Historian Ronald Spector, in the book After Tet: The Bloodiest Year in Vietnam, noted that American casualties in the 10 weeks after the start of Operation Pegasus were more than twice those officially reported during the siege. [122] The majority of these were around the southern and southeastern corners of the perimeter, and formed part of a system that would be developed throughout the end of February and into March until they were ready to be used to launch an attack, providing cover for troops to advance to jumping-off points close to the perimeter. In 1964 an Ohio woman took up the challenge that had led to Amelia Earharts disappearance. Ten more Marines and 89 NVA died during this period. [38], 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. 50 Years Ago, US Troops Fought the Battle of Khe Sanh - Business Insider However, even if Westmoreland believed his statement, his argument never moved on to the next logical level. The ground troops had been specially equipped for the attack with satchel charges, tear gas, and flame throwers. Scotland was a 26th Marine Regiment operation, so only the deaths of Marines assigned to the regiment, and attached supporting units, were counted. [128] They also reported 1,436 wounded before mid-March, of which 484 men returned to their units, while 396 were sent up the Ho Chi Minh Trail to hospitals in the north. On April 20, Operation Prairie IV began, with heavy fighting between the Marines and NVA forces. "[73], Nevertheless, ultimately the nuclear option was discounted by military planners. None of the deaths associated with Scotland II are included in the official count. [119] By 11:00, the battle was over, Company A had lost 24 dead and 27 wounded, while 150 PAVN bodies were found around the position, which was then abandoned. 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 the DMZ; and as an eventual jump-off point for ground operations to cut the Ho Chi Minh Trail. Where were the major battles of the Vietnam War? [25], 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. Of the 4953 Navy and Air Force casualties, both officer and enlisted, 4, 736 or 96% were white. As journalist Robert Pisor pointed out in his 1982 book, The End of the Line: The Siege of Khe Sanh, no other battle of the entire war produced a better body count or kill ratio than that claimed by the Americans at Khe Sanh. [55] They were supported logistically from the nearby Ho Chi Minh Trail. The PAVN forces were in the process of gaining elevated terrain before it launched the main attack. Of the 500 CIDG troops at Lang Vei, 200 had been killed or were missing and 75 more were wounded. In the course of the fighting, Allied forces fired 151,000 artillery rounds, flew 2,096 tactical air sorties, and conducted 257 B-52 Stratofortress strikes. Ten American soldiers were killed; the rest managed to escape down Route 9 to Khe Sanh. Both sides have published official histories of the battle, and while these histories agree the fighting took place at Khe Sanh, they disagree on virtually every other aspect of it. 239240. Only those killed in action during Operation Scotland, which began on November 1, 1967, and ended on March 31, 1968, were included in the official casualty count. Not including ARVN Ranger, RF/PF, Forward Operation Base 3 U.S. Army, Royal Laotian Army and SOG commandos losses. McNamara's thinking may have also been affected by his aide David Morrisroe, whose brother Michael Morrisroe was serving at the base. Free shipping for many products! The official assessment of the North Vietnamese Army dead is just over 1,600 killed, with two . [9], The precise nature of Hanoi's strategic goal at Khe Sanh is regarded as one of the most intriguing unanswered questions of the Vietnam War. The monumental Battle of Khe Sanh had begun, but the January 21 starting date is essentially arbitrary in terms of casualty reporting. "[91][92], Not much activity (with the exception of patrolling) had occurred thus far during the battle for the Special Forces Detachment A-101 and their four companies of Bru CIDGs stationed at Lang Vei. Amid heavy shelling, the Marines attempted to salvage what they could before destroying what remained as they were evacuated. Then, on the morning of 6 February, the PAVN fired mortars into the Lang Vei compound, wounding eight Camp Strike Force soldiers. [161], Whether the PAVN actually planned to capture Khe Sanh or the battle was an attempt to replicate the Vit Minh triumph against the French at the Battle of Dien Bien Phu has long been a point of contention. [115] This equates to roughly 1,300 tons of bombs dropped daily 5 tons for every one of the 20,000 PAVN soldiers initially estimated to have been committed to the fighting at Khe Sanh. Two further attacks later in the morning were halted before the PAVN finally withdrew. The figures of 5,500 NVA dead and 1,000 U.S. dead yield a ratio of 5.5:1. [134], Westmoreland's planned relief effort infuriated the Marines, who had not wanted to hold Khe Sanh in the first place and who had been roundly criticized for not defending it well. [85] Westmoreland had given his deputy commander for air operations, Air Force General William W. Momyer, the responsibility for coordinating all air assets during the operation to support KSCB. [93], The situation changed radically during the early morning hours of 7 February. Key Battles | Vietnam War - Pritzker Military Museum & Library [33] Troops of the US 1st Infantry Division were able to respond quickly. [80] Westmoreland insisted for several months that the entire Tet Offensive was a diversion, including, famously, attacks on downtown Saigon and obsessively affirming that the true objective of the North Vietnamese was Khe Sanh. On January 31, while approximately 50,000 U.S. and South Vietnamese troops were occupied in defending or supporting Khe Sanh and other DMZ bases, the communists launched an offensive throughout South Vietnam. newsletter for the best of the past, delivered every Monday and Thursday. "[28], 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. 5 Major Battles of the Vietnam War | History Hit [30], 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 Qung Tr Province. Two Marines died. Telfer, Rogers, and Fleming, pp. The Operation Scotland tactical area of responsibility (TAOR) was limited to the area around Khe Sanh along Route 9 in western Quang Tri province. [61] 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. [120], On 23 February, KSCB received its worst bombardment of the entire battle. But Pisor also pointed out that 205 is a completely false number. One had to meet certain criteria before being officially considered KIA at Khe Sanh. [64], The main base was then subjected to an intense mortar and rocket barrage. "[97], Ladd and the commander of the SOG compound (whose men and camp had been incorporated into the defenses of KSCB) proposed that, if the Marines would provide the helicopters, the SOG reconnaissance men would go in themselves to pick up any survivors. Westmoreland was replaced two months after the end of the battle, and his successor explained the retreat in different ways. It was a two-part battle which took place from November 14 to 18, 1965 at the la Drang Valley, South Vietnam. Senior Marine Corps General Victor Krulak agreed, noting on May 13 that the Marines had defeated the North Vietnamese and won the battle of Khe Sanh. Over time, these KIA figures have been accepted by historians. The new anchor base was established at Ca Lu, a few miles down Route 9 to the east. Rod Andrew, Jr., a history professor at Clemson University and colonel in the Marine Corps Reserve, has written an easily read and thoroughly . . [22] The camp then became a Special Forces outpost of the Civilian Irregular Defense Groups, which were to keep watch on PAVN infiltration along the border and to protect the local population. From the Hu site the communication signal was sent to Danang headquarters where it could be sent anywhere in the world. [44], On 14 August, Colonel David E. Lownds took over as commander of the 26th Marine Regiment. [42], In the wake of the hill fights, a lull in PAVN activity occurred around Khe Sanh. [151] From 12 June to 6 July 1969, Task Force Guadalcanal comprising 1/9 Marines, 1st Battalion, 5th Infantry Regiment and 2nd and 3rd Battalions, 2nd ARVN Regiment occupied the Khe Sanh area in Operation Utah Mesa. A limited attack was made by a PAVN company on 1 July, falling on a company from the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, who were holding a position 3km to the southeast of the base. A decision then had to be made by the American high command to commit more of the limited manpower in I Corps to the defense of Khe Sanh or to abandon the base. [148], Regardless, the PAVN had gained control of a strategically important area, and its lines of communication extended further into South Vietnam. Following a rolling barrage fired by nine artillery batteries, the Marine attack advanced through two PAVN trenchlines, but the Marines failed to locate the remains of the men of the ambushed patrol. 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. Battle of Khe Sanh (21 January - 9 April 1968) Max Hastings wrote a bestseller on Vietnam, and Dan met him to discuss Domino theory, whether it was possible for the US to win the war and the effect the war had on those who fought in it. The legendary siege at Khe Sanh occurred in 1968, but during the spring of 1967, the United States Marines fought in northwestern Quang Tri Province in what became the first stage of the Khe Sanh battles. During the course of the siege, the U.S. Air Force dropped five tons of bombs for each of the estimated 20,000 attacking NVA troops. [34] The heaviest action took place near Dak To, in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum. Johnson backed the Marine position due to his concern over protecting the Army's air assets from Air Force co-option. These combined sources report a total of 354 KIA. When an enemy rocket-propelled grenade killed 2nd Lt. Randall Yeary and Corporal Richard John, although these Marines died before the beginning of the siege, their deaths were included in the official statistics. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. [24], The plateau camp was permanently manned by the US Marines in 1967, when they established an outpost next to the airstrip. What is the 25th Infantry known for? Only nine US battalions were available from Hue/Phu Bai northward. The assault began on 10 May 1969 w ith the 101st Airborne Division and troops of the 9th M arine Regiment, the 5 th Cavalry Regiment, and the 3 rd ARVN Regiment. The Marines at KSCB credited 40% of intelligence available to their fire-support coordination center to the sensors. [111] The base could also depend on fire support from US Army 175-mm guns located at Camp Carroll, east of Khe Sanh. Many of the artillery and mortar rounds stored in the dump were thrown into the air and detonated on impact within the base. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group, microwave/tropospheric scatter technology, "The Battle of Khe Sanh 40th Anniversary: Casualties in May 1968", "The Battle of Khe Sanh 40th Anniversary: Casualties in June 1968", https://web.archive.org/web/20080215233328/http://www.historynet.com/wars_conflicts/vietnam_war/3029941.html?featured=y&c=y, https://www.historynet.com/recounting-the-casualties-at-the-deadly-battle-of-khe-sanh/, https://www.historynet.com/the-withdrawal-from-khe-sanh/?f, "Khe Sanh: 6,000 Marines Dug In for Battle", "The US's secret plan to nuke Vietnam, Laos", "Memorandum for the President, 19 February 1968", "Battlefields of Khe Sanh: Still One Casualty a Day", "The US Army Quartermaster Air Delivery Units and the Defense of Khe Sanh", "5 things you didn't know about Khe Sanh", "Operational Report Lessons Learned, Headquarters, 8th Battalion 4th Artillery, Period Ending 30 April 1971", "Narrative of Events of Company B, 2nd Battalion, 506th Infantry, 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile) During LAM SON 719", United States Army Center of Military History, Bibliography: The Tet Offensive and the Battle of Khe Sanh, https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Battle_of_Khe_Sanh&oldid=1142289112. [112][113][114] In addition, over 100,000 tons of bombs were dropped until mid-April by aircraft of the USAF, US Navy and Marines onto the area surrounding Khe Sanh. [12], General Creighton Abrams also suggested that the North Vietnamese may have been planning to emulate Dien Bien Phu. Operational control of the Khe Sanh area was handed over to the US Army's 1st Air Cavalry Division for the duration of Operation Pegasus. Battle of Khe Sanh : American Casualties We have 535 casualty profiles listed in our archive. Seven miles west of Khe Sanh on Route 9, and about halfway to the Laotian border, sat the U.S. Army Special Forces camp at Lang Vei. Lima Company finally seized the hill after overcoming determined NVA resistance. Throughout the campaign, US forces used the latest technology to locate PAVN forces for targeting. And it had accomplished its purpose magnificently. Five more attacks against their sector were launched during March. The NVA surrounded Khe Sanh in an attempt to force the Marines to break out of their fighting positions, which would make it easier to engage and destroy them. Battle of Khe Sanh "What had been a combat base looked like rubble." A US Marine carries an American flag on his rifle during a recovery operation 6 miles south of Khe Sanh, Vietnam, June 17 . January 30 marked the first day of the Vietnamese lunar new year celebration, called Tet. [80] Westmoreland had already ordered the nascent Igloo White operation to assist in the Marine defense. After failing to respond to a challenge, they were fired upon and five were killed outright while the sixth, although wounded, escaped. The Battle of Khe Sanh in the Vietnam War - ThoughtCo U.S. reconnaissance forces continued to monitor the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The official, public estimate of 10,000 to 15,000 North Vietnamese KIA stands in contrast to another estimate made by the American military. By the middle of January 1968, some 6,000 Marines and Army troops occupied the Khe Sanh Combat Base and its surrounding positions. The microwave/tropo site was located in an underground bunker next to the airstrip. [34] US intelligence estimated between 1,200 and 1,600 PAVN troops were killed, and 362 members of 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. Battlefield:Vietnam | Timeline - PBS What did the 25th Infantry do in Vietnam? - 2023 Battle of Khe Sanh The attack finally came on January 21, 1968, when PAVN forces began a massive artillery bombardment of Khe Sanh, hitting the base's main store of ammunition and destroying. . At around 10:00, the fire ignited a large quantity of explosives, rocking the base with another series of detonations. The advance would be supported by 102 pieces of artillery. The PAVN would try to take Khe Sanh, but if could not, it would occupy the attention of as many American and South Vietnamese forces in I Corps as it could, which would facilitate the Tet Offensive. Had the plane been shot down departing Khe Sanh, the casualties would have been counted. Dien Bien Phu would loom large for the rest of the war, especially during the Battle of Khe Sanh. "[136], Regardless, on 1 April, Operation Pegasus began. [133] The Marines would be accompanied by their 11th Engineer Battalion, which would repair the road as the advance moved forward. Name State Date War Branch; 1: Steven Glenn Abbott . While I was in training, my motivation was to get these wings and I wear them today proudly, the airman recalled in 2015. It was not sufficient to simply be an American military person killed in the fighting there during the winter and spring of 1967-68. The distinctions between Operations Scotland, Pegasus and Scotland II, while important from the command perspective, were not necessarily apparent to individual Marines. Because of washed-out bridges and heavy enemy activity, however, the only way for Americans to get to Khe Sanh was by helicopter or airplane. [69] The Marine Direct Air Support Center (DASC), located at KSCB, was responsible for the coordination of air strikes with artillery fire. [132], On 2 March, Tolson laid out what became known as Operation Pegasus, the operational plan for what was to become the largest operation launched by III MAF thus far in the conflict. At least 852 PAVN soldiers were killed during the action, as opposed to 50 American and South Vietnamese. Strategically, however, the withdrawal meant little. He subsequently ordered the US military to hold Khe Sanh at all costs. The attack on Khe Sanh, however, proved to be a diversionary tactic for the larger Tet Offensive. This range overmatch was used by the PAVN to avoid counter-battery fire. Air Power in the Siege of Khe Sanh - HistoryNet [54] 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. 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. A smaller slice of the action saw Americans on the receiving end, defending some firebase or outpost. 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. Battlefield:Vietnam | History The deaths of U.S. Air Force personnel, estimated between five and 20, are also omitted. Battle of Khe Sanh: Greatest U.S. Victory in Vietnam - HistoryNet [123][124], Nevertheless, the same day that the trenches were detected, 25 February, 3rd Platoon from Bravo Company 1st Battalion, 26th Marines was ambushed on a short patrol outside the base's perimeter to test the PAVN strength. A victory for the Americans and South Vietnamese, the Battle of Dak To cost 376 US killed, 1,441 US wounded, and 79 ARVN killed. The opportunity to engage and destroy a formerly elusive enemy that was moving toward a fixed position promised a victory of unprecedented proportions. If firepower determined the outcome of the fight, it was airlift that allowed the defenders to hold their positions. The PAVN infantry, though bracketed by artillery fire, still managed to penetrate the perimeter of the defenses and were only driven back after severe close-quarters combat. That action prematurely triggered a PAVN offensive aimed at taking Khe Sanh. Five Marines were killed on January 19 and 20, while on reconnaissance patrols. Nevertheless, the US commander during the battle, General William Westmoreland, maintained that the true intention of Tet was to distract forces from Khe Sanh. Consequently, and unknown at the time, Operation Scotland became the starting point of the Battle of Khe Sanh in terms of Marine casualty reporting. The Siege of Khe Sanh. In the coming days, a campaign headquarters was established around Sap Lit. They asked what had changed in six months so that American commanders were willing to abandon Khe Sanh in July. As the relief force made progress, the Marines at Khe Sanh moved out from their positions and began patrolling at greater distances from the base. Among the dead Marines was 18-year-old Pfc Curtis Bugger. Subscribe to our HistoryNet Now! [105] At 07:40, a relief force from Company A, 2nd Platoon set out from the main base and attacked through the PAVN, pushing them into supporting tank and artillery fire. On July 10, Pfc Robert Hernandez of Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, was manning an M-60 machine gun position when it took a direct hit from NVA mortars. At 0330 hours, soldiers of the NVA 6th Battalion, 2nd Regiment, 325C Division, attacked the Marines on Hill 861. The Marines, fearing an ambush, did not attempt a relief, and after heavy fighting the camp was overrun. The Marines at Khe Sanh Combat Base broke out of their perimeter and began attacking the North Vietnamese in the surrounding area. [58] The USAF delivered 14,356 tons of supplies to Khe Sanh by air (8,120 tons by paradrop). "[106] At the end of January, Tompkins had ordered that no Marine patrols proceed more than 500 meters from the Combat Base. [65] The fighting and shelling on 21 January resulted in 14 Marines killed and 43 wounded. [67], At the same time as the artillery bombardment at KSCB, an attack was launched against Khe Sanh village, seat of Hng Ha District. No logic was apparent to them behind the sustained PAVN/VC offensives other than to inflict casualties on the allied forces. Due to severe losses, however, the NVA abandoned its plan for a massive ground attack. Taking a larger but more realistic view, the Khe Sanh campaign resulted in a death toll of American military personnel that approached 1,000. [146] Useful equipment was withdrawn or destroyed, and personnel were evacuated. He believed that was proved by the PAVN's actions during Tet. The fire of PAVN antiaircraft units took its toll of helicopters that made the attempt. [157], Commencing in 1966, the US had attempted to establish a barrier system across the DMZ to prevent infiltration by North Vietnamese troops. If a battle tallied a sufficiently favorable body count ratio, American commanders declared victory, as they did after Khe Sanh. The Soviet-built PT-76 amphibious tanks of the 203rd Armored Regiment churned over the defenses, backed up by an infantry assault by the 7th Battalion, 66th Regiment and the 4th Battalion of the 24th Regiment, both elements of the 304th Division. That proved to be the last overland attempt at resupply for Khe Sanh until the following March. Siege at Khe Sanh: ~17,200 (304th and 308th Division), Defense at Route 9: ~16,900 (320th and 324th Division), This page was last edited on 1 March 2023, at 15:52. The Marines knew that their withdrawal from Khe Sanh would present a propaganda victory for Hanoi. The base was officially closed on July 5. As a result, 65% of all supplies were delivered by paradrops delivered by C-130 aircraft, mostly by the USAF, whose crews had significantly more experience in airdrop tactics than Marine air crews. [21][68], To eliminate any threat to their flank, the PAVN attacked Laotian Battalion BV-33, located at Ban Houei Sane, on Route 9 in Laos. They too were left out of the official Khe Sanh casualty count. The Pegasus force consisted of the Army 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile) plus the 1st Marine Regiment. Construction on the line was ultimately abandoned and resources were later diverted towards implementing a more mobile strategy. [93] At 18:10 hours, the PAVN followed up their morning mortar attack with an artillery strike from 152mm howitzers, firing 60 rounds into the camp. Battle of Khe Sanh: American Casualties : Showing All Results. This is also the position taken in the official PAVN history but offers no further explanation of the strategy. Murphy 2003, pp. Thirty-three ARVN troops were also killed and 187 were wounded. A closer look at the Khe Sanh body count, however, reveals anything but a straightforward matter of numbers. The Battle of Ban Houei Sane, not the attack three weeks later at Lang Vei, marked the first time that the PAVN had committed an armored unit to battle. [70] The Marines and ARVN dug in and hoped that the approaching Tt truce (scheduled for 2931 January) would provide some respite. All of the attacks were conducted by regimental-size PAVN/VC units, but unlike most of the previous usual hit-and-run tactics, they were sustained and bloody affairs. The badly-deteriorated Route 9 ran from the coastal region through the western highlands and crossed the border into Laos. The NVAs main command post was located in Laos, at Sar Lit. [135] The Marines had constantly argued that technically, Khe Sanh had never been under siege, since it had never truly been isolated from resupply or reinforcement. The 1968 Battle of Khe Sanh was the longest, deadliest and most controversial of the Vietnam War, pitting the U.S. Marines and their allies against the North Vietnamese Army. [99] The relief effort was not launched until 15:00, and it was successful. On the morning of 22 January Lownds decided to evacuate the remaining forces in the village with most of the Americans evacuated by helicopter while two advisers led the surviving local forces overland to the combat base. The PAVN claim that during the entire battle they "eliminated" 17,000 enemy troops, including 13,000 Americans and destroyed 480 aircraft. Let me caution everyone not to be confused. [116] Marine analysis of PAVN artillery fire estimated that the PAVN gunners had fired 10,908 artillery and mortar rounds and rockets into Marine positions during the battle. Tolson was not happy with the assignment, since he believed that the best course of action, after Tet, was to use his division in an attack into the A Shau Valley. 528 of them include images. [156] Correspondent Michael Herr reported on the battle, and his account would inspire the surreal "Do Long Bridge" scene in the film Apocalypse Now, which emphasized the anarchy of the war. [21], The fighting at Khe Sanh was so volatile that the Joint Chiefs and MACV commanders were uncertain that the base could be held by the Marines. For some unknown reason, the PAVN troops did not press their advantage and eliminate the pocket, instead throwing a steady stream of grenades at the Marines. There are still debates about the true number of casualties, but estimates range that 1,000 to 3,500 US soldiers died, and a secret report from the US Military Assistance Command, Vietnam,. The enemy by my count suffered at least 15,000 dead in the area.. [63] Hills 881 South, 861, and the main base itself would be simultaneously attacked that same evening. [172], On 30 January 1971, the ARVN and US forces launched Operation Dewey Canyon II, which involved the reopening of Route 9, securing the Khe Sanh area and reoccupying of KSCB as a forward supply base for Operation Lam Son 719. Khe Sanh was situated on Route 9, the major east-west highway. The attacks hindered the advancement of the McNamara Line, and as the fighting around Khe Sanh intensified, vital equipment including sensors and other hardware had to be diverted from elsewhere to meet the needs of the US garrison at Khe Sanh. The site linked to another microwave/tropo site in Hu manned by the 513th Signal Detachment. Over 100,000 tons of bombs were dropped by US aircraft and over 158,000 artillery rounds were fired in defense of the base. 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. The NVA continued shelling the base, and on July 1 launched a company-sized infantry attack against its perimeter. They were not included in the official Khe Sanh counts. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. Battle of Khe Sanh : American Casualties - Honor States Vietnam 40 years later: 101st Airborne Division veteran recalls Ripcord [43] Lieutenant General Robert E. Cushman Jr. relieved Walt as commander of III MAF in June. This article was written by Peter Brush and originally published in the June 2007 issue of Vietnam Magazine. At least 852 PAVN soldiers were killed during the action, as opposed to 50 American and South Vietnamese. The NVA 304th Divisions history notes that on 9 July 1968, the liberation flag was waving from the flag pole at Ta Con [Khe Sanh] airfield. On July 13, 1968, Ho Chi Minh sent a message to the soldiers of the Route 9Khe Sanh Front affirming our victory at Khe Sanh.. [59], Making matters worse for the defenders, any aircraft that braved the weather and attempted to land was subject to PAVN antiaircraft fire on its way in for a landing.