Cambodian Incursion
Part of the Vietnam Conflict
The objective: U.S 1st Air Cavalry soldier displays communist recoiless rifle ammunition captured in Cambodia
Date 29 April - 22 July 1970 Location Eastern Cambodia Result The capture of large amounts of communist supplies and materiel and the expansion of the Cambodian Civil War.
Combatants
Republic of Vietnam, United States	National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, Democratic Republic of Vietnam
Commanders
Lu Lan (ARVN, II Corps), Do Cao Tri (ARVN, III Corps), Nguyen Viet Thanh (ARVN, IV Corps), Creighton W. Abrams (U.S.)	Pham Hung (political), Hoang Van Thai (military)
Strength
58,608 (RVN), 50,659 (U.S.)	~40,000
Casualties
RVN: 809 killed in action, 3,486 wounded in action, United States: 434 killed in action, 2,233 wounded in action, 13 missing	12,354 killed in action, 1,177 captured[1]

The Cambodian Incursion was a military campaign conducted in eastern Cambodia during the late spring and summer of 1970 by the armed forces of the United States (U.S.) and the Republic of Vietnam (RVN or South Vietnam) during the Vietnam Conflict. A total of 13 major operations were conducted by the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) between 29 April and 22 July and by U.S. forces between 1 May and 30 June. The Vietnam War was a war fought between 1957 and 1975 on the ground in South Vietnam and bordering areas of Cambodia and Laos (See Secret War) and in bombing runs (Rolling Thunder) over North Vietnam. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 391 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (765 × 1173 pixel, file size: 467 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made during the course of the persons... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... July 22 is the 203rd day (204th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 162 days remaining. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_South_Vietnam. ... National motto: ??? Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809km² N/A population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_the_United_States. ... Image File history File links FNL_Flag. ... NLF flag The National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam. ... Image File history File links Flag_of_North_Vietnam. ... The Democratic Republic of Vietnam (Vietnamese Việt Nam Dân Chủ Cộng Hòa), also known as North Vietnam, was founded by Ho Chi Minh and was recognized by China and the USSR in 1950. ... Lu Lan is a female badminton player from the Peoples Republic of China. ... General Nguyen Viet Thanh General Nguyen Viet Thanh was born in 1931, Dalat, Vietnam. ... Creighton W. Abrams watches Bob Hope at Long Binh in Vietnam Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. ... Combatants Republic of Vietnam United States Republic of Korea Thailand Australia New Zealand The Philippines National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam People’s Republic of China Democratic Peoples Republic of Korea Strength US 1,000,000 South Korea 300,000 Australia 48,000... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders unknown battalion commander Bui Dinh Dam John Paul Vann Strength 350 1,400 Casualties 18 dead 39 wounded 83 dead 108 wounded The Battle of Ap Bac was a small-scale action early in the Vietnam War that resulted in the first... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Gen. ... Combatants Viet Cong United States South Vietnam Casualties U.S casualties: 8 killed, 109 wounded and 20 aircraft destroyed or damaged. ... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Casualties 85 Dead 49 ARVN dead 5 American dead The Battle of Song Be was a major action between the NLF (Viet Cong) and ARVN, the South Vietnamese army. ... Combatants Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Le Trong Tan Cao Van Vien, Charles W. Williams Strength 1,500 10,000 Casualties 700+ estimated KIA ARVN: 800+ killed U.S: 7 killed, 15 wounded and 13 missing The Battle of Dong Xoai was a battle that occurred during the... Combatants Viet Cong Australia Commanders Unknown John Healy Casualties Unknown 6 wounded 2 missing presumed dead The Battle of Gang Toi was fought on November 8, 1965. ... Combatants North Vietnam United States Commanders Nguyen Huu An Col. ... Operation Hastings was an American military operation in the Vietnam War. ... Combatants United States South Vietnam North Vietnam Strength 395 2,000 Casualties U.S: 8 killed, 12 wounded and 5 missing South Vietnam: 47 killed or missing Unknown (U.S estimates put the number at 800) The Battle of A Shau was waged during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants North Vietnam South Korea Commanders Byung Soo Choi Casualties 134+ killed 7 killed 46 wounded In 1966, the Battle of Duc Co was a major engagement between the North Vietnamese 5th Battalion of the 88th Regiment and the South Korean 3rd Battalion of the 1st Cavalry Regiment. ... Combatants Australia New Zealand United States North Vietnam Commanders Maj Harry Smith Nguyen Thanh Hong Strength 108 (not including supporting personnel/reinforcements) 2,500 (Disputed) Casualties 18 dead 24 wounded At least 245 dead 750 wounded (Captured documents and prisoner interrogations suggest there were 500-800 dead and around 1... Combatants United States North Vietnam Viet Cong Commanders Major Guy S. Meloy Unknown Casualties 155 US killed 494 US wounded At least 1,106 killed Operation Attleboro was a search-and-destroy operation by the 196th Light Infantry Brigade. ... Operation Cedar Falls was conducted by the U.S. and South Vietnamese forces during the Vietnam War on January 8 – January 26, 1967 to rout out Viet Cong base camps in the so-called Iron Triangle. ... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong South Korea Commanders Unknown commander Captain Jin-Kyung Chung Strength 2,400+ 294 Casualties 200+ killed and 2 captured 15 killed and 33 wounded The Battle of Tra Binh Dong was probably the most famous battle fought by the South Korean Marines during the Vietnam... Operation Junction City was one of the largest airborne operations since Market Garden in the latter half of World War II, and one of the largest operations of the Vietnam conflict. ... Combatants NVA United States Casualties 947 killed 455 killed, 455 wounded The Battle of Hill 881 was a battle between soldiers of the North Vietnamese Army and U.S. Marines during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants United States Viet Cong Commanders Lt. ... Combatants United States Republic of Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders Maj. ... Combatants Republic of Viet Nam, United States of America, South Korea, New Zealand, Australia Viet Cong, Democratic Republic of Viet Nam Commanders William Westmoreland Võ Nguyên Giáp Strength 50,000+ (estimate) 85,000+ (estimate) Casualties 2,788 KIA, 8,299 WIA, 587 MIA 1,536 KIA, 7,764... Combatants United States, Republic of Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders Col. ... Combatants South Vietnam United States North Vietnam Viet Cong Commanders William Westmoreland Vo Nguyen Giap Strength  ? 35 Battlions Casualties  ?  ? The First Battle of Saigon fought during the Tet Offensive was the coordinated attack by the NVA and VC, by which they attacked South Vietnams Capital Saigon from all sides. ... Combatants South Vietnam United States North Vietnam Viet Cong The Battle of Hue was probably the bloodiest and the longest battle of the Vietnam War. ... Combatants North Vietnam United States Commanders Unknown Capt. ... Combatants United States Thailand Hmong guerillas North Vietnam Pathet Lao Commanders Vang Pao Vo Nguyen Giap Strength 1,300+ 3,000+ Casualties 8 Americans dead 42 Thai and Hmong Unknown The Battle of Lima Site 85 was a battle of the Vietnam War. ... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong United States South Vietnam Australia Strength 10,000+ 1,760+ Casualties  ??? 270+ killed or missing 9 aircraft loss The Battle of Kham Duc was the struggle for the United States Army Special Forces camp located in Quang Tin province, South Vietnam. ... Combatants United States Marine Corps North Vietnamese Army Commanders Colonel Robert H. Barrow N/A Strength 5,000+ Casualties 130 killed, 932 wounded (USMC account) 1617 killed, unknown number wounded (USMC account) Operation Dewey Canyon was the last major offensive by the United States Marine Corps during the Vietnam War. ... Tet 1969 refers to the attacks mounted by principally North Vietnamese forces in February 1969 in South Vietnam during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants United States Democratic Republic of Vietnam Commanders Melvin Zais Unknown Strength estimated at 1,800 estimated at 1,500 Casualties 70 killed, 372 wounded 630+ dead The Battle of Hamburger Hill was one of the most costly battles of the Vietnam War. ... Combatants Viet Cong North Vietnam Australia Casualties 91 killed 1 killed, 8 wounded The Battle of Binh Ba was a battle between soldiers of the Australian Army and NVA and VC soldiers during the Vietnam War. ... Combatants South Vietnam United States Viet Cong Commanders Do Cao Tri â€  Nguyen Van Minh Bui Thanh Danh Le Nam Phong Strength 2,000 20,000 Casualties 37 killed, 167 wounded, 74 missing Unknown (South Vietnam claimed 1,043 killed) The Battle of Snuol was a major battle of the Vietnam... Combatants North Vietnam United States Commanders Gen. ... Combatants United States South Vietnam North Vietnam Commanders Lt. ... Combatants South Vietnam United States North Vietnam Pathet Lao Commanders Lt. ... Combatants United States Viet Cong Commanders Lt. ... The Eastertide Offensive was a military campaign in the Vietnam War. ... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong South Vietnam Strength 30,000+ 8,000+ The First Battle of Quang Tri resulted in the first major victory for the North Vietnamese Army during the Nguyen Hue Offensive of 1972. ... Combatants South Vietnam, United States Viet Cong, North Vietnam Commanders Mark A. Smith â˜ Tran Van Tra Strength 1,000+ 40,000+ Casualties Unknown 10,000+ The Battle of Loc Ninh was a major battle fought during North Vietnams Nguyen Hue Campaign and lasted from April 4 to April 7... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong South Vietnam United States Commanders Gen. ... Combatants South Vietnam North Vietnam Commanders Col. ... Combatants North Vietnam Viet Cong South Vietnam The Second Battle of Quang Tri began on June 28 and lasted until September 16, 1972, when the Army of the Republic of Vietnam defeated the North Vietnamese and recaptured most of the province. ... Combatants Vietnam Peoples Army Army of the Republic of Vietnam Commanders Gen. ... Combatants Vietnam Peoples Army National Liberation Front Army of the Republic of Vietnam Commanders General Van Tien Dung President Nguyen Van Thieu (Until April 5) Strength 300,000+ (est. ... Combatants Army of the Republic of Vietnam Vietnam Peoples Army Commanders Maj. ... Combatants Vietnam Peoples Army Army of the Republic of Vietnam Commanders General Van Tien Dung General Hieu Strength 40,000 5,000 Casualties 3 Divisions destroyed 30% of total strength The Battle of Xuan Loc was the last major battle of the Vietnam War. ... Combatants North Vietnam South Vietnam The Battle of Truong Sa was a naval battle that resulted in the capture of the South Vietnamese-held Truong Sa Islands by North Vietnamese forces on April 29, 1975. ... The Fall of Saigon (in Vietnamese: 30 tháng tÆ°, or April 30th), was the capture of the South Vietnamese capital of Saigon by the Vietnam Peoples Army (NVA) on April 30, 1975. ... Combatants United States (U.S.) Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) Commanders Joseph H. Moore William W. Momyer George S. Brown Phung The Tai (Air Defense) Nguyen Van Tien (Air Force) Casualties U.S. Air Force, 381 KIA or MIA/222 POWs (23 died in captivity, 1... Combatants United States (U.S.) Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Kingdom of Laos Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) Pathet Lao (PL) Casualties Unknown Unknown Operation Barrel Roll was a covert U.S. Air Force 2nd Air Division (later the Seventh Air Force) and U.S. Navy, interdiction and close air support... Operation Steel Tiger was a covert US Air Force aerial interdiction effort targeted against North Vietnamese infiltration through southeastern Laos during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Barrell Roll/Steel Tiger/Tiger Hound Areas of Operations, 1965. ... Operation Tailwind was a covert incursion into southeastern Laos by a company-size element (Hatchet Force) of the Military Assistance Command, Vietnam Studies and Observations Group (MACSOG or SOG) on 11 September 1970, during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Combatants United States, Republic of Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Operation Commando Hunt was a covert Seventh/Thirteenth United States Air Force offensive initiative that took place during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Combatants United States (U.S.) Republic of Vietnam (RVN) Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) Commanders John W. Vogt, Jr. ... Combatants United States (U.S.) Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRV) Commanders John W. Vogt, jr. ... Combatants Khmer Republic North Vietnam Commanders Brig. ... Combatants North Vietnam Khmer Republic Commanders Unknown Brigadier General Hou Hang Sin Strength VPA 9th Division 10 FANK Battalions Casualties Unknown Decimation of the FANK Battalions Operation Chenla II was launched on August 20, 1971 by the Cambodian military (or FANK) as an attempt to regain territories lost to the... Combatants United States of America Democratic Kampuchea Commanders Lt. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... National motto: ??? Official language Vietnamese Capital Saigon Last President Duong Van Minh Last Prime Minister Vu Van Mau Area  - Total  - % water 173,809km² N/A population  - Total  - Density 19,370,000 (1973 est. ... The Vietnam War was a war fought between 1957 and 1975 on the ground in South Vietnam and bordering areas of Cambodia and Laos (See Secret War) and in bombing runs (Rolling Thunder) over North Vietnam. ... The Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was a military component of the armed forces of the Republic of Vietnam (commonly known as South Vietnam). ... April 29 is the 119th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (120th in leap years). ... July 22 is the 203rd day (204th in leap years) of the year in the Gregorian Calendar, with 162 days remaining. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 184 days remaining. ...

The objectives of the operations was the defeat of the approximately 40,000 troops of the People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam (NLF) that were ensconced in the eastern border regions of Cambodia. As great a prize as the defeat of these forces would have been, the possibility of the occupation and destruction of large communist Base Areas and sanctuaries, which had been protected by Cambodian "neutrality" since their establishment in 1966, would have been just as satisfying. As far as the U.S. was concerned, such a course of action would provide a shield behind which the policy of Vietnamization and the withdrawal of U.S. forces from South Vietnam could proceed unmolested. The Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) is the term used by the Vietnamese for their armed forces. ... NLF flag The National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam. ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ...

A change in the Cambodian government allowed a window of opportunity for the destruction of the Base Areas in 1970 when Prince Norodom Sihanouk was deposed and replaced by pro-American General Lon Nol. Allied military operations failed to eliminate many communist troops or to capture their elusive headquarters, known as COSVN, but the haul of captured logistical materiel in Cambodia prompted claims of success and victory which remain controversial to this day. 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... Time in office: Apr. ... General Lon Nol Premier Lon Nol (November 13, 1913 - November 17, 1985) was a Cambodian politician who served two times as Prime Minister of Cambodia in addition to serving other times as Defence Minister. ... COSVN, pronounced CÅŽS-vÄ­n and standing for Central Office, South Vietnam, was a Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) military headquarters (HQ) during the Second Indochina War (Vietnam Conflict). ...

Preliminaries

Background

The People's Army of Vietnam (PAVN) and NLF forces had been utilizing large sections of relatively unpopulated eastern Cambodia as sanctuaries into which they could withdraw from South Vietnam to avoid destruction and to rest and rehabilitate units without being attacked by allied forces. These Base Areas were also utilized by the communists to store weapons and materiel that had been transported on a large scale to the region on the so-called Sihanouk Trail. PAVN forces had begun moving through Cambodian territory as early as 1963. In 1966, Prince Norodom Sihanouk, ruler of Cambodia, convinced of eventual communist victory in Southeast Asia and fearful for the future of his nation, had concluded an agreement with the People's Republic of China which allowed the establishment of permanent PAVN/NLF bases on Cambodian soil and the use of the Cambodian port of Sihanoukville for resupply.^[2] // Norodom Sihanouk continues to be one of the most controversial figures in Southeast Asias turbulent, and often tragic, postwar history. ... The Sihanouk Trail was a logistical supply route utilized by the Peoples Army of (North) Vietnam (PAVN) and its Viet Cong allies in Cambodia during the Vietnam Conflict. ... The Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) is the term used by the Vietnamese for their armed forces. ... The Sihanouk Trail was a logistical supply route utilized by the Peoples Army of (North) Vietnam (PAVN) and its Viet Cong allies in Cambodia during the Vietnam Conflict. ... 1963 (MCMLXIII) was a common year starting on Tuesday (the link is to a full 1963 calendar). ... 1966 (MCMLXVI) was a common year starting on Saturday (the link is to a full 1966 calendar). ... Time in office: Apr. ... Location of Southeast Asia Southeast Asia is a subregion of Asia. ... Sihanoukville, also known as Kampong Som, or Kampong Saom, is a port city in southern Cambodia on the Gulf of Thailand. ...

Meeting in Beijing: Mao Zedong (l), Prince Sihanouk (c), and DRV Premier Le Duc Tho (r)

During 1968, the indigenous communist movement labelled Khmer Rouge (Red Khmers) by Sihanouk, began an insurgency to overthrow the government. While they received very limited material help from the DRV at the time (the Hanoi government had no incentive to overthrow Sihanouk, since it was satisfied with his continued "neutrality"), they were able to shelter their forces in areas controlled by PAVN/NLF troops. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1119x678, 338 KB) frmo Joel D. Meyerson, United States Army in Vietnam: Images of a Lengthy War. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1119x678, 338 KB) frmo Joel D. Meyerson, United States Army in Vietnam: Images of a Lengthy War. ... “Mao” redirects here. ... 1968 (MCMLXVIII) was a leap year starting on Monday. ... The Khmer Rouge saw (Khmer: ) was the Communist party that ruled Cambodia -- which it renamed to Democratic Kampuchea -- from 1975 to 1979. ...

The U.S. government was fully cognizant of these activities in Cambodia, but refrained from taking overt military action against that nation in hopes of convincing the mercurial Sihanouk to alter his neutralist position. To accomplish this, President Lyndon B. Johnson authorized covert cross-border reconnaissance operations conducted by the highly-classified Studies and Observations Group in order to gather intelligence on PAVN/NLF activities in the border regions (Project Vesuvius) that would be presented to the prince in an effort to change his mind. “LBJ” redirects here. ... It has been suggested that this article or section be merged with MACV-SOG. (Discuss) The Studies and Observations Group (SOG) was an extremely secret American special force which conducted unconventional warfare operations prior to and during the Vietnam War. ...

Menu and coup

The new commander of the U.S Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), General Creighton W. Abrams, recommended to President Richard M. Nixon shortly after his inauguration that the Cambodian Base Areas be attacked by aerial bombardment using B-52 Stratofortress bombers. The breaking point came with the launching of the PAVN "Mini-Tet" Offensive of 1969. Nixon, angered at what he perceived as a violation of the "agreement" with Hanoi after the cessation of the bombing of the DRV, authorized the covert air campaign. The first mission was dispatched on 18 March and, by the time it was completed 14 months later, more than 3,000 sorties been flown and 108,000 tons of ordnance had been dropped on eastern Cambodia.^[3] Operation Menu was the codename for the American bombing of North Vietnamese strongholds and supply lines in Cambodia during the Vietnam War in 1969. ... The Cambodian coup of 1970 refers to removal of Prince Norodom Sihanouk and the subsequent elevation of Lon Nol as head of state in Cambodia in 1970. ... The Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV, pronounced as mac vee) was the United States command structure during the Vietnam War from 1962 until the wars end. ... Creighton W. Abrams watches Bob Hope at Long Binh in Vietnam Creighton Williams Abrams Jr. ... Richard Milhous Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994) was the 37th President of the United States, serving from 1969 to 1974. ... The Boeing B-52 Stratofortress is a long-range, jet strategic bomber flown by the United States Air Force (USAF) since 1954. ... For the Stargate SG-1 episode, see 1969 (Stargate SG-1). ... March 18 is the 77th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (78th in leap years). ...

General Lon Nol

While Sihanouk was abroad in France for a rest cure in January 1970, government sponsored anti-Vietnamese demonstrations erupted throughout Cambodia.^[4] Continued unrest spurred Prime Minister/Defense Minister Lon Nol to close the port of Sihanoukville to communist supplies and to issue an ultimatum on 12 March to the North Vietnamese to withdraw their forces from Cambodia within 72 hours. The prince, outraged that his "modus vivendi" with the communists had been disturbed, immediately arranged for a trip to Moscow and Beijing in an attempt to gain their agreement to apply pressure to the DRV to restrain its forces in Cambodia. Cambodian Freedom Fighters permissioned recieved http://www. ... Cambodian Freedom Fighters permissioned recieved http://www. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ... March 12 is the 71st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (72nd in leap years). ... Location Position of Moscow in Europe Government Country District Subdivision Russia Central Federal District Federal City Mayor Yuriy Luzhkov Geographical characteristics Area  - City 1,081 km² Population  - City (2007)    - Density 10,469,000   9684. ...   (Chinese:  ; Pinyin: BÄ›ijÄ«ng; IPA: ), a metropolis in northern China, is the capital of the Peoples Republic of China (PRC). ...

Lon Nol saw Cambodia's population of 400,000 ethnic Vietnamese as possible hostages to prevent PAVN attacks and ordered their roundup and internment. Cambodian soldiers and civilians then unleashed a reign of terror, murdering Vietnamese wherever they found them. On 15 April for example, 800 Vietnamese men had been rounded up at the village of Churi Changwar, tied together, executed, and their bodies dumped into the Mekong River.^[5] They then floated downstream into South Vietnam. Cambodia's actions were denounced by both the North and South Vietnamese governments. April 15 is the 105th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (106th in leap years). ... View of the Mekong before the sunset The Mekong is one of the worlds major rivers. ...

COSVN/B-2 Front main force units, spring 1970

On 18 March, the Cambodian National Assembly deposed Sihanouk and named Lon Nol as provisional head of state. This led Sihanouk to immediately establish a government in exile in Beijing and to ally himself with the DRV, the Khmer Rouge, the NLF, and the Laotian Pathet Lao.^[6] Sihanouk lent his name and his popularity in rural areas of Cambodia to a movement over which he had little control. The North Vietnamese then began directly supplying large amounts of weapons and advisors to the Khmer Rouge, and the country plunged into civil war. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 669 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (674 × 604 pixel, file size: 66 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made during the course of the persons... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 669 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (674 × 604 pixel, file size: 66 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made during the course of the persons... March 18 is the 77th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (78th in leap years). ... Pathet Lao (Laotian, Land of Laos) was a communist, nationalist political movement and organization in Laos, formed in the mid 20th century. ...

When the supply conduit of Sihanoukville was shut down, PAVN began expanding its logistical system from southeastern Laos (the Ho Chi Minh Trail) into northeastern Cambodia. PAVN also launched an offensive (Campaign X) against the Cambodian army, quickly seizing large portions of the eastern and northeastern parts of the country, isolating and besieging or overrunning a number of Cambodian cities including Kampong Cham. Communist forces then approached within 20 miles og the capital, spurring President Nixon into action. The Ho Chi Minh trail was a logistical system that ran from the Democratic Republic of (North) Vietnam (DRV) to South Vietnam through the neighboring countries of Laos and Cambodia. ... Kampong Cham is the capital of the Cambodian province of Kampong Cham. ...

Planning

In response to events in Cambodia, President Nixon believed that there were distinct possibilities for U.S. action in Cambodia. Now that Sihanouk was gone, conditions were ripe for strong measures against the Base Areas. He was adament that some action be taken to support "The only government in Cambodia in the last twenty-five years that had the guts to take a pro-Western stand."^[7] The president solicited proposals for actions from the Joint Chiefs of Staff and MACV, who presented him with a series of options: a a naval quarantine the Cambodian coast; the launching of South Vietnamese and American airstrikes; the expansion of hot pursuit across the border by ARVN forces; or a ground invasion by ARVN, U.S. forces, or both.^[8] Joint Chiefs of Staff of the United States of America symbol The Joint Chiefs of Staff (JCS) is a grouping comprising the Chiefs of service of each major branch of the armed services in the United States armed forces. ...

General Creighton W. Abrams, COMUSMACV

Not all of the members of the administration agreed that an invasion of Cambodia was either militarily or politically expedient. Secretary of Defense Melvin R. Laird and Secretary of State William P. Rogers were both opposed to any such operation (as they had the Menu bombings) due to their belief that it would engender intense domestic opposition. Both were scorned by Kissinger for their "bureaucratic foot-dragging."^[9] As a result, Laird was bypassed by the Joint Chiefs in advising the White House on planning and preparations for the Cambodian operation.^[10] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 436 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (798 × 1098 pixel, file size: 352 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made during the course of the persons... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 436 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (798 × 1098 pixel, file size: 352 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made during the course of the persons... The United States Secretary of Defense is the head of the United States Department of Defense, concerned with the armed services and The Secretary is a member of the Presidents Cabinet. ... Melvin Laird Melvin Robert (Bam) Laird was born September 1, 1922 and nicknamed Bambino (shortened to Bam and pronounced like the word bomb) by his mother. ... In several countries, Secretary of State is a senior government position. ... William Pierce Rogers (June 23, 1913 – January 2, 2001) was an American politician, who served as a Cabinet officer in the administrations of two U.S. Presidents in the third quarter of the 20th century. ...

During a televised address on 20 April, Nixon announced the withdrawal of 150,000 U.S. troops from South Vietnam during the year. This planned withdrawal tended to place restrictions on any U.S. action in Southeast Asia. By the spring of 1970, MACV still maintained 330,648 U.S. Army and 55,039 Marine Corps troops in South Vietnam, most of whom were concentrated in 81 infantry and tank battalions.^[11] However, many of them were preparing to leave the country or expected to leave in the near future and would not be available for immediate combat operations. April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

On 22 April Nixon authorized the planning of a South Vietnamese invasion of the Parrot's Beak (named for its perceived shape on a map), believing that "Giving the South Vietnamese an operation of their own would be a major boost to their morale as well as provide a practical demonstration of the success of Vietnamization."^[12] On the following day, Secretary Rogers, testified before the House Appropriations Subcommittee that "the administration had no intentions...to escalate the war. We recognize that if we escalate and get involved in Cambodia with our ground troops that our whole program [Vietnamization] is defeated."^[13] April 22 is the 112th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (113th in leap years). ...

The Republic of Vietnam and Corps Tactical Zone boundries

South Vietnamese forces had been rehearsing for just such an operation since late March. On the 27th, an ARVN Ranger Battalion had advanced into Kandal Province to destroy a communist base. Four days later, ARVN troops drove 16 kilometers into Cambodia. Lon Nol, who had attempted to follow a neutralist policy of his own, finally requested military assistance from the U.S. government on April 14. On that same day, ARVN conducted the first of three brief cross-border operations under the aegis of Operation Toan Thang (Complete Victory) 41, sending armored cavalry units into regions of Cambodia's Svay Rieng Province nicknamed the Angel's Wing and the Crow's Nest. On 20 April 2,000 South Vietnamese troops advanced into the Parrot's Beak, killing 144 PAVN troops.^[14] On the 22nd, Nixon authorized American air support for the South Vietnamese operations. All of these incursions into Cambodian territory were simply reconnaissance missions in preparation for a more wide-scale incursion that was being planned by MACV and its ARVN counterparts, subject to authorization by Nixon. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 444 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (747 × 1008 pixel, file size: 273 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made during the course of the persons... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 444 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (747 × 1008 pixel, file size: 273 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made during the course of the persons... April 14 is the 104th day of the year (105 in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 261 days remaining. ... Svay Rieng is a province in the southeast of Cambodia. ... April 20 is the 110th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (111th in leap years). ...

Nixon then authorized General Abrams to begin planning for an operation into the Fishhook region.^[15] Abrams handed the planning off to General Michael Davison, commander of the II Field Force. 72 hours later, the plan was submitted to the White House. Kissinger asked his aide, Larry Lynn, to review the plan on 26 April, and the NSC staffer was appalled by its "sloppiness". The problem was the pressure of time and the desire of the president for secrecy. The Cambodian monsoon was only two months away. The Cambodian desk at the U.S. embassy in Saigon was not notified of the invasion plan, nor were the Phnom Penh embassy or Lon Nol. The Cambodian leader consistently opposed all foreign incursions and wanted only money and arms from the U.S. North façade of the White House, seen from Pennsylvania Avenue. ... April 26 is the 116th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (117th in leap years). ...

President Nixon announces the incursion to the American people

On the evening of April 26 Nixon finally decided "We would go for broke" and gave his authorization.^[16] The joint U.S./ARVN incursion would begin on 1 May with the stated goals of the campaign being: reducing allied casualties in South Vietnam; assuring the continued withdrawal of U.S. forces from Vietnam; and enhancing the U.S./Saigon government position at the peace negotiations being conducted in Paris. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 782 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (2205 × 1690 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 782 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (2205 × 1690 pixel, file size: 1. ... April 26 is the 116th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (117th in leap years). ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... Ho Chi Minh City (Vietnamese: Thành Chí Minh) is the largest city in Vietnam, located near the delta of the Mekong River. ... City flag City coat of arms Motto: Fluctuat nec mergitur (Latin: Tossed by the waves, she does not sink) Paris Eiffel tower as seen from the esplanade du Trocadéro. ...

General Abrams had suggested that the incursion be routinely announced from Saigon. At 21:00 on 30 April, however, President Nixon appeared on all three television networks to announce that "It is not our power but our will and character that is being tested tonight" and that "the time has come for action." He announced his decision to launch American forces into Cambodia with the spacial objective of capturing "the headquarters of the entire communist military operation in South Vietnam."^[17] April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining. ...

Operations

Parrot's Beak and Fishhook

South Vietnamese forces had begun their incursion on 30 April 1970 with Operation Toan Thang 42, in which 12 ARVN battalions of approximately 8,700 troops (two armored cavalry squadrons from III Corps and two from the 25th and 5th Infantry Divisions, an infantry regiment from the 25th Infantry Division, and four Ranger battalions from the 2nd Ranger Group) crossed into the Parrot's Beak region of Kompong Cham Province under the command of Lieutenant General Do Cao Tri, the commander of III Corps, who had a reputation as one of the most aggressive and competent ARVN generals.^[18] During their first two days in Cambodia, ARVN units had several sharp encounters with North Vietnamese troops. The communists had seen the incursion coming and were conducting delaying actions in order to allow the bulk of their forces to escape to the west. The ARVN operation soon became a search and destroy mission, with South Vietnamese troops combing the countryside in small patrols looking for PAVN supply caches. April 30 is the 120th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (121st in leap years), with 245 days remaining. ... 1970 (MCMLXX) was a common year starting on Thursday. ...

Phase II of the operation saw the arrival of elements of the U.S. Ninth Infantry Division. Four tank-infantry task forces attacked into the Parrots Beak from the south. After three days of operations, 1,010 PAVN troops had been killed and 204 prisoners taken for the loss of 66 ARVN dead and 330 wounded.^[19] During these operations the South Vietnamese Air Force flew more than 1,600 sorties supported by 310 USAF missions.^[20] 9th Division can refer to several units: 9th Division (Australia) 9th (Scottish) Division (United Kingdom) 9th Motorized Division (France) 9th Mountain Division (Germany) 9th Panzer Division (Germany) Indian 9th Infantry Division 9th Infantry Division (United States) 9th Armored Division (United States) Category: ...

Operations Toan Thang 42/43

On 1 May an even larger operation, known by the ARVN as Operation Toan Thang 43 and by MACV as Operation Rockcrusher, got underway as 36 B-52s dropped 774 tons of bombs along the southern edge of the Fishhook. This was followed by an hour of massed artillery fire and another hour of strikes by tactical fighter bombers. At 10:00, the U.S. First Air Cavalry Division and the U.S. 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment and six ARVN battalions (the 1st ARVN Armoured Cavalry Reginment and the 3rd ARVN Airborne Brigade) then entered Svay Rieng Province of Cambodia. Known as Task Force Shoemaker after the local U.S. commander, the force attacked the long-time communist stronghold with 10,000 U.S. and 5,000 South Vietnamese troops. The operation utilized mechanized infantry and armored units to drive deep into the province where they would link up with ARVN airborne and U.S. airmobile units that had been lifted in by helicopter. Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1137x909, 286 KB) US Army Map File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... Image File history File links Download high-resolution version (1137x909, 286 KB) US Army Map File history Legend: (cur) = this is the current file, (del) = delete this old version, (rev) = revert to this old version. ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ... The 1st Cavalry Division (1st Cav Div) is a heavy armored division of the United States Army with base of operations in Fort Hood, Texas. ... Shoulder sleeve patch of the United States Army 11th Armored Cavalry Regiment, the Blackhorse Regiment. ...

U.S. armored personnel carrier moves through Cambodian jungle

Opposition to the incursion was expected to be heavy, but PAVN/NLF forces had begun moving westward two days before the advance began. By 3 May, MACV had reported only eight Americans killed and 32 wounded, low casualties for such a large operation.^[21] There was only scattered and sporadic contact with delaying forces such as that experienced by elements of the U.S. 11th Armoured Cavalry three kilometers inside Cambodia. PAVN troops opened fire with small arms and rockets only to be blasted by tank fire and tactical airstrikes. When the smoke had cleared, 50 dead PAVN soldiers were counted on the battlefield.^[22] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 473 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2262 × 2868 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 473 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (2262 × 2868 pixel, file size: 2. ... May 3 is the 123rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (124th in leap years). ...

The North Vietnamese had ample forewarning of the impending attack. A 17 March directive from the headquarters of the B-3 Front that was captured during the incursion, ordered PAVN/NLF forces to "break away and avoid shooting back...Our purpose is to conserve forces as much as we can".^[23] The only surprised party amongst the participants in the incursion seemed to be Lon Nol, who had been informed by neither Washington nor Saigon concerning the impending invasion of his country. He only discovered the fact after a telephone conversation with the head of the U.S. mission, who had found out about it himself only from a radio broadcast.^[24] March 17 is the 76th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (77th in leap years). ...

The only conventional battle fought by American troops occurred on 1 May at the town of Snoul, the suspected terminus of the Sihanouk Trail at the junction of Routes 7, 13, and 131. Elements of the U.S. 11th Armored Cavalry and supporting helicopters came under PAVN fire while approaching the town and its airfield. When a massed American attack was met by heavy resistance, the Americans backed off, called in air support and blasted the town for two days, reducing it to rubble. During the action, Brigadier General Don Starry, commander of the 11th Armored Cavalry, was wounded by grenade fragments and medevaced. May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ...

Ammunition crates under tarp at "The City"

On the following day, elements of the U.S. 1st Air Cavalry division entered what came to be called "The City", southwest of Snoul. The two-square mile PAVN complex contained over 400 thatched huts, storage sheds, and bunkers, each of which was packed with food, weapons, and ammunition. There were truck repair facilities, hospitals, a lumber yard, 18 mess halls, a pig farm, and even a swimming pool. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 574 pixel Image in higher resolution (1224 × 878 pixel, file size: 564 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made during the course of the persons... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 574 pixel Image in higher resolution (1224 × 878 pixel, file size: 564 KB, MIME type: image/jpeg) This image is a work of a U.S. Army soldier or employee, taken or made during the course of the persons...

Forty kilometers to the northeast, other Air Cavalry elements discovered a larger base on 6 May. Nicknamed "Rock Island East" after the U.S. Army's Rock Island Arsenal in Illinois, the area contained more than 6.5 million rounds of antiaircraft ammunition, 500,000 rifle rounds, thousands of rockets, several General Motors trucks, and several telephone switchboards.^[25] May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... RIA is a company located in the Phillipines. ... Official language(s) English Capital Springfield Largest city Chicago Area  Ranked 25th  - Total 57,918 sq mi (149,998 km²)  - Width 210 miles (340 km)  - Length 390 miles (629 km)  - % water 4. ... This article is about the company. ...

Due to increasing political and domestic turbulence in the U.S., President Nixon issued a directive on 7 May limiting the distance and duration of the U.S. operations in Cambodia to a depth of 30 kilometers (21.7 miles) and setting a deadline of 30 June for the withdrawal of all U.S. forces to South Vietnam. May 7 is the 127th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (128th in leap years). ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 184 days remaining. ...

While on patrol 20 kilometers northeast of "Rock Island East" on 23 May, a point man nicknamed Shaky from the Fifth Battalion, Seventh Cavalry, tripped over a metal plate buried just below the surface of the ground. The trooper was later killed by PAVN defenders, but the cache he had uncovered was the first of 59 buried storage bunkers at the site what was thereafter known as "Shakey's Hill." The bunkers contained thousands of cases of weapons and ammunition, which were turned over to the Cambodian army. May 23 is the 143rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (144th in leap years). ...

The one thing that was not found was COSVN. On 1 May a tape of Nixon's announcement of the incursion was played for General Abrams, "who must have cringed" when he heard the president state that the capture of the headquarters capture was one of the major objectives of the operation.^[26] MACV intelligence knew that the mobile and widely- dispersed headquarters would be difficult to locate. In response to a White House query before the fact, MACV had replied that "major COSVN elements are dispersed over approximately 110 square kilometers of jungle" and that "the feasibility of capturing major elements appears remote".^[27] COSVN, pronounced CÅŽS-vÄ­n and standing for Central Office, South Vietnam, was a Peoples Army of Vietnam (PAVN) military headquarters (HQ) during the Second Indochina War (Vietnam Conflict). ... May 1 is the 121st day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (122nd in leap years). ...

Supporting operations

Main articles: Operation Patio and Operation Freedom Deal

1st Air Cavalry troops examine PAVN ammunition at "The City"

During the first week of operations, additional battalion and brigade units were committed to the operation, so that between 6 and 24 May, a total of 90,000 allied troops (including 33 U.S. maneuver battalions) were conducting operations inside Cambodia. South Vietnamese forces were not constrained by the time and geographic limitations placed upon U.S. units. From the provincial capital of Svay Rieng ARVN elements pressed westward to Kampong Trabec, where on 14 May their 8th and 15th Armored Cavalry regiments defeated the 88th PAVN Infantry Regiment. On 23 May, the South Vietnamese pushed beyond the deepest U.S. penetrations and attacked the town of Krek. Combatants United States Republic of Vietnam Democratic Republic of Vietnam Khmer Rouge Operation Patio was a covert aerial interdiction effort conducted by the United States Seventh Air Force in Cambodia from 24-29 April 1970 during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Combatants United States Democratic Republic of Vietnam Khmer Rouge Operation Freedom Deal was a US Seventh Air Force interdiction and close air support campaign waged in Cambodia from 19 May 1970 until 15 August 1973, during the Vietnam Conflict. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 498 pixel Image in higher resolution (2240 × 1395 pixel, file size: 1. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 800 × 498 pixel Image in higher resolution (2240 × 1395 pixel, file size: 1. ... May 14 is the 134th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (135th in leap years). ... May 23 is the 143rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (144th in leap years). ...

In the II Corps area Operation Binh Tay I (Operation Tame the West) was launched by the 1st and 2nd Brigades of the U.S. Fourth Infanrty Division and the 40th ARVN Infantry Regiment against Base Area 702 (the traditional headquarters of the communist B-2 Front) in northeastern Cambodia from 5 May - 25 May. Assaulting via helicopter, initial American forces were driven back by antiaircraft fire. After airstrikes, the 3rd Battalion, 506th Infantry, landed without opposition. Its sister unit, the 1st Battalion, 14th Infantry was driven off by similar fire and did not return until the 6th. The 3rd Battalion, 8th Infantry inserted only 60 men before enemy fire (which shot doen one helicopter and damaged two others) shut down the landing zone, leaving them stranded overnight. A military division: Infantry Australian 4th Division British 4th Division (World War I) British 4th Infantry Division Indian 4th Infantry Division US 4th Infantry Division Armour Canadian 4th Armoured Division US 4th Armored Division Cavalry British 4th Cavalry Division This is a disambiguation page — a navigational aid which lists... May 5 is the 125th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (126th in leap years). ... May 25 is the 145th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (146th in leap years). ...

The rest of the battalion landed without opposition the next day. On the 7th, the divisions 2nd Brigade inserted its three battalions unopposed. After ten days (and only one significant firefight) the American troops left, leaving the area to the ARVN. Historian Shelby Stanton has noted that "there was a noted lack of aggressiveness" in the combat assault and that the division seemed to be "suffering from almost total combat paralysis."^[28] During Operation Binh Tay II, the 22nd ARVN Division moved against Base Area 702 from 14 May - 26 May. Operation Binh Tay II Phase II was carried out by ARVN forces against Base Area 701. From 20 May till 27 June the ARVN 22nd Division conducted operations against Base Area 740. May 14 is the 134th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (135th in leap years). ... May 26 is the 146th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (147th in leap years). ... May 20 is the 140th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (141st in leap years). ... June 27 is the 178th day of the year (179th in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 187 days remaining. ...

U.S. 25th Infantry troops move out of Ph Tasuos, Cambodia, 6 May 1970

In the III Corps Tactical Zone, Operation Toan Thang 44 (Operation Bold Lancer), an operation conducted by the 1st and 2nd Brigades of the U.S. 25th Infantry Division and the 3rd Brigade of the U.S. 9th Infantry Division crossed over the border 48 kilometers southwest of the Fishhook into an area known as the Dog's Head from 6 May - 30 June. The 3rd Brigade, of the 1st Air Cavalry Division also expanded operations in the Belly area north of An Loc in Phuoc Long Province from 6 May till 25 June. Image File history File links Size of this preview: 396 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (2232 × 3378 pixel, file size: 3. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 396 × 599 pixel Image in higher resolution (2232 × 3378 pixel, file size: 3. ... (Redirected from 25th Infantry Division) Patch of the United States Army 25th Infantry Division. ... Shoulder Sleeve Insignia of the 9th Infantry Division. ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 184 days remaining. ... May 6 is the 126th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (127th in leap years). ... June 25 is the 176th day of the year (177th in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 189 days remaining. ...

It was already too late for thousands of ethnic Vietnamese murdered by Cambodia persecution, but there were tens of thousands of Vietnamese still in Cambodia that could now be evacuated to safety. South Vietnamese President Nguyen Van Thieu arranged with Lon Nol to repatriate as many as were willing to leave (this did not prevent the Cambodian government from stripping them of their homes and other personal property). He then launched Operation Cuu Long, in which ARVN ground forces, including mechanized and armoured units, drove west and northwest up the eastern side of the Mekong River from 9 May - 1 July. A combined force of 110 Vietnamese Navy and 30 U.S. vessels proceeded up the Mekong to Prey Veng, permitting IV Corps ground forces to move westward to Phnom Penh and to aid ethnic Vietnamese seeking flight to South Vietnam. Those who did not wish to be repatriated were forcibly expelled.^[29] Surprisingly, North Vietnamese forces did not oppose the evacuation, though they could easily have done so.^[30] President Nguyen Van Thieu Nguyen Van Thieu, (April 5, 1923 – September 29, 2001) was a former General and President of South Vietnam. ... May 9 is the 129th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (130th in leap years). ... July 1 is the 182nd day of the year (183rd in leap years) in the Gregorian Calendar, with 183 days remaining. ...

Other operations conducted from IV Corps included Operation Cuu Long II (16 May - 24 May), which continued actions along the western side of the Mekong River. Lon Nol had requested that the ARVN help in the retaking of Kompong Speu (previously known as Sihanoukville), along Route 4 southwest of Phnom Penh and 90 miles inside Cambodia. A 4,000-man ARVN armoured task force linked up with Cambodian ground troops and retook the town. Operation Cuu Long III (24 May - 30 June) was an evolution of the previous operations after U.S. forces left Cambodia. May 16 is the 136th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (137th in leap years). ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... City motto: No motto City proper Province Phnom Penh Mayor Kep Chuktema ( ) Area 376 km² Population 2,009,264(2006) Density 5343. ... May 24 is the 144th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (145th in leap years). ... June 30 is the 181st day of the year (182nd in leap years) in the Gregorian calendar, with 184 days remaining. ...

After rescuing Vietnamese from the Cambodians, ARVN was tasked with relieving the city of Kompong Cham, 70 kilometers northwest of the capital and the site of Cambodian Military Region I's headquarters. On 23 May, General Tri led a column of 10,000 ARVN troops along Route 7 to the 180-acre Chup rubber plantation, where PAVN resistance was expected to be heavy. Surprisingly. there was no battle and the siege of Kompong Cham was lifted at a cost of 98 PAVN troops killed.^[31] May 23 is the 143rd day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (144th in leap years). ...

Vietnamese refugees disembark after rescue from Cambodia

Aerial operations for the incursion got off to a slow start. Reconnaissance flights over the operational area were restricted since MACV believed that they might serve as a signal of intention. The role of the Air Force in the planning for the incursion itself was minimal at best, in part to preserve the secrecy of Menu which was then considered an overture to the thrust across the border.^[32] Image File history File links Size of this preview: 380 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1860 × 2935 pixel, file size: 2. ... Image File history File links Size of this preview: 380 × 600 pixel Image in higher resolution (1860 × 2935 pixel, file size: 2. ...

On 17 April, General Abrams requested that the president approve Operation Patio, covert tactical airstrikes in support of Studies and Observations Group recon elements "across the fence" in Cambodia. This authorization was given, allowing U.S. aircraft to penetrate 13 miles into northeastern Cambodia. This boundary was extended to 29 miles along the entire frontier on 25 April. Patio was terminated on 18 May after 156 sorties had been flown.^[33] The last Menu mission was flown on 26 May. April 17 is the 107th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (108th in leap years). ... April 25 is the 115th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (116th in leap years). ... May 18 is the 138th day of the year in the Gregorian Calendar (139th in leap years). ... May 26 is the 146th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (147th in leap years). ...

During the incursion U.S. and ARVN ground units were supported by 6,000 aerial sorties or 210 per day. During operations in the "Fishook," for example, the USAF flew 3,047 sorties and the South Vietnamese Air Force 332.^[34] These tactical airstrikes were supplemented by 186 B-52 missions in the border regions.^[35] 30 May saw the inauguration of Operation Freedom Deal (as of 6 June), aerial interdiction strikes conducted in Cambodia. These missions were limited to a depth of 48-kilometers between the RVN border and the Mekong River. May 30 is the 150th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (151st in leap years). ... June 6 is the 157th day of the year in the Gregorian calendar (158th in leap years), with 208 days remaining // 1508 - Maximilian I, Holy Roman Emperor, is defeated in Friulia by Venetian forces; he is forced to sign a three-year truce and cede several territories to Venice 1513...

Within two months, however, the limit of the operational area was extended past the Mekong, and U.S. tactical aircraft were soon directly supporting Cambodian forces in the field.^[36] These missions were officially denied by the U.S. and false coordinates were given in official reports to hide their existence.^[37] Defense Department records indicated that out of more than 8,000 combat sorties flown in Cambodia between July 1970 and February 1971, approximately 40 percent were flown outside the authorized Freedom Deal boundary.