Battle of Snuol - Battle

Battle

Prior to the luring operation, 11 sensors were implanted along Route 13 north and south of Snuol during two separate sensor implanting operations. The monitoring equipment was operated by the ARVN 5th Division located in Loc Ninh.

On January 4, 1971, the ARVN Task Force 9 was formed with the mission of luring out the Viet Cong. Task Force 9 consisted of the 9th Regiment, 74th Ranger Battalion, 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and the 5th Engineer Company. They were supported by the US 3rd Squadron/17th Air Cavalry.

On February 26 General Nguyen Van Minh took over command of the operation after General Do Cao Tri died in a helicopter crash. Instead of continuing on with the original plan, General Minh choose to apply withdrawal tactics without air-support, if successful the Viet Cong would be annihilated by several ARVN divisions during the final phase. But if not, the task force would be destroyed.

During the months of January and February the ARVN made little contact with the enemy because the Viet Cong often avoided heavy engagements. However, by May things were about to change after Task Force 9 was replaced by Task Force 8 (8th Regiment). Throughout April Task Force 8 conducted raid and sweeping operations near Viet Cong bases, but the South Vietnamese were disappointed again as the Viet Cong melted away without putting up significant resistance.

On May 25 the Viet Cong 5th and 7th Divisions began encircling Task Force 8 positions. For the next five days the Viet Cong assaulted the besieged Task Force 8, but they could not destroy the main South Vietnamese formation because of diversionery attacks conducted by the ARVN on the night of May 29, which led VC commanders to believe that Task Force 8 would attack them from the north. The Viet Cong subsequently deployed their anti-aircraft units to the north, and left their units in the south of Snuol exposed to the firepower of the U.S 17th Air Cavalry.

Massed formations from the regular VC divisions placed immense pressure on the ARVN's movements, and without any air support or rescue, Task Force 8 was on the brink of collapse. At that point, General Nguyễn Văn Hiếu decided to execute his withdrawal plan which occurred over three stages. Despite the encirclement, the South Vietnamese Army were able to fight their way out under extreme duress and made it home.