Timeline, March 20th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
March 20, 1946 (17th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Dog [Binh Tuat]): Interspersed among its reports of success in the field, French HQ via Radio Saigon reports, "Rebel bands are still (wreaking destruction) in the areas south of Saigon. These bands are quite large, some numbering as many as 1,000 men. Concentrations of these bands are to be found . . . in the villages. Some have turned north in an attempt to disrupt (communications) in the Camau Peninsula, northeast of Batri and in the general area south of (Nha Trang). In the area south of Cholon and in the north of the Plaine des Jenes [Plain of Reeds] region, several bands have taken refuge..."

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
March 20, 1965 (18th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): Saying that "[t] he needs of the military situation have become primary, and direct US military action appears to be imperative if defeat is to be avoided," the Joint Chiefs of Staff recommend expansion of the mission of the newly arrived Marine force at Da Nang to include counterinsurgency combat operations, while the remainder of the III Marine Expeditionary Force should be deployed there with the same mission; the deployment of a US Army division with necessary supporting forces from CONUS for employment in the central plateau, centered on the Pleiku area, for counterinsurgency combat operations; the deployment, as soon as practicable, of a ROK Army division force for counterinsurgency and base security operations; and the deployment of four of the nine Air Force squadrons.

March 20, 1966 (29th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Operation Texas/Lien Ket 28 update.

March 20, 1966 (29th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Operation Oregon begins in Thua Thien Province.

March 20, 1966< (29th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Operation Kings begins in Quang Nam Province.

March 20, 1967 (10th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Beacon Hill starts in conjunction with Operation Prairie III.

March 20, 1967 (10th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): In Binh Dinh Province, a platoon of the 1/5th, 1st Cavalry Division, comes under heavy fire during combat.

March 20, 1967 (10th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Enemy attack on A/3/5 Cavalry, 9th Infantry.

March 20, 1967 (10th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Junction City update. The VC start the main phase of the battle of Ap Bau Bang II, almost overrunning the base, although artillery and air strikes finally force them to withdraw. At Suoi Tre, the day is spent improving the fire support base defenses.

March 20, 1967 (10th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): An Australian SAS patrol contacts an enemy group of ten. Result 1 enemy KIA. The patrol withdraws and extracts from the area.

March 20, 1967 (10th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Enterprise update in III Corps.

March 20, 1968 (22nd day of the 2nd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): Operation Quick Kill.

March 20, 1968 (22nd day of the 2nd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Tet Counteroffensive): A/7/17 Cavalry reports spending the rest of March working AO's west of Kontum and around the Polei Kleng SF camp. Sporadic contact is made and air strikes employed, however no enemy KIA's are confirmed.

March 20, 1969 (3rd day of the 2nd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Communist forces carry out 65 rocket and mortar attacks throughout South Vietnam.

March 20, 1969 (3rd day of the 2nd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Operation Quyet Thang 25 begins in Quang Ngai Province.

March 20, 1969 (3rd day of the 2nd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): At Camp Radcliff, an enemy demolition team infiltrates the 173rd Engineer Company quarters area and opens fire with automatic weapons.

March 20, 1969 (3rd day of the 2nd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive: TF Remagen reaches the abandoned SF camp at Lang Vei.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR - OTHER:
March 20, 1985 (29th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Ox [At Suu]): The remains of six American servicemen are repatriated to US officials during ceremonies in Hanoi.

POSTBELLUM:
March 20, 1994 (9th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Dog [Giap Tuat]): An exhaustive joint US-Vietnamese search for POW/MIAs ends (which had begun on February 26). It was headed by Lt. Colonel John C. Cray from America's MIA office in Hanoi.