Duong refused, saying he would surrender his unit to the Viet Cong instead. Angered by this betrayal, Smith threatened to destroy the 1st Cavalry Squadron with American air power if it did not fight. Schott, in recognition of Smith’s combat experience and knowledge of the Vietnamese language, allowed him to take control of the situation. From that point on, Smith virtually controlled the South Vietnamese forces. A few moments later, elements of the ARVN 74th Ranger Battalion and the 3rd Battalion, ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment notified the regimental command post that they had broken out and were fighting their way back towards Loc Ninh. Meanwhile, the 1st Cavalry Squadron began moving west towards the Cambodian border with the Viet Cong, with the rest of their tanks and armored personnel carriers.
AH-1 Cobra
The Bell AH-1 Cobra is a two-bladed, single engine attack helicopter manufactured by Bell Helicopter. It shares a common engine, transmission and rotor system with the older UH-1 Iroquois...
gunship
Gunship
The term "gunship" is used in several contexts, all sharing the general idea of a light craft armed with heavy guns.-In Navy:In the Navy, the term originally appeared in the mid-19th century as a less-common synonym for gunboat.-In military aviation:...
s stopped the Viet Cong formations in their tracks, as supporting North Vietnamese tanks were either destroyed or forced to pull back. Despite having suffered many casualties as a result of American air strikes, the Viet Cong continued their assaults well into the evening. In order to deal with the onslaught, Smith continued to direct the AC-130 Spectres against targets around Loc Ninh. Vinh, on the other hand, was either planning to surrender or desert when he ordered two of his soldiers to open the gates of the command compound at around 10 pm. Throughout the night, the North Vietnamese 69th Artillery Command continued bombarding South Vietnamese positions around Loc Ninh, as the Viet Cong massed for another assault.
On the morning of April 6, South Vietnamese forces reported hearing the sound of tanks moving toward the southern end of the district airfield. At about 5:30 am, the Viet Cong launched another attack from southern Loc Ninh, with the support of about 25 T-54 and PT-76
PT-76
The PT-76 is a Soviet amphibious light tank which was introduced in the early 1950s and soon became the standard reconnaissance tank of the Soviet Army and the other Warsaw Pact armed forces. It was widely exported to other friendly states, like India, Iraq, North Korea and North Vietnam. Overall,...
tanks. Viet Cong infantry initially managed to breach the South Vietnamese lines, but the attack soon stalled, and neither side gained a clear advantage. In the afternoon, elements of the Viet Cong E6 Regiment forced their way through the compound gates, but air strikes from U.S. AC-130s stopped them from advancing any further. By that stage, however, the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment had absorbed a significant number of casualties; it only had 50 soldiers left, while another 150 wounded were in the hospital bunker. To make matters worst, the defenders in Loc Ninh were virtually cut off from outside help, because heavy-caliber North Vietnamese anti-aircraft guns effectively prevented resupply and medivac flights into the area.
In an attempt to save Loc Ninh, Brigadier General Le Van Hung
Le Van Hung
Lê Văn Hưng was born in Hóc Môn, in the Mekong Delta of Vietnam, and graduated from Thủ Đức Military Academy, 5th class, in 1955. He held many commands from company to battalion level...
—commander of the ARVN 5th Infantry Division—ordered Task Force 52 to move north to reinforce the beleaguered 9th Infantry Regiment. Task Force 52 consisted of the 2nd Battalion, 52nd Infantry Regiment, and the 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment; both units had been transferred from the ARVN 18th Infantry Division in late March to serve as a border screen for Hung’s forces. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Ba Thinh—commander of Task Force 52—ordered the 2nd Battalion to advance towards Loc Ninh. Unfortunately, the unit immediately was ambushed at the junction of National Highway 13 and Route 17. Unable to withstand the Viet Cong’s superior firepower, it was forced to withdraw. To prevent Task Force 52 from evacuating to either Loc Ninh or An Loc, the Viet Cong pursued Task Force 52 and bombarded their bases with heavy artillery throughout the day.
Meanwhile, on the afternoon of April 6, the South Vietnamese inside Loc Ninh were slightly reinforced by the 3rd Battalion, ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment, along with the men of the 1st Cavalry Squadron at FSB
Fire support base
A fire support base is a military encampment designed to provide indirect fire artillery fire support to infantry operating in areas beyond the normal range of direct fire support from their own base camps....
Alpha who had refused to surrender. Furthermore, wounded South Vietnamese soldiers who were still able to fight made their way back to the defensive perimeter to await the next wave of attacks. During the night, the South Vietnamese compound descended into chaos when North Vietnamese artillery scored a direct hit on the hospital bunker, killing a large number of wounded men. Later on, another round of rockets struck the South Vietnamese artillery compound, striking the ammunition storage bunker
Ammunition dump
An ammunition dump, ammunition compound, ammunition depot, bomb dump, ammunition supply point or ammo dump, is a military storage facility for live ammunition and explosives....
, which exploded. From the eastern side of the district, the Viet Cong tried to penetrate the defense line at Loc Ninh, but were beaten off. Realizing that the situation had become hopeless, Vinh took off his uniform and told his men that they must surrender.
At 7 am on April 7, the Viet Cong massed for another ground assault from the north and west of Loc Ninh, with support from heavy artillery, tanks and armored personnel carriers. As the Viet Cong closed in, Vinh and his bodyguards ran out the opened gate and surrendered. Several South Vietnamese soldiers also tried to surrender, but they all returned to their positions after Smith stopped a South Vietnamese officer from raising a white T-shirt up the flagpole. By 8 am, the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment was completely overwhelmed when the Viet Cong overran the southern compound with their superior numbers. At around 10 am, all tactical air support was called off in order to clear the way for B-52 strikes against Viet Cong formations west of Loc Ninh. However, the B-52 strikes could not prevent the Viet Cong from overrunning Loc Ninh. By 4:30 pm, the Viet Cong were in complete control of Loc Ninh District.
Aftermath
The fight cost both sides dearly. The true extent of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese casualties is largely unknown, but due to their exposure to American firepower, the Communist forces undoubtedly suffered heavy losses. Nonetheless, the successful capture of Loc Ninh exceeded Communist expectations, as they had thought that the South Vietnamese would hold out longer. Loc Ninh became the seat of the Provisional Revolutionary Government, the capital of Communist-occupied territories in South Vietnam. The South Vietnamese, in their efforts to hold the district, lost more than a thousand soldiers killed or captured in the battle, and only about 50 soldiers actually reached An Loc. The Viet Cong also captured all seven American advisers and the French Journalist in Loc Ninh; they were taken to a prison camp in Kratie ProvinceKratié Province
Kratié or Kracheh is a province in northeastern Cambodia. It borders Stung Treng to the north, Mondulkiri to the east, Kampong Thom to the west, Kampong Cham and Vietnam to the south....
, Cambodia. Yves-Michel Dumond was released on July 14, 1972. On February 12, 1973, the Americans were released in accordance with the Paris Peace Accord.
As Loc Ninh was succumbing, other Communist formations turned their attention to the provincial capital of An Loc. At 9 am on April 7, Brigadier General Le Van Hung ordered Task Force 52 to abandon its bases, destroy all heavy weapons and vehicles, and withdraw to An Loc, following their failed attempt at reinforcing the 9th Infantry Regiment. As Task Force 52 tried to break through National Highway 13, they ran into another large Viet Cong ambush. Ultimately it would take the soldiers of Task Force 52 about a week to reach An Loc, infiltrating through Viet Cong and North Vietnamese positions along the main road. Then, on the evening of April 7, the Viet Cong 9th Division attacked Quan Loi airfield, just 3 kilometres (1.9 mi) north of An Loc. Elements of the ARVN 7th Infantry Regiment defending the area were unable to hold off the Viet Cong, so they were ordered to destroy their equipment and join other South Vietnamese units in the provincial capital. The next step in the North Vietnamese offensive was the Battle of An Loc
Battle of An Loc
The Battle of An Lộc was a major battle of the Vietnam War that lasted for 66 days and culminated in a decisive victory for South Vietnam. In many ways, the struggle for An Lộc in 1972 was an important battle of the war, as South Vietnamese forces halted the North Vietnamese advance towards...
.
External links
- After Action Report / The Battle of Loc Ninh 4–7 April 1972, submitted by Mark A. Smith, Major, USA (ret)
- Thiet Giap! The Battle of An Loc, April 1972, by Lieutenant Colonel James H. Willbanks, U.S. Army, Retired
- Biography of Lt. Col. Richard S. Scott, killed at Loc Ninh on 7 April 1972, containing detailed personal battle report by Capt. M. Smith – POW Network