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Page 10
March 67
Manchu Units Repel Wave Attack
Two platoons of Co. A, 4th Bn., 9th Inf., “Manchu” killed 92 Viet Cong last week, spoiling an estimated battalion-sized enemy unit from overrunning their position, 500 meters south of Phu Hoa Dong village.
One Viet Cong was taken prisoner and two more detained for questioning.
The assault, which was later termed as “human wave,” began at approximately 12:30 a.m. when the enemy poured in mortar, rifle grenade and machinegun fire from several positions surrounding the platoons' perimeter. The VC fired more than 100 mortars.
The two platoons were conducting a routine mission providing security for units of the 65th Engrs. repairing a road which leads through the Filhol Plantation and past the village of Phu Hoa Dong.
Using Chicom Assault rifles, carbines and machine guns, the enemy force, 300 strong, charged the camp while the Manchumen fought from their bunker positions. The first wave fell to the claymore mines and machinegun fire, but were quickly reinforced.
Enemy bodies later found inside the camp perimeter and just a few feet from the bunkers, gave evidence to the closeness of the enemy attack. Several machetes, and packets of narcotics were found on the ground near the enemy bodies.
Artillery rounds from the 7th Bn., 11th Arty., landed within 25 meters of the camp perimeter warding off the brunt of the attack. Gunships from the 25th Avn. Bn., and the 116th Avn. Co., also lent support to the battle.
Contact was finally broken at 1:15 a.m. when two platoons of reinforcements from the 3rd Sqdn., 4th Cav., and a platoon of Manchumen from Co. B, arrived on the scene. Air strikes were called in on the fleeing enemy.
The action also netted captured documents, medical supplies, small arms ammunition and grenades.