February 9, 1968
Opening Pandora’s Box
Marines from Alpha/1/1 manhandle a 106mm recoilless rifle
As the mop-up operation in the Triangle continued, today the Marines began to push east of the MACV compound, with the Tu Do Stadium being a main objective. The ARVN in the Citadel continues to hold position as well.
The Citadel: 2-9-1968
Mang Ca - ARVN 1st Division Headquarters
Tay Loc Airfield
Surrounded ARVN units continue to hold
Imperial Palace - NVA Headquarters
Citadel Gates - Flags indicate controlling faction
The Triangle
A recoilless rifle crew after an RPG hit
USMC Photo
The NVA again opened the day with a bombardment of the area around the MACV compound, and again the offending battery was quickly destroyed by American counter-battery fire from Phu Bai. The main movement for the day is to be from 1/1, which is ordered to move east of the MACV into the relatively uncharted territory around the Tu Do Stadium, which has been used in the past as an NVA mortar site.
The initial two block advance is done without major incident, and the stadium itself falls without major difficulty. This comes to an end shortly after, as at 0820 the Marines come under heavy fire as they try to push past the stadium. An M48 is brought up to support them, but is lost to enemy recoilless rifle fire. The Marines of 1/1 have not run into another pocket of resistance from a collapsing enemy as in previous days, but instead the 804th NVA Battalion, which remains at near full strength.
A knocked out M48 Patton at the Hue LCU Ramp (it is not clear if this is the tank destroyed today)
US National Archives, Original Color, Film Still
Shortly afterward, an ARVN Major came to the Alpha/1/1 command post, reporting that the NVA battalion had set up their command post adjacent to the Major’s home, and he requested an artillery strike against it, a request which Lt. Smith, the commanding officer, relayed to Phu Bai. At 1020 Smith ordered his Marines to pull back to clear the area for the artillery, but even as Bravo/1/1 comes under attack, losing a quad .50 truck, the response does not come down until 1330, when the fire mission was approved.
500 150mm shells are fired from Phu Bai, joined by an additional 250 8’’ shells from offshore warships and various mortar batteries in the city combine to make for the largest barrage yet to date in Hue, destroying the NVA command post but not managing the break the battalion in the area. Fighting would continue for the rest of the day, including the disabling of two M42 dusters when small arms fire puncture their fuel tanks. The planned movement of 1/1, to sweep down to the An Cuu Bridge on Highway 1, was cancelled at 1515, with the Marines digging in for the evening against sporadic counterattacks.
Civilians disembark a boat used to cross the destroyed section of the Nguyen Hoang Bridge to escape the Citadel
Meanwhile, the operation to destroy the bridges over the Phu Cam Canal continued as well today. At 1820 the Phu Cam Bridge was destroyed, with the NVA counterattack to prevent that leaving two Marines dead and five wounded. Hotel/2/5 had also been fighting along the canal, and several armed NVA had been captured wearing civilian clothes during this sweep. This phenomenon would be reported several more times today.
An attempt the blow the Ben Ngu Bridge on the canal at 1720 was stalled by NVA resistance, and the Marines pulled back, leaving the NVA use of the span for the time being. Their victory was to be short lived, however, as the Marines called for artillery in Phu Bai, which promptly put the bridge into the canal. General mop-op of pockets of resistance also continued throughout the day.
The Citadel: 2-9-1968
MACV Compound - US Headquarters
Doc Lap Park LZ
LCU Ramp
Hue University - Refugee Center
Thua Thien Provincial Administration Building
Tu Do Stadium - Taken by 1/1 today
Phu Cam Bridge - Destroyed by US forces today
Ben Ngu Bridge - Destroyed by US forces today
The Hamlets
In the pre-dawn darkness today, 2/12 Cav moved out from their position at an ARVN camp on Nui Nha Nhan and attacked the NVA in Thon Bon Tri, the village at the base of the mountain. They gain 300 meters of ground in the village, with the cavalrymen orchestrating a textbook infantry attack to neutralize enemy positions. Despite this, the weakened cavalry battalion is eventually forced to pull back for the night.
To the north the men of 5/7Cav remained in Thon Lieu Coc Thuong, pulling into a fortified perimeter, with the regimental command posts in fortified bunkers near the village center. Aside from sporadic mortar fire, the NVA does not molest them today.
The Hamlets: 2-9-1968
Thon Lieu Coc Thuong - 5/7 Cav is dug in here
Nui Nha Nhan - 2/12 Cav attempts to push off the mountain today, but is unable to do so
Thon Bon Tri - The NVA is able to hold the hamlet against the attacking 2/12 Cav
Thon Que Chu - NVA remains positioned here
Thon Phu O - NVA is also positioned here to protect the flank of Thon La Chu
Thon La Chu - NVA Tri-Thien Hue Front Headquarters