TAO: Con Thien, 14 miles inland from the South China Sea, 2 miles south of the DMZ

Objective: to defend Con Thien against PAVN attackers and keep the hill open to monitor the enemy's principle supply routes into South Vietnam

Description: During July, the PAVN had attacked the hill of Con Thien from the DMZ. However, these forces were driven back by the Marines. Then again in September, the hill was attacked by the 324B PAVN Division. Con Thien experienced one of the heaviest shellings of the war. In early September, Marines engaged PAVN forces south of the hill. The 3d Battalion, 26 Marines fought a battle with the PAVN on 10 September, which foiled a major PAVN attack. Later, the PAVN attacked the perimeter. However, they were not able to breach the defensive wire. The Marines sent two more battalions to reinforce the hill, and the PAVN increased their artillery fire. This bombardment peaked from 19-27 September. The U.S. responded to all of this with great amounts of firepower. The combat had taken heavy casualties, though. The 2d Battalion, 4th Marines were reduced from 952 to about 300 men by the end of October. However, the area remained unforgiving as the monsoon season made the environment very difficult to operate in.

Title: The Encyclopedia Of The Vietnam War: A Political, Social & Military History

Vietnam Center & Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive