Battle 1:
The Americans were in a loose circle defending the perimeter of the landing zone (LZ), with a small reserve in the center under the command of Col. Moore. The Vietnamese had spent the night maneuvering into position for a dawn attack. They planned to overrun the landing zone and wipe out the Americans, as the Sioux and Cheyenne had done to Custer and the 7th cavalry in 1865. The American commanders were confident that this time the outcome would be different. After all, Custer didn't have access to Huey gunships, 105mm howitzers, A-1 Skyraiders, F-100 super sabers, and B-52s!
The NVA attacked the American perimeter defenses from the southeast and northwest, while the VC attacked from the southwest. The ferocity and effectiveness of their attack shocked the Americans out of their complacency. On the second turn of battle the NVA and VC were already threatening to breakthrough in the south, and Col. Moore's command post came under fire. The colonel shouted "Broken Arrow! Broken Arrow!" into the radio, the code that they were in danger of being overrun.
He immediately received additional air support which, combined with
an accurate concentration of artillery, slowed the Vietnamese
advance. American planes pounded the Vietnamese without mercy.
In the north the NVA attack had stalled. Company A of the 1st battalion, finding itself unengaged, had moved swiftly to support the troopers defending the northern perimeter. Meanwhile in the south the situation was becoming critical. The Americans had been forced out of their defensive positions, and the battalion command post was under heavy fire.
The VC were threatening to break through the American lines. Col. Moore, pinned down by enemy fire, received the welcome news that A Co., 2nd Battalion was already inbound on helicopters and would be arriving shortly. The Americans knew they had to counterattack the VC, who now controlled the tree line in the southwest and were pouring fire into the LZ.
Once again it was A Co. to the rescue. They crossed the LZ and launched a gutsy and costly attack that surprised the VC and put them on their heels just as the helicopters zoomed in at treetop level with the desperately needed reinforcements.
For the troopers in A Co., 2nd Battalion it was the hottest LZ any of them would ever see. They were taking heavy fire even before they landed, and as they dashed out of the helicopters they were forced into an immediate firefight with a platoon of charging VC. The Vietnamese were astonished to see more Americans suddenly arrive just when they thought they had won the battle.
They called for a retreat, satisfied that they had done enough damage. Although the surviving Americans claimed victory, and still controlled the precious LZ, they had suffered too many casualties to stay any longer. They were evacuated as quickly as possible, leaving the Vietnamese to brag that they had driven the Americans out of the valley.
Battle 2: : This time the Vietnamese plan was to attack
the Americans from all directions, find a weak spot in the defenses,
and exploit it with their reserves. Again the VC were sent to
attack the southwest, and the NVA assaulted the rest of the perimeter.
The initial attack ran into heavy and accurate American fire and
wavered. In the east Captain Edwards and C Co. crushed the NVA
attack. When the Vietnamese sent some reserves to support the
attack in the north C Co. counterattacked, slamming into the flank
of the NVA assault and throwing it into chaos.
The Vietnamese had more success in the south where they hammered the Americans. Col. Moore responded by ordering all available artillery and air support to attack the NVA and VC in that sector. The Vietnamese commanders watched in horror as American firepower clobbered their men, stopping the assault in its tracks. There was a brief lull in the fighting as the Vietnamese tried to recover from this devastating blow.
The Americans were able to use the opportunity to land their reinforcements into the LZ with
relative ease. The extra troopers were just in time to repulse
a VC attack that broke into the clearing. The Vietnamese attack
rose in intensity as they tried desperately to break the will
of the Americans. The 7th cavalry bent, but refused to break.
They had taken the best the Vietnamese could dish out, and they
had endured. The Vietnamese were forced to withdrawal. The Americans
had won a narrow victory.
More Battle of Ia Drang 1965
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© Copyright 2003 by Matt Fritz.
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