Honor for the Battle of Hue

On this day in 1969, the 1st Marine Regiment was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions during the month-long battle for the city of Hue, South Vietnam. They were ordered to protect the air base at Phu Bai, Highway One, and all western routes into the city. This should have fallen to two regiments, they were only three battalions.

With those Marines in that battle were two Army Battalions. Together, they supported eleven ARVN Battalions that had primarily, solely fought against the communist aggressors up until that point in that area.

The Battle of Hue saw some of the heaviest sustained fighting of the entire war. The aftermath, politically, militarily, and in the court of public opinion, things radically changed. The city was almost completely destroyed in the fighting leading many to ask if it was worth it. One Marine Captain asked if the city had to be destroyed to save it. Years later, he answered that question in the affirmative, because the NVA wanted it.

The communists lost 8000 lives. The ARVN lost 452. The US lost 216. Many more were injured on both sides, near 10,000. On top of that, the communist executed more than 4800 people, many civilians. All, a horrible loss.

We focus on those 216 that died tried to protect freedom. Those, along with almost 1600 wounded fought until the bitter end to repel the invaders that sought to destroy. 216 names engraved on The Wall represent those lives. There is no wall for all of the others who suffered either physical injuries or the stresses of war that can never be forgotten. We salute them all.

D.R. Howe treating the wounds of D.A. Crum