David
03-06-2005, 06:29 AM
FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
March 6, 1946 (3rd day of the 2nd month, Year of the Dog [Binh Tuat]): Frances recognizes the Democratic Republic of Vietnam as a free state within the Indochinese Federation and French Union. In return, Ho Chi Minh agrees to reentry of the French into North Vietnam.
SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
March 6, 1965 (4th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Snake {At Ti]) (US Advisory): In a telegram to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Westmoreland describes the overall situation in Vietnam and tries to answer the question, "If we continue the course of action we are now following, what will be the situation six months hence?"
March 6, 1967 (26th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Junction City update: The 173rd Brigade makes airmobile assaults with its three battalions into three landing zones located 1, 3 and 6 km south of Bo Tuc (on Route 246 southeast of Katum) while searching for the COSVN military intelligence bureau reported to be in the area. During the next seven days of search-and-destroy work, the battalions make sporadic contact, killing about 40 Viet Cong. On the same day, two squadrons of the 11th Armored Cavalry begin a sweep along the Cambodian border, covering a zone extending 1.5 km from the border and starting 4 km southwest of the point where Route 22 hits the Cambodian border in the north and ending at Lo Go. This sweep includes all the border in the "Little Elephant's Ear" area.
March 6, 1967 (26th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): On the Mekong River near My Tho, a patrol boat of River Squadron 5 spots suspicious activity near one river bank.
March 6, 1968 (8th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): The ARVN 32 Regiment, supported by air and artillery, drives off an estimated enemy battalion that had penetrated the city of Ca Mau in An Xuven Province.
March 6, 1968 (8th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): Khe Sanh: AA hits the port engine of a USAF C-123 making its final descent into the base. The plane crashes in the hills east of runway, killing 43 USMC, 4 USAF, and 1 USN personnel. The disaster leads to the increased use of choppers for supply duties.
Early March 1969 (1st month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Operation Massachusetts Striker update: Rain and fog force the engineers inserted at Dong Tre Gong in the southern A Shau Valley to delay their construction of a fire base and staging area/forward base camp there in hopes that the weather soon will change.
March 6, 1970 (29th day of the 1st month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): A/7/17th Cavalry supports the 4th Infantry Division near An Khe.
March 6, 1971 (10th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VII): Operation Lam Son 719 update (and finale): B-52s bomb Tchepone in preparation for the largest, longest-ranging (up to 48 miles) CA of the war. 120 Huey slicks ferry two ARVN infantry battalions from Khe Sanh to Tchepone while gunships cover their front, flanks and rear. Only one chopper is lost to AA and little resistance is encountered on the ground.
March 6, 1971 (10th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VII): As the war in northern Laos continues, the Laotian defense ministry dispatches a relief force to General Vang Pao's HQ at Long Tieng composed of three battalions of Laotians and four battalions of Thai volunteers. While the Communists watch from the surrounding hills and ridges, Gen. Vang Pao readies his troops for their annual wet season counteroffensive, but Washington, disillusioned by the indecisive nature of the seasonal battles, decides to cut US military assistance to Laos and Gen. Abrams halves the number of sorties to be flown in Laos after July 1 and directs 70% of them to the panhandle and southern Laos instead, in the belief that after Lam Son 719 the North Vietnamese will concentrate on rebuilding the Ho Chi Minh Trail in those areas. This means that the Royal Laotian Army at Luang Prabang and Vang Pao's guerrillas at Long Tieng will get only 32 sorties daily instead of the former 60. Gen. Vang Pao decides to start the counteroffensive early, to benefit from the maximum American air support through July 1.
March 6, 1946 (3rd day of the 2nd month, Year of the Dog [Binh Tuat]): Frances recognizes the Democratic Republic of Vietnam as a free state within the Indochinese Federation and French Union. In return, Ho Chi Minh agrees to reentry of the French into North Vietnam.
SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
March 6, 1965 (4th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Snake {At Ti]) (US Advisory): In a telegram to the Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, Gen. Westmoreland describes the overall situation in Vietnam and tries to answer the question, "If we continue the course of action we are now following, what will be the situation six months hence?"
March 6, 1967 (26th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Junction City update: The 173rd Brigade makes airmobile assaults with its three battalions into three landing zones located 1, 3 and 6 km south of Bo Tuc (on Route 246 southeast of Katum) while searching for the COSVN military intelligence bureau reported to be in the area. During the next seven days of search-and-destroy work, the battalions make sporadic contact, killing about 40 Viet Cong. On the same day, two squadrons of the 11th Armored Cavalry begin a sweep along the Cambodian border, covering a zone extending 1.5 km from the border and starting 4 km southwest of the point where Route 22 hits the Cambodian border in the north and ending at Lo Go. This sweep includes all the border in the "Little Elephant's Ear" area.
March 6, 1967 (26th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): On the Mekong River near My Tho, a patrol boat of River Squadron 5 spots suspicious activity near one river bank.
March 6, 1968 (8th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): The ARVN 32 Regiment, supported by air and artillery, drives off an estimated enemy battalion that had penetrated the city of Ca Mau in An Xuven Province.
March 6, 1968 (8th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): Khe Sanh: AA hits the port engine of a USAF C-123 making its final descent into the base. The plane crashes in the hills east of runway, killing 43 USMC, 4 USAF, and 1 USN personnel. The disaster leads to the increased use of choppers for supply duties.
Early March 1969 (1st month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Operation Massachusetts Striker update: Rain and fog force the engineers inserted at Dong Tre Gong in the southern A Shau Valley to delay their construction of a fire base and staging area/forward base camp there in hopes that the weather soon will change.
March 6, 1970 (29th day of the 1st month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): A/7/17th Cavalry supports the 4th Infantry Division near An Khe.
March 6, 1971 (10th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VII): Operation Lam Son 719 update (and finale): B-52s bomb Tchepone in preparation for the largest, longest-ranging (up to 48 miles) CA of the war. 120 Huey slicks ferry two ARVN infantry battalions from Khe Sanh to Tchepone while gunships cover their front, flanks and rear. Only one chopper is lost to AA and little resistance is encountered on the ground.
March 6, 1971 (10th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VII): As the war in northern Laos continues, the Laotian defense ministry dispatches a relief force to General Vang Pao's HQ at Long Tieng composed of three battalions of Laotians and four battalions of Thai volunteers. While the Communists watch from the surrounding hills and ridges, Gen. Vang Pao readies his troops for their annual wet season counteroffensive, but Washington, disillusioned by the indecisive nature of the seasonal battles, decides to cut US military assistance to Laos and Gen. Abrams halves the number of sorties to be flown in Laos after July 1 and directs 70% of them to the panhandle and southern Laos instead, in the belief that after Lam Son 719 the North Vietnamese will concentrate on rebuilding the Ho Chi Minh Trail in those areas. This means that the Royal Laotian Army at Luang Prabang and Vang Pao's guerrillas at Long Tieng will get only 32 sorties daily instead of the former 60. Gen. Vang Pao decides to start the counteroffensive early, to benefit from the maximum American air support through July 1.