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54-567: Khe Sanh is the district capital of Hướng Hoá District , Quảng Trị Province , Vietnam , located 63 km west of Đông Hà. During the Vietnam War , the Khe Sanh Combat Base was located to the north of the city. The Battle of Khe Sanh took place there. The Khe Sanh Combat Base is a museum where relics of the war are exhibited. Most of the former base is now overgrown by wilderness or coffee and banana plants. This article about

108-599: A Malayo-Polynesian language, and culturally distinct from the Vietnamese to the north along the Red River . The Qin dynasty of China conquered parts of present-day Central Vietnam at the end of the 3rd century BCE, and administered the indigenous peoples of the area through a commandery, Rinan , for several centuries. A rebellion by the Cham in the 2nd century CE overthrew Chinese control and reestablished local government. Beginning in

162-517: A PAVN force of an unknown size north of Hill 861. That action prematurely triggered a PAVN offensive aimed at taking Khe Sanh. The PAVN forces were in the process of gaining elevated terrain before it launched the main attack. The 2nd and 3rd battalions of the 3rd Marine Regiment , under the command of Colonel John P. Lanigan, reinforced KSCB and were given the task of pushing the PAVN off of Hills 861, 881 North, and 881 South. PAVN forces were driven out of

216-454: A PAVN lieutenant from the 325th Division, defected and laid out the plans for an entire series of PAVN attacks. Hills 881 South, 861, and the main base itself would be simultaneously attacked that same evening. At 00:30 on 21 January, Hill 861 was attacked by about 300 PAVN troops, the Marines, however, were prepared. The PAVN infantry, though bracketed by artillery fire, still managed to penetrate

270-526: A defense would be pointless as a threat to infiltration since PAVN troops could easily bypass Khe Sanh, the base was too isolated, and the Marines "had neither the helicopter resources, the troops, nor the logistical bases for such operations." Additionally, Shore argued that the "weather was another critical factor because the poor visibility and low overcasts attendant to the monsoon season made such operations hazardous." Brigadier General Lowell English (assistant commander 3rd Marine Division ) complained that

324-428: A formerly elusive enemy that was moving toward a fixed position promised a victory of unprecedented proportions. In early December 1967, the PAVN appointed Major General Trần Quý Hai as the local commander for the actions around Khe Sanh, with Lê Quang Đạo as his political commissar. In the coming days, a campaign headquarters was established around Sap Lit. Two divisions, the 304th and the 325th , were assigned to

378-518: A larger strategy." With a view to gain the eventual approval for an advance through Laos to interdict the Ho Chi Minh Trail, he determined that "it was absolutely essential to hold the base." He gave the order for US Marines to take up positions around Khe Sanh. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam , then began planning for incursion into Laos, and in October, the construction of an airfield at Khe Sanh

432-547: A location in Quảng Trị Province , Vietnam is a stub . You can help Misplaced Pages by expanding it . Qu%E1%BA%A3ng Tr%E1%BB%8B Province Except for the narrow piedmont coastal plains, the terrain of Quảng Trị province is dominated by hills and the Annamite Mountains . The highlands, characterized by steep slopes, sharp crests, and narrow valleys, are covered mainly by a dense broadleaf evergreen forest. Most of

486-644: The Civilian Irregular Defense Groups , which were to keep watch on PAVN infiltration along the border and to protect the local population. James Marino wrote that in 1964, General William Westmoreland , the US commander in Vietnam, had determined, "Khe Sanh could serve as a patrol base blocking enemy infiltration from Laos; a base for... operations to harass the enemy in Laos; an airstrip for reconnaissance to survey

540-566: The North Vietnamese People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN). The US command in Saigon initially believed that combat operations around KSCB during 1967 were part of a series of minor PAVN offensives in the border regions. That appraisal was later altered when the PAVN was found to be moving major forces into the area. In response, US forces were built up before the PAVN isolated the Marine base. Once

594-469: The Southwest Monsoon (May to September), and much cooler wet weather during the rainy season (November to mid-March). Annual average temperature is 24 °C (75 °F), but temperatures can drop as low as 7 °C (45 °F) during the rainy season. In the immediate prehistorical period, the lowlands of Quảng Trị and central Vietnam as a whole were occupied by Cham peoples ( Champa ), speaking

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648-546: The 14th and 15th centuries, the Chams were defeated in the area by Vietnamese armies, and ethnic Vietnamese gradually displaced or absorbed/assimilated those Chams who had not fled. Over time a distinct Vietnamese dialectical and cultural subgroup developed in the area. The region was seized by the French by 1874. In 1887 it became part of French Indochina , i.e. the Annam protectorate . Upon

702-540: The 304th, 320th, 324th and 325th Infantry Divisions, the independent 270th infantry Regiment; five artillery regiments (the 16th, 45th, 84th, 204th, and 675th); three AAA regiments (the 208th, 214th, and 228th); four tank companies; one engineer regiment plus one independent engineer battalion; one signal battalion; and a number of local force units. At positions west of Hill 881 South and north of Co Roc Ridge ( 16°33′40″N 106°37′55″E  /  16.561°N 106.632°E  / 16.561; 106.632 ), across

756-596: The Combat Base of Khe Sanh Operation Pegasus: ~20,000 (1st Air Cavalry and Marine units) ~40,000 in total, in which: [REDACTED] U.S. losses: At Khe Sanh: 274 killed 2,541 wounded (not including ARVN Ranger, RF/PF, Forward Operation Base 3 – US Army and Royal Laotian Army losses) Operation Scotland I and Operation Pegasus: 730 killed 2,642 wounded, 7 missing Operation Scotland II (15 April 1968 – July 1968): 485 killed 2,396 wounded USAF: 5 ~ 20 killed, wounded unknown Operation Charlie for

810-554: The DMZ area 10–15 miles (16–24 km) north of Khe Sanh while the 320th Division was within easy reinforcing distance to the northeast. They were supported logistically from the nearby Ho Chi Minh Trail. As a result of this intelligence, KSCB was reinforced on 22 January 1968 by the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment. According to the official PAVN history, by December 1967 the North Vietnamese had in place, or within supporting distance:

864-454: The DMZ; and as an eventual jump-off point for ground operations to cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Not all leading Marine officers, however, had the same opinion. Cushman, the new III MAF commander, supported Westmoreland perhaps because he wanted to mend Army/Marine relations after the departure of Walt. Other concerns raised included the assertion that the real danger to I Corps was from a direct threat to Quảng Trị City and other urban areas,

918-639: The Ho Chi Minh Trail; a western anchor for the defenses south of the DMZ; and an eventual jumping-off point for ground operations to cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail ." In November 1964, the Special Forces moved their camp to the Xom Cham Plateau, the future site of Khe Sanh Combat Base. In the winter of 1964, Khe Sanh became the location of a launch site for the highly-classified Military Assistance Command, Vietnam – Studies and Observations Group . The site

972-571: The Laotian frontier on Route 9 , the northernmost transverse road in South Vietnam. The badly-deteriorated Route 9 ran from the coastal region through the western highlands and crossed the border into Laos . The origin of the combat base lay in the construction by US Army Special Forces of an airfield in August 1962 outside the village at an old French fort. The camp then became a Special Forces outpost of

1026-481: The PAVN/VC in the hinterlands. Westmoreland won out, however, and the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment (1/3 Marines) was dispatched to occupy the camp and airstrip on 29 September. By late January 1967, the 1/3 returned to Japan and was relieved by Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines (1/9 Marines). A single company replaced an entire battalion. On 24 April 1967, a patrol from Bravo Company became engaged with

1080-587: The Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) battalion at Song Be , capital of Phước Long Province. The PAVN fought for several days, took casualties, and fell back. Two days later, the PAVN 273rd Regiment attacked a Special Forces camp near the border town of Loc Ninh , in Bình Long Province . Troops of the US 1st Infantry Division were able to respond quickly. After a ten-day battle, the attackers were pushed back into Cambodia . At least 852 PAVN soldiers were killed during

1134-500: The South China Sea or west into Laos or Cambodia. Those flowing eastward follow short courses through deep narrow valleys over rocky bottoms until they reach the coastal plains, where they slow down and disperse. The westward-flowing streams follow longer traces, sometimes through deep canyons which are subject to seasonal flooding. The weather features a wide range of temperatures and rainfall, with hot and dry south-west winds during

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1188-578: The South. Vietnam was unified in 1976. Formerly, in 2000, Clear Path International (CPI) removed unexploded ordnance (UXO) left by the United States in Quảng Trị province, which was at the time the largest unexploded ordnance removal effort by an NGO in Vietnam's history. Since 1999, Mines Advisory Group (MAG International) has maintained operations in Quảng Trị and neighbouring Quảng Bình province , providing

1242-575: The Tet Offensive. Things remained quiet in the Khe Sanh area through 1966. Even so, Westmoreland insisted for it not only to be occupied by the Marines but also for it to be reinforced. He was vociferously opposed by General Lewis W. Walt , the Marine commander of I Corps, who argued heatedly that the real target of the American effort should be the pacification and protection of the population, not chasing

1296-430: The US 4th Infantry Division , the 173rd Airborne Brigade , and ARVN Airborne elements were killed in action, but three of the four battalions of the 4th Infantry and the entire 173rd were rendered combat-ineffective during the battle. American intelligence analysts were quite baffled by the series of enemy actions. No logic was apparent to them behind the sustained PAVN/VC offensives other than to inflict casualties on

1350-461: The action, as opposed to 50 American and South Vietnamese. The heaviest action took place near Dak To , in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum. The presence of the PAVN 1st Division prompted a 22-day battle there and had some of the most intense close-quarters fighting of the entire conflict. US intelligence estimated between 1,200 and 1,600 PAVN troops were killed, and 362 members of

1404-426: The allied forces. That was accomplished, but the casualties absorbed by the North Vietnamese seemed to negate any direct gains they might have obtained. The border battles, however, had two significant consequences, which were unappreciated at the time. They fixed the attention of the American command on the border regions, and they drew American and ARVN forces away from the coastal lowlands and cities in preparation for

1458-426: The area around Khe Sanh after suffering 940 casualties. The Marines suffered 155 killed in action and 425 wounded. To prevent PAVN observation of the main base at the airfield and their possible use as firebases, the hills of the surrounding Khe Sanh Valley had to be continuously occupied and defended by separate Marine elements. In the wake of the hill fights, a lull in PAVN activity occurred around Khe Sanh. By

1512-552: The base came under siege, a series of actions were fought over a period of five months. During this time, KSCB and the hilltop outposts around it were subjected to constant PAVN artillery , mortar, and rocket attacks, and several infantry assaults. To support the Marine base, a massive aerial bombardment campaign ( Operation Niagara ) was launched by the USAF. In the first three months, over 114,810 tons of bombs were dropped by US aircraft and over 158,900 artillery rounds were fired in defense of

1566-530: The base was officially closed on 5 July. Marines remained around Hill 689, though, and fighting in the vicinity continued until 11 July until they were finally withdrawn, bringing the battle to a close. In the aftermath, the North Vietnamese proclaimed a victory at Khe Sanh, while US forces claimed that they had withdrawn, as the base was no longer required. Historians have observed that the Battle of Khe Sanh may have distracted American and South Vietnamese attention from

1620-420: The base. The September bombardments ranged from 100 to 150 rounds per day, with a maximum on 25 September of 1,190 rounds. Westmoreland responded by launching Operation Neutralize, an aerial and naval bombardment campaign designed to break the siege. For seven weeks, American aircraft dropped between 35,000 and 40,000 tons of bombs in nearly 4,000 airstrikes. On 27 October, a PAVN regiment attacked an Army of

1674-456: The base. U.S forces lost 1 KC-130, 3 C-123 and 35 helicopters, while 23 aircraft and 123 helicopters were damaged. Throughout the campaign, US forces used the latest technology to locate PAVN forces for targeting. Additionally, the logistical effort required to support the base once it was isolated demanded the implementation of other tactical innovations to keep the Marines supplied. In March 1968, an overland relief expedition (Operation Pegasus)

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1728-622: The biggest problems which they are focusing on is the explosive remnants of war (ERW). Below is the list of NGOs who are very active in helping Quảng Trị province deal with this problem: The National Route 1 runs north–south of this province. Vietnam–Laos road also runs west–east of this province and has a junction with national road 1A. Hanoi–Saigon Railway goes through Quảng Trị. Quảng Trị Airport will be built 7 km north of Đông Hà . The province's name derives from Sino-Vietnamese 廣 治 . Battle of Khe Sanh Both sides claim victory: ~45,000 in total ~6,000 Marines at

1782-487: The border in Laos, the PAVN established artillery, rocket, and mortar positions from which to launch attacks by fire on the base and to support its ground operations. The PAVN 130 mm and 152 mm artillery pieces, and 122 mm rockets, had a longer range than the Marine artillery support which consisted of 105 mm and 155 mm howitzers. This range overmatch was used by the PAVN to avoid counter-battery fire . They were assisted in their emplacement efforts by

1836-420: The buildup of Viet Cong (VC) forces in the south before the early 1968 Tet Offensive . Nevertheless, the US commander during the battle, General William Westmoreland , maintained that the true intention of Tet was to distract forces from Khe Sanh. The village of Khe Sanh was the seat of government of Hương Hoa district, an area of Bru Montagnard villages and coffee plantations about 7 miles (11 km) from

1890-482: The coast, along Route 9, to Khe Sanh. In 1966, the regular Special Forces troops had moved off the plateau and built a smaller camp down Route 9 at Lang Vei , about half the distance to the Laotian border. During the second half of 1967, the North Vietnamese instigated a series of actions in the border regions of South Vietnam. All of the attacks were conducted by regimental-size PAVN/VC units, but unlike most of

1944-405: The continuing bad weather of the winter monsoon. During the rainy night of 2 January 1968, six men dressed in black uniforms were seen outside the defensive wire of the main base by members of a listening post. After failing to respond to a challenge, they were fired upon and five were killed outright while the sixth, although wounded, escaped. This event prompted Cushman to reinforce Lownds with

1998-433: The defense of Khe Sanh or to abandon the base. Westmoreland regarded the choice as quite simple. In his memoirs, he listed the reasons for a continued effort: Khe Sanh could serve as a patrol base for blocking enemy infiltration from Laos along Route 9; as a base for SOG operations to harass the enemy in Laos; as an airstrip for reconnaissance planes surveying the Ho Chi Minh Trail; as the western anchor for defenses south of

2052-523: The defense of the isolated outpost was ludicrous: "When you're at Khe Sanh, you're not really anywhere. You could lose it and you really haven't lost a damn thing." As far as Westmoreland was concerned, however, all that he needed to know was that the PAVN had massed large numbers of troops for a set-piece battle. Making the prospect even more enticing was that the base was in an unpopulated area in which American firepower could be fully employed without civilian casualties. The opportunity to engage and destroy

2106-550: The demilitarized zone. In 1966, North Vietnamese forces (PAVN) also began occupying the northern region and pushing deeper into the province. The provincial capital, Quảng Trị City, was overrun and occupied briefly by Communist troops in April 1967, and was a principal battleground during the 1968 Tet Offensive when it was again overrun by North Vietnamese troops and held for a short period before being recaptured by South Vietnamese government and U.S. forces. The Battle of Khe Sanh (1968)

2160-528: The division of Vietnam in 1954 into North and South according to Geneva accords , Quảng Trị became the northernmost province of the State of Vietnam and the Republic of Vietnam , successor of the former. The Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone lay in the province. Beginning 1964, the province gradually became a center for American bases, particularly after October 1966, when the 3rd Marine Division moved to bases just south of

2214-458: The end of May, Marine forces were again drawn down from two battalions to one, the 1st Battalion, 26th Marines . Lieutenant General Robert E. Cushman Jr. relieved Walt as commander of III MAF in June. On 14 August, Colonel David E. Lownds took over as commander of the 26th Marine Regiment . Sporadic actions were taken in the vicinity during the late summer and early fall, the most serious of which

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2268-928: The final evacuation: At least 11 marines killed, wounded unknown During aerial resupply: 1 KC-130 , 3 C-123 [REDACTED] ARVN losses: 229 killed, 436 wounded (not including CIDG, RF/PF and SOG losses) CIDG losses: 1,000 – 1,500 killed or missing, at least 250 captured (in Lang Vei), wounded unknown [REDACTED] Kingdom of Laos: Unknown. Total (21 January – 9 July): Unknown (1,602 bodies were counted, US official public estimated 10,000–15,000 KIA, but MACV 's secret report estimated 5,550 killed as of 31 March 1968) American intervention 1965 1966 1967 Tet Offensive and aftermath Vietnamization 1969–1971 1972 Post- Paris Peace Accords (1973–1974) Spring 1975 Air operations Naval operations Lists of allied operations The Battle of Khe Sanh (21 January – 9 July 1968)

2322-523: The only civilian staffed demining and UXO clearance operations in Vietnam. Slowly rebuilding in the areas cleared of mines is Roots of Peace working with MAG on a demine-replant model, clearing areas and working with local farmers to plant high-value crops. Quảng Trị is subdivided into 10 district-level sub-divisions: They are further subdivided into 11 commune-level towns (or townlets), 117 communes, and 13 wards. Currently, there are many non-governmental organizations (NGOs) working in Quảng Trị. One of

2376-413: The operation: the 325th was given responsibility for the area around the north, while the 304th was given responsibility for the southern sector. In attempting to determine PAVN intentions Marine intelligence confirmed that, within a period of just over a week, the 325th Division had moved into the vicinity of the base and two more divisions were within supporting distance. The 324th Division was located in

2430-400: The peaks are from 4,000 feet (1,200 m) to 7,000 feet (2,100 m) feet high, but some rise above 8,000 feet (2,400 m). The narrow coastal plains flanking the highlands on the east have rocky headlands and consist of belts of sand dunes and, in areas where the soil is suitable, paddy field. From the crests that mark the drainage divide in the highlands, streams flow either east towards

2484-413: The perimeter of the defenses and were only driven back after severe close-quarters combat. The main base was then subjected to an intense mortar and rocket barrage. Hundreds of mortar rounds and 122-mm rockets slammed into the base, leveling most of the above-ground structures. One of the first enemy shells set off an explosion in the main ammunition dump. Many of the artillery and mortar rounds stored in

2538-414: The previous usual hit-and-run tactics, they were sustained and bloody affairs. In early October, the PAVN had intensified battalion-sized ground probes and sustained artillery fire against Con Thien , a hilltop stronghold in the center of the Marines' defensive line south of the DMZ, in northern Quảng Trị Province. Mortar rounds, artillery shells, and 122 mm rockets fell randomly but incessantly upon

2592-569: The rest of the 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines . This marked the first time that all three battalions of the 26th Marine Regiment had operated together in combat since the Battle of Iwo Jima during the Second World War. To cover a defilade near the Rao Quan River , four companies from 2/26 were immediately sent out to occupy Hill 558, with another manning Hill 861A. On 20 January, La Thanh Ton,

2646-684: Was a part of the North's steady efforts to occupy the whole of the province. After Khe Sanh was evacuated in July 1968, the North Vietnamese continued their efforts to take the entire province. The most notable achievement of the North Vietnamese offensive in 1972 was capturing Quảng Trị ( First Battle of Quảng Trị ), although they lost much of the territory gained during the South Vietnamese counter-offensive from June through September 1972 ( Second Battle of Quảng Trị ). In 1975, communist North Vietnamese army took over

2700-516: Was completed. The plateau camp was permanently manned by the US Marines in 1967, when they established an outpost next to the airstrip. This base was to serve as the western anchor of Marine Corps forces, which had tactical responsibility for the five northernmost provinces of South Vietnam known as I Corps . The Marines' defensive system stretched below the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) from

2754-739: Was conducted in the Khe Sanh area of northwestern Quảng Trị Province , Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam), during the Vietnam War . The main US forces defending Khe Sanh Combat Base (KSCB) were two regiments of the United States Marine Corps supported by elements from the United States Army and the United States Air Force (USAF), as well as a small number of Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) troops. These were pitted against two to three divisional-size elements of

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2808-400: Was first established near the village and later moved to the French fort. From there, reconnaissance teams were launched into Laos to explore and gather intelligence on the PAVN logistical system known as the Ho Chi Minh Trail, also known as "Truong Son Strategic Supply Route" to the North Vietnamese soldiers. Marino stated that "by 1966, Westmoreland had begun to consider Khe Sanh as part of

2862-530: Was launched by a combined Marine–Army/ARVN task force that eventually broke through to the Marines at Khe Sanh. American commanders considered the defense of Khe Sanh a success, but shortly after the siege was lifted, the decision was made to dismantle the base rather than risk similar battles in the future. On 19 June 1968, the evacuation and destruction of KSCB began. Amid heavy shelling, the Marines attempted to salvage what they could before destroying what remained as they were evacuated. Minor attacks continued before

2916-414: Was the ambush of a supply convoy on Route 9. That proved to be the last overland attempt at resupply for Khe Sanh until the following March. In December and early January, numerous sightings of PAVN troops and activities were made in the Khe Sanh area, but the sector remained relatively quiet. A decision then had to be made by the American high command to commit more of the limited manpower in I Corps to

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