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mortar fire, averaging 150 rounds a day. On 23 February, the enemy fired over 1,300 rounds at the base. Also, weather worked against the Khe Sanh defenders. The base was repeatedly blanketed by fog and low-hanging clouds which not only interrupted fighter air sorties but also permitted the enemy to move men and equipment undetected to the very edges of the Marine defense perimeters.

On 25 January 1968, General Westmoreland had directed that a Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, forward command post be established in the I Corps area. General Abrams would be his representative in this forward Command Post. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Forward was activated, staffed, and became operational during the period of the Tet Offensive. The staff of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Forward would soon form the nucleus of Provisional Corps Vietnam when General Abrams closed his forward command post. General Abrams arrived at the command post in Phu Bai on 13 February and on that same day the decision was made to move the 101st Airborne Division (—) into Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Forward's area of operation. The 3d Brigade of the 82d Airborne Division, being airlifted from the United States, would come under the 101st Airborne Division upon its arrival in the tactical zone.

Priority of movement for units being moved into the northern I Corps Tactical Zone were established by Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, Forward on 1 March. The 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division was to join the remainder of the division operating in the area north of Hue and south of Quang Tri. Next, the command and control and support elements of the 101st Airborne Division were to move north, and finally, the 3d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division would arrive in country, through Chu Lai, and move north.

The 1st Cavalry Division began repositioning its forces to allow for the arrival of its 2d Brigade and the 101st Airborne Division (—). The 1st Brigade, 1st Cavalry was to continue security of Quang Tri and to conduct operations south and west of the city. The 2d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, was to assume responsibility for the operational area of the 2d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, upon arrival in I Corps Tactical Zone and conduct operations to clear the enemy elements in the Hai Lang-My Chanh area. The 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division, was to continue to operate west of Hue until relieved by the 2d Brigade, 101st Airborne Division. When the 2d Brigade, 101st began operations west and northwest of the City of Hue, the 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Division would