- Title: SOUTH VIETNAM: U.S. AND SOUTH VIETNAMESE FORCES ATTACK VIET CONG HIDEOUT.
- Date: 18th July 1969
- Summary: AERIAL VIEW OF VIET CONG HIDEOUT ALONG DELTA; BOMBED BY PHANTOMS; SOLDIER IN HELICOPTER POINTS TO AREA; PATROL BOATS IN AREA; TROOPS THROUGH PADDY-FIELD; DEAD VIET CONG; SOUTH VIETNAMESE OFFICER AND U.S. ADVISERS. Initials MJS/VS/DW/ES Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
- Embargoed: 2nd August 1969 13:00
- Keywords:
- Location: LONG AN, MEKONG DELTA SOUTH VIETNAM
- Country: Vietnam
- Reuters ID: LVA5JDXK1WNSAVYUXD6204GPBMW
- Story Text: SOUTH VIETNAMESE AND UNITED STATES FORCES CARRIED THROUGH A FIERCE THREE-PRONGED ATTACK ON LONG AN, IN THE MEKONG DELTA EARLY THIS WEEK.
ENEMY TROOPS, SAID TO BE MEMBERS OF THE 308TH VIET CONG DIVISION, HAD TAKEN REFUGE IN THE AREA. HIDDEN IN THE DENSE UNDERGROWTH OF THE DELTA, IT NEEDED BOMBING RUNS BY U.S.A. PHANTOM JET AIRCRAFT TO FLUSH THEM OUT INTO THE OPEN. THE JETS WERE SUPPORTED IN THEIR AIR-STRIKES BY ROCKET ATTACKS FROM LOW-FLYING HELICOPTERS.
AS THE VIET CONG TROOPS LEFT THEIR HIDING PLACES, THE GROUND FORCES MOVED IN TO COMPLETE THE OPERATION. INFANTRY PLODDED THROUGH PADDY-FIELDS, PASSING THE BODIES OF ENEMY TROOPS KILLED IN THE BOMBARDMENT. THEY WERE SUPPORTED BY FAST PATROL BOATS WHICH SPED ALONG THE TWISTING WATERWAYS OF THE DELTA, READY TO CUT OFF ANY RETREATING VIET CONG WHO TRIED TO BREAK THROUGH THE CLOSING NET.
BUT WHEN THE GROUND TROOPS REACHED THE HIDING PLACE, THEY FOUND ONLY BODIES AND DISCARDED WEAPONS.
THE OPERATION, DIRECTED JOINTLY BY COLONEL TRAN VAN TU, SOUTH VIETNAMESE MILITARY COMMANDER OF THE LONG AN REGION, AND AMERICAN MILITARY ADVISERS, COST THEIR COMBINED FORCES ONLY LIGHT CASUALTIES. OF THE 88 VIET CONG ACCOUNTED FOR, ONLY EIGHT WERE TAKEN ALIVE.
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