CENTRAL VIETNAM: AFTERMATH OF KANNACK CAMP BATTLE

Record ID: 309722

  • Title: CENTRAL VIETNAM: AFTERMATH OF KANNACK CAMP BATTLE
  • Date: 10th March 1965
  • Summary: 1. LS CHOPPER COMES TO LAND AT CAMP TO EVACUATE PEOPLE (TWO SHOTS) 10 ft 2. MS RESIDENTS OF CAMP WAITING TO BE EVACUATED 12 1/2 ft 3. CU PEOPLE 18 ft 4. CU GIRL WEEPING 21 ft 5. CU WOMAN WITH BABY AT THE BACK 22 ft 6. CU BABY 24 1/2 ft 7. MS INJURED MOTHER WITH BABY LOOKS AT TRENCH (TWO SHOTS) 29 1/2 ft 8. MS BOY HOLD
  • Embargoed: 25th March 1965 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: KANNACK CAMP, CENTRAL VIETNAM
  • Country: Vietnam
  • Reuters ID: LVA8PDMEFBG78544GL27XDW3NFJ3
  • Story Text: THE KANNACK CAMP IN CENTRAL VIETNAM, WHICH HOUSES SEVERAL PEOPLE, WAS THE BIGGEST COMMUNIST VIETCONG ATTACK YESTERDAY (TUESDAY). THE CAMP IS SITUATED IN VIETCONG - DOMINATED BINH DINH PROVINCE, WHERE GOVERNMENT AND VIETCONG FORCES HAVE BEEN FIGHTING A SERIES OF RUNNING BATTLES OVER THE PAST FEW WEEKS.

    IN ONE OF THEIR BIGGEST DEFEATS OF THE WAR, THE VIETCONG, NUMBERING ABOUT TWO BATTALIONS, ATTEMPTED TO DISLODGE GOVERNMENT MILITIA AND SPECIAL FROM THIS CAMP, 270 MILES NORTHEAST OF SAIGON.

    THE FIVE-HOUR BATTLE RESULTED IN 100 VIETCONG KILLED AS THEY MADE SUICIDAL HUMAN WAVE ASSAULTS. THE BODIES WERE LEFT HANGING FROM BARBED WIRE EMPLACEMENTS AND IN THE CAMP'S OUTER POSITIONS, WHICH THEY HAD OCCUPIED. GOVERNMENT FORCES LOST 33 KILLED AND 30 WOUNDED, INCLUDING THREE AMERICAN MILITARY ADVISERS.

    THE VIETCONG FOUGHT TO WITHIN YARDS OF THE CAMP'S INNER DEFENCES AFTER OVERRUNNING AND OCCUPYING TWO THIRDS OF IT. AT ONE POINT A SUICIDE SQUAD OF 23 MEN GOT TO WITHIN 10 YARDS OF A MACHINE GUN NEST BEFORE THEY WERE MOVE DOWN IN A HAIL OF HANDGRENADES AND SMALLARMS FIRE.

    GOVERNMENT FORCES GATHERED UP SOME 65 WEAPONS FROM AROUND THE CAMP. THEY INCLUDED ROCKET LAUNCHERS AND SOME COPIES OF GUNS THAT THE RUSSIAN ARMY USES TODAY.

    SOMETIME AFTER THE BATTLE, AMERICAN MILITARY ADVISERS AND GOVERNMENT FORCES WHO SURVIVED, WERE AWARDED GALLANTRY MEDALS BY TWO HIGH-RANKING VIETNAMESE OFFICERS.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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