Good Morning RallyPoint on this, 1 March 2021, thank you for your service. Here is your history for the Vietnam War on this day 1 March through the years of the war. Also today I have the honor of introducing RP members to a Medal of Honor recipient, one (1) Marine, due to actions taken on this day 1 March in Vietnam History.. Welcome home all Veterans.. and to those that gave their all, …may you rest in peace...!

Today, 1 March in Vietnam war history;

29 February 1964, President Lyndon B. Johnson revealed that the U.S. secretly developed the Lock-heed A-11 jet fighter.

29 February 1968, Robert S. McNamara Leaves Office. Robert McNamara departs the office of Secretary of Defense. The next day, lawyer and unofficial presidential adviser Clark M. Clifford succeeds him. In replacing McNamara with Clifford, President Johnson hopes that the new Secretary will be an advocate for the administration’s Vietnam policy. These hopes are rapidly disappointed. After assessing the situation in Vietnam and General Westmoreland’s request for additional troops, Clifford spends much of his 11 months as secretary working to extricate the United States from Vietnam.

29 February 1972, South Korean troops withdrawn. South Korea pulls 11,000 troops out of South Vietnam as part of its program to withdraw all of its 48,000 troops from the country.
The South Korean contingent had begun arriving in South Vietnam on February 26, 1965, as part of the Free World Military Forces, an effort by President Lyndon B. Johnson to enlist allies for the United States and South Vietnam. By securing support from other nations, Johnson hoped to build an international consensus behind his policies in Vietnam. The effort was also known as the “many flags” program. At the height of the Korean commitment in 1969, there were over 47,800 South Korean soldiers actively involved in combat operations in South Vietnam.




1 March 1955, U.S. Secretary of State John Foster Dulles announced at a press conference in Saigon that "I do not know of any responsible quarter which has any doubt about backing Diệm as the head of this government." In fact, General Lawton Collins, the senior U.S. official in South Vietnam, and many French officials had expressed strong reservations about the ability of Diệm to rule the country.

1 March 1958, As part of their efforts to advance the Unification referendum, North Vietnam sent letters to the Government of South Vietnam proposing a loosening of economic restrictions between the two countries and preparations for a "free general elections by secret ballot". The messages were either rebuffed or ignored by the South Vietnamese government.

1 March 1959, A 45-man platoon of highland Montagnard tribesmen was formed in Quảng Ngãi Province, the first armed Communist military unit in the area since the end of the war with the French in 1954. The platoon awaited guidance from Hanoi before undertaking any armed actions.

1 March 1961, Secretary of State Rusk told the Embassy that Kennedy "ranks the defense of Vietnam among the highest priorities of U.S. foreign policy." He said that President Kennedy was worried that the Diệm government would not survive the two years it would take to implement the reforms called for in the counterinsurgency plan.

1 March 1962, The U.S. Department of Defense (DOD) estimated that the VC numbered 20,000 full-time guerrillas, up from 4,000 two years earlier. DOD estimated that the VC controlled 10 percent of South Vietnam's hamlets and had influence in another 60 percent. In the cities, however, VC influence was minimal and the Montagnard people of the Central Highlands supported neither the government nor the communists. The bulk of the VC fighters were located in the Mekong Delta and near Saigon.
DOD identified three types of VC fighters. First the main forces were well armed and used only on large operations; second were the provincial and district units, a mixture of guerrillas and organized units; and third, not part of the 20,000 estimate, were the part-time guerrillas, often armed only with primitive weapons but important for intelligence, logistics, and terrorist operations. Five hundred to 1,000 men monthly were estimated to be infiltrating South Vietnam from North Vietnam.

March 1963, Chinese military leader Luo Ruiqing visited North Vietnam and said that China would come to its defense if the United States attacked North Vietnam.

1 March 1965, Ambassador Taylor met with generals Thiệu and Trần Văn Minh in Saigon to request permission for the assignment of the Marines to Da Nang Air Base. The generals raised no objections, but asked that the Marines arrive "in the most inconspicuous way feasible."

1 March 1965, Ambassador Maxwell Taylor informs South Vietnamese Premier Phan Huy Quat that the United States is preparing to send 3,500 U.S. Marines to Vietnam to protect the U.S. airbase at Da Nang. Three days later, a formal request was submitted by the U.S. Embassy, asking the South Vietnamese government to “invite” the United States to send the Marines. Premier Quat, a mere figurehead, had to obtain approval from the real power, Gen. Nguyen Van Thieu, chief of the Armed Forces Council. Thieu approved, but asked that the Marines be “brought ashore in the most inconspicuous way feasible.” Rumors of the imminent arrival of American troops soon circulated in Saigon, but there was no official word from either government until March 6 when the Johnson administration publicly confirmed that it would be sending the Marines to South Vietnam.

March 1965 A new CIDG camp opens at Ba To (new) for Det A-106.

March 1965 A new CIDG camp opens at Ben Soi for Det A-321.

1 March 1966 Arrivals to Vietnam, VMFA-542 and the 633d CSG.

1 March 1966, US military strength in RVN reaches 213,000.

1 March 1966, A new CIDG camp open at Thuong Duc for Det A-109.

1 March 1966, An attempt to repeal the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution fails in the U.S. Senate by a vote of 92 to 5. The attempt was led by Sen. Wayne Morse.

1 March 1966 – 17 March 1966, Operation 3-66, 5th SFGA, Det B-52 Project DELTA, 91st Abn Rgr Bn., reconnaissance from FOB Ban Me Thuot, Darlac Province.

1 March 1966 – 2 March 1966, Operation Beer Barrel, 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division road security operation, Chop Chai, Hon Cao, Song Lai Giang, Route 1, LZTWO BITS, LZ BOB, LZ JOHN, LZ HAMMER, Bình Dương Province.

1 March 1966 – 5 March 1966, Operation Black Horse, 2/1 Cavalry, 2d Bde: 1-5 Cav, 2-5 Cav, 1-8 Cav, 2-8 Cav, A/1-9 Cav, 1-77 Art (+); 22nd ARVN Div (elts) search and destroy operation, Bình Định Province.
The final phase of Operation WHITE WING took place in the Chop Chai/Hon Cao hill mass southeast of Bong Son, searching for a reported Bn from the 18th PAVN Regiment but achieving very little contact. The 22nd ARVN Div established blocking positions along Route 1and the Song Lai Giang while its junk fleet screened the sea approach. Results: 19 enemy killed, 40 detained.

1 March 1966 – 5 March 1966, Operation Hattiesburg, 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division search and destroy operation, Tây Ninh Province.

1 March 1966 – 31 March 1966, Full U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division Deploys to Vietnam. The remainder of the U.S. Army 25th Infantry Division deploys to South Vietnam, establishing its headquarters at Cu Chi, northwest of Saigon. The 25th’s 2d and 3d Brigades, which arrived months earlier, are joined by the rest of the division. The 25th’s first major offensive begins at the end of the month. Additionally, the division’s commander, General Frederick C. Weyand, is an active proponent of pacification, sometimes known as “the other war” for “hearts and minds.” In line with the Johnson administration’s renewed emphasis on pacification decided at the Honolulu Conference, Weyand’s division carries out both pacification and offensive search-and-destroy operations.

March 1967, A new CIDG Camp opens at My An (My Da) in Kien Phong Province for detachment A-433.

1 March 1967, US military strength in RVN is 418,000.

1 March 1967 – 9 March 1967, Operation: DAN CHI 281/A, 21st ARVN Division, search and destroy, Ba Xuyen Province. 109 enemy killed, 83 detained, 3 ARVN WIA.

March - November 1968, Project Combat Lancer was the combat testing of six USAF F-111A swing-wing fighter-bombers. F-111A #66-0022 disappeared on 28 March, #66-0017 disappeared on 30 March and #66-0024 crashed on 22 April and this halted combat operations and all aircraft were returned to the U.S. in November.

1 March 1968, Clark Clifford replaced Robert McNamara as Secretary of Defense.

1 Mach 1968, Three North Vietnamese fishing trawlers were destroyed by the U.S. Navy and South Vietnamese forces while attempting to resupply the VC and a fourth was turned back as part of Operation Market Time. Because the fourth trawler got more than 12 miles (19 km) away from the coast and reached international waters, the U.S. Navy was forbidden from firing on the ship. (Dennis’ Note, This is what you get when you do not declare war on Vietnam!!!)


1 March 1968 – 31 March 1968, Operation Patrick, 3rd Brigade 4th Infantry Division search and destroy and cordon and search operation, Bình Định Province.
Background;
The 1st Battalion, 50th Infantry Regiment had been patrolling Bình Định Province since September 1967 supporting South Vietnamese and South Korean units. In early March the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division commanded by Col. Eugene Forrester was deployed to improve security in the coastal lowlands.
Operation;
On 9 March, the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) 22nd Regiment, 3rd Division attacked the 1/50th Infantry's base camp, Landing Zone Litts, 2km north of Phù Mỹ District. The attackers failed to penetrate the perimeter and suffered 36 killed.
On 15 March during a patrol north of Phù Mỹ the 1/50th Infantry engaged a force from the 22nd Regiment killing a further 34 PAVN.
Aftermath;
The operation concluded on 30 March when the 3rd Brigade moved to the Central Highlands to rejoin the rest of the 4th Division. The 4th Battalion, 503rd Infantry Regiment began Operation Cochise Green continuing the mission of Operation Patrick.

1 March 1968 – 31 March 1968, End of the Tet Offensive. The Tet Offensive ends as the fighting in Hue subsides. It is a disastrous tactical defeat for Communist forces. As many as 50,000 Viet Cong and North Vietnamese soldiers have been killed, and the offensive achieves none of its major objectives. Viet Cong units are severely crippled and unable to mount new combat operations. The U.S. and South Vietnamese militaries lose more than 2,100 and 4,000 dead, respectively. The other allied nations suffer a total of 214 killed. An estimated 12,500 civilians are dead. Urban warfare in Saigon and other towns and cities produces hundreds of thousands of homeless refugees. Though the offensive is a tactical defeat for Hanoi, it earns Communist forces a strategic victory. The offensive stuns the American public and sows increased doubts about America’s chances of winning the war.

1 March 1968 – 21 May 1968, Operation Truong Cong Dinh, ARVN 7th Division and 9th Division and 1st and 2nd Brigades, 9th Infantry Division search and destroy operations, Dinh Tuong, Kien Hoa, Kien Tuong, Vĩnh Bình and Bình Long Provinces, 1,546 VC/PAVN KIA, 51 US KIA
Operation Truong Cong Dinh (also known as Operation People's Road), was a United States and Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) security operation to reestablish South Vietnamese control over the northern Mekong Delta in the aftermath of the Tet Offensive. The operation aimed to root out Viet Cong (VC) forces in the area, and to stop them from attacking traffic on the nearby Highway 4. The operation started on 7 March 1968 and lasted until August 1968, involving the 1st and 2nd brigades of the US 9th Infantry Division and the ARVN 7th Division backed by South Vietnamese Regional Forces. Operations were supported by an American artillery battalion, which established a fire support base on the north bank of the Mỹ Tho River and the Mobile Riverine Force (MRF) which conducted a series of riverine and airmobile operations.

1 March 1969 - 8 May 1969 The 4th Marine Regiment launches Operation Purple Martin against three PAVN regiments operating near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone (DMZ). The operation results in 347 PAVN killed and approximately 100 Marines killed.

1 March 1969 to August 1971, In the DMZ Campaign (1969-71) the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized) assumed responsibility for the defense of the DMZ from the 3rd Marine Division as it withdrew from South Vietnam.

1 March 1969 – 14 August 1969, Operation Kentucky Jumper, 101st Airborne Division, 9th Infantry Division and ARVN 3rd Regiment clear and search operation, Thừa Thiên Province, 1,675 VC/PAVN KIA

1 March 1969 – 9 March 1969, Operation Quintus Thrust, 5th Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment reconnaissance in force, west of Nui Dat, 11 VC/PAVN KIA, 3 Allied KIA.

1 March 1969 – 14 April 1969, Operation Wayne Grey, 1st, 2nd & 3rd Battalions, 8th Infantry Regiment, 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment, 1st Battalion, 22nd Infantry Regiment and 1st Battalion, 35th Infantry Regiment clear and search operation, Kon Tum Province.
Prelude;
Captured documents and interrogations of POW’s revealed that in late January to early February the 66th NVA Regiment along with the 24th NVA Regiment and elements of the 40th NVA Artillery moved north into the Chu-Mon-Ray mountain area and had begun to conduct offensive operations. Aerial reconnaissance of firebases west of Polei Kleng revealed heavy vehicle traffic and construction of roads deep into the Chu-Mon-Ray mountains and from the Cambodian border into the eastern Plei Trap valley. The confirmation of artillery and possible armor units suggested that a major offensive was being planned and that their likely target was Kon tum City and Camp Polei Kleng.
Phase I:
Plei Trap Road;
Operations along the Plei Trap road were conducted by companies D,C & A of the 1/8 Infantry. Beginning on March 1, with the support of the A/7-17th Air Cavalry the 1/8th was able to locate and destroy communications, supplies and vehicles along the Plei Trap road, as well as the recapturing of two US 105mm Howitzers captured by the NVA. On March 7 D company moved overland to Firebase 20 to assist B company in patrols to help patrol Hill 1030. A&C companies continued operations along the Plei Trap road. On March 12 while assessing the damage of a B-52 strike on a suspected NVA company in bunkers to their southeast, A&C companies came into contact with NVA troops. Both companies were shelled throughout the night by NVA mortar fire. On the 17th of March A & C companies formed a new patrol base out of Hill 467 from which to conduct joint patrols. By the end of the mission the 1/8th had successfully dealt a heavy blow to the 40th NVA Artillery’s ability to conduct operations by positioning itself alongside their line of communication and halting the flow of supplies to the 40th Artillery.
Landing Zone Brace;
Landing zone Brace was the largest and most significant battle of Operation Wayne Grey. It began on March 3 when A company of the 3/8th Infantry came into contact with a battalion of NVA troops at their HQ at the top of Brace. A company suffered heavy casualties during the battle and was forced to retreat. It was extracted on March 4 after heavy fighting at its night location. After the 4th , A company ceased to exist as a fighting force and was evacuated to LZ pause. A company’s CO was killed during the battle. B&C companies of the 3/8th, were successful at taking the hill on the 6th of March. A firebase was constructed after the LZ was secured and on the 16th of March C company of the 6/29th Artillery was placed there along with the remainder of A 3/8th and the 3/8th Infantry HQ.
Firebase 20;
Firebase 20 was established on March 2 by B company of the 1/8th Infantry when they were flown in to secure the base for artillery placement by the 6/29th. On the 7th of March D company joined B company in securing the hill and conducted recon and ambush operations around the LZ and at the base of Hill 1030.

Hill 497;
Hill 497 was established on March 3 as a blocking position by D company of the 3/8th Infantry, for NVA soldiers retreating from LZ Brace. The position was attacked several times between the 3rd and the 8th of March as well as being under constant mortar and artillery fire. D company was successful in holding the hill against NVA attacks and by the afternoon on March 8, the NVA gave up trying to take the position. Between the 10th and 14 March, task force Swift consisting of B&C companies of the 3/12th along with a recon platoon, consolidated on Hill 497. On the 11th, Swift came into contact with an NVA company while conducting recon and pulled back to their perimeter to call in B-52 airstrikes; they were again shelled by mortar fire. The next day they assaulted and took the NVA position.
Phase II:
Task Force Alpha:
After C&A companies had located and destroyed an NVA force to the south of Hill 467 they reorganized into task force alpha on March 17. Their mission was to establish company size blocking positions between their base at Hill 467 and Firebase 20, with the aim of cutting off supplies and reinforcements of the NVA in the area. Cratering charges were also used to stifle operations along the Plei Trap road by rendering it impassable to vehicles. Operations continued in the area until March 30, the NVA employed heavy use of mortar and artillery at the 4th division's firebases in the area and even propaganda leaflets urging US soldiers to surrender. Task force Alpha was extracted on March 30.
Cu-Don Mountain;
Cu-Don was a known enemy base situated on a ridgeline south of LZ Brace and was suspected to be the withdrawal point of the 66th NVA Infantry. The mission for the 3/12th was to block and harass the NVA from retreating. On March, 14th A&C companies along with a recon platoon, assaulted into LZ Cider to secure it as a firebase for B battery of the 6/29th artillery. D company secured LZ D-Handle for placements of 4.2” mortars and B company moved overland to a patrol base at YA818856. Heavy contact was made on March 18th when D company came into contact with a complex of NVA bunkers. Contact was broken and artillery and mortars were called in. The next day the position was saturated by artillery fire and gunships all day. On the 20th, D company attempted to assault the bunkers with the aid of artillery and air support, but were beaten off by the NVA defenders. D company fell back to LZ D-Handle. On the 22nd after a heavy artillery barrage D company seized the hill without any opposition. On the 27th A company had contact near LZ Cider and were forced to break contact after taking mortar fire and suffering casualties. They were forced to leave their MIA. When they attempted to retrieve their MIA the next day, they again were forced to retreat back to LZ Cider under mortar fire. B company was attacked at their ambush site by B-40 rockets and D company at LZ D-Handle were attacked by sapper units who managed to destroy two bunkers with rocket fire; the attack was eventually repelled with artillery fire. On the 30th, A company again tried to retrieve its MIA from the 27th. They succeeded, but were forced to retreat again when the NVA deployed mortars. A company withdrew and linked with C company to secure a night location. The location was then subsequently bombarded by multiple B-52 strikes.
After the 3/12th withdrew, the 1/22nd Infantry was assaulted to LZ Cider and YA806827 on April 2nd. Their objective was to secure “Target Red”, the bunker complex that had forced A 3/12 to retreat. The position was saturated by artillery and gunship fire while the 1/22 conducted recon of the target under heavy fire. The 1/22nd was extracted on April 13 and the remainder of the 3/12 on April 14.
Aftermath;
Operation Wayne Grey concluded on the 14th of April 1969. It resulted in the US army’s 4th Division 1st Brigade, inflicting heavy casualties on the PAVN's 66th& 24th Infantry Regiments and its supporting elements. While the NVA was able to retreat back into Cambodia, Operation Wayne Grey was considered a success as it prevented any immediate attack against Kon tum from materializing. It is also an example of conventional warfare in the Vietnam War. Attacks on both sides were preceded and followed by artillery, the NVA also applied anti aircraft weaponry and tactics to counter the US’s air superiority and both sides were well equipped. 608 PAVN KIA. 4 PAVN POW, US 106 KIA, 437 US WIA, 1 US MIA
Location of Captured Artillery;
According to witnesses of the assault, namely a Lt. Nolan and Capt. Yamashita they have always believed that the mission took place over the border in Cambodia and not in Vietnam as the after action report and map coordinates say. They explain how the men of D company were not given the coordinates of their landing zone or their usual maps, but instead hard to read black and white topographic maps that required extensive training to read. This coupled with the fact that the company was in the air for a lot longer then would they would have normally been for a flight of that distance and significant differences in the terrain,(the map said they were on a hill when they were not) then what the map showed, added to Nolan and Yamashita’s suspicions. It is also worth noting that eight days after D company recaptured the artillery pieces and about halfway through the operation, the US Strategic Air Command began its secret bombing campaign against Cambodia.




1 March 1970 – 17 November 1970, Operation Park Silver, 1st Squadron, 10th Cavalry Regiment and 2nd Battalion 503rd Airborne Infantry Regiment security operation. Later re-designated Operation Hancock Dragon, Pleiku Province.


1 March 1971 – 1 July, 1971, Operation Finney Hill, 11th Infantry Brigade and 198th Infantry Brigade operation, Quảng Ngãi Province.
Operation;
On 4 March Company D, 1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry Regiment engaged a People’s Army of Vietnam (PAVN) squad killing 4 and capturing 2 weapons.
On 6 March Company C, 3rd Battalion, 1st Infantry Regiment detonated a booby-trap killing 2 US soldiers. On 8 March Troop B, 123rd Aviation Company killed 5 Vietcong (VC). On 11 March Company B, 26th Engineers detonated a mine killing 2 US.
On 20 March Company C, 1/52nd killed 12 PAVN and captured 2 weapons. On 24 March Company C, 1/52nd engaged a VC squad killing 5. On 28 March Company C, 1/52nd killed 3 PAVN and found a further 12 dead killed by airstrikes.
On 2 April Company D, 1st Battalion, 20th Infantry Regiment received mortar and small arms fire killing 1 US.
On 3 April Company D, 1/52nd killed 3 PAVN. On 7 April Company D, 1/52nd received small arms and B-40 fire and killed 6 PAVN. On 11 April a UH-1H on a resupply mission to Company A, 1/20th was hit by ground fire and exploded killing 6 US. An attack on Company A, 1/20th resulted in 2 PAVN killed and 1 captured while US losses were 5 killed.
On 11 April the 11th Infantry Brigade assumed control of the operation.
On 23 April a booby-trap killed 7 soldiers of Company C, 4th Battalion , 21st Infantry Regiment.
On 29 April Company D, 3/1st found a weapons cache containing 100 individual and 27 crew-served weapons. On 30 April Company D, 1/20th killed 4 VC. The cumulative totals for the operation to the end of April were 31 US killed and 327 PAVN/VC killed and 5 captured.
On 8 May gunships from Troop B, 123rd Aviation killed 6 PAVN. On 12 May Troop B, 123rd Aviation killed 2 PAVN and captured 5 weapons. On 16 May Troop B, 123rd Aviation killed 4 PAVN and captured 3 suspects.
On 17 May Recon Company, 1/20th killed 2 VC and captured 1 weapon.
On 18 May gunships from Troop B, 123rd Aviation killed 4 PAVN.
On 19 May gunships from Troop B, 123rd Aviation killed 5 VC. On 20 May Company B, 1/20th killed 1 PAVN. On 21 May gunships from Troop B, 123rd Aviation killed 1 VC.
On 22 May gunships from Troop B, 123rd Aviation killed 1 PAVN, Company B, 1/20th triggered a mechanical ambush killing 2 PAVN and capturing 2 weapons and troop D, 1/1st Cavalry killed 1 VC.
On 23 May Company C, 3/1st found 1 dead PAVN. On 25 May Company C, 1/20th engaged 4 VC capturing 1 weapon. On 27 May a Company B, 1/20th mechanical ambush killed 2 PAVN and 2 weapons were captured.
On 28 May Troop B, 123rd Aviation killed 4 PAVN/VC and 174th Assault killed 13 VC. On 29 may Troop B, 123rd Aviation’s aero-rifle platoon killed 2 VC and captured 1 weapon. On 30 May Troop B, 12rd Aviation gunships killed 1 PAVN.
On 31 May Company B, 4/21st found 1 dead PAVN.
On 1 June a Troop H, 17th Cavalry mechanical ambush killed 1 VC. On 3 June Company C, 1/20th engaged 18 VC, killing 1 and capturing 1 weapon.
On 18 June a Company D, 3/1st mechanical ambush killed 3 PAVN and 3 weapons were captured.
On 19 June Troop B, 123rd Aviation gunships killed 14 PAVN/VC and snipers of 3/1st killed 2 VC. On 22 June gunships from Troop B, 123rd Aviation killed 7 VC. On 23 June Troop E, 1st cavalry killed 2 VC, captured 2 weapons and 7 suspects. On 25 June Recon Company, 1/20th killed 2 PAVN.
On 30 June a Troop E, 1st Cavalry mechanical ambush killed 1 VC.
On 31 June Troop H, 17th cavalry detonated a mine killing 1 US.
Aftermath;
The operation ended on 1 July 1971. US losses were 32 killed, PAVN/VC losses were 454 killed, 8 captured and 241 individual and 33 crew-served weapons captured.


1 March 1971, In the early morning darkness of March 1, 1971, the seemingly unthinkable happened. In a restroom in the Senate wing of the United States Capitol building, a bomb exploded, sending wood, stone, glass, and metal shrapnel flying through at least seven rooms. Fortunately, the Capitol was largely empty except for a handful of guards and police officers, and no one was injured. A group known as the Weather Underground claimed responsibility for the attack, stating the bomb had been planted in protest of Operation LAM SON 719, a joint South Vietnamese-American incursion into Laos that began three weeks earlier. The philosophical foundations of the Weathermen were Marxist in nature; they believed that militant struggle was the key to striking out against the state to build a revolutionary consciousness among the young, particularly the white working class. Their primary tools to achieving these ends were arson and bombing. Among the other targets of Weathermen bombings were the Long Island Court House, the New York Police Department headquarters, the Pentagon, and the State Department. The bomb was one of only a few intentional acts of sabotage against a Washington, D.C., federal building before 1971 and was an example of the increasing radicalization of the extreme fringe of the anti-Vietnam War movement.



1 March 1971 – 1 July 1971, Operation Middlesex Peak, 196th Infantry Brigade, 198th Infantry Brigade and ARVN 2nd Division Security operation, Quang Tin and Quảng Ngãi Provinces.
Background;
The operation was an ongoing security operation to prevent People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Vietcong (VC) infiltration into the populated coastal lowlands.
Operation;
Cumulative results of all contacts for the period 1 March through 20 March were 68 PAVN/VC killed, 15 individual and 2 crew-served weapons captured and 1 US killed. On 21 March Company A, 5th Battalion, 46th Infantry Regiment killed 5 PAVN/VC and detained 6 suspects. On 28 March in the Battle of FSB Mary Ann, VC overran the base killing 33 US for the loss of 13 VC killed. On the morning of 31 March Troop F, 17th Cavalry Regiment engaged a PAVN/VC force killing 11.
On 1 April Company D, 1/46th found an arms cache containing 6 weapons. On 5 April Troop F, 17th Cavalry found 7 graves of PAVN/VC killed by artillery. On 7 April troops of Troop F, 17th Cavalry detonated a mine killing 1 US. On 11 April the 198th Light Infantry Brigade ended its involvement in Operation Finney Hill and joined the operation. For the period 8 through 15 April there were 21 PAVN/VC killed and 8 weapons captured. On 16 April a Company C, 5/46th mechanical ambush detonated killing 3 PAVN/VC and leaving 2 weapons. A 198th Brigade unit detonated a booby-trapped 105mm artillery round resulting in 1 US killed. On 21 April Troop H, 17th Cavalry in night laager position was hit by 2 explosions at 00:15 resulting in 1 US killed and 1 M113A1 destroyed. On 23 April Troop E, 1st Battalion, 1st Cavalry Regiment killed 4 PAVN/VC and captured 1 weapon and Company A, 1st Battalion, 6th Infantry Regiment killed 4 PAVN/VC. On 25 April the two Brigades reported 15 PAVN/VC killed and 3 weapons captured for US losses of 2 killed. On 27 April Troop F, 17th cavalry detonated a land mine resulting in 2 US killed and 1 M113 destroyed. On 28 April Company D, 1st Battalion, 52nd Infantry Regiment killed 4 PAVN and captured 1 weapon. Cumulative results of the operation until the end of April 1971 were 45 US killed and 274 PAVN/VC killed, 13 captured and 90 weapons captured.
On 5 May Company D, 1/52nd killed 5 PAVN and 3rd Battalion, 16th Field Artillery regiment killed 3 VC. On 10 May Company B, 26th Engineers detonated a mine resulting in 2 US killed. On 12 May Company E, 1/6th killed 4 VC. On 15 May an aerial observer found 4 VC dead. On 16 May Company D, 1/52nd killed 3 VC and detained 2 suspects. On 17 May Company B, 1/6th killed 1 VC, Company A, 1/52nd killed 1 VC and Company G, 75th Rangers killed 1 VC and captured 1 weapon and 1 suspect. On 19 May Company D 1/52nd engaged 3 PAVN killing 2 and capturing 2 weapons. On 20 May Company B, 1/52nd killed 1 VC and Company A 4/3rd killed 2 VC. On 23 May Recon Company 1/6th and Troop[ D, 1/1st Cavalry killed 3 VC. On 24 May gunships of Troop D, 1/1st cavalry and the 71st Aviation Company killed 4 VC. On 26 May Recon Company, 1/52nd ambushed 3 VC, killed 2 and capturing 6 weapons and Company C, 1/52nd and the 116th Aviation Company killed 6 VC and captured 1 weapon. On 27 May Troop D, 1/1st Cavalry killed 4 PAVN. On 29 May Company D, 4/3rd Infantry killed 1 VC and captured 2 weapons, a patrol from Company A, 4/3rd captured 8 crew-served weapons, Company C, 1/52nd killed 1 VC and a gunship from Troop D 1/1st cavalry killed 1 VC. On 30 may gunships from Troop D, 1/1st Cavalry and Troop B, 123rd Aviation killed 10 VC.
On 1 June Company C, 4/3rd killed 1 VC in a mechanical ambush, Company A 4/3rd killed 1 VC and detained 2 suspects, Company A, 1/52nd killed 1 VC and detained 2 suspects and Battery B, 3/16th Artillery killed 5 VC. On 3 June Company B, 4/3rd killed 1 VC, Company A, 1/6th killed 1 VC and captured 2 weapons and 1 suspect and gunships from Troop D, 1/1st Cavalry killed 1 VC. On 4 June a patrol of Company B, 1/52nd received small arms fire resulting in 1 US killed and gunships from Trop B, 123rd Aviation killed 2 VC. On 7 June Company C, 1/52nd killed 1 VC. On 8 June Company E, 1/6th Infantry and Troop D, 1/1st cavalry engaged 25 VC killing 9, in a sweep of the area the next day a further 6 bodies were found. On 11 June Company C, 4/3rd killed 1 VC in a mechanical ambush. On 12 June Company C, 4/3rd killed 1 VC, Company A, 1/52nd killed 1 PAVN and captured 1 weapon. On 13 June Troop D, 1/1st Cavalry killed 3 VC. On 14 June 116th Aviation killed 3 VC. On 17 June Company A, 4/3rd engaged 4 VC capturing 2 and 1 weapon, Company A, 1/52nd killed 1 VC and captured 1 weapon and gunships from 116th Aviation killed 2 VC. On 18 June Company B, 1/52nd and Battery D, 1/14th Artillery received mortar fire losing 1 killed and Company D, 4/3rd killed 1 VC in a mechanical ambush. On 20 June Company B, 1/52nd killed 1 VC, Company D, 1/52nd killed 6 PAVN/VC and captured 3 weapons, Company D, 1/1st killed 1 VC and lost 1 US and 176th Aviation killed 3 VC. On 21 June Company D, 4/3rd killed 1 VC, Company A, 4/3rd killed 1 VC, Company D, 1/52nd detonated a booby-trap losing 1 killed, Company E, 1/52nd snipers killed 1 VC and Troop D, 1/1st cavalry killed 1 PAVN. On 22 June Company A, 4/3rd mechanical ambushes killed 2 VC. On 24 June Recon Company, 4/3rd killed 1 VC, captured 2 and 2 weapons, Troop D. 1/1st killed 3 VC. On 26 June Company A, 4/3rd found a PAVN grave. On 27 June Company C, 1/52nd found 2 VC graves. On 28 June Company C, 4/3rd detonated a booby-trap losing 2 killed. On 29 June Company A, 4/3rd killed 1 VC in a mechanical ambush. On 30 June Company D, 1/6th killed 1 VC and captured a weapon, 1/52nd snipers killed 1 VC and captured 1 weapon, Battery A, 3/18th Artillery received mortar fire losing 1 US killed and Troop B, 123rd Aviation killed 1 VC.
Aftermath;
The operation concluded on 1 July 1971. US losses were 50 killed, 463 PAVN/VC were killed and 22 captured and 122 individual and 16 crew-served weapons captured.


March 1973,The official communist party publication of North Vietnam outlined two scenarios for the future: victory in South Vietnam through political struggle or victory through a military victory. The first alternative and the implementation of the Paris Peace Accords was preferred to protect areas in South Vietnam controlled by communist forces and to forestall the return of the U.S. to active participation in the war. The strategy would be "revolutionary struggle" to destabilize South Vietnam, with the possibility of avoiding a full scale resumption of the war.

March 1973 – 4 March 1973, The PAVN began the Battle of Hồng Ngự attacking the border town of Hồng Ngự in Dong Thap Province in order to interdict supply convoys into Cambodia. The battle resulted in 422 PAVN killed, 94 ARVN killed and 36 missing and over 300 civilians killed.
The Battle of Hồng Ngự took place from March to 4 May 1973 when North Vietnamese forces attacked the border town of Hồng Ngự in Dong Thap Province in order to interdict supply convoys into Cambodia. The attack was defeated by South Vietnamese forces assisted by United States bombing of North Vietnamese base areas in Cambodia.
Background;
Since the Khmer Rouge had closed off access to Cambodia's sea ports, supplies for the Khmer Republic were dependent on convoys up the Mekong River from South Vietnam. South Vietnam's border provinces of Kien Phong, Châu Đốc and Kiên Giang, as well as the southern areas of the adjacent Cambodian provinces of Prey Veng, Kandal, Takéo and Kampot, had long been used by the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and Viet Cong (VC) for base areas and lines of communication. In early 1973 the PAVN had up to 11 regiments in Cambodia, all used in South Vietnam except for 3 or 4 deployed against the Khmer National Armed Forces (FANK).

The US and South Vietnamese were determined to keep the convoys moving and the Khmer Republic alive, while the PAVN was determined to stop them. The South Vietnamese also sought to prevent PAVN main force incursions and infiltration of supplies and men into South Vietnam and the PAVN sought to keep its lines of communication open through Cambodia and into South Vietnam.

The river town of Hồng Ngự, where the Hồng Ngự tributary flows into the Mekong River, became the focal point of the PAVN's attacks to clear impediments to infiltration and interdict the Mekong convoys as they moored at the Republic of Vietnam Navy base at Tân Châu opposite Hồng Ngự before crossing into Cambodia.
Battle;
In March the PAVN concentrated the 174th and 207th Regiments, 6th Division, the 272nd Regiment (detached from the 9th Division) and elements of the 75th Artillery Group in Base Area 704 in Prey Veng Province, Cambodia northwest of Hồng Ngự. With the 207th leading, supported by artillery, the PAVN attacked from Base Area 704 towards Hồng Ngự. Not only did they meet immediate heavy resistance, but their rear area was pounded by USAF B-52's and tactical bombers. While US forces had disengaged from Vietnam on 28 January 1973 in accordance with the terms of the Paris Peace Accords, US military operations in Cambodia and Laos would continue until 15 August 1973 and the USAF was heavily engaged in support of the FANK campaign to clear the banks of the Mekong from the Vietnam border to Phnom Penh. One B-52 strike on 23 April 1973 north of the border between the Mekong and the Hồng Ngự stream caught a large portion of the attacking force with survivors reported seeing impressed civilians carrying the bodies or more than 100 PAVN from the area.

In mid-April the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) 15th Infantry Regiment, 9th Division, together with the 2nd Armored Cavalry Squadron and a Regional Forces Group counterattacked. Although casualties were heavy, Republic of Vietnam Air Force and Navy support helped enable the ARVN troops to clear the east bank of the Mekong from Hồng Ngự to the Cambodian frontier. The attack inflicted heavy casualties on the PAVN and dealt a damaging blow to their morale. By the end of May, one battalion of the 207th Regiment had only 100 men.
Aftermath;
By 4 May the fighting had reduced to intermittent small contacts and light shellings. 422 PAVN dead had been counted, while ARVN casualties were 94 killed and 36 missing. Civilian casualties in the action were by far the highest since the ceasefire, over 300, of which 80 were killed by PAVN artillery. Almost 300 houses were destroyed by PAVN fire. In the second week of April alone 123 122mm rockets hit Hồng Ngự.


1 March 1975, North Vietnam launches Campaign 275, the all out invasion of South Vietnam’s Central Highlands. Within two weeks, South Vietnam President Thieu orders that the Highlands be abandoned.


Today is 1 March 2021
Vietnam War Memorial facts
184 Names on the wall were born on 1 March
193 Names on the wall died on 1 March
245 men earned the Medal Of Honor in the Vietnam war and 160 of those men are listed on the wall

Other wall information/stories/quotes; None today


Vietnam war info of interest, Quotes, etc. None today

Links of interest?

Looking for a Brother or sister you served with? This might help you.
The Viet Nam Veterans Home Page to be quite useful in finding living veterans. They maintain a Lost and Found section http://www.vietvet.org/lostfnd.htm, with listings of people looking for people.

To find information on the availability of U.S. Navy deck logs during the Vietnam war era, check out this link. https://historyhub.history.gov/community/military-records/blog/2020/10/08/update-on-availability-of-vietnam-era-1956-1978-us-navy-deck-logs

Unit Reunions, Homecomings, Gatherings, Newsletters, Etc. can be found at http://www.vietvet.org/unitlist.htm
There are two replica versions of The Vietnam Veterans Memorial that tour the United States regularly. The first of them which is called The Moving Wall, has been traveling the country for almost twenty years. You can find their schedule at http://www.themovingwall.org/
Where can I find the latest information on the status of Prisoners of War and those listed as Missing in Action? A: The Library of Congress maintains POW/MIA information at http://lcweb2.loc.gov/pow/powhome.html


Quotes;

Opportunity...often it comes in the form of misfortune, or temporary defeat. - Napoleon Hill

If you hate a person, you hate something in him that is a part of yourself. What isn't part of ourselves doesn't disturb us”.- Herman Hesse

“Heav'n hath no rage like love to hatred turn'd, Nor Hell a fury, like a woman scorn'd.”- William Congreve

“Life is uncertain. Eat dessert first.”- Ernestine Ulmer

“Never ruin an apology with an excuse.”- Kimberly Johnson

“In America, anybody can be president. That's one of the risks you take.”- Adlai Stevenson


One (1) Congressional Medal of Honor Citation for actions taken in the Vietnam War on this day 1 March in Vietnam War history; PFC Daniel Dean Bruce USMC.

Daniel Dean Bruce (May 18, 1950 – March 1, 1969) was a United States Marine who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for heroism in Vietnam.
Bruce joined the Marines in 1968, and was deployed to Vietnam in January 1969. Two months later, on March 1, 1969, Bruce was on night watch at Firebase Tomahawk in Quang Ngai Province when an enemy explosive charge was thrown at his position. The private first class caught it, held it close to his body, and ran from his position, where the grenade exploded and killed Bruce. This action saved the lives of three other Marines.

Biography;
Daniel Bruce was born on May 18, 1950 in Michigan City, Indiana, where he attended Garfield Grammar School, Barker Jr. High School, and Elston Sr. High School.
He enlisted in the U.S. Marine Corps Reserve in Chicago, Illinois on May 20, 1968 and was discharged to enlist in the regular Marine Corps on July 17, 1968.
Upon completion of recruit training with the 2nd Recruit Training Battalion, Recruit Training Regiment, Marine Corps Recruit Depot San Diego, California in September 1968, he was transferred to the Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California. He completed individual combat training with Company U, 3rd Battalion, 2nd Infantry Training Regiment in November, and basic infantry training with Weapons Company, Basic Infantry Training Battalion, 2nd Infantry Training Regiment in December.
On January 1, 1969, Bruce was promoted to private first class, and later that month was ordered to the Republic of Vietnam. He was assigned duty as anti-tank assault man with Headquarters and Service Company, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division.
While participating in combat at Firebase Tomahawk, Quang Nam Province, on March 1, 1969, he was killed in action — for his gallantry on this occasion, which saved the lives of three fellow Marines, he was awarded the Medal of Honor. He was on night watch when an enemy explosive was thrown at his position. He caught the charge, held it to his body, and ran from his position — away from fellow Marines who would have been killed by the explosion. Seconds later, the charge exploded and the full force of the blast was absorbed by Bruce, killing him instantly.

Decorations;
A complete list of his medals and decorations includes: the Medal of Honor, the Purple Heart, the National Defense Service Medal, the Vietnam Service Medal with one bronze star, and the Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal.

The Wall;
Daniel Dean Bruce has his name inscribed on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial on panel 31W, line 099.

BRUCE, DANIEL D.
Rank and organization: Private First Class, U.S. Marine Corps, Headquarters and Service Company, 3d Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division. Place and date: Fire Support Base Tomahawk, Quang Nam Province, Republic of Vietnam, 1 March 1969. Entered service at: Chicago, 111. Born: 18 May 1950, Michigan City, Ind.

Citation:
For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as a mortar man with Headquarters and Service Company 3d Battalion, against the enemy. Early in the morning Pfc. Bruce was on watch in his night defensive position at fire support base tomahawk when he heard movements ahead of him. An enemy explosive charge was thrown toward his position and he reacted instantly, catching the device and shouting to alert his companions. Realizing the danger to the adjacent position with its 2 occupants, Pfc. Bruce held the device to his body and attempted to carry it from the vicinity of the entrenched marines. As he moved away, the charge detonated and he absorbed the full force of the explosion. Pfc. Bruce’s indomitable courage, inspiring valor and selfless devotion to duty saved the lives of 3 of his fellow marines and upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the U.S. Naval Service. He gallantly gave his life for his country.