Timeline, July 28th

[David]

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
July 28, 1965 (1st day of the 7th month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): President Johnson announces plans to deploy additional combat units and to increase American military strength in South Vietnam "from 75,000 to 125,000 men almost immediately. Additional forces will be needed later, and they will be sent as requested [by General Westmoreland]." Because LBJ has also decided not to mobilize any Reserve units, the draft call will be raised over a period of time from 17,000 to 35,000 per month. The Army already is preparing hundreds of units for duty in Southeast Asia, among them the newly activated 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile). Other combat units-the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, and all three brigades of the 1st Infantry Division-are either ready to go or already on their way to Vietnam. Together with hundreds of support and logistical units, these combat units will constitute the first phase of the build-up during the rest of the year.

July 28, 1967 (21st day of the 6th month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): Operation Coronado II update: The MRF moves against the Cam Song VC base area south of Cai Lay. The 5/60 Mech moves from Cai Lay and the two MRF battalions from the My Tho river.

July 28, 1968 (4th day of the 7th month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phyase V): While working on the entrance channel to the Dong Tam base, the 12-inch pipeline cutterhead dredge Thu Bon I is sunk by sappers.

July 28, 1968 (4th day of the 7th month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phyase V): Company K, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, comes under enemy fire while on a sweep through an open rice field in Quang Nam Province.

July 28, 1971 (7th day of the 6th month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Consolidation I): Operation Iron Fox begins. 3 RAR moves by armor and air into the Phuoc Tuy-Long Khanh province border west of Route 2. 3 RAR is to be the blocking force for a sweep to be conducted from the east by 4 RAR. Headquarters 3 RAR once again temporarily leaves Fire Support Base Ziggie and establishes Fire Support Base Kate. During the first phase, 4 RAR came into heavy contact with a North Vietnamese battalion.

ONGOING OPERATIONS:
SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
July 1972 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive:
- Operation Lam Son 72 (6/28-9/16/72) (18th day of the 5th month through 9th day of the 8th month): In Thua Thien Province, ARVN 1st Division troops at FSB Checkmate are subjected to heavy enemy attacks during which the fire base is overrun and retaken several times during the month; the South Vietnamese Airborne Division and Marines continue advancing on Quang Tri City; the three provinces south of the Hai Van Pass were able to maintain reasonable control despite the low strength of friendly forces.
- The Chu Pao Pass area is cleared and the highway between Kontum and Pleiku opens to commercial traffic in early July. However, the enemy continues to harass traffic with sporadic attacks by fire and Route QL-14, although open, remains insecure.
- A total of six enemy regiments are reported in northern Dinh Tuong Province, about 65 km southwest of Saigon. After taking Kompong Trabek, NVA forces, probably elements of the 9th Division, supported by local Khmer Rouge units, are tightening control over Route QL-l from the Parrot's Beak area to Neak Luong on the Mekong River. By July 2 (22nd day), only two towns in the area remain under National Khmer control, Neak Luong and Svay Rieng. The series of heavy engagements between the NVA and South Vietnamese troops in the Elephant's Foot area in Military Region 4 continue; NVA continues to put pressure on QL-4, the supply route between the Delta's rice bowl and the nation's capital, while launching a series of coordinated attacks on the towns of Sam Giang, Cai Be and Cai Lay in Dinh Tuong Province from mid-May through mid-July; the attacks are driven back by territorial forces with strong support from U.S. tactical air and helicopter gunships.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR:
July 1979 (6th month and supplemental month, Year of the Goat (Ky Mui]): The Vietnamese have consolidated control over all major Cambodian towns and cities. PAVN forces in Cambodia reach a high of 224,000 in 1979, and then stabilize at an average of 170,000 to 180,000 troops, including 11 combat divisions. Up to eight divisions operate along the border in the dry season (December to June) and pull back to established garrisons during the rainy season (July to November).

July 1981 (6th and 7th months, Year of the Rooster [Tan Dau]): The beginning of the rainy season forces the Vietnamese to pull back from the border town of Pailin, which they have occupied since May in response to Khmer Rouge advances at Phnom Malai.

July 1982 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Dog [Nham Tuat]): Some 20,000 PAVN troops are sent home in the first major troop rotation since 1978. Taking their place are fresh troops, many of them southern draftees sent to complete basic training in the forward bases of understrength divisions.

July 1983 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Boar [Quy Hoi]): The Khmer Rouge increase their attacks on PAVN garrisons during the rainy season.

June-July 1984 (5th, 6th and 7th months, Year of the Rat [Giap Ty]): PAVN rotates its troops again, sending home three brigades and replacing these with an estimated 14,000 fresh troops, many of whom are sent to reinforce the weakned 5th Division.

July 1985 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Ox [At Suu]): This year as the rainy season begins ten PAVN combat divisions remain in Cambodia, all of them understrength, some with as few as 5000 troops. Meanwhile, the non-Communist resistance is recovering from PAVN's most recent dry season offensive.

July 1986 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Tiger [Binh Dan]): During this summer, PAVN withdraws Divisional Group 98 from Cambodia, replacing some of the troops with fresh men.

July 1988 (5th and 6th months, Year of the Dragon [Mau Thin]): PAVN has moved the bulk of its combat troops inland, with PRK Cambodian troops increasingly deployed on the border.