Page 3 - Cờ Bay Trên Cổ Thành Quảng Trị
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CommunIsts.RVNAF units were divIded Into
With total disregard for the Gene- 2columnsot MyChanhandcounterattacked
va Accords of 1954, the North Vietnamese along Route I towards Quang Tri, while
Communists launched a large scale at- the Marines moved Into the eastern and
tack against the Republic of VIetnam on northern sectors of this city, During their
29 March 1972_ advance many fierce fights broke Out.-
, The heaviest enemy pressure was on With the determination to win, our forces
t Trl-Thien, where 6 well equipped infantry successfully drove the communists out of
I
divisions, supported by artillery and anti- every hamlet thus liberating the local
aircraft units, crossed the Sen Hoi River inhabitans.
and invaded' the southern part of the DMZ During July of 1972 our airbornes
During the first few days of the figh- units continued their advance to Quang
' . tlng 13 tactical outposts near the DMZ Tri. In the meantime the Marines con-
t .. came under heavy attack and were eva- trolled the eastern and Northeastern
I cuated. As the attack continued, RVNAF parts of the city. As a result of this the
' troops were forced to fall back and on enemy was unable to supply their units
I I May 1972 Quang Tri City fell to the in the city_ During this period the Marines
! North Vietnamese. With Quang Tri in were given the task to support the para-
Communist hands, Hue City was also troopers in the re-occupation of Quang
endangered. Tri and the Citadel.
In an attempt to stop the CO'" 0' "'i~t Phose I of the re-occupation of
drive to the South, the South Vietnamese Quang Tri ended when some communist
Morine Division was ordered to establish units tried to pierce the My Chanh line
a defensive line at My Chanh. This crack in order to relieve the pressure on some
i' General Reserve unit was successful in of their elements that were. surrounded
i halting the enemy advance, and began by our crack troops. On 27 July 1972, our
i launching counterattack against Hoi long airborne forces were ordered to move
and North East of Quang Tri_ The 5/72 back to the My Chanh line, as the Marines
Song Than operation was launched by were assigned the mission of re-occupying
the marines on 13 May 1972. They con- the city and the old citadel.
centrated their forces to block any attock This moy be the decisive battle of
on Hue and liberated thousands of the Vietnam War as the Battle of Dien
inhabitants In the areas North of Hue. Bien Phu was in 1954. This time we are
The 6/72 landing operation begun on the very ones to win the victory.
24 May 1972 in coordination with the Brigadier General Bui The Lon, the
US 7th Fleet contributed to eliminate . Marine Commander personally conduc-
the enemy and fOil their plans. ted the results of this historic operation
On 19 June 1972, the President of which makes his nome famous.
the Republic of Vietnam, President Filled with heroic fighting spirit and
Nguyen Van Thieu launched a three despite hardships and dangers, in August
month campaign to reconquer territory 1972, the Marines launched a fierce
temporarily lost to the North Vietnomese allod against enemy reslstc;mce cnd
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