In the early days of the US military involvement in Vietnam,
the most powerful military in the world was confident it would soon overwhelm the
People’s Army of Vietnam thanks to its decisive air superiority
and comprehensive military strategy. And for a while, it seemed like they would.
When several PAVN regiments launched a massive surprise attack on the US
military camp at Plei Me, the large-scale battle devolved into a brutal siege.
The South Vietnamese troops soon arrived to help, and they soon managed to break the
siege. The victors were ecstatic and ready to make the PAVN pay.
Eager to test their new air mobility doctrine in which they would use
fast-moving helicopters to deliver troops where they were needed the most,
the US military soon gave chase to the retreating PAVN regiments.
In a spectacular show of might and technical dominion, hundreds of US helicopters darted
above the jungle to deliver hundreds of men to designated landing zones,
ready to deliver a swift and crushing blow to the enemy.
But the Americans underestimated their opponent, and the ensuing Battle of Ia Drang would soon turn
into a feverish nightmare that would bring the US 1st cavalry division to its knees.
Even worse, it would show the North Vietnamese how to defeat the Americans…
The Siege of Plei Me
After years of indirect involvement in the Vietnam conflict, the US decided
the only way to achieve its goals in the region was to commit a significant
number of troops to the war-torn country. Thus far, America had limited itself to
providing supplies and training to the South Vietnamese troops as well as the occasional
operation led by US special forces, but this approach was not proving effective.
In 1965, the Department of Defense finally approved the incursion of
the first complete US division to enter Vietnam.
The 1st Cavalry Division was tasked with providing full-fledged military involvement
in the region as well as introducing America's emerging air mobility doctrine.
The 1st Cavalry Division was to be deployed to the Central Highlands region of Vietnam, a crucial
staging area for whoever controlled it. The US was confident in its new air mobility approach,
which sought to use fast-moving helicopters to deploy troops across large distances in a
short amount of time, striking the enemy right in their territory with no previous warning.
However, PAVN strategists soon learned of the incoming attack and decided to capture
Central Highlands before the US deployment was complete. If the whole Cavalry Division
made it to the US post of Plei Me, the entire region would easily fall into their control.
Surprise Attack
As the first units of the 1st Cavalry Division arrived at Plei Me, the Vietcong
launched an attack to take the US by surprise. The limited number of American troops in the
camp fought a fierce defensive battle against overwhelming forces. Thousands of PAVN fighters
descended into the camp surrounding it and put it into an excruciating siege.
The future of US dominion in the region and the deployment of the 1st Cavalry Division
hung in the balance, as the Americans dug in to repel wave after wave of enemy onslaughts.
Thankfully for the besieged troopers, when they called for air support,
the US 481 tactical fighter squadron answered by delivering an unrelenting
barrage of fire all around Plei Me, successfully crippling the
attacking forces and stopping them from assembling large-scale assaults.
However, the siege continued for several days, pushing the American fighters to the
brink of depletion. They now had to wait for support from their South Vietnamese allies.
Triggering the Trap
General Nguyễn Hữu An had accounted for the relief efforts of the South Vietnamese and prepared for
them accordingly. As such, the US allies were suddenly ambushed by the 33rd PAVN regiment
and overpowered by a brutal night attack from enemy units hidden in the depths of the jungle.
The South Vietnamese forces suffered heavy losses and were forced to retreat,
leaving the Americans in an even more precarious position.
Even so, Nguyễn Hữu An did not thrust the full might of his forces to take Plei Me camp,
and they were routed again and again by American air support in the area.
By October 25, the South Vietnamese regiment had surrounded the enemy
and successfully relieved Plei Me. Faced with the impossibility of taking the post,
the PAVN regiments decided to retreat North and regroup.
The US had proved its overwhelming resolve and superior firepower,
and like so many times in the past, its air dominion had saved the day. However, fueled by
the excitement of the victory, the US commanders took a decision that would cost them dearly.
Call in the Cavalry!
While the first US divisions continued being deployed into Vietnam,
the US and South Vietnam carefully studied the movements of the 33rd and 66th PAVN regiments,
which had fled north to regroup after their failure to take Plei Me.
By November 14, the PAVN regiments had completed their retreat and hunkered down
in the northern region of the highlands, where they continued to build up their fortifications.
The US designated seven landing zones close to their positions, where they would land
and immediately attack the enemy right in the heart of what they considered safe territory.
Following South Vietnamese intelligence that reported the position of the Viet
Cong fortification, the US cavalry units decided
to land the bulk of their forces on a clearing named landing zone X-ray.
Then, on November 14, the first major air mobility operation in Vietnam was launched.
Chaos ensued when the US forces learned that many of their helicopters were not operation ready,
and the limited Hueys that were working could only carry five troopers instead of
the conventional 11 due to technical issues caused by the local weather.
As such, they could only deliver 80 men every half an hour, and it would take
over three hours to take the force of 430 troopers the operation called for.
The delay, however, would leave the first waves wholly exposed as they awaited reinforcements.
The US pressed on regardless of the risks. The clash was preceded by a massive barrage
of artillery fire, aerial strikes, and gunship fire at 10:40am, preventing the
enemy forces from orchestrating a spell as the Americans landed.
Invaded by nervousness and uncertainty, the first US troops proceeded to unload
their equipment and assumed their positions, knowing full well that they
were entirely surrounded by the enemy and could be ambushed at any moment.
Fortunately, the enemy was not ready to resist the American onslaught when the landing began.
Consequently, Bravo Company took advantage of the Viet Cong’s lack of organization to
launch a piercing attack into the enemy’s defensive line. The thrust managed to push
within 100 meters of the enemy’s concentration position, but the increased number of PAVN
fighters crippled the advance and pinned down the now thinly spread Americans.
Then, just as the attack slowed down, Alfa company arrived to bolster the
American spearhead and continue with the offensive. Victory was possible after all.
Shifting Tides
As the confident US forces prepared to make a final push into the enemy’s stronghold,
PAVN commanders approached the fray and swiftly rallied their
troops to conduct a synchronized counterattack of crushing force.
A hailstorm of mortar fire soon enveloped the American offensive
while infantry infiltrated close to their positions surrounding Bravo Company.
The tables had been turned within minutes, with entire US platoons becoming lost in the chaos.
At the same time, US leaders desperately called for more air support.
They had lost contact with Bravo Company, leading to Alpha company launching a hasty
rescue operation to look for the missing men amid the chaos and bullet storms.
The fighting became so intense and unpredictable that when US helicopters
arrived to deliver more troopers, they were advised not to touch down
in the smoke-covered clearing as they could quickly be taken down by the barrage of fire.
The 2nd Platoon then became utterly isolated and engulfed by enemy troops.
And to make matters worse, the area was almost impossible to defend. With no other options,
the men crawled on their stomachs and resisted wave after wave of enemy assaults.
Soon, its commander perished on the battlefield,
and Clyde E. Savage took the lead in what was now a desperate fight for survival, while other
US forces repeatedly tried to break the enemy encirclement and save their fellow soldiers.
One of the survivors later recalled: (QUOTE) “There was no way we could dig a foxhole. The
handle was blown off my entrenching tool and one of my canteens had a hole blown through it.
The fire was so heavy that if you tried to rise
up to dig you were dead. There was death and destruction all around.”
After several grueling hours, the enemy attacks finally decreased by nightfall.
New Dawn
Colonel Hal Moore requested more reinforcements as the fighting
slowed down, and an additional company of exhausted US troops came to help.
Meanwhile, the Viet Cong commanders were desperately trying to regroup their scattered
forces to launch a counterattack that would grant them the final victory in the battle.
As such, 66 regiments were ordered to launch a night attack on the American positions,
but the depleted troops were in no condition to carry out the endeavor.
Instead, both sides retreated to lick their wounds with no way to continue the fight.
The following day, the Americans awoke to fresh supplies and reinforcements but also
a series of fierce counterattacks. However, Operation Arclight had just been launched,
deploying several B52 Stratofortress to deliver an
unparalleled area bombardment that stopped the enemy from assembling any significant attack.
The air support was a double-edged sword, however, as the highly volatile napalm
payloads often engulfed friendly troopers. Even Moore’s command post was struck.
Despite the limited friendly fire, the troops on the ground were given a second
wind by the fresh reinforcements and the massive air support,
allowing them to launch a proper rescue operation to bring the 2nd Platoon home.
Broken and reduced to a fraction of their former force, the men from the 2nd Platoon
returned to the landing zone. And by November 16, the Viet Cong regiments
had been almost completely broken down in the face of unrelenting bomber strikes.
At that point, their commander finally ordered them to stop trying to attack X-ray and retreat.
Once again, US air superiority had evened the odds.
Vicious Ambush After the Viet Cong retreated,
the two battalions at X-ray moved to the other clearings being used as landing zones.
The exhausted Battalion 2-7 marched through the jungle to reach Albany,
holding the area while unaware they were being watched.
The 8th Battalion of the 66th Regiment had spotted them as they cut through the jungle
and were waiting to catch them by surprise in the perimeter around the barren landing zone.
This time, the PAVN forces were determined to change their tactic by executing a lethal
close-quarters ambush that would make it impossible for the US to send air support.
As the GIs reached the clearing and took a moment to rest,
sudden bursts of machine-gun and mortar fire rained upon them,
taking the lives of countless soldiers before they realized what was going on.
The Americans ran for a group of termite mounds,
their only cover in the clearing, but they would find no respite.
Covered by the lush forest, the North Vietnamese forces unleashed all their firepower, receiving
little in return from the pin-downed American troops who could not see most of their attackers.
After suffering massive casualties, the 2-7 continued to hold,
receiving a limited quantity of reinforcements that evening.
Then, as the sunlight waned, the battle became a brutal series of ambushes.
For the rest of the feverish nightmare of a night,
the US soldiers were hunted down endlessly, bringing the 2-7 Battalion to its knees.
Aftershock
By the morning, the PAVN regiments were exhausted and low on supplies, so they finally retreated.
Less than half of the 2-7 US Battalion remained alive, while the PAVN forces suffered around
1,000 losses and 500 wounded. For them, it was a small price to pay for the real
spoils they had attained, learning how to fight the Americans while diminishing
their air support advantage by keeping their attacks swift, sudden, and close to the enemy.
North Vietnam would continue to use what they learned in the battle for the rest of the war,
while the results led to the US air mobility doctrine being put into question.
Even against unmeasurably overwhelming air superiority, the ambush on 2-7 proved
that the Vietnamese forces could severely punish American operations in the region. And they would…
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