WOMEN IN FIRING LINE

Press, Volume CIV, Issue 30803, 15 July 1965, Page 15

WOMEN IN FIRING LINE

(N.Z. Press Association—Copyright)

SAIGON, July 14.

American and Australian troops in Vietnam face an ugly prospect—having to shoot women, the Associated Press reports.

War in Vietnam for decades has been a family affair, in which the delicate-looking women of the nation have fought beside their husbands.

The Viet Cong has insisted from the beginning on the complete involvement of entire families in the fighting. Even the children are put to work, making arid planting mines. Last Thursday. American paratroopers fought the bloodiest engagement an American unit has yet encountered in Vietnam. As troops from the 173rd Airborne Battailion stormed through one village after another in D Zone, they met stiff resistance. Some of It came from Viet Cong regulars in khaki uniforms, firing heavy machine guns. Some of it came from women, seen frantically hurling grenades at the advancing Americans. Ten Americans died in the fight, and 42 others were wounded. Some of the women were almost certainly killed in the paratrooper assault. Many Vietnamese, including the Viet Cong, feel that men fight better with their women beside them, passing machine gun ammunition belts, dressing wounds and even fighting themselves. Regional Viet Cong units often move with their women. Legendary Some of these women have become locally famous. The almost legendary Kim Loan, in her late 30s, for three years has been regarded as the scourge of Long An province. Kim Loan went on an assassination affray after her Viet Cong husband was killed a few years ago, and gained such a reputation that the Viet Cong put her in charge of all terror and subversion operations in a huge sector onlv 15 miles south of Saigon Other Viet Cong women operatives have led propaganda and terror teams with impressive results, especially in Central Vietnam, the region where the Viet Cong is fighting its monsoon offensive.

Thousands of women have been arrested as Viet Cong agents. Many have been imprisoned and some have been shot. Last year a United States intelligence officer committed suicide after learning that his girl friend was a Viet Cong spy.

Thousands of Viet Cong women have served as coolies and bearers for their fighting men, and many are captured in engagements.

A few are reported to be prostitutes accompanying Viet Cong units. Not all the women who have fought in the jungles of Vietnam have been Viet Cong. One, Cao Thi Nguyet, fought for many years at the side of her husband, Ba Cut. He led the fighting forces of the Hoa Hoa sect, which still has a powerful influence. He was captured by President Diem in 1957 and executed.

Life Happy His widow, now a prosperous Saigon businesswoman, says: “In some ways the old life out in the jungle was the happiest I have ever had. We lived hard and fought hard. “It was dangerous, but it was clean. We could go swimming when we wanted, and there was always enough food around. We were almost able to beat the enemy in battle,” she said.