Second Battle of Quảng Trị

Second Battle of Quảng Trị
Second Battle of Quảng Trị
	Part of the Easter Offensive in the Vietnam War
	; Map of the initial phase of Operation Lam Sơn 72
Date	28 June – 16 September 1972
Location	16°44′N 106°58′E / 16.733°N 106.967°E; Quảng Trị Province, South Vietnam
Result	South Vietnamese and U.S. victory
Belligerents
North Vietnam	South Vietnam; United States
Commanders and leaders
MG Trần Quý Hai (front commander); LTG Song Hào (front commissar)	LTG Ngô Quang Trưởng; Frederick C. Weyand
Units involved
325th Division; 320th Division; 304th Division; 308th Division ; Quảng Trị Province Command 3rd infantry battalion of Local Force; 8th infantry battalion of Local Force;	; Marine Division; Airborne Division; Air Force Supported by:; Air Force Navy
Strength
14,000	30,000; U.S. Air Force and Navy support
Casualties and losses
North Vietnamese claim 10,000 casualties (including 4,000 killed); South Vietnamese claim; 8,135 killed	Marine Division: 977 killed; Airborne division: heavy; ~20 killed; North Vietnamese claim 7,756 killed

The Second Battle of Quảng Trị (Vietnamese: Trận Thành cổ Quảng Trị; also called Operation Lam Sơn 72) was a battle in the Easter Offensive beginning on 28 June 1972 and lasting 81 days until 16 September 1972, when the South Vietnam's Republic of Vietnam Military Forces defeated North Vietnam's People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and recaptured Quảng Trị Province south of the Thạch Hãn River. This was the longest and fiercest battle in the Vietnam War, where South Vietnam played the main role while the U.S. only provided fire support for their ally.