The Campaign Command decided: The units urgently organized defensive positions on heights C1, D1, E, preparing to counter-attack the enemy during the day, determined not to let the enemy retake them. The 308th Infantry used the 102nd Regiment to move to the east, continuing to attack and destroy A1 and defend at C1. Comrade Vuong Thua Vu commanded the battles at A1 and C1. Regiments 88 and 36 (Regiment 308) attacked and destroyed bases 106 and 311 in the west. Regiment 165 (Regiment 312) attacked and destroyed base 105 in the north, strongly threatening the enemy, creating conditions for units in the eastern area to complete their mission.
Enemy side: Early on the morning of March 31, the French Command in Dien Bien Phu met to discuss how to deal with the situation. Langele proposed to concentrate the entire 3nd airborne army, including the 2st parachute battalion, the 1th parachute battalion, a part of the 8th parachute battalion, along with the 5rd legion battalion and tanks from Hong Kong. Flu arrives to launch a counterattack. The entire artillery force as well as tanks of the base group will be mobilized in the counterattack.
At 7:45 a.m., the 3rd Legion Battalion with supporting tanks from Hong Cum headed out to Route 41 toward Muong Thanh. Arriving at Long Nhai village, entering the battlefield of the 57th Regiment, they were immediately surrounded and attacked. The tank was hit by DKZ bullets and caught fire, the infantry was destroyed by our heavy fire.
Near noon, enemy artillery had to block fire so that the 3rd Legion Battalion and tanks could open a bloody path back to Hong Cum, bringing with them 15 corpses and 50 wounded.
The weather is good, the enemy air force is active again. C.119 transport planes controlled by American pilots parachuted in supplies of ammunition and food; Fighter planes also swooped down, combined with enemy artillery to bombard high points C1, D1, E and A1.
Counterattack the enemy to recapture lost targets and attack A1
In hill area D1, Taking advantage of cannon smoke, the enemy crawled up to approach the target. Because most of the sentinel soldiers were killed and wounded, the enemy approached and opened fire, so we only knew. After about 25 minutes, the enemy recaptured most of D1 hill, forcing our defense force into a corner. Soldier Tran Ngoc Boi shouted loudly, "I'd rather die than leave the battlefield", and his teammates rose up to use grenades and bayonets to repel enemy counterattacks.
Engineer soldiers cut the barbed wire fence, opening the way for assault soldiers to attack and destroy position 206.
The Regiment's observation post detected the enemy at D1, immediately sent artillery to block fire and sent reinforcements. We reversed the situation and advanced to fight the enemy hand-to-hand.
After an hour of fighting, the enemy was forced to flee back to Muong Thanh.
The enemy could not recapture D1, but had to abandon point D3, protected by a Thai company, and withdraw artillery at 210, knowing that these heights could not stand if D1 was lost.
Our assault soldiers are attacking an enemy position on hill C.
At C1, At 13:30 p.m., the enemy sent two parachute battalions No. 5 and No. 6 forward, with artillery, air support and tanks leading the way. Company 273 (Regiment 102) and the remaining forces of Company 35 (Regiment 98) repelled many enemy counterattacks from C2 in an attempt to retake this peak. The enemy fired fiercely from cannons, used flamethrowers and charged up, capturing the Flagpole peak, putting our troops at a disadvantage.
The soldiers had to use a white parachute cloth tied to the top of the gun as a standard for the artillery to determine the position. While the artillery was pouring in, the regiment sent reinforcements and coordinated with the defense forces at the battlefield to dislodge the enemy from Flagpole peak and restore the battlefield.
At 16:1 p.m., the enemy was forced to retreat from C100, and we destroyed nearly XNUMX people.
During the day, we repelled 7 counterattacks by two enemy parachute battalions here.
Our assault soldiers cut the barbed wire fences, opening the attack on enemy positions in hill area C.
At A1, At midnight on the morning of March 31, we organized a force to attack the base for the second time. The 3nd Regiment marched from the west along the trench across the Muong Thanh field to the east.
At noon on March 31, the Command Board of Regiment 3 received a handover of the terrain and combat situation at A102 from the Commander of Regiment 1. However, the maneuvering process encountered difficulties, and by the afternoon only 174 companies were able to catch up. to location. Reinforced by a company of Regiment 4, Regiment 174 decided to continue attacking A102. We did not use artillery bombardment, but concentrated supporting fire to threaten the enemy and then sent troops to attack, quickly capturing half of the base in the east.
However, the situation remained the same as the previous night, we organized four assaults without being able to overcome the horizontal line in front of the underground tunnel. The fighting continued fiercely, the enemy occupied 2/3 of the base, we remained in the eastern 1/3 of hill A1.
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