Timeline, September 27th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
September 27, 1950 (Year of the Tiger [Canh Dan]): The US establishes the Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) in Saigon. It is very difficult to get much online detailed information on MAAG, compared to MACV. Most references just say generally that MAAG was there to "advise" the French, but the Namlore site says that its mission was to inspect French and Vietnamese use of American equipment (there was some $10 million of it at Dien Bien Phu just before the battle began there, according to Fall, and we sent more in before the fortress finally fell) and that the section originally consisted of sixty-five officers and enlisted men and one civilian clerk. Brigadier General Francis G. Brink (for whom the Brinks Bachelor Officer Quarters in Saigon was named) was its first commander and was both objective and accurate in his reporting to Washington, although the French allowed no observation of their units during combat and allowed inspections only at their base camps. General Brinks was against direct American training of South Vietnamese forces and the expansion of MAAG's the mission. He was replaced by Brigadier General Thomas J. H. Trapnell, who would eventually support a larger American military advisory presence.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
September 27, 1961 (Year of the Ox [Tan Suu]): In Washington, some countermeasures to VC activities in South Vietnam are discussed.

September 27, 1963 (Year of the Hare [Quy Mao]) (US Advisory): The ARVN 2nd Division's Second Battalion Recon Company and 2/4 each kill one VC and capture a MAS-36 rifle early in the morning.

September 27, 1967 (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): Operation Shenandoah II starts in Binh Guong Province.

September 27, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase V): Operation Phu Vang begins in Thua Thien Province.

September 27, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase V): Action is begun by 4000 U. S. Marines in an attempt to trap a North Vietnamese division.

September 27, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase V): Two battalions from the 9th VC Division try to overrun the Thien Ngon SF CIDG Camp during the night of September 27-28.

September 27, 1969 (Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Summer-Fall 1969): In Kontum Province, still trying to pick up the MACV SOG team, the 361st AWC participates in a battle for over six hours that sees one light fire team expend completely three times and the other team twice, and during which heroic efforts are made to save the lives of four men on ropes when their chopper is shot down and then to extract the team and the chopper crew.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR - OTHER
September 27, 1977 (Year of the Snake [Dinh Ti]): The existence of the ruling Kampuchean Communist Party is officially confirmed for the first time. Prime Minister Pol Pot, who resumes office this month, is its secretary.