A Friend in Need

U.S. Army units moved into the A Shau Valley In the opening moves of what would culminate in Hamburger Hill. Here two platoons advance on a small village suspected of harboring a Viet Cong contingent. The VC knew the Americans …

1969-05-08

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U.S. Army units moved into the A Shau Valley In the opening moves of what would culminate in Hamburger Hill. Here two platoons advance on a small village suspected of harboring a Viet Cong contingent. The VC knew the Americans were in the area, and the Americans knew of the VC, but neither side expected a stand-up battle. Neither side, however, would be correct.

A Shau Valley, South Vietnam

The Battle of Hamburger Hill (13–20 May 1969) was a battle of the Vietnam War that was fought by US Army and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) forces against People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) forces during Operation Apache Snow. Though the heavily-fortified Hill 937, a ridge of the mountain Dong Ap Bia in central Vietnam near its western border with Laos, had little strategic value, US command ordered its capture by a frontal assault, only to abandon it soon thereafter. The action caused a controversy both in the American military and public. The battle was primarily an infantry engagement, with the US Airborne troops moving up the steeply sloped hill against well-entrenched troops. Attacks were repeatedly repelled by the PAVN defenses. Bad weather also hindered operations. Nevertheless, the Airborne troops took the hill through direct assault, causing extensive casualties to the PAVN forces.

Wikipedia: Battle of Hamburger Hill

American

Viet Cong