Timeline, October 15th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
October 15, 1945 (Year of the Rooster [At Dau]): With only 4500 troops in country so far, General Leclerc decides to seize My Tho, the city nearest to Saigon, and sends an armored group (Groupement Massu) out with that mission.

October 15, 1946 (Year of the Dog [Binh Tuat]): French forces move to take over the customs houses in Haiphong to reassert French political authority in the north, as well as to cut Viet Minh supply lines.

October 11-15, 1952 (Year of the Dragon [Nham Thin]): On the 11th, advance units of three enemy divisions, the 312th, 308th and 316th, with the last two each minus one regiment, cross the Red River in three columns along a 60-km wide front (the 308th in the center heading for Nghia Lo, the 312th to the north heading toward Tu Le, and the 316th to the south, heading in the direction of Van Yen). The 308th Division wipes out all the smaller posts in its path and encircles Nghia Lo. In General Salan's absence, General Linares decides to reinforce the strongpoint of Tu Le and try to hold it, to act against the Viet Minh heading east, and to "take with reverse" the elements menacing Gia Hoi. Major Bigeard's 6th Colonial Parachute Battalion (BPC) is put on alert for deployment.

INTERBELLUM:
October 1954 (Year of the Horse]: President Eisenhower promises direct aid to the government of South Vietnam.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
October 15, 1962 (Year of the Tiger [Nham Dan]) (US Advisory): There are 24 US Special Forces detachments in South Vietnam.

October 15, 1962 (Year of the Tiger [Nham Dan]) (US Advisory): Three UH-1A's attack a VC mountain base 55 miles northwest of Saigon.

October 15, 1962 (Year of the Tiger [Nham Dan]) (US Advisory): The Viet Cong launch a multidirectional attack at the CIDG complex at Buon Enao.

October 15, 1963 (Year of the Hare [Quy Mao]) (US Advisory): General Taylor, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, concludes, in the memorandum, "U.S. Support of Foreign Paramilitary Forces," (published in Foreign Relations, 1961-1963, vols. VII, VIII, IX, Microfiche Supplement, Document 300), that U.S. policy to support the Honduran Civil Guard had resulted in the overthrow of the constitutional government. General Taylor observes that the Honduras experience suggests that U.S. programs in other countries should be reviewed to determine whether similar potentially dangerous situations are being fostered, and he recommends that "interagency working groups which monitor internal defense plans" review these programs and report to the Special Group.

October 15, 1964 (Year of the Dragon [Giap Thin]) (US Advisory): Communist China explodes its first A-bomb.

October 15-17, 1964 1964 (Year of the Dragon [Giap Thin]) (US Advisory): Montagnard uprising: Montagnard demands are presented to South Vietnamese officials at a special conference in Pleiku, who agree to some of them and promise to study the rest.

October 15, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): The 155th AHC supports MACV SOG CCC operations in the Kontum area.

October 15, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): During Operation Irving in Binh Dinh Province, 1st Cavalry troops find a medical cache with several thousand containers of medicine and, at another location, camera equipment with 5,000 reels of film. Among the cameras found is one that belonged to Sam Casten, Look Magazine senior editor, who had been killed during Operation Crazy Horse in May. Over 1,170 prisoners will be captured and identified as Viet Cong infrastructure members or North Vietnamese regulars during Operation Irving.

October 15, 1966 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Project Delta 13-66 begins northwest of Khe Sanh.

October 15, 1967 (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): 1/1st Cavalry fights the enemy at Area Cow north of Binh Tinh.

October 15, 1967 (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): Early in the morning, the defensive position of Battery A, 2nd Battalion, 320th Artillery, 101st Airborne near Tam Ky, is attacked by an NVA infantry unit supported by heavy mortar, recoilless rifle, RPG and automatic weapon fire.

October 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase V): Operation War Bonnet is conducted near An Hoa.

October 14, 1970 (Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VII): President Nixon announces a further withdrawal of 40,000 US troops.