Battle of Binh Gia

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Battle of Binh Gia
Part of the Vietnam War

Viet Cong propaganda depicting the Battle of Binh Gia.
Date December 28, 1964- January 1, 1965
Location
Binh Gia, Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam

UTM Grid YS 50-78[1]
Result Viet Cong Victory
Belligerents
Viet Cong South Vietnam
United States
Commanders
Tran Dinh Xu Franklin P. Eller
Strength
Estimated at 1,800[2] 4,300[3]
Casualties and losses
32 confirmed killed[4] 201 killed (5 Americans killed)
192 wounded (8 Americans wounded)
68 missing (3 Americans missing).[5]
v • d • e
Vietnam War
Ap Bac – Binh Gia – Pleiku – Song Be – Dong Xoai – Starlite – Gang Toi – Ia Drang – Hastings – Masher/White Wing – A Shau – Xa Cam My – Duc Co – Long Tan – Attleboro – Cedar Falls – Tra Binh Dong – Bribie – Junction City – Union – Hill 881 – Union II - Ong Thanh – Dak To – 1st Tet – Khe Sanh – 1st Saigon – Hue – Lang Vei – Lima Site 85 – Kham Duc – Speedy Express – Dewey Canyon – 2nd Tet – Hamburger Hill – Binh Ba – Cambodia – Snuol – FSB Ripcord – Tailwind – Chenla I – Son Tay Raid – Lam Son 719 – Chenla II – Ban Dong – FSB Mary Ann – Easter '72 – 1st Quang Tri – Loc Ninh – An Loc – Kontum – 2nd Quang Tri – Phuoc Long – Ho Chi Minh – Ban Me Thuot – Xuan Loc – Truong Sa – 2nd Saigon – SS Mayagüez
Air operations
Ranch Hand – Pierce Arrow – Barrel Roll – Pony Express – Flaming Dart – Rolling Thunder – Steel Tiger – Arc Light – Tiger Hound – Bolo – Igloo White – Commando Hunt – Menu – Freedom Deal – Linebacker I – Linebacker II – Shed Light

The Battle of Binh Gia (Vietnamese: Trận Bình Giã), which was part of a larger Communist campaign, was conducted by the Viet Cong from December 28, 1964, to January 1, 1965, during the Vietnam War in Binh Gia (Vietnamese: Bình Giã), Phuoc Tuy (Vietnamese: Phước Tuy) Province (now part of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province), South Vietnam.

Towards the end of 1964, South Vietnam was facing political instability following the coup against President Ngo Dinh Diem. Taking advantage of the government's political and military situation, along with orders from Hanoi to initiate military offensives, the National Liberation Front (NLF) sought to commemorate the fourth anniversary of its establishment with a major victory on the battlefield.

The first operational Viet Cong units, the 217st and 272nd regiments, were given the honour of carrying out the mission. In many ways the Viet Cong had more than achieved their objective; the subsequent fighting in and around Binh Gia demonstrated that the NLF's military wing had come of age and was able to tackle the best the South Vietnamese government could send against them.

Contents

[edit] Winter-Spring Offensive

On October 11, 1964, key political and military leaders in Hanoi ordered the National Liberation Front to carry out a series of offensives during the winter and spring of 1965. To help the southern guerillas carry out their offensive, General Nguyen Chi Thanh was appointed the commander of military operations in the South, while other officers such as Major-General Le Trong Tan were responsible for military preparations which began in earnest in November.[6]

As part of the operation the NLF Nam Bo Regional Command identified its key areas of operations: Baria-Long Khanh and Binh Long-Phuoc Long.[7] To prepare for battle the Viet Cong 271st and 272nd Regiments were selected to be placed under the command of the Forward Command Committee, and they conducted training and began moving towards the Ba Ria-Long Khanh region[8]. With North Vietnamese assistance, the Viet Cong built up their weaponry supplies and was ordered to destroy any ARVN units along Route 2 and 15.

[edit] Background

At the beginning of November 1964 the 271st and 272nd Regiments moved out of War Zone D with the 80th Artillery Detachment in support. By the end of the month those units had reached their secret rendezvous, where they were joined by the 500th and 800th Battalions from Military Region 7, the 186th Battalion from Military Region 6 and the 445th Company from Hoai Duc district.

Leading up to the battle, the Viet Cong successfully inflicted large numbers of casualties on government forces in five separate engagements, with the ARVN losing two battalions and a reserve battalion. And finally an entire company of South Vietnamese M-113 armoured personnel carriers were saved on December 9. [9]The losses suffered by regular South Vietnamese formations allow the Viet Cong to overrun the Hoai Duc district and several strategic hamlets such as Dat Do, Long Thanh and Nhon Trach.

By early January the Viet Cong's theatre of operations had expanded significantly, and further military operations were atacked against major government installations, and so Binh Gia became the next target. The village of Binh Gia was surrounded by rubber and banana plantations, located in Phuoc Tuy Province, about 67 km (42 mi) from Saigon. Most of the local inhabitants were Catholics who had fled from North Vietnam because of Communist persecutions, and the local priest was the commander of the militia forces.

[edit] Battle

The elements of the Viet Cong 9th Division, led by the 514th Battalion, began their assault during the early morning of December 28, when they overran several outposts and quickly overwhelmed the local militia forces. Later that morning two South Vietnamese Ranger units counterattacked but were unable to clear the enemy from their positions, briefly coming within 300 metres of Binh Gia village until a Viet Cong Battalion forced them to withdraw.[10]

Reinforcements from the 30th and 33rd South Vietnamese Rangers arrived on December 29, but they were unable to dislodge the well-entrenched VC, and after some heavy fighting the Ranger battalions were decimated by Viet Cong machine gun fire. On the morning of December 30, the South Vietnamese 4th Marines Battalion landed by helicopter. They recaptured Binh Gia, but the Viet Cong was nowhere to be seen. Later that day, a U.S. Army gunship was shot down, killing four crewmen.

One company from the 4th Marines Battalion were sent to the crash site to try to recover the bodies, but the South Vietnamese were ambushed again. On the morning of December 31, the 4th Marines Battalion moved westward in an attempt to rescue the trapped company. At the site of the crash, the 4th Marines Battalion and their American advisors discovered fresh graves, but it turned out to be an ambush. Viet Cong soldiers launched deadly attacks on the ARVN, and further reinforcements from the 29th, 30th and 33rd ARVN Ranger Battalions were ambushed and decimated. This latest battle resulted in the death of 35 ARVN officers, 112 Marines and 71 wounded bringing the total casualties to more than 300. On January 1 further ARVN reinforcements arrived, but they were too late.

[edit] Aftermath

Despite the humiliating defeat inflicted on them, the South Vietnamese army stubbornly considered the battle as their victory. The battle of Binh Gia reflected the Viet Cong's growing military strength and influence, especially in the Mekong Delta region. It was the first time the National Liberation Front launched a large-scale operation, holding its ground and fighting for four days against government troops equipped with armour, artillery and helicopters.

The Viet Cong demonstrated, when well-supplied with military supplies from North Vietnam, they had the ability to fight and inflict damage on the best ARVN units. In recognition of the 271st Regiment's performance during the Binh Gia campaign, the NLF High Command bestowed the title 'Binh Gia Regiment' on the unit to honour their achievements.[11]

Following their battlefield victory at Binh Gia all Viet Cong units withdrew to War Zone D in order to plan for the next offensive, targeting Dong Xoai.

[edit] Units Involved

[edit] Viet Cong

  • 271st Regiment. The main unit involved.
  • 186th Battalion
  • 500th Battalion
  • 514th Battalion
  • 800th Battalion
  • 445th Company
  • 80th Artillery Detachment

[edit] Army of the Republic of Vietnam

  • 1st Airborne Battalion
  • 3rd Airborne Battalion
  • 7th Airborne Battalion
  • 30th Ranger Battalion
  • 33rd Ranger Battalion
  • 35th Ranger Battalion
  • 38th Ranger Battalion
  • 2 artillery platoons and 1 section of M-24 tanks in support.[12]

[edit] Notes

  1. ^ Kelley, Michael P. (2002). Where We Were In Vietnam. Hellgate Press, p. 5-55. ISBN 1-55571-625-3. 
  2. ^ Terry Burstall, A Soldier Returns, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane (1990),, p. 40.
  3. ^ Terry Burstall, A Soldier Returns, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane (1990),, p. 40.
  4. ^ Terry Burstall, A Soldier Returns, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane (1990),, p. 40.
  5. ^ Terry Burstall, A Soldier Returns, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane (1990),, p. 40.
  6. ^ LSQDNDVN, History of the Vietnam People's Army, 1988, p. 244.
  7. ^ LSQDNDVN, p. 245.
  8. ^ History of 272nd Regiment, 9th PLAF Division p. 16.
  9. ^ History of 272nd Regiment, 9th PLAF Division, p. 16.
  10. ^ Terry Burstall, A Soldier Returns, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane (1990),, p. 40.
  11. ^ LSQDNDVN, p. 245.
  12. ^ Terry Burstall, A Soldier Returns, University of Queensland Press, Brisbane (1990),, p. 55.

[edit] References

  • Dougan, C.; E. Doyle, S. Lipsman, T. Martland, S. Weiss (1983). The Vietnam Experience: A Contagion of War. Boston Publishing Company, USA. 
  • Captured documents: History of the 272nd Regiment, 9th PLAF Division. 1968

[edit] Contemporary news reporting

[edit] External links