March 31, 1954: Units urgently organized defensive positions, preparing to fight the enemy's counterattack during the day.

The Campaign Command decided:   The units urgently organized defensive positions on the high points C1, D1, E, preparing to fight the enemy's counterattack during the day, determined not to let the enemy retake it. The 308th Division used the 102nd Regiment to move to the east, continuing to attack and destroy A1 and defend at C1. Comrade Vuong Thua Vu commanded the battle at A1 and C1. The 88th and 36th Regiments (308th Division) attacked and destroyed strongholds 106 and 311 in the west. The 165th Regiment (312th Division) attacked and destroyed stronghold 105 in the north, strongly threatening the enemy, creating conditions for the units in the eastern area to complete their missions.

Enemy side: At dawn on March 31, the French command in Dien Bien Phu met to discuss how to deal with the situation. Langeler proposed to concentrate the entire 2nd Airborne Corps, including the 1st Airborne Battalion, the 8th Airborne Battalion, a part of the 5th Airborne Battalion, along with the 3rd Foreign Legion Battalion and tanks from Hong Cum to launch a counterattack. The entire artillery and tank force of the stronghold group would be mobilized for the counterattack.

At 7:45, the 3rd Foreign Legion Battalion with tank support from Hong Cum advanced onto Highway 41 towards Muong Thanh. Arriving at Long Nhai village, they entered the position of Regiment 57 and were immediately surrounded and attacked. The tank was hit by a DKZ shell and caught fire, and the infantry was destroyed by our heavy fire.

Around noon, enemy artillery had to block fire so that the 3rd Foreign Legion Battalion and tanks could open a path back to Hong Cum, carrying 15 dead bodies and 50 wounded.

The weather was good, the enemy air force resumed operations. C.119 transport planes piloted by American pilots parachuted in ammunition and food; fighter planes also swooped down, combining with enemy artillery to fiercely bombard high points C1, D1, E and A1.

Fight the enemy counterattack to retake lost targets and attack A1

At the D1 hill area, taking advantage of the cannon smoke, the enemy crawled up to approach the target. Because most of the sentries had died, the enemy came closer and opened fire before we knew. After about 25 minutes, the enemy recaptured most of the D1 hill, forcing our defensive forces into a corner. Soldier Tran Ngoc Boi shouted loudly, "Rather die than abandon the battlefield", and together with his comrades rose up to use grenades and bayonets to repel the enemy's counterattacks.

Engineer soldiers cut the barbed wire fence, clearing the way for assault soldiers to attack and destroy position 206.

The Regiment's observation post detected the enemy at D1, immediately ordered artillery to fire and sent reinforcements. We reversed the situation and advanced to engage in close combat with the enemy.

After an hour of fighting, the enemy was forced to flee back to Muong Thanh.

The enemy could not retake D1, but had to abandon the D3 stronghold defended by a Thai company and withdraw the artillery position at 210, knowing that these high points could not stand if they lost D1.

Our shock troops are attacking an enemy position on hill C.

At C1, at 1:30 p.m., the enemy sent the 5th and 6th airborne battalions forward, supported by artillery, air force, and guided by tanks. Company 273 (Regiment 102) and the remaining forces of Company 35 (Regiment 98) repelled many enemy counterattacks from C2 in an attempt to retake this high point. The enemy fired fiercely with artillery, used flamethrowers, and charged forward, capturing the Flagpole high point, putting our troops at a disadvantage.

The troops had to use white parachute cloth tied to the gun barrel as a reference for the artillery to determine their position. While the artillery was pounding, the regiment sent reinforcements, coordinated with the defense forces at the battlefield to push the enemy away from the Flagpole peak, and restored the battlefield.

At 4:00 p.m., the enemy was forced to retreat from C1, and we killed nearly 100 of them.

During the day, we repelled seven counterattacks by two enemy paratrooper battalions here.

Our shock troops cut the barbed wire fences to initiate the attack on enemy positions in the C hill area.

At A1, at midnight on March 31, we organized forces to attack the stronghold for the second time. Regiment 102 marched from the west along the trenches across Muong Thanh field to the east.

At noon on March 31, the Command of Regiment 102 received the handover of the terrain and combat situation at A1 from the Command of Regiment 174. However, the maneuvering process encountered difficulties, and only 4 companies reached their positions in the afternoon. Reinforced by a company of Regiment 174, Regiment 102 decided to continue attacking A1. We did not use artillery to bombard but concentrated supporting fire to threaten the enemy and then sent troops to charge, quickly capturing the eastern half of the stronghold.

However, the situation remained the same as the night before, we organized four attacks but could not get past the front line in front of the bunker. The battle continued to be fierce, the enemy occupied 2/3 of the base, we held on to the eastern 1/3 of Hill A1.

Nhandan.vn

Source