Timeline, December 16th

[David]

PREBELLUM:
December 16, 1922 (Year of the Dog [Nham Tuat]): The USS Bainbridge rescues 482 men, women and children, out of 495, from the burning French military transport Vinh-Long.

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
December 16, 1951 (Year of the Hare [Tan Mao]): Hoa Binh campaign: CEFEO elements from the Black River sector push on to reach the hills overlooking the Black River, while the 1st Foreign Legion Parachute Battalion advances westwards on the road leading to Ap Da Chong. By evening, the para's control the road. One firefight, requiring air and artillery support, has left one French trooper dead and 26 wounded. Viet Minh movements throughout the night lead French Intelligence to believe that the 312 Division is withdrawing west of the Black River.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
December 16, 1960 (Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]): Laos: Phoumi Nosavan captures Vientiane.

December 1966(Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Rolling Thunder update: North Vietnam has attempted to disperse its petroleum resources since July, but naval bombers have gone after fuel-bearing trucks, railroad cars, barges, and smaller storage facilities. At the same time, multicarrier strikes have hit critical North Vietnamese rail yards at Thanh Hoa, Phu Ly, Ninh Binh, and Vinh.

December 16, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Operation Rawlins Valley begins in I Corps, Nam Hoa District.

December 16, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Camp Coryell takes 75mm recoilless rifle fire. Seven aircraft are damaged and two buildings are lightly damaged.

December 16, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Operation Silver Mace begins.

December 16-22, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI) (AR): A week of heavy fighting for the US 9th Division, 191 AHC and D/3/5th Cavalry.

December 16-22, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI) (AR): 1st Division activities.

December 16-22, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI) (AR): 1st Cavalry activities.

December 16-22, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI) (AR): 25th Infantry Division activities.

December 16-22, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI) (AR): 4th Infantry Division activities.

December 16-22, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI) (AR): 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne activities.

December 16-22, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI) (AR): Operation Nevada Eagle update.

December 16-22, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI) (AR): 25th Infantry Division activities.

December 16-22, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI) (AR): 199th Infantry Brigade activities.

December 16-22, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI) (AR): 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment activities.

December 16, 1969 (Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): The 3/5th Marines go to An Hoa in preparation for the transfer of their TAOR to the 2/5th Marines. While at the combat base, intelligence reports come in that indicate enemy forces in the Que Son Mountains are preparing to attack the base. A preemptive strike is ordered, and two provisional battalions are formed out of the available forces : Command Group Alpha, consisting of Companies I, K, and M, 3/5th Marines; and Command Group Bravo, consisting of Companies L, E, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, and C, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines.

THIRD INDOCHINA WAR:
December 16, 1977 (Year of the Snake [Dinh Ti]): PAVN launches its largest military operation since the 1975 Ho Chi Minh campaign, as two of its four Strategic Army Corps - the 3 SAC (10, 31 and 320 Divisions) and the 4 SAC (7 and 9 Divisions), together with elements of six other divisions, including the 5, 305, 330 and 335 Divisions, attempt to seize all of Cambodia (Kampuchea) east of the Mekong River. The 4 SAC with the 9 Division in the lead, moves toward Kompong Cham. The 3 SAC, led by T-54 tanks and ex US M-113 APCs, advances along Route 1, bypassing Svay Rieng and moving toward Neak Luong. Additional divisions, probably from Military Region 5, push into Mondolkiri, while the 305 Division from southern Laos threatens Stung Treng. As a diversion, other PAVN divisions push again toward Kampot and Takeo.

POSTBELLUM:
December 16, 2000 (Year of the Dragon [Canh Thin]): Following the announcement of a $1.5 billion natural gas extraction deal with an international consortium, international donors pledged an unconditional lump sum of $2.4 billion in development aid to Vietnam. A breakdown of donor countries is not given, but in the past donors have included Japan and many European countries, especially Scandinavian countries.

[39mto39g]

we started for Lang Vei and I went on R&R to Austrailia

Ron