Battle
On the following day as Charlie Company moved through the Courtenay Rubber Plantation, they encountered sporadic enemy fire, with Viet Cong snipers attempting to knock the Americans off one by one. The sporadic fire allowed the Viet Cong to maneuver around the outnumbered Americans. By 14:00, VC officers were spotted around the positions of Charlie Company, directing the encirclement of U.S positions.
By that time it had become clear that the Viet Cong had taken the bait, however DePuy's gamble on other rifle companies arriving in time were thwarted by the thick jungle.
To minimize casualties and break the ambush, Charlie Company formed a circular perimeter with interlocking fire. The situation deteriorated as Charlie Company found itself increasingly isolated with only a distant hope of reinforcement. This was made worse, when misdirected artillery fired upon Charlie Company instead of the aggressive VC forces.
The fighting continued well into the night with the desperate Charlie Company throwing all it had at the aggressive Viet Cong, using tear gas grenades. However, their efforts were not enough to stop the Viet Cong from breaking through their lines. Through the night small units from the Viet Cong D800 Battalion breached the American perimeter, retrieving their own casualties and slitting the throats of wounded U.S soldiers along the way.
After five hours of brutal fighting, what was left of Charlie Company formed a tight perimeter, protected by a barrage of artillery fire which came down at a rate of five or six rounds per minute. By 07:00 on April 12, the Viet Cong had disengaged from the battle before other U.S units could arrive. Charlie Company was nearly wiped out with a casualty rate of 80%.
Read more about this topic: Battle Of Xa Cam My
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