After weeks of reconnaissance, on the morning of July 1, 1970, the North Vietnamese started firing mortars at the firebase. The began to besiege the Americans, in the firebase. During the siege that held on for 23 days, 75 US servicemen were killed. The battle for the hilltops raged for days. The 101st was surrounded, outnumbered almost ten to one and running low on supplies. It was only the high ground and the bravery of its defenders that kept the enemy from overrunning the FSB Ripcord.
Major General Ben Harrison claimed that the NVA losses at Ripcord were one of the reasons why the North to postpone their Easter Offensive that finally happened in 1972, since they had to resupply and reorganize after the attacks on the firebase.
One of the
Major General Ben Harrison claimed that the NVA losses at Ripcord were one of the reasons why the North to postpone their Easter Offensive that finally happened in 1972, since they had to resupply and reorganize after the attacks on the firebase.
One of the