Good R.E.D. Friday Morning RallyPoint on this day, 15 January, 2021, thank you for your service. Here is your history for the Vietnam War on this day 15 January through the years of the war. And I have the honor of introducing RP members to 2 Army Medal Of Honor recipient’s due to actions on this day 15 January in Vietnam History.
Welcome home all Veterans.. and to those that gave their all, …may you rest in peace...!

Today, 15 January in Vietnam history;

15 January 1962, Asked at a news conference if U.S. troops are fighting in Vietnam, President Kennedy answers “No.” He was technically correct, but U.S. soldiers were serving as combat advisers with the South Vietnamese army, and U.S. pilots were flying missions with the South Vietnamese Air Force. While acting in this advisory capacity, some soldiers invariably got wounded, and press correspondents based in Saigon were beginning to see casualties from the “support” missions and ask questions.

13 January 1962, Because there were few signs of improvement in South Vietnam, Defense Secretary Robert McNamara convened a conference to assess the deteriorating situation and develop options. He wanted to move fast to beef up the U.S. effort in Vietnam. McNamara concluded that a new command at the operational level was needed that could achieve unity of efforts and get things moving in the right direction. On February 8, the administration established the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. MACV, which was a unified subordinate command of the Commander in Chief, Pacific, was assigned responsibility for all American military activities in Vietnam. Advisers began to flow into South Vietnam to exercise McNamara’s new options and reverse the VC tide.

15 January 1962, Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara met with his top military advisers. CINCPAC intelligence told him that the VC now numbered 20,000 to 25,000 and were increasing by 1,000 per month after casualties. South Vietnam's armed forces had suffered more than 1,000 casualties in the previous month, most by the paramilitary Self Defense Corps. McNamara ordered sending 40,000 M-1 carbines to South Vietnam to arm the Self Defense Corps and the Civil Guard, although those two organizations were the sources of many of the VC's captured weapons.

15 January 1962, McNamara pressed for a "clear and hold" operation in a single South Vietnamese province. Clear and hold envisioned the ARVN securing the province followed by civic and political action to exclude the VC permanently. Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) chief General Lionel C. McGarr proposed instead using two ARVN divisions in a conventional military sweep focused on killing VC but without the follow-up to hold the area.

15 January 1965, A-222 Bu Prang CIDG camp closed.

15 January 1965, Women’s Army Corps Personnel Arrive in Vietnam. Major Kathleen I. Wilkes and Sergeant Betty L. Adams of the U.S. Women’s Army Corps (WAC) arrive in Saigon to train South Vietnam’s Women’s Armed Forces Corps. They are the first WAC representatives to serve in Vietnam since 1963. Many more WAC women later deploy to Vietnam. They serve in clerical, administrative, finance, intelligence, logistics, training, and legal and civil affairs assignments in various U.S. military headquarters.

15 January 1966, Jan. Premier Ky tells the 2nd Armed Forces Congress in Saigon that a national referendum on a constitution will be held in October 1966 and that general elections will be held in 1967.He lists the GVN's 1966 targets as: winning the war; pacifying the countryside, stabilizing the economy and building democracy.

15 January 1966, Cam Ranh Bay seadrome established for anti-infiltration aircraft patrolling the northern coast (Red Track) of RVN.

15 January 1966, A new CIDG camp opens at Ba Xoai for Det A-421.

15 January 1965, A new CIDG camp opens at Plateau Gi (Chuong Nghia) for Det A-334A

15 January 1965 – Unknown end date, Operation I-65, reconnaissance from FOB Vung ,Tau. Controlling headquarters: 5th SFGA, Task Organization: Det B-52 Project DELTA, 91st Abn Rgr Bn. Phuoc Tuy Province.

15 January 1966 – 17 January 1966, Operation Big Lodge, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines search and destroy operation, Quảng Nam Province.

15 January 1966 – 19 January 1966, Operation Red Ball IV, 1st Brigade, 1st Infantry Division resupply operation, III Corps. (III Corps (Vietnamese: Quân đoàn III) was a corps of the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN), the army of the nation state of South Vietnam that existed from 1955 to 1975. It was one of four corps in the ARVN, and oversaw the region of the country surrounding the capital Saigon.)

15 January 1966 – 25 February1966, Operation Van Buren was a harvest security operation conducted by the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division and the South Korean 2nd Marine Brigade in the Tuy Hòa Valley, Phú Yên Province. The operation resulted in 346 PAVN killed and 33 captured, 55 U.S. and 45 Koreans killed.

15 January 1967, The first Super Bowl was played as the Green Bay Packers of the National Football League defeated the Kansas City Chiefs of the American Football League, 35-10 in Los Angeles. The matchup was officially called the AFL-NFL World Championship Game.

15 January 1967, A US Army CH-47 helicopter was downed by suspected ground fire 12 km southwest of Can Tho, Phong Dinh Province. 8 US KIA and 1 US MIA.

15 January 1967, Some 462 Yale faculty members called for an end to the bombing in North Vietnam.

15 January 1968 – 9 February 1968, Operation San Angelo, 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division search and destroy operation, Quang Duc and Phước Long Provinces, 63 VC/PAVN KIA, 12 Allied KIA

15 January 1969 – 20 January 1969, Operation Russell Beach, 198th Infantry Brigade, 3rd Battalion, 26 Marines and ARVN joint operation to remove Vietnamese refugees from the area before pushing forward to root out VC troops and fortifications, Batangan Peninsula, Quảng Tín Province.

15 January 1970 – 26 January 1970, Operation Matilda, A Squadron 1st Armoured Regiment reconnaissance and ambush operations with South Vietnamese Regional and Popular Forces, Phước Tuy Province.

15 January 1973, President Nixon suspends all U.S. offensive action in North Vietnam. Citing “progress” in the Paris peace negotiations between National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam, President Richard Nixon halts the most concentrated bombing of the war, as well as mining, shelling, and all other offensive action against North Vietnam. The cessation of direct attacks against North Vietnam did not extend to South Vietnam, where the fighting continued as both sides jockeyed for control of territory before the anticipated cease-fire. On December 13, North Vietnamese negotiators had walked out of secret talks with Kissinger. President Nixon issued an ultimatum to Hanoi to send its representatives back to the conference table within 72 hours “or else.” The North Vietnamese rejected Nixon’s demand and the president ordered Operation Linebacker II, a full-scale air campaign against the Hanoi area. This operation was the most concentrated air offensive of the war. During the 11 days of the attack, 700 B-52 sorties and more than 1,000 fighter-bomber sorties dropped roughly 20,000 tons of bombs, between Hanoi and Haiphong. On December 28, after 11 days of intensive bombing, the North Vietnamese agreed to return to the talks. When the negotiators met again in early January, they quickly worked out a settlement.

15 January 1973, Citing “progress” in the Paris peace negotiations between National Security Advisor Henry Kissinger and Le Duc Tho of North Vietnam, President Richard Nixon halts the most concentrated bombing of the war, as well as mining, shelling, and all other offensive action against North Vietnam. The cessation of direct attacks against North Vietnam did not extend to South Vietnam, where the fighting continued as both sides jockeyed for control of territory before the anticipated cease-fire. On December 13, North Vietnamese negotiators had walked out of secret talks with Kissinger. President Nixon issued an ultimatum to Hanoi to send its representatives back to the conference table within 72 hours “or else.” The North Vietnamese rejected Nixon’s demand and the president ordered Operation Linebacker II, a full-scale air campaign against the Hanoi area. This operation was the most concentrated air offensive of the war. During the 11 days of the attack, 700 B-52 sorties and more than 1,000 fighter-bomber sorties dropped roughly 20,000 tons of bombs, mostly over the densely populated area between Hanoi and Haiphong. On December 28, after 11 days of intensive bombing, the North Vietnamese agreed to return to the talks. When the negotiators met again in early January, they quickly worked out a settlement. The Paris Peace Accords were signed on January 23 and a cease-fire went into effect five days later.

15 January 1979, The Soviet Union today vetoed a U.N. resolution calling for the withdrawal of all foreign troops from Cambodia, thus ending the emergency Security Council session on the Vietnamese and insurgent invasion of Cambodia.

15 January 1974, The first group of women ever enlisted as “regulars” in the U.S. Coast Guard began their 10-weeks of basic training at the Coast Guard Training Center in Cape May. Thirty-two women were in the initial group and formed Recruit Company Sierra-89.

Today is 15 January 2021
Vietnam War Memorial facts
171 Names on the wall were born on 15 January
158 Names on the wall died on 15 January
245 men earned the Medal Of Honor in the Vietnam war and 160 of those men are listed on the wall

Other wall information/quotes; None today.


Of possible interest or Interesting things about Vietnam/Vietnam War/ Vietnam War quotes;

"I refuse to believe that a little fourth-rate power like North Vietnam doesn’t have a breaking point." —National Security Adviser Henry Kissinger speaking in July 1969 to NSC aides as he charged them with developing a punitive military strategy that would coerce North Vietnam into negotiating on American terms.

“And so tonight—to you, the great silent majority of my fellow Americans—I ask for your support.” —President Richard Nixon in his address to the nation on the war in Vietnam on November 3, 1969.

“I shall not seek and I will not accept the nomination of my party as your President.” —President Lyndon Johnson telling the nation on March 31, 1968 that he would not seek reelection.


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;
“Yesterday is not ours to recover, but tomorrow is ours to win or lose.” -- Lyndon B. Johnson
“Peace is a journey of a thousand miles and it must be taken one step at a time.” -- Lyndon B. Johnson
“We can draw lessons from the past, but we cannot live in it.” -- Lyndon B. Johnson


Medal of Honor recipient for actions in the Vietnam War on this day 15 January in Vietnam War history; Specialist Fifth Class Dwight Hal Johnson, U.S.Army and PFC Garfield M. LANGHORN U. S. Army


Dwight Hal Johnson (May 7, 1947 – April 30, 1971) a native of Detroit, Michigan, was a United States Army soldier who received the Medal of Honor for his actions in January 1968 during the Vietnam War.

Early life;
Johnson was born on May 7, 1947, and lived in the E. J. Jeffries Homes, a housing project in Detroit, Michigan. He never knew his father, and his mother raised Dwight and his younger brother by herself.

Military service

Drafted to serve in the United States Army in Vietnam, he was a member of Company B, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor, 4th Infantry Division.

Rank and organization: Specialist Fifth Class, U.S. Army, Company B, 1st Battalion, 69th Armor, 4th Infantry Division. Place and date: Near Dak To, Kontum Province, Republic of Vietnam, 15 January 1968. Entered service at: Detriot, Mich. Born: 7 May 1947, Detroit, Mich.
Medal of Honor Citation:

JOHNSON, DWIGHT H.

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Sp5c. Johnson, a tank driver with Company B, was a member of a reaction force moving to aid other elements of his platoon, which was in heavy contact with a battalion size North Vietnamese force. Sp5c. Johnson’s tank, upon reaching the point of contact, threw a track and became immobilized. Realizing that he could do no more as a driver, he climbed out of the vehicle, armed only with a .45 caliber pistol. Despite intense hostile fire, Sp5c. Johnson killed several enemy soldiers before he had expended his ammunition. Returning to his tank through a heavy volume of antitank rocket, small arms and automatic weapons fire, he obtained a sub-machine gun with which to continue his fight against the advancing enemy. Armed with this weapon, Sp5c. Johnson again braved deadly enemy fire to return to the center of the ambush site where he courageously eliminated more of the determined foe. Engaged in extremely close combat when the last of his ammunition was expended, he killed an enemy soldier with the stock end of his submachine gun. Now weaponless, Sp5c. Johnson ignored the enemy fire around him, climbed into his platoon sergeant’s tank, extricated a wounded crewmember and carried him to an armored personnel carrier. He then returned to the same tank and assisted in firing the main gun until it jammed. In a magnificent display of courage, Sp5c. Johnson exited the tank and again armed only with a .45 caliber pistol, engaged several North Vietnamese troops in close proximity to the vehicle. Fighting his way through devastating fire and remounting his own immobilized tank, he remained fully exposed to the enemy as he bravely and skillfully engaged them with the tank’s externally-mounted .50 caliber machine gun; where he remained until the situation was brought under control. Sp5c. Johnson’s profound concern for his fellow soldiers, at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty are in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.

Post War years;
After returning from Vietnam, Johnson had difficulty adjusting to his post war role. Until he was awarded the Medal of Honor, he had trouble finding work and got into great debt. After receiving the medal, he went back to the Army and worked as a recruiter and made public relations appearances. When he began missing appointments and speaking engagements, he was sent for medical evaluation, at which he was diagnosed with a depression caused by post Vietnam adjustment problems, often referred to now as Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD).

Death;
Just after 11:30 p.m. on April 29, 1971, Johnson was shot after entering an Open Pantry convenience store a mile from his home, drawing a revolver from under his topcoat and demanding money from cashier at the front of the store. The store owner was in back office, responding to Johnson demand for all the cash, the owner was shot in left bicep (22 Caliber bullet) and returned fire with a .38 Special revolver. Seven shots were fired. Johnson sustained four bullet wounds, three to the chest and one to the face, and died on the operating table at 4:00 a.m. on April 30.[2] He was buried in Arlington National Cemetery on May 6, 1971. His grave can be found in Section 31 Lot 471.[3] Johnson's mother said: "Sometimes I wonder if Skip was tired of this life and needed someone else to pull the trigger"

Two plays have been written about Johnson's tragic life, the second of which was also produced and shown on PBS:Strike Heaven on the Face by Richard Wesley and The Medal of Honor Rag by Tom Cole.
The poet Michael S. Harper also wrote a poetry series in 1973 titled Debridement.
One song has been written about Johnson's tragic life (with some "poetic license"): Bummer by Harry Chapin, on Portrait Gallery, Elektra Entertainment, 1975



Garfield McConnell Langhorn (September 10, 1948 – January 15, 1969) was a United States Army soldier and a recipient of America's highest military decoration—the Medal of Honor—for his actions in the Vietnam War.

Biography;
Born on September 10, 1948, in Cumberland, Virginia, Langhorn was living in Brooklyn, New York, when he joined the U.S. Army. He served in Vietnam as a private first class and radio operator with Troop C, 7th Squadron (Airmobile), 17th Cavalry Regiment, 1st Aviation Brigade. On January 15, 1969, Langhorn's unit attempted to rescue the crew of a downed American helicopter near Plei Djereng in Pleiku Province, South Vietnam. After finding the crash site and the bodies of the dead crewmen, the unit turned back, only to be attacked by entrenched North Vietnamese forces. During the battle, Langhorn threw himself on an enemy hand grenade that had been thrown near several wounded soldiers. He was killed in the ensuing explosion, but succeeded in protecting the lives of his fellow soldiers.
Langhorn, aged 20 years at his death, was buried at Riverhead Cemetery in Riverhead, New York.
On September 27, 2010, the Riverhead, New York post office building was named the Private First Class Garfield M. Langhorn Post Office Building by the 111th United States Congress.

Rank and organization: Private First class, U.S. Army, Troop C, 7th Squadron (Airmobile), 17th Cavalry, 1st Aviation Brigade. place and date: Pleiku province, Republic of Vietnam, 15 January 1969. Entered service at: Brooklyn, N.Y. Born: 10 September 1948, Cumberland, Va.
Medal of Honor citation
Langhorn's official Medal of Honor citation reads;

For conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty. Pfc. Langhorn distinguished himself while serving as a radio operator with Troop C, near Plei Djereng in Pleiku province. Pfc. Langhorn’s platoon was inserted into a landing zone to rescue 2 pilots of a Cobra helicopter shot down by enemy fire on a heavily timbered slope. He provided radio coordination with the command-and-control aircraft overhead while the troops hacked their way through dense undergrowth to the wreckage, where both aviators were found dead. As the men were taking the bodies to a pickup site, they suddenly came under intense fire from North Vietnamese soldiers in camouflaged bunkers to the front and right flank, and within minutes they were surrounded. Pfc. Langhorn immediately radioed for help from the orbiting gunships, which began to place minigun and rocket fire on the aggressors. He then lay between the platoon leader and another man, operating the radio and providing covering fire for the wounded who had been moved to the center of the small perimeter. Darkness soon fell, making it impossible for the gunships to give accurate support, and the aggressors began to probe the perimeter. An enemy hand grenade landed in front of Pfc. Langhorn and a few feet from personnel who had become casualties. Choosing to protect these wounded, he unhesitatingly threw himself on the grenade, scooped it beneath his body and absorbed the blast. By sacrificing himself, he saved the lives of his comrades. Pfc. Langhorn’s extraordinary heroism at the cost of his life was in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit on himself, his unit, and the U.S. Army.