Battle of Hue City

Veterans Day finds the US at war. The assault on Fallujah is now underway. Fallujah, with a population of 200,000 had become a safe harbor for insurgents. The population surported the enemy so the town had to be taken. The battle began with a deafening air and artillery barrage, followed by street to street and house to house fighting until the town was taken. Urban fighting does not happen very often in a war but when it does it is always very deadly. We fought a very similar battle in 1968. In the battle of Hue City, Vietnam , 2500 US marines battled 10,000 Viet Cong. We lost 147 men they lost 5000 men. The cities of Fallujah and Hue City are very much alike both bounded by large rivers, Fullujah by the Euphrates river . Hue city by the Huong river. Hue City had a population of 140,000 that also surported the enemy. The battle for the ancient capital of Vietnam was the bloodiest of that war and it started just like the assault on Fallujah with air and artillery then street to street and house to house fighting. One of the heroes of the battle was a 21 year old marine from Edenbrug Texas who was on his second tour of duty. Sergeant Gonzales was wounded twice before he was killed. In 1969, his mother Dolia Gonzales received his Medal of Honor, presented to her by president Nixon. The official citation read: "For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life and beyond the call of duty while serving as platoon commander of company A, First Marine division in the Republic of Vietnam. On January 31, 1968 during the first phase of operation Hue City, Sergeant Gonzales unit was deployed to retake the beleaguered city of Hue. While moving by truck convoy they encountered heavy enemy fire. Gonzales maneuvered the marines in his platoon and directed fire to clear snipers. With complete disregard for his own safety, Sergeant Gonzales swept the area and assisted an injured comrade. Though receiving fragmentation wounds during the rescue, he carried the marine to treatment. Gonzales moved his men to a dike directly in front of an enemy bunker. He destroyed the bunker by himself using grenades. On Feb 3, 1968 Gonzales knocked out several enemy rocket positions before he was killed by a rocket. The heroism, courage, and dynamic leadership displayed by sergeant Gonzales reflects great credit upon himself and the Marine Corps and in keeping with the highest tradition of the United States Military Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country" Each Veterans Day the words of President John F Kennedy remind me of what this nation is all about. In a speech at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldler, John Kennedy said " Let every nation know, whether it wishes us well or ill, that we shall pay any price, bear any burden, meet any hardship, support any friend, oppose any foe, to assure the survival and success of liberty.