Vicinity of Nha Trang, Cochin-china, 23 September 1944
The departure of the advance guard of the 9ème Escadron de Reconnaissance Indochinoise was the signal for the sentinels of the First Para to begin preparations for the reception of the supply convoy, whose appearance was anticipated in mere minutes. A "borrowed" bullock cart, suitably distressed, was wheeled into position at the point where the road left the causeway above the paddy fields and rejoined higher ground, blocking the road to traffic. A small knot of Philippine paratroops in mufti milled about it, giving the impression of peasants arguing of how best to remove it. Several other "peasants" relocated their "work" to that part of the paddy field at the opposite end of the road, in a position to move smartly to block its escape.
The preparations were made none too soon. As the lead armored car of the convoy close escort came down the road and debouched onto the causeway. Its commander, presuming that the local villagers would instantly give way to his vehicle, made no attempt to stop, but rolled forward only to find its way blocked by the bullock cart at the other end. The trucks of the convoy, not knowing of the problem, followed like sheep after the shepherd, only to stop short one after another. The officer in the lead armored car stood in the open hatch, expostulating with the ignorant peasants before him, demanding that they clear the way.
In the lead truck one of the members of the team of umpires thought, "I have a bad feeling about this."
Suddenly the air was cut by a shrill whistle, and from the waters of the paddy fields on either side of the elevated road rose the Philippine paratroops, appearing right beside the trucks seemingly out of nowhere. A deftly lofted smoke grenade fell through the hatch of the lead armored car, while others were thrown into supply trucks along with small sacks of white stone dust, simulating fragmentation and white phosphorus grenades. Drivers were pulled from their seats and found sticky labels bearing the legend "Dead" thrust upon them, while the raiders counted coup on others with similar labels bearing "Wounded". On the far bank the trailing armored car attempted to intervene, only to find itself swarmed by a squad of Philippine paras who pried open the hatch and dropped a smoke grenade inside.
In less than five minutes the convoy was "wrecked", its trucks "burning", its escort "finished". The raiders had suffered loss however - four Philippine paratroops had been designated by the umpires as "dead", and three more "badly wounded".
Major Pajota sounded his whistle again, and the men of the First Para promptly broke off their attack and began to melt back into the rice paddies, to rendezvous at their base camp. They bore with them several "lightly wounded" comrades as well as a few trophies - the guidon of the 9ème Escadron having been detached from the lead armored car among them.
Capitaine Marcel Bigeard, chief of the team of umpires, surveyed the results. "A classic example of how to conduct an ambush, and this is the last place I would have expected it," he thought. A moment later Commandant Quang's support force arrived, and began to assess the situation. Quang strode up to the convoy commander and demanded an answer as to what has happened. "Ah, mon Commandant," said Bigeard with a smile, "Lieutenant Tran is mort de combat; you will have to find someone among the wounded who can answer your question."
That took time, but Commandant Quang did not dally for details. It was obvious that somehow "Red Force" had managed to ambush the convoy in an exposed position, and had melted away out of sight. He sent out scouts to find the trail of the "Red Force" elements, and while the convoy made ready to clear the exercise area, he dismounted his own troops, preparing to follow "Red Force" into the countryside.
"This is not over yet," Quang said to himself. "I still have two more companies in the field, and once I find and pin Pajota, I will teach "Red Force" a lesson better than they have taught me."