14 JAN--This Day in US Military History

2015-01-14T09:04:34-05:00

1968 – U.S. joint-service Operation Niagara is launched to support the U.S. Marine base at Khe Sanh.

The Khe Sanh base was the westernmost anchor of a series of combat bases and strongholds that stretched from the Cua Viet River on the coast of the South China Sea westward along Route 9 to the Laotian border. Intelligence sources revealed that the North Vietnamese Army was beginning to build up its forces in the area surrounding Khe Sanh.
Operation Niagara was a joint U.S. Air Force, Navy and Marine Corps air campaign launched in support of the marines manning the base. Using sensors installed along the nearby DMZ and reconnaissance flights to pinpoint targets, 24,000 tactical fighter-bomber sorties and 2,700 B-52 strategic bomber sorties were flown between the start of the operation and March 31, 1968, when it was terminated.
This airpower played a major role in the successful defense of Khe Sanh when it came under attack on January 21 and was subsequently besieged for 66 days until finally broken on April 7.

https://thisdayinusmilhist.wordpress.com/2014/01/14/january-14/

January 14

14 January 1639 - In Hartford, Connecticut, the first constitution in the American colonies, the "Fundamental Orders," is adopted by representatives of Wethersfield, Windsor, and Hartford. The Dutc...

Response by SFC Mark Merino made Jan 14 at 2015 2:02 PM

2015-01-14T14:02:48-05:00

Keep them coming. I love these threads.

Response by LTC Stephen C. made Jan 14 at 2015 2:38 PM

2015-01-14T14:38:11-05:00

"2,700 B-52 strategic bomber sorties were flown between the start of the operation and March 31, 1968, when it was terminated." Extraordinary, 1SG Private RallyPoint Member!

Response by PV2 Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 14 at 2015 3:11 PM

2015-01-14T15:11:11-05:00

Thank you so much for these. I love them! Please don't ever stop!

Response by SMSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jan 15 at 2015 3:56 PM

2015-01-15T15:56:36-05:00

Airpower!