Chng Chn

Nhn nh v LS719
Tng Kt Thit Hi
Vi tun sau khi tuyn b Hnh Qun LS719 kt thc, B T
Lnh MACV v B Tng Tham Mu VNCH ng tuyn b chung
s thit hi ca hai qun lc tham d cuc hnh qun ln nht
trong chin tranh Vit Nam. Theo bn tng kt chnh thc, pha
VNCH c 1.529 cht; 5.423 b thng; v 651 mt tch tng
ng 21% thng vong trong tng s qun tham chin. Pha Hoa
K c 174 cht; 1.027 b thng; v 42 mt tch. Ti liu c
lng pha QND c 16.224 cht; 81 b bt; v bn u hng.[1]
V v kh, VNCH mt 111 chin xa M-41 v M-113; 90 i bc;
v hn 70 qun xa a dng lai (trng c 34 xe i t). Pha
QND mt (b thch thu hay ph hy) 308 i bc phng khng;
48 i bc; 223 sng ci; 207 sng ha tin 122 ly; 106 chin xa;
v 291 xe vn ti.
Trong khi nhng con s thng vong v thit hi v v kh c th
tranh ci c, iu khng th tranh ci l s thit hi ca i bn
trong trn chin vt xa nhng thit hi hai bn chu t trc
n thi im .
Trn H Lo em li cho chin thut gia qun s nhng thc
nghim m trc y ch l l thuyt: Trn H Lo cho thy kh
nng v gii hn ca chin thut trc thng vn; kh nng
v gii hn ca ha lc ca nhng i i trc thng xung kch; v
s kh thi ca cn c ha lc trong a th ni cao vi rng gi
bao ph nh H Lo. Trong cuc HQ LS719, cc n v phng
khng ca QND chu thit nng chin trng. Nhng ngc
li, Hoa K phi tr mt gi tht cao mua nhng thit hi .
Phng khng ca QND bn ri 108 trc thng v bn h 618
chic khc. Theo c lng ca Lc Qun Hoa K, 20% trong
618 trc thng h s b ph thy. Nh vy, Lc Qun M b ri
213 chic (s thit hi ny k lun by phi c phn lc ca Khng

Qun M; v bn trc thng VNCH). Ngoi s thit hi v vt

cht, ch thuyt trc thng vn ca Lc Qun Hoa K b tn
thng khi p dng vo chin trng LS719:[2] 525 sng
phng khng t 12.7 ly n 57 ly ca QND chng t khng
lc Lc Qun (trc thng) khng th hot ng di p lc ca
phng khng nh xy ra chin trng H Lo.[3] Li cng
khng c nu ch dng ha lc c hu ca trc thng dn bi
b. T kt qu thy v kh nng ca trc thng, nu chin
thut trc thng vn khng p dng c H Lo, th chin lc
cn c ha lc cng khng th p dng. Tt c cc cn c ha lc
ca VNCH u phi di tn khi trc thng khng cn tip t c.
Lam Sn 719 l mt cuc hnh qun vi s lng phi v ym tr
ln khng th tng. Hn by trm trc thng ca L101KV v
ca cc qun binh chng khc (nh trc thng ca Hi Qun,
Khng Qun, v TQLC) cung cp 90.640 phi v lai ring cho
VNCH.[4] Khng Qun Hoa K chuyn ch 30.000 tn qun nhu
qun dng v hnh khch; ym tr 8.000 phi v chin thut; trong
khi Khng Qun Chin Lc nh 1.358 phi v B-52. Pho binh
M v Vit bn tng cng 519.899 n i bc t 105 ly n 175
ly.[5] Vi s trc thng b bn ri v trng n h hi rt cao,
nhng khi so vi tng s phi v v gi bay, cc cp ch huy ca
L on Khng Vn v Lc Qun Hoa K cho l mt thit hi
tng i, v c th chu ng c.[6] Nhng thm quyn B
Quc Phng v B Lc Qun mun MACV tr li ti sao trc
thng b bn rt/ h nhiu nh vy.
Nhn nh v Quan St
V k honh hnh qun: K hoch HQ LS719 chng nhng c
son tho mt cch bt ng, m cn c san tho trong s nghi
ng. Bt ng l thi gian son tho mt cuc hnh qun cp hai
qun on tng ng mt l qun m ch son trong mt
thng, qua nm b t lnh khc nhau: MACV; BTTM VNCH;
QXXIV; QI; v Ta Bch c! Cuc hnh qun c san ra
trong s nghi ng, v b t lnh MACV san tho k hoch nhng
chnh h khng ngh k hoch s thnh cng.

Ti liu sau ny cho thy mc d hai i Tng Abrams v

Weyand c gng thuyt phc Tng Thng Thiu v i Tng
Cao vn Vin v s kh thi ca LS719, nhng trong lng h
khng ngh cuc hnh qun s d dng nh h thuyt phc.
Theo hi k ca i Tng Bruce Palmer, vi nm sau cuc hnh
qun tng Weyand th l l ng hoi nghi v k hoch LS719.
Ring v phn tng Abrams, cng theo li tng Palmer thut
l, Abrams ngh QLVNCH cha ln cho cuc hnh qun qua
Lo LS719 l mt s en ln. Nhng vi B-52, vi kh
nng khng vn trc thng v nu c thm may mn VNCH
c th thng. Tng Abrams ngh nhu vy. kin nhng thm
quyn c tham d vo tin trnh san tho LS719 cho rng tng
Abrams thi hnh k hoch rt min cng nu khng ni l b
bt but.[7] Ti v nghi ng (t ht n lc vo mt k hach
LS719 H Lo) nn Ta Bch c mun son tho thm k
hoch th hai mt trn Cam Bt. V hai k hoch ny phi c
thc hin song song. y ta khng tt c trch nhim vo Ta
Bch c, nhng chng ta thy Ta Bch c khng hiu bit, hay
c kh nng v kinh nghim g v chin trung Chu, khi h
ngh trong thi im Qun Lc VNCH c th hnh qun ba
qun on ba mt trn cng lc. ng trch y l ngi s
quan ch huy c nghi ng v k hoch, nhng khng dm ni
thng vi thm quyn dn s l ngh ca h khng th thnh
cng c. Mt vi s quan cao cp ln ting v k hach LS719.
Nhng hoc l h ln ting qu tr, hoc l h ln ting mt cch
khng chnh thc. Ngy 24 thng 2, sau khi hai cn c ca BQ
tht th v CC31 ca Nhy D ang nguy ngp, i Tng
William Westmoreland (t lnh Lc Qun) ch ta mt bui hp
ca BTMLQ, thay mt cho c Thomas Moorer.
Westmoreland ni ng khng ngh chin thut cn c ha lc s
thnh cng, nu ch dng nh mt l chn bo v trc tin qun.
V nu x dng qun Nhy D bo v nhng cn c ha lc,
th qun D s cht rt d dng. Tng Westmoreland thy nn
b vo mc tiu bng trc thng, to thanh xong, rt i (tng

t nh khi nim hnh qun ca tng Cao Vn Vin). Qun on

I, hnh qun vi hai s on v hai l on, Westmoreland khng
ngh VNCH qun nh theo kiu trc din vo Tchepone.
Mt ngy trc, Westmoreland cng ni kin ca ng vi Henry
Kissinger khi c hi (qua in thoi). Nhn nh ca tng
Westmoreland rt ng, nhng nhn nh ca ng n qu tr v
khng c coi nh chnh thc ( c Moorer l ngi i din
chnh thc cho BTMLQ To Bch c).[8] Mt trng hp
khc cho thy s i ngi ca s quan t lnh M, khi h thy
VNCH phi chin u hai mt trn Lo v Cam Bt cng lc m
khng c ym tr y nh ha hn: Trung Tng Michael
Davison, t lnh Qun on II D Chin (II Field Force, BTL c
vn cho qun on III VNCH), ni ring vi tng Abrams l,
Mnh em h vo [vo chin trng Cam Bt] ri rt tm thm
di chn h. Ti c ni vi tng Tr, Ti thy [chi nh
vy] d qu.[9]
S nghi ng v k hoch a n s nghi ng v kh nng chi huy
v lnh o ca nhng t lnh hnh qun. Kissinger ch trch
tng Abrams v Weyand khng nhit tnh theo di chin trng;
Weyand v Abrams th khin trch tng Sutherland ca
QXXIV l khng c lng c nhu cu tip vn cho chin
trng. Tng Alexander Haig ni tng Sutherland cha kh
nng ch huy cuc hnh qun. V pha VNCH: tng Lm ch
trch hai v t lnh TQLC v Nhy D; MACV cng ch trch
tng Khang v ng, nhng ng thi mun Tng Thng Thiu
thay i tng Lm bng tng Tr. Vi tt c nhng ch trch v
kh nng ca tng Lm, tham mu trng BTMTLQ, c
Moorer ngh l li ca MACV: Hai ng i tng v bn ng
trung tng Lc Qun khng ln ting phn i (v nhn s
cng nh v khi nim hnh qun) lc k hoch hnh qun ang
san tho. Nu h bit tng Lm khng kh nng ch huy
cuc hnh th h khng nn tin hnh k hoch hnh qun
ny.10] D nhin, c Moorer khng qun ch trch hai
tng Abrams v Weyand cng lc ri nhim s i Hawaii v

Thi Lan ngh dng sc, trong giai an hnh qun cn s c

mt ca mt trong hai ch huy.
V Son Tho: HQ LS719 c son tho bt ng v cp bch.
T lc BTL MACV c lnh son tho nim hnh qun cho
n ngy hnh qun ch c 30 ngy: Khng hn mt thng cho
mt k hoch hnh qun c cp s qun on hai qun on th
ng hn. Khi ni HQ LS719 c san tho trong 30 ngy, l
cp BTL MACV. cp qun on, s on th ch c 21 ngy,
nu khng t hn. Ngy 15 thng 1, BTTM mi cho i T Trn
nh Th, Phng 3, ra thuyt trnh cho tng Lm. Mt tun sau,
23 thng 1, QI mi c lnh hnh qun chnh thc. Nhng nhng
n v c hu ca qun on th ch c hn mt tun chun b.
S on Nhy D n ngy 3 thng 2 mi chnh thc thuyt trnh
lnh hnh qun thuyt trnh Khe Sanh, trn ng ra mt
trn.
Qun on XXIV; S on 101 Nhy D; v Lin on 101
Khng Vn c thng bo v k hoch hnh qun mt cch tng
qut vo ngy 7 thng 1. Nhng bo mt, MACV ch th ch c
t lnh, tham mu trng v trng phng hnh qun ca s on
c bit trong thi gian u. Ngay c BTTM, ch huy trng
Phng 2 cng khng c bit k hach hnh qun cho n ngy
khai din.[11] Ngha l nu h phi chun b cho cuc hnh qun,
h phi chun b trong b mt. Nhng lm sao chun b hnh qun
m khng cho cp di bit. Hu nh tt c cc n v thng
thuc Qun on XXIV u phn nn l h khng th gi
chun b. Nhng trung tm tip liu hu nh khng nhn hng
v cha c lnh hnh qun yu cu. Nhng khim khuyt
a n nhng thiu st cn bn: Theo Thiu Tng Nguyn Duy
Hinh, phn ln cc n v tham d cha c hun luyn y
(nh x dng sng chng xe tng M-72), v v cha rnh v a
hnh thi tit H Lo, nhiu n v khng chn mn v m
cho thi tit H Lo.[12]

Ch Thch
[1] BTTM VNCH cng b s thng vong ngy 11 thng 4; Mt
bn tng kt khc, ghi ngy 9 thng 4 cho con s: 1.843 cht;
5.019 b thng; v 609 mt tch. So snh hai bn, chng ta c th
suy lun s 5.423 qun b thng sau cht t nhng vt thng,
lm thay i s t thng hai bn. Ngy 5 thng 4, BTL MACV
cng b vi bo ch thit hi nh sau: VNCH, cht 1.146; thng
4.236; mt tch 246. Pha Hoa K c: cht 102; thng 215; mt
tch 53. Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, tr. 128. Tuy nhin, bo co hnh
qun ca Qun on XXIV, s thng vong ca M l, cht 219;
b thng, 948; mt tch 38. S t thng bn QND c c
lng t 13.000 n 16.224. Lewis Sorley, sd, tr. 635. Con s
16.224 n t tin tc tnh bo khi ng u.
[2] S trc thng thit hi c bn tho ngy 27 thng 3 BTL
MACV. Lewis Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, tr. 577; i Tng
Bruce Palmer, The 25-Year War, tr. 113. Ch thuyt trc thng vn
b tn thng v B Quc Phng ra lnh BTL Lc Qun Hoa K
iu tra v tr li ti sao trc thng b thit hi nhiu trong trn
LS719. Ti liu cho thy Ng Gic i gi MACV, yu cu cung
cp ti liu v thit hi trc thng vi thi khn trng.
Thng vn, ARV 1276, 100900Z APR 71. Thiu Tng Gettys
(tham mu trung Lc Qun Hoa K, Vit Nam) gi Thiu Tng
Tarpley (t lnh S101ND).
[3] Trong trn A Shau thng 9-1968, M rt khong 40 trc thng,
v l thit hi ln nht v trc thng cho n khi c LS719.
[4] Theo Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, tr. 134. Trc thng bay tt c
164.442 phi v nu tnh thm 73.802 phi v ym tr cho cc n
v M. S phi v trc thng c tnh t ngy 30 thng 1 n 6
thng 4-1971. S phi v ring cho mt trn H Lo l 45.828 phi
v. Joint Chiefs of Staff and the War in Vietnam, tr. 449.
[5] Carl Berger, ed., The U.S.A.F. in Southeast Asia, 1961-1973, tr.

115; Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, tr. 139.

[6] Trung Tng John J. Tolson, Airmobility in Vietnam:
Helicopter Warfare in Southeast Asia, tr. 244-252.
[7] T lnh v t lnh ph MACV, i Tng Abrams v Weyand
u i ngi, ngh k hoch kh thnh cng nu khng c qun tc
chin M (c vn) i chung. c Bruce Palmer trong The 25-Year
War, tr. 108-110. S gia Sorley vit, tng Abrams khng thch
ni n HQ LS719, d vi ngi thn nht. Sorley, sd, tr. 442.
[8] The Joints Chiefs of Staff and the War in Vietnam, tr. 9. Ngy
Westmoreland ni chuyn vi Kissinger nm trong Henry A.
Kissinger, White House Years, tr, 1004-1005.
[9] Lewis Sorley, The Abrams Tapes, tr. 565. Tng Davison ni
vi Abrams ngy 20 thng 3, 1971 BTL MACV.
[10 The Joint Chiefs of Staff anh the War in Vietnam, tr. 17.
[11] Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, tr. 157.
[12] Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, tr. 157. Sch ca Trng Duy Hy
cng c ni n nhng co ro trong m lnh H Lo.
V Ch Huy v iu Khin: Ni mt cch vn tc, h thng ch
huy v iu khin trong HQ LS719 gn nh khng c cho n u
thng 3 hai mi ngy sau LS719 v 28 ngy sau khi Dewey
Canyon II bt u. T ngy hnh qun cho n ngy bn cn c
30, 31 ca Nhy D; Bc v Nam ca Bit ng Qun b tht th,
qua lnh ca tng Abrams, QI v QXXIV mi thit lp mt
b ch huy chin thut hn hp nm chung vi b ch huy tin
phng ca QI Khe Sanh, h thng ch huy v iu khin
c p dng nhanh chng, v st vi chin trng hn. Ni mt
cch khc, n ngy 1 thng 3, b ch huy tin phng Khe
Sanh mi c s quan cp tng hin din ti ch.[13] Trc ,
h thng ch huy v iu khin n t s on thng xung cc

n v ca h trng hp ny xy ra vi ba s on VNCH v
S101ND M.
Trong hn ba tun u hnh qun, h thng ch huy v iu khin
HQ LS719 ri rc v xa nhau trong ngha tm l v vt l: BTL
QXXIV ng Nng v c BTL tin phng ng Qung
Tr; BTL QI ng Hu v c BTL tin phng ng H, v
BCH chin thut tin phng Khe Sanh (QI c hai BTL/ BCH
tin phng. Gi l B Ch Huy thay v BTL, v Khe Sanh
khng c s quan cp tng i din cho QI.) ti Qung Tr,
ng chung vi BTL tin phng ca QI l BTL tin phng
ca QXXIV. BTL tin phng M-Vit Qung Tr l ni nhn
v tha mn nhu cu ca BCH tin phng Khe Sanh. C ngha l
s quan ph trch ym tr Qung Tr c quyn chn la nhng
yu cu n t Khe Sanh. l v iu khin. V ch huy, th hnh
nh khng ai ch huy ai: QXXIV ch c nhim v ym tr qun
nhu qun dng cho HQ LS719; ym tr pho binh; trc thng; v
bo v an ninh an ng t ng H v Lao Bo; S101ND,
vi L on 1 Khng Vn, c nhip v cung cp trc thng cho
ba s on VNCH. Nh vy, mnh ai ny lm theo nhim v
giao v h khng quan tm n nhim v ca BTL khc.
Khng Qun Chin Thut v Chin Lc Hoa K c i din lin
lc thng vi tng Lm, v ch thi hnh qua yu cu ca tng
Lm.
Vi h thng ch huy v iu khin nh trn, h thng iu khin
phi qua nhiu BTL tin phng, i khi trng thm quyn nhau,
tn nhiu s quan, nhng khng c s quan cp tng c th
quyt nh ti ch. Yu cu ca mt trn n Khe Sanh, ri v
Qung Tr. Qung Tr a yu cu v BTL Hu (QI) v
Nng (QXXIV). T hai BTL , yu cu (nu khng gii quyt
c) li phi v hai BTL MACV v USARV. V nhng BTL
nm rt xa nhau v khong cch. n ngy 1 thng 3, mt BTL
hn hp tin phng Hoa K thit lp ti Khe Sanh. C mt ti
Khe Sanh l nhng s quan cp tng i din cho t lnh ca h

v trc thng, pho binh, v khng lc.[14] Nhng n thi gian

BTL hn hp tin phng cp tng c thnh lp quyt nh
chin trng ti ch, th chin trng nm trong th thua.
V Tnh Bo (v Chin Thut p Dng Theo Tnh Bo): Tnh
bo cung cp son tho v HQ LS719 trt hon ton. c
lng sai lm ca tnh bo lm o ln k hoch v tip liu v
ym tr cho mt trn. V t hu qu dy chuyn , chin thut p
dng vo mt trn a n tht bi.
Da vo khng nh, tnh bo cho bit Quc L 9 c th vn
chuyn c t Lao Bo v Bn ng. Trn thc t, xe vn ti
khng di chuyn c nu khng c cng binh v h tng i km.
y l mt trong nhng sai lm cn bn ca ban san tho HQ
LS719: ng 9 phi c trinh st bng ng b chc chn
c kh nng di chuyn c gii. y l con ng huyt mch ra
mt trn tip xng, nc v v kh nng. Khng th tin vo
khng nh chp mt con ng b di bom v b hoang hn 10
nm. Gnh nng tip liu nc, xng, v n nng c trt vo
trc thng khng vn. Phi v trc thng tip t cng cn trc ym
tr i km. V nh vy nhng phi v trc thng gunship dng vo
cng tc truy lng, khng kch, bo v cc cn c ha lc b gim
i. Ban san tho cng qun yu t thi tit, mt tr ngi khng
th tin on c, v l gnh nng cho ym tr bng khng
vn. ng nh tin on ca ban son tho Hnh Qun El Paso
bn nm trc. Mi ngy khng lc v trc thng ym tr b gii
hn vo khong thi gian t 10 gi sng n 5 gi chiu thc
hin phi v: 10 gi sng sng m mi tan; v sng m bao ph
tr li trc khi mt tri ln. Nu mt ngy c ma hay my thp,
th tt c phi v s nh tr. Trong nht k hnh qun LS719,
chng ta thy nhiu rt ngy, tip liu v ti thng khng thc
hin c cng v thi tit. Hn na, ng tip liu xa (c nhng
mn hng phi ch t Nng, ng H), v phi tri qua hai
vng thi tit khc nhau ca ng v Ty Trng Sn

Da vo tnh bo ca Khng Qun Ha K, ban son tho hnh

qun c lng i phng c khng hn 275 sng phng khng
khu vc hnh qun. Nhng ch n na giai an ca trn chin,
thc t cho thy ch c khong 525 n 575 i bc phng
khng. Theo cc phi cng trc thng tham d trn LS719, trong
ni a Vit Nam, bnh thng h bay an ton bay cao 1.500
b (500m). Nhng chin trng H Lo, h phi bay ti thiu
6.000 b (3.000m) cm thy an ton. Trong 525 phng khng
H Lo, c 419 l phng khng 23 n 37 ly, c tm hot ng
t hai n su cy s.[15]
c lng v trn lit QND ca M rt xa thc t: tnh bo c
lng ch cn mt thng vin thm qun mi. Trn thc t, ch
trong 14 ngy, lc lc tc chin QND c mt mt trn ng
hn qun tc chin VNCH. V c lng ch khng c xe tng v
pho tm xa (130 ly), h thng phng th l ct ca cc b ch huy
rt s si; mn chng chin xa ch c tip vin sau khi CC31ND
b xe tng ca QND nh sp. Nhng khim khuyt phng th
ny n t tin tnh bo thiu xt.
Thm nh trt v kh nng vn chuyn trn ng 9 t Lao Bo
v Bn ng a n gi nh v a hnh ni i vng hnh
qun c th cho php x dng chin xa. H Lo, vi a hnh rng
rm, khng phi l a hnh l tng x dng chin xa v Thit
K. V Thit K khng di chuyn t do theo hng tc x nh ,
lc lng Thit K tr thnh gnh nng cho cc tiu on tc
chin bo v h. V khng bit r a hnh, chin xa/ thit vn xa
ca VNCH b phc kch thung xuyn trn ng di chuyn.
QND dng tng xe tng nm ngy trang nhng im li th,
phc kch xe tng v qun tng thit VNCH, ri b chy sang nt
v tr khc, nh xy ra cho T8ND v T17KG trn ng i
cu CC31 ca T3ND. Trang b i bc 100 ly, tng T-54 c ha
lc mnh hn tng M-41, vi sng 76 ly, ca VNCH.
c lng v trn lit sai a n sai lm v c lng ha lc

pho binh/ sng ci ca ch. Ngy 18 thng 3, khi tt c cc n

v ca S1BB v Cn C Bn ng bt u trit thoi, Trung
Tng Sutherland bo co v MACV, Sng ci, i bc v
phng khng ca ch gy tr ngi ln cho vic ym tr VNCH.
Kh khn nht l khng tm c v tr ca sng phn
pho.[16] Cng chnh tng Sutherland ca Q XXIV l ngi
ba tun trc thng bo vi MACV l BTL ca ng khng cn
trc thng ym tr cho chin trng.
c lng tnh bo sai lm v trn lit, a hnh v v thi tit a
n s tht bi ca Hnh Qun LamSn 719 H Lo.
Ch Thch
[13] Combat After Action Report Air Mobile Operation in
Support of Operation Lam Son 719 (101st Airborne Div), Feb
1971- 6 April 1971, tr. I-25; John J. Tolson, Airmobility in
Vietnam: helicopter warfare in Southeast Asia, tr. 240; Nguyn
Duy Hinh, sd, tr. 148.
[14] Nguyn Duy Hinh, sd, tr. 147-148;
[15] Bn Nhn nh Tnh Hnh Hnh Qun Lam Sn 719 v nh
Hng i Vi QND. BTTM, Phng Nh, KBC 4002, 29 thng
3, 1971.
[16] in tn 180944Z March 1971, Sutherland to Abrams. Top
Secret QRT 0404, Eye Only.