The only Marine casualties were two men who failed to vacate their "hootches" in time. Considering the amount of ordnance that the enemy expended, casualties were relatively small. Da Nang was a major base area for United States and South Vietnamese military forces supporting operations throughout I Corps. Darkness prevented Sailfish from observing the number of casualties that the artillery and air inflicted upon the enemy. "[1]:147[2], Shortly afterwards, Marine fixed-wing aircraft and helicopter gunships blasted the VC in Ha Vang. At about the same time, approximately 15 enemy 122mm rockets struck an artillery complex in the 11th Marines Northern Sector Defense Command which included a detachment from the 1st Armored Amphibian Company, the 155mm Gun and 8-inch Gun Batteries, as well as Batteries H, 3rd Battalion, 11th Marines and M, 4th Battalion, 11th Marines. A conglomeration of internal security forces threw back the VC force from the east that tried to use similar tactics to get inside the compound from that direction. Advisory Group at Da Nang, the PFs and RFs accounted for eight dead VC and captured one wounded VC. Nine USAF personnel were killed during the barrage and 128 others were wounded, 40 of them requiring hospitalization. Shortly after midnight on July 15, 1967, Da Nang Air Base in Quang Nam Province, RVN, came under a heavy rocket attack. 366th Security Police K-9. About 20 minutes later the missile battery sighted enemy rocket firing sites and two minutes later radioed that 12 rockets of undetermined size landed in and around its area. The crowd scattered only to gather on the fringes of Red Beach Base Area. Simultaneously, the division ordered the helilift of a company from the 3/5 Marines to reinforce the ARVN and the CAP Marines. Because of the location of Hill 65, just above Route 4 about 4,000 meters west of the district town of i Lc and below Charlie Ridge (155610N 1080542E / 15.936N 108.095E / 15.936; 108.095), where the VC had heavy machine gun emplacements which precluded any helicopter lift, the Marine company had to make the move on foot. The Marines assaulted the island and the fighting continued throughout the night and into the next morning. 29/30 January 1968 In a 1st Marine Division analyses, the author commented that the PAVN 2nd Division's approach was "along a single axis of advance so that his eventual target was easily identifiable." "[1]:1545, By this time, the Tet Offensive was in full bloom, not only at Da Nang, but throughout South Vietnam. Base orientation brochure, Perimeter, Tent City. According to a South Vietnamese account, the ARVN Rangers killed 150 of the enemy and captured another 18 in the battle for Nam O and in other fighting below the pass through 31 January. The artillery fired another salvo, which caused a large secondary explosion. The reaction force itself came under automatic weapons fire and RPGs disabled the two tanks. According to Marine sources, the heavy action on this small island resulted in 102 VC killed, 88 prisoners of war, 13 VC suspects and 70 laborers. In both these sectors support troops doubled as infantry, manning fixed defensive positions and conducting patrols. According to documents captured later, the two VC assault companies were to pull out at first light, but became bogged down in the city. Material and equipment losses, however, were much more extensive. Use big bombs." [1]:143, PAVN/VC forces throughout South Vietnam were about to strike. According to this former member of the VC 401st Regimental Security Guard, local VC cadre stated that "the war had lasted too long and the Front had to seek a good opportunity to stage a great offensive that would bring the war to an early end." The first U.S. air strikes also occur against the Ho Chi Minh trail. Still photo images extracted from the vintage footage are also available for immediate download. At 19:20, in the same general area, still another Stingray patrol, Sailfish, radioed that about 200 PAVN/VC troops, some carrying 40mm rocket launchers, passed its positions. Da Nang Air Base was one of the major air bases used for offensive air operations within South Vietnam and for the support of USMC and ARVN forces. There were still ominous signs and actions that the enemy push on Da Nang was not over. The ROKMC Marine Brigade deployed six companies around the city and the ARVN 51st Regiment prepared a reaction force. While the Marine battalions successfully kept these initial assaults on the night of 5/6 February in check, Robertson was not sure how much longer they could. All attacks from 02/27/67 forward were by rockets. This should include information pertaining to the rocket and mortar attacks at the Da Nang Air base from April 1967 to May 1968, to include any attacks occurring on or about July 14, 1967. They counted 34 PAVN dead. Further to the east Company G, 2/3 Marines, at the battalion's command post about 500 meters north of in Bn town, remained as the division mobile reserve mounted in LVTP-5s and supported by tanks. Two attached U .S. 1969. Soon reports came in that the base was under attack and a Marine helicopter flew the general from his quarters to III MAF headquarters. At in Bn, the 51st Regiment reinforced by the ROKMC contained the attack. In this fighting, which had lasted about three hours, the South Vietnamese defenders sustained casualties of three dead, seven wounded, and two damaged armored vehicles. This information should also include any information involving plane crashes at the Da Nang base in early 1968. About 07:45 approximately two companies or a reinforced company from the PAVN 31st Regiment ambushed a Marine platoon from Company G, 2/3 Marines. According to III MAF figures, from 29 January through 14 February at Da Nang, Marines sustained 124 killed and more than 480 wounded. The Vietnam Security Police Association Web site features several additional recordings of rocket attacks on Da Nang Air Base. Full Citation: Photograph 127-N-A190364; Rocket Attack on the Da Nang Air Base; 1/30/1968; General Photograph File of the U.S. Marine Corps, 1927 - 1981; Records of the U.S. Marine Corps, Record Group 127; National Archives at College Park, College Park, MD. Rockey, the 3/5 Marines commander, commented on the "increasing frequency and ferocity" of enemy contacts. [1]:142, While activity in the Army's 23rd Infantry (Americal) Divisions areas of operations in Qung Ngi and Qung Tn Provinces was somewhat diminished, there was enough enemy in northern and central I Corps to cause concern for both the American and South Vietnamese commands. It didn't take long to get out of bed when the first rocket struck nearby. Location: Da Nang Vietnam. According to Murray, "from then on until Tt was over, there were just constant attacks." At 07:30, the ROKMC reported about 200 to 300 enemy troops still in Hi An. [1]:157, There were two serious incidents in the 7th Marines sector. Both the 2/3 Marines to the east of the Army task force and the 3/5 Marines to the south, also reported relatively little enemy activity in their sectors. The Marines failed to determine whether this mixed force had a specific mission or consisted of remnants from units that had participated in the earlier attack on the I Corps headquarters. At 08:30 a CAP saw a number of VC attempting to swim across the Cu to the island. A second platoon from Company G arrived at the site and attempted to maneuver to the PAVN flank. Those infiltrations prepared the way for NVA ground attacks in the surrounding areas. III Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) had its headquarters at Hill 327 west of the Air Base, while ARVN I Corps had its headquarters north of the Air Base. According to the prisoner accounts, they were from the PAVN 3rd Battalion, 31st Regiment and confirmed that "Da Nang itself was the ultimate objective. Pictures of Danang 10. The Marines lost one helicopter and sustained damage to 29 others. He and Randall agreed that they would deploy one of the battalion's two reserve provisional Quick Reaction platoons composed of headquarters personnel. Vietnam Rocket City 1971-1972, Palm Bay, FL. At 17:00 on 29 January, Westmoreland cancelled the truce in the entire I Corps sector. On 11 February, Cushman observed the 2nd Division "appeared to be withdrawing from contact southward" and ordered his subordinate commanders to continue to press the attack. West runway cratered, east runway open. Twenty rockets fell on Hill 10, manned by Battery G , 3/11 Marines which resulted in 23 casualties, including two dead. The VC had learned that artillery and/or air strikes would be called in on the launch sites. The South Vietnamese quickly rushed the newly arrived ARVN 5th Ranger Battalion into the area. The artillerymen sustained two wounded and some equipment damage, but escaped relatively unscathed. An alert ARVN sentry took the VC under fire near the flagpole. Before his death, however, the Vietnamese identified himself as Major Nguyen Van Lam, the commanding officer of the R-20th c Lp Battalion. The helicopter burned upon crashing, but the crew and most of the patrol were able to get out. Headquarters Marines quickly manned their defenses and called in artillery illumination and a fire mission. The nickname for DaNang was "Rocket City" garnering that appellation from the frequent attacks on it by means of the "Katyusha" which is the name given the Soviet BM-21 122mm artillery rocket. One of the companies captured a German missionary hospital in the city and the other hit the rear base of the ARVN 51st Regiment, the Chi Lng Camp, garrisoned by the ARVN 102nd Engineer Battalion. . During the day's fighting, the Marines killed 107 PAVN and took two prisoners for losses of 11 killed and 53 wounded. Note: Dick previously sent us some Stars and Stripes clippings mentioning rocket attacks and other "newsworthy items" of the day. The PAVN/VC attacked a Marine bunker and ran through the Communications Support Company area throwing grenades and Satchel charges in the living quarters. Naval Support Activity Danang operated extensive logistics facilities on the Tiensha (Tin Sa) peninsula east of the city. No rockets fell on the main airbase but Marble Mountain sustained some damage. Airbase Shelled: Soviet Rockets Used in Attack (film #111 on Universal Newsreels). In a message to III MAF, Robertson observed "Never have so few done so much to so many. . We had played cards the night before and he was so happy he had survived his year in . VC gunners from Ha Vang, nevertheless, maintained an intermittent mortar bombardment upon the I Corps tactical operations center. We don't know why, but we know they are!" The combined force then swept the general area where they found two PAVN bodies and took three prisoners. [1]:144, Shortly after midnight, Marine sentries from the 1st MP Battalion, posted near the main I Corps Bridge connecting Da Nang to the Tiensha (Tin Sa) Peninsula, spotted two swimmers near the span. 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