Combat· Vietnam War
Nong Son Coal Mine Attack
The attack on the Nong Son coal mine was an enemy assault on the isolated outpost guarding the mine southwest of Da Nang, a small but notable position that the Marines and their allies held in the contested country along the Song Thu Bon.
The mine, a rare industrial site of value to the South Vietnamese economy, was protected by a garrison on the high ground above it, and the Communists struck the outpost in an effort to overrun the defenders and seize or destroy the position. The defenders fought to hold the hilltop against the assault, battling at close quarters as the enemy penetrated the perimeter before the attack was contained. The action at Nong Son was one of the many sharp local fights for the outposts and strongpoints scattered through the Marine area, where small garrisons in exposed positions had to beat off determined enemy attacks aimed at eliminating them.
Record no. 871