During the surprise ‘Tet offensive’ across South Vietnam, US Marines and ARVN troops fought to retake the old capital of Hue from the two North Vietnamese Army regiments and Viet Cong sapper battalions that had held the city since 31st January.
With firepower and mobility constrained by the urban landscape, it was up to Marine assault groups to clear every building and street. Recoilless rifles and anti-tank vehicles were often used by the Marines to blast their way through garden walls and courtyards.
Here we see an M48A3 Patton from 1st Marine Tank Battalion cautiously advance up a street, supported by a small fire team. Although heavily armoured, the tanks were easy targets for enemy machine guns and rockets, often going through several replacement crews.
It would take nearly a month of fierce urban fighting before the NVA and VC were cut off from their supply lines and defeated.
By Ibrahim Zamir
Empire of History 