SOUTH VIETNAM: SAIGON MARINES PURSUE RETREATING NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES.

Record ID: 496345

  • Title: SOUTH VIETNAM: SAIGON MARINES PURSUE RETREATING NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES.
  • Date: 5th February 1970
  • Summary: MARINES BOARDING HELICOPTERS: AERIAL VIEW U MINH: MARINES OUT OF HELICOPTER AND THROUGH ELEPHANT GRASS: MARINES ALONG AND ACROSS WATERWAY: WOMEN AND CHILDREN BY WATERWAY: MARINES SEARCH HUT; TROOPS RECEIVING HELICOPTER SUPPLIES. Initials AH/V/DW/BJ Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved
  • Embargoed: 20th February 1970 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: MEKONG DELTA, SOUTH VIETNAM
  • Country: Vietnam
  • Reuters ID: LVAEKBNQKYJ6IY8VIKXEMSLCKMER
  • Story Text: A BRIGADE OF SOUTH VIETNAMESE MARINES WILL BE SPENDING THIS WEEK'S LUNAR NEW YEAR (TET) IN ONE OF THE MOST FORBIDDING AREAS OF VIETNAM -- THE DISEASE-RIDDEN, GUERILLA-INFESTED U MINH FOREST IN THE MEKONG DELTA 140 MILES (225 KMS) SOUTH-WEST OF SAIGON.

    THIS WEEK THE MARINES PENETRATED DEEPER INTO THE FOREST THAN ANY SAIGON GOVERNMENT TROOPS SINCE THE WAR BEGAN NINE YEARS AGO. THE AREA, THOUGH FERTILE AND A RICH SOURCE OF FOOD, INCLUDES LARGE TRACTS OF JUNGLE AND SWAMP AND HAS LONG BEEN A CENTRE OF ENEMY ACTIVITY.

    LAST WEEKEND, THE MARINES MOVED IN TO PURSUE TWO NORTH VIETNAMESE BATTALIONS. THEY WERE AIRLIFTED TO THE EDGE OF THE FOREST BY HELICOPTER -- AN AREA WHICH THE AMERICANS CALL THE EVERGLADES OF VIETNAM.

    AS THE HELICOPTERS LANDED, THEY CAME UNDER FIRE FROM NORTH VIETNAMESE UNITS ALONG THE EDGE OF THE FOREST.

    THE MARINES -- MOST OF THEM YOUNGSTERS -- PLUNGED INTO THE FOREST, PUSHING FORWARD THROUGH ELEPHANT GRASS. TWO ABANDONED SAMPANS ON A MUDDY WATERWAY INDICATED A HURRIED DEPARTURE BY THE ENEMY. DURING THEIR INITIAL PUSH, MARINES QUESTIONED SEVERAL PEOPLE AND DETAINED TWO WOMEN SUSPECTS.

    THERE WAS NO IMMEDIATE CONTACT WITH NORTH VIETNAMESE FORCES. VILLAGE HUTS WERE SEARCHED, BUT YIELDED NOTHING. NEVERTHELESS, THE OPERATION -- IN WHICH THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE FORCES ARE AIDED BY AN AMERICAN ADVISER -- IS LIKELY TO CONTINUE FOR ANOTHER TWO WEEKS.

    AFTER FIVE DAYS IN THE FOREST, THE TROOPS RECEIVED THEIR FIRST SUPPLY DROP BY CHINOOK HELICOPTERS -- INCLUDING EXTRA FOOD RATIONS FOR THE TET FESTIVAL.

    BUT ALTHOUGH BOTH SIDES FIGHTING THE WAR IN VIETNAM HAVE AGREED TO LAY DOWN THEIR ARMS TOMORROW (FRIDAY), THE VIETNAMESE NEW YEAR'S DAY, THE MARINES IN U MINE FOREST WILL BE ON A FULL ALERT.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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