Anniversary of the Combat at Tho Lao, Tonkin the 17/18 Mai 1952

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Dear readers:

In order to perhaps bring to the attention of a few persons an event which has cost the lives of two of this writer's comrades and others during a combat in a war which is unknown to many people today, namely the First Indochina War, sometimes called the French - Indochina War I believe, 1945 to 1954.

My intention here is to mention two members of the French Foreign Legion, one a NCO , Company Sergeant Major and platoon leader the other a Vietnamese NCO serving as an auxiliary with us who deserve to have their names taken from obscurity if only for a moment:

- Marechal des Logis-Chef BONASTRE, Manuel, Adjudant de Compagnie, 5.Compagnie Portee, 2.Groupement Amphibie of the 1.REC and at the same time leader of 1. Platoon

- Marechal des Logis THUC, Dien Thiet, leader of the 4.Squad of 1.Platoon.

Both were killed in action on the 17.Mai 1952.

The author served in this company, a mounted infantry company part of the newly formed amphibious formation since its beginning, Fall of 1951.

My assignment was that of the company runner, assistant company radio operator and what else needed done.

For the Operation DROMEDAIRE taken place in Mai 1952 I was temporarily Assistant Squad Leader of 1. Squad, 1.Platoon. By the 17. Mai the operation DROMEDAIRE had officially been terminated. Some of the units participating , such as the III./13.DBLE and others had already been withdrawn. But the III./5.REI with still around and ran into strong opposition when trying to enter a village by the name of Tho Lao. Our parent unit, the 2.Groupement Amphibie consisting of the 8. Escadron equipped with CRABS (M 24 Weasel, light and lightly armed but unarmored amphibious vehicles and two platoons of ALLIGATORS ( WWII armored amphibious tracked LVT/Landing Vehicle Tracked with heavier arms such as 30 and 50 cal M.G. and 75 mm Recoilless Rifles) which served as our companie's transports. While the 8.Escadron supported the Legion infantry on two sides of the rather large village, our company was to enter the village along a dike leading towards it, with the 4.Squad, 1.Platoon in the lead. Fire from the heavy weapons to assist us. At about 40 metres from the edge of the village a heavy small arms fire killed the Squad Leader, M.d.L. Thuc and wounded a legionnaire, Leg. Zenov and a vietnamese corporal . It was impossible to recover M.d.L.Thuc, we were just able to take his submachine gun and equipment. Our much liked M.d.L.-Chef Bonastre was mortally touched by a bullet to the head shortly after 16:00 hrs.

This stopped our company's attempt to enter Tho Lao and nor was that of the III./5.REI more successful.

My Squad Leader took over the platoon which was sent out of the firing line being temporarily useless. A a sleepless night was spent encercling the village together with a platoon of vietnamese riflemen belonging to the 5.REI reinforcing our company.The artillery fired intermittenly in an effort to prevent a breakout which I believe to have been partially successful after all. By morning one vietnamese rifleman of the 5.REI was found dead, a random round had hit him in the head.

A strong artillery preparation lead up to a general assault on the village in the morning against light resistance . Our platoon was kept back because of shaky platoon leadership after the death of M.d.L.-Chef Bonastre but was still able to retrieve a large jar with documents. It was later determined to be the the archive of the defending Viet Minh unit. In addition an automatic rifle and five rifle were recovered by our company as well as 12 POW's. The entire combat yielded 80 prisoners and 90 dead enemy found . It was said that weapons to equip one company were recovered in total. I have no information as to the total French losses but they must have been considerable.

This was a true shakedown for our company which consisted of a majority of vietnamese riflemen with only a very small cadre of legionnaires. The interim platoon leader was transferred upon our return to base. This writer returned to Headquarters Platoon to be the company radion operator because of the severe illness of the French speaking operator.

It was the company's good fortune to have a C.S.M. like M.d.L.-Chef Bonastre during its training up and its's formative months . This writer because of his position in Headquarters Platoon and being charged with necessary chores got to know him a little better than others. He was a combat soldier not much inclined towards paperwork which got him into hot water with the Executive Officer many times. But that officer managed to stay out of the field except for one operation after which he was transferred without any fare well.

This writer had the honor to be in the regimental color guard together with M.d.L.-Chef Bonastre when the regimental standard of the 1.REC was presented to the assembled troops of the 2. Groupement Amphibie of the 1.REC shortly before his death in action.

I was unable to find M.d.L.-Chef Bonastre among the French Dept.of Defense listing of those who died for France in the conflict in Indochina, 1945 - 1954 (SGA Memoire des Hommes). He may have served under an assumed name and I hope he is at rest.

Bernhard H. Holst

ex- Brigadier Chef 1.REC and Sergent 1.RE,

1951 - 1957

[Hugh]

A sad and interesting story. So many lives over so many years.

Where is Tho Lao? (Province name, nearby big city or UTM coordinates, etc.)

Hugh

[Bernhard H.Holst]

A sad and interesting story. So many lives over so many years.

Where is Tho Lao? (Province name, nearby big city or UTM coordinates, etc.)

Hugh

Hello Hugh.

The village of Tho Lao is located in the general area between Route Provincial 39(west) , the Canal des Bamboo (south) , the railroad Haiduong-Hanoi (north) and the Meridian of the town of Kesat (east). French Forces deployed during the Operation Dromedaire included three Groupements Mobile which usually had three to four infantry battalions, one arty battalion, engineers etc. , one local battle group of three battalions plus one Paratroop battalion and one Armored Group.

The area in question is and was a built-up area and demonstrates the skill with which infiltration of sizeable Viet Minh units took place .

Bernhard H. Holst

[Hugh]

Found it! Not a part of the country I ever visited. Have you ever been back?

Hugh

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Found it! Not a part of the country I ever visited. Have you ever been back?

Hugh

Hello Hugh.

It seems you have been in Vietnam? I have not been back. My enlistment in the US Army as of 1960 with the intention of returning in an advisory role because of extensive service with vietnamese personnel during two tours of duty of two years each apparently only qualified for training as a clerk and an overseas assignment in Korea. I realized then it was time to shorten my three years commitment which worked out and quite legally. After 1975 travel restrictions from here caused me not to try. And now health concerns override any desire to go and see what I consider a beautiful country for a last time.

BTW: it may not be widely known but France has brought back all remains of the fallen of which the burial places were known, based on a treaty with Vietnam in the 1980's. They are now gathered in a National Resting Place which also contains virtual remembrance walls with the names of those whose remains could not be retrieved.

Your interest is truly appreciated,

Bernhard H. Holst

Edited May 17, 2012 by Bernhard H.Holst

[Chris Boonzaier]

Hi Bernhard!

Thanks for a super write up! Do you have any Photos of the period?All

the bestChris

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hi Bernhard!

Thanks for a super write up! Do you have any Photos of the period?All

the bestChris

Hello Chris.

Thanks for your post.

I do have a number of photos but do not know how to post. Sadly only one photo of M.d.L.-Chef Bonastre when in the regimental standard guard during the presentation. Our company later 18. Escadron was blessed with outstanding Adjudants de Company/Escadron.

BTW: I plan on posting an account of the combat which took place on 21. Mai, 1954 also in the Red River Delta of Tonkin.

Bernhard H. Holst

[Hugh]

Yes, Bernhard, I spent a year there in 1969-70. I was a naval intelligence officer ashore. Fortunately, not shot at very often.

Hugh

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello readers:

In addition to the original post I wish to make a record of two fallen comrades of arms in the French Foreign Legion battalion who lost their lives during this action while participating in the first attempt to take the village of Tho Lao on the 17. May, 1952

- Legionnaire BOHME, Willi, DoB 5 July, 1932 in Leipzig, Germany, Service Number 82902, III./5.REI;

-Rifleman 1st Class CHUONG A Bau, DoB 12 March, 1930 in Yen My/Province Quang Yen, Vietnam, Service Number 72956, III./5.REI. (Member of native elements assigned as reinforcements to nearly all French Infantry Battalions).

Bernhard H. Holst

[Hugh]

It looks as though you spent most of your time in what became North Viet Nam. I know the story of the French para battalion disappearing in the U Minh forest down in the Delta, but otherwise, was there much fighting in the South in your time?

Best,

Hugh

[Bernhard H.Holst]

It looks as though you spent most of your time in what became North Viet Nam. I know the story of the French para battalion disappearing in the U Minh forest down in the Delta, but otherwise, was there much fighting in the South in your time?

Best,

Hugh

Hello Hugh.

I was deployed during the fighting phase of the French war in Indochina in a portion of the then called Tonkin area , the Red River Delta. The Amphibious Group I belonged to, could not operate in the more mountainous areas. Only after the cease fire in the summer of 1954 did a gradual withdrawal to Central - and South Vietnam begin with a location of Vung Tau ( Cape St.Jacques), Nha Be and finally the port area of Saigon.

It appeared to us that the severity of fighting in the South was much less than that in Central Vietnam and of course the north. ( The monumental ambush of a French mobile group which included the French Korea regiment in the final months while operating in the Highlands comes to mind).

It was apparent that more and more battle worthy units made their way north. For example the I./13.DBLE mainly deployed in the South came north, to be destroyed in Dien Bien Phu.

I am unaware of a French Para Battalion and the U-Minh Forest. My library contains the history of the French Airborne Forces through the 1970's. With a little more information one could research the matter.

Best regards.

Bernhard H. Holst

[Hugh]

Bernhard,

I've heard the story about the Groupement Mobile. Here's an article from the NY Times which makes brief reference to the paras in the U Minh. We (US Navy) set up an afloat base to support our boats operating in the Ca Mau peninsula, and after some nasty fighting, we were able to assert some degree of control there.

I seem to remember that most of Bernard Fall's books focused on the North (Tonkin) and to some degree Central (Annam). For example, La Rue Sans Joie. It's been forever since I read them.

I remember a little song called La Petite Tonkinoise. Was it popular when you were there?

MEANWHILE : Closing the circle on Vietnam - By James Pringle

Published: March 13, 2004

U MINH FOREST, Vietnam— During the Vietnam War, the impenetrable "forest of darkness" in the far south seemed to be the most menacing region of Vietnam. This was a Vietcong base area where U.S. troops seldom ventured. Then defoliants were sprayed to thin the jungle, and there were B-52 bomber strikes against the ever elusive Vietcong.

Old hands remembered that in the French war against the Vietminh, 500 paratroops dropped into U Minh in 1952 and disappeared forever in mangrove swamps said to be the largest in the world outside the Amazon.

The Democratic presidential candidate John Kerry sometimes operated his navy Swift boat PCF-44 near the forest. The other day I hired my own boat and headed to U Minh in the western Ca Mau Peninsula. Better to talk to the former hard-core Vietcong here, instead of meeting officials in some local Communist Party headquarters to hear the official line over tinkling teacups.

Nowadays, there's a large bird sanctuary for waterfowl nearby, but it's currently off limits because of avian flu.

At the small U Minh township, I asked the boatman to turn north east into a narrow waterway, misty and muddy, with bamboo fishing traps. Finally, I jumped ashore. This was not thick jungle any more, but the vegetation had become lush again. Agent Orange dioxins had washed away over the years. Eucalyptus had taken the place of native trees and shrimp ponds had been created to feed the American market.

On a pathway, I met Tran Van Troi, 77, a former Vietcong officer who assisted North Vietnamese Army troops arriving via the Ho Chi Minh trail.

He told me the North Vietnamese Army, male and female, had tattooed on their arms: "Born in the north, to die in the south." This was an American psychological warfare project that backfired. The United States bombarded North Vietnam with leaflets showing dead northern troops under this warning, but the North Vietnamese Army then used the phrase as their own motto.

Thoi was with his three grandsons, the oldest being Hao, 15. They all glowed with health.

Thoi described the air compression from B-52 bombs as so intense that their bunkers were flooded with swamp water and they thought they would drown.

Life nowadays, he said, was "99 percent happy, 1 percent poverty." He was going home to eat snake soup prepared by his 75-year-old wife. "I used to eat eggs, but no more," he said wryly. "Even the chickens and ducks are prohibited since bird flu."

At a spacious wooden hut, Tran Thi My, 47, wife of a former Vietcong fighter, described watching her grandmother die after being hit by hostile fire.

Another time an American helicopter swooped in just above the trees. "I saw the faces of the Americans as they fired on my sister-in-law as she ran for shelter with her two babies," My said. "They were blown into the water, and died still clutched in one another's arms."

My said she felt no hatred and didn't want revenge, but she still clearly felt anger and sadness.

Her husband, Nguyen Van Giup, 51, was already a Vietcong fighter at 16 when Kerry operated near U Minh. Short but sinewy, he said he clashed several times with U.S. troops on the forest fringes, fighting with his AK-47 rifle.

These men and women contributed to winning the war, but had enjoyed few of the fruits of victory. The indigenous National Liberation Front, or Vietcong, was sidelined by Hanoi's apparatchiks. They remain poor, unlike many party fat cats.

Nowadays, Vietnam is a country of boy bands and Harry Potter translations. Socialism has been abandoned for a market economy. But Vietnam is independent — the foreign troops have gone.

Finally, I asked Thoi if it had been right to hold South Vietnamese officials and officers for years after victory in "re-education" camps whose inmates were sometimes tortured, and he said: "It was correct to punish them."

"No, it wasn't right!" butted in his grandson Hao.

Thoi shook his head, and sharply exclaimed: "This boy does not know anything!"

What was this? A grandson talking back to his Vietcong grandfather? Family differences over the Vietnam War? It reminded me of the clash of generations in America during the conflict. It had all come full circle.

**

James Pringle covered the Vietnam War for three years as a correspondent for Reuters.

[Not to be reproduced without the permission of the author.]

Edited May 24, 2012 by Hugh

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello Hugh:

I do not recall any particular, popular song from the period. But then again radios were not many. Radio station Hirondelle I believe from Hanoi was listened to by those who had a radio.

I have scrutinized the history of French paratroop units and could not find any mention of drops in the U-Minh Forest. there were some small scale drops in the south , they were in more favorable country. While I cannot claim to have any familiarity with airborne operations I doubt that the French Airborne Commanders would have sanctioned a proposed drop into such environment.

I remember incidents of families being on opposite sides of the Vietnam conflict which one could compare with the US Civil War divided loyalties.

Thanks for the article.

Bernhard H. Holst

[Hugh]

Thanks, Bernhard,

Just a small point of clarification. I don't know that the paras were dropped into the U Minh. I suspect that they would have been inserted like conventional infantry. The story seems to be around in enough different places that I suspect that there must have been some para presence in the U MInh, but dropping into a forest would have been insane.

Best,

Hugh

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Thanks, Bernhard,

Just a small point of clarification. I don't know that the paras were dropped into the U Minh. I suspect that they would have been inserted like conventional infantry. The story seems to be around in enough different places that I suspect that there must have been some para presence in the U MInh, but dropping into a forest would have been insane.

Best,

Hugh

Hello Hugh.

The history of the French Paratroopers appears to list all operations whether airdrops or

as conventional infantry. Of course I should have been more precise in my statement.

The source consulted by me is:

"Histoire des Parachutistes Francais", two volumes, 1975. Describing the formation of the first units in Great Britain under Gen. deGaulle and going through the conflicts to the 1970's. It appears that in 1952 only one battalion, the 1.BPVN ( 1. Vietnamese Parachute Battalion) in a transformation phase from French to Vietnamese was stationed in South Vietnam.

IMHO: To find this event described in several , different places does not give me more assurance of its historical fact.

BTW: you make mention of Dr.Bernard Fall, Howard University. I have all his books and found his "Hell in a very small Place" the best account of the battle of Dien Bien Phu until "Valley of Death" came along. I have lost a boyhood friend and neighbor there , Leg.1.Cl. ARMBRECHT, Kurt, 1.BEP.

Bernhard H. Holst

[Hugh]

First of all, my sympathies for the loss of your friends in Viet Nam. It was a hard place.

No paras in the U Minh? Very interesting. Of course, even if you tell a lie 100 times, that doesn't make it true. It's just interesting to me that I have heard the story every since the '60's from such a wide variety of sources. I wonder if perhaps there was some other type of unit which disappeared in the U Minh which was confused with the paras? You've aroused my curiosity, but you clearly have access to better sources than I do.

I remember reading Dr. Fall's books and being very depressed about our (US) potential in Viet Nam. I immediately did a search for Valley of Death, but all I could find was the listing below, which seems to be about the Korean war. Is it an English language book?

Best,

Hugh

Valleys of Death: A Memoir of the Korean War

Richardson, Bill; Maurer, Kevin

Edited May 24, 2012 by Hugh

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello Hugh.

The book (English Language) I mentioned is :

"Valley of Death" by Ted Morgan.Random House, 2010; ISBN 978-1-4000-6664-3 and eBook ISBN 978-1-588-36980-2.

The author's French name Sanche de Gramont while he served as an officer in the war in Algeria.

I will have a look/see in order to possible locate some info. re.U-Minh area.

Bernhard H. Holst

[Hugh]

Thanks, I've located the book. I've certainly heard the name Sanche de Gramont, but never Ted Morgan. I look forward to reading the book.

Best,

Hugh

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello readers:

I have earlier stated to have only one photo of our fallen , much liked Company Sgt.Major (Adjudant de Compagnie), the Marechal des Logis-Chef Bonastre, Manuel.

The picture shows the Regimental Colors of the 1.REC with its color guard just prior to the actual ceremony which took place in early April 1952 at the Base Camp near Haiphong (Tonkin). M.d.L.-Chef Bonastre is on the extreme right. He not long after died on 17 May, 1952.

The color bearer is a Lieutenant who was recently wounded and charged to bring the colors from regimental headquarters in Central Vietnam up north for this presentation to our newly created formation. The bandage on his upper chest is clearly visible

BTW: Extreme left/second rank is this writer.

Bernhard H. Holst

Edited August 25, 2012 by Bernhard H.Holst

[Cookie]

Thanks for sharing this photo with us Bernhard, it certainly adds a personal, human, element to this subject.

[camerone54]

Wonderful photo, thank you very much for sharing!

[Bernhard H.Holst]

Hello readers.

Here is an update to the above description of the combat to take the village of Tho Lao on May 17/18, 1952.

Thanks are due to the German language web site www.more-majorum.de about German members of the French Foreign Legion during the Indochina conflict. Also the official French web site Memoire des Hommes listing the fatalities of the wars in which French forces were involved, was consulted. In addition the published account by an officer of the 3rd battailon of the 5.REI which first tried to enter the village but failed to take it until the following day was read. Unfortunately the tone of this account is much resented by this writer and fails to honor the loss of life on both sides and certainly the losses of his very own unit. This is an attempt to perhaps rectify that.

So here then are the fatal losses of the III./5.REI on 17 May, 1952.

- Caporal-Chef MACHT, Josef, DoB 31.07.1929, Germany

- Caporal TROUSLIAUX BOTTECHIA GINO, Andre August Pierre, DoB 18.01. 1925 , France.

- Leg. KRAUT, Jeno, DoB 23.09.1926. Hungaria.

- Leg. PUJKON, Ignaz. DoB 19.05.1927, Romania.

- Leg. PIMARE, Joseph Jules, DoB 01.11.1919, France.

- Leg. OLIVIER, Rene Armand, DoB 04.07.1925, France.

- Leg. BOHME, Willi, DoB 05.07.1932, Germany.

- Rifleman Chuong A Bau, DoB 12.03.1930, Vietnam ( most likely the dead rifleman found in the morning of the 18.May in the firing line of the rifle platoon of Vietnamese from the 5.REI which was deloyed adjacent to us as reinforcement. He was probably hit by an errant round during the sporadic firing during the night.)

Intermittenly French artillery fired on the village and adjacent area probably to interdict evasion and /or other activities with a massed firing shortly before the final push

No losses apparently occurred during the final assault on the village against only slight resistance on the 18. May. This is based on the French site. While a number of prisoners were made and bodies found, it seems as if a good number of enemies could make their way through the encerclement during the night as they usually could.

It is hoped that the above is a small token of remembrance due these comrades in arms.

Bernhard H. Holst

[camerone54]

Thank you for that update!

[No one]

Dear Gentlemen,

 

"Where is Tho Lao? (Province name, nearby big city or UTM coordinates, etc.)"

 

West of Hanoï / Hà Nội (21°1'38"N   105°39'53"E):

 

 

 

Yours sincerely,

No one