Commanding General United States Military Assistance Command, Vietnam

t.     Actions 2-5 February.

The period 2-5 February was transitional between a predominance of VC initiated attacks and the regaining of the initiative by US Free World Military Forces (FWMF) and Army Of The Republic Of South Vietnam (ARVN) forces.  Map 9 shows events during this period.

The Viet Cong (VC) Regiment attacked again in greater strength on the night of 5 February, and tried to carry out its mission of destroying the large Newport Bridge linking Saigon and Bien Hoa.  One force attacked the Newport Bridge at 0100 hours [1:00 AM], the District Headquarters at 0410 hours [4:10 AM], and the 2nd Vietnamese Marine Corps (VNMC) Battalion compound at 0650 hours [6:50 AM].  District forces, reinforced by a company from the 1/18th Battalion and three Regional Forces (RF) platoons, repulsed the attacks killing over eighty VC.  

Civil damage was heavy, however, and thirty-eight civilians were killed and seventy-five houses destroyed.  In the attack on the Newport Bridge the VC overran bunkers and the eastern end of the bridge.  

A relief force of the 1/5 ARVN Cavalry and elements of the 720th US MP Battalion (A Company) retook the bridge by 0250 hours [2:50 AM].  Eleven VC were found dead on the bridge but the bridge itself was not damaged. (this report was in error. The sapper teams did manage to destroy one piece of decking on the bridge.)