Timeline, September 11th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR - OTHER:
September 11, 1953 (Year of the Snake [Quy Ti]): The first Sidewinder missile is fired in a weapons research center in China Lake, California.

In Vietnam, AIM-9 Sidewinders wielded by USAF combat pilots will bring down 22 out of a total of 42 MiGs downed by F-4C's; 5 out of a total of 44 MiGs downed by F-4D's; 4 out of a total of 21 MiGs downed by F-4E's; and 2 out of a total of 26 MiGs downed by F-4D's/F-105F's and F-105D's. After the war, Vietnam will buy Sidewinders from the US.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
September 11, 1964 (Year of the Dragon [Giap Thin]) (US Advisory): Limited air and ground operations in Laos are reviewed.

September 11, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Project Golf is conducted in War Zone C.

September 10-11, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): During South Vietnam's elections, there are 166 Viet Cong acts of terrorism just before and including election day, or about nine times the level of activity four days before election and fifteen times the level of activity on an average day in August. US forces act as a shield to prevent large-scale VC and NVA interference, but South Vietnamese forces lose an estimated 19 KIAs and 120 WIAs between 1800 on September 10 and 1800 on September 11. VC casualties are estimated to be 18 killed, 3 wounded, and 15 captured. Almost 81% of the population turns out to vote.

Week of September 11, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Per Ambassador Lodge, major operations during the week have included "Prairie, a USMC three-battalion operation immediately south of the DMZ intended to thwart a Viet Cong build-up there; (2) Paul Revere III and Su Bok (ROK), search and destroy missions in the Highlands area southwest of Pleiku; (3) Baton Rouge, a combined search and destroy operation in Rung Sai special zone designed to reduce the threat to the Saigon ship channel, and (4) Dan Chi 261B, a continuation of operations Dan Chi 261 in Ba Xuyen/Bac Lieu Provinces conducted by the 21st ARVN Division. The last named operation was a major ARVN victory with cumulative results Dan Chi 261 and 261B--313 Viet Cong killed, 179 Viet Cong small arms, 11 crew served weapons, and nine tons of ammunition captured."

Overall, the VC have lost 1166 during the week During roughly the same period, 34 South Vietnamese civilians have been killed and 33 wounded, and South Vietnamese armed forces have lost 174 killed. US losses during the week have been 50 dead.

From February through August 1966, ARVN has killed 17,692 Viet Cong, and the U.S. 15,187. ARVN has captured 2,399 Viet Cong, and the U.S. 1,521. Free world forces have lost 2,135 killed and 236 captured.

September 11, 1967 (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): Operation Wheeler begins.

September 11, 1967 (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): Siege of Con Thien update: A huge long-range artillery duel erupts between NVA and U.S. artillery. Between now and the end of October the Communists will fire an estimated 42,000 rounds at the Marines, as much as 1000 rounds in a day, while the U.S. responds with Operation Neutralize, concentrating firepower from artillery, tactical aircraft, naval gunfire, and B-52s in an around-the clock SLAM (Search, Locate, Annihilate, Monitor) operation. Two Arc Light missions are flown each day in Operation Neutralize, with a total of 910 of the sorties hitting targets in the DMZ, just two miles away. Other B-52 strikes are pin-pointed to as close as 100 meters from US positions after the Americans realize the enemy has been storing ammo caches in the previously wide safety zones provided around friendly positions.

September 11, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase V): Operation Comanche Falls begins.

September 11, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase V): Operation Lam Son 261 begins.

September 11, 1972 (Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive: US aircraft destroy the Long Bien bridge over the Red River in Hanoi.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR - OTHER
September 11, 1984 (Year of the Rat [Giap Ty]): Secretary of State George Schultz announces that the US will ask Vietnam to release about 10,000 political prisoners held in that country. They are to be resettled in the US along with 8000 Vietnamese children fathered by US servicemen.