History of Oscar Company - USMC Combined Action Platoon ...

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About midday on the 21st, the fog lifted and the intensity of the assaults were
reduced. However, the NVA continued to place pressure upon the defenders with
mortar and RPG bombardments, they limited their infantry action to small arms
fire and probes.
Helicopters attempted to resupply the compound, but could not land because of
the enemy fire. However, the crews managed to hover low enough to kick out
some sorely needed ammunition.
Two relief expeditions were then dispatched from the Combat Base, one Marine
force and one air assault mixed Army and Vietnamese force. They also failed in
their attempts to relieve the beleaguered garrisons in the village.
The Marine force consisted of a platoon from D Company, 1st Battalion, 26th
Marines. When the platoon reached the hill overlooking the village, they could
clearly see North Vietnamese troops deploying. COL Lownds, decided that the
relief mission was too dangerous and ordered the platoon to return.
The second expedition was an airborne operation mounted by the Army, and
unfortunately, due to a series of misunderstandings, ended in one of the worst
disasters of the entire Siege, and indeed the war.
According to Ray Stubbe (in his book, "The Final Formation") Robert Brewer, the
senior CIA representative in Quang Tri Province and Senior Provincial Advisor,
called a council of war to decide upon a relief effort.
Although the units in the village or the village itself were not of great strategic or
tactical concern {other than its position astride Hwy. 9} the District HQ was of
great propaganda value. Both sides recognized that, which is why so much energy
and so many troops were expended in a drive to seize the village, and why
Brewer and the political operatives were determined to keep it if possible. They
decided to send an aerial relief force, and launched LTCOL Seymoe of MACV Det.
#19.
LTCOL Seymoe, instead of landing in the Khe Sanh village HQ, landed in the
"French Fort" (by then an NVA position). Seymoe and most of his relief force were
slaughtered.
CPT. Stiner, a pilot, (who had been celebrating his 30th birthday before the
launch), was one of the few who somehow managed to escape, getting help from
the French planter, Felix Poilane, but was unfortunately captured by Marines of
CAP 0-3 who initially thought he was a Russian advisor. Stiner was held until the
next morning when he finally convinced the CAP members that he was an
American.