Timeline, May 5th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
May 5, 1954 (3rd day of the 4th month, Year of the Horse [Giap Ngo]) (Fall): Dien Bien Phu: The rain continues. Dugouts and shelters at the fort are collapsing and in some places defenders are standing in waist-deep mud and water. Only about 40-odd tons of supplies reach the garrison, and Artillery there tells Supply that, counting resupply at the current rate, the fort will run out of artillery shells on the 6th. Digging is heard again underneath Eliane 2, which means the Viet Minh aren't yet ready to blow the shaft; there is some controversy later on over what is done to stop the mining. This night, a platoon of Moroccans on Claudine 5 cuts open the two separate systems of barbed wire entanglements in front of their position and deserts. The enemy immediately takes the breach under fire. Eight men on C5 are killed and 13 wounded while trying to close the breach, but it remains open. French artillery fires at a concentration of enemy east of E1 who seem about to attack E10 and E12. The response is a four-hour enemy barrage against the fort. At 2100, the commanders receive authorization from Hanoi to attempt a breakout, Operation Albatross, when they feel that on-the-spot resistance has become hopeless.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
May 5, 1957 (6th day of the 4th month, Year of the Rooster [Dinh Dau]): President Ngo Dinh Diem addresses the 86th US Congress (note: congressional sources say this was on May 9th). The text of the speech isn't easily located online, but can certainly be found in the appropriate "Congressional Record."

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
May 5, 1967 (26th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Khe Sanh hill battles: "Hill 881N captured 05 May 1967"

May 5, 1967 (26th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Elements of the 173rd search for VC in Phuoc Tuy Province.

May 5-13, 1968 (9th through 17th days of the 4th month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): The enemy's May offensive continues. Except for increased fighting in Saigon, the offensive is largely limited to attacks by fire at allied bases and acts of terrorism in the hamlets and villages. In I Corps, the major attempt is to cut the supply lines in the DMZ sector, which leads to very bloody fighting, but the North Vietnamese are again defeated. 5,270 Communists, 154 Americans and 326 South Vietnamese are killed during the offensive.

May 5-June 29, 1969 (19th day of the 3rd month through 15th day of the 5th month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive and Summer-Fall 1969): During the heavy monsoon season, which makes resupply by air difficult, the NVA 28th and 66th Regiments besiege both CIDG camps at Ben Het and Dak To.

May 5, 1969 (19th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): Australian Forces (1 ATF) conduct a series of operations to block VC access from the surrounding country side, including the Long Hai Hills NE of Vung Tau and S of Nui Dat.

May 5, 1970 (1st day of the 4th month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Sanctuary Counteroffensive): Operation Toan Thang (Total Victory) update: 1st Cavalry and 119th AHC and 101st Airborne.

NVA resistance around the Cambodian town of Snoul is tough. Joined by more than 100 Sheridan light tanks, the Americans push the NVA out of the town building by building. After the battle, when the Americans question villagers, they hear of massive NVA storage compounds nearby. Scout helicopters are sent in and soon a well-camouflaged hut is located. The 100 grunts sent in to check it out find out the area is well guarded, but they manage to ambush the guards that night and, the next day, the Americans discover what comes to be called The City, a complex of 400 buildings, complete with bunkers, dining facilities, a rifle range, even a swimming pool under the concealment of a heavy jungle canopy. With well-laid out pathways and street signs, The City yields up 202 crew-served weapons, 1282 individual weapons, 1,559,000 AK rounds, 400,000 .30 caliber rounds, 319,000 12.7mm rounds, 25,200 14.5mm AA machine gun ammo, 16,920 propelling charges for 120mm mortars, 2110 grenades, 29 tons of plastic explosives, 22 cases of antipersonnel mines, 26.8 tons of rice, 8 tons of corn and 1100 pounds of salt.

May 5, 1972 (22nd day of the 3rd month, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty] (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive: With the ARVN line holding at the My Chanh, although fighting continues, Lt. Gen. Truong organizes a defense plan for Hue City. Meanwhile, NVA probing attacks are ongoing in all sectors as ARVN intelligence reports movements of enemy tanks, artillery, and anti-aircraft weapons converging on Hue. Having lost one division so far, I Corps now needs reinforcements, and the JGS redeploys some airborne forces from MR-2 and MR-3 to MR-1.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR - OTHER:
May 5, 1980 (21st day of the 3rd month, Year of the Monkey [Cam Than]): The USS Robert E. Peary rescues 440 Vietnamese refugees from their disabled craft south of Thailand.