ammunition began to explode everywhere. As the EVN Army troops were approaching the perimeter of the base, it became clear that this would not be any "Hawaiian Paradise"
On the morning of Saturday 10 January 1968 the Marines stationed at the base of Khe Sanh combat could take a look at the bulletin board and see what movies were going to happen during the following week. Among the new features included, scheduled for that afternoon, "Hawaiian Paradise," starring Elvis Presley, film would be screened in the six rooms spread over the huge base. Further down the list came "Murderer's Row", "Beau Geste" and "Gunsmoke." These distractions, sent especially from the United States
reveal how boring and tedious life in this isolated position of the U.S. presence in Vietnam. But while the soldiers watched the movie billboard, the base commander, Colonel David E. Lownds, had more important things to think about.
In the radio room of the base, listening intently Lownds surge reports sent Captain Bill Dabney, the officer commanding a Marine company in charge of making the hills around the perimeter of the base. Dabney and men of India Company speak encountered a battalion of North Vietnamese soldiers while patrolling the 881 North Cota at the time were involved in an intense firefight. To Lownds, had begun the long-awaited offensive against the base of Khe Sanh.
Hawaiian Paradise "?
external positions of the hill and fighter base were immediately placed on high alert. The hastily prepared their artillery guns of 105 and 55 mm, the defenses of barbed wire were reviewed and strengthened, and distributed additional flares and Claymore mines all perimeter defenses. As night fell, the Marines tested their weapons with short bursts, checked their ammunition and tried to stay calm everything they could. "Hawaiian Paradise" was removed from the lineup and the officers' club was closed until further notice.
The megabase of the Marines at Khe Sanh was located on a small plateau in the northernmost part of South Vietnam, just 24 km south of Demilitarized Zone.
Located off Highway 9, the main route from Laos to the major cities of Quang Tri and Ru,, Khe Sanh had become an obsession for General Westmoreland.
Before the war, the area was reputed to be one of the most beautiful places on earth. Mountains with dense forests and rolling hills separated by valleys and misty green, surrounded the small village of Khe Sanh, located on the edge of the plateau.
But in 1966 things had changed a lot. At the request of Westmoreland, who was deeply concerned by the activities of North Vietnamese troops in the area, the Marine had moved to Khe Sanh. Huge bulldozers cleared a large area around the former French airstrip, which was carpeted with metal plates, while the sappers and civilians had just added up the facilities of a new fighter base.
The arrival of the Marine garrison of the war also led to Khe Sanh. In the spring and summer of 1967, the Marine troops clashed nordviernamitas in numerous skirmishes in the hills surrounding the plateau, which led to improve the defenses of the new fighter base. In January 1968 there were 6,000 Marine at Khe Sanh, and they were not alone. According
had known the military intelligence in early January North Vietnamese forces had crossed the border into large South Vietnam and taken positions in the strip of land between the DMZ and Highway 9. In Ho Chi Minh Highway passing through Laos, sensors launched by the Air Force increased their online activity while the volume of traffic intensified. In October 1967 these provisions reported the motion about a thousand trucks around Khe Sanh, a figure that was six in December 1500. There seemed no doubt that the North Vietnamese were planning to Khe Sanh.
In mid-January, the North Vietnamese artillery had begun to bomb the fighter base. The Marines were wearing bulletproof vests at all times and non-visible, because everyone knew that Charlie sniper chose their victims for their graduation. Marine shells were firing the M & I (Harassment and Interdiction) to keep North Vietnamese troops at bay, but the goals were difficult to identify. Weather Khe Sanh was a curse for the gunners. Thick fog and low clouds covered the hills, making it impossible to conduct aerial observers of the Marine fire against enemy artillery. Send observation groups to correct the shot shells to the area infested with enemies near the base would be like sending them to certain death in crossing the gates of the base. Much of the target information was obtained from electronic sensors planted around Khe Sanh. But it was still a very precarious information to establish a coordinated fire and the gunners never knew if they gave in the target or not. Frustrating.
On January 20, the ball started rolling. While Captain Dabney was on Hill 881S, a North Vietnamese lieutenant broke into the main base flag waving Marine blanca.Ante the astonished his interrogators, detailed plan of attack across the North Vietnamese army.
The first round would be at 00.30 that evening, directed against the hills and the main base. After finishing with the Marine, thought the North Vietnamese divisions head east and take the cities of Quang Tri and Ru. But who was that lieutenant? A trick, a dirty trick to lure the North Vietnamese to the Marine? Fortunately, Lownds decided that they had nothing to lose by believing.
defector As predicted, the North Vietnamese attacked with a barrage Cota 861 heavy rocket, mortar fire and machine gun according to the scheduled plan, which began the battle for the possession of the hill. Five hours later, the same base of Khe Sanh was under fire. Several hundred 122 mm rockets, each weighing over 45 kg, fell on the positions of the base, followed by a massive bombardment of artillery and heavy mortars. Misfortune willed that one of the first rockets fell in the base path was opened inside a large shelter in the east end of it and detonate. The explosion that followed was something the more experienced Marine had ever seen. The highlands of Khe Sanh was illuminated by a giant flare phosphorus produced by the 1 500 tons of ammunition exploded at once. The helicopter located on the landing platform scattered toys, stores and buildings were broken and a terrible rain of shrapnel and bullets of all kinds and description began to fall over the entire base. Some detonated on impact, others burned. Aviation fuel and oil stored swelled with the heat and in the meantime, more and more shells and rockets rained down on the base.
the morning of day 21, Khe Sanh awoke in the middle of a total destruction. Fires still burning around the base and everywhere the ground was a mass of rubble by the explosion of gunpowder. Empty pods, twisted metal, pieces of buildings and rubble lay everywhere. A thick black smoke dried the throats of the Marine while trying to restore the conditions of the base. Their efforts were hampered by the gusts that occasionally shoot the enemy. It was something that would have to adjust.
For the remainder of January the North Vietnamese Army continued its pressure on the base and positions of the hills, but there was no doubt that the U.S. should retain the position as it were. After all the rhetoric of Westmoreland on the importance of Khe Sanh, the image on television screens in the U.S. of retired Marine on Highway 9 with its tail between its legs was something I could not afford.
Heroism, announcements and Dr. KiIdare
Every night appeared on television harrowing stories about life in the bunkers, and Newspaper editorials across the nation spoke of the determination to resist. Explaining stories of heroism among the ads and episodes of Dr. Kildare. But in the trenches and shelters of the Marine Khe Sanh were more interested in staying alive. For everyone at the base, command, or soldier, in the same conditions were a hell on earth. The only thing that could appeal to stop the human wave that could launch nordvietnaminas was the firepower. Day after day, tactical fighters and B-52 bombers hammered the hills surrounding the base and holding areas and sites of long-range artillery located North Vietnamese in Laos. Westmoreland was named
air support Khe Sanh Operating under the name "Niagara." Inside the perimeter, the Marines were well protected by their batteries of 105 and 155 mm, and a large number of heavy mortars. The 16 175 mm cannon fire bases in the Northeast, at Camp Carroll and the Rockpile, could provide support if necessary. But the fire continued, both defenders and the besiegers, and the roar of planes flying at low altitude and the thunder of bombs completely altered sleep patterns of men. However, this does not seem to have any effect on rats. The first week of February, the living conditions in Khe Sanh bordered on the unbearable. Tons of garbage were piled around the base of the Marine droppings were burned in drums. The stench was awful. Infections and pests
In the casemates where they slept, the marines had to endure the nauseating smell of sweat and urine of their peers. In these underground shelters constantly hammered by enemy missiles, the troops had to scare the rats that got between her legs as she jumped on his chest while they slept. Men are completely wrapped in ponchos at night, their faces covered to avoid being bitten by their unwanted bedfellows. Some were bitten and contracted infections and diseases. Others smeared the toes with peanut butter to attract rats, being bitten by them and getting a disease that could get them out of the hell of Khe Sanh.
few days fell on the base 1 000 enemy projectiles, while snipers were shooting very well ambushed any Marine who came into his sector of fire.
The fighting around Khe Sanh and the hills were the classic encounters of infantry in which soldiers from both sides in battles fought especially hard to be solved, in some cases, to the last drop of blood, bayonets and hand grenades, however, the AK 16 and M 47 were the true protagonists.
Considering the two weapons, one must say that both are of good standard and no special abnormalities, on the other hand, favors reduced weight management. At best, when used in the battlefield was noted that the M 16 needed greater attention to the AK 47 with regard to cleanliness, especially in muddy areas after monsoon triggered violent disturbances.
is why that after an initial period of operation in Vietnam, along with the M 16 will receive a maintenance kit to avoid the disadvantages caused to the clean little gun.
Some military with combat experience with various types of weapons have criticized the projectile of the M 16 in 5.56 mm, in conjunction with the AK 47 in 7.62 mm, due to its limited power of restraint, defined as "knockdown power".
In close encounters, as well as in the fighting made to control hills around Khe Sanh, the use of M 16 was sometimes dangerous because the enemy was only wounded by the bullet that small and fast, if not damaging vital organs, allowed to continue fighting.
In encounters in the jungle, the Vietnamese wounded were even in grade, in some cases, to flee and take refuge in vegetation quickly, while leaving behind a colorful streak of blood.
face the disadvantage of the lightness of the projectile were opposed to the defenders of Khe Sanh some pros: first, the top speed of fire of the M 16 which, in shooting automatic and shortages of ammunition, was degree of hitting a given area, making it almost inaccessible.
In normal encounters between patrols in the jungle, the two contenders, after the first few minutes, they had to monitor and save ammunition, a problem that did not have the defenders of Khe Sanh. The Americans had a large number of munitions by aircraft procurement. However, for the North-Vietnamese attackers, the ammunition was not as plentiful and also had to carry it around, still limited by the number of boots available and have to be rationed in some cases the cartridges.
Another element that should not be underestimated is that the M 16 rifle, used in operation semiautomatic, is perfectly suited for shooting looks at medium distances, which can not be said of the AK 47. Thus, Americans stationed in the hills, were in grade to take over any attacker, as they were in advantageous positions.
A final element to take into account, this time in favor of the AK 47, is its exceptional strength in both print and metal parts in wood, all of excellent quality.
Added to intense fire from flank and assaults against several points limited proportions of American defenses, the North-Vietnamese forces conducted two massive attacks against the main bases. However, in reality were never capable of reaching the inner perimeter, mainly due to the bombardment of B 52 that tried to disperse and destroy the North-Vietnamese concentrations before the occurrence of large-scale attacks.
The last attempt to attack occurred the night of March 30 without being able to get any results yet. The disappearance of the monsoon wind, clouds and fog that had long protected the north-Vietnamese units began for them to retreat, accelerated by the advance units of American and South Vietnamese who helped the base.
On 9 April the bombing ended.
The air supply was crucial to the survival of Khe Sanh and detachments in the hills bystanders. That supply was produced in part by downloading material from planes landing at the track, but mainly aircraft releasing the goods unloaded supplies by parachute during the last flush about two meters from the runway.
addition to fixed wing vehicles, helicopters also gave an important contribution to the supply missions and, in particular those aimed at the advocates of the hills.
losses for the Marine Corps could be quantified in 205 men killed and 1,668 wounded. Four planes and seventeen
helicopters were destroyed.
North Vietnamese losses are not known, although several attacks at the end of 1602 soldiers were found dead, and it is assumed that between 10,000 and 15,000 men died in aerial bombings and artillery fire. Analyzing
subsequent battle can say that the siege that brought the North Vietnamese, in addition to its analogy with the battle of "Dien Bien Phu", served as hobby compared to the offensive launched during Tet, the Buddhist New Year : an attack triggered the January 30, 1968 at thirty-six southern cities without being able to get the much anticipated popular uprising.
From the military point of view, both actions were a resounding failure, the Saigon government survived the challenge, while the South Vietnamese army surrendered to the effort but eliminating a number of enemy soldiers, while gaining in the months following a more than obvious drop in enemy activity.
We must conclude that one of the crucial differences between the position of the Marines at Khe Sanh and the French at Dien Bien Phu was that the Americans kept most of the high ground around the base of combat. Two battalions of Marines gained control of 881 North Hills, 881 South and 861 during the Battle of the Hills "from 28 April to 5 May 1967. 881 North Hill was later abandoned, but the other two were occupied and fittings made by a company. In the early hours of January 21, 1968, North Vietnamese shelling from positions northwest of Khe Sanh announced the start of the battle. EVN forces facing the Americans were composed of the 325 th Division and the Emergency Division 304 ยบ, a veteran unit that had fought at Dien Bien Phu the French. The North Vietnamese attacked simultaneously several adjacent positions with heavy infantry fire. Sur La Cota 881, however, was not attacked. The position lightly garrisoned in the village of Khe Sanh, a few hundred meters outside the perimeter of the base, but had to be evacuated others repelled the attacks and constant artillery concentrations on the ramp norvietnanitas reserves and the routes of approach, which would prevent the exploitation of their achievements.
February 23, Lieutenant Jacques came out with 20 men of Bravo Company to locate a North Vietnamese mortar position that was bombarding the base with high precision. Bravo's men charged by the bare ground, but were immobilized by enemy gunfire. Attacked from the front and sides, only four men managed to walk 200 meters back to the perimeter. The long expected attack massive enemy infantry against the base of Khe Sanh did not materialize. But the Marine did not know, in fact, North Vietnamese units probing his defenses and digging trenches aimed at the perimeter positions, which of course was not a very hopeful sign. Just launched an attack on a small scale. After a North Vietnamese Army unit harden the eastern edge of the base and was rejected by the ARVN Ranger, the enemy infantry never again threaten the base.
Two things are certain:
Giap managed to take the Special Forces base at Lang Vei and with it the possibility of keeping open the Ho Chi Minh Route in that area, as well as destroying all the work done by the Green Berets with the hill tribes.
The U.S. high command had before him the much sought conventional battle (battle tanks, troop deployment ...); but left almost abandoned his men into the mountains to focus on Keh Sanh.
http://www.artehistoria.jcyl.es
http://es.wikipedia.org
guerradevietnam.foros.ws
http://www.asasve. is
http://www.elgrancapitan.org
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