TROOPS SEARCHED BOMBED AREA; DEAD AMERICAN CARRIED AWAY; DESERTED VIET CONG BASE CAMP; CAPTURED EQUIPMENT.




Initials GHB/V/MGT/ES



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Background: AMERICAN INFANTRYMEN AND A VIET CONG UNIT BATTLED FOR TWO HOURS NEAR QUAN LOI ON SUNDAY AFTER THE AMERICANS HAD SENT A MOBILE COLUMN ALONG A DIRT ROAD IN A "REVERSE AMBUSH". THE AMERICANS REPORTED THEY HAD KILLED 185 OF THE GUERILLA FORCE, WITH ONLY LIGHT CASUALTIES IN RETURN.

THE VIET CONG UNIT FOUGHT A DESPERATE REARGUARD ACTION AS HUNDREDS OF AMERICAN INFANTRYMEN TRIED TO CLOSE THE JAWS OF THE TRAP - PART OF THEIR LATEST TACTICS AGAINST THE VIET CONG. AFTER TWO HOURS UNITED STATES ARTILLERY AND PLANES POUNDED THE WAY OPEN FOR THE INFANTRY TO PUSH THROUGH TO WHAT THEY BELIEVED WAS THE BASE CAMP OF A VIET CONG REGIMENT.

THE "REVERSE AMBUSH" PLAN WAS SET WHEN A COLUMN OF 50 UNITED STATES TANKS AND ARMOURED CARS DROVE UP A JUNGLE ROAD 50 MILES (80 KILOMETRES) NORTH OF SAIGON AS BAIT TO LURE OUT THE ELUSIVE VIET CONG. WHEN THE VIET CONG TOOK THE BAIT AND AMBUSHED THE COLUMN THEY FOUND THEY HAD ALSO TAKEN ON ANOTHER FORCE OF INFANTRY AND TANKS, WAITING TO CATCH THEM IN THE OPEN. PLANES SWOOPED DOWN TO STRAFE THE VIET CONG, WHOSE DWINDLING NUMBERS STILL FOUGHT A FIERCE REARGUARD ACTION.

MUCH OF THE ACTION TOOK PLACE ALONG A SECONDARY ROAD ABOUT 15 MILES FROM THE CAMBODIAN BORDER.