The Tet Offensive came to Hue City on the night of January 31, 1968 in the form of eight NVA and Main Force VC battalions. Their occupation of the surrounding neighborhoods and the Citadel, a walled fortress in the center of the city, encountered almost no opposition. At first morning light, the communist flag flew over the massive walls of the Citadel. The boys from the North were dug in and waiting for the relief forces.
The NVA and VC forces did not control all of Hue. Several small areas in the city were still held by United States and South Vietnamese (ARVN) troops. Allied headquarters and support troops made up most of the forces still in Hue. No combat formations of any size remained in the city. Each of those small enclaves would become a private last stand “Alamo” for its occupants. Some would stand; most would fall to the NVA.
MACV (Military Assistance Command, Vietnam) was still unaware of the scale of the Tet Offensive when word reached them that Hue had fallen to the Communists. First reports were that “a few snipers” in the city and that assistance was needed by combat troops to open the roads to the US and ARVN troops in the city. Orders were issued for troops to push down Rt. 1 and relieve the MACV compound in Hue.
The first unit to respond, “Alpha” Company, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, or A/1/1, was very under strength. Most of the 1st Platoon and Officers remained at Quang Tri due to a helicopter transport mix-up. Since, in general, rifle companies in Vietnam were on average operating at 70% to 80% of authorized strength, the absence of the 1st platoon represented a major set back to the fighting ability of “Alpha” company. The relief force consisted of one reduced Rifle Company against eight dug in enemy battalions. To say that A / 1 / 1 had a difficult assignment would be a bit of an understatement!
A/1/1 had only two officers as it started down Rte. 1, Capt. Gordon Batcheller and 2nd Lt. Ray Smith. NCOs commanded the rifle platoons, with the 2nd Platoon led by a corporal as acting Platoon Sergeant! The company would be transported to Hue in trucks by Transport Company C, 1st Motor Transport Battalion, (US Army), under the command of 2nd Lt. Jerome Nadolski. Security for the convoy was a 2 1/2 truck with a quad .50 mounted on the bed at the front and a 40mm “Duster” placed at the rear of the column. Along the way to Hue, the gods of war smiled briefly upon the Marines. They encountered four M-48 tanks from the 3rd Armor Batt., 3rd Marine Division that were cut off from their parent unit on the wrong side of the city. The tankers joined up with the grunts and headed down “The Street Without Joy” towards Hue.
At the village of Lang Van Long on the Phu Cam canal, several signs warned the Marines that all was not well. The NVA had attempted to destroy the An Cuu Bridge over the canal, but had failed. There was no movement in the village and not a person was on the streets. As the Marines approached the village they dismounted from the trucks and took up positions on the backs and behind the tanks. Capt. Bacheller, a lead from the front type of commander, boarded the first M-48. His RTO, Cpl. Larry Williams, and Corpsman “Doc Brooklyn” climbed on with him. Capt. Bacheller ordered first tank to advance.
Shortly after the lead tank crossed the bridge, a B-40 RPG round flashed and struck the lead M-48. Automatic weapons fire followed thereafter. The NVA had no intention of fading away after the first few shots. They were there for a fight.
I use the Battleground rules system by Easy Eight, but any rules set can be used. The forces listed below reflect a reduced strength Marine rifle platoon. No assessment of NVA strength was determined.
Company HQ: 3rd Platoon Command Group: 3 Rifle Squad Armor Support Element (Designation Unknown)
Command & Support Group: 3 Infantry Squads 1 Sapper Section: The lead M-48 was hit by two RPG rockets and small arms fire but pushed through the first ambush line. Capt. Batcheller shook off the shock the attack and realized he was lightly wounded from shrapnel. He looked around and saw that his RTO, Cpl. Williams, had been knocked of the tank by the RPG blast and was laying in the middle of the road 20 yards to the rear. The company corpsman, “Doc Brooklyn” had both of his lower legs blown off and was dead on the rear deck of the tank. The rest of the tanks and the Marines stopped and took cover behind the tanks or in the irrigation ditch along the roadside. The lead M-48 was isolated, but still fighting.
The front of the column was stalled by a machine gun firing from a bunker on the right side of the road. Sgt. Alfredo Gonzales worked his way down the ditch and although wounded by mortar fragments and a bullet wound to his legs, assaulted the bunker. He destroyed the bunker with hand grenades and then ran into the roadway to retrieve the wounded Cpl. Williams. Sgt. Gonzales then carried the wounded RTO 30 yards through small arms and mortar fire to the relative safety of the tanks. Sgt. Gonzales then refused to be evacuated despite his wounds and lead the tanks and Marines forward, clearing the roadway to Capt. Batcheller and the lead M-48.
Under the combined firepower of the Marine tanks, the grunts of the 3rd platoon began to move forward. The other Navy Corpsman moved into the road to treat and remove a wounded Marine when he was cut down by a burst of machine gun fire. Capt. Batcheller ran forward and as he was pulling the Corpsman from the road, another burst of fire hit them both. The Corpsman was killed and Capt. Batcheller was badly wounded.
In the next few minutes, the XO, Lt. Smith would also be wounded and out of action. Command of the company fell to Gunnery Sgt. JL Canley. Losses to the Marines had now become excessive and both officers were down. “Alpha” company was being hit hard and needed support.
At Phu Bai, a reaction force of “Golf” Company, 2nd Batt., 5th Marines started to the hard-pressed company along the Phu Cam canal. With the extra strength of an additional Marine rifle company, the force broke through to the MACV compound. More intense fighting would take place through the day as the Marines spent their first day in Hue.
For his actions at Lang Van Long on January 31, 1968, Sgt. Alfredo Gonzales was awarded the Congressional Medal of Honor. Sgt. Gonzales would be killed in action four days later on February 4, 1968 while leading his platoon in house to house fighting at the Joan d’Arc Church in Hue.
Marines must enter on roadway to reflect crossing the bridge. Only one tank per action can cross bridge due to minor damage done by attempted destruction.
Sgt. Alfredo Gonzales starts game as Medal of Honor Hero.
All infantry (Marines and NVA) have 2 hand grenades each.
Navy Corpsmen can remove a light wound from a figure by spending one action with the wounded figure. Neither figure can move or fire during that action. The player must roll the wounded figures morale number or lower to remove wound marker. This check can only be made once per wounded figure.
NVA have 2 bunkers that can be placed. Each bunker can hold up to 4 men.
Along the side of the roadway was an irrigation ditch. Any figure moving along the side of the roadway receives a +3 cover benefit.
All buildings are wooden, except the last two which are concrete / stone.
Rice paddies are 1/2 movement when in the not on the dikes (i.e.: in the water). Paddy dikes give cover as if a stone wall.
The sky was overcast and visibility very low. No air support (helicopter or fixed wing) is allowed.
Game Length: 16 Turns
Deceive Victory US Marines: The Marines must exit two M-48 tanks and at least 20 unwounded Marines off the board before turn 16.
Marginal Victory US Marines: The Marines must exit one M-48 and at least 10 unwounded Marines off the board before turn 16.
Draw: Any other result than listed victory conditions.
Marginal Victory NVA: NVA keep road closed and destroy at least 2 M-48 tanks.
Deceive Victory NVA: NVA keep road closed and destroy 3 or more M-48 tanks.
US Forces: 3rd Platoon, A / 1 / 1, United States Marines
CO: Capt. Gordon Batcheller, M-16, morale: 16-2
XO: 2nd Lt. Ray Smith, M-16, morale: 14-1
Sr. NCO: Gunnery Sgt. J L Canley, M-16, morale: 14-2
RTO: Cpl. Larry Williams, M-16, morale: 12
Corpsman: “Doc Brooklyn”, Navy Medic, morale: 18
Plt. Leader: Sgt. Alfredo Gonzales, M-16, morale: Medal of Honor Hero
(normal rules for this type of hero per Battleground rules - exception: ignores first two light wounds)
RTO: M-16, morale: 12
4 Marines: 2 – 2 man M-60 LMG teams
Corpsman: Navy Medic, Morale: 18
each listed as below:
Sqd. Leader: Sgt, M-16, morale: 14
Asst. Leader: Cpl., M-79 grenade launcher, morale: 12
8 Marines: M-16, one rifle man is RTO, morale: 12
4 M-48 tanks, crew morale: 12
North Vietnamese Army: Unit
Plt. Leader: AK-47, morale 14-1
Runner: SKS carbine, captured US radio (for mortar fire)
RPG gunner: 3 x RPG gunners, with 4 rockets each, morale: 12
4 Infantry: 2 – 2 man LMG teams, morale: 12
Mortar: 1 82mm off board mortar, must be directed by Plt. Leader.
Acquire number: 16
each listed below:
Sqd. Leader: AK-47, morale: 14
4 Infantry: AK-47, morale: 12
4 Infantry: SKS carbine, morale: 12
5 Sappers: AK-47, 1 satchel charge each, morale: 14
Historical Account
Special Rules
Victory Conditions
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