At 0200 hours the enemy launched his offensive in the Delta. From that time until the end of the
month there were widespread indirect fire attacks and 25 ground attacks. The
enemy attacks were directed primarily against military targets in both isolated
and urban areas. The number of attacks on U.S. targets was proportional to the number
of U.S. military installations in IV CTZ. Enemy activity activity was
concentrated in Dinh Tuong, Kien Hoa, and Chau Doc Provinces. [204] Attacks
consisted of more than 1,000 rounds of mixed mortar and rocket fire. Several of
the attacks were accompanied by ground attacks of varying intensity,
primarily in the III CTZ. Overall damage and casualties were reported as light.
The following are significant acts involving US forces: [204]
IFFV:
230010 - A LZ 10 mi NNW
of Phan Thiet received 20 rounds of unknown caliber mortar fire. Light
casualties. No damage.
230100 - An Army aviation
unit at Ban Me Thuot received 30 rounds of unknown caliber mortar fire. No causalities
or damage,
230255 - Pleiku Airfield
received six rounds of unknown caliber mortar fire. No casualties or damage
reported.
230305 - Cam Ranh Bay,
in 3 attacks received 50 unknown caliber mortar rounds and seven l40mm rockets.
Light casualties. No damage reported.
230321 - A US Army engineer
unit base camp at Dak To received 50 rounds of 82mm mortar fire. No casualties
or damage reported.
230730 - KONTUM PROVINCE
- The Kontum City Airfield received 17 rounds of l22mm rocket fire with three
rounds landing in the city itself, wounding 3 children. 3 houses destroyed. No
US casualties were reported. Light damage occurred at the air facility.
230830 - PLEIKU PROVINCE
- Holloway Army Airfield located 2l miles S of Pleiku City, received 12 rounds of
l22mm rocket fire. No casualties or damage reported.
231920 - KONTUM PROVINCE-
An element of the US 3rd Bde., 4th Inf Division, in night defense positions 11 mi
NW of Plei Mrong received about 15 rounds of 82mm mortar fire. No casualties or
damage reported.
232145 - KONTUM PROVINCE
- An element of the US 3rd Bde., 4th Inf Division, in night deense positions 8 miles
SW of Polei Kleng received about 20 rounds of 60mm mortar fire resulting in
very light US casualties with no fatalities. No damage reported.
Author’s note: The February summary report details dozens
of more attacks on this day (Sunday) across South Vietnam. However, 2 other Saigon
area terrorist incidents are noteworthy:
February 23, 1969. CMAC (SAIGON): At approx 2030, a terrorist on a motorcycle threw an
explosive charge at a US Army ¼ ton vehicle 3 miles SW of the center
of Saigon in the VI Precinct. The charge landed outside the vehicle & exploded.
There were no casualties. The explosion caused minor damage to the vehicle. The
terrorist escaped.
February 23, 1969. CMAC (SAIGON): At 1825, an EOD disarmed a satchel containing two ½ pound blocks of TNT at the My Canh Floating Restaurant located in downtown Saigon.
The charge was found on the entrance ramp to the restaurant. There were no casualties
or damage. This is nearly identical to the June 25, 1965 series of bombings taking place in Saigon in which 42 people were killed in terrorist explosions. In 1965, a bomb detonated at 8:15 p.m. (local time) in the floating restaurant "My Canh Café" on the banks of the Saigon River, in which 31–32 people were killed, and 42 were wounded.
Of the casualties, 13 were American, and many others were Vietnamese citizens.
February 23, 1969. Tet 1969/Long Binh. After sundown on the 22nd, elements of the VC
274th Regiment, 5th Division made their final preparations while occupying
three hills along Highway 15 approximately three kilometers south of the base.
That evening, several ambush squads from the 720th Military Police Battalion,
18th MP Brigade kept watch along potential avenues of approach to Long Binh
Post. One of the MP ambush squads held a position within a kilometer of the VC
stronghold. At 02:00 on 23 February, the 274th VC Regiment initiated their
attack with an estimated 78 rounds of rocket and mortar fire from their
positions. The rounds landed on post with some igniting the POL fuel site east
of the highway. The VC made several attempts to advance on the base, but were
halted. Full-scale sweeping operations to secure the perimeter began just after
noon that day. M113 armored personnel carriers and M551 Sheridan armored
reconnaissance vehicles supported the forces on the ground while AH-1 Cobra
gunships and OH-6 helicopters provided air support. These units made occasional
contact, often with PAVN or VC who fought stubbornly from trenches and spider
holes. [70]
February 23, 1969 - February 25, 1969. Tet 1969/ Tay Ninh. Over 200 enemy were killed in two attacks at a 25th
Infantry Division Fire Support Bass in Tay Ninh Province. [204]
February 23, 1969 - February
26, 1969. Tet
1969/ Bien Hoa/Long Binh. Over 400 enemy were killed in a series of engagements in the
Bien Hoa/Long Binh military complex area. Enemy divisional forces identified in
contact during the recent offensive were the 1st NVA Division, 5th VC Division,
and the 9th VC Division. Both the 5th and 9th Divisions are 75 to 90 per cent
NVA personnel. [204]
February 23, 1969 - Tet 1969.
Viet Cong attack targets throughout South Vietnam including Saigon. [194]
During the first three weeks of the month, the enemy generally avoided contact,
maneuvering his forces in preparation for his offensive. On 23 February in the
early morning hours, the enemy conducted series of over 100 country-wide indirect fire attacks, including the first rocket attack on Saigon since
November 1, 1968. There were several concurrent ground attacks in remote areas with the heaviest fighting during the
last week of the month in III Corps and I Corps. The enemy achieved no military
objectives and many of his actions were pre-empted by aggressive Allied sweep
operations. [204]
