Timeline, April 15th

[David]

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:

April 15, 1962 (11th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Tiger [Nham Dan]) (US Advisory): USS Princeton brings the first Marine helicopter unit to Vietnam, the Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron (HMM) 362 based at Soc Trang.

April 15, 1965 (14th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): MAG-16 positions 10 UH-34D's, primarily from HMM-162, at Phu Bai to support the expanding Marine activities at this enclave. While Marine helicopters had certainly used this airfield before, this is the first record of a permanent garrison here.

April 15, 1965 (14th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): For the first time, planes from the carriers Midway, Coral Sea, and Yorktown, which are at Dixie Station southeast of Cam Ranh Bay, attack VC forces in South Vietnam, targeting VC positions northwest of Saigon.

April 15, 1965 (14th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): A joint operation by American and South Vietnamese tactical aircraft near Black Virgin Mountain is ineffectual, and General Westmoreland uses the incident to press more strongly for use of the idle B-52s on Guam.

April 15, 1965 (14th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): Ambassador Taylor's April 14th point "that it is far from an unmitigated advantage to bring in more US forces" is answered with "an important cable ...on future military deployments."

April 15, 1966 (25th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Operation Denver begins in the Song Be Sector.

April 15, 1967 (6th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): A grunt remembers "one day in a thirteen month tour" during Operation Firebreak.

April 15, 1968 (18th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Monkey)[Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): Khe Sanh: Operation Pegasus terminates and Operation Scotland II begins.

April 15, 1969 (29th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Operation Washington Green begins in the An Lao Valley.

April 15, 1969 (29th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Operation Dan Quyen 38-A begins in II Corps.

April 15, 1969 (29th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Operation Toan Thang III update: Fire Support Base Diamond III is attacked.

April 15, 1969 (29th day of the 2nd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): US Air Force supports the insertion of a 215-man force from a FOL (forward operating location) into a strategic position overlook an enemy-controlled road in Laos.

April 15, 1970 (10th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): A dicey rescue operation near Dak Nay Puey.

April 15, 1970 (10th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): Battle of Dak Pek camp update.

April 15, 1971 (20th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Counteroffensive, Phase VII): In Laos, US-backed General Vang Pao begins his campaign by sweeping "Skyline Ridge" about four miles north of Long Tieng.

April 15, 1972 (2nd day of the 3rd month, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive: The NVA attacks An Loc again with 11 tanks in support, but the tanks are picked off by the city's ARVN defenders using M72 light antitank weapons. One tank does manage to get close enough to fire point-blank at the 5th Division tactical operations center, wounding the S-3 of Binh Long Sector and two other staff officers, but by day's end nine of the 11 tanks have been destroyed. At the same time, helicopter gunships, allied tactical aircraft and B-52s are attacking NVA positions.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR:
April 15, 1979 (19th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Goat [Ky Mui]): US sources claim that Soviet military aircraft are based at Da Nang.

Mid-April 1984 (15th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Rat [Giap Ty]): PAVN launches the next phase of its dry season offensive with an attack on guerrilla headquarters at Ampil, committing elements of the 5th Division, the 8th Border Defense Regiment, tanks and artillery. The attack begins with a sapper assault and artillery barrage, followed by infantry charges.