In the 16-week period beginning on 25 March, the PAVN conducted almost 300 attacks by fire against the camp, expending over 13,000 mortar, rocket, and artillery rounds.

[2]: 43 As of the first week in July, the total strength of the 92nd Ranger Battalion inside the camp and two close-in outposts was 224 officers and men, of whom 34 were out of action because of wounds or illness.

During the 16-week period, the Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) flew over 3,000 sorties supporting the camp, dropping more than 300 400-pound bundles of food and other supplies, of which 134 were recovered by the defenders while the remainder fell into PAVN hands.

The PAVN 200th Battalion, which had been used in local security missions in the Tay Ninh logistical area, was assigned to the infantry element of the siege force.

The human suffering was incalculable, but the expense in aircraft losses, flying hours, ammunition, and other logistical support was great.

Third, the 92nd commander could be ordered to plan and execute a withdrawal- by exfiltrating in small groups-bringing out all his men, including the sick and wounded.

The ARVN could not punch through from An Lộc to Tong Le Chon when repeated efforts to attack even a few miles north of Lai Khê had failed.

The second option was equally unrealistic due to the political repercussions and the precedent could portend future such capitulations, some possibly with less than adequate justification.

In the Two-Party Joint Military Commission meetings in Saigon, South Vietnam's representative warned the Provisional Revolutionary Government that if the attacks on Tong Le Chon did not cease, the RVNAF would launch devastating attacks against PAVN bases in Tây Ninh and Bình Long.

In fact, the RVNAF did fly 30 or more sorties around Lo Go in Tây Ninh and around Tong Le Chon on 23 March, but the PAVN bombardments continued.

Colonel Chuan relayed this urgent message to General Thuần who replied that he had received no response from the JGS to his earlier proposals for evacuation or relief.

By this time, the survivors at Tong Le Chon included 254 Rangers, 4 artillerymen, 7 stranded helicopter crewmen, and 12 field laborers.

Still, no initiatives or decisions came from the President Thiệu, III Corps or 3rd Ranger Command to ameliorate the suffering or offer hope to the defenders of Tong Le Chon.

While nearly 1,000 rounds of mortar and artillery were falling on the base the night of 11 April, Headquarters, III Corps, received a final request from Colonel Ngon: give us authority to abandon the camp.

Although the record was clear that Colonel Ngon had disobeyed orders by withdrawing, he was not punished, but the battalion was dissolved and its men sequestered from the press.

With Tong Le Chon obliterated, the PAVN had unrestricted use of its important east-west line of communication between Tây Ninh and Bình Long and controlled the Saigon River corridor from its source to Dầu Tiếng District.

[2]: 98 This article incorporates public domain material from websites or documents of the United States Army Center of Military History.