Timeline, July 24th

[David]

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
July 24, 1965 (26th day of the 6th month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): A USAF F-4 is shot down by a surface-to-air missile launched from a mobile missile site believed to be approximately 30 miles northwest of Hanoi, the first aircraft lost to the SAM missiles deployed by Soviet technicians. Air reconnaissance locates two mobile SAM sites in the area of the attack, identified as mobile sites 6 and 7 in the series of SAM sites established near Hanoi. US officials begin discussing the best way to respond.

July 24, 1965 (26th day of the 6th month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): As LBJ weighs whether or not to commit large-scale American troops to Vietnam, McGeorge Bundy gives him a summary of troop recommendations to date.

July 24, 1966 (7th day of the 6th month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Hastings update.

July 24, 1966 (7th day of the 6th month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): 6RAR begins Operation Hobart. Phase I consists of a battalion search-and-destroy operation east and northeast of Xa Long Tan in a 9 square km AO. 6RAR is with an under command of one troop of the 1 APC Squadron, one troop of the 1 Forward Squadron, with 161 Forward Battery (NZ) in direct support, and one company of 5RAR (gun area protection), one OH-13 of 161 (Indep) Recce Flt and four UH-I No 9 Squadron RAAF in support for this phase of the operation. Phase II is a battalion search-and-clear operation of the previously resettled Xa Long Tan, in an AO of 3 square km. In addition to the above, Mayforce 5RAR (headquarters element, one company and one mortar section), forms with the other company of 5RAR a blocking force for this part of the operation. The terrain is generally flat to undulating, covered mainly in clear forest with some large areas of rice. Xa Long Tan is situated astride Route 52, with rubber to its immediate northwest, north and east, and rice to the south and southwest. VC are expected in squad-to-company sized elements of D445 Provincial Mobile Battalion, in a staging area long used for north-south movement. By this point in the year, the Australian success against guerrilla forces in the region is becoming so troublesome to local Communists that they decide to use Main Force units against the Australians.

July 24, 1967 (17th day of the 6th month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US US Counteroffensive Phase III): Two 155th AHC gunships encounter enemy fire while on a search and destroy mission near Bao Loc.

July 24, 1968 (29th day of the 6th month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase V): Operation Toan Thang update: another enemy attack on Tay Ninh is predicted.

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.