Ben Cui
Encyclopedia
Ben Cui is a rubber plantation that is part of the Michelin Rubber Plantation
near Dau Tieng
, Republic of Vietnam. During the Vietnam War
, Ben Cui and other sections of the Michelin rubber plantation were the scene of intense fighting between United States
forces and the North Vietnamese Army
(NVA) and Viet Cong forces.
Staff Sergeant Marvin "Rex" Young, Company C, 1st Battalion (Mechanized),, 5th Infantry Regiment
, 25th Infantry Division posthumously received the Medal of Honor
, in recognition of the repeated efforts he made to save the lives of his comrades near Ben Cui on August 21, 1968. The 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, earned the Presidential Unit Citation for the actions from August 18 to September 20, 1968.
The fighting in the Ben Cui rubber plantation is sometimes referred to as the Third Offensive, in reference to the third wave of massed North Vietnamese troops after the Tet Offensive. The Tet and subsequent offensives marked a major shift from the small hit-and-run sniper and ambush that dominated during the Vietnam War to a more massive display of force and higher numbers of casualties.
Some of the veterans of the combat in the Ben Cui and other segments of the Michelin rubber plantation believe that heavier U.S. casualties were sustained because the U.S. Army had an informal agreement with the French Government to not use artillery or air strikes in the rubber plantations, to avoid costly damage to the rubber trees. However, the Combat After Action Reports from the Ben Cui engagement of 21 August 1968 indicate that both artillery and air support were used.
Michelin Rubber Plantation
Michelin Rubber Plantation was located near Dầu Tiếng District in Binh Duong Province, 72km northwest of Saigon. The plantation was established by the Michelin company in 1925 and at 12,400 ha it was the largest rubber plantation in Vietnam...
near Dau Tieng
Dau Tieng
Dau Tieng , is a district of Binh Duong Province in the Southeast region of Vietnam.As of 2003 the district had a population of 92,592. The district covers an area of 720 km². The district capital lies at Dầu Tiếng.-References:...
, Republic of Vietnam. During the Vietnam War
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...
, Ben Cui and other sections of the Michelin rubber plantation were the scene of intense fighting between United States
United States
The United States of America is a federal constitutional republic comprising fifty states and a federal district...
forces and the North Vietnamese Army
Vietnam People's Army
The Vietnam People's Army is the armed forces of Vietnam. The VPA includes: the Vietnamese People's Ground Forces , the Vietnam People's Navy , the Vietnam People's Air Force, and the Vietnam Marine Police.During the French Indochina War , the VPA was often referred to as the Việt...
(NVA) and Viet Cong forces.
Staff Sergeant Marvin "Rex" Young, Company C, 1st Battalion (Mechanized),, 5th Infantry Regiment
5th Infantry Regiment (United States)
The 5th Infantry Regiment is the third-oldest infantry regiment of the United States Army, tracing its origins to 1808...
, 25th Infantry Division posthumously received the Medal of Honor
Medal of Honor
The Medal of Honor is the highest military decoration awarded by the United States government. It is bestowed by the President, in the name of Congress, upon members of the United States Armed Forces who distinguish themselves through "conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his or her...
, in recognition of the repeated efforts he made to save the lives of his comrades near Ben Cui on August 21, 1968. The 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment, earned the Presidential Unit Citation for the actions from August 18 to September 20, 1968.
The fighting in the Ben Cui rubber plantation is sometimes referred to as the Third Offensive, in reference to the third wave of massed North Vietnamese troops after the Tet Offensive. The Tet and subsequent offensives marked a major shift from the small hit-and-run sniper and ambush that dominated during the Vietnam War to a more massive display of force and higher numbers of casualties.
Some of the veterans of the combat in the Ben Cui and other segments of the Michelin rubber plantation believe that heavier U.S. casualties were sustained because the U.S. Army had an informal agreement with the French Government to not use artillery or air strikes in the rubber plantations, to avoid costly damage to the rubber trees. However, the Combat After Action Reports from the Ben Cui engagement of 21 August 1968 indicate that both artillery and air support were used.