Timeline, April 1st

[David]

HISTORICAL:
April 1863: A treaty forced on Emperor Tu Duc recognizes French control of the Saigon area and opens major ports to French trade.

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR: April 1946 (2nd and 3rd months, Year of the Dog [Binh Tuat]): Allied occupation of Indochina is officially terminated, and the U.S. acknowledges to France that all of Indochina has reverted to French control. Thereafter, the problems of U.S. policy toward Vietnam will be dealt with in the context of the U.S. relationship with France.

April 1, 1954 (28th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Horse [Giap Ngo]) (Fall): Dien Bien Phu: At midnight, French M-24 tanks join the counterattack on E2, but the Viet-Minh are ready for them, with 57mm recoilless rifle teams. Despite numerous hits, the tanks are able to continue the fight and at 0400 the remaining tank platoon is brought in, thus blunting the enemy attack and holding it back. At dawn, the French still hold E2, E4 and D3. Later in the day, the Legionnaires and paratroopers on E2 defenders try to gain more ground on the hill, but are stopped by Viet-Minh artillery fire after seizing a 120mm mortar. Still, they've improved their position somewhat in the direction of E1. On Huguette 7, as the Viet-Minh are reeling from the artillery fire, a company of Vietnamese paratroopers led by a French captain charges out of the bunkers into the remnants of the enemy force. By 1035, all of H7 is once again in French hands. Dien Bien Phu has fired 4500 artillery shells during the day. At 1400, news is radioed in from outlying Francoise, 1 km west of Huguette, that the T'ai troops there are deserting. That night, a flamethrower team arrives to reinforce E2. At 2030, transports arrive from Hanoi, bringing in some reinforcements (though not massive drops of entire battalions, which Hanoi has decided against) and other supplies. Viet-Minh flak opens up on the lumbering transports and only one company, as well as a battalion command element and a gun crew succeed in hitting the ground after sustaining seven casualties, five of them in mid-air. The rest of the battalion returns to Hanoi because the slowness of the drops prevents the dropping of urgently needed ammo and other supplies. Most of the day's ammo resupply, however,is dropped behind enemy lines and 25% of the air resupply missions abort. The most critical attack of the day comes at 2200, when an enemy division mounts a two-pronged attack on H7 and H6, which are crucial for control of the airfield.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
April 1959 (2nd and 3rd months, Year of the Boar [Ky Hoi]): A branch of Ho Chi Minh's Lao Dong (Worker's Party of Vietnam) is formed in the South and Communist underground activity increases.

April 1, 1965 (30th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): The passive defense mission is shelved as President Johnson authorizes the Marines at Da Nang to move out and engage Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces in combat on April 3-5. 1st Logistical Command is set up near Saigon to control buildup.

April 1, 1965 (30th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): USAF Operation Steel Tiger starts in Laos (some sources say April 3) over the Panhandle and the DMZ. Goals of the operation are to locate and destroy enemy forces and materiel being moved southward at night into South Vietnam. However, because of the political situation regarding the neutrality of Laos, target approval has to come from Washington. Additionally, the U.S. ambassadors in South Vietnam, Laos, and Thailand are involved in controlling these U.S. air operations.

April 1966 (3rd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): During the early part of April, the 155th AHC flies daily support missions for the various units around the sectors and in conjunction with the 23d ARVN Division operations near Ban Me Thuot.

April 1, 1966 (11th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): The command, US Naval Forces Vietnam is established.

April 1, 1966 (11th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Operation Orange begins in I Corps.

April 1, 1967 (22nd day of the 2nd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Junction City update; Battle of Ap Gu. From midnight to 0400, listening posts to the north, east and south of the American positions report some movement to their front, but there is no significant contact and mortar fire is directed into areas of suspected enemy activity. At 0455 a single enemy mortar round explodes to the front of the perimeter of the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry and is correctly interpreted as a registration round for a VC mortar attack. The Americans go to a full alert posture and take cover, preparing for an attack, while artillery fire is immediately requested for east of the 1st Battalion, 26th Infantry position. At 0500, the first of several hundred 60mm, 82mm, and 120mm mortar rounds start coming in from positions so close that the Americans can hear them being fired, but only 12 Americans are wounded. At the same time as the attack on the units at LZ George, a coordinated attack starts on Fire Support Patrol Base C, where much of the supporting artillery for the 1st of the 26th and the 1st of the 16th is dug in. In spite of incoming mortar and 75mm pack howitzer rounds exploding around them, the artillerymen don't stop firing. In addition, the artillery that had moved into Fire Support Patrol Base Thrust on the 29th is never attacked and also continues to provide support. The heavy mortar attack on the two battalions ends at 0515, though it lasts an hour longer at Fire Support Patrol Base C. During this time flareships, a light helicopter fire team, and forward air controllers are requested from and furnished by the 2d Brigade tactical headquarters. Seven minutes later the VC launch their initial ground attack against the northeast edge of the perimeter, hitting primarily B/1/26, C/1/26 and the reconnaissance platoon of the 1/16th. As the soldiers manning the friendly listening posts withdraw to the perimeter, the enemy follows them in. Three bunkers are lost and the enemy penetrates to roughly forty meters deep and a hundred meters wide in the C Company sector, with hand-to-hand fighting now taking place in the area of penetration. The Americans organize about 75 meters back, consolidate the line and hold it. As well, the commander of Company C musters an effective defense which holds the shoulders of the penetration. During this time he also kills six of the attacking enemy in hand-to-hand combat. Although wounded three times, he refuses medical aid and continues to fight and rally his force. At 0630 the reserve of the 1/26th is moved into a blocking position behind C Company and, along with B Company, fights to reestablish the perimeter. Meanwhile the enemy launches diversionary attacks from the east and west. Air Force air strikes are now arriving over the target area at the rate of one flight every 15 minutes and the VC attack is beginning to falter. Light and heavy helicopter fire teams are firing rockets and miniguns on the wood line to the northeast; artillery is massing fires along the east flank and in depth to the east. As the flights started arriving with cluster bomb units on board, the jets begin striking within thirty meters of the American positions. Soon, the VC start to run, many of them throwing down their weapons. Meanwhile, C company's commander, with elements of his company reinforced by the 1st Platoon of B Company, counterattacks and pushes the remaining enemy back into the artillery barrages and air strikes. By 0800 the perimeter is restored and the VC are routed, being pursued east and northeast without significant contact being made. Arty and air strikes are shifted to probable withdrawal routes and known enemy base camps in the area. During the two-day battle, the enemy (all three battalions of the 271st Regiment of the 9th Viet Cong Division and elements of the 70th Guard Regiment) has lost 609 killed, 5 captured, and over 50 weapons of all types seized. U.S. casualties are 17 killed and 102 wounded. 1st Division artillerymen have fired some 15,000 rounds into the battle area, while Air Force jet fighter-bombers logged 103 sorties with over 100 tons of ordnance in support of the ground action.

April 1, 1968 (4th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): Khe Sanh: Operation Pegasus/Lam Son 207 starts. The 2/1 and 2/3 (1st Marines) attack west from Ca Lu along Route 9. Elements of 3d Bde, 1st ACD conduct helicopter assaults into LZs Mike and Cates. Joint engineer task force begins repair of Route 9 from Ca Lu to Khe Sanh.

April 1, 1968 (4th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): Operation Carentan II starts in I Corps.

April 1, 1969 (15th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Operation Virginia Ridge starts in northern Quang Tri Province.

April 1, 1970 (25th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): Communist forces in South Vietnam launch 115 shelling attacks and 13 ground assaults throughout the country, breaking a lull that began in September 1969.

April 1, 1970 (25th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): Siege of Dak Seang (Dak Pek, Dak To, and Kontum) begins in II Corps. US observers consider the battles a test of Vietnamization, although US forces are present.

April 1, 1970 (25th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): A Company 8 RAR reacts to an intelligence report of enemy concentration east of Dat Do. They return same day. Nil result.

April 1, 1970 (25th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): In Tay Ninh Province Fire Base Illingworth comes under heavy attack.

April 1, 1970 April 1, 1970 (25th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): The 101st Airborne Division begins Operation Texas Star in western portion of Quang Tri and Thua Thien Provinces in I Corps.

April 1, 1971 (6th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Counteroffensive, Phase VII): The last US Navy combat force in Vietnam, Light Attack Squadron Four leaves the country.

April 1, 1972 (18th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive: At 0400, the Brigade Headquarters loses radio contact with the 4th Marine Battalion at Mt Ba Ho. Fire Base Sarge is overrun, forcing the South Vietnamese Marines to fall back to Mai Loc. At 1045 Con Thien fire base, known to the South Vietnamese as A4, falls. At 1550, Fuller (base of the 2nd Infantry regiment) falls, and the 57th Infantry regiment and the 8th Marine Battalion withdraw from Khe Gio and Holcomb, respectively, south of the Cam Lo River. Fleeing civilians, deserting soldiers, and vehicles of all shapes and sizes jam Routes 1 and 9, hampering military movements greatly. Enemy forward observers infiltrate the refugees, directing shellings at the ARVN positions. They also take over the radios at the captured bases and give false orders, adding to the chaos. By evening, all strongpoints along the northern perimeter have been evacuated, Twelve South Vietnamese artillery pieces (six 105mm and six 155mm howitzers) have been destroyed by fleeing forces and abandoned. The ARVN 56th Regiment has withdrawn to Camp Carroll and is under attack. The 57th Regiment has fallen back to north of Dong Ha and the 2nd Regiment to Cam Lo. The Marine units remain at Mai Loc and FSB Pedro. As a result of intense enemy artillery fire on Quang Tri Combat Base, the 3d Division Headquarters is relocated to the citadel in Quang Tri City, where at 1800 hours on 1 April, an immediate reorganization of defensive positions is ordered, taking advantage of natural obstacles such as the Cua Viet and Mieu Giang Rivers and establishing a line of defense south of these rivers. President Nixon orders the bombing of North Vietnam within 25 miles of the DMZ.

April 1, 1973 (28th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Ox [Quy Suu]): The last Americans officially held prisoner in North Vietnam arrive at Clark Air Base, Philippines.

April 1, 1975 (20th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Hare [At Mao]): Lon Nol flees Cambodia. Evacuations of Americans and key personnel on return flights from Pochentong begin soon afterwards.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR:
April 1, 1983 (18th day of the second month, Year of the Boar [Quy Hoi]): PAVN starts a tank assault on Phnom Malai.