Page 384 - The Viet-Cong Tet_Offensive_1968

These two battalions had infiltrated through the north-
western side of the city frorn the Thi Nai lake areas. During the infil_
tration they split two colurnns. One colurnn led by the sapper reconnais_
sance battalion broke into the rniddle of the city. Here an arrned under_
ground suicide unit disguised as soldiers of tlne ZZnd In-fantry Division
had safely infiltrated several days previously. The rnain objective of
all these enerny forces was to attack and occupy the radio station and
then to call for a popular uprising. A secondary enerny force, spear_
headed by the sapper com.pany D30, tried to land. just behind the pro_
vincial adrninistrative headquarters and sector cornrnand cornpound in
stolen civilian junks and sarnpans. Most of their landing craft were
sunk by Arnerican patrol boats.

The two colurnns of the enerny force spearheaded by the
EZB battalion, rnoved frorn the Thi Nai lake, overran the suburban
Huyen Tran harnlet and occupied the eui Nhon railroad station. Frorn
the railroad station enerny troops rnoved in srnall groups into adjoining
populated areas. They urged the people to rise up against the govern-
rnent. Their arnbitious plan failed because the people refused to join
any propaganda rallies or dernonstrations organized by the enerrly.
Angered, the enerny resorted to terrorization o{ the people. He rnur-
dered and wounded a nurnber of innocent civilians and he destroyed a
nurnber of the public installations in the area. A detailed account of
the action follow s.

The enerny surprise attack on the Arrny Security Service
cornpound was first detected by Sergeant Thu who fired the {irst bursts
of subrnachinegun fire at the advancing enerny but was killed by the
nurnerically superior force. Sgt Thu's death allowed the enerny ready
access to the cornpound where Capt Quyen, dog-tired after a hectic
day which included the raid, capture and interrogation of the eleven
enerny agents, was caught napping. He was captured anci 1ed away and
has not been heard of since. Four of the 1Z rnen who were with Capt
Quyen died resisting the enerny. Eight were wounded. A nurnber of
rnen rnanaged to escape unhurt.

Norrnally the cornpound was guarded by a detail of corn-
bat soldiers contributed by various arrned services on a daily basis.
For reasons unknown, that guard detail was not formed at the corn-
pound that day. Sorne people blarned Lt Cot Tuy deputy sector corn-
rnander, for the failure. Others said that the failure was due to the
fact that a good nurnber of garrison soldiers had been excused frorn
duty to celebrate Tet at horne. O{ficial sources never confirrned or

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