1.
SV REVIEW BY GENERAL WESTMORELAND
0.10

2.
SV SALUTE
0.11

3.
SV TROOPS SALUTE
0.13

4.
SV TROOPS WITH COLOUR
0.16

5.
LV OFFICERS ON DIAS
0.20

6.
SV OFFICERS
0.22

7.
CU WESTMORELAND
0.25

8.
SV PHOTOGRAPHERS
0.27

9.
CU MAJOR CLEARY OF US ARMY PAN TO PAPERS
0.30

10.
SV OFFICERS SALUTE
0.32

11.
GV TROOPS WITH FANION
0.37

12.
SV WESTMORELAND SALUTES
0.40

13.
SV WESTMORELAND PINS CITATION TO FANION
0.44

14.
CU CITATION & FANION
0.47

15.
SV WESTMORELAND PRESENTS CITATION
0.52

16.
GV REGIONAL FORCES COMPANY
0.53



Initials PBS/V/BHH/PN



Script is copyright Reuters Limited. All rights reserved

Background: AT PHU CAT IN SOUTH VIETNAM A VIETNAMESE REGIONAL FORCES COMPANY HAS BEEN AWARDED A PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION GIVEN BY THE UNITED STATES LEADER, PRESIDENT JOHNSON. THE COMPANY'S 71 MEMBERS WERE ENGAGED FOR EIGHT HOURS IN REPELLING AN ATTACK BY VIETCONG GUERILLAS AT HOAI AN EARLY IN MARCH THIS YEAR. THE CITATION - THE FIRST OF FIVE TO BE AWARDED FOR ACTION IN SOUTH VIETNAM - WAS THE FIRST GIVEN BY THE UNITED STATES SINCE THE KOREAN WAR.

THE COMPANY, THE 883RD REGIONAL FORCES COMPANY, WAS STATIONED AT AN OUTPOST OUTSIDE HOAI AN WHEN AT 0300 HOURS ON MARCH 9 VIETCONG GUERILLAS ATTACKED, OVER-RUNNING THREE OTHER MILITARY STATIONS WHILE MORTAR SHELLS WERE FIRED INTO THE TOWN. THE 883RD COMPANY MOVED TO A SMALL BRIDGE OVERLOOKING ITS OUTPOST AT HA TAY AND DUG IN. THE VIETCONG ATTACKED THE POSITION WITH MORTAR FIRE AND RIFLE FIRE FOR EIGHT HOURS UNTIL THE REGIONAL FORCES COMPANY COMMANDER ORDERED HIS TROOPS TO RETREAT.

THE REGIONAL FORCES COMPANY WAS REPORTED TO HAVE KILLED 200 VIETCONG TROOPS AND WAS CREDITED WITH A MAJOR PART IN PREVENTING THE VIETCONG FROM TAKING OVER THE HOAI AN DISTRICT MILITARY HEADQUARTERS. THE PRESIDENTIAL CITATION SAID MEMBERS OF THE COMPANY HAD DISPLAYED "EXTRAORDINARY HEROISM".

THREE OF THE REMAINING FOUR CITATIONS ARE FOR AIRCRAFT UNITS, INCLUDING TWO U.S. SQUADRONS.