Turns 11-20
3/4/147 marine company (1) advances slowly. It engages in a short firefight with NVA units in the trenches of the citadel and eliminates the threat together with 105mm artillery and 81mm mortar support. The attached engineers begin to clear the barbed wire to help the company assault the citadel. 11 casualties so far.
1/4/147 marine company (2) moves westward after clearing any resistance encountered. One platoon manages to breach the NVA defenses to the NE of the citadel and engage their foes in fierce close combat. Attached engineers were responsible for clearing the obstacles and they also manage to knock out the bunker to the NE that was obstructing the advance. 21 casualties so far.
1/147 battalion (3) continues their advance towards the firebase. Lead elements come under fire by small arms and 12,7mm heavy MGs. Casualties start to mount, but the marines manage to close the distance thanks to fire and movement techniques and 81mm mortar fire. A couple of UH-1 gunships also help. They manage to reach the eastern trenches and capture the hangar building to the NE. To the southernmost tip of the battalion, more NVA units appear and open fire, forcing the platoon to the south to slightly fall back. The battalion suffers 15 casualties so far.
The ACAV platoon at (4) moves to the edges of the city, where dismounts come under fire from small arms and a hidden DShK. They suffer 7 casualties and their probing advance stops.
2/5/2TF (5) continues their slow progress. VC units appear everywhere, in addition to booby traps, making every step slow and bloody. The company suffers 13 casualties.
The advance of 3/5/2TF (6) is also slow, with heavy casualties (19 casualties).
1/11/2TF (7) makes good progress, reaching their objective (a large building next to Thach-Han River) relatively unscathed. However, they stumble into determined resistance inside the building itself and they have to grind their way through. 10 casualties suffered so far.
Reinforcements arrive. One battalion sized heliborne force (2/2TF) marked as (8) arrives and makes a flanking maneuver to the south. The goal is the objective line at the western part of the river. Although resistance after the force lands is non-existent, ARVN forces suffer 19 casualties and two helicopters lost after receiving heavy AA fire from the bridge at (10). NVA also has a large AA force around a monument at (11). The force is protected by Cobra attack helicopters and gunships which engage the AA. Although they manage to knock out several guns, two UH-1 gunships are also shot down.
Thus, with the main objectives of the citadel and the firebase contested, ARVN seems to be on a good footing. Total casualties are more than 115 (there are also several planes shot down) though, and the need to be careful.