Battle of Chà Là

The Battle of Chà Là was a battle of the Vietnam War. The assault by Viet Cong forces was one in a series of attacks since the battle of Ap Bac back in January, in an attempt to recover momentum lost from the battle and its ensuing skirmishes.

The Viet Cong attacked what it called a vital weapons depot in Chà Là, Ca Mau Province. The ARVN defenders suffered more than four-hundred casualties as the Viet Cong pounded the base with a deluge of mortar and heavy machine gun fire. The US lost 18 aircraft and helicopters as they rushed in rescue the base providing close air support which left them vulnerable to Viet Cong machine positions. The siege was only broken after Viet Cong rebels withdrew after Americans severed their supply lines using pin point artillery fire to collapse in the walls of a narrow jungle canyon.