CHAPTER 10

The Struggle for Hue-The Second Phase

More Reinforcements-The Beginning of the Advance 3-4 February-Block by Block 5-8 February

More Reinforcements

By the morning of l February, the actual situation was becoming only too apparent to both the South Vietnamese and American troops in Hue. In Da Nang, General Lam, the I Corps Commander, and General Cushman, CG III MAF, agreed rhar the 1st ARVN Division would assume responsibility for the Citadel while Task Force X-Ray would clear that part of the city south of the Perfume River. General LaHue, the TF X-Ray commander, ordered Lieutenant Colonel Gravel's 'bobtailed' 1st Battalion, 1st Marines in southern Hue to advance to the Thua Thien provincial headquarters building and prison, a distance of six blocks west of the MACV compound. Still unaware of the extent of the enemy forces in both the old and new cities, LaHue told a group of American reporters at Phu Bai: 'Very definitely, we control the south side of the city ... I don't think they [the Communist forces] have any resupply capability, and once they use up what they brought in, they're finished.'1

Marine infantry advance cautiously under support of the 90mm gun of a M48 tank in street fighting in Hi/f. Even with the tank support, the Marines jouna the enemy resistance difficult tn inwcinw in the first days of the operation.

Department of Defense (USMC) Photo A 190400