Timeline, October 9th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR: THE BEGINNING
October 9, 1945 (Year of the Rooster [At Dau]): The British sign a pact formally recognizing French civil administration in Indochina and ceding British occupation rights to France south of the 16th parallel. Later in the month, they will turn over to the French some 800 U.S. Lend-Lease jeeps and trucks, with President Truman's approval.

In Laos, the southern branch of the Laos for Lao group forms the Comit? de l'Ind?pendance du peuple Lao to take control of the area, and later agrees, along with the northern branch, to amalgamate under Prince Phetsarat.

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
October 1953 (Year of the Snake [Quy Ti]): Four ships from the US Navy's Division 30 make a "show the flat" trip up the Saigon River in support of the French.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
October 1962 (Year of the Tiger [Nham Dan]) (US Advisory): VC strength is reported to be 20,000 regulars, but they are taking casualties of 600 a week. South Vietnamese regular armed forces number about 200,000 and paramilitary forces number some 154,000; these are complemented by US advisors and augmented by US helicopters (about 150) and armored vehicles, radar, sentry dogs, defoliants and basic communications equipment. Elements of the US Seventh Fleet are working with the Vietnamese Navy to form a Junk Patrol to cut infiltration from North Vietnam; four Junk Force divisions are already operational. For inland waterway and coast patrols, the US has given South Vietnam 351 craft, including 125 river boats and 177 LCVP (landing craft vehicle personnel). Over 200 US intelligence advisors and 11 Special Forces teams are working throughout the country and there are now over 10,700 US military personnel in South Vietnam. Since September 1961, the VC have killed 11 and wounded 32 American military personnel. VC attacks now average about 111 a week, and over 3000 South Vietnamese soldiers have died since January. Betrayal of strategic hamlets and paramilitary posts is still common.

October 9, 1965 (Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): A/1 AVN and the 13th Aviation Battalion support the 9th and 27th ARVN Divisions in operations in the Delta.

October 9, 1965 (Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): Detachment 6 38 ARS responds to a 173rd Airborne request to Medevac three seriously wounded Americans out of War Zone D.

October 9, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase V): A/7/17th Scouts are shot at while conducting a visual recon in Darlac Province.

October 9, 1971 (Year of the Boar [Tan Hoi]) (US Consolidation I): The US Defense Department announces that during the preceding week there have been only eight American combat fatalities in Vietnam, the lowest number since August 28, 1965.