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Battle of Khe Sanh: Recounting the Battle’s CasualtiesBy Peter Brush | Vietnam | 9 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post As journalist Robert Pisor pointed out in his 1982 book, The End of the Line: The Siege of Khe Sanh, no other battle of the entire war produced a better body count or kill ratio than that claimed by the Americans at Khe Sanh. Westmoreland echoed this judgment in his memoirs, and, using exactly the same figures, concluded that the North Vietnamese had suffered a most damaging and one-sided defeat. Senior Marine Corps General Victor Krulak agreed, noting on May 13 that the Marines had defeated the North Vietnamese and “won the battle of Khe Sanh.” Over time, these KIA figures have been accepted by historians. They produced a body count ratio in the range between 50:1 and 75:1. By comparison, according to another Army general, a 10:1 ratio was considered average and 25:1 was considered very good. Subscribe Today
But Pisor also pointed out that “205 is a completely false number.” One had to meet certain criteria before being officially considered KIA at Khe Sanh. It was not sufficient to simply be an American military person killed in the fighting there during the winter and spring of 1967-68. Only those killed in action during Operation Scotland, which began on November 1, 1967, and ended on March 31, 1968, were included in the official casualty count. On January 14, Marines from Company B, 3rd Recon Battalion, were moving up the north slope of Hill 881 North, a few miles northwest of Khe Sanh Combat Base. When an enemy rocket-propelled grenade killed 2nd Lt. Randall Yearly and Corporal Richard John, although these Marines died before the beginning of the siege, their deaths were included in the official statistics. The NVA used Hill 881 North to launch 122mm rockets at the Marines during the siege. On Easter Sunday, April 14, the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines (3/26), assaulted Hill 881 North in order to clear the enemy firing positions. Lima Company finally seized the hill after overcoming determined NVA resistance. Unlike the Marines killed in the same place in January, since Operation Scotland had ended, the four Lima Company Marines who died in this attack on Hill 881 North were excluded from the official statistics. Seven miles west of Khe Sanh on Route 9, and about halfway to the Laotian border, sat the U.S. Army Special Forces camp at Lang Vei. Khe Sanh had long been responsible for the defense of Lang Vei. Shortly after midnight on February 7, a large NVA force, reinforced with tanks, attacked the camp. Its mission was to destroy the Special Forces and their Vietnamese allies and to ambush any reinforcements coming from Khe Sanh. The Marines, fearing an ambush, did not attempt a relief, and after heavy fighting the camp was overrun. Ten American soldiers were killed; the rest managed to escape down Route 9 to Khe Sanh. Those 10 deaths were also left out of the official statistics. The American military presence at Khe Sanh consisted not only of the Marine Corps Khe Sanh Combat Base, but also Forward Operating Base 3, U.S. Army (FOB-3). Many American casualties were caused by the 10,908 rounds of rockets, artillery and mortars the North Vietnamese fired into the base and hill positions. Army deaths at FOB-3, however, were not included in the official statistics either. The Operation Scotland tactical area of responsibility (TAOR) was limited to the area around Khe Sanh along Route 9 in western Quang Tri province. On March 6, two U.S. Air Force C-123 cargo airplanes departed Da Nang Air Base en route to Khe Sanh. At 1530 hours the first C-123, with 44 passengers and a crew of five, began to land. Enemy artillery rounds slammed into the runway. The tower at Khe Sanh instructed the pilot to take evasive action and go around for another approach. While climbing, the C-123 was struck by several bursts of heavy machine gun and recoilless rifle fire. The plane, piloted by Lt. Col. Frederick J. Hampton, crashed in a huge fireball a few miles east of Khe Sanh, killing all aboard. Since the Marines on board were not yet officially attached to the 26th Marine Regiment, their deaths were not included in the official Khe Sanh count, nor were the several other deaths associated with aircraft crashes. Had the plane been shot down departing Khe Sanh, the casualties would have been counted. Pages: 1 2 3 4 5Help HistoryNet by bookmarking to
            Tags: Historical Conflicts, Vietnam War
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9 Comments to “Battle of Khe Sanh: Recounting the Battle’s Casualties”
I believe my brother LCPL James A. Acosta was at Scotland II and Khe Sanh. He was would May 10, 1968 by mortar round in his thigh. He later was transferrd to 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine 27th divsion lima company. On July 15, 1968, he was killed while on patrol.
By Isabel Berrigan on Aug 9, 2008 at 9:06 pm
I have been looking for a hooch friend of mine at Khe Sanh since I was wounded for the second time after I left Khe Sanh and left country. His name is Henry L. Davenport. I was a radio operator (2531) and he was a (2511), wireman. A great guy from New York. If anyone knows anything about him or where he went please contact me.
By darrell hill on Feb 28, 2009 at 10:11 pm
My youngest brother, Marine Sgt. James H. Masters, was at Khe Sanh and at one time went out on patrol and was the only one to return. I don’t think anyone really knows how many valiant American troops we lost, but I know that thanks to brave men like my baby brother, who, incidentally, returned home after two tours and was tragically killed in an auto accident after surviving all of that could never get Khe Sanh out of his mind up till the day he died. He took all his friends KIA to heaven with him.
By Jerry Masters on Apr 11, 2009 at 3:11 pm
I was looking to find a pic that i remember of Marines burying scorched ammo from the first explosion of the ammo dump, i was only yards from it and in the pic and thought it was in TIME mag but can;t find it. I spent July67-Mar68 at Khe Sanh and wounded by mortar fire on Mar 8th and medevaced. It was Hell for weeks and lost a great(home town) friend there with me and fellow great Marine Rich Healey.
B. Co. 3rd. Recon 3rd. Marine Div.
By Larry Price on Apr 24, 2009 at 10:21 pm
It has been 41 years since I was pulled out of Khe Sanh. Early Feburary 1968. I wanted to say thank you to all the men and women who served. To this day I don’t remember what unit I
served with all I can remember is that I was a marine in a rock quarry outside of the fire base. No names only hard times and
one lingering thought we stood our ground. A special thank you
to the US Army I saw only one small army unit in 6months.
Thank you to that special group of men who fired the 106 recoiless that help
save our bacon during an early morning fire fight in early February
God Bless you all
Marine Sgt Don Severson
By Donald Severson on May 12, 2009 at 6:53 pm
I too spent my youth at Khe Sanh, and in 4 long forever months I became an old man. I was an 8541 mos a scout/marines know the other part of the mos. I was an enlisted Marine, became a Mustang after returning stateside. One of my thoughts about
Khe Sanh, as a scout in late Nov/Dec ‘67 we reported a large NVA build up with numbers and units over 10k. From personel experience it is a Hell of alot easier to bring support before you are engaged and under fire. I’ve long held that the powers from Gen. Westmoreland to LBJ administration in order to ralley the American People to support the War knew what was in the wind for Us. Marine Larry Price observed Time, Mag in his comments. They could get the press in, why not more Marines and supplies?
There is one memory that I believe speaks for all of Us that where at Kha Sanh and all the wars we have fought. It was written on a K-ration box up near the HQ
“There is a Love of Freedom for whose who fight and die, that the sheltered will Never know.” When the demons come I try to remember those words.
Semper Fi My Brothers
By Col_BradleyUSMC ret. on May 14, 2009 at 5:43 pm
Although I am viewing this on the on-line edition I do have the issue with this article. I am the radio operator pictured in the article. Arriving in-country during the first week of the Tet Offensive, this was my first major operation with the 2nd Bn 7th Cav. From our Bn LZ we could see Khe Sanh and the continuing supply drops, also we could hear and monitored the constant firefights as the Bn attempted a break through. My boss S-3 Don Monson pictured also, and my Bn CO LtCol Roscoe Robinson, were under daily stress from the amount of casualities we were taking as we progressed toward Khe Sanh. During this period LtCol Robinson was awarded the Silver Star for ordering his C&C helo into a very hot LZ to extract wounded, when the medavac refused. Trust me I was listening on the radio and then when his helo landed in our LZ I counted 28 different bullet holes in the bird
By Richard S. Churchill on Jun 11, 2009 at 2:26 pm
I was on Gun #4 in the 155 battery at the north end of the base. I had a friend , Steve Hellwig that was killed in the first week of the battle. I never really knew what happened to him. We went to the same high school in Seattle, WA. I think often of the ones I served with in my gun battery. I hope they are all doing fine. It was a lif time ago. And I’m still sad because it was all so useless. The damn politicans would’nt let us win. And that asshole Westmoreland was a Liar
By Tim Caiola on Jul 8, 2009 at 7:35 pm
khe sanh tet hill ,,,,,,,,,,,,,……………
HILL 861 MICHAEL BEAUGUARD OUR CAVE
By mike leibold on Sep 29, 2009 at 8:41 pm