Battle of Bình Giã

Battle of Bình Gia Part of the Vietnam War Viet Cong propaganda depicting the Battle of Bình Gia Date December 28, 1964 – January 1, 1965 Location Bình Gia, Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam UTM Grid YS 50-78[1] Result Viet Cong victory Belligerents  South Vietnam  United States Viet Cong Commanders Franklin P. Eller Tran Dinh Xu Strength 4,300[2] Estimated at 1,800[2] Casualties and losses 201 killed (5 Americans killed) 192 wounded (8 Americans wounded) 68 missing (3 Americans missing).[2] 32 confirmed killed[2]

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The Battle of Bình Gia (Vietnamese: Trận Bình Giã), which was part of a larger communist campaign, was conducted by the Viet Cong from December 28, 1964, to January 1, 1965, during the Vietnam War in Binh Gia (Vietnamese: Bình Giã), Phuoc Tuy (Vietnamese: Phước Tuy) Province (now part of Ba Ria-Vung Tau Province), South Vietnam.

Towards the end of 1964, South Vietnam was facing political instability following the coup against President Ngo Dinh Diem. Taking advantage of the government's political and military situation, along with orders from Hanoi to initiate military offensives, the National Liberation Front (NLF) sought to commemorate the fourth anniversary of its establishment with a major victory on the battlefield.

The first operational Viet Cong units, the 217st and 272nd regiments, were given the honour of carrying out the mission. In many ways the Viet Cong had more than achieved their objective; the subsequent fighting in and around Bình Gia demonstrated that the NLF's military wing had come of age and was able to tackle the best the South Vietnamese government could send against them.

Winter-Spring Offensive

On October 11, 1964, key political and military leaders in Hanoi ordered the National Liberation Front to carry out a series of offensives during the winter and spring of 1965. To help the southern guerillas carry out their offensive, General Nguyen Chi Thanh was appointed the commander of military operations in the South, while other officers such as Major-General Le Trong Tan were responsible for military preparations which began in earnest in November.^[3]

As part of the operation the NLF Nam Bo Regional Command identified its key areas of operations: Baria-Long Khanh and Binh Long-Phuoc Long.^[4] To prepare for battle the Viet Cong 271st and 272nd Regiments were selected to be placed under the command of the Forward Command Committee, and they conducted training and began moving towards the Ba Ria-Long Khanh region^[5]. With North Vietnamese assistance, the Viet Cong built up their weaponry supplies and was ordered to destroy any ARVN units along Route 2 and 15.

Background

At the beginning of November 1964 the 271st and 272nd Regiments moved out of War Zone D with the 80th Artillery Detachment in support. By the end of the month those units had reached their secret rendezvous, where they were joined by the 500th and 800th Battalions from Military Region 7, the 186th Battalion from Military Region 6 and the 445th Company from Hoai Duc district.

Leading up to the battle, the Viet Cong successfully inflicted large numbers of casualties on government forces in five separate engagements, with the ARVN losing two battalions and a reserve battalion. And finally an entire company of South Vietnamese M-113 armoured personnel carriers were savaged on December 9. ^[6] The losses suffered by regular South Vietnamese formations allow the Viet Cong to overrun the Hoai Duc district and several strategic hamlets such as Dat Do, Long Thanh and Nhon Trach.

By early January the Viet Cong's theatre of operations had expanded significantly, and further military operations were attacked against major government installations, and so Bình Gia became the next target. The village was surrounded by rubber and banana plantations, located in Phuoc Tuy Province, about 67 km (42 mi) from Saigon. Most of the local inhabitants were Catholics who had fled from North Vietnam in 1954 during Operation Passage to Freedom because of fears of communist persecutions, and the local priest was the commander of the militia forces.

Battle

The elements of the Viet Cong 9th Division, led by the 514th Battalion, began their assault during the early morning of December 28, when they overran several outposts and quickly overwhelmed the local militia forces. Later that morning two units of South Vietnamese Rangers counterattacked but were unable to clear the enemy from their positions, briefly coming within 300 metres of the village until a Viet Cong Battalion forced them to withdraw.^[2]

Reinforcements from the 30th and 33rd South Vietnamese Rangers arrived on December 29, but they were unable to dislodge the well-entrenched VC, and after some heavy fighting the Ranger battalions were decimated by Viet Cong machine gun fire. On the morning of December 30, the South Vietnamese 4th Marines Battalion landed by helicopter. They recaptured Bình Gia, but the Viet Cong was nowhere to be seen. Later that day, a U.S. Army gunship was shot down, killing four crewmen.

One company from the 4th Marines Battalion were sent to the crash site to try to recover the bodies, but the South Vietnamese were ambushed again. On the morning of December 31, the 4th Marines Battalion moved westward in an attempt to rescue the trapped company. At the site of the crash, the 4th Marines Battalion and their American advisors discovered fresh graves, but it turned out to be an ambush. Viet Cong soldiers launched deadly attacks on the ARVN, and further reinforcements from the 29th, 30th and 33rd ARVN Ranger Battalions were ambushed and decimated. This latest battle resulted in the death of 35 ARVN officers, 112 Marines and 71 wounded bringing the total casualties to more than 300. On January 1 further ARVN reinforcements arrived, but they were too late.

Aftermath

Despite the humiliating defeat inflicted on them, the South Vietnamese army stubbornly considered the battle as their victory. The battle of Bình Gia reflected the Viet Cong's growing military strength and influence, especially in the Mekong Delta region. It was the first time the National Liberation Front launched a large-scale operation, holding its ground and fighting for four days against government troops equipped with armour, artillery and helicopters.

The Viet Cong demonstrated, when well-supplied with military supplies from North Vietnam, they had the ability to fight and inflict damage on the best ARVN units. In recognition of the 271st Regiment's performance during the Bình Gia campaign, the NLF High Command bestowed the title 'Bình Gia Regiment' on the unit to honour their achievements.^[4]

Following their battlefield victory at Bình Gia all Viet Cong units withdrew to War Zone D in order to plan for the next offensive, targeting Dong Xoai.

Units Involved

Viet Cong

• 271st Regiment. The main unit involved.
• 186th Battalion
• 500th Battalion
• 514th Battalion
• 800th Battalion
• 445th Company
• 80th Artillery Detachment

Army of the Republic of Vietnam

• 1st Airborne Battalion
• 3rd Airborne Battalion
• 7th Airborne Battalion
• 30th Ranger Battalion
• 33rd Ranger Battalion
• 35th Ranger Battalion
• 38th Ranger Battalion
• 2 artillery platoons and 1 section of M-24 tanks in support.^[7]

Notes

References

• Dougan, C.; E. Doyle, S. Lipsman, T. Martland, S. Weiss (1983). The Vietnam Experience: A Contagion of War. Boston Publishing Company, USA. 
• Captured documents: History of the 272nd Regiment, 9th PLAF Division. 1968

Contemporary news reporting

• Grose, Peter (1964-12-31). "Vietcong Routed in Refugee Town". NY Times. pp. 1. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F40A15F83F5F107A93C3AA1789D95F408685F9. 
• "Viet Village Regained in Costly Fight". Washington Post/Times Herald. 1964-12-31. pp. A1. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/154544672.html?dids=154544672:154544672&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=DEC+31%2C+1964&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Viet+Village+Regained+in+Costly+Fight&pqatl=google. 
• Maffre, John (1965-01-02). "Little Catholic Town of Binh Gia Still Paying Dearly for Its Faith". Washington Post/Times Herald. pp. A7. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/155998232.html?dids=155998232:155998232&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=JAN+02%2C+1965&author=By+John+Maffre+The+Washington+Post+Foreign+Service&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Little+Catholic+Town+of+Binh+Gia+Still+Paying+Dearly+for+Its+Faith&pqatl=google. 
• "Bloodshed Is Ended In Binh Gia". Washington Post/Times Herald. 1965-01-03. pp. A1. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/223631162.html?dids=223631162:223631162&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=JAN+03%2C+1965&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Bloodshed+Is+Ended+In+Binh+Gia&pqatl=google. 
• "Battle Chronology: 6 Days at Binh Gia". NY Times. 1965-01-03. pp. 3. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F70E1FFA345B147A93C1A9178AD85F418685F9. 
• "Day-by-Day Account Of Viet Warfare At Town of Binh Gia". Washington Post/Times Herald. 1965-01-03. pp. A22. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/223632282.html?dids=223632282:223632282&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=JAN+03%2C+1965&author=&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Day-by-Day+Account+Of+Viet+Warfare+At+Town+of+Binh+Gia&pqatl=google. 
• Faas, Horst (1965-01-05). "Viet Cong Renews Binh Gia Battle, Attacking on Outskirts of Village". Washington Post/Times Herald. pp. A1. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/washingtonpost_historical/access/156009852.html?dids=156009852:156009852&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:FT&date=JAN+05%2C+1965&author=By+Horst+Faas&pub=The+Washington+Post&desc=Viet+Cong+Renews+Binh+Gia+Battle%2C+Attacking+on+Outskirts+of+Village&pqatl=google. 
• "Viet Reds Step Up Power at Binh Gia". Chicago Tribune. 1965-01-07. pp. 6. http://pqasb.pqarchiver.com/chicagotribune/access/580406122.html?dids=580406122:580406122&FMT=ABS&FMTS=ABS:AI&date=Jan+07%2C+1965&author=&pub=Chicago+Tribune&desc=Viet+Reds+Step+Up+Power+at+Binh+Gia&pqatl=google. 
• Langguths, Jack (1965-01-10). "An Edgy Binh Gia Keeps Night-Long Vigil, Fearing Vietcong May Return". NY Times. pp. 6. http://select.nytimes.com/gst/abstract.html?res=F10E13FE3F5812738DDDA90994D9405B858AF1D3. 

External links

• UNCLE HO AND THE BINH GIA VICTORY
• I Still Recall Binh Gia...