Memories of an early New Year in Laos

That was the end of 1972, the beginning of 1973, my battalion participated in the 972 campaign in the Central Laos battlefield. Now it was the peak of the dry season, all the way from Na Cai through Nhom Ma Lat down to Ma Ha Xay, and along Highway 12 at the foot of the Na Du and Na Coc cliffs along the way to Tha Khet, big and small streams were dry, the streambeds exposed to sand dunes covered with gravel and moss. From the rear base in the Nam Phit cliff cave, not far from Highway 12 in the forest, the battalion continuously established a light command post, organized diversionary attacks to lure enemy aircraft down to attack.

The enemy mainly used OV10 and L19 reconnaissance aircraft to continuously take turns on duty in the sky near Tha Khet. When they discovered our positions or the campaign's transport vehicles, they swooped down to fire smoke flares to mark the target and then called T28s or F-types to bomb and attack. Understanding the enemy's operating patterns, the battalion organized to set up fake warehouses. And the enemy took the bait, the battalion fought two battles according to the planned plan, burning down a T28 in the battle at the foot of Na Coc cliff.

Vietnamese soldiers on the Laos battlefield in 1972. Photo courtesy of Quang Huong

To get closer to the front, coordinate with infantry and ground artillery to attack Tha Khet, after the New Year, the battalion's rear base moved to Ma Ha Xay. The Paris Agreement on ending the war and restoring peace in Vietnam was signed, and enemy aircraft seemed to be concentrated in Laos. At night, the enemy used C47s and AC130s to fire 40mm and 20mm shells along the roads and places where our troops were suspected to be. The 20mm bullets were like a stream of fire from the fuselage to the ground, lasting endlessly. Shell casings fell heavily on the roof of the tank, on the tree trunk where we were lying, very dangerous. The enemy also let B52s carpet bomb the foot of Na Du cliff, right next to the Campaign Command, and the battalion headquarters was located right next to the bomb strip, fortunately there were no major casualties.

Speaking of which, it was the height of the dry season, and for nearly four months we lacked green vegetables. To celebrate the New Year, the battalion had to send someone to bring a bag of salt all the way to a Laotian village in the high mountains to exchange for some vegetables to pickle. After the meal with those vegetables, we took turns going down to the stream beds to find tiny green sprouts like duckweed, and all day we only got a handful that we called wild vegetables, not enough to make a bowl of soup. But there were countless fish. At the Nam Phit rear base, the entire forest had dried up, the fish were so dense that the water seemed to boil, and we just had to sit on a pile of rocks and use a pith helmet to scoop them up. And here, next to the Se-bang-phai River at this time, small explosives were thrown down, and two or three kilos of fish floated white across the river.

Establishing a rear base at Ma Ha Xay, from here the battalion continued to establish light command posts to organize ambushes to intercept enemy aircraft heading towards Tha Khet, the final target of the campaign. I did not know at that time, along the way to Tha Khet, infantry and artillery units were approaching, not far from the target.

Tet was approaching, only a few days left but the weather was still warm and sunny. Whenever we soldiers had free time, we would all talk about Tet and tell stories about Tet in our hometowns. Then a little bit of Spring air came to the grass buds, and the empty fields around the battlefields also changed color. Looking closely, the dry and bare branches of the khọt tree also sprouted, the mountains and forests became dreamy and misty. And the Tet atmosphere had truly arrived when the car to Vinh to buy Tet was already here. We were so happy, we had letters from home, many had five or seven leaves, at least two. As for Tet goods, there were pigs, sticky rice, candies, wine, dong leaves, vermicelli and bamboo shoots. The Military Region's military supplies gave priority to units on the front lines over the quota. And the self-purchased goods were vegetables, such as kohlrabi, cabbage, cauliflower... We received the Tet quota of two packages of Tam Dao, half a package of tea and two hundred grams of Hai Chau candy.

The atmosphere of Tet was bustling. Despite the roar of enemy planes in the sky, we, the rest of us in the rear took turns butchering pigs, pounding meatballs, wrapping cakes, going fishing… and reading letters from home. Soldiers whispered to each other that celebrating Tet early meant a big fight was coming.

On the 25th of December, I think, we got to celebrate Tet early. Although it was eaten early, the feast had all the traditional dishes: vermicelli soup, stewed bamboo shoots, fried fish, and of course, stir-fried cabbage and kohlrabi. The vegetables we had been craving for months. In addition, each person got a cup of fragrant Hanoi lemon wine.

The next day, to prepare to set up a new command post, we checked the machine wires, cleaned the guns and ammunition, checked the hoes and shovels...

The addition of three female laborers from Can Loc to serve in the kitchen made the atmosphere of the battalion headquarters seem to have a new wind blowing. That night, marching into Na Du, everyone crammed into the Gats63, with pots, rice, salt, guns and machines. The female laborers huddled in a corner of the truck, the agency officers who usually spoke little suddenly became excited. Leaving the rear base, driving for about thirty minutes, the car made a sharp curve in the middle of a sparse forest, where the wreckage of a T28 had been shot down a long time ago, heading southwest. The night sky in the early morning was hazy. The sound of the plane was sometimes far away, sometimes near. Road 12 to Tha Khet, this section, pressed on the left was a long stretch of massive rocky cliffs, and on the right, a stretch of rocky cliffs, a stretch of sparse forest.

Vietnamese soldiers in Laos during the years of fighting against the US. Photo: VNA

The car turned on its headlights and drove as if it were in a dark tunnel. Everyone in the car reminded each other to be careful not to hit the trees and to watch out for planes. On the slopes, an AC130, which looked like a two-story building, was circling around, occasionally launching a burst of 20mm bullets somewhere. The red streak of bullets stretched from the fuselage to the ground as tight as a thread.

At around 11 o'clock, the car stopped. The kitchen staff and some of the agency staff, with their belongings, hid on the left side of the road to enter the cave. We, the scouts and informants, carrying guns, ammunition, and wires, got off the car and quickly blended into the night forest to find the chosen location...

My war diary wrote:

“February 1, 1973: At 4 a.m. everyone got up to prepare. And at the same time, breakfast was brought in. In the thick fog, the shadows of two female laborers carrying rice appeared and disappeared among the bushes, seemingly real or unreal. Just a moment, soon the artillery would fire. In this dangerous place, with bombs and bullets, looking at them made me feel sorry for them… I didn’t dare to think anymore.

Everyone urged each other to eat. After finishing eating, the two girls cleaned up and carried their baskets away for a while, when suddenly the firecrackers went off.

The 85mm artillery exploded nearby, making a loud noise and shaking like a bomb. The fireballs flashed from the muzzles of the artillery like lightning. Several series of rapid fire, the sound of infantry charging forward... A few more rounds were fired and then the artillery changed direction... In the communication device, I heard the urgent orders of the unit leaders.

At nearly 6 o'clock, the cannon roared a few more times and then fell silent.

Two days later, soldiers whispered to each other that the battle failed to achieve its objective due to lack of thorough reconnaissance, lack of understanding of the enemy situation, and poor coordination between forces. 120mm mortars hit the backs of infantry, tanks fell into the river...

Diary February 5, 1973:“There was work at the information company. Ngu from the same hometown reported that special agent Luyen had died. Luyen was my friend Xuyen’s younger sister. Of the three Quynh Haus who participated in this campaign, one was lost. Ngu gave me a standard Tet Tam Dao package and whispered in my ear, the anti-aircraft gunners can go home first... When you get home, tell my parents so they don’t worry.”

Two months later, after the campaign ended, the battalion was ordered to withdraw. I took the opportunity to visit home. I returned the day before, and the next day, Luyen's mother came over, sobbing and asking about the situation. I told her what Ngu had said, because I had not witnessed it with my own eyes. And I also went to Ngu's house to tell the family the news.

It was only yesterday… and yet half a century has passed. I cannot forget the days of war and the early New Year on the Laotian battlefield in 1972-1973.

December 2022