March 1969. HQ MACV Summary Overview for March Operations/I CORPS

Enemy activity during the month decreased from that experienced in the initial phase of the offensive which the enemy launched in late February. In the Northern provinces, Allied positions continued to receive harassing indirect fire attacks. Nine of these attacks were launched from within the southern DMZ. Continuing enemy use of and infiltration through the DMZ was confirmed by identification of elements of the 27th NVA Regiment south of the DMZ. Enemy ground activity was characterized by sporadic but aggressive contacts involving enemy units of company size and smaller. In contacts on 27 and 28 March, friendly forces killed 188 members of the 27th NVA Regiment northeast of the Rockpile. Enemy activity was primarily in reaction to friendly operations in western Quang Tri and Thua Thien Provinces. USMC forces in Operations Maine Crag and Dewey Canyon discovered a series of significant caches in western Quang Tri Province. Significant enemy offensive activity was limited to scattered indirect fire attacks throughout the coastal area, with emphasis on the Phu Bal/Phu Lac area during the period 22 through 28 March. In central I Corps, significant enemy activity from 1 to 19 March was limited to indirect fire attacks and ground probes against the An Hca Combat Base by the 1st VC Regiment, 2nd NVA Division. Similar pressure was maintained on the Tien Phuoc Civil Irregular Defense Group (CIDG) Camp by the 3rd NVA Regiment, 2nd NVA Division. The 3rd NVA Division, while avoiding major contacts, remained deployed in the vicinity of its primary objectives in Quang Ngai lowlands. During the early morning hours of 19 March, the enemy launched a total of 27 indirect fire and 13 ground attacks against selected military and civilian targets in central and southern I CTZ. Primary targets were in the areas of Da Nang, Hoi An, Tam Ky, Chu Lai, and Quang Ngai City. Cumulative results were 42 friendly killed, including 17 civilians; 194 friendly wounded, including 60 civilians; and 164 enemies killed. During the period 25 through 30 March enemy forces suffered more than 300 killed in a series of contacts with ARVN forces 17 kilometers west of Hoi An. Elsewhere in central and southern I CTZ, a decrease in enemy offensive action was noted at the end of the month. [284] *