THIS IS A SITUATION REPORT IN QUANG TRI PROVINCE AS OF 0400 HOURS ON 3 FEBRUARY

Created: 2/3/1968

OCR scan of the original document, errors are possible

REPORT CLASS COUNTRY: SOUTH VIETNAM SUBJECT: THISITUATION REPORT IN QUANG TRI PROVINCE AS0 HOURSEBRUARY

VIETNAL DANANG EBRUARY flfc.

SOURCE : THISITUATION REPORTEBRUARY PREPARED BY CAS,

MILITARY

3 FEBRUARY QUANG TRI PROVINCE VAS MOVING INTODAY OF THE BATTLE FOR THE QUANG TRI LOWLANDS. THEAPPEARED, EMPLOYEDATTALIONS IN HIS DRIVE TO TAKEPHONG, MAI LINE, AND HA I LANG DISTRICTS AND QUANG TRIMILITARY OPERATIONS BEGAN IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OF

31 JANUARY. HE LOST HIS INITIATIVE AFTEROURS AND WHETHER HE KNOWS IT OH NOT HE IS NOW ON THE DEFENSIVE.

ENEMY PROBABLY LOSTILLED(KIA) IA, OR ABOUT ONE-THIRD OF HISNORTH VIETNAMESE ARMY (NVA) AND SOME VIET CONGHAVE TAKEN ABOUTRISONERS. HREE-BATTALIONCAM LO DISTRICT HEADQUARTERSEBRUARY THEIA ANDRISONERS OF WAR (POW) , AND THESENOT COMPLETE. THE ENEMY STILL HAS THE CAPABILITY TOAND HE STILL CAN NEUTRALIZE SOME ALLIED COMBAT BASES BY

ROCKET AND SHHAK AIR ATTACKS (NOT YET EMPLOYED) .

:t. IF HE EXPECTS TO WIN THE BATTLE FOR QUANG TRI, HE MUST COMMIT THESE FORCES AND HE MUST ACHIEVE BETTER COORDINATION THAN HE HAS DEMONSTRATED SO FAR. PART OF HIS PROBLEM HAS BEEN ALLIED MASTERY OF THE SKIES DURING DAYLIGHT HOURS. THE ENEMY, AFTER SECURING TOEHOLDS ON THE NORTH AND SOUTH EDGES OF THE CITY OF QUANG TRI IN THE EARLY MORNING HOURS OFANUARY, WAS UNABLE TO

REINFORCE THESE UNITS WITH HISRESBRVES UNTIL THE NEXT NIGHT.

I

THIS MADE IT POSSIBLE FOR THE ALLIES TO BLOCK THE TWO ROUTES THE

TVir*

NVA/VC PLANNED TO USB. FORTUNATELY tec WEATHER WAS FAIR. IT MI GIT HAVEIFFERENT STORY HAD PILOTS BEEN GROUNDED.

4. ANOTHER FACTOR WHICH MAY HAVE INFLUENCED THE OUTSOME

OF THIS BATTLE WAS THE ENEMY'S FOOLISHNESS IN SETTING UP HIS

If

COMMAND POST SO CLOSE TO QUANG TRI CITY (VICINITY OFND ALLIED LUCK InJwIPING OUT THIS COMMAND POST. ENEMY KIAA COLONEL AND THREE JUNIOR OFFICERS AND PROBABLY GENERAL

NAM LONG AND HIS CHIEF OF STAFF. CREDIT FOR THIS COUP BELONGS i

TO THE ARMY OF THE REPUBLIC OF VIETNAH (AEVN) NINTH AIRBORNE BATTALIONAIND ELEMENTS OF THE ARVN SEVENTH CAVALRY HEY CAPTURED THE ENEMY'S COMMUNICATION FACILITY INTACT (RADIO DESTROYED) . ONE OF THE LAST MESSAGES IN THE RADIO MESSAGE FILE WAS A REPORT TO HIGHER HEADQUARTERS ANNOUfiCING THE DEATH OF GENERAL NAM LONG ALONG WITH HIS CHIEF OF STAFF. USING THE ENEMY'S SIGNAL OPERATING INSTRUCTIONS, THE AIRBORNE BATTALION COMMANDER, ORTH VIETNAMESE HIMSELF, PERSONALLY CALLED THE ENEMY HIGHER II BAD-

quarters and asked if it were true that the general was dead. the higher headquarters cams right backonfirmation. this story sounds farfetched and there are still many details hissing. major nhan, the sector commander, explained most of these details. . army airborne advisor with the ninth airborne battalion later told an almost identical story. the bodies of the two officers had not yet been found, but there arb reports

A

from the villagers that they were dragged ^ay toward teach hau hamlet on the night ofanuary. police are hot on the trail of these bodies and the villagers all seem to be positive that they saw this happen. political

5. there is much sentiment among the people of quang tbi city against the nva and against any form of coalition with thb communists. one group, mostly catholics and members of the revolutionary dai vist party (rdvp), apparently would prefer an independent anti-communist central vietnam republic composed of quang tri, ill en and quang nam provinces if saigon opts for the coalition course of action. obviously these people arb not realists but the sentiment is significant. on the afternoonebruary the province chiefictory parade in town and the response of the people was electic. they threw flowers, food and cigarettes to the passing soldiers and theremiles, tears and cheering which is surprising from a people

INURED TO WAR.

HOANG XUAN TUU, RDVP MEMBER, HAS BEEN INALL OF THIS AND HAS BEEN CHEERFUL AND OPTIMISTIC, AT HE HAS BEEN VERY MUCH IN EVIDENCE DURING THE VISITING THE MINED HAMLET OF TRI BUI) AND THE BTHOUSANDS

OF DISPLACED PERSONS CAMPING IN THE SCHOOLS AROUND TOWN. BE HAS NOT BEEN ESCORTED WITH AN OBVIOUS BODYGUARD.

SO FAR THE BUDDHISTS HAVE NOT RESPONDED TO THE STORY WHICH IS CIRCULATING IN QUANG TRI THAT THE MILITANT AN QUANG BUDDBISTS IN SAIGON HAVE DEFECTED TO THB NATIONAL FRONT FOR THE LIBERATION OF SOUTH VIETNAM (NFLSV). THERE WAS AyRRDMOR THAT SOME RALLYING WAS IN PROCESS AT THB BUDDHIST HIGH SCHOOLHECK REVEALED NO EVIDENCE OF THIS.

DURING THE IA TE AFTERNOON OF 1 FEBRUARY THE COMBINED ACTION PLATOON (CAP) AND PROVINCIAL RECONNAISSANCE UNIT (PRU) REPORTED THAT THE ENEMY WASICTORY CELEBRATION IN THE EASTERN EDGE OF THUONG XA HAMLET, MAI LINN DISTRICT, WHICH HAS BEEN UNDER CONTEST BY THE VC AND THE ALLIES FOR SOME WEEKS. ALLIED ARTILLERY PROMPTLYUN TIME ON TARGET BARRAGE ON TOP OF THE CELEBRATION WITH UNKNOWN RESULTS.

THE PROVINCE CHIEF, LIERBKANT COLONEL NGUYEN AM, WAS QUITE ASSERTIVE BY LATE AFTERNOON, EBRUARY. HE TOOK CHARGE OF THE DEFENSIVE ARRANGEMENTS AROUND THB TOWN AND "BOLDLY" GAVE UP THE POLICE FIELD FORCE PLATOON GUARDING HIS UNOCCUPIED RESIDENCE. THE PLATOON WAS NEEDED TO BOLSTER ONE COMPANY OF. FIRST AIR CAVALRY WHICH WAS OBTAINED TO FILL THE GAP LEFT WHEN THE

6 -

AKVN AIRBORNE BATTALION MOVED TO HUE. DURING THE FIRST TWO DAYS OF THE FIGHTING HOWEVER, CHIEF AMEGETABLE. THE VIETNAMESE SECTOR STAFFAIRLY GOOD ONE, BUT IT TENDS TO FALL APART WHEN OPERATIONS DO NOT CONFORM TO CLASSIC PATTERNS. WITH THE FIVE, AND NOW SIX, AIR CAVALRY COMPANIES TO WORK WITH,fiAL TACTICS HAVE TO BE SET ASIDE.

REVOLUTIONARY DEVELOPMENT AND REFUGEES

OUTLOOK

13. ALL IN ALL AMERICANS IN QUANG TRI CAME THROUGH BETTER THAN COULD BE EXPECTED AND AS THE SITUATION IMPROVES THEAND OPERATIONAL MACHINERY ISED TO PUSH AHEAD WITH PROVINCE PBOGRAMS. THE ENEMY HAS LOST THIS ROUND. HE MAY TRY AGAIN BUT HEEW PLAN AND LOTS OF RESUPPLY AND REINFORCEMENTS. ANOTHER MAJOR EFFORT PROBABLY WILL NOT OCCUR BEFOREEBRUARY AND IF THE ALLIES MAKE THE MOST OF THE COUNTKRSWEEPS, THIS EFFORT GOULD BE DELAYED FOR MONTHS. IF THE ENEMY EMPLOYES AIR, HOWEVER, THE SITUATION COULD BE REVERSED. (COMMENT: THE VC PROED THAT IT HAD BEEN SUPPLIED WITH AIRCRAFT, WHICH WOULD BE USED ONLY IN AN EXTREME SITUATION, EW MONTHS AGO, ACCORDING TO INFORMANTS OF AN OFFICIAL VIETNAMESE SECURITY SERVICE.) KHE SANE EPARATE PROBLEM THE ENEMY SEEMS TO BE GATHERING HIS STRENGTHAJOR PUSH AGAINST WELLO ENTRENCHED ALLIED FORCES THERE.

" ZT. FIELD DISSEM: STATE USMACV CORDS III MAF 7THRV COMNAVFORV USAID DIR/JUSPAO (MR. ZOBTHIAN ONLY) CINCPAC ARPAC PACAF

REPORTI

END OF MESSAGE

Original document.

---

---