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HomeMy WebLinkAbout18_Mil-Vietnam“You have never lived, until you have almost died; for those who have fought for it, life has a special flavor the protected will never know.” 5th Special Forces T he U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War can be traced through five distinct phases: the combined French-U.S. advisory phase (1950-1955), the U.S. advisory phase (1955-1964), force buildup and combat phase (1965-1967), large-unit oensive combat operations (1967-1969), and Vietnamization (1969-1973). e U.S. became involved in Vietnam initially as part of the Cold War between East and West. e fighting in Vietnam began shortly aer the end of World War II when the French aempted to reimpose rule over their colonies in Indochina. In 1949, the Viet Minh turned to the Peoples Re- public of China for support. is transformed the conflict in Vietnam to a war against Communism. e specter of Com - munist expansion in Asia was further compounded in June 1950 when the North Koreans crossed the 38th Parallel to aack South Korea. As part of the devel- oping U.S. contain- ment policy, the decision was made in Washington to aid the French in their war against the Viet Minh. Accordingly, U.S. Military Assis- tance and Advisory Group (MAAG) Indochina was estab- lished in September 1950 to oversee the distribution of U.S. military aid to the French. From the beginning, the U.S. policy supported the development of an independent Viet- namese army and a U.S. role in its organization and training, but the French were more interested in American materiel and refused any U.S. role in their training and accepted only minimal American advice on the conduct of operations. Aer their defeat at Dien Bien Phu in May 1954, the French formally asked the United States to join them in organizing and training the Vietnamese army. e situation in South Vietnam was anything but stable aer the Geneva Accords of 1954. Although two Vietnams had been created by the Accords, the French did not leave Vietnam immediately. French and U.S. objectives with regard to the Republic of Vietnam (South Vietnam) did not coincide, but the two powers agreed on a bi-national training program for the South Vietnamese. However, in April 1956, the French withdrew their last troops from CAMPAIGNS There were 17 campaigns for Vietnam seervice during the period 1962-1973. e Vietnam Service streamer is yellow with three red stripes through the center. It has a green stripe on each side. e yellow with red stripes was suggested by the flag of the Republic of Vietnam. e green alludes to the jungle. Û VIETNAM ADVISORY 1962-1965 Û VIETNAM DEFENSE 1965 Û VIETNAM COUNTEROFFENSIVE 1965-1966 Û VIETNAM COUNTEROFFENSIVE PHASE II 1966-1967 PHASE III ` 1967-1968 Û TET COUNTEROFFENSIVE 1968 Û VIETNAM COUNTEROFFENSIVE PHASE IV 1968 PHASE V 1968 PHASE VI 1968-1969 Û TET 69/COUNTEROFFENSIVE 1969 Û VIETNAM SUMMER/FALL 1969 Û VIETNAM WINTER/SPRING 1970 Û SANCTUARY COUNTEROFFENSIVE 1970 Û VIETNAM COUNTEROFFENSIVE PHASE VII 1970-1971 Û CONSOLIDATION I 1971 Û CONSOLIDATION II 1971-1972 Û VIETNAM CEASE-FIRE 1972-1973 BELLIGERENTS Û United States ÛNorth Vietnam Û South Vietnam ÛViet Cong Û South Korea ÛKhymer Rouge Û Australia VERSUS ÛPathet Lao Û Philippines ÛPeople’s Repub- Û New Zealand lic of China Û Khymer Republic ÛSoviet Union Û ailand ÛNorth Korea Û Kingdom of Laos STATISTICS Û Total U.S. Service members 5,720.000 Û Bale Deaths 33,739 Û Other Deaths (In eater) 2,835 Û Other Deaths (Non-eater) 17,672 Û Non-mortal Woundings 103,284 Û Living Veterans 2,307,000 U.S. Marine Divisions, and four separate U.S. Army brigade-sized units. At the height of U.S. involvement in 1968-1969, more than 540,000 U.S. soldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines were serving in Vietnam. From the beginning, U.S. Army and Marine combat units focused on conducting large-scale search-and- destroy operations, while South Vietnamese forces were relegated largely to counterinsurgency opera- tions. e first major bale of the war between U.S. and North Vietnamese forces occurred in November 1965 in the Ia Drang Valley in the Central Highlands. Subsequent U.S. operations during the next two years included MASHER, WHITE WING, ALEBORO, CEDAR FALLS, and JUNCTION CITY. In 1967, the intensity of the war increased with major bales were fought in the hills around Khe Sanh, and at Dak To, Loc Ninh, and Con ien. On 30 January 1968, aer earlier laying siege to the Marine Combat Base at Khe Sanh, North Vietnamese and Viet Cong troops launched a massive surprise oensive during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, aacking 36 major South Vietnamese cities and towns, as well as a number of key allied military installations. Although the Tet Oensive ultimately proved to be a military defeat for the Communist forces, who suered over 40,000 casual - ties, it convinced a large number of Americans that, contrary to their government’s claims, the insurgency in South Viet- nam could not be crushed and the war looked like it would continue for years to come. is only increased the antiwar sentiment on the homefront. In late 1969, Richard Nixon, who had run for election on a platform promising to end the war in Vietnam, announced the gradual withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam and the assumption of responsibility for the war by the South Vietnamese – Vietnamization, as the policy became known. U.S. troop strength in Vietnam was gradually reduced over time, but the fighting continued, including a bloody bale for Ap Bia Mountain (or “Hamburger Hill,” as the bale became known) in 1969, the U.S.-South Vietnamese invasion of Cambodia in 1970, and the U.S.-supported invasion of Laos by South Vietnamese troops in 1971. In late March 1972, the North Vietnamese Army launched a massive invasion of South Vietnam, which came to be known as the Easter Oensive. Aer several months of bier fighting, the South Vietnamese forces and their American advisors turned back the invasion, thanks to the extensive use of U.S. airpower. With the invasion blunted, the continuing peace negotia- tions in Paris accelerated. Aer a brief impasse in December, Nixon launched Operation Line- backer II, a concentrated bombing campaign of Hanoi and Haiphong. e talks resumed, resulting in the Paris Peace Accords, which were signed in late January 1973. Sixty days aer the accords were signed, North Vietnam released the Ameri- can prisoners of war held in its jails and the last American troops departed South Vietnam. e most divisive war in American history was over, at least for the United States. Over 58,000 Americans were killed in Vietnam and nearly 2,500 U.S. servicemen were listed as missing in action. e fighting continued aer the withdrawal of U.S. troops and the South Vietnamese acquied themselves rela - tively well until mid-1974 when they began to suer from a reduction in U.S. military aid. When the North Vietnamese launched a new general oensive in late 1974, the South Viet - namese forces disintegrated and Saigon fell on 30 April 1975. James H. Willbanks, PhD, Texas A&M University ‘69 Vietnam. From that point on, creating and training a South Vietnamese army became entirely a U.S. task. While the South Vietnamese government sought political stability, Communist insurgents in the South began to rebuild and consolidate their political and military appa- ratus. Beginning in 1956, the Viet Cong (VC) initiated a program of political agitation and subversion. roughout 1957 and into 1958, insurgent incidents increased and by 1959, scaered and sporadic acts of terror had evolved into a sustained campaign against the Saigon government and its forces. In 1960, the Vietnamese and the U.S. advisors were confronted by a growing insurgency supported by the Com- munists in the North. By 1961, U.S. military advi- sors, who had previously been involved only in training and high-level sta work, were advis - ing South Vietnamese ground combat units in the field at the baalion and regimental level. To coordinate all U.S. military sup- port activities in South Vietnam, the U.S. government established the Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) in 1962. Aer the fall of President Ngo Dinh Diem in November 1963, a tumul- tuous coup-riddled year followed during which the Viet Cong strength continued to grow. On 2 August 1964, North Vietnamese patrol boats fired on the U.S. destroyer Maddox in the Gulf of Tonkin, and aer President Lyndon B. Johnson asserted that there had been a second aack on 4 August – a claim that later proved to be questionable at best – the U.S. Congress almost unani- mously endorsed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution authorizing the president to take “all necessary measures to repel aacks…and prevent further aggression.” is resolution eectively gave the president complete authority for full - scale U.S. intervention in the Vietnam War. Johnson retali- ated for the aack by ordering U.S. naval planes to bomb North Vietnam. In 1965, U.S. involvement escalated when Johnson began sending combat troops to Vietnam in response to the incapacity of the South Vietnamese armed forces to counter the growing Viet Cong threat. e first two U.S. Marine baalions landed near Da Nang on 6 March. ey would ultimately be followed by seven U.S. Army divisions, two the Ia Drang Valley in the Central President Lyndon Johnson 1963-1969 President Rich a r d N i x o n 1969-1974 Capt. Alton B. Meyer, A&M Class of 1960, survived six years in POW camps when as a Lt. Col. he was shot down in his F105F. the Ia Drang Valley in the Central during the Tet (Lunar New Year) holiday, aacking 36 the Military Assistance Command 1965 ÛVIETNA M W A R Û 1 9 7 3 CAMPAIGNS Û CAMPAIGNS United States 50-fstar ag he U.S. involvement in the Vietnam War can be traced through five distinct phases: the combined Vietnam. From that point on, creating and training a South Vietnamese army became entirely a U.S. task. President Lyndon Johnson 1963-1969 PBR on patrol. Russ Harvell (2nd om rt.) with his LRRP Squad, MOS-11B, Quang Na.1/LT Louis M. Newman III, USMCR, aerial artillery observer, MVO-2, Marble Mountain, DaNang, RVN, 1968. “Huey” (UH-1B) helicopter. M-16 rie © 2010 e Memorial for all Veterans of the Brazos Valley, Inc..Le-Write InkCapt. Alton B. Meyer, A&M Class of 1960, survived Paon tank U. S. soldier in patrol gear. President John F. K e n n e d y 1961-1963 U. S. 5th Special Forces 48th Group Patch © 2010 e Memorial for all Veterans of the Brazos Valley, Inc.. U. S. 5th Special Forces 48th Group Patch M-16 rie © 2010 e Memorial for all Veterans of the Brazos Valley, Inc.. U. S. 5th Special Forces 48th Group Patch Capt. Carl Gough ew F-111s, F-105, F-16s, and F-40/Es in Vietnam. An Aggie ‘68, he continued ying as a commercial pilot.Û Û Û