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First Battle of Quảng Trị
The First Battle of Quảng Trị (Vietnamese: Chiến dịch Trị Thiên) resulted in the first major victory for the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) during the Easter Offensive of 1972. Quảng Trị Province was a major battleground for the opposing forces during the Vietnam War. As South Vietnamese soldiers were gradually replacing their American counterparts, North Vietnam's General Văn Tiến Dũng was preparing to engage three of his divisions in the province. Just months before the battle, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) deployed its newly formed 3rd Division to the areas along the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to take over former U.S. bases. North Vietnamese forces deployed against the inexperienced ARVN 3rd Division included the PAVN 304th, 308th and 324B Divisions.
The ARVN 3rd Division was generally responsible for Quảng Trị Province. Its headquarters under the command of Brigadier General Vũ Văn Giai, former deputy commander of the 1st Division, was located at Ái Tử Combat Base. The newly activated 56th and 57th Regiments were deployed over a series of strongpoints and fire support bases dotting the area immediately south of the DMZ and from the coast to the mountains in the west. The 56th Regiment was headquartered at Camp Carroll while the 57th Regiment was located at Firebase C1. The 2nd Regiment occupied Camp Carroll with two of its battalions at Firebase C2. Camp Carroll was the lynchpin of the ARVN northern and western defense line situated on Route 9, the main road west to the Laos border. The Division's 11th Armored Cavalry Squadron was located at Landing Zone Sharon south of Quảng Trị.
In addition to its organic units the Division had operational control of the two Marine brigades of the general reserve. The 147th Marine Brigade was headquartered at Mai Loc Camp 2 km east of Camp Carroll and the 258th Brigade was at Firebase Nancy. The Marines and 56th Regiment presented a strong west-facing defense as this was assumed to be the most likely direction of attack.
On 30 March the 3rd Division was in the middle of rotating its units between the various defensive positions. The 56th Regiment was taking over Camp Carroll, Firebase Khe Gio and Firebase Fuller from the 2nd Regiment. The 57th Regiment was taking over the area from Đông Hà Combat Base north to the DMZ and east to the coast. The 2nd Regiment was taking over the combat bases north of Cam Lộ Combat Base. The commander of the 56th Regiment was Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Dinh who had fought in the Battle of Huế and Operation Lam Son 719.
The battle for Quảng Trị began at midday on 30 March with preparatory artillery barrages on the key areas of the province. Meanwhile, infantry assaults supported by tanks overran outposts and firebases. The lightning speed of the PAVN attacks on those positions delivered a great shock to the soldiers of the ARVN, who were largely unprepared for the onslaught.
During the first hours of the Easter Offensive, Camp Carroll was one of the first targets to come under the PAVN artillery barrage. The PAVN deployed a full artillery regiment against Camp Carroll with supporting infantry units, showing their full intention to take the camp. The PAVN and ARVN had exchanged artillery fire, but South Vietnamese resistance was gradually worn down as ARVN artillerymen began seeking shelter against the PAVN's devastatingly accurate 130mm guns. The PAVN launched several attacks, overrunning nearby posts at Khe Gio, Fuller and Nui Ba Ho. They also seized the military service road from Mai Loc through Camp Carroll to Cam Lộ, surrounding the base and making it dependent on aerial resupply. The PAVN defeated attempts to reopen Route 9, wiping out 2 companies and forcing the survivors back into the base. By the morning of 2 April Camp Carroll was completely surrounded by the PAVN.
Morale at Camp Carroll had dropped after suffering casualties and a perceived lack of fire support, as a result Dinh began negotiations with the PAVN and then informed his American advisors that the camp would surrender to the PAVN. As the senior advisor to the ARVN 56th Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel William Camper refused to go through with the surrender, he decided to leave Camp Carroll along with three officers and they were rescued by a US Army CH-47. On 2 April 1972, Camp Carroll was officially surrendered to the PAVN, with a white flag raised over the main gate of the camp. Fifteen hundred ARVN troops were captured along with 22 artillery pieces, including a six-gun battery of M107 175mm guns and numerous quad-50's and twin-40's, the largest artillery assemblage in I Corps. Following the surrender, a B-52 strike was ordered against Camp Carroll. However, it was too late as the PAVN had already moved the M107 guns out of the camp.
On 30 March 1972 the 258th Marine Brigade was deployed to Đông Hà to support the 3rd Division. Early on the morning of 1 April the 4th Vietnamese Marine Corps Battalion abandoned Firebase Sarge and retreated to Mai Loc Camp. By 1 April the PAVN had broken through the ARVN defensive positions along the DMZ and north of the Cam Lo River and fragmented ARVN units and terrified civilians began withdrawing to Đông Hà.
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First Battle of Quảng Trị
The First Battle of Quảng Trị (Vietnamese: Chiến dịch Trị Thiên) resulted in the first major victory for the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) during the Easter Offensive of 1972. Quảng Trị Province was a major battleground for the opposing forces during the Vietnam War. As South Vietnamese soldiers were gradually replacing their American counterparts, North Vietnam's General Văn Tiến Dũng was preparing to engage three of his divisions in the province. Just months before the battle, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) deployed its newly formed 3rd Division to the areas along the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) to take over former U.S. bases. North Vietnamese forces deployed against the inexperienced ARVN 3rd Division included the PAVN 304th, 308th and 324B Divisions.
The ARVN 3rd Division was generally responsible for Quảng Trị Province. Its headquarters under the command of Brigadier General Vũ Văn Giai, former deputy commander of the 1st Division, was located at Ái Tử Combat Base. The newly activated 56th and 57th Regiments were deployed over a series of strongpoints and fire support bases dotting the area immediately south of the DMZ and from the coast to the mountains in the west. The 56th Regiment was headquartered at Camp Carroll while the 57th Regiment was located at Firebase C1. The 2nd Regiment occupied Camp Carroll with two of its battalions at Firebase C2. Camp Carroll was the lynchpin of the ARVN northern and western defense line situated on Route 9, the main road west to the Laos border. The Division's 11th Armored Cavalry Squadron was located at Landing Zone Sharon south of Quảng Trị.
In addition to its organic units the Division had operational control of the two Marine brigades of the general reserve. The 147th Marine Brigade was headquartered at Mai Loc Camp 2 km east of Camp Carroll and the 258th Brigade was at Firebase Nancy. The Marines and 56th Regiment presented a strong west-facing defense as this was assumed to be the most likely direction of attack.
On 30 March the 3rd Division was in the middle of rotating its units between the various defensive positions. The 56th Regiment was taking over Camp Carroll, Firebase Khe Gio and Firebase Fuller from the 2nd Regiment. The 57th Regiment was taking over the area from Đông Hà Combat Base north to the DMZ and east to the coast. The 2nd Regiment was taking over the combat bases north of Cam Lộ Combat Base. The commander of the 56th Regiment was Lieutenant Colonel Pham Van Dinh who had fought in the Battle of Huế and Operation Lam Son 719.
The battle for Quảng Trị began at midday on 30 March with preparatory artillery barrages on the key areas of the province. Meanwhile, infantry assaults supported by tanks overran outposts and firebases. The lightning speed of the PAVN attacks on those positions delivered a great shock to the soldiers of the ARVN, who were largely unprepared for the onslaught.
During the first hours of the Easter Offensive, Camp Carroll was one of the first targets to come under the PAVN artillery barrage. The PAVN deployed a full artillery regiment against Camp Carroll with supporting infantry units, showing their full intention to take the camp. The PAVN and ARVN had exchanged artillery fire, but South Vietnamese resistance was gradually worn down as ARVN artillerymen began seeking shelter against the PAVN's devastatingly accurate 130mm guns. The PAVN launched several attacks, overrunning nearby posts at Khe Gio, Fuller and Nui Ba Ho. They also seized the military service road from Mai Loc through Camp Carroll to Cam Lộ, surrounding the base and making it dependent on aerial resupply. The PAVN defeated attempts to reopen Route 9, wiping out 2 companies and forcing the survivors back into the base. By the morning of 2 April Camp Carroll was completely surrounded by the PAVN.
Morale at Camp Carroll had dropped after suffering casualties and a perceived lack of fire support, as a result Dinh began negotiations with the PAVN and then informed his American advisors that the camp would surrender to the PAVN. As the senior advisor to the ARVN 56th Regiment, Lieutenant Colonel William Camper refused to go through with the surrender, he decided to leave Camp Carroll along with three officers and they were rescued by a US Army CH-47. On 2 April 1972, Camp Carroll was officially surrendered to the PAVN, with a white flag raised over the main gate of the camp. Fifteen hundred ARVN troops were captured along with 22 artillery pieces, including a six-gun battery of M107 175mm guns and numerous quad-50's and twin-40's, the largest artillery assemblage in I Corps. Following the surrender, a B-52 strike was ordered against Camp Carroll. However, it was too late as the PAVN had already moved the M107 guns out of the camp.
On 30 March 1972 the 258th Marine Brigade was deployed to Đông Hà to support the 3rd Division. Early on the morning of 1 April the 4th Vietnamese Marine Corps Battalion abandoned Firebase Sarge and retreated to Mai Loc Camp. By 1 April the PAVN had broken through the ARVN defensive positions along the DMZ and north of the Cam Lo River and fragmented ARVN units and terrified civilians began withdrawing to Đông Hà.