Timeline, November 5th

[David]

PREBELLUM:
November 5, 1936 (Year of the Rat [Binh Ty]): Imprisoned Communists Ta Thu Thau, Nguyen Van Tao and Nguyen An Ninh, members of the banned Indochinese Congress, are released after an 11-day hunger strike.

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
November 5, 1952 (Year of the Dragon [Nham Thin]): Operation Lorraine update: The two CEFEO ground forces link up at Phu Tho. Although the Viet Minh have fought strong delaying actions against the advancing forces, the lack of main force opposition is encouraging, and the army sets off deeper into the jungle highlands.

November 5, 1952 (Year of the Dragon [Nham Thin]) The trek from Tu Le: The survivors of the Muong Chen outpost (16 out of the original 84-man garrison/43 men who survived the break-out) reach the Black River, which is too fast at this point to swim (and some of the survivors can't swim). They are told by local tribesmen to hide during the day and attempt the crossing at night. Although they know the Viet Minh offer big rewards to natives who inform on isolated CEFEO troops and their allies, the survivors have no option but to trust the locals and hide. Night falls, and the locals bring rice to the survivors, but tell them that the Viet Minh are patrolling the further shore and that they should wait until morning, when the locals will get them boats. The survivors fear treachery, but have no other choice but to wait out the night and see what the next day brings.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
November 5, 1965 (Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): 1 RAR, as a maneuver brigade of the US 173rd Airborne, begins Operation 14/65, "Hump", conducting assaults on an area near the junction of the Be and Dong Nai rivers 20 km northeast of Bien Hoa. The brigade AO is in the VC base area War Zone D, where the communication and supply trails between War Zones C and D meet the Ho Chi Minh Trail, astride the Song Dong Nai; the AO of the US 1/503rd Infantry is to the northwest, and that of 1 RAR, 32 square km to the southeast of the river. ANZAC loses 1 KIA, 1 MIA believed dead, and six WIA, while accounting for six VC KIA, one VC wounded/escaped, one POW, and four children from a VC hamlet. Five VC hamlets, one camp and one heavily-defended company position are located. The US 173rd Brigade reports losing 40 KIA and 51 WIA from the 1/503rd, and claims 403 VC KIA inflicted by that battalion in one major action.

During the four-day battle, two 1 RAR members, Richard Parker and Peter Gilson, are both presumed KIA. Attempts are made to recover their bodies but due to intense enemy resistance and further loss of life in the attempts, their bodies are never recovered from the battle field. 1 RAR requests a special operation to attempt a recovery but this is denied by the US Commander.

November 5, 1965 (Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): It is Guy Fawkes Night, and in their first celebration of it during the war, 161 Battery, RNZA, fires 240 rounds of illum, smoke and HE into the air above War Zone D. The US command urgently queries the nature of the contact, and is told by the higher US HQ that "the Kiwis are celebrating some Guy named Fox."

November 5, 1965 (Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): "Oak 01," an F-105 returning from a mission over Hanoi, enters a cloud and disappears. Because of approaching darkness and deteriorating weather, rescue efforts can't be mounted until the next day.

November 5, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Blackjack 21 update: The SF/Montagnard unit ambushes three enemy on bikes in the Plei Trap Valley in Kontum Province. Not long after this, the unit makes contact with a large Communist force that tries to surround it and the Eagle Flight that has been inserted. However, the SF are able to break contact before the NVA can close the trap, and uses air strikes to withdraw.

November 5, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Attleboro update: As high-level staff work out a new tactical plan to reestablish control of the rifle companies that have lost their way while maneuvering in the jungle, C/2/1 attacks during the night of November 4-5 in an attempt to rescue C/2/27. After a heavy engagement, during which the Americans sustain heavy casualties, C/2/1 withdraws and A/2/27 is given the mission. During the early morning hours of the 5th, American wounded are evacuated. Then, at 0745, A/2/27 moves out. After going 30 meters, the Communists attack and the company loses eight men. In the most intense firefight of the operation, A/2/27 lays down a base of fire and overruns three bunkers, but the Americans cannot shift the VC from their positions.

Meanwhile, to the east of this battle, A/2/1, A/4/31 and B/l/27, who had first been ordered to establish a blocking position, and later to move west and be prepared to assist the l/27, are now ordered to withdraw and establish a perimeter approximately 1 km to the southeast of the action. However, the B/1/27 company commander, based on his own assessment of the situation, does not withdraw, and B/1/27, together with A/2/1 and A/4/31, forms an ad hoc task force to go to the rescue of C/2/27. By 0830, these three companies are 1 km to the northeast of 1/27's position and are ordered by the 1/27 commander to attack to the southwest on different axes to assist the l/27 and C/2/27. Sometime before 1000, the commanding general of the 196th makes the de facto arrangement official by putting these companies under the command of the commanding officer of the 1/27, who now has command of 11 rifle companies. Higher level leaders, feeling that the situation has gotten out of control, start making moves to improve command lines; eventually, operational control will be passed to the commanding general of the U.S. 1st Infantry Division, and subsequently to the commanding general of II Field Force.

By 1200, B/1/27 has reached the 1/27's defensive perimeter after sustaining only one casualty. At about the same time, A/2/1 and A/4/31 finally reach C/2/27 and are ordered to prepare to withdraw to the 1/27 perimeter.

By this time, A/2/27's attack has bogged down but the men are still taking casualties trying to recover their comrades' bodies. This, in addition to the unknown location of C/2/27's exact position and of the actual maneuvers of A/2/1, A/4/31 and B/1/27, prevents the use of supporting fire. As more fighting to the east breaks out again, the three companies, now under the operational control of the 1/27, are ordered to withdraw with the survivors of C/2/27 to the north, west and then south to rejoin the main body. They carry out six dead and l9 wounded from C/2/27 alone. The survivors of C/2/27 are consolidated with B/1/27, which is assembled at an LZ south of the l/27 perimeter. This reconstituted 2/27 is attached to the 1st Infantry Division that afternoon and ordered to airlift to Dau Tieng (about 1800) and secure the 1st Division's forward CP for the night, as part of a new plan devised by the commanding general of the 1st Division, in which all forces are to disengage and withdraw, so intensive artillery fire and air bombardment can be placed on the VC positions for the next 24 hours.

The 3/21 is airlifted from the Tay Ninh base camp into the contact area for an attack the next day, and the 1/27 takes their place at the camp. After coordination with the other 196th battalion commanders (the 2/1 and 4/31), the 3/21 commander establishes a defensive perimeter for the night.

November 5, 1967 (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): "Nov 5, 1967, is a date that I must celebrate every year, since this was the day that my worthless butt was pulled from the jungle in RP5 about 16 miles south of Yen Bai and about I mile south of the Red River...."