Battle Rages Over 3d of Viet

May 30, 1965 - Government forces and Communist Viet Cong guerrillas slugged it out on the ground throughout the northern third of South Vietnam today while U.S. jets made their deepest penetration yet into North Vietnam.

The ground battle raged over five northern provinces with major fighting reported north and south of the large air base at Da Nang.

The Viet Cong, swarming out of their mountain lairs, sent their main thrusts at Nam Dong, a town between Da Nang and Hue, and Ba Gia, an outpost of Quang Ngai.

Government sources reported heavy casualties on both sides. Military officials also said that the attacks had drained away the last reserves available in the area.

The lack of manpower immediately started speculation that U.S. Marines, holding the defense perimeter around Da Nang, may soon be pressed into operational service if the attacks continue.

Bad weather has been aiding the Viet Cong. U.S. and South Vietnamese planes were grounded in the fighting zone except for a few sorties.

Official American military reports on the Viet Cong drive, now in its fifth day, were sketchy. An official acknowledged, however, that a government unit of 150 men was “pretty badly chewed up” by an ambush today.

The air strikes into North Vietnam were mounted by 16 Air Force F-105’s with fighter cover. They dumped 40 tons of bombs on an ammunition depot at Hoai, 45 miles south of Hanoi, and destroyed 60% of the installation. No planes were lost. 

South of Saigon, a battalion of South Vietnamese paratroops moved into the area of Vungtau, where a hamlet was overrun by the Viet Cong Friday night. The reinforcements met no resistance. Planes and artillery were pounding nearby salt-water swamps, where a Viet Cong battalion was believed to have concentrated.

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