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Battle of Khe Sanh

Battle of Khe Sanh
Part of the Vietnam War
The Fight for Khe Sanh.jpg
NVA artillery shells strike near the Khe Sanh airstrip
Date 21 January – 9 July 1968
Location 16°39′19.6″N 106°43′42.9″E / 16.655444°N 106.728583°E / 16.655444; 106.728583 (Khe Sanh)Coordinates: 16°39′19.6″N 106°43′42.9″E / 16.655444°N 106.728583°E / 16.655444; 106.728583 (Khe Sanh)
Khe Sanh Combat Base (Khe Sanh), Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam – UTM Grid XD 852-418
Result

Indecisive; both sides claimed victory:

  • The siege of Khe Sanh was broken by ground forces on 6 April.
  • Americans destroyed the base complex of Khe Sanh and withdrew from the battle area in July 1968.
  • North Vietnamese Army gained control of the Khe Sanh region after the American withdrawal.
  • Termination of McNamara Line. North Vietnamese lines of communication were extended further into South Vietnam.
Belligerents
 United States
South Vietnam South Vietnam
Laos Kingdom of Laos 		North Vietnam North Vietnam
Commanders and leaders
United States William Westmoreland
(Theater)
United States Rathvon M. Tompkins
(3rd Marine Div)
United States David E. Lownds
(Local) 		Võ Nguyên Giáp
(Theater)
Trần Quý Hai
(Local, Military)
Lê Quang Đạo
(Local, Political)
Strength

~45,000 in total
~6,000 Marines at the Combat Base of Khe SanhOperation Pegasus: ~20,000 (1st Air Cavalry and Marine units)

Operation Arc Light and operation Niagara: US Air Forces

Siege at Khe Sanh: ~17,200 (304th and 325th Division)

Defense at Route 9: ~16,900 (320th and 324th Division)
Casualties and losses

United States U.S. losses:
At Khe Sanh:
274 killed
2,541 wounded (not including ARVN Ranger, RF/PF, Forward Operation Base 3 – US Army and Royal Laotian Army losses)
Operation Scotland I (1 November 1967 – 31 March 1968) Operation Pegasus ( 1–14 April 1968):
730 killed
2,642 wounded,
7 missing
Operation Scotland II (15 April 1968 – July 1968):
485 killed
2,396 wounded
Casualties of USAF personnel:
5 ~ 20 killed, wounded unknown
Operation Charlie for the final evacuation (19 June – 5 July 1968):
At least 11 marines killed, wounded unknownDuring aerial resupply: 1 KC-130, 3 C-123, numerous rotary-wing aircraft

South Vietnam ARVN losses: 229 killed, 436 wounded (not including CIDG, RF/PF and SOG losses)
CIDG losses: 1,000 - 1,500 killed or missing, at least 250 captured (in Lang Vei), wounded unknown
Laos Kingdom of Laos: Few hundred casualties.

Total (21 January – 9 July):

12,000+ casualties
(2,800-3,500 killed, 9,000+ wounded, 7 missing, 250+ captured)

Unknown (1,602 bodies were counted, US official public estimated 10,000–15,000 KIA, but MACV's secret report estimated only 5,550 KIA)

North Vietnamese figures:
1,436 wounded (before mid-March)
2,469 KIA (from 20 January until 20 July 1968).

Indecisive; both sides claimed victory:

~45,000 in total
~6,000 Marines at the Combat Base of Khe SanhOperation Pegasus: ~20,000 (1st Air Cavalry and Marine units)

Siege at Khe Sanh: ~17,200 (304th and 325th Division)

United States U.S. losses:
At Khe Sanh:
274 killed
2,541 wounded (not including ARVN Ranger, RF/PF, Forward Operation Base 3 – US Army and Royal Laotian Army losses)
Operation Scotland I (1 November 1967 – 31 March 1968) Operation Pegasus ( 1–14 April 1968):
730 killed
2,642 wounded,
7 missing
Operation Scotland II (15 April 1968 – July 1968):
485 killed
2,396 wounded
Casualties of USAF personnel:
5 ~ 20 killed, wounded unknown
Operation Charlie for the final evacuation (19 June – 5 July 1968):
At least 11 marines killed, wounded unknownDuring aerial resupply: 1 KC-130, 3 C-123, numerous rotary-wing aircraft

South Vietnam ARVN losses: 229 killed, 436 wounded (not including CIDG, RF/PF and SOG losses)
CIDG losses: 1,000 - 1,500 killed or missing, at least 250 captured (in Lang Vei), wounded unknown
Laos Kingdom of Laos: Few hundred casualties.


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