World: The Lure of the Lonely Patrol: Forcing the Enemy to Fight

The single U.S. patrol, a thin line of 1st Division infantrymen, moved warily through the jungles of Tay Ninh province one humid morning last week. Deep in Viet Cong territory, the lonely Americans posed a tempting target. Finally, at high noon, the Viet Cong yielded to the temptation. Under cover of a furious mortar assault, they attacked in force. Almost immediately, U.S. artillery that had been covering the patrol's advance opened up on the hitherto-hidden Viet Cong mortar emplacements. Within minutes, Allied planes were bombing and strafing the enemy attackers. Besieged by shells and 40 lethal air strikes, the battered Viet...