Special Note: The primary source, for details involving the Battle of An Loc, is Thiet Giap! The Battle of An Loc, April 1972, a monograph prepared by James H. Willbanks, PhD, LTC USA-Ret., United States Army Command and General Staff College (USCGSC). Dr. Willbanks was on the ground at the An Loc battle as an advisor to ARVN forces. He was wounded and evaced in April 1972. Currently, he is an instructor in the Department of Joint and Combined Operations at USCGSC.
5th VC Division**
69th Artillery Division
Other Forces
*Strengths are before battle. Additional reinforcements added later. **Unit carried VC designation. However, was manned by NVA personnel. Traditional VC forces saw little action during the Spring Invasion of 1972.
9th ARVN Inf Regt (-)
1st Armored Cavalry Squadron 74th Border Ranger Battalion 1st Battalion Regional Popular Forces 1-105mm Howitzer Battery Task Force 52 (North of town)
*Approximate total of ARVN force including TF 52 north of town.
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To better understand the battle for An Loc, it is necessary to review some past events. Plus, the military/political strategies of North Vietnam are significant. The disaster of the 1968 Tet Offensive destroyed plans for leaders in the North. Their country wide attack, sometimes called "gnat swarm" strategy, did not work. The expected uprising of the populace, to bring Saigon's regime to an end, did not happen. Militarily, the Peoples Army of Viet Nam (PAVN), suffered a huge defeat. Northern leaders were hurting and were giving serious consideration to talks and a settlement by means other than force. Had it not been for exaggerated media reports, PAVN leaders were ready for serious talks. Newscasters painted a picture of an all powerful force able to attack at will in every part of South Viet Nam. Nothing could have been further from the truth. Spurred by a perceived disintegration of America's will, they used the years between 1968 and 1972 to rebuild. They knew guerrilla tactics would never bring victory. While the US was withdrawing, they were converting ARVN forces into a well equipped, significant fighting force. And, it was a force they could not defeat with any "super guerrillas." To even expect victory, PAVN would need significant numbers of well equipped, well trained, conventional, combined armed forces. Peace talks were underway in Paris in 1972. Shortly before the massive invasion, North Vietnamese and Peoples Liberation Front representatives walked out of the talks. They had to be aware of the massive forces assembled in Laos and Cambodia. These forces included tanks, armored personnel carriers and anti-aircraft units in large numbers. A total of 14 NVA infantry divisions and 26 separate regiments (including 120,000 troops and approximately 1200 tanks and other armored vehicles) took part in the offensive. The initial attack was across the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on 30 March toward Quang Tri and Hue. While this attack was massive, and with definite objectives, it also was timed to draw resources away from southern areas. Three days later, 3 Divisions plunged into Binh Long Province towards An Loc, the province capital. The objective was to take An Loc and establish a government inside South Viet Nam. The distance to Saigon was about sixty miles. Later, additional divisions struck toward Kontum in the Central Highlands. Thus began the most intense battles of the Viet Nam conflict. The fierce battle at An Loc is considered to be the most intense of the three. The first strike, in the battle for An Loc, was against Loc Ninh a small town north of An Loc on QL-13. (See the adjacent Order of Battle for units and strengths involved.) Dr. Willbanks writes, "The 5th VC Division was to initiate the offensive campaign by capturing Loc Ninh, the northernmost town in Binh Long Province. After securing this foothold, the North Vietnamese forces would move on An Loc." Willbanks explains further that at 0650 on the morning of 5 April, the 5th VC Division crossed the Cambodian border and attacked Loc Ninh. This district town was defended by approximately 1,000 soldiers from elements of the 9th ARVN Infantry Regiment and an attached armored cavalry squadron (which was deployed north of the town) from the 5th ARVN Division, part of an ARVN border ranger battalion and a small number of local territorial forces. The NVA attacked initially from the west with a heavy ground assault led by at least one tank and supported by artillery, rockets and mortars. The battle for An Loc lasted months. It resulted in the most stunning defeat for North Viet Nam in the history of the South Viet Nam conflict. Throughout this time, tactical air strikes, B-52 carpet bombing, Spectre C-130 aircraft, and cobra gunships inflicted massive damage to NVA forces. The 362nd Aviation Company was moving troops, supplies, munitions and other vital resources in support of the battle. They, like other aviation assets, were subjected to the same intense anti-aircraft fires to include the SA-7 Strella missiles. Yet, never lost a ship.
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