Battle of Ap Bac

Battle of Ấp Bắc
Part of the Vietnam War
A map of the battlefield.
Date January 2, 1963 Location 10°26′18″N 106°11′43″E / 10.43833°N 106.19528°E / 10.43833; 106.19528Coordinates: 10°26′18″N 106°11′43″E / 10.43833°N 106.19528°E / 10.43833; 106.19528 Ấp Bắc Hamlet, Định Tường Province (now Tiền Giang Province), South Vietnam Result Vietcong Victory
Belligerents
Viet Cong	South Vietnam  United States
Commanders and leaders
Hai Hoang Nguyễn Hữu Xuyến	Bùi Đình Đạm Huỳnh Văn Cao John Paul Vann
Strength
350	More than 1,500
Casualties and losses
18 dead 39 wounded	South Vietnam: 83 dead and more than 100 wounded United States: 3 dead and 8 wounded 5 helicopters shot down, and 9 helicopters damaged

The Battle of Ấp Bắc was a major battle fought on January 2, 1963, during the Vietnam War. It was fought in Định Tường Province (now part of Tiền Giang Province), South Vietnam. On December 28, 1962, US intelligence detected the presence of a radio transmitter along with a sizable force of National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF/Viet Cong) soldiers, reported to number around 120, in the hamlet of Ap Tan Thoi in Dinh Tuong Province, home of the Army of the Republic of South Vietnam (ARVN) 7th Infantry Division. To destroy the NLF force, the South Vietnamese and their US advisers planned to attack Ap Tan Thoi from three directions by using two provincial Civil Guard battalions and elements of the 11th Infantry Regiment, ARVN 7th Infantry Division. The infantry units would be supported by artillery, M113 armored personnel carriers and helicopters. Unbeknown to the Americans and South Vietnamese, North Vietnamese intelligence agent Pham Xuan An, whose cover was a reporter for Time Inc, had penetrated the American/South Vietnamese battle preparations, In addition to the intelligence he provided, An also devised the NLF battle strategy ahead of time to defeat the South Vietnamese forces. For his winning strategy, after the battle, An was decorated with North Vietnam’s highest military-exploit medal.

On the morning of January 2, 1963, unaware that their battle plans had been leaked to the enemy, the South Vietnamese Civil Guards spearheaded the attack by marching toward Ap Tan Thoi from the south. However, when they reached the hamlet of Ap Bac, which is situated southeast of Ap Tan Thoi, they were immediately pinned down by elements of the Viet Cong 261st Battalion. Shortly afterwards, three companies of the 11th Infantry Regiment were committed into battle in northern Ap Tan Thoi, but they too could not overcome the NLF soldiers who had entrenched themselves in the area. Just before midday, further reinforcements were flown in from Tan Hiep. The fifteen US helicopters ferrying the troops were riddled by NLF gunfire and five helicopters were lost as a result.

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Wikipedia