Page 366 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

occured in many other cities and towns of the country. The 91st Air-
borne Ranger Battalion played a key and decisive role in curtailing the
Nha Trang Battle in a surprisingly short period o{ time. They drove
the enerny out of the clty fat sooner than generally expected.

The Special Forces Command also had four CIDG cornpa-
nies in addition to the 91st Airborne Ranger Battalion. Three of these
con panies were deployed out of town and the fourth was perfotrning
routine garrison chores in town.

When the news of the enerny ground offensive reached
the Cornrnand headquarters it reacted like this :
0230 hours : Irnmediately aIter the 651st Signal Battalion
carne under attack the 6Znd Air Squadron was ordered to drop flares.
Fifteen rninute s later, a CIDG cornpany was sent to block the enernyrs
assault route against the secondzone ol the sensitive area, to protect
the west side of the signal battalionrs position, the stockade and the
radio s tation.

Noncorn rnilitary school was ordered to rnove one
c orrlpany to block Xorn Bong bridge. The Znd Corps coast guard
was requested to increase patrolling along the coast off the Province
Headquarters (enerny was suspected of rnoving by boat).

0300 hours : Inforrned of the enerny assaults on the
sector cornpound and the province administration, lost telephone
and radio contact with these installations (At the province adrninis-
tration headquarters there was one special radio set up linking it to
the Special Force Cornrnand, The PRC,10 radio was destroyed by
the enerny who killed its custodian, Master Sergeant Pharn, who died
resisting the enerny assaults into his radio roorn). The news conjused
the cornrnand even further. No decision.
0315 hours : Assigned a c orrrPany frorn the 91st Air-
borne Ranger Battalion to stand by as a reserve unit inside the SF
c ornrnand cornpound. PIaced another cornpany of this sarne battalion
on alert.

0345 hours : A police force reported that it had been
j.ntercepted at the sector cornpound; Specia.l Police reported enerny
assaults on the sector and the Special Police headquarters and called
for reinforc ernents.

0400 hours : Released the two Airborne Ranger cornpa-
nies to rescue the Special Police Headquarters and the sector cornpounds

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