February 26, 1969. Tet 1969/Thai Hiep/Bien Hoa Air Base. I

In the early morning hours, a force of approximately 400 men from the 275th Regiment, 5th (VC) Division, had infiltrated into the tiny village of Thai Hiep on the outskirts of Bien Hoa, just 20 miles northeast of Saigon. About 85 per cent of the force was estimated to be North Vietnamese soldiers. At about 0300, as reconnaissance elements of the enemy unit were observed and engaged by U.S. Air Force security forces at the perimeter of Bien Hoa Air Base, the villagers began to flee their homes, running down streets and creek beds. The villagers met elements of the Republic of Vietnam 5th Marine Battalion, the 3rd Battalion, 48th Infantry Regiment, and the 3rd, Squadron, 5th Armored Cavalry moving on the road less than a half mile from Thai Hiep in response to the contact at the air base. The villagers told the ARVN forces how they were driven out of their homes and confined to an area near a creek running alongside the village. At that time, the air base security forces reported that they had lost contact with the enemy reconnaissance element which withdrew east toward Thai Hiep. The ARVN units swiftly moved into blocking positions, and by daybreak, the enemy was surrounded. Additional Regional Force elements moved in and the ARVN. troops continued to contain the communist forces until 1100 when assault forces, in the form of the 36th ARVN Ranger Battalion, reinforced the contact. By 1500 the 36th Ranger Battalion moved into the village attacking the enemy force. The series of assaults met heavy resistance by the battalion of well~ed NVA who had turned the villagers sandbagged shelters into a series of well-fortified defensive positions. ARVN ,PSYOP units broadcast repeated loud-speaker appeals and warnings, and all of the remaining villagers (with the exception of one family being held prisoner) and several wounded enemy evaded out of Thai Riep. Just after 1600 U.S. Air Force F-loos and F-4a along with VNAF A-l Skyraiders were directed against the enemy positions in the village. Following the employment of the supporting fires, the 36th Ranger Battalion moved back into the village. The Rangers met only slight, disorganized resistance. By 0100 the next morning, the bodies of 264 enemy soldiers (mostly NVA) lay in the village, and 87 had been captured or surrendered. More than 100 individual and. crew-served weapons were captured. ARVN casualties were 10 killed and 100 wounded. One U.S. Army photographer from the III Corps Information advisor section, with the Ranger battalion, was killed and another wounded in the action. The enemy prisoners revealed that their mission had been to attack Bien Roa city and the Bien Roa Air Base. [204]

Image: Attack on Bien Hoa during Tet 1969.