Battle of Loc Ninh - Fall of Loc Ninh

Fall of Loc Ninh

From the beginning of April, there was a sharp increase in Viet Cong activities along National Highway 13, which connects Bình Long Province with Saigon. Between 3-4 April, South Vietnamese Regional Force units clashed several times with the Viet Cong, resulting in more than twenty Viet Cong fatalities. Also, the French owner of the Cexso Rubber Plantation in Lộc Ninh reported that the Communists had established field telephone lines northwest of the district. However, ARVN Colonel Colonel Nguyễn Công Vinh was reluctant to send reconnaissance patrols to that area. On 4 April, the ARVN 9th Reconnaissance Company operating west of Lộc Ninh was destroyed when it came into contact with elements of the Viet Cong main force units. On the same evening, the 3rd Battalion, ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment captured two enemy soldiers during an ambush operation. The Viet Cong prisoners revealed that they were from the 272nd Regiment, 9th Division, and that their unit was moving south to prepare for an assault on An Lộc.

At around 6:50 am on 5 April, the Viet Cong 5th Division moved across the Cambodian border to stage the main attack on Lộc Ninh. The Viet Cong assault opened with a heavy barrage of artillery, rocket and mortar fire targeting the headquarters of the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment and the Lộc Ninh district compound. The Viet Cong simultaneously mounted other attacks throughout the ARVN 5th Infantry Division's areas of operations in Lai Khê and Quần Lợi. There was also indirect fire on South Vietnamese positions in Phước Long Province, mainly targeting Phước Vinh, Sông Bé, and Bo Duc. Following the artillery barrage, Viet Cong infantry, supported by about 25 tanks, attacked Lộc Ninh from the west. In the initial assault, they tried to overrun the South Vietnamese regimental compound located at the south end of the airstrip. Despite the ferocity of the onslaught, South Vietnamese soldiers held their ground and fought desperately to hold the enemy at bay; South Vietnamese artillerymen lowered the muzzles of their 105mm howitzers and fired directly at enemy infantry formations moving through the rubber trees.

Even though the situation was stabilized, the South Vietnamese were forced to retreat into small compounds at the north and south ends of the town. The intensity of the attack on Lộc Ninh revealed the true intentions of the Communists; ARVN Lieutenant General Nguyễn Văn Minh, commander of the III Corps Tactical Zone, and his American advisor Major General James F. Hollingsworth realized that Bình Long, not Tây Ninh, would be the focus of the Communist offensive. In order to halt the Communist advance, Minh and Hollingsworth directed all available tactical support aircraft towards Lộc Ninh. Almost immediately, South Vietnamese air force F-5 and A-1 fighter-bombers, United States Air Force (USAF) A-37s from the 8th Special Operations Squadron based at Biên Hòa, attack aircraft from the aircraft carrier USS Constellation, and USAF F-4 and AC-130 aircraft from Thailand began flying over the skies of Lộc Ninh. U.S. and South Vietnamese tactical support aircraft were directed against Viet Cong and North Vietnamese formations by American advisers on the ground. As the fighting intensified, Colonel Nguyễn Công Vinh ordered the 1st Cavalry Squadron — commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Nguyen Huu Duong — to withdraw from Fire Support Base Alpha to reinforce Lộc Ninh. However, Duong refused, saying he would surrender his unit to the Viet Cong instead. Angered, Captain Mark A. Smith reportedly threatened to destroy the 1st Cavalry Squadron with American air power if the squadron didn't fight.

Schott, in recognition of Smith's combat experience and knowledge of the Vietnamese language, allowed him to take control of the situation. From that point on, Smith virtually controlled the South Vietnamese forces. A few moments later, elements of the ARVN 74th Ranger Battalion and the 3rd Battalion, ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment notified the regimental command post that they had broken out and were fighting their way back towards Lộc Ninh. Meanwhile, the 1st Cavalry Squadron began moving west towards the Cambodian border with the Viet Cong, with the rest of their tanks and armored personnel carriers.

On the afternoon of 5 April, the Viet Cong's 5th Division launched another major ground assault on Lộc Ninh from the west to try to break through the defenses of the southern compound. American AC-130 and AH-1 Cobra gunships stopped the Viet Cong formations in their tracks, as supporting North Vietnamese tanks were either destroyed or forced to pull back. Despite having suffered many casualties as a result of U.S. air strikes, the Viet Cong continued their assaults well into the evening. In order to deal with the onslaught, Smith continued to direct the AC-130 Spectres against targets around Lộc Ninh. Vinh, on the other hand, was either planning to surrender or desert when he ordered two of his soldiers to open the gates of the command compound at around 10 pm. Throughout the night, the North Vietnamese 69th Artillery Command continued bombarding South Vietnamese positions around Lộc Ninh, as the Viet Cong massed for another assault.

On the morning of 6 April, South Vietnamese forces reported hearing the sound of tanks moving toward the southern end of the district airfield. At about 5:30 am, the Viet Cong launched another attack from southern Lộc Ninh, with the support of about 25 T-54 and PT-76 tanks. Viet Cong infantry initially managed to breach the South Vietnamese lines, but the attack soon stalled, and neither side gained a clear advantage. In the afternoon, elements of the Viet Cong E6 Regiment forced their way through the compound gates, but air strikes from U.S. AC-130s stopped them from advancing any further. By that stage, however, the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment had absorbed a significant number of casualties; it only had 50 soldiers left, while another 150 wounded were in the hospital bunker. The defenders in Lộc Ninh were cut off from outside help since heavy-calibre North Vietnamese anti-aircraft guns effectively prevented resupply and medivac flights into the area.

In an attempt to save Lộc Ninh, Brigadier General Le Van Hung — commander of the ARVN 5th Infantry Division — ordered Task Force 52 to move north to reinforce the beleaguered 9th Infantry Regiment. Task Force 52 consisted of the 2nd Battalion, 52nd Infantry Regiment, and the 1st Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment; both units had been transferred from the ARVN 18th Infantry Division in late March to serve as a border screen for General Hưng's forces. Lieutenant Colonel Nguyễn Bá Thinh — commander of Task Force 52 — ordered the 2nd Battalion to advance towards Lộc Ninh. The unit was ambushed at the junction of National Highway 13 and Route 17. Unable to withstand the Viet Cong's superior firepower, it was forced to withdraw. To prevent Task Force 52 from evacuating to either Lộc Ninh or An Lộc, the Viet Cong pursued Task Force 52 and bombarded their bases with heavy artillery throughout the day.

Meanwhile, on the afternoon of 6 April, the South Vietnamese inside Lộc Ninh were slightly reinforced by the 3rd Battalion, ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment, along with the men of the 1st Cavalry Squadron at FSB Alpha who had refused to surrender. Furthermore, wounded South Vietnamese soldiers who were still able to fight made their way back to the defensive perimeter to await the next wave of attacks. During the night, the South Vietnamese compound descended into chaos when North Vietnamese artillery scored a direct hit on the hospital bunker, killing a large number of wounded men. Later on, another round of rockets struck the South Vietnamese artillery compound, striking the ammunition storage bunker, which exploded. From the eastern side of the district, the Viet Cong tried to penetrate the defense line at Lộc Ninh, but were beaten off. Realizing that the situation had become hopeless, Vinh took off his uniform and told his to surrender.

At 7 am on 7 April, the Viet Cong massed for another ground assault from the north and west of Lộc Ninh, with support from heavy artillery, tanks and armored personnel carriers. As the Viet Cong closed in, Vinh and his bodyguards ran out the opened gate and surrendered. Several South Vietnamese soldiers also tried to surrender, but they all returned to their positions after Smith stopped a South Vietnamese officer from raising a white T-shirt up the flagpole. By 8 am, the ARVN 9th Infantry Regiment was completely overwhelmed when the Viet Cong overran the southern compound with their superior numbers. At around 10 am, all tactical air support was called off in order to clear the way for B-52 strikes against Viet Cong formations west of Lộc Ninh. However, the B-52 strikes could not prevent the Viet Cong from overrunning Lộc Ninh. By 16:30, the Viet Cong were in complete control of Lộc Ninh District.