Key Facts
- Date of attack
- Night of 23 January 1968
- Defending force
- Bataillon Volontaire BV-33
- Defending force size
- 700 men
- Attacking unit
- 24th Regiment, PAVN 304th Division
- PAVN armor used
- PT-76 light tanks
Strategic Narrative Overview
On the night of 23 January 1968, the 24th Regiment of the PAVN 304th Division launched an assault on the outpost using PT-76 light tanks alongside infantry. The 700-man BV-33 battalion was vastly outnumbered and outgunned by the attacking force. The defenders were quickly overwhelmed, and the outpost fell to PAVN control, demonstrating the vulnerability of smaller Allied positions to combined armor and infantry attacks during the Tet Offensive.
01 / The Origins
The Battle of Ban Houei Sane occurred within the broader context of the Vietnam War, during the Tet Offensive launched by North Vietnamese forces in early 1968. The outpost at Ban Houei Sane, located in Laos near the Vietnamese border, was held by the Royal Lao Army's BV-33 battalion. Its position made it strategically significant as a buffer protecting Allied installations, including the nearby Special Forces camp at Lang Vei.
03 / The Outcome
The PAVN seized the Ban Houei Sane outpost, forcing the collapse of BV-33's defense. The fall had immediate strategic consequences: weakened Allied defenses in the area contributed directly to the subsequent PAVN assault on the Lang Vei Special Forces camp only weeks later. The battle highlighted the effectiveness of North Vietnamese armor in the region and the difficulty Allied forces faced in holding outlying positions during the Tet Offensive.
Belligerents & Mobilization Analysis
Side A
1 belligerent
Side B
1 belligerent
Kinetic Engagement Axis
Scroll horizontally to view full axis. Events plotted relatively.