Timeline, November 15th

[David]

FIRST INDOCHINA WAR:
November 1947 (Year of the Boar [Dinh Hoi])): Operation Ceinture update: Phu Lang Thuong, Bo Ha and Seven Pagodas are occupied by the French forces (CEFEO), with support from Dinassaut 5, which disbands after the operation ends.

November 14, 1952 (Year of the Dragon [Nham Thin]): Operation Lorraine update: Realizing that the operation's objectives can't be achieved, as General Giap has not committed his main force into battle, and that the CEFEO is now garrisoning a useless finger of land pointing into Viet Minh territory, overstretching the air supply system and leading to costly convoys by road or river that are constantly being ambushed by enemy regional forces, General Salan gives the order for the CEFEO troops to withdraw behind the De Lattre Line. Initially the withdrawal proceeds smoothly.

SECOND INDOCHINA WAR:
November 15, 1963 (Year of the Hare [Quy Mao]) (US Advisory): Following a prediction by Secretary of Defense McNamara that the US military role will end by 1965, the US government announces that 1000 of the 15,000 American advisers in South Vietnam will be withdrawn early in December.

November 15, 1965 (Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): Ia Drang Valley: At 0650, the 7th Battalion, 66th Regiment and the H-15 Main Force Viet Cong Battalion, attack LZ X-Ray as the American commanders there are meeting to discuss ways to rescue a company that has been cut-off all night. Soon, the code "Broken Arrow" is sent out, indicating that an American unit is about to be overrun, and every available aircraft in South Vietnam is on the way to provide support; they will soon be stacked 28 high, one above the other at 1000 foot intervals from 7000 to 10,000 feet, waiting to be assigned a target. One craft accidentally drops two cannisters of napalm on the battle zone, hitting American troops. Artillery, as well as the air strikes, also destroy enemy reserves and prevent reinforcements from reaching the battlefield. Shortly after noon, B-52s are used tactically on the battlefield for the first time as 16-18 B-52s from Guam arrive over NVA regimental HQ on Chu Pong Mountain, delivering their payload. By nightfall, the Americans have held their position, but the 1/7th is down to a total of eight officers and 260 men, with reinforcements from the 2/5th, which has arrived during the day from LZ Victor. The Americans do everything they can to prepare for the inevitable night assault.

November 15, 1965 1965 (Year of the Snake [At Ti]) (US Defense): Operation New Life begins in III Corps to protect the rice harvest north of Vo Do.

November 15, 1966 (Year of the Horse [Binh Ngo]) (US Counteroffensive Phase II): Operation Attleboro update: Throughout the day the 1/5th Mech conducts local search and destroy operations in its sector, with all elements returning to the battalion base by 1605. Company C has destroyed twelve bunkers, while Scout platoon have made a route reconnaissance for future operations. While on the reconnaissance, at 0915 hours, two VC, dressed in black uniforms, were engaged but escaped to the east.

November 15, 1967 (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): Operation Macarthur update: The battle most people think of THE battle of Dak To begins. Since November 3, some 12,000 enemy troops have been probing, harassing, and attacking American and South Vietnamese positions along the ridges and hills surrounding the CIDG camp at Dak To. As the attacks get stronger, more American and South Vietnamese reinforcements have been sent in, including two battalions from the airmobile division and six ARVN battalions, approaching a total of 8000 allied troops in the area by mid-month. Despite daily air and artillery bombardments of their positions, the North Vietnamese launch two attacks against Dak To on November 15, destroying two C-130 aircraft and causing severe damage to the camp's ammunition dump.

November 15, 1967 1967 (Year of the Goat [Dinh Mui]) (US Counteroffensive Phase III): ARVN begins Operation Kien Giang, supported by the US 9th Division and the 335th Radio Research Company.

November 15, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Operation Commando Hunt begins. The dry season phase of the air interdiction campaign in Laos employing Igloo White sensor fields terminates on 30 April 1969.

November 15, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Operation Liberty Canyon update: The last combat-essential equipment of the 1st Cavalry closes into III Corps and the Division's combat elements immediately begin extensive reconnaissance-in-force operations throughout Tay Ninh, Binh Long, and Phuoc Long Provinces in an effort to stem enemy infiltration along the Cambodian border.

November 15, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): Battle of Trapezoid II begins.

November 15, 1968 (Year of the Monkey [Mau Than]) (US Counteroffensive Phase VI): A LRRP team is inserted in Base Area 420 in IV Corps after radar sightings indicate large movement in a normally uninhabited area.

November 15, 1969 (Year of the Roostr [Ky Dau]) (US Winter-Spring 1970): The 361st AHC and 57th AHC assist in the extraction of a recon team and the search for a Vietnamese helicopter carrying troops in the Kontum area.

November 15, 1973 (Year of the Ox [Quy Suu]): The ARVN 2nd Battalion, 53rd Infantry repulses a second attack on its perimeter south of Bu Prang. The 3rd Battalion, NVA 205th Regiment, has to be withdrawn; having only 100 effective soldiers remaining. In spite of this, the 205th continues to advance south toward Kien Duc. With only the 2nd and 3rd Battalions available (the 1st is still engaged near Dak Song), the ARVN 53d Infantry prepares to defend the Kien Duc road junction.

BORDER CLASHES - OTHER:
November 15, 1976 (Year of the Dragon [Binh Thin]): The US vetoes Vietnam's application for membership in the UN on the grounds of the country's "brutal and inhumane" attitude to US servicemen still listed as missing in Vietnam.