Pegasus is significant to you and to me, because we were participants. But beyond that, what was the significance of Pegasus? In other words, what is the significance of ending the siege? It meant Route 9 was now open.

When did the siege begin? Let's pick January 21 1968, when the NVA attacks begain in earnest. What was the situation before that? Route 9 was closed, and had been closed since September 1967. In fact, Route 9 was closed from September 1964 until March 1967. It was open from March-September 1967, then closed until Pegasus opened it in April 1968.

My point here is that it was normal for Route 9 to be closed.

The NVA began leaving before Pegasus began. Most left, some stayed. Pegasus opened Route 9 on April 8 1968. Heavy traffic could now get to Khe Sanh via land route. Supplies poured into to support 1 ACD and Marine operations. A week later 1 ACD left.

Now Khe Sanh could be supplied by overland convoy. That meant the NVA could attack the convoys. That's what they did. For example, on May 19 they launched a large attack on a Marine road sweep operation. 37 Marines and 300 NVA were killed. That month, 149 Marines and 19 soldiers died around Khe Sanh.

Because the road was open, it was easier to dismantle the base. The base was dismantled. Fighting continued. The NVA kept shelling the base.

A year later the situation was the same. The NVA were back and the Marines were fighting them. Have you read Karl Marlantes' book Matterhorn? It's about the Marines fighting the NVA in this area in early 1969, same as Marines were fighting the NVA in the same area two years earlier, and one year earlier.

So overall, what was the significance of Pegasus? Keep in mind that the siege wasn't really a siege in the literal sense of the word. Supplies were delivered. Killed and wounded were evacuated. Marines arrived for duty, and went home if their tours were up. Marines went to and from R&R during the siege.

Operationally, what difference did it make?

Peter Brush

Pegasus lasted two weeks, and casualties were light, less than anticipated. Given the long history of Americans and Marines at Khe Sanh, Pegasus doesn't seem all that important. Sorry, but that's how it seems to me.

One thing in my opinion that *is* under emphasized is the role of the Army at FOB-3 at Khe Sanh. They were in the area before, during, and after the time when the Marines were there.

Planning for Pegasus began in late January. At a Pegasus planning session in March in Da Nang of senior Army and Marine commanders Westmoreland ordered contingency plans made for brigade size cross-border operations in Laos after Route 9 was opened. As noted in Prados and Stubbe's history of the battle (Valley of Decision), "Thus, as of March 10, MACV explicitly intended to be prepared for a coup de main thrust into Laos in conjunction with the relief of Khe Sanh (p. 418-419)."

Final Pegasus plans were firmed up at a March 28 meeting. Westmoreland noted it would take two weeks to get permission for the thrust into Laos from Ambassador Sullivan and Washington, DC.

On March 30, Westmoreland was briefed in Saigon on plans for Operation El Paso City, his long held plans for a major advance into Laos.

On April 10, General Tolson, "without warning," received orders from Westmoreland to prepare for an immediate assault into the A Shau Valley. That's because Westmoreland was unable to get permission to invade Laos.