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The Vietnam War
Major Dale R. Buis and Master Sargeant Chester M. Ovnand become the first Americans to die in the Vietnam War during the guerilla strike at Bienhoa -
Major Dale R. Buis and Master Sargeant Chester M. Ovnand become the first Americans to die in the Vietnam War
Major Dale R. Buis and Master Sargeant Chester M. Ovnand become the first Americans to die in the Vietnam War during the guerilla strike at Bienhoa -
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The Vietnam War
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president kennedy got elected as president
The United States presidential election of 1960 was the 34th American presidential election, held on November 8, 1960, for the term beginning January 20, 1961 -
Operation Chopper
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. -
The victory at Ap Bac raised morale and drove recruitment for the Vietcong
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 -
John Fitzgerald Kennedy, the 35th President of the United States, was assassinated
JFK / The Kennedy Assassination Home PageJohn F. Kennedy was killed by the second of two rifle shots from the rear, the bullet entering the skull and explosively exiting the right side of the skull. This occurred at Dealey Plaza, Dallas, Texas at approximately 12:30 PM CST November 22, 1963 -
President Johnson signs the 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 -
American aircraft burn on the ground at Bien Hoa
Two days before the U.S. presidential election, Vietcong mortars shell Bien Hoa Air Base near Saigon. Four Americans are killed, 76 wounded. Five B-57 bombers are destroyed, and 15 are damaged. -
The South Vietnamese lost 200 men at Binh Gia
1965 January 1 - February 7, 1965 Vietcong forces mount a series of attacks across South Vietnam. They briefly seize control of Binh Gia, a village only 40 miles from Saigon. Two hundred South Vietnamese troops are killed near Binh Gia, along with five American advisors -
One of the American dead is carried to a waiting transport
February 10, 1965 A Vietcong-placed bomb explodes in a hotel in Qui Nonh, killing 23 American servicemen -
American tanks and troops execute Operation Crimp
1966 January 8, 1966 U.S. forces launch Operation Crimp. Deploying nearly 8,000 troops, it is the largest American operation of the war. The goal of the campaign is to capture the Vietcong's headquarters for the Saigon area, which is believed to be located in the district of Chu Chi. Though the area in Chu Chi is razed and repeatedly patrolled, American forces fail to locate any significant Vietcong base -
Finding the Vietcong proves to be difficult
April - May 1966 In Operation Birmingham, more than 5,000 U.S. troops, backed by huge numbers of helicopters and armored vehicles, sweep the area around north of Saigon. There are small scale actions between both armies, but over a three week period, only 100 Vietcong are killed. Most battles are dictated by the Vietcong, who prove elusive. -
An American soldier examines a supply cache
September 14, 1966 In a new mission code-named Operation Attleboro, the U.S. 196th Brigade and 22,000 South Vietnamese troops begin aggressive search and destroy sweeps through Tay Ninh Province. Almost immediately, huge caches of supplies belonging to the NLF 9th Division are discovered, but again, there is no head-to-head conflict. The mission ends after six weeks, with more than 1,000 Vietcong and 150 Americans killed. -
Junction City was one of the largest helicopter assaults ever staged
February 21, 1967 In one of the largest air-mobile assaults ever, 240 helicopters sweep over Tay Ninh province, beginning Operation Junction City. The goal of Junction City is to destroy Vietcong bases and the Vietcong military headquarters for South Vietnam, all of which are located in War Zone C, north of Saigon. Some 30,000 U.S. troops take part in the mission, joined by 5,000 men of the South Vietnamese Army. After 72 days, Junction City ends. American forces succeed in capturing l -
Vietcong artillery
January 21, 1968 At 5:30 a.m., a shattering barrage of shells, mortars and rockets slam into the Marine base at Khe Sanh. Eighteen Marines are killed instantly, 40 are wounded. The initial attack continues for two days. -
Artillery slams into Khe Sanh
March 22, 1968 Without warning, a massive North Vietnamese barrage slams into Khe Sanh. More than 1,000 rounds hit the base, at a rate of a hundred every hour. At the same time, electronic sensors around Khe Sanh indicate NVA troop movements. American forces reply with heavy bombing -
An American soldier leaps into a bunker during a Vietcong assault
February 22, 1969 In a major offensive, assault teams and artillery attack American bases all over South Vietnam, killing 1,140 Americans. At the same time, South Vietnamese towns and cities are also hit. The heaviest fighting is around Saigon, but fights rage all over South Vietnam. Eventually, American artillery and airpower overwhelm the Vietcong offensive.
