Engagement at Tuy Hoa – March 1968
After the casualties taken fighting in and around Dak To in the final months of 1967, 2nd Battalion of the 173rd Airborne returned to barracks in Tuy Hoa to rest, refit, and train replacements.
Throughout February 1968 key towns and cities in Vietnam have been rocked by the Tet Offensive. For the most part, the 173rd Airborne have not been involved in the offensive. However, intelligence has come in that units of NVA with VC sappers are planning an assault on Tuy Hoa Air Base. To prevent this your company has been deployed north of Tuy Hoa to block the enemy advance. You will take up position in the area of Nha Long village. As such, this is NOT a free fire zone – all support fire (that includes company mortars) will require authorisation. Additionally, you may not fire small arms at targets within 6” of any village building without authorisation.
The enemy are expected to be arriving from the North West.
Report from Cpt P Smith CO of Alpha Company 173rd Airborne
Intelligence had confirmed that Communist forces were advancing towards the US Airbase at Tuy Hoa. The 173rd Airborne Division were tasked with blocking and destroying the enemy in the vicinity to the north and west of the village of Nha Long.
The 1st Platoon, led by Lieutenant Francis, and the Weapons Platoon were deployed to the east of the village and advanced immediately to the west. The squads of the 1st Platoon took up positions to the north, south, and within the village, while the Weapons Platoon advanced westwards, north of Nha Long. We soon made contact with enemy forces to the west in light cover and to the northwest in light cover on higher ground.
I promptly requested authorisation to activate our company mortars to lay down a barrage on the enemy troops to the northwest.
Lieutenant Francis’ 1st Platoon engaged VC sappers to the east of the village. The Weapons Platoon’s M60 machine gun teams provided long-range fire against an NVA platoon to the west. As the engagement intensified, the villagers in the adjacent paddy fields quickly sought cover within the village. Meanwhile, the company’s Dog Team was dispatched to the village at a rapid pace to search for hidden caches of food and ordnance. Thanks to their diligent efforts, a substantial quantity of rice and several satchel charges were discovered.
Lieutenant King’s 2nd Platoon and Lieutenant Claridge’s 3rd Platoon received orders to deploy via Huey transport helicopters in succession. The 2nd Platoon disembarked in open terrain to the north of Nha Long, despite encountering some ineffective small arms fire from the ground. The gunship escorting the transport Hueys provided covering fire to ensure a successful landing and inflicted heavy casualties on the enemy to the front of 1st Platoon before taking evasive action to evade more intensive ground fire from adjacent enemy units.
As the 2nd Platoon commenced their advance from the landing position, the mortar barrage was promptly authorised and initiated on the enemy positions to the west. This stalled the enemy’s advance by pinning them down. The barrage was halted to allow Lt. Claridge’s 3rd Platoon to deploy in a Hot LZ in open ground closest to the enemy.
As 3rd Platoon rapidly disembarked from the Huey transports, they took one fatal casualty as they came under enemy small arms fire, RPGs and sniper fire. Again, the Huey Gunship delivered sustained heavy fire on the enemy positions on the ground. As a consequence, the VC sapper platoon was broken and dispersed from the field.
Shortly after an NVA platoon withdrew from the field as it took heavy casualties from the Gunship and all three of our company’s platoons. An air strike was requested and authorised to attack enemy positions on the high ground to the northwest, but the enemy withdrew before the aircraft arrived.
Along with the food and ordnance caches, a high number of enemy bodies were recovered after the engagement which indicates how the enemy dispersed from the field in disarray.
Although, regrettably, our company took 3 fatal casualties, overall this was an outstandingly successful mission.
Report from Lt T Francis 1st Platoon
Acting on orders from my company commander, I deployed first platoon either side of the main highway, with two squads up and one in reserve. The weapons platoon and company HQ were to our left flank in the open ground. The platoon advanced steadily, keeping an eye out for enemy troops both in the village and on the ridge line beyond the huts, although no definitive sightings were made.
When the weapons platoon were engaged by enemy forces, I ordered first squad to lay down fire in support of them and third squad to advance to take their place and enter the village. Local Vietnamese non-combatants generally kept their distance, although one pointed third squad to a place where he told them that VC forces had stored supplies – this turned out to be a red herring and nothing was found.
First squad continued to engage enemy forces on the edge of the jungle to the north west of the village in support of the weapons platoon, with several hits claimed. Meanwhile, second squad had spotted what turned out to be NVA troops to the east of the village beyond the paddy fields. Judging that they were outside of the restricted zone around the settlement, I ordered them to open fire. Third squad moved through the village and engaged further NVA forces directly north of their position with immediate effect.
The platoon consolidated its position, all squads continuing to engage the enemy, until the aerial insertion of third platoon swiftly alleviated any pressure from NVA forces to our front. I advanced first and second squads in line with the north of the village, at which point it became clear that the enemy had broken.
First platoon’s advance to, and defence of, the village ensured that enemy forces were unable to emplace themselves within it and create a stronghold from which it would have been difficult to eject them. That the operation was carried out without casualties is testament to the skill and professionalism of the American soldier.
Report from Lt A King 2nd Platoon
2nd Plt under 2LT King was inserted by UH-1 helicopters on the left flank of the company’s advance, near the edge of a lightly wooded area and close to a patch of elephant grass to the west and northwest of Nha Long village.
On approach to the LZ hostile forces were spotted on a hill within the woods and in the elephant grass. The platoon’s gunship escort engaged the enemy in the Elephant Grass with machine gun fire, causing a number of casualties. The pilot requested approval to use rockets on the hostiles in the woods, due to the mission Rules of Engagement, but this was not received.
1st and 2nd squads, the latter with the platoon LT, disembarked from their slicks and hunkered down, engaging the enemy to their front, pinning them down. 3rd squad disembarked and moved rapidly into the woods, with the intention of advancing on the enemy flank.
1st and 2nd squads came under fire from approximately platoon strength forces, causing some shock and one casualty KIA in 1st squad, Pfc Simms.
3rd squad advanced through the woods and, on reaching a slight rise in the terrain, hunkered down to engage the enemy forces on the wooded hill to their north.
As the slicks lifted off to collect 3rd Platoon, the Huey Gunship repositioned to engage the enemy, but was driven off by some lucky shooting by the enemy.
The enemy in the elephant grass was hit by mortar fire called in by other elements of the company, this, together with the steady fire from 1st squad caused them to lose their nerve and withdraw.
1st Squad had not come through this firefight unscathed, in addition to the KIA they suffered they also had suffered some shock. 2LT King moved up to 1st Squad to provide encouragement, they then advanced onto the vacated enemy position and through diligent searches uncovered a punji pit the enemy had left behind, with no further casualties suffered.
2nd and 3rd Squads, having suffered no casualties, advanced through the woods towards the enemy on the hill, but these troops fell back, perhaps due to casualties inflicted on other elements of the enemy forces by the rest of the Company.
1st Squad was about to police the remains of the enemy they had been fighting when elements of 3rd and Weapons platoon took the position.
2nd platoon’s deployment between the 1st & Weapon’s Platoons and the woods helped tie down around 2 platoons of enemy troops and helped prevent enemy forces, later discovered to be a mixture of NVA and VC Sappers, from reaching Nha Long village.
Report from Lt J Claridge 3rd Platoon
The engagement at Tuy Hoa had been in full swing for a while. 3rd Platoon were on standby having just watched 2nd Platoon take off and head for the landing zone. As the radio traffic became more frantic the order finally came to go.
Embarking on the UH-1 transports and accompanied by a Gunship it was clear this was going to be a rough ride. More radio traffic told of a NVA sniper causing trouble and several hits from a concealed RPG team.
As 3rd Platoon flew over the LZ orders came through from the CO of the 173rd to land in a forward position almost on top of the encroaching VC forces near the village. 3rd Squad disembarked into a hail of enemy fire suffering a casualty in the process and becoming pinned. The squad had no choice but to hunker down and return fire.
Meanwhile the supporting gunship peeled of and laid down a devastating fire against the VC.
Receiving further orders from the CO to step up the rate of fire the VC were routed bringing a much-needed reprieve.
The supporting gunship searched for other targets and managed to destroy the RPG team. This was the last straw for the NVA and VC, they began to withdraw from the field leaving our forces to lick their wounds.
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