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Battle of Khe Sanh: Recounting the Battle’s CasualtiesBy Peter Brush | Vietnam | 9 comments | Print This Post | Email This Post Strategically, however, the withdrawal meant little. The new anchor base was established at Ca Lu, a few miles down Route 9 to the east. Mobile combat operations continued against the North Vietnamese. U.S. reconnaissance forces continued to monitor the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The Marines and their allies at Khe Sanh engaged tens of thousands, and killed thousands, of NVA over a period of many weeks. Indeed, had enemy forces not been at Khe Sanh, they could have joined the NVA and VC who occupied Hue, a much more important strategic target. The Marines fought long, hard and well at Khe Sanh, but they sacrificed in much greater numbers than has been acknowledged by official sources. Subscribe Today
Marine Khe Sanh veteran Peter Brush is Vietnam Magazine’s book review editor. For additional reading, see: Valley of Decision: The Siege of Khe Sanh, by John Prados and Ray W. Stubbe; and the official Marine Corps history, The Battle for Khe Sanh, by Moyers S. Shore II. This article was written by Peter Brush and originally published in the June 2007 issue of Vietnam Magazine. For more great articles, subscribe to Vietnam magazine today! Pages: 1 2 3 4 5Tags: 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