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Period: to
1961 to 1969
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President Orders More Help for South Vietnam
President John F. Kennedy orders more help for the South Vietnamese government in its war against the Vietcong guerrillas. U.S. backing includes new equipment and more than 3,000 military advisors and support personnel. -
US Pilots Ferry South Vietnamese Soldiers to Saigon
In Operation Chopper, helicopters flown by U.S. Army pilots ferry 1,000 South Vietnamese soldiers to sweep a NLF stronghold near Saigon. It marks America's first combat missions against the Vietcong. -
5 US Helicopters Downed
Five US helicopters were shot down by the Vietcong. -
Vietcong Stand Their Ground
At the hamlet of Ap Bac, the Vietcong 514th Battalion and local guerrilla forces ambush the South Vietnamese Army's 7th division. For the first time, the Vietcong stand their ground against American machinery and South Vietnamese soldiers. Almost 400 South Vietnamese are killed or wounded. Three American advisors are slain. -
Gulf of Tonkin Resolution
The U.S. congress passes the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution, giving President Johnson the power to take whatever actions he sees necessary to defend southeast Asia. -
23 Americans Killed After Hotel Bomb Explodes
23 American servicemen were killed after a bomb placed by Vietcong in a hotel exploded. -
Good Morning, Vietnam
Air Force sergent Adrian Cronauer became known for his imaginative and innovative radio broadcastings in Vietnam. -
Operation Birmingham
US troops backed by helicopters and armored vehicles search for Vietcong north of Saigon. -
Operation Junction City
Operation Junction City was one of the largest air-mobile assaults on the Vietcong. More than 240 helicopters swpt over Tay Ninh province to destroy Vietcong bases and military headquarters. -
Operation Pegasus and Route 9
U.S. forces in Operation Pegasus finally retake Route 9, ending the siege of Khe Sanh. A 77 day battle, Khe Sanh had been the biggest single battle of the Vietnam War to that point. -
President Nixon Meets with President Thieu
President Nixon meets with South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu on Midway Island in the Pacific, and announces that 25,000 U.S. troops will be withdrawn immediately.
