Circle the Wagons CBI (id:#57167)

Critical Hit (Critical Hit # 7.1 ID: DBP18)   [next]   [previous]

PK15, Highway 19, French Vietnam 1954-04-01 (1 other)

Overview:

For nearly a month Mobile Group 100 had been performing convoy escort to isolated garrisons in the central plateau. Unknown to them, the mobile Vietminh (unhampered by heavy equipment) were determined to set a trap for the road-bound French. The Vietminh soon began a series of attacks and ambushes. One of the first occurred two kilometers from Post Kilometer 15, when the veterans of the Korean regiment (French/Vietnamese colonials who had volunteered to serve in Korea) were ambushed by machinegun and recoilless rifle fire that poured from the jungle and thickets adjacent to the road. The seasoned troops struggled from their transports and formed defensive positions north of the road. While awaiting reinforcement, they desperately fought off the Vietminh attacks and attempted two ineffective counterattacks to save their wounded trapped on the burning vehicles. The first help to arrive was the rearguard company's two light tanks and a halftrack, which were also caught up in the trap. The timely arrival of a tank platoon cleared the road and helped form a defensive square around which the survivors rallied. Still, the defenders were forced to fight off several hand- to-hand attacks. In the end, only napalm air strikes, further infantry reinforcement and ammo re-supply gave the survivors the opportunity to make a fighting withdrawal to illusionary safety. Ironically, the entire mobile group met its fate at this same spot ten weeks later.

Defender: French (1st, 3rd and 4th Companies, 1st Korea, and 4th Platoon, 5th Armored, Mobile Group 100 with 1st Company, 43rd Colonial, Mobile Group 100)  

Errata (source)