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Period: to
Vietnam War 1966
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Operation Masher
Masher
Largest search and destroy mission. 2,389 Veit Cong casualties are reported. Combined U.S. and Vietnamese troops in sweeps and amphibious assaults. -
Rolling Thunder Operation Resumes
On January 31, 1966, Senator Robert F. Kennedy criticizes President Johnson's decision to resume the bombing, stating that the U.S. may be headed "on a road from which there is turning back, a road that leads to castatrophe for all mankind." -
US Base Wiped Out
US base wiped out
Enemy troops wipe out the U.S. Special Forces camp at A Shau. U.S Marine Corp's helicopters only rescue 12 of 17 Green Berets and 172 of 400 South Vietnamese. -
B-52 Bombers
B-52 bombers were used on North Vietnam for the first time. About 100 bombs were carried in each B-52 and dropped from an altitude of about six miles. The six main target categories were power facilities, war support facilities, transportation lines, military complexes, feul storage, and air defense installations. -
Political Unrest in South Vietnam
Political unrest intensifies as South Vietnamese troops loyal to Prime Minister Ky over-run renegade South Vietnamese Buddhist troops in Da Nang. Ky's actions result in a new series of immolations by Buddhist monks and nuns as an act of protest against his Saigon regime and its American backers. Buddhist leader Tri Quang blames President Johnson personally for the situation. Johnson responds by labeling the immolations as "tragic and unnecessary." -
Operation Hastings
8,500 Marines and 2,500 South Vietnamese troops laugh Operation Hastings. The goal is to thwart the North Vietnamese efforts to take control of Quang Tri Province -
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Operation Attleboro
Attleboro
Search and Destroy mission led by the 196th Light Infantry Bridgade at Tay Ninh. After a month and a half U.S Troops run into the 9th Veit Cong Division in the jungles of Dau Tieng. When the battle is over, the Viet Cong withdra leaving b3hind the bodes of thei 1,106 dead soldiers. -
Operation Irving
Operation Irving was conducted to clear NVA from mountainous areas near Qui Nhon. Helicopters were lifting troops into combat and also as aerial rocket artillery, in evacuationof casualties, in logistical support, and in the development of new lightweight equipment. The North Vietnamese Army Division were iuprooted from there mountain sanctuaries and grenade factory. -
US Planes Downed
US Planes Downed
Fuels dumps and truck parks are hit around Hanoi. Eight US planes are downed bring US aircraft losses over North Vietnam to over 435 planes
