American Lines Penetrated

Press, Volume CVII, Issue 31498, 12 October 1967, Page 13

American Lines Penetrated

(N.Z. Press Association —Copyright)'

SAIGON, October 11.

North Vietnamese troops attacked and penetrated American lines south of Da Nang a few hours before the United States Ist Air Cavalry Division had set up camp in the jungle area, field reports said today.

The North Vietnamese raid, under an umbrella of mortar shells in the twilight before dawn yesterday, touched off a fierce battle.

The United States command said Air Cavalry defenders killed nine North Vietnamese and captured two in fighting that cost the lives of seven Americans and wounded 17.

The battlefield was about 80 miles south of Da Nang in rugged terrain occupied last week by a full Air Cavalry brigade as part of a troop shift that freed 3000 American marines for deployment along the Demilitarised Zone frontier, north of Da Nang. Secrecy had been imposed on the new deployment, and

the location of the Air Cavalry base was not officially disclosed until some hours after the North Vietnamese struck. American eight-engined jet bombers carpet - bombed North Vietnamese jungle hide-outs around the embattled American hilltop outpost of Con Thien early today.

Formations of the 852 bombers, twice flew four miles south-west and' west of the strategic base laying high explosives along a threequarter mile ribbon. One of the raids stretched north into the southern half of the Demilitarised Zone. An American spokesman said the bombers were hitting North

Vietnamese troops and storage areas based in the dense jungle. The red, muddy hilltop of Con Thien—subjected to repeated artillery attacks is surrounded on three sides by North Vietnamese troops, and patrols can move only a few hundred yards. The President-elect, Lieu-tenant-General Nguyen Van Thieu, said today he would welcome any initiative that would bring about a lasting peace in Vietnam. “But if the enemy continues to be stubborn,” General Thieu told the opening session of the 60-man Senate, “the fight for our selfdefence must be continued.”