Timeline, June 4th

[David]

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
June 1965 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): Approximately nine Russian IL-28 bombers are seen at Phuc Yen in North Vietnam.

June 4, 1965 (5th day of the 5th month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): LBJ is given copies of telegrams from the Chinese, sent through intermediaries, which outline four points: that China will not provoke war with the United States; what China says counts; China is prepared; and if the United States bombs China that will mean war and there will be no limits to the war. Chinese representatives in personal talks with intermediaries have said that China supports North Vietnam unconditionally and views aggression against North Vietnam as aggression against China, but they add that China will take direct part in the conflict only if the war is "expanded to Chinese territory."

June 4, 1968 (9th day of the 5th month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): Camp Coryell is attacked at 0130, with two engineers killed and 12 seriously wounded.

June 1968 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): The Vietnamese Navy forms River Patrol Group 51, which contains the first eight PBRs turned over by the U.S. Navy and is assigned duty on the Long Tau and Dong Nai rivers.

June 1968 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): The US 3rd Marine Division starts an aggressive counteroffensive against North Vietnamese forces in the northern border section below the DMZ. Employing new helicopter mobile and firebase tactics, and no longer confined to securing defensive outposts, the 3rd Marine Division sweeps the 320th NVA Division out of its forward positions in South Vietnam.

June 4, 1970 (1st day of the 5th month, Year of the Dog {Canh Tuat]) (US Sanctuary Counteroffensive): Operation Rockcrusher update: 1-11 ACR, operating from FSB Colorado, with the 60th and 984th Land Clearing Companies, 62nd Engineer Battalion, 20th Engineer Brigade, run into heavy contact after pushing only 500 meters into a large NVA complex.

June 4, 1971 (12th day of the 5th month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Counteroffensive, Phase VII): A platoon led by a British-born American advisor is attacked while providing security for a radio relay site located in enemy-held territory.

June 1972 (4th and 5th months, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive: NVA activity near Hue is moderate during early June and mostly in the areas of FSB's Birmingham, Bastogne and Checkmate and along Route 547.

BORDER CLASHES:
June 1975 (4th and 5th months, Year of the Hare [At Mao]): In Laos, Pathet Lao troops seize US Embassy property in Vientiane.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR--OTHER:
June-July 1978 (4th through 6th months, Year of the Horse [Mau Ngo]): The propaganda war between China and Vietnam escalates as China reportedly moves 15 divisions to the Vietnamese border and Vietnam deploys five divisions to face them.

June 1983 (4th and 5th months, Year of the Boar [Quy Hoi]): The government of Vietnam returns the remains of nine American servicemen.

POSTBELLUM:
June 4, 1992 (4th day of the 5th month, Year of the Monkey [Nham Than]): In a step toward normalizing relations with the US, the Vietnamese government confirms the release of all former South Vietnamese officials being held in reeducation camps.


ONGOING OPERATIONS:
SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
June 1972: (4th and 5th months, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty] (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter offensive: By now, casualties on both sides are in the thousands. The 17th parallel has been eliminated as a division between North and South Vietnam.

The North Vietnamese have developed a line of communication from Dong Hoi in Quang Binh Province to Dong Ha and the logistical complex along Highway QL-9 from Dong Ha to Khe Sanh. ARVN forces are gathering at a line along the Song My Chanh (June 1-10) as plans for a push to retake Quang Tri City are put into effect. The North Vietnamese have cleared western Quang Tri Province for an alternate corridor from Khe Sanh to the B-3 Front in Kontum; the B-3 Front is the NVA command in the Central Highlands. The fighting in Kontum Province has reduced South Vietnamese influence north and west of Kontum City, although the South Vietnamese have defeated most of the Communist forces in the city itself, and are now clearing out the last pockets of resistance there. The Communists are trying to develop logistics complex at Duc Co and to extend the alternate corridor south to Binh Long Province but ARVN, in heavy fighting, continues to hinder these efforts.

The city of An Loc is still besieged, but the attackers have lost an estimated 10,000 men and a lot of equipment, and the city's ARVN defenders are going on the offensive to try to expand the city's defensive perimeter. The ARVN fire base at Tan Khe, 10 km south of the city, is successfully fending off repeated attacks by the 141 Regiment, 7 Division as the South Vietnamese relief effort continues to slowly push north.

In the Delta, the NVA campaign against Kien Luong District in Kien Giang Province using the 1 Division is underway, but ARVN Rangers of the 44th Special Tactical Zone are pushing the North Vietnamese back into Cambodia. Meanwhile, the NVA 5 Division has pulled away from battlefields in Binh Long Province, moved across Prey Veng Province in Cambodia, and has the capital of Kien Tuong Province, Moc Hoa, under attack, as well as Tuyen Binh District town. In conjunction with this, other NVA units, probably elements of the 9th Division, are moving toward Kompong Trabek.

June 1973 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Ox [Quy Suu]): South Vietnam: In I Corps, both sides are avoiding serious contact as the NVA continue to consolidate and defend their positions in South Vietnam, and to construct major logistical bases in northern Quang Tri and western Thua Thien provinces. The South Vietnamese are using artillery sparingly and no air power to defend military posts and communication lines along the coast.

In II Corps, both sides hold strong positions around Kontum City. The South Vietnamese are trying to keep North Vietnamese forces out of rocket range of the city, and to keep Route 14 south to Pleiku open. The NVA's 10 Division is pressing the city's defenses to the north and west, while another area of contact has developed around the western ARVN outposts of Plei Mrong and Plei Djereng, the latter of which is close to Duc Co, the major NVA logistical base in the highlands. The NVA are also improving their north-south logistical route from near Dak To southward through the Plei Trap Valley of western Kontum Province. Most fighting in the eastern part of II Corps is in Binh Dinh Province, where the NVA are harassing South Vietnamese posts in the populated areas and along lines of communication. ARVN is responding with sorties into NVA areas.

In III Corps, the NVA continue their siege against the ARVN outpost of Tong Le Chon, deep in Communist-held Tay Ninh Province. Elsewhere in the region, action is light, although Communist harassment of outlying hamlets and resettlement areas is constant.

In IV Corps, there is heavy action centered in the Seven Mountains area of Chau Doc Province, where ARVN Rangers are slowly destroying the remaining elements of the NVA 1 Division in its stronghold there. Other fighting is going on in the Hong Ngu region along the border region near where the Mekong River flows in from Cambodia. There is also ongoing harassment of Regional and Popular Forces outposts and of populated areas.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR:
June 1978 (4th and 5th months, Year of the Horse [Mau Ngo]): Unhappy with its troops' performance, PAVN conducts a major reorganization and modernization of its forces and professionalizes its officer corps. It also streamlines the chain of command by dropping the "dual commander" system that has been in place since 1952; now, the political officer of a regiment or division is subordinate to, rather than equal or superior to, its military commander.

June 1979 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Goat [Ky Mui]): As dry season ends, the Vietnamese consolidate their control of all major Cambodian/Kampuchean towns and cities and establishes a counter-insurgency General Headquarters, Front 478, at Chamka Morn in Phnom Penh, though rebel resistance is low.

June 1980 (4th and 5th months, Year of the Monkey [Canh Than]): As dry season ends, PAVN divisions (up to eight) withdraw from activities operating along the border to established garrisons in country. Rebel resistance during the dry season has been low.

June 1981 (4th and 5th months, Year of the Rooster [Tan Dau]): PAVN's 309 Division is at the border town of Pailin to counter Khmer Rouge advances at Phnom Malai, but is preparing to pull back as the rain season approaches.

June 1982 (4th month-supplemental and 5th month, Year of the Dog [Nham Tuat]): During the rainy season, PAVN conducts its first major troop rotation since 1978, sending up to 20,000 fresh soldiers, mostly southern draftees who will complete their basic training at the forward bases of divisions that are under strength. An equal number of seasoned troops are sent home.

June 1983 (4th and 5th months, Year of the Boar [Quy Hoi]): During the rainy season, the Khmer Rouge increase the number of attacks on PAVN garrisons.

June 1984 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Rat [Giap Ty]): PAVN conducts another troop rotation, sending home the 2 and 10 Border Defense Regiments (also called the 688 and 690 Brigades) and a third brigade, and replacing these with an estimated 14,000 fresh troops, many of whom reinforce the weakened 5 Division.

June 1985 (4th and 5th months, Year of the Ox [At Suu]): PAVN recalls the 2 and 7 divisions. Remaining in Cambodia are ten PAVN combat divisions, all of them under strength and some with as few as 5000 troops. These include the 5, 302, 309 and 330 divisions in Front 479, along the border; the 4 and 8 divisions in Front 579, on the coast; a division and several technical brigades in Front 779, in the interior; and the 9 and 339 divisions held in reserve around Phnom Penh.

June 1986 (4th and 5th months, Year of the Tiger [Binh Dan]): During the summer, PAVN withdraws Divisional Group 98, which includes the 8 Division, the 95 Brigade and the 37 Infantry Regiment. Part of the withdrawal is compensated for by the arrival of fresh troops.

June 1987 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Hare [Dinh Mao]): Counter-insurgency sweeps, with PAVN lowering its profile by conducting more artillery barrages and fewer infantry sweeps, and trying without much success to encourage greater participation by the military forces of the PRK.

June 1988 (4th and 5th months, Year of the Dragon [Mau Thin]): PAVN has moved most of its combat troops inland, with government forces deployed on the border.

June 1989 (4th and 5th months, Year of the Snake [Ky Ti]): PAVN continues counter-insurgency sweeps and training of the government army, navy and air force in preparation for the Vietnamese withdrawal in September.