FACTOIDS FROM THE VIETNAM WAR :

 19 December 1946, the Viet Minh initiated the 8-year Indochina war with the French.

 On 8 May 1954, two Americans were killed on a supply drop mission to Dien Bien Phu. It is suspected that their C-119 was hit by Viet Minh anti-aircraft fire.

 On 21 July 1954, the French and the Communists signed the truce that turned over North Vietnam and 12 million people to the Communists.

 On 10 July 1959, 20 miles north of Saigon, two American military advisors and three South Vietnamese were killed by a communist terrorist. The terrorist was also killed in the attack.

 In early March, 1962, the Associated Press reported that the US Navy was to begin rating officer's wives for social graces and diplomacy when their fitness reports were due.

 In May 1962, US Marine Corps helicopters aided in the mop-up operation in the Mekong Delta region that resulted in the deaths of 57 Viet Cong guerillas.

 5 October 1954, the last French troops leave Hanoi, and 6 days later, the Viet Minh assume control over North Vietnam.

 20 June 1964, General William Westmoreland takes over command of MACV forces from General Harkins.  He will be relieved on 10 April 1968 by General Abrams.

 The first US Military advisors arrived in Vietnam in May of 1959 upon request of the South Vietnamese government.

 The first Australian Aid Forces (MAF) arrived in South Vietnam in August of 1962.

 8 March, 1965, the first Marine infantry battalion arrives in Da Nang, South Vietnam, and by December of that  year, the US Forces number 181,000.

 The Associated Press announced, in May of 1965, that two US senators were to be awarded the Antarctic Service Medal for their recent trip to US bases in Antarctica. The senators, Frank E. Moss (D-UT) & Ernest Gruening (D-AK).

 On 28 July 1965, President Johnson announced that he was adding 50,000 troops to US forces already in Vietnam. At a news conference, Johnson said that the draft number would more than double, from 17,000 to 35,000 per month. US military presence would be increased from 75,000 to 125,000 men, he added.

 July 1965 also saw Adlai Stevenson's White House Cabinet chair purchased from the government (at it's replacement price) by President Johnson and Vice President Hubert Humphrey along with members of the Cabinet. The going price was $134.50; the chair was given to the late ambassador's family.

 Two US warships, the destroyers USS Waddell & USS Brinkley Bass collided at sea in early 1966. Both ships were heavily damaged, but only one sailor was injured. However, three sailors were lost at sea when a helicopter from the carrier USS Ranger crashed at sea returning from working on the destroyers.

 The Naval Forces Commander, Vietnam, establishes the Mekong Delta Mobile Riverine Force on 28 February  1967. Two months later, US military strength is at 436,000. This number will increase by 50,000 before the end  of 1967.

 The Tet Offensive comprised three separate combat actions that began on 31 January 1968...

The Objective:   The Communists intended to destroy South Vietnam's military potential and rally the civilian population to the national Liberation Front.	Overall Losses: US/Free World MAF killed: 1,536 wounded: 7,764 missing: 11 ARVN killed: 2,788 wounded: 8,299 missing: 587 NVA/VC killed: appx. 45,000 prisoners: 6,991 crew-served weapons: appx. 1,300 personal weapons: 7,000+ Civilian killed: 14,000 wounded: 24,000 homeless: appx. 630,000
NVA strength: 80,000+ men	Comparative US artillery expenditure in III Corps: Daily avg. pre-Tet rounds 105mm 2,376 155mm 925 8in 200 4.2in 1,100 Total: 4,601 Daily avg. pre-Tet rounds 105mm 5,616 155mm 1,459 8in 235 4.2in 1,570 Total: 8,880
Targets: 36 out of 44 provincial capitals 5 out of 6 autonomous cities 23 airfields/bases numerous district capitals/hamlets Major assaults on: Saigon, Hue, Quang Tri City, Da Nang, Nha Trang, Qui Nhon, Kontum City, Ban Me Thuot, My Tho, Can Tho and Ben Tre

 22 January through 7 April 1968, the siege of Khe Sanh takes place (77 days). The base that must be held "at  all costs" is abandoned in June of that year. In March, the My Lai massacre takes place.

 November 1968: President Nixon promises a gradual troop withdrawal from Vietnam. Within a month, US troop  strength is at 536,100.

 On Thanksgiving Day 1968, US Paratroopers captured Hill 875 after a five-day battle. US officials claimed that between 2,500 and 3,000 enemy had been killed in the 21-day Dak To campaign.

 25 January 1969: formal truce negotiations begin in Paris.

 4 September 1969: Radio Hanoi announces the death of Ho Chi Minh.

 2 May 1970: a number of anti-war demonstrations break out on college campuses across the country. A week  later, 4 Kent State University students are killed by members of the Ohio National Guard in Kent, Ohio.

 Congress repealed the Tonkin Gulf Resolution on 31 December 1970.

 24 April 1971: up to 500,000 anti-war demonstrators converge on Washington, DC and approximately 150,000  gather in San Francisco.

 Australia and New Zealand announce in August 1971, that they will pull all of their troops from Vietnam  immediately.

 President Nixon announces plans that will reduce US troop strength to 69,000 by 1 May 1972.

 Aerial attack and naval bombardment resume in April 1972. President Nixon announces that US troop strength  will fall  to 49,000 by 1 July.

 General Frederick C. Weyland replaces General Abrams as Commander, MACV on 29 June 1970.

 The last American ground troops leave Vietnam on 12 August 1972. This leaves 43,500 Airmen and support  personnel in South Vietnam.

 29 August: President Nixon announces that US troop strength in South Vietnam will be cut to 27,000 by 1  December 1972.

 On 18 December, President Nixon orders bombing to resume north of the 20th parallel after a 2 month pause;  the Paris peace talks are suspended until 8 January 1973.

 On 15 January,l 1973, President Nixon halts military operations against North Vietnam; 12 days later, the  peace accord is signed and the Vietnam War is officially over.

 29 March, 1973: the last US troops leave South Vietnam leaving only a defense attaché.

 On 1 May 1975, it was reported by Stars and Stripes that "Its' Over". The Saigon government surrendered unconditionally. As the five minute radio address was read by President Duong Van "Big" Minh, the city fell silent and the shellfire subsided.

 Dr. Kissinger announces, in March of 1976, that the US, 'in principle' is prepared to normalize relations with  Vietnam.

 15 November 1976: the US vetoes Vietnam's application for membership in the United Nations based upon that  country's 'inhumane & brutal' attitude to US servicemen still listed as missing in Vietnam. Vietnam and Russia  sign a mutual defense pact in November of 1978.

 Vietnam announces that on 29 March, 1979, Russian warships will be permitted access to the naval base at Cam Ranh Bay.

 13 November 1982: more than 100,000 veterans of the Vietnam War gather at Washington, DC for the  dedication of a memorial honoring the War's dead.

 President Reagan called America's goal for a full accounting of POW/MIA's a "highest national priority" at a  meeting of the National League of Families of American Prisoners and Missing in Southeast Asia on  28 January 1982.

 The Vietnam War cost the United States 14 years, $150 billion and over 50,000 lives, the last of which were two US Marines killed in a Communist attack on Saigon's airport.

 Numbers, numbers, numbers...Between 1964 & 1972, 2.2 million American males, out of the 26.8 million that reached age 18 during that period, were drafted into the armed services for two years of military service. Of the remainder, 8.7 million volunteered, leaving 15.9 million who escaped the draft entirely. 209,517 men were officially listed as draft dodgers, making no effort at all to avoid the draft using college deferments, ill health, citing family commitments or listing themselves as conscientious objectors.

 Major Truces/Bombing Pauses:

1965 1-6 February: Tet Truce. 13-18 May: Bombing pause.	1968 15 January-10 February: Bombing of Haiphong area suspended. 18 January: Bombing of Hanoi area suspended. 31 March: US ends bombing of North Vietnam, except near DMZ. 31 October: US ends all bombing of North Vietnam.
1966 24 December 1965-31 January: Bombing pause. 23 December: Bombing of Hanoi is restricted. 24-26 December: Christmas Truce.	1972 6 April: Bombing of North Vietnam recommences.
1967 8-12 February: Tet Truce.	1973 15 January: US ends all bombing of North Vietnam. 27 January: Peace Agreement signed in Paris. 28 January: Ceasefire effective.

 Communist weapons captured in South Vietnam (1962-1964):

Chinese Communist Origin	Soviet Origin	Czech Origin
75mm recoilless rifles 3 57mm recoiless guns 3 75mm shells 120 57mm shells 155 80mm mortar 1 60mm mortars 3 60mm mortar shells 183 fuses for 60mm shells 150 90mm bazooka 1 27mm rocket launchers 2 7.92mm model 08 Maxim machine-guns 6 7.92mm cartridges 100,000 MP-82 rockets 142 TNT charges 577	Mossin Nagent carbines 15 rifles 46 rifle cartridges 160,000 automatic pistol 1 grenades 5 submachine-guns 2	7.65mm automatic pistol 1 K-50 submachine-guns 40 rifles 26 machine-gun cartridges 14,000 grenade launcher 1 3.5in anti-tank bazooka 1

 US military commitment & combat deaths, 1960-1972:

Year	Military Commitment	Combat Deaths
1960	875	759 (1960-1963)
1961	3,164
1962	11,326
1963	16,263
1964	23,310	137
1965	184,300	1,369
1966	385,300	5,008
1967	485,600	9,378
1968	536,100	14,592
1969	475,200	9,414
1970	334,600	4,221
1971	156,800	1,380
1972	24,000	300
Total...             Combat Deaths                    Non-Combat Deaths 46,558 10,390	In addition, it is estimated that there were at least 300,000 US Servicemen wounded and nearly 2,500 servicemen and civilians listed as 'missing in action' between 1960 & 1972.

United States Air Force Vietnam Losses (from January 1962-August 1973)
aircraft lost to combat/operations causes	2,259
USAF personnel killed	2,118
USAF personnel wounded	3,460
USAF personnel captured	596
cost of USAF operations during the Vietnam War	$3,129,900,000

United States Marine Corps Vietnam Losses (from 1962-1972)
fixed wing air craft lost to combat causes (through Oct. 1970)	173
fixed wing air craft lost to operations causes	81
helicopters lost to combat causes	252
helicopters lost to operations causes	172
USMC personnel killed	12,396
USMC personnel wounded	88,594
USMC personnel captured	26

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