attempt to escape rather than establish an organized resistance. Preparatory fires would be placed only on barren areas near landing zones and fires on other targets, such as known or suspected enemy locations, would be planned but not fired unless necessary to prevent friendly casualties. The soft cordon proved to be an effective technique for the division and local South Vietnamese authorities to find the Viet Cong and blunt its influence.

In mid-September, in an effort to prevent enemy reinforcement and recovery from die losses suffered in Phu Vang, Phu Thu, and Vinh Loc Districts, the 1st Battalion, 327th Infantry and 2d Battalion, 502d Infantry assaulted into the Dong Truoi mountain complex south of Hue. For the next month, the two battalions conducted extensive company operations in search of five infantry battalions of the 4th and 5/A NVA Raiments, known to be in the area. Although not encountered in large numbers, the enemy fled to the southwest, relieving the pressure on Da Nang, Route l from Phu Bai to the Hai Van Pass, and on Phu Loc District to the east.

While the division s 2d Brigade continued to conduct the series of cordon operations in the coastal plains and die 1st Brigade operated in the mountains to the south and west of Hue, the 3d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division prepared to deploy from I Corps to III Corps. The H2d Airborne brigade was released from the operational control of the division on 4 October and, simultaneously, the division's own 3d Brigade moved from III Corps to I Corps and returned to the operational control of the 101st.

As the division regained its 3d Brigade, its boundary was extended to the east to include the Phu Loc District and south to include the remaining portion of Thua Thien Province, with the exception of the Hai Van Pass. With the deactivation of Marine Task Force X-Ray in August and the subsequent movement of the 26th Marines south. General Abrams authorized the boundary extension.''"" In late October, the division's area of operations was extended north to the Thua Thien-Quang Tri boundary as the l st Cavalry Division was alerted to deploy to III Corps.

In recalling the memory of his service. Lieutenant Colonel Galbraith, the commander of the 1st Battalion, -4th Marines, probably expressed the feelings of most Marine and Army officers and troops who fought in northern I Corps during this period:

Much of what stands out in my mind ... is the totally miserable existence of the squad and fire team grunt, the guy who lived day after day in a hole he just dug, trying to do his job and at the same time stay haltway dry, opening his can of C-rations, wondering when he was going to get his next hot meal and a new pair of utility trousers to replace the ripped and torn pair he sort of had on, and remembering the liot shower he'd had a month ago when he was herded through the shower unit at Vandegrift.w

* See also Chapter 21.