3Flssi1vi33cis SHYMN9I3HOO Yond Even Tangible Benefits to the Quest for Respect and Recognition

Home , Battle of Hamburger Hill, Battle of Khe Sanh, Battle of Saigon (1955), Operation Arc Light, Operation Cedar Falls, Operation Homecoming

3flSSI1VI33ciS SHYMN9I3HOO yond even tangible benefits to the quest for respect and recognition. Starting in 1965, a “support the boys in Vietnam” movement was launched spontaneously by Posts nationwide. The VFW was instrumental in orga nizing a massiveparade in New YorkCity on May 13, 1968, that included 250,000 marchers. When the war ended, the VFW helped sponsor a 150,000-person parade down Broadway on March 31, 1973. Smaller parades were repeated countless KansasCityarea Vietnam veterans times across the country. (clockwisefrom A direct link was forged with the front center) troops through the sending of tons of JamesGlavin, reliefparcels to assist GIswith their refu EddieBrooks, geeprojects. Posts also sent care packages Paul Connors, DonBayerand to various units. Frank Briones. During the course of the war, nine VFW commanders-in-chief visited fight ing men in the field, further cementing VFWandthe the ties between the organization and Vietnam vets. Long before the creation of the Viet Vietnam Veteran nam Service Medal, Vietnam veterans or more than a quarter century, the Rights for Vietnam era vets, passed in were admitted to membership by receipt VFW has been in the vanguard of June 1966,we advocated benefits on par of the Armed Forces Expeditionary Fthe fight for veterans of Vietnam. with those granted to previous veterans. Medal dating back to 1958. That battle has been waged on several As the need for greater and more spe When much of the nation turned its fronts, rangingfrom passageoflegislation, cialized benefits became readily appar back on returning servicemen, VFW support for GIsduring the war, contribu ent, the VFW was there to bear the members individually and collectively tions to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial standard. Education was foremost on the extended a welcome home. They were re and continuing efforts to resolve the fate list. An extension from eight to 10years membered in mainstream America on of the war’s missing in action, was won, along with a 35% increase in Memorial and Veterans Day. In many monthly stipends. Advanced payments, cases,these were small-scaleyet very per LEADING THE ORGANIZATtON an outreach program and campus vet sonal ceremonies. Contrary to popular In the 20 years since the last U.S. reps were other VFW-promoted ideas. belief, Vietnam veterans were not troops left Indochina, Vietnam veterans Renewedand innovative employment shunned by all sectors of society. have played a prominent role in the programs were called for, including affir organization’s development. The year mative action in government hiring and MAGAZINE’SROLE 1984 saw the election of the first Vietnam special emphasis at the Labor Depart A key element in all of this, of course, veteran as Commander-in-Chief. He was ment. Creation of the Office of Veterans has been VFWMagazine. While GIs were followed by two more in 1989 and 1991. Affairsat the SmallBusinessAdministra fightingand dying in Vietnam, consistent This year another will take the helm to be tion wasgeared to younger veterans, too. and continuous coveragewas provided to succeeded by still another in 1994. Extension of Veterans Preference was readers on the home front. A positive At the local and state levelsthe story is another achievement. portrait of the American fighting man the same. Of current Department com There were also problems unique to was painted at a time when GIs were of manders, at least a dozen are of the Viet Vietnam — one chemical and the other ten reviled in the general news media. nam generation. A survey of Post psychological.Use of the defoliant Agent Throughout the 1970s, on the positions, no doubt, would reveal a simi Orange in Vietnam resulted in a 15-year magazine’s pages, one found causes and lar picture of involvement. fight for presumptive compensation. concerns promoted that Viet vets identi Moreover, the staffs in both Kansas Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) fied with. In steady succession, com City and Washington, D.C. are 95% produced a need for Vet Centers which manders-in-chief editorialized about the Vietnam veterans. With some 25% of finally became a reality in 1979. need to rectify past injustices. members hailing from Vietnam, it is no Concern for POWs has been a VFW Crusading on behalf of Vietnam vet surprise that they have such a pivotal part preoccupation since 1970.Pressure con erans has continued ever since. In April in decision-making. tinues to be mounted for the most com 1992 a special issue was devoted to plete accounting possible of those Americans who fought there. And this FIGHTFOR BENEFiTS Americans left suspended in POW or month’s issue is a 20th anniversary com VFW can proudly proclaim many MIA status during the Vietnam War. memorative tribute to the 2.6 million GIs milestones in championing the causes who served their country in Vietnam. important to an entire generation of war SUPPORT ON THE HOME FRONT No doubt about it, Vietnam vets hold veterans. Beginning with the GI Bill of Still, the VFW’s focus has gone be- the VFW’sfuture in their hands. 0 Warriors ASTATISTICALPROFILE

Menof Co. B, 1StBn.,27th Inf.,25th Inf.Div.,on pafrol near NuiBaDen,Aug.21, 1970. f

Confusion reigns when it comes — 84.1 (national average 58.9 for ev teered for the combat arms. to numbers and the Vietnam War. ery 100,000 males in 1970). • Overall, blacks suffered 12.5% of the Listed beloware somefigures that • Wounded: 303,704 * 153,329 hospi deaths in Vietnam at a time when the may help sort out fact from fiction talized + 150,375 injured who required percentage of blacks of military age was in many media reports. no hospital care. 13.5% of the total population. • Severely disabled: 75,000 — 23,214 IN UNIFORM AND IN COUNTRY 100% disabled; 5,283 lost limbs; 1,081 SOCIO-ECONOMIC STATUS • Vietnam Vets: 9.7% of their generation. sustained multiple amputations. • 76% of the men sent to Vietnam were 9,087,000 military personnel served on • Amputation or crippling wounds to from lower middle/working class active duty during the Vietnam era the lower extremities were /o3000 backgrounds. (Aug. 5, 1964 — May 7, 1975). higher than in WWII and 70% higher Three-fourths had family incomes • 8,744,000 personnel were on active than in Korea. Multiple amputations above the poverty level;50% were from duty during the war (Aug. 5, 1964 — occurred at the rate of 18.4% com middle income backgrounds. March 2, 1973). pared to 5.7% in WWII. • Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers • 3,403,100 (including 514,300 offshore) • Missing in Action: 2,338 with professional, managerial or tech personnel served in the Southeast Asia • Prisoners of War: 766 (114 died in nical occupations. Theater (Vietnam, Laos, Cambodia, captivity). • 79% of the men who served in Viet flight crews based in Thailand, and sail nam had a high school education or ors in adjacent South China Seawaters). DRAFTEES VS. VOLUNTEERS better when they entered the military • 2,594,000 personnel served within the • 25% (648,500) of total forces in coun service. (63% of Korean War vets and borders of South Vietnam (Jan. 1, 1965 try were draftees. (66% of U.S. armed only 45% of WWII vets had completed — March 28, 1973). forces members were drafted during high school upon separation.) • Another 50,000 men served in Viet WWII.) nam between 1960 and 1964. • Draftees accounted for 30.4% (17,725) WINNING & LOSING • Of the 2.6 million, between 1 and 1.6 of combat deaths in Vietnam. • 82% of veterans who saw heavy com million (40-60%) either fought in • Reservists killed: 5,977 bat strongly believe the war was lost combat, provided close combat sup • National Guard: 6,140 served; 101died. because of lack of political will. port or were at least fairly regularly • Nearly 75% of the general public exposed to enemy attack. RACE AND ETHNIC BACKGROUND agrees that it was a failure of political • 7,484 women (6,250 or 83,5% were • 88.4% of the men who actually served will, not of arms, nurses) served in Vietnam. in Vietnam were Caucasian; 10.6% • Peak troop strength in Vietnam: (275,000) were black; 1% belonged to AGE & HONORABLE SERVICE 543,482 (April 30, 1969). other races. • Average age of the Vietnam War GI: 19 • 86.3% of the men who died in Vietnam (26 for ‘vV\VII). CASUALTIES were Caucasian (includes Hispanics); • 97% of Vietnam-era veterans were • Hostile deaths: 47,378 12.5% (7,241) were black; 1.2% be honorably discharged. - Non-hostile deaths: 10,800 longed to other races. • Total: 58,202 classified as MIA and • 170,000 Hispanics served in Vietnam; PR1DE IN SERVICE Mayaguez casualties. Men who have 3,070 (5.2% of total) died there. • 91% of actual Vietnam War veterans subsequently died account for the • 86.8% of the men who were killed as a and 90% of those who saw heavy com changing total. result of hostile action were Caucasian; bat are proud to have served their • 8 nurses died — 1was KIA. 12.1% (5,711) were black; 1.1% be country. • Married men killed: 17,539 longed to other races. • 66% of Vietnam vets say they would • 61% of the men killed were 21 years • 14.6% (1,530) of non-combat deaths serve again if called upon. old or younger. were among blacks. • 87% of the public now holds Vietnam • Highest state death rate: West Virginia 34% of blacks who enlisted volun veterans in high esteem.

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1965 1964 Jan Nov 6 7 10 2 24 7 1 2-5 28 2 23 14 3- 31 24 ‘67 - tionary the 50,000 hostile are U.S. actual Battle Bombing Operation the Vietnam, Attack Vietnam. Assault mostly barracks 140th AVG Everett Gulf Two U.S. A sampans C. border. Berets barges is Operation U.S. 22,000 Operation assault battle Co. ID; Ticonderoga single-day fought Turner war, KIA; 196th Gulf K, Navy Navy Advisory U.S. of mortar Maintenance fought battle of 3rd an action are Medal of U.S. off Alvarez, Tonkin along U.S. Total on U.S. 3 of near Binh of and on Two in destroyers the Light Camp Joyengage Task patrol MIA North Attleboro. Barrel Bn., Prairie. KIA Tonkin. Nam Qui the servicemen troops Nov. during record attack troops and on and U.S. 52nd longest the (AFEM) Campaign Pleiku, US Gia, and — Incident. 4th Infantry Group Mekong Nhon Jr. Mutter’s Halloway. boats Vietnam. Dong. Constellation DMZ. 3 1,641 Roll. planes casualties: the 3rd Detachment, Marines 7 from Combat on becomes At in the of peak sink WIA. One killing Barracks. ever between Tay highest North the 8 77 and Bien Marine LJSAF advisory and WIA qualify In Delta U.S. the officially are at Ridge. or USNS (TF of end Ninh a held. helicopters VG faces 23,310. Hoa Aviation damage bitter 173rd 8 Vietnamese the 1st by shot first planes 155 begin 77) near U.S. U.S. of Div. July for © hit launch Province the VC killing war’s and U.S.: Maddoxand Airbase period. a Veterans a KIA; U.S. establishes down five-hour the the Abn. ends. My six-day sweeps and casualties blow 1,000-man 1, end strikes Some are 25th 47 Battalion. 365 1958 Armed helicopter biggest 21 494 Tho. sink airstrikes POW wounding of of brigades. downed by up kills During near of patrol GIs IDs; KIA; 246 60 1964. fight, WIA. Foretgn below 51 in anti-aircraft and the battle, held the and Forces 4 Communist the sustained Laos. Yankee operations 3rd VC GIs NVA 1,662 hotel U.S. boats. July this over An against 5 base destroyer Wars. Cambodian the in wounding A junks 126 Bde., are 2 Americans human major estimated North phase servicemen. 3,1965. Expedi housing Green WIA. DMZ. Hanoi. Station and killed USS 1999 men, and fire. 4th in North involves supply battle of an wave Key 22. by Lt. the in 5 Above: Infantrymen of A Co. B,2nd Bn., 14th lnf., 0 25th lnf. Div, search a a deserted hooch near n CuChiin May 1966, 2 LeftTwo soldiers of the R 173rdAirborneBrigade C wait for a helicopterto d evacuate themand a n dead companion after a firefight northeast of A Saigonin 1966. a ‘F tl II

Jun 2-3 Inthe HiepdusValley,nearTamKy,a battalionofthe 5th Marinessuffers73 KIAand 139WIAbattlingan NVAregiment. J Jun 17 VCambushkills31 Americansandwounds113menofthe 1st InfantryDiv.inWarZoneD. J Jun 19-20 Onthe Rach-huiRiver,the MobileRiverineForce(Navy’sTF117/ 2ndBde.9thID)sustain28 KIAand 126WIAincombatwiththe VietCong. Jun 22 A130-mancompanyofthe 173rdAirborneBde.is virtually J wipedout inan ambush nearDakTo: 80 KIAand 34 WIA. Jul 2-14 OperationButfalo.B&CCompanies,1st Bn.,9th Marines, attackednearConThien,are reinforcedbyotherbattalionsas well as the 3rd Marines.U.S.:159KIA;345WIA. 1967 Jul 4-6 ConThien.AnNVAartilleryshelldirectlyhitsa Marinebunker, Jan 2 Inthe biggestaerialduelofthe war,the USAFdowns7 killing9 andwounding21. j CommunistM1G-21soverthe RedRiverDelta. Jul 10-11 CentralHighlands.173rdAirborneBde.,nearDakTo,loses 26 j Jan 8-26 OperationCedarFalls. About16,000US. troopsmountan KIA;49 WIA.AroundDucco,the 4th InfantryDiv.sustains35 offensive— the largestofthe warto date — againstthe Thanh KIAand31 WIA. DienForestPreserveandthe IronTriangle,a 60-squaremile Jul 16- OperationKingfisher.Athree-monthsweepinvolvingthe 3rd F area ofjunglenearSaigon.BenSucis razed.Participatingunits: Oct31 MarineDivisionends with340 MarinesKIAand 3,086WIA. 1st &25th lOs,173rdAbn.Bde.and 11thACR. Jul 23 Ina five-hourbattle,unitsofthe 4th InfantryDiv.wipeout an Feb16 Communistground-firedowns13 U.S.helicopters,a record NVAcompanysouth of Ducco. numberfora singleday;9 duringan operationinthe Mekong Sep4-7 Battleof QueSonValley.Ina fiercefour-daybattle,114menof Delta. the 5th Marinesare KIA. Feb22 Firstland-basedartilleryattackofthe wartakes placewhen Sep 11- Siege ofConThien. “HillofAngels”is heldby3rd Bn.,9th 2nd Bn.,94thArty/i2th Marines175mmguns basednear U.S. Oct31 Marines.NVAtroops, attemptingto penetrateMarinepositions, CampCarrolfire63 shellsat NVAanti-aircraftpositions. are thrownbackinfiercehand-to-hand-combaton Oct.4. Feb22 - OperationJunctionCity.Some20,000U.S.troops (22 Sep 15 MobileRiverineForceengagesthe VCon the RachBaRaiRiver, May14 battalions)— inthe war’slargestoffensiveso far — enterthe MekongDelta:7 U.S.KIA;133WIA. VC’sWarZoneCstrongholdnearthe Cambodianborder. Oct29 - Battleofbc Ninh.1st InfantryDiv.battalions(1,400men)drive Participatingunits:1st,4th &25th IDs,196thLIB, Nov3 VCthroughthe streets duringhouse-to-housefighting. 173rdAbn.Bdeand 11thACR.U.S.:282 KIA;1,576WIA. Nov3-22 Battleof OakTo. Inoneofthe bloodiestand most sustained(19 Feb22 Duringthe war’sonlyU.S.combatjump,845 paratroopersofthe days)battlesofthe war,menofthe 173rdAbn.Bde.and 4th 2nd Bn.,503rd InfantryandBatteryA,3rd Bn.,319thArtilleryof IDfight6,000 NVAtroops.Climaxis at Hill875heldbythe 2nd the 173rdAirborneBde.dropat Katum. &4th Bns.,503rdlnf.(158KIA;402WIA).TotalU.S.: 285 KIA; Mar1-4 1st InfantryDiv.and 173rdAirborneBde.sufferheavycasualties 18 MIA:985WIA. duringOperationJunctionCity. Dec4 9th InfantryDivision’sRiverineForceannihilatesa VCbattalion Apr24 - Battleofthe Hills.NearKheSanh,duringa 12-daybattle,two inthe MekongDelta. May5 battalionsofthe 3rd MarineRegt.lose160 KIAand 746WIA. Dec6-9 BattleofTamQuan.1st Cay.Div.fightsa fierceengagementon May8 ConThien.Duringa three-hourattack,44 Marinesare KIA. the BongSon Plains. May18-31OperationPrairie IV.Clearingthe DMZsouth ofthe BenHal Dec10 AU.S.artilleryfirebasenorthofSaigonrepelsa VC/NVAattack, Rivercosts the Marines164KIAand 1,000WIA. killing124ofthe enemy. Jun 2 OperationUnionII.5th MarinesbattletwoNVAregimentsin Dec27 BattleofThonthamKhe.Marinesbattleinthis coastalvillage, bunker-to-bunkerfighting.Fulloperation,May25-June5. losing48 KIAand 81 WIA.

6 ©veteransofForeignWars,1999 Above:Aradio operator calls for air support when members of Co. C, 2nd Bn., 35th lnf. Regt.,25th Inf. Div.,are pinned down by enemyfire near DucPho in May 1967. Rightt A Navycorpsman aids a badly wounded Marineof SeverelywoundedMarines the 3rd Marine Div. areevacuatedto safety in1967. during the brutal Battleof HueinFebruaryl9ó8. r

Jan 1 Assaulton FireBaseBurt.2nd &3rd Bns.,22nd lnf.,25th Div. facean all-outVCattack. Jan 20 - Battleof KheSanh. 6,683menofthe 26thMarines;1st Bn.,9th Apr14 Marinesandtwobatteriesofthe 13thMarines,come undersiege byseveralNVAdivisionsfor 77 days.Afinalclashisfoughtfor Hill881 North.U.S.:205 KIA;852WIA. Mar11 - OperationResolveto Win.22 battalionsofthe 1st, 9thand 25th Jan 30 - TetOffensive. Inthe war’slargestoffensive,88,000Communist Apr7 InfantryDivisionssweepthe Saigonregion. Feb26 troopsattack105citiesandtownsthroughoutSouthVietnam.A Apr1-15 OperationPegasus. 3rd Brigade,1st AirCavalryDiv.and1st totalof81,000livesare lost,including3,895U.S.KIAand Marinesrelievethe siegeof KheSanh, 14,300civilians.Turningpointofthe war. Apr8 - OperationCompleteVictory.42 U.S.battalionslaunchan Jan 30- BattleofSaigon. Some11,000U.S.and ARVNforcesdislodge May31 offensiveto destroyVCand NVAforcesoperatingwithinthe Feb7 1,000VCfromthe capitalcityduringa weekofintensefighting. CapitolMilitaryDistrict. Jan 31 U.S.forcessustainhighestsingle-daycasualties:246 KIA. Apr10-12 BattleforLangVei. Inthreedaysofintensefighting,U.S.troops Jan 31 - BattleofHue. Inweeksofsavagehouse-to-housecombat,the recapturethe SpecialForcescamp,are drivenoutand then Mar2 1st and 5th Marines’losses total147 KIA;857WIA.1st Cay,and retakeit. 10 GreenBeretsare KIAduringthe siege. 101stAbn.Divisionslose69 KIA;507WIA. Apr19 - OperationDelaware.1st AirCavalryDiv.,101stAbn.Div.and Feb10-17 WeeklyU.S.casualties:543KIA;2,547WIA. May17 elementsofthe 196thlnf.Bde.jointogetherto preemptenemy Mar2 Inone ofthe costliestambushesofthe war,48 Glsare KIAand preparationsinthe AShauValleyforanotherattackon Hue.U.S.: 28 WIAfourmilesnorthofTanSon NhutAirBase. 139killedinaction. May5-13 Mini-Tet.Simultaneousshellingof 119cities,townsandmilitary barracks,buttargetingprimarilySaigon,beginsthe secondlarge- scaleCommunistoffensiveofthe year.9th Div.elementsfight fiercelyat V-Bridge.TotalU.S.: 154KIA. May3-10 HighestU.S.weeklyhostilecasualtytollofthe war:562 KIA. May25 - VClaunchtheirthirdmajorassaultofthe yearon Saigon, Jun 4 concentratingon the CholonDistrict. Jul 4 Membersofthe 25th lnf.Div.repulsea combinedNVA/VC attackontheirbaseat DauTieng. Sep 13 - Largestsustainedallieddriveinsidethe DMZpenetrates2 miles Oct1 intothe bufferzone.U.S.: 65 KIA;77 WIA. Sep30 NewJerseygoes intoaction,shellingNVApositionsinthe DMZ. Firstcombatuse ofa U.S.battleshipsince 1953. Oct14 TheArmyand Marinesannouncetheywillbe sendingabout 24,000men backto Vietnamfor involuntarysecondtours. Oct26 Anenemyforceof 500to 600 menstorms a 1st lnf.Div.base nearthe Cambodianborder. Oct31 OperationRollingThunder— bombingof NorthVietnam— ends. U.S.losses: 922aircraft. Nov1 USSWestctiesterCounty(LST1167)minedwhileanchored nearMyTho:26 KIA(17 crew&9 others).Navy’sworstsingle “Bravo Blues”exit a helicopter of BTip., 1st Sqdrn, 9th Cay, 1st Cay loss dueto hostileactionduringthe war. Div.,in Quang Ngai Provinceon April24, 1967. Dec31 PeakU.S.annualcombatdeaths:14,592.

© Veteransof ForeignWars,1999 7 Left Navy SEALsbring in a VC prisoner in 1968. Right A patrol craft of the “Brown Water Navy”searchesa Vietnamese sampan during 1969. Below,left: AMarineheads forcoverin embafliedHueon Feb.5,1968. Below:B-52sdrop their bombs over Cambodia inMarch 1969.

1969 May6 Worsthelicoptercrash ofthe warclaims34 U.S.lives. Jan 13 OperationBoldMariner.War’slargestamphibiousassault — May10-20Battleof HamburgerHill.After11assaults,1,000troops ofthe made by2,500 Marinesof7th FleetAmphibiousForceonthe 3rd Bde.,101stAirborneDiv.captureApBiaMountain(Hill937) BatanganPeninsula. inthe AShauValley.U.S.:70 KIA;372WIA.Partof Operation Jan 25 Aftera six-daybattle,GIsseizea village7 milesnorthwestof ApacheSnow includes9thMarines,whichends June 7. Quang’Ngai. May13 U.S.firebase nearthe Laotianborderhit:20 KIA;65 WIA. Feb23 - Post-TetOffensive.Duringfirst3 weeks,1,140Americansare Jun 1 - Siege ofBenHet. U.S.SpecialForcescampis cut offfora Mar29 KIAthroughoutSouthVietnam.Inthe firsttwoweeksalone, Jul 2 month.U.S.casualtiestotal100KIAand WIA. 4,287are WIA. Jun 11 AtTamKy,VCoverrunthe base perimeterandengageU.S.troops Feb25 TwoU.S.DM2positionsare assaulted;NVAsappers kill36 hand-to-hand:16 U.S.KIA. Marines— the highestsingle-battletoll in6 months. Jun 14-15 NVAtwiceattack3rd Bde.HOofthe 101stAbn.Div.just Feb27 Communistforcesshell30 militaryinstallationsand 9 towns. east ofApBiaMountain.U.S.:18 KIA;47 WIA. March NixonAdministrationannounces“Vietnamization”ofthe war. Jul 7 3rd Bn.,60th lnf.,9th Int.Div.leavesSaigon,beginningthe Mar18-26 MichelinRubberPlantation.11thACRclears bunkercomplexes. phasedwithdrawalof U.S.troopsfromVietnam. Mar18 OperationBreakfast.Duringa 14-monthperiodendinginApril Aug13 Inthe heaviestfightingin3 months,90Americansare KIAand 1970,6-52 strikescalled“Menu”bombingsare conducted 500WIAinattackson 150bases andtowns. insideCambodia. Aug17-26 Battlein OueSonValley.Membersofthe AmericalDiv.battle Mar29 U.S.combatdeathsforthe weekof March23-29raisethe totalto 1,000NVA,losingmorethan60 KIA.Fiercefightingoccurson 33,641KIA— 12 morethanwere KIAinthe KoreanWar. Hill102onAug.23. Apr14 U.S.troops repulsea massiveenemyattackagainsta firebase Sep6 Threebattlesrageinthe junglesnorthof Saigonas the 33 milesnorthwestof Saigon. Communistsshell40 targets:35 U.S.KIA. Apr25 4th Bn.,9thInfantry,25th IDfightsone ofthe bloodiestbattlesin Sep16 Southofthe DMZ,25 U.S.Marinesare KIAand 63 WIA. almosta yearat PatrolBaseFrontierCity. Sep17 NVAtroopsassaulttwo U.S.Marineoutpostsjust belowthe Apr30 Peak U.S.troopstrengthinVietnam: 543,482. DMZ,killing23Americans;wounding24. Nov13-14 Intwodaysoffightingat ConThien,22 U.S.are KIAand 53 WIA.InotherclashesnearDaNang,17 U.S.are KIA;60 WIA. Nov15 Nearly20 helicoptersare destroyedina VCattackonthe 4th ID’s CampRadcliffeat AnKhe.

Jan 6 Threesapperteams penetratethe 7th Marinesbase at 12 Ross in the QueSonValley:13 U.S.KIA;40 WIA. Feb13 ThirteenMarinesare KIAand 12WIAinan ambushinthe Que SonValley. Feb20 Anarmoredunitofthe 196thLightlnf.Bde.,AmericalDiv.,is ambushedinthe QueSonValley:14 U.S.KIA;29 WIA.

Mar9 U.S.Marinesturn overcontrolof ICorpsto the U.S.Army: 150,000GIsremaininthe fivenorthernmostprovinces. Mar29 NVAtroopsattackFireBaseJay nearthe Cambodianborder: 13 US. KIA;30 WIA. Apr1-2 Communistsstage 115shellingsand 13groundassaults throughoutVietnam:61 U.S.KIA. Apr15 U.S.artilleryshellriggedas a VCbooby-trapexplodesnear DucPho:14 KIA;32 WIAofthe 4th Bn.,3rd lnf.,23rd Div. May1- CambodiaCampaign.ClearanceofNVAsanctuariesinthe Fish —a Jun 30 Hookand Parrot’sBeak.Snuolis leveled.30 U.S.gunboats penetrate21.7milesupthe MekongRiveras faras NeakLuong. 30,000U.S.troopsfromthe 4th, 9th,25thand 1st Cavalry Gisgatherenemyweapons duringthe 1970 Cambodia campaign. It divisionsand 11thACRparticipate.U.S.casualties:354 KIA; nettedthe largest arms cacheof the entire VietnamWar. 1,689WIA.Capturedwar’slargestarmscache.

8 © Veteransof ForeignWars,1999 Map courtesy S Sthafloukv%47

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1100101 : 46a005, ‘ 0001019 at ‘ to *101 Mie IrtA 9110111 taritsed - 10 South 1968 by 1963-1988 fellow Itreb casiO negOI*01000 10 Cuorur of Cony Altar of mtentmflett Cony 111100*1 deotrrrp od 1964 1955 By 1966 LINE 1974 1965 1963 1959 1958 1962 1981 1957 1964 1975 1973 1101* N1#Alartley ottl*rotmy July Floor *eeyy 50*10 of Souls tire For&gn ear Ia 40mm detloy tAle 00arr atte pro teottar 01111- be a Jortu ttrces tomes by Tear IVC ala or- or --4 Wars. 1999 9 Helicopter-borneGis arrive at Firebase Mary Ann, hit by NVAsappersonMarch28, 1971. Some3Omenofthe lstBn., 46thlnf.,196thlnf. Bde,,were killedin the one-hourbaffle.

A U.S.ArmyUH-1Dhelicoptertakesa casualty aboard duringthe early 1971 campaign inLaos.

Jul1 - 23 SiegeofFireBaseRipcord.U.S.troopsabandonthe artillery Aug6 Thelasttroops ofthe firstU.S.Armycombatunitto enter base northofthe AShauValley:61 KIAand 345WIAofthe 2nd Vietnam— 4th Bn.,503rd lnf.,173rdAirborneBde.— are Bn.,506thtnt, 101stAirborneDiv. pulledout ofthe field. Aug26 U.S.helicopteris shotdownwhileremovingtroopsfrom Sep14-21 NVAgunnersbringdown11 U.S.helicoptersinthe UMinh KhamDuefirebase, killing32Americansaboard. Forest,MekongDelta. Sep20 U.S.armoredreliefforceattemptingto reacha downed Oct8 OperationJeffersonGlenn.FinalmajorU.S.operationinVietnam helicopteris shelled:11 U.S.KIA;11WIA. is concludedby8 battalionsofthe 101stAirborneDiv.Itbegan Oct14 9 U.S.soldiersare KIAand 5 WIAbya VCbooby-trap. Sept.5, 1970and lasted399days. Nov15 Booby-trapsand landmineskill9 Americansand wound10. Nov12 U.S.groundtroops begina “defensive”role. Nov21 RaidonSonTayPOWCamp.Inan attemptto free55 U.S. Dec18-19 Inthe heaviestsingle-dayloss sinceDec.1967,three U.S.F-4 POWs,a team of50 specialforces land23 mileswest of Hanoi. Phantomjets are lost overnorthernLaosand NorthVietnam. Americanshad beenremovedbutthe team killsforeignadvisers Oneotherjet is downedon the 19th. and guardsin40 minutes.Allteam membersreturnsafely. Nov21 U.S.warplanescarryoutthe heaviestand mostsustained bombingof NorthVietnamsinceNov.1, 1968:200fighter- bombersand 50 supportplanestakepart. Dec30 U.S.Navyends itsfour-yearroleininlandwaterwaycombat. About17,000AmericansremainwithSouthVietnam’snavyin shore positionsandas advisersaboardvessels. C Ig71 Jan 30 - LaosCampaign.OperationDeweyCanyonII.10,000GIsfromthe After pulledout ofVietnam,fourmilitaryac-j II Apr6 1sf Bde.,5th ID;11thBde.,Americal;101stCombatAviationGrp.; US troops 223rdCAB;108thArtilleryGroupand45th EngineerGrp.support tions took place in Indochina which rated award of the Armed OperationLamSon 719:the invasionof Laosto assaultthe Ho Forces ExpeditionaryMedal (AFEM). ChiMinhTrail.U.S.:257KIA;1,149WIA;107helicopters From Feb. 9-Aug. 15 1973, unitsofthe 7th AirForce based downed;618 damaged;and5 planesdestroyed. in Thailand, as well as the 43rd Strategic Wing on Guam, flew Mar15 OperationDeweyCanyonII’srearsupportbaseat KheSanh missions over Cambodia. While backing anti-Communist forces &23 comes underrelentlessCommunistmortarand rocketfire. there, at least seven airmen were KIAin concludingOperations Sapperspenetrateperimeter.U.S.: KIA; WIA. 3 14 Arc Light and Freedom DeaL Mar28 AssaultonFire BaseMaryAnn.Ina one-hourbattle,50 NVA overrunthe artillerybase mannedby250 menofthe 1st Bn., Between April11-13,1975, 360 men of the 2nd Bn., 4th Ma 46th lnf.,196thLIB,AmericalDiv.:30 U.S.KIA;76 WIA. rines, 31st MAt) along withHelicopterSquadrons 462 and 463, May22 Adirectrockethiton a FireBaseCharlie2 bunkerkills29 soldiers evacuated 82 Americans from the U.S. Embassy in Phnom and wounds50 ofthe 1st Bn,61st Inf.,lst Bde.,5th lnf.Div. Penh, Cambodia. No casualties were sustained in Operation Jun 26 LastMarinecombatunit— 3rd AmphibiousBde.— inVietnam Eagle PulL departsfromDaNang. Then on April 29-30, 989 Marines from the 4th and 9th Ma Jul8-9 DMZtroopturnovercomplete,Thelast500 membersofthe 1st rines, evacuated 1,373 Americans from Saigon. Offshore, the Bde.,5th lnf.Div.turnoverfirebases Alpha4 and Charlie2 to the SouthVietnamese.Twoseparatecontingentsof 50 U.S. 9th MarineAmphibiousBrigade peaked at 5,200 men, artillerymeneach remainat both bases to monitorradar Some 4,000 sailors of the 7th Fleet’s Task Force 76 in the F equipmentand operateartillery.

10 © VeteransofForeignWars,1999 May10 OperationLinebackerI. Atleast3 U.S.planesare lostas 150- 175aircrafthittargets overHanoiand Haiphong.EndsOct. May15 TheUSSTiconderoga— the seventhaircraftcarrierto be stationedoffVietnam— andsixotherwarships,are sent to Vietnam.Navydowns16 MiGsduringMay. Aug11 The3rd Bn.,21st lnf., TaskForceGimlet—thelast U.S. groundcombatunitinVietnam— is deactivated,alongwithG Battery,29th F.A.DeltaCo.completesthe last patrolonAug. 5, endingthe U.S.infantrywar.ItdepartsAug.23.The1st Bn., 7th Cavalry,1st Cay.Div.leavesthe daybefore. Sep2 Inair battlesduringthe SpringOffensive,47 MiGsvs. 18 U.S. planesare shot down. Nov1 22 Americansare killedina helicoptercrash nearMyThointhe MekongDelta. Nov11 U.S.Armyturns overits LongBinhHObase to SouthVietnam, symbolizingthe end of directU.S.Armyparticipationinthe war. 29,000GIs,mainlyadvisorsand helicoptercrewmen,remain. Li Dec18 - OperationLinebackerII (“ChristmasBombing”).Inthe most Cruiser- Oklahoma CiØres a salvo at North Vietnamese 29 concentratedairoffensiveofthe war,U.S.aircraftdrop40,000 gun posilions in Quang Tn Province in April 1972. tons of bombsoverHanoiand Haiphong.15 B-52sand 12 other U.S.aircraftare lost,alongwith43 fliersKIAand41 takenPOW. I g73 27 I Jan Paris Peace Accords.Atthetimeofthe armistice,Saigon 72 controlsabout75%of SouthVietnam’sterritoryand 85%of its Jan 7 Ina mortarattackon FireBaseFiddler’sGreen,18Americansare population.ARVNis well-equippedandS.V.’sairforceisthe WIAinthe heaviestshellingof U.S.forcesin6 months. world’sfourthlargest.1.1 millionmenare underarms. Feb 17 ThreeU.S.planesare shot downbysurface-to-airmissilesduring Jan 27 Thelast U.S.serviceman— Lt.Col.WilliamB.Nolde— to die in the 29-hour“limitedduration”bombingof NorthVietnam. actualcombatis killedbyan artilleryshellat AnLoc11 hours Feb25 Afive-houraction — the biggestsingleU.S.engagementwith beforethe truce.4 Americansare KIAinthe war’slast week. guerrillaforces in nearlya year — leaves21 GIsWIAand 1 KIA. Feb12-27 OperationHomecoming,First142of587 U.S.POWsare Mar7 U.S.jets battle5 MiGsand shoot down1 northofthe DMZinthe returned.Thelast known67 POWsare releasedMarch29. biggestair battlein Indochinain3 years. Feb23 LastU.S.aircavalry(helicopter)unitsdepart. Mar30 Easteror SpringOffensive.NVAcrash across the DMZ. Mar28 U.S.FirstAviationBrigadedeparts.Cut-offdateforthe Vietnam Apr1 Navy’slast in-countrycombatunit — LightAttackSquadron4 — ServiceMedal. withdrawsfromVietnam. Mar29 MACVclosesdownand the last U.S.troops leaveSouthVietnam. Apr6 OperationLinebacker.U.S.planesflying225missionsbyApril9 Navyoperationsend, Onlya DefenseAttacheOfficeanda few hitNVAtroops and missileemplacementsaboveand belowthe Marineguards,as wellas 8,500U.S.civilians,remain. U.S. DMZ.TwoU.S.planesare downedbySAM-2missiles. militarycontingentis limitedto 50. Apr8 Thefirstattacksofthe NVAoffensiveagainstU.S.installations leave3 U.S.KIAand 15WIAat CamRanhBayAirBase;2 U.S. KIAand 4 WIAat NuiBadenMountainradiorelaystation. Apr8 - Siege ofAnbc. SeveralU.S.helicoptersand crewsare lostina Jun 25 2-weekperiodsupportingARVN.OnJuly9, a U.S.generaland 3 otherGIsare KIAbyan enemyshell. Apr19 Inthe heaviestsea actionofthe waroffVietnam,the destroyer TotalU,S.casualties: Higbeeis badlydamaged;7th Fleetships engageMiGsforthe 58,163dead—47,356dueto hostileactionand 10,795nan-combat, firsttime;andthe U.S.missilefrigateSterettdowns1 MiG. plus otherslateraddedtotheWall.WoundedinAction— 153,362 Apr20 SevenGIsare KIAnearthe DMZin rescuingtwoothers. May8 U.S.NavyminesNorthVietnameseports.

South China Sea, as did IJSAFunits based inThailand, assisted ron carrying the Marinescame under intense fireby the Com in Operation Frequent Wind Of the 60 CH-53 helicopters used munist Khmer Rouge. One CH-53was hit by a rocket-propelled in the evacuation, two crashed at sea killingtwo Marine pilots. grenade and burst into flames, killing13 aboard instantly. Six Also killed in the final hours were Cpl. Charles McMahon, teen of the total ‘18US. killedon the island were associated Jr,, and Lance Cpl. DarwinJudge, the last Americans to die in with the crash. Two were airmen. One Marine had been killed action in Vietnam, Part of the security guard detachment at the in an ambush. Wounded totaled 49. IJS. Embassy, they were struck by shrapnel during an NVA Meanwhile, the Mayaguez was seized near Poulo Wai Island rocket attack on Tan Son Nhut airport. by the destroyer escort Holt Co. 0, 1st Bn., 4th Marines, President Gerald Ford later designated May 7, 1975, as the boarded and took back the vacant ship. end of the Vietnam era. At the same time, the carrier Coral Sea launched air strikes against the airport at Ream, railroad marshaling yards and an Battling the Khmer Rouge oil refinery at Sihanoukville. The guided missile destroyer WI!- As the final act in the Indochina tragedy, U.S. Marines were son provided cover. called upon to rescue 39 hostages taken aboard the cargo ship Amidst these actions, the hostages had been released. Tragi Mayaguez On May 15, 1975,225 men of the 2nd Bn., 9th Ma cally, 23 U.S. airmen (five crew members and 18 security po rines, assaulted KohTang Island, off Cambodia. As itturned out, licemen) to take part in the operation died in a helicopter crash however, the ship had been moved. in Thailand, bringing total American deaths to more than 50. The eight U.S. Air Force helicopters of the 3rd Aerospace But the Khmer Rouge paid a price for their piracy —47 were Rescue &Recovery Group and 21st Special Operations Squad- killedand 55 wounded in the fighting on Koh Tang Island.

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