Timeline, May 24th

[David]

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
May 24, 1960 (29th day of the 4th month, Year of the Rat [Canh Ty]): The American Charge d'Affaires in Saigon notifies the leaders of Vietnam, Cambodia and Laos, and the President of the French Union, of the forthcoming US aid program to that region.

May 24, 1962 (21st day of the 4th month, Year of the Tiger [Nham Dan]) (US Advisory): The Australian Defense Minister announces that on the invitation of the South Vietnamese Government, Australia will send a team of 30 military instructors to Vietnam to assist in training South Vietnam's ground forces.

May 24, 1966 (5th day of the 4th month, Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive): Phase 1 of Operation Hardihood starts in Phuoc Tuy province. The operation is a joint Australian-American brigade clearing operation to destroy VC in the area to be occupied by the ATF base in Phuoc Tuy province, 5 RAR being a maneuver element under operational control of the US 173rd Brigade. The battalion AO is approximately 14 sq km. The VC force operating in the area is believed to be the D445 Provincial Mobile Battalion deployed in platoon to company-sized elements. 274 and 275 Main Force Regiments are believed to be located in the NE and NW of the province. In Phase 1, the province chief is requested to move all inhabitants(approx. 4,000 villagers of Long Phuoc and Long Tan, both known VC strongholds) from within a 4,000 meter radius of Nui Dat and resettle them elsewhere. The clearance of civilians in this area is to create a protective zone in which close patrols can operate freely and permit the Task Force to defend of the base without fear of hitting civilians. The buffer zone is also meant prevent enemy forces from firing mortars from an inhabited area. The boundary of this buffer zone is known as Line Alpha.

May 24, 1967 (16th day of the 4th month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): HMAS Hobart under enemy fire near Hon Matt Island.

May 24, 1967 (16th day of the 4th month, Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II):7 RAR conducts Operation Leeton, southeast of Nui Dat.

May 24, 1968 (28th day of the 4th month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): A/7/17th Cavalry Scouts discover and kill one enemy soldier while checking out a small bunker complex near Dak To.

May 24, 1968 (28th day of the 4th month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV)(AR): "101st renames chopper pad for heroic pilot"

May 24, 1968 (28th day of the 4th month, Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase IV): 3 RAR moves to FSPB Balmoral near FSPB Coral. An RAAF Caribou for No 35 Squadron is fired upon, wounding the pilot.

May 24, 1969 (9th day of the 4th month, Year of the Rooster [Ky Dau]) (US Tet69/Counteroffensive): In An Loc Province near the village of Lang Sau, Company A, 2d Battalion, 2d Infantry, 1st Infantry Division is directed to assist a friendly unit which is receiving intense fire from a North Vietnamese battalion located in a heavily fortified base camp.

May 24, 1970 (20th day of the 4th month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Sanctuary Counteroffensive): Cambodia: Gator 834 is downed by a friendly shell, with only minor injuries to the men on board, but with loss of the aircraft.

May 24, 1970 (20th day of the 4th month, Year of the Dog [Canh Tuat]) (US Sanctuary Counteroffensive): Northeast of Katum, South Vietnam: A US medevac team is urgently needed to evacuate eight critically wounded ARVN personnel.

May 24, 1972 (12day of the 4th month, Year of the Rat [Nham Ty]) (US Cease-Fire): Nguyen Hue/Easter Offensive: In the northern battlefield, South Vietnamese troops go on the offensive again, launching surprise attacks on the NVA's exposed coastal flank and rear. In close coordination with the 9th U.S. Marine Amphibious Brigade, naval gunfire and B-52 strikes, and with the support of ARVN and marine artillery units, the South Vietnamese 147th Marine Brigade conducts an amphibious landing at My Thuy (Wunder Beach), 10 km north of the My Chanh defense line. Simultaneously other Marines make a heliborne assault into Co Luy, 6 km west of the coastline. Both elements will sweep through the enemy-held area and return to the My Chanh line after several days of operation. It is the first time that the Marine Division has planned and executed an assault from the sea.