Siege of Plei Me
Encyclopedia
The Siege of Plei Me was a battle during the Vietnam War
, which led up to the Battle of Ia Drang
. The repulsion of the North Vietnamese assault immediately set the stage for the offensive in Ia Drang.
, felt confident.
The camp at Plei Me, 40 km south of Pleiku
city in the central highlands of Vietnam
, was constructed in October 1963 by the United States Special Operations Forces
. In 1965 the camp was manned by around 350 Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) soldiers - Montagnard soldiers, many of whom had family just outside the base. The base served as a critical hub for U.S. special forces movement across the country.
The 33rd launched the attack by bombarding the camp, followed by repeated infantry assaults, initially overrunning a 20-man outpost. The remaining defenders, backed by U.S. attack helicopters, repelled the PAVN, and the siege situation developed. At first light the next morning, 250 Army of the Republic of Vietnam
(ARVN) Rangers
advised by Major Charles Beckwith arrived by helicopter at the camp. Subsequently, the base was resupplied with airdrops from CV-2 (Caribou) of the 92d Aviation Company, the CV-7 (Buffalo) of the U.S. Army Aviation Test Board, and a number of night drops of munitions, medical supplies, and rations by C-123s from the 310th Air Commando Squadron from Nha Trang U.S. Air Force. Some of the air drops landed outside the camp, while two defenders were killed when a pallet of supplies fell on them.
Reinforcements from the ARVN were also sent by road from Pleiku to raise the siege, while Task Force INGRAM was airlifted into Pleiku to secure the city. The ARVN armored column proceeded down Provincial Road 6C to Plei Me, and was ambushed at two places at 1730 hours on 23 October 1965, but the attack was beaten back with accurate U.S. artillery support. Beckwith personally lead the counter attack, brandishing a cutlass
and riding atop an ARVN Armored Troop Carrier. By the time relief column arrived at the Plei Me camp on 25 October 1965, the North Vietnamese attackers were already reeling and the U.S. and ARVN forces prepared for the final blow. The U.S. 1st Air Cavalry Division arrived on the 27th, sending the North Vietnamese into a hasty retreat, thus ending the siege. Chu had drawn out the Air Cavalry, but at a heavy price.
During the battle, A-1A Skyraider pilot Captain Melvin C Elliott was shot down while strafing the area around the camp. After evading the PAVN for 36 hours, Elliott was rescued by helicopter.
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson called Beckwith during the siege to congratulate him.
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 led up to the Battle of Ia Drang
Battle of Ia Drang
The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the United States Army and the People's Army of Vietnam The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the United States Army and the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) The Battle of Ia Drang was the first major battle between the...
. The repulsion of the North Vietnamese assault immediately set the stage for the offensive in Ia Drang.
Background
Brigadier General Chu Huy Man of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) was tasked with drawing the US Air Cavalry into battle, to learn about its fighting capabilities, and then circulate the information among the PAVN and National Liberation Front (NLF). To this end, Lt Col Hoang Phuong was tasked with debriefing PAVN commanders after battles. This was a dangerous mission but Chu Huy Man, an intelligence expert trained in MoscowMoscow
Moscow is the capital, the most populous city, and the most populous federal subject of Russia. The city is a major political, economic, cultural, scientific, religious, financial, educational, and transportation centre of Russia and the continent...
, felt confident.
The camp at Plei Me, 40 km south of Pleiku
Pleiku
Pleiku is a town in central Vietnam, located in that nation's central highland region. It is the capital of the Gia Lai Province; it is inhabited primarily by the Bahnar and Jarai ethnic groups, sometimes known as the Montagnards or Degar....
city in the central highlands of 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 –...
, was constructed in October 1963 by the United States Special Operations Forces
United States Special Operations Forces
United States Special Operations Forces under United States Special Operations Command are active and reserve component forces of U.S. Military...
. In 1965 the camp was manned by around 350 Civilian Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) soldiers - Montagnard soldiers, many of whom had family just outside the base. The base served as a critical hub for U.S. special forces movement across the country.
PAVN attacks
General Man ordered the 33rd PAVN regiment to seize the camp at Plei Me at 1930 hours on 19 October 1965, while the 32nd regiment would move into position to ambush reinforcements, repeating tactics successfully used against the French.The 33rd launched the attack by bombarding the camp, followed by repeated infantry assaults, initially overrunning a 20-man outpost. The remaining defenders, backed by U.S. attack helicopters, repelled the PAVN, and the siege situation developed. At first light the next morning, 250 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) Rangers
Vietnamese Rangers
The Vietnamese Rangers, properly known in Vietnamese as the Biệt Ðộng Quân, more commonly known as the ARVN Rangers, were the Rangers of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam. Trained and assisted by American Special Forces and Ranger advisers, the Vietnamese Rangers infiltrated beyond enemy lines in...
advised by Major Charles Beckwith arrived by helicopter at the camp. Subsequently, the base was resupplied with airdrops from CV-2 (Caribou) of the 92d Aviation Company, the CV-7 (Buffalo) of the U.S. Army Aviation Test Board, and a number of night drops of munitions, medical supplies, and rations by C-123s from the 310th Air Commando Squadron from Nha Trang U.S. Air Force. Some of the air drops landed outside the camp, while two defenders were killed when a pallet of supplies fell on them.
Reinforcements from the ARVN were also sent by road from Pleiku to raise the siege, while Task Force INGRAM was airlifted into Pleiku to secure the city. The ARVN armored column proceeded down Provincial Road 6C to Plei Me, and was ambushed at two places at 1730 hours on 23 October 1965, but the attack was beaten back with accurate U.S. artillery support. Beckwith personally lead the counter attack, brandishing a cutlass
Cutlass
A cutlass is a short, broad sabre or slashing sword, with a straight or slightly curved blade sharpened on the cutting edge, and a hilt often featuring a solid cupped or basket shaped guard...
and riding atop an ARVN Armored Troop Carrier. By the time relief column arrived at the Plei Me camp on 25 October 1965, the North Vietnamese attackers were already reeling and the U.S. and ARVN forces prepared for the final blow. The U.S. 1st Air Cavalry Division arrived on the 27th, sending the North Vietnamese into a hasty retreat, thus ending the siege. Chu had drawn out the Air Cavalry, but at a heavy price.
During the battle, A-1A Skyraider pilot Captain Melvin C Elliott was shot down while strafing the area around the camp. After evading the PAVN for 36 hours, Elliott was rescued by helicopter.
U.S. President Lyndon Johnson called Beckwith during the siege to congratulate him.