February 27

[frisco-kid]

1962 Diem survives coup attempt

South Vietnamese President Ngo Dinh Diem survives another coup attempt when Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilots Lieutenants Pham Phu Quoc and Nguyen Van Cu try to kill him and his brother Ngo Dinh Nhu by bombing and strafing the presidential palace.

Lieutenant Quoc was arrested after his fighter-bomber crash-landed near Saigon. Lieutenant Cu fled to Cambodia, where he remained until November 1963. The attack confirmed Diem's conviction that his main adversaries were domestic. As a result, he retreated deeper into himself, delegating more authority to his brother Nhu, who set about eradicating dissidents--dozens of Diem political opponents disappeared, and thousands more were sent to prison camps. Diem and his brother were killed during a coup in November 1963.



1965 United States assails North Vietnamese "aggression"

The U.S. State Department releases a 14,000-word report entitled "Aggression from the North--The Record of North Vietnam's Campaign to Conquer South Vietnam." Citing "massive evidence," including testimony of North Vietnamese soldiers who had defected or been captured in South Vietnam, the document claimed that nearly 20,000 Viet Cong military and technical personnel had entered South Vietnam through the "infiltration pipeline" from the North. The report maintained that the infiltrators remained under military command from Hanoi. The Johnson administration was making the case that the war in Vietnam was not an internal insurgency, but rather an invasion of South Vietnam by North Vietnamese forces. This approach was a calculated ploy by President Lyndon Johnson, who realized that he would have a hard time convincing the American public that the United States should get involved in a civil war--acting to stop the spread of communism by invading North Vietnamese would provide a much better justification for increased U.S. involvement in the conflict.



1969 Communist offensive continues

Communist forces shell 30 military installations and nine towns in South Vietnam, in what becomes known as the "Post-Tet Offensive." U.S. sources in Saigon put American losses in this latest offensive at between 250 and 300, compared with enemy casualties totaling 5,300. South Vietnamese officials report 200 civilians killed and 12,700 made homeless.

[1CAVCCO15MED]

We were at Bien Hoa and got to watch a battle between the ARVN and a unit of NVA that had infiltrated the town at the end of the airstrip. Our guys had captured the NVA battalion XO and Sgt Major and they told us everything. It was a turkey shoot. It got lots quieter after each pass of the miniguns.

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
February 1951 (late Year of the Tiger [Canh Dan]/1st month, Year of the Hare [Tan Mao]): The Manifesto of the Vietnamese Workers Party (Lao Dong), front for the Vietnamese Communist party (which although officially dissolved at this time had remained active).

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
February 27, 1962 (23rd day of the 1st month, Year of the Tiger [Nham Dan]): The Presidential Palace in Saigon is strafed by two disgruntled South Vietnamese Air Force pilots. President Diem is unharmed.

February 27, 1965 (26th day of the 1st month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): "Aggression From the North" - US State Dept White Paper on Vietnam is released.

February 27, 1965 (26th day of the 1st month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): Battle of Mang Yang Pass update.

February 27, 1966 (8th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Operation New York update.

February 27, 1967 (19th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): U.S. aircraft begin to drop mines in North Vietnam's rivers.

February 27, 1967 (19th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Prairie II update.

February 27, 1967 (19th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): An Australian SAS patrol apprehends three VC. During an escape attempt two are killed.

February 27, 1967 (19th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Phase II of Operation Deckhouse VI begins.

February 27, 1967 (19th day of the 1st month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): NVA rocket troops launch 140 mm rockets against the Da Nang Air Base. More than 50 rockets hit the base in less than a minute. The rockets have a range of 9,000 meters. This is the first known use of large tactical rockets in South Vietnam. The use of these weapons forces III MAF to extend its protective patrolling at Da Nang out to 9,000 meters, which adds to the drain on Marine infantry manpower.

February 27, 1968 (30th day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): The battle of Pineapple Forest, west of Tam Ky.

February 27, 1968 (30th day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): A/7/17 Cavalry supports another unit in Pleiku Province.

February 27, 1968 (30th day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): A light fire team of the 282nd AHC on a VR mission in support of ARVN units east of Hue spots a large enemy force in the open, and kills 63 NVA soldiers using 2.75" rockets and machine guns.

February 27, 1968 (30th day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): MAG-16 update.

February 27, 1968 (30th day of the 1st month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): CBS anchor Walter Cronkite concludes a special report by saying, "It seems now more certain than ever that the bloody experience of Vietnam is to end in a stalemate." LBJ is said to have commented, "If I've lost Walter Cronkite, I've lost Mr. Average Citizen."

February 27, 1969 (12th day of the 1st month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Operation Quang Nam begins.

February 27, 1972 (13th day of the 1st month, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Consolidation II): South Vietnamese forces begin a drive into Cambodia to block preparations for a suspected Communist offensive.

SINO-VIETNAMESE WAR:
February 27, 1979 (2nd day of the 2nd month, Year of the Goat [Ky Mui]): In Vietnam, the battle for the provincial capital of Lang Son begins, with both Chinese and Vietnamese forces engaging in a massive artillery duel. PAVN is airlifting four divisions north from Cambodia to hold the final line of defense north of Hanoi and block positions south of Lang Son. Its 327th Division is already at Ha Bac south of Lang Son and elements of the 3 "Gold Star" Division are inside the city. Chinese Vice-Premier Teng Hsiao-ping states that 75,000 to 85,000 Chinese troops have entered Vietnam and are reported to have made spectacular advances of up to 50 miles into Vietnam, but a Chinese spokesman says that no attacks on Hanoi or Haiphong are intended. Radio Hanoi puts maximum penetration at 25 miles and claims that China has lost 80,000 men.