Timeline, November 3rd

[David]

INTERBELLUM:
November 3, 1954 (Year of the Horse [Giap Ngo]): The White House issues a statement on the special US representative in Vietnam.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
November 3, 1965 (Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): MACV authorizes the use of riot control agents.

November 3, 1965 (Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): Ia Drang: The Cav's 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry Regiment is ordered into LZ Mary for a reconnaissance in force operation to observe and intercept enemy units crossing in from Cambodia. The Americans quickly establish three 30-man platoon ambushes. One platoon sets up on a trail two miles from the Cambodian border and, around 2100, ambushes a reinforced company of about 100 NVA. All three ambush parties are ordered back to their defensive perimeter, and within half an hour, they are under attack at LZ Mary by a large force of NVA. Quickly reinforced by an Infantry company (the first night lift for the Cav in Vietnam), and with fire procedures now developed to the point that armed helicopters can fire within 50 m of friendly troops during night operations, the Americans eventually beat back the enemy.

November 3, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Attleboro update: To utilize and coordinate the actions of all three committed infantry battalions in the Dau Tieng area, Company B of the 1/27 is deployed to block in the north along Highway 19 while the 2/1 and the 4/31 advance north on four axes, Red, Blue, White and Purple, from positions of the uncovered caches some 4 km south of the blocking position. Due to the dense overgrown jungle, the advancing units are not mutually supporting. About 20 minutes after the 2/1 and 4/31 have set off northward, B/1/27 is lifted into position, and a half hour after that, C/1/27 is lifted to a LZ approximately 4 km west of the B/1/27 position. The two companies are then to link up, but C/1/27 soon encounters heavy small arms and automatic weapons fire near its LZ from what later turns out to be the Recon Company of the 9th Viet Cong Division. Meanwhile, B/1/27 has landed in a cold LZ but discovered an abandoned fortified VC village as it advances to its blocking position. In the afternoon, the 2/1, which has encountered and neutralized a VC outpost as it advanced along Red Axis, is brought in to support the 1/27 companies. Evacuation of the American dead and wounded begins at sunset and lasts into the night, during which there are minor probes by the VC but no ground attacks.

November 3, 1967 (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): The US 9th Infantry Division supported by the 335th Radio Research Company starts Operation Santa Fe I in the Dong Tam area.

November 3, 1967 /KBD> (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): The first of an eventual 15 SAS fighting patrols is inserted into the area along a line from north of Binh Gia to east of Xuyen Moc.

November 3, 1969 (Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): President Nixon addresses the country about Vietnam and Vietnamization.

November 3, 1970 (Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Consolidation I): Magpie 91, RAAF Canberra Bomber A84-231, becomes missing in action. The crew and aircraft are never found.

November 1970 (Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Consolidation I): ARVN operations into Cambodia start, with the mission of opening land and water routes to Phnom Penh.