[31] Mortar rounds, artillery shells, and 122mm rockets fell randomly but incessantly upon the base. [109], The resupply of the numerous, isolated hill outposts was fraught with the same difficulties and dangers. [163] Other theories argued that the forces around Khe Sanh were simply a localized defensive measure in the DMZ area or that they were serving as a reserve in case of an offensive American end run in the mode of the American invasion at Inchon during the Korean War. [132], On 2 March, Tolson laid out what became known as Operation Pegasus, the operational plan for what was to become the largest operation launched by III MAF thus far in the conflict. To support the Marine base, a massive aerial bombardment campaign (Operation Niagara) was launched by the USAF. Officer casualties of all branches were overwhelmingly white. Marine Khe Sanh veteran Peter Brush is Vietnam Magazines book review editor. Two days later, the PAVN 273rd Regiment attacked a Special Forces camp near the border town of Loc Ninh, in Bnh Long Province. [12] Further fighting followed, resulting in the loss of another 11 Marines and 89 PAVN soldiers, before the Marines finally withdrew from the area on 11 July. [94] Although the PAVN was known to possess two armored regiments, it had not yet fielded an armored unit in South Vietnam, and besides, the Americans considered it impossible for them to get one down to Khe Sanh without it being spotted by aerial reconnaissance. [171] When Hanoi made the decision to move in around the base, Khe Sanh was held by only one or two American battalions. Seven miles west of Khe Sanh on Route 9, and about halfway to the Laotian border, sat the U.S. Army Special Forces camp at Lang Vei. Overnight, they were moved to a temporary position a short distance from the perimeter and from there, some of the Laotians were eventually evacuated, although the majority turned around and walked back down Route 9 toward Laos. "[103] The Bru were excluded from evacuation from the highlands by an order from the ARVN I Corps commander, who ruled that no Bru be allowed to move into the lowlands. "[168][Note 7], Marine General Rathvon M. Tompkins, the commander of the 3rd Marine Division, pointed out that had the PAVN actually intended to take Khe Sanh, PAVN troops could have cut the base's sole source of water, a stream 500 m outside the perimeter of the base. [83] Westmoreland later wrote, "Washington so feared that some word of it might reach the press that I was told to desist, ironically answering what those consequences could be: a political disaster. Westmoreland believed that the latter was the case, and his belief was the basis for his desire to stage "Dien Bien Phu in reverse. However, North Vietnamese sources claim that the Americans did not win a victory at Khe Sanh but were forced to retreat to avoid destruction. As early as 1962, the U.S. Military CommandVietnam (MACV) established an Army Special Forces camp near the village. [75] On 22 January, the first sensor drops took place, and by the end of the month, 316 acoustic and seismic sensors had been dropped in 44 strings. "[105] There had been a history of distrust between the Special Forces personnel and the Marines, and General Rathvon M. Tompkins, commander of the 3rd Marine Division, described the Special Forces soldiers as "hopped up wretches [who] were a law unto themselves. The official North Vietnamese history claimed that 400 South Vietnamese troops had been killed and 253 captured. A secret memorandum reported by US Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara, sent to US President Lyndon B. Johnson on 19 February 1968, was declassified in 2005. It was later renamed "Dye Marker" by MACV in September 1967, just as the PAVN began the first phase of their offensive by launching attacks against Marine-held positions across the DMZ. The Battle of Khe Sanh's initial action cost the Marines 12 killed, 17 wounded and two missing. [47][Note 3] Westmoreland regarded the choice as quite simple. The adoption of this concept at the end of February was the turning point in the resupply effort. That was superseded by the smaller contingency plans. Of the 500 CIDG troops at Lang Vei, 200 had been killed or were missing and 75 more were wounded. The latest microwave/tropospheric scatter technology enabled them to maintain communications at all times. Gordan L Rottman, Osprey Campaign 150: The Khe Sanh 1967-68, p. 51. [9], The precise nature of Hanoi's strategic goal at Khe Sanh is regarded as one of the most intriguing unanswered questions of the Vietnam War. On the first day of battle, a big Communist rocket scored a direct hit on the main Marine ammunition dump, destroying 1,500 tons of high explosives, 98 percent of available ammunition. [53] Two divisions, the 304th and the 325th, were assigned to the operation: the 325th was given responsibility for the area around the north, while the 304th was given responsibility for the southern sector. "[106] At the end of January, Tompkins had ordered that no Marine patrols proceed more than 500 meters from the Combat Base. [134], Westmoreland's planned relief effort infuriated the Marines, who had not wanted to hold Khe Sanh in the first place and who had been roundly criticized for not defending it well. [138] At 08:00 on 15 April, Operation Pegasus was officially terminated. You could lose it and you really haven't lost a damn thing. Telfer, Rogers, and Fleming, pp. A platoon from Company D, 1/26 Marines was sent from the base but was withdrawn in the face of the superior PAVN forces. [12] With the abandonment of the base, according to Thomas Ricks, "Khe Sanh became etched in the minds of many Americans as a symbol of the pointless sacrifice and muddled tactics that permeated a doomed U.S. war effort in Vietnam". The village of Khe Sanh was the seat of government of Hng Hoa district, an area of Bru Montagnard villages and coffee plantations about 7 miles (11km) from the Laotian frontier on Route 9, the northernmost transverse road in South Vietnam. In the course of the fighting, Allied forces fired 151,000 artillery rounds, flew 2,096 tactical air sorties, and conducted 257 B-52 Stratofortress strikes. [34] The heaviest action took place near Dak To, in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum. Subscribe to our HistoryNet Now! From the Hu site the communication signal was sent to Danang headquarters where it could be sent anywhere in the world. 1st Marine Aircraft Wing records claim that the unit delivered 4,661 tons of cargo into KSCB. The tower at Khe Sanh instructed the pilot to take evasive action and go around for another approach. today! Senior Marine Corps General Victor Krulak agreed, noting on May 13 that the Marines had defeated the North Vietnamese and won the battle of Khe Sanh. Over time, these KIA figures have been accepted by historians. A press release prepared on the following day (but never issued), at the height of Tet, showed that he was not about to be distracted. The Marines knew that their withdrawal from Khe Sanh would present a propaganda victory for Hanoi. [44], On 14 August, Colonel David E. Lownds took over as commander of the 26th Marine Regiment. When the weather later cleared in March, the amount was increased to 40 tons per day. [33], The heaviest action took place near Dak To, in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum. With a view to gain the eventual approval for an advance through Laos to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail, he determined that "it was absolutely essential to hold the base." On June 28, a Communist spokesman claimed the Americans had been forced to retreat and that Khe Sanh was the gravest tactical and strategic defeat for the U.S. in the war. [28], In early December 1967, the PAVN appointed Major General Tran Quy Hai as the local commander for the actions around Khe Sanh, with Le Quang Do as his political commissar. If firepower determined the outcome of the fight, it was airlift that allowed the defenders to hold their positions. For some unknown reason, the PAVN troops did not press their advantage and eliminate the pocket, instead throwing a steady stream of grenades at the Marines. By comparison, according to another Army general, a 10:1 ratio was considered average and 25:1 was considered very good. Five days later, the final reinforcements arrived in the form of the 37th ARVN Ranger Battalion, which was deployed more for political than tactical reasons. [127] At 08:00 the following day, Operation Scotland was officially terminated. [145], Author Peter Brush details that an "additional 413 Marines were killed during Scotland II through the end of June 1968". The Armys 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), with more than 400 helicopters under its control, conducted airmobile operations deeper into enemy-controlled areas. [156] Correspondent Michael Herr reported on the battle, and his account would inspire the surreal "Do Long Bridge" scene in the film Apocalypse Now, which emphasized the anarchy of the war. Once the aircraft touched down, it became the target of any number of PAVN artillery or mortar crews. Army deaths at FOB-3, however, were not included in the official statistics either. The Laotians were overrun, and many fled to the Special Forces camp at Lang Vei. An additional 413 Marines were killed during Scotland II as of the end of June 1968. On 19 June 1968, the evacuation and destruction of KSCB began. [22] The camp then became a Special Forces outpost of the Civilian Irregular Defense Groups, which were to keep watch on PAVN infiltration along the border and to protect the local population. Ten more Marines and 89 NVA died during this period. There are still debates about the true number of casualties, but estimates range that 1,000 to 3,500 US soldiers died, and a secret report from the US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam,. [59], During the rainy night of 2 January 1968, six men dressed in black uniforms were seen outside the defensive wire of the main base by members of a listening post. Name State Date War Branch; 1: Steven Glenn Abbott . Thirty-three ARVN troops were also killed and 187 were wounded. Things heated up for the air cavalrymen on 6 April, when the 3rd Brigade encountered a PAVN blocking force and fought a day-long engagement. [33] The PAVN fought for several days, took casualties, and fell back. [143][144], On 15 April, the 3rd Marine Division resumed responsibility for KSCB, Operation Pegasus ended, and Operation Scotland II began with the Marines seeking out the PAVN in the surrounding area. The badly-deteriorated Route 9 ran from the coastal region through the western highlands and crossed the border into Laos. A Look at the Damage from the Secret War in Laos, How Operation Homecoming Was Sprung into Action to Repatriate American POWs, The Viet Cong Were Shooting Down Americans From a Cave Until This GI Stopped Them, https://www.historynet.com/recounting-the-casualties-at-the-deadly-battle-of-khe-sanh/, Jerrie Mock: Record-Breaking American Female Pilot, When 21 Sikh Soldiers Fought the Odds Against 10,000 Pashtun Warriors, Few Red Tails Remain: Tuskegee Airman Dies at 96. The site was first established near the village and later moved to the French fort. And it had accomplished its purpose magnificently. After a ten-day battle, the attackers were pushed back into Cambodia. At 0330 hours, soldiers of the NVA 6th Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 325C Division, attacked the Marines on Hill 861. [43] Lieutenant General Robert E. Cushman Jr. relieved Walt as commander of III MAF in June. Siege at Khe Sanh: ~17,200 (304th and 308th Division), Defense at Route 9: ~16,900 (320th and 324th Division), This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 15:52.