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View Full Version : On this day in the Vietnam war July 1st



bobdina
06-30-2009, 10:59 PM
July 1, 1965 - Viet Cong stage a mortar attack against Da Nang air base and destroy three aircraft.

July 1967 - General Westmoreland requests an additional 200,000 reinforcements on top of the 475,000 soldiers already scheduled to be sent to Vietnam, which would bring the U.S. total in Vietnam to 675,000. President Johnson agrees only to an extra 45,000.

July 1, 1968 - General Westmoreland is replaced as U.S. commander in Vietnam by General Creighton W. Abrams.

July 1969 - President Nixon, through a French emissary, sends a secret letter to Ho Chi Minh urging him to settle the war, while at the same time threatening to resume bombing if peace talks remain stalled as of November 1. In August, Hanoi responds by repeating earlier demands for Viet Cong participation in a coalition government in South Vietnam.

July 1, 1971 - 6100 American soldiers depart Vietnam, a daily record.

July 1973 - The U.S. Navy removes mines from ports in North Vietnam which had been installed during Operation Linebacker.

1966-15 Second Ambush Wipes Out Six, Captures One

A 17-man division ambush patrol late last week killed six Viet Cong and captured one in a 15-second ambush west of Bao Trai.
According to one observer, the fire was so well coordinated “it sounded like a Claymore mine going off.” The Viet Cong, caught completely off guard. did not fire a shot in return.
The U.S. patrol was moving toward an ambush position when the squad leader, Sergeant Michael A. DiSantos, of Philadelphia, Pa., noticed four VC on a nearby road. At the same time, the rear man in the patrol noticed five VC coming from the other direction.
Quickly taking up positions parallel to the converging Viet Cong, the division soldiers began a withering fire, which lasted about 15 seconds.
A search of the area disclosed six Viet Cong dead at the scene and one wounded man, who was captured about 200 yards away.
One Thompson sub-machine gun, two M-1 rifles, and two U.S. carbines were captured, in addition to small quantities of ammunition and grenades.
Early this week, Major General Fred C. Weyand, division commander, flew to the scene and awarded Sgt. DiSantos the Bronze Star Medal with “V” device


What started out as a routine day recently for the reconnaissance platoon, 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry, ended in a day of fierce encounters with the North Vietnamese Army (NVA).
The battalion was operating in an area near the Ia Drang River, 40 miles southwest of Pleiku. Various outposts had been set up through out the area of operation.
One outpost spotted three to five North Vietnamese. After further observation, the enemy was seen in increasing numbers.
A quick radio call brought in a barrage of 4.2mm mortars, followed by artillery and air strikes.
Although the fire power had accounted for 15 dead, the enemy was so close to the observation post that the balance of the recon platoon was called in to help them withdraw.
Upon arriving, the platoon saw four enemy soldiers and decided to pursue them.
They advanced 150 yards before being pinned down by a volley of small arms and automatic weapons fire from an estimated battalion-size force.
Again artillery and air strikes were called, but the enemy force could not be dislodged. Company A, less one platoon, was quickly brought in for reinforcement.
Parts of Company C, with an attached platoon of Troop C, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry, advanced into the flank. They hit the enemy and fighting became so intense that tanks were engaged at point-blank range.
Before additional units could be brought in to seal off the area, the NVA broke contact and moved into the woods.
Sixty-two NVA were killed on the ground, plus an additional 15 killed by air, for a total of 77. Nine automatic weapons, 27 small arms, four crew-served weapons, anti-tank rocket launchers and 83 hand grenades were captured.

http://www.25thida.org/
http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1965.html