Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Campaign (1965-66)/Battle of Cu-Chi
From Month/Year
January / 1966
To Month/Year
March / 1966
Description The 3d Bde, 1st Div., established a forward command post at Trung Lap in late January 1966. "Nearly evey day of the operation the Americans found ample signs of the Viet Cong's presence - booby traps, mines, weapons, ammuniion, supplies, bunkers, and tunnel systems - but few soldiers."¹
On January 18, tunnel rats from the 1st BN 5th Infantry Regiment, of the 25th Inf Div, accomplished the uncovering of the Viet Cong district hq of Củ Chi containing half a million documents concerning all types of military strategy.
"On 24 January, certain that no large Viet Cong units were in the area, Colonel Brodbeck moved his brigade to Cu Chi proper to establish a perimeter around what was to become the 25th Division's new home. Almost immediately, his troops turned up a series of trenches and tunnels that seemed to permeate the site in every direction.""On the morning of 30 January, with the 25's 2d Brigade largely in place, Brodbeck turned over control of Cu Chi to the brigade commander, Col. Lynnwood M. Johnson, and returned to Lai Khe."
"But the job had just begun, and Colonel Johnson's troops spent much of the next few months trying to clear the 25th Divisions base camp of the maze of tunnels that lay beneth it. In one month alone the 2d Brigade lost 50 men killed and 350 wounded. The tunnels of Cu Chi would torment the 25th Division for years to come."
