Battle of Chơn Thành

By mid-March 1975, with the PAVN's Spring Offensive underway, the ARVN enclaves at An Lộc and Chơn Thành were of no further military or political value and the 32nd Ranger Group defending An Lộc and the 31st Ranger Group defending Chơn Thành were needed to bolster the hard-pressed defenses throughout the region.^[4]: 257 Furthermore, the PAVN 273rd Infantry Regiment, 341st Division was discovered near Chơn Thành. To save the Rangers and RF in An Lộc and Chơn Thành, III Corps commander General Nguyễn Văn Toàn ordered an evacuation of An Lộc on 18 March. Among the first to be moved were 12 105 mm howitzers, while five of the 155 mm howitzers had to be destroyed because the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) did not have heavy-lift helicopters to move them.^[2]: 167 One Ranger battalion, the province headquarters and the III Corps Ranger Command were removed by helicopter, while the other two Ranger battalions and RF troops were to move south along Highway 13 to Chơn Thành. The overland force left on the night of 19 March and despite a few minor skirmishes arrived at Chơn Thành on 20 March.^[4]

The defenses at Chơn Thành comprised an earth ditch and then a 6-foot (1.8 m) wall dotted with fighting positions. With the arrival of the 32nd Rangers it was now defended by six Ranger battalions, one RF battalion, 11 M41 tanks and artillery, however the 32nd Ranger battalion was soon removed.^[4]: 258 Before the ARVN could begin their withdrawal from Chơn Thành at 09:30 on 24 March, two regiments of the 9th Division supported by T-54 tanks attacked the base. The defenders held their fire until the tanks were close and then hit them with antitank rockets and recoilless rifle fire destroying 7 and, together with RVNAF airstrikes, they killed more than 100 PAVN soldiers.^[4]: 258 On the 26th, the 9th Division attacked again, apparently trying to retrieve disabled tanks, but was repulsed again. By 27 March, the 273rd Regiment which had been holding blocking positions on Highway 13 south of Chơn Thành was sent to reinforce the 9th Division for another assault on the camp. After two attacks the PAVN had been repulsed for the loss of 240 killed and 11 tanks destroyed, while ARVN losses were 50 killed and wounded.^{[4]: 258–9} At dawn on 31 March, following a 3,000 round bombardment by 105 mm and 155 mm howitzers and 120 mm mortars, the entire 9th Division, 273rd Regiment and the remaining tanks attacked Chơn Thành again. The PAVN penetrated the camp defenses three times and were repulsed each time.^[4]: 259 However resupply, reinforcement and medical evacuation from the camp was now impossible and the Ranger commander, Colonel Nguyen Thanh Chuan, received permission from General Toàn to abandon Chơn Thành.^[4]: 259 Accordingly, on 1 April the RVNAF saturated the PAVN assembly areas and bivouacs with 52 sorties; under the cover of this attack, the Ranger and RF battalions began withdrawing separately to Bàu Bàng and Lai Khê, taking the remaining artillery and M41s with them.^{[2]: 169–70} One Ranger battalion and the RF battalion were ambushed and suffered moderate losses, but the 31st Ranger Group was now available to support South Vietnamese defenses elsewhere.^[4]: 260