February 19, 1968
The Bloodbath Continues
Marines advance
US National Archives, Film Still, Original Color, Unknown Date
The Citadel
By this point in the Battle of Hue, the NVA in the eastern Citadel had been pushed against the southern wall by the US Marines, with only two blocks left under communist control. The resistance had been stiff, and would continue to be, but the fact remained that at this point the NVA, which was under orders not to retreat or abandon the city, was quite literally pressed against the wall, with increasingly few avenues of escape remaining open. This would only lead to them to fight more savagely for what little remained to them.
“Throw your soldiers into positions from whence there is no escape, and they will prefer death to flight”
An M50 Ontos on a Hue Street
USMC Photo
The M50 Ontos tank destroyer had by now proven to be possibly the most effective weapon available to the US Marines in the city of Hue. Its mobility and the firepower provided by the four 106mm recoilless rifles made it perfect for reducing strongpoints. By the stage of the battle they were generally paired with two M48 Patton tanks, which would move out to engage the NVA and draw fire, upon which the Ontos would move up and destroy the enemy position before the NVA could target it. The tanks remained operational despite all having taken an average to ten RPG hits by this point, and many wounded or killed crewmen.
The Marines jumped off in the morning, attacking into the heavily built commercial area near the southern wall, taking fire from NVA mortars inside the Imperial Palace as they do so. The orders not to fire on the Palace still stood, and thus the mortar was allowed to plug away unmolested. Delta/1/5 joined that attack after being reinforced at 1300, encountering a major NVA strongpoint half a block down the wall. After hours of heavy fighting and numerous casualties Captain Harrington was forced to order the company to withdraw back to their jump off point for the evening. Charlie/1/5 had had better luck, when a small volunteer unit moved out at 0200 to occupy a school on the NVA line, using the position to ambush twenty NVA in the street after dawn. This action led to the abandonment of that section of the line as the communists retreated another block.
Civilian refugees stream away from the fighting
USMC Photo
In the rear, the ARVN 1st Division headquarters at Mang Ca was being inundated with both wounded Marines and RVN soldiers, as well as civilian refugees. Many of the civilians in this throng also follow close behind the advancing Marines, hoping to return to their homes, causing a significant security risk as the possibility of VC infiltration loomed. Meanwhile, the overworked medical personnel at the headquarters were forced to prioritize the wounded based on their chances of survival, as Sea Knight helicopters flew in and out with wounded men and supplies.
A US Advisor with Vietnamese Marines
USMC Photo
On the other side of the Citadel, the Vietnamese Marines were beginning to push south of the Thuy Quan Canal. The NVA had hit their position with hundreds of mortars and RPGs at 0930, with the subsequent infantry assault nearly breaking the RVNMC line before being stopped by a 2,000 round artillery barrage from the RVN batteries to the north. Progress for the Vietnamese Marines was slow however, as the NVA had constructed intricate defensive works in the residential neighborhoods south of the canal. Indeed, US Marine Major Bill Eschelman, the advisor to the 4th RVNMC Regiment and a former tactics instructor at the Marine Corps Base in Quantico, Virginia would later remark that he had never heard of such a perfect defensive line.
Meanwhile, the NVA continued to reinforce and resupply through the Huu Gate, and had redeployed their forces to prevent the advancing Vietnamese Marines from closing it. Despite this, ARVN radio operators at Mang Ca today began to note the disappearance of a growing number of NVA officers from the airwaves, and scattered intercepts began to suggest that the NVA was beginning to withdraw their best units before the last avenue of escape from the Citadel was cut off.
The Citadel: 2-19-1968
Mang Ca - ARVN 1st Division Headquarters, also casualty evacuation center
Tay Loc Airfield
RVNMC Line - After repelling a major attack today, the Vietnamese Marines began to push past the Tuy Quen Canal
ARVN Line - ARVN units were brought up to cover the USMC line’s flank from the Imperial Palace
USMC Line, Charlie/1/5 - Charlie/1/5 is able to advance a block after a nighttime infiltration
USMC Line, Delta/1/5 - After heavy resistance is encoutered, Delta/1/5 is forced to pull back to Duong Dinh Street.
Imperial Palace - NVA Headquarters
Huu Gate - The main artery of NVA reinforcement into the Citadel, today they redeploy forces to keep it open as the RVNMC advance on it.
Citadel Gates - Flags indicate controlling faction
A US Army machine gunner in position
The Hamlets
In the area around the NVA headquarters at Thon La Chu, today 5/7 Cavalry performed a sweep northward along Highway 1, eventually encountering resistance and pulling back to allow the area to be destroyed with an artillery strike. In addition, 1/5 Cavalry was today relieved of its duties at PK17 and was moved to the area of Thon Lieu Coc Thuong to join in the planned attack on the NVA headquarters, which was by now scheduled for dawn on February 21. Four battalions were tasked with the assault, and the troopers were by now preparing for the battle to come, cleaning weapons and checking munitions, while some busied themselves fashioning Bangalore torpedoes by stuffing C4 plastic explosive into bamboo rods, which would be used to destroy the NVA pillboxes.
The Hamlets: 2-19-1968
Thon Lieu Coc Thuong - US Army forces are massing here to attack the NVA on 2-21 with four battalions.
Thon Phu O - Hamlet under NVA control
Thon Que Chu - NVA outer perimeter
Thon La Chu - NVA Tri-Thien Hue Front Headquarters