Timeline, April 19th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
April 19, 1954 (17th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Horse [Giap Ngo]) (Fall): Dien Bien Phu: At 0030, the relief company heading to Huguette 1 is completely pinned down on its line of departure and requests concentrated arty and air support to smash through the last 200 meters. Artillery fire throughout the rest of the night on the terrain between Opera, H2 and H1, followed at dawn by divebombers softens up the enemy and at 0645 the breakthrough is attempted; by 1000, part of the relief force is inside H1 and the rest has withdrawn southward, with both taking losses.

The fort's commander takes advantage of a brief lull in the action during the day to relieve some other units in less contested areas. At 1400, the defenders go on the offensive again, sending a mixed force of Legionnaires and Moroccans southward on a strong reconnaissance as far as Ban Co My, about halfway to Isabelle, until they meet with strong resistance. On Isabelle, the tank platoon supported by Legionnaires makes a sortie, which proves fruitless, and is followed by another Viet Minh attack on Wieme.

As far as supply drops, there were none during the night of April 18-19. When the drops finally resume at 2200, the first two sticks of nonparachutist volunteers are dropped deep into enemy territory. Most are killed before getting out of their harnesses, but a few manage to find their way to Dien Bien Phu.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
April 19, 1967 (10th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): Rolling Thunder update: An F-105 is shot down during a SAM suppression mission over North Vietnam.

April 19, 1968 (21st day of the 3rd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): The worst accident in the history of the 155th AHC.

April 19, 1968 (21st day of the 3rd month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): Operation Delaware/Lam Son 216 starts in the A Shau Valley. The original LZ selected was the abandoned South Vietnamese SF camp and airstrip at A Loui, but intense flak and machine-gun fire over the central valley force a change at the last minute to a new LZ astride a large North Vietnamese built road connecting the northern valley with Laos. The first lift ships land safely beside the road, but the ones following are hit by heavy AA fire, with ten choppers shot down and many more severely damaged in a matter of hours. Most of the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry gets on the ground but instead of accomplishing their mission of building a fire base to support a cross-country attack toward A Loui, they're instead pinned down by enemy fire coming from all the surrounding mountains. Meanwhile the 5th Battalion, 7th Cavalry starts coming in, landing under fire and digging in quickly to avoid the mortar rounds from enemy guns just across the border in Laos. After a few hours, 1/7 consolidates its position to enough to start constructing a firebase. After an hour, Chinooks fly in 105mm howitzers, ammo and artillerymen who rush to lay in their guns and in a few minutes are firing back at NVA gun positions on the mountains above.

April 19, 1969 (2nd day of the 3rd month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive)(Zaffiri, including quote): Operation Massachusetts Striker update: In the morning, Alpha and Bravo companies find 20 dead NVA around their perimeters, but both companies have suffered nearly 50% casualties in three days and the enemy is still entrenched on Dong A Tay, which the grunts are now calling Bloody Ridge. The Air Force decides to use 1000-pound bombs with delayed-action fuses in an attempt to collapse the main tunnel running down the center of the ridge. They succeed in hitting it with a dozen bombs and the whole top of the ridge caves in, with huge secondary explosions in two or three spots.

As soon as the last bomb hits, Alpha and Bravo company get on-line and start back up the ridge, believing that the surviving NVA will clear out. A number of them do, but more than a hundred of the enemy decide to stay and fight to the end. What follows is "one of the hardest and bloodiest single days of combat in the history of the 101st Airborne Division." Three times in the morning, Alpha and Bravo Companies fight their way up the ridge and are repulsed. Finally, in the afternoon after nearly an hour of pounding by massed fire from four artillery batteries, both companies manage to get a toehold on the north end of the ridge and start an on-line sweep toward the main mountain. The remaining NVA stay at their positions and fight until they are killed.

After it's over, the 1/502nd uncovers a large enemy hospital complex, ten Russian trucks, 600 Russian SKS rifles, and thousands of recoilless-rifle, mortar and howitzer wounds. According to the hospital's patient list, over half of the nearly 700-man NVA battalion had been either killed or wounded in the 33-day running fight with the 1/502nd, and 86 more bodies are found in the rubble of the bunkers and trenches. Also found is a list of medicines that have been shipped to the hospital, followed by the words 'Donated by your friends at the University of California at Berkeley.' The Americans have lost 35 killed and more than a hundred wounded for an insignificant hill, but command and intelligence personnel note the new tactic of suicidal defense shown by the enemy.

April 19, 1970 (13th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): All three battalions with the Australian A Squadron, l Armoured Regiment (tanks), and B Squadron, 3 Cavalry Regiment (APCs), are committed to the field against D445 Provincial Battalion centered around Xuyen Moc in the east of that province.

April 19, 1972 (5th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive: The situation around FSB Bastogne and FSB Checkmate is getting bad with enemy attacks-by-fire and ground attacks considerably increased and all five defending battalions down to 50% of combat strength. However, as the weather improves, extensive VNAF and U.S. tactical air support keep the positions from being overrun. Meanwhile, through the month, the ARVN 1st Infantry Division and territorial forces of Thua Thien Province fight see-sawing battles back and forth as the NVA 324B Division attempts to gain control of the western and southwestern approaches to Hue City.

After enemy attacks drive the 40th and 41st Regiments of the 22d ARVN Division out of their two major bases, Landing Zones English and Bong Son, NVA forces overrun the district capital of Hoai An in the Central Highlands and cut Highway 19 between Qui Nhon and Pleiku. With the loss of Binh Dinh's three northern districts of Hoai An, Hoai Nhon and Tam Quan, the narrow coastal lowland of South Vietnam is practically cut in two, and if Kontum City falls, the defensive position of the country will be severely, perhaps fatally hurt.

At An Loc, in the early morning hours, while the city comes under heavy artillery and rocket fire, the NVA 275th and 141st Regiments attack the ARVN 1st Airborne Brigade on Hill 169 and Windy Hill with the support of six tanks; the brigade headquarters on Hill 169 is overwhelmed and the 6th Airborne Battalion is forced to destroy its 105-mm battery and withdraw. Two companies of this battalion and the 1st Airborne Brigade Headquarters fall back to An Loc City. The remaining two companies are cut off and forced to move south. All six enemy tanks are destroyed during the attack, but the high ground dominating the city from the southeast is now in enemy hands. Meanwhile, the 9th NVA Divison's attack on the city itself again ends in failure and ARVN defenders still firmly holds the southern half of the city.

April 19, 1975 (9th day of the 3rd month, Year of the Hare [At Mao]): A total of 5000 people have been evacuated through Tan Son Nhut air field; at about this time, South Vietnamese authorities relax most of the exit formalities, resulting in an increase in the flow. USAF C-130s and C-141s join the effort, carrying evacuees to Clark Field in the Philippines for further transport to camps on Guam and Wake.