U.S. ground troop buildup and major operations in Vietnam (1965–1969)

1. Rolling Thunder bombing campaign begins

   Mar 2, 1965Labels: Operation Rolling, North Vietnam, US Air

   • USAF Museum
   • Britannica
   • History com

2. First U.S. combat troops land at Da Nang

   Mar 8, 1965Labels: Da Nang, US Marines, Air Base

   • AP News
   • UPI

3. Operation Starlite launches first major U.S. offensive

   Aug 18, 1965Labels: Operation Starlite, US Marines, Chu Lai

   • Operation Starlite

4. Battle of Ia Drang tests airmobile warfare

   Nov 14, 1965Labels: Battle of, US Army, Airmobile Warfare

   • Britannica

5. Operation Masher (White Wing) expands large search-and-destroy actions

   Jan 24, 1966Labels: Operation Masher, B nh, Search-and-Destroy

   • Operation Masher

6. Operation Hastings pushes fighting toward the DMZ

   Jul 15, 1966Labels: Operation Hastings, DMZ, US Marines

   • Operation Hastings

7. Operation Attleboro opens a long War Zone C campaign

   Sep 14, 1966Labels: Operation Attleboro, War Zone, Tay Ninh

   • Operation Attleboro
   • Virtual Wall

8. Operation Cedar Falls targets the Iron Triangle

   Jan 8, 1967Labels: Operation Cedar, Iron Triangle, US Forces

   • Cedar Falls

9. Operation Junction City strikes War Zone C

   Feb 22, 1967Labels: Operation Junction, War Zone, Cambodian Border

   • Junction City
   • 16th Infantry

10. Battle of Dak To underscores border-area attrition fighting

    Nov 3, 1967Labels: Battle of, Central Highlands, Attrition Warfare

    • Dak To

11. Tet Offensive begins with nationwide attacks

    Jan 31, 1968Labels: Tet Offensive, Viet Cong, North Vietnam

    • Britannica
    • State Dept

12. My Lai massacre exposes deep crisis in U.S. ground war

    Mar 16, 1968Labels: My Lai, S n, US Army

    • PBS
    • My Lai

13. Operation Dewey Canyon signals end of an era for Marine offensives

    Jan 22, 1969Labels: Operation Dewey, A Shau, 3rd Marine

    • Dewey Canyon

14. U.S. troop strength peaks as strategy comes under pressure

    Apr 1, 1969Labels: US Troop, US Forces, Vietnam 1969

    • U S Army
    • 1969 overview

15. Battle of Hamburger Hill sparks backlash and marks a turning point

    May 13, 1969Labels: Battle of, Hill 937, Operation Apache

    • Hamburger Hill
    • History com

16. U.S. announces withdrawal of 25,000 troops

    Jun 9, 1969Labels: 1970 Troop, Nixon Administration, US Troops

    • U S Army