SITREP AS OF 1200 HOURS LOCAL TIME, 31 JANUARY 1968 - 1968/01/31

• Document Type: SPECIALCOLLECTION
• Collection: Tet Declassified
• Document Number (FOIA) /ESDN (CREST): 06753750
• Document Creation Date: July 27, 2018

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CENTRAL INTELLIGENCE AOENCY
Intelligence Information Cable
,PRIORITY
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STATE/INR 01A NmOO./MO Iscom, JCS ARMY NAVY AIR) CIA/NMCC NIC NSA BOO ONE ORS
OCR Pols oco lac mo USIA
Thus material eoritain3 information affecting the National Defense of the United States within the meaning or the Enplonaito Laws, Title 19. U tie
Soca. 793 and 794, the tranrmisilon or revelation of which in any Manner to an unauthOriced person is prohibited by law.
NO FORFIGN4Ifill,
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COUNTRY SOUTH VIETNAM
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DIST 31 JANUARY 1968
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SITREP AS OF 1200 HOURS LOCAL TIME, 31 JANUARY 1968
1. THE FOLLOWING IS A SITREP BASED ON AVAILABLE INFORMATION
AS OF 1200 HOURS, 31 JANUARY1968:
A. DANANG. SMALL ARMS, MORTAR, AND ARTILLERY CONTINUED THROUGH THE NIGHT
CT 30 AND 31 JANUARY SOUTH OF DANANG 'CITY WHERE THE USMC AIR BASE, IN THE VICINITY OF
MARBLE MOUNTAIN, WAS SUBJECTED TO A SECOND OONSECUTIVE VIET CONG ROCKET ATTACK. THE V:ET
0
CONG SUSTAINED SUBSTANTIAL CASUALTIES ON 111E NIGHT OF 29 - 30 JANUARY WHEN SAPPERS ATTACKED
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I CORPS HOS INFLICTING NEGLIGIBLE DAMAGE TO INSTALLATIONS. THE SECOND VIET GONG GROUND
ATTACK AGAINST THE DANANG RIVER BRIDGE WAS EASILY REPULSED BY THE USMC. DANANG AIR BASE
5IS FULLY OPERATIVE AFTER A BRIEF CLOSURE.FOR CIVILIAN TRAFFIC ON THE MORNING OF 30 5
4 4
3ANUARY. THERE HAVE BEEN NO VIET CONG INSTIGATED INCIDENTS OR TERRORISM ACTS WITHIN 3
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DANANG CITY ITSELF. A DEMONSTRATION AND RALLY TOOK PLACE ON 30 JANUARY AT THE TIN HOA
PAGODA IN AN ATTEMPT TO PERSUADE PARTICIPANTS THAT THE VIET CONG HAD W04 A SIGNIFICANT
VICTORY AND TAKEN OVER THE CITY. LITTLE REACTION RESULTED AND THE GOVERNMENT OF VIETNAM
(GVN) AUTHORITIES MADE A NUMBER OF ARRESTS. THE GENERAL FEELING AMONG THE MILITARY,
CORDS, AND OURSELVES IS THAT THE VIET CONG ATTACK AGAINST DANANG CITY FAILED IN ITS
INITIAL THRUST AND THEY NOW ONLY HAVE THE CAPABILITY OF HARASSMENT OF MILITARY TARGETS
WITH MORTARS AND ROCKETS, COMBINED WITH ISOLATED AND UNCOORDINATED SAPI3ER..TYPE ACTIONS.
B. QUANG TRI. 'ON THE NIGHT OF 30 31 JANUARY, QUANG TRI CITY WAS SUBJECTED
TO A LIMITED ROCKET ATTACK AND VIET GONG INFILTRATION WITHIN THE CITY ITSELF. THE
S:TUATION IS UNDER CONTROL WITH ONLY SPORADIC CONTACT NOW TAKING PLACE IN ONE AREA TO THE
WEST OF THE CITY. NO DAMAGE HAS BEEN MADE'TO CAS INSTALLATIONS OR PERSONNEL. UNSATISFACTORY
COMMUNICATIONS WITH QUANG TRI PREVENTS A MORE DETAILED ASSESSMENT AT THIS TIME. HOWEVER,
SENIOR PROVINCE ADVISOR FELT THAT THE SITUATION IS WELL IN HAND AS OF 1200 HOURS, 31
JANUARY.
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C. THUA THIEN. THERE HAS BEEN NO DIRECT REPORT FROM RDC/ADVISORS IN HUE AND
UNABLE TO REACH THEM.,.HOWEVER, FRAGMENTARY AND PARTIAL REPORTING THROUGH CORDS AND
MILITARY CHANNELS INDICATES THE VIET CONG OCCUPIED THE CITA L, SECTOR HOS, AND A NUMBER
OF OTHER INSTALLATIONS.; THE SITUATION IS UNCLEAR TO COMMAN ELEMENTS AERE IN DANANG.
D. QUJOKOMM. THE EASTERN PROTION OF HOI AN CI S OCCUPIED BY VIET GONG
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4 MOST OF THE DAY, 30 JANUARY. KOREAN TROOPS COMMITTED r1 CLEAN UP VIET HONG HELD 4
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2 AREAS AND swum) THE SITUATION BY THE MORNING OF 3 JANWRY. HIEU NHON AND 2
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OTHER DISTRICTS IN QUANG NAM WERE HIT AT THE SAME TIME, OUT THE EXTENT OF THE DAMAGE AtT)
RELATED DETAILS ARE NOT YET IN.
E. QUANG TIN. TAM KY CITY CAE UNDER MORTAR, SMALL ARMS, ANI GROUND ATTACK
AT 0445 HOURS, 31 JANUARY, BY ELEMENTS OF THE 21ST NVA REGIMENT, AND 72ND AND 7IITH NvA
BATTALIONS. HOWEVER FIGHTING HAS NOW SIMMERED DOWN AND THE VIET CONG REWLSED WITH
CONSIDERAGLC LOSSES. RDC/P ADVISOR REPORT $ OVER 100 PRISONERS HAVE BEEN TAKEN. THE
GENERAL FEELING IS THAT THE VIET GONG WERE UNSUCCESSFUL IN GAINING OBJECTIVE OF OCCUPYING
THE CITY AND HAVE PAID A HEAVY PRICE.
r. QUANG QUANG NGAI. THE CITY AND BINH SON, SON TINH, AND NGHIA HANH DISTRICT HOS
COME UNDER ATTACK AT 01400 HOURS, 31 JANUARY. THE SITUATION IN THE CITY ACCORDING TO THE
RDC/3 AND PROVINCE SENIOR ADVISOR IS FLUID WITH ELEMENTS OF THE 2ND ARVN DIVISION COMMITTED.
IT WILL PROBABLY BE LATE AFTERNOON OF 31 JANUARY BEFORE THE PICTURE IS CLEAR ENOUGH TO GIVE
A VALID ASsESRMENT. ADVISORS STRESS THAT VIET GONG CASUALTIES HAVE BEEN HEAVY AS OPPOSED
TO LIGHT ALLIED LOSSES.
2. THE GENERAL OPINION OF THE USMC G-2 OFFICE AND CORDS REPRESENTATIVES IS THAT THE
VIET GONG HAVE PRETTY WELL SHOT THEIR WAD, FAILED IN OBTAINING THEIR OBJECTIVES, AND HAVE
SUSTAINED HEAVY CASUALTIES. DAMAGE TO UNITED STATES INSTALLATIONS AND EQUIPMENT IS
RELATIVELY LIGHT AND OUR OWN CASUALTIES ARE SUPRISINGLY FEW. HOWEVER CONTINUED UNCOORDI-
NATED GROUND AND ROCKET ATTACKS CAN BE ANTICIPATED OVER THE NEXT SEVERAL DAYS.
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