[strmini]

ol carlton has some good articles on his website, for any who want to browse http://www.g2mil.com/fire2.htm

Oct 9, 2011 - Four More Lost Battles

My Vietnam history research continues, but is difficult because lost battles are rarely described as losses, but incidents where large numbers of Americans died. I never realized that so many large battles occurred along the DMZ. It wasn't a guerilla war, but an odd situation where large NVA units slipped across the border to ambush or attack American units and outposts. They were usually spotted by American airpower or reconnaissance patrols and blasted with airpower and artillery. In other cases, they ambushed or attacked American units and killed many.

The NVA expected heavy casualties, so when they lost half their men they moved back across the DMZ for several months to rest and absorb replacements before another foray. The only solution to this mess was to invade North Vietnam, but everyone remembered what happened when American forces invaded North Korea -- the Chinese stormed across. No one wanted to face that mess, so this DMZ game went on. As John Paul Vann explained during the war, some 500,000 North Vietnamese males turned 18 each year, so the killing 70,000 NVA soldiers a year with a 10:1 kill ratio had little effect, but the 7000 American KIA each year was intolerable back in the USA.

Some have called the entire 1968 Khe Sahn series of battles a defeat since the U.S. military eventually withdrew under fire. I agree that in hindsight, it was a poor strategy, but given the thousands of NVA killed in these battles, I can't note the "loss of Khe Sahn" as defeat, since with was intentionally abandoned. However, there were Khe Sahn battles lost, as my latest additions attest. Once again, this list of 36 lost battles is not meant to demean brave members of the U.S. military, but political spinmasters who think war is a fun adventure with little chance of injury. Here are my latest additions:

Convoy Ambush near An Khe - In Sept 1967, 39 trucks from the U.S. Army's 8th Transportation Group were returning home after delivering supplies to Plekiu. They were escorted by two gun jeeps in an area considered mostly secure by the presence of the 1st Calvary Division. A Viet Cong company ambushed this big convoy in broad daylight. Seven Americans were killed, 17 wounded, and 30 vehicles were damaged or destroyed. The VC quickly disappeared and no evidence of enemy casualties were found.

Khe Sahn Village Overrun - A large village three kilometers from the famous Khe Sahn military base was defended by 160 local troops, plus 15 American advisors and heavy artillery from the base. In January 1968, it was attacked by a ~300-man NVA battalion. Reinforcements were dispatched aboard nine UH-1 helicopters, but were wiped out after landing near the NVA, along with one helicopter. A small ground rescue force from the nearby base was repulsed, while the survivors from the village assault fled to the Khe Sahn base.

Ambush near Khe Sahn - On Feb 25, 1968, a 41-man platoon from the 26th Marines was sent on a short patrol "outside the wire" to test the strength of NVA units near Khe Sahn village. They pursed three VC scouts who led them into an ambush. The platoon was wiped out during a three-hour battle that left 31 Marines KIA, one taken prisoner, while nine Marines escaped back to their base.

Battle near Hill 689 - On April 16, 1968 a Marine Corps company began a patrol near its Khe Sahn base. It wandered into tall vegetation and was decimated by concealed NVA soldiers in bunkers. Two more companies from 1st Battalion, 9th Marines were dispatched to save them, but they became ensnarled in this confusing battle in which dead and wounded Marines were left behind as the battalion retreated back to Khe Sahn in disarray. This resulted in 41 KIA, 32 wounded, with 2 of 15 MIAs later rescued by helicopters. The battalion commander was relieved of duty.

[Lapsinuibense]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Urtiyp-G6jY

redgum......

[strmini]

yes glass, another waste of young lives over gov bullshit