Battle of An Lộc

Infobox Military Conflict
conflict=Battle of An Lộc


caption=South Vietnamese tanker firing his gun during the Battle of An Lộc
partof=the Vietnam War
date=April 13-July 20,1972
place=coord|11|39|9.8|N|106|36|33.5|E|name=An Lộc|display=inline,title|type:city
An Lộc, South Vietnam
UTM Grid XT 76-88cite book| last =Kelley| first =Michael P.| title =Where We Were In Vietnam| publisher =Hellgate Press| date =2002| pages = p. 5-12 | id = ISBN 1-55571-625-3 ]
result=Decisive South Vietnamese and U.S. victory
combatant1=
combatant2=
commander1=Trần Văn Trà
commander2=Le Van Hung
strength1=35,000+
strength2=6,000+
casualties1=Est. 10,000 killed
Est. 15,000 wounded
casualties2=2,300 killed or missing|The Battle of An Lộc was a major battle of the Vietnam War that lasted for 66 days and culminated in a decisive victory for South Vietnam. In many ways, the struggle for An Lộc in 1972, was an important battle of the war, as South Vietnamese forces halted the North Vietnamese advance towards Saigon.

An Lộc is the capital of Bình Phước Province located northwest of Military Region III. During North Vietnam's Nguyen Hue Offensive of 1972, An Lộc was at the centre of North Vietnamese strategy due to its location between Cambodia and Saigon. To protect this important area South Vietnam had a single division in Bình Phước Province, the ARVN 5th Division, which during the battle was outnumbered by a combined force of three North Vietnamese and Viet Cong divisions.

Battle

On April 7 following the fall of Loc Ninh to the Viet Cong 5th Division, the South Vietnamese airstrip at Quan Loi became the next target for the Communists. The VC 9th Division attacked the airstrip forcing the two companies of the ARVN 7th Regiment to abandon the airfield. The loss of Quan Loi was clear evidence of North Vietnam's attempt to encircle An Lộc] The loss of Quan Loi airstrip represented major challenges for the South Vietnamese Army because it enables the Communist troops to intercept supplies coming by National Road 13, while An Lộc itself was ringed with North Vietnamese anti-aircraft artilleries, firing at any incoming aircraft.

The battle for An Lộc began on April 13 with a North Vietnamese artillery barrage. At dawn the North Vietnamese and Viet Cong infantries attacked with support from Soviet-made T-54 and PT-76 tanks as well as American-made M-41 captured during Operation Lam Son 719. North Vietnamese tank crews, fresh from training centres in the Soviet Union, rolling into the streets of An Loc without their infantry escorts were destroyed amid the confusion by M-72 LAW rockets deployed by ARVN infantry.

North Vietnamese tank and artillery barrage grew in intensity with heavy street fighting. Over the period of three months aggressive Communist assaults were met with tenacious resistance from South Vietnamese soldiers, supported by VNAF and USAF bombers. The North Vietnamese, unable to take An Lộc, also suffered heavy casualties when ARVN troops encircled and destroyed their positions. By July 20, 1972, the South Vietnamese were victorious. South Vietnamese General Le Van Hung became known as the "Hero of An Lộc".

Helicopter history

On April 13, 1972, Chief Warrant Officer Barry McIntyre, Major Larry McKay, 1st Lieutenant Steve Shields, and Captain Bill Causey became the first helicopter crews to destroy enemy armour in combat. A flight of two Cobra helicopters from Battery F, 79th Artillery, 1st Cavalry, U.S. Army, were armed with the newly developed 2.75" HEAT rockets, which were yet untested in combat. The Cobras destroyed three T-54 tanks that were about to overrun a U.S. command post. McIntyre and McKay engaged first, destroying the lead tank.

Notes

References

* Willbanks, James. H(1993)Thiet Giap!The Battle of An Loc, April 1972. Combat Studies Institute

External links

* [http://www.vnafmamn.com/Valiant_Anloc.html BATTLE OF AN LOC (VALIANT BINH LONG)]
* [http://www-cgsc.army.mil/carl/resources/csi/willbanks/willbanks.asp Battle of An Loc] - by Lieutenant Colonel James H. Willbanks