August 16

This Day in History

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Lead Story
Gold discovered in the Yukon, 1896
American Revolution
Continentals routed at Camden, South Carolina, 1780
Automotive
Los Angeles jury clears John Z. DeLorean of drug charges, 1984
Civil War
Confederate General John Chambliss is killed, 1864
Cold War
Paul Robeson loses appeal over his passport, 1955
Crime
Auto exec DeLorean cleared in drug-trafficking case, 1984
Disaster
Plane crashes into highway, 1987
General Interest
Detroit surrenders without a fight, 1812
Babe Ruth dies, 1948
Moroccan king survives attack by own air force, 1972
Elvis Presley dies, 1977
Hollywood
Madonna born, 1958
Literary
Poet Charles Bukowski is born, 1920
Music
The Ramones play their first public gig at CBGB's in downtown Manhattan, 1974
Old West
George Carmack discovers Klondike gold, 1896
Presidential
Tyler is burned in effigy outside White House, 1841
Sports
Batter sustains fatal injury at plate, 1920
Vietnam War
General Khanh ousts General Minh as chief of state, 1964
Congress investigates antiwar demonstrators, 1966
Tonkin Gulf Resolution challenged, 1967
Heavy air attacks on North Vietnam, 1972
World War I
Battle of Langemarck, 1917
World War II
Senior U.S. POW is released, 1945

Vietnam War

Aug 16, 1972:

Heavy air attacks on North Vietnam

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U.S. fighter-bombers fly 370 air strikes against North Vietnam, the highest daily total of the year; additionally, there are eight B-52 strikes in the North. Meanwhile, U.S. warplanes flew 321 missions (including 27 B-52 strikes) in South Vietnam, mostly in Quang Tri province. Despite this heavy air activity, hopes for an agreement to end the war rise as Henry Kissinger leaves Paris to confer with President Thieu and his advisers.

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This Week in History, Aug 16 - Aug 22

Aug 16, 1964
General Khanh ousts General Minh as chief of state
Aug 16, 1966
Congress investigates antiwar demonstrators
Aug 16, 1967
Tonkin Gulf Resolution challenged
Aug 16, 1972
Heavy air attacks on North Vietnam
Aug 17, 1968
117,000 combat missions flown over North Vietnam in three years
Aug 17, 1973
U.S. troops to withdraw from Thailand
Aug 18, 1965
Marines launch Operation Starlite
Aug 18, 1966
Australians defeat VC at Long Tan
Aug 18, 1968
Communists launch new offensive
Aug 18, 1971
Australia and New Zealand decide to withdraw troops from Vietnam
Aug 19, 1968
Many Americans against a bombing halt
Aug 19, 1970
Cambodia and U.S. sign military aid pact
Aug 19, 1972
Democratic candidate McGovern attacks Nixon policy in Vietnam
Aug 20, 1954
United States decides to support Diem
Aug 20, 1971
Minh and Ky withdraw from presidential race
Aug 20, 1974
Military aid to Saigon slashed
Aug 21, 1963
Nhu's Special Forces attack the Buddhists
Aug 21, 1965
U.S. pilots given green light to go after anti-aircraft missiles in the North
Aug 21, 1969
Nixon meets with South Korean President
Aug 21, 1971
Antiwar protestors raid draft offices
Aug 22, 1962
Kennedy reports stalemate in Vietnam
Aug 22, 1967
Graduated bombing policy condemned
Aug 22, 1968
VC repudiates Johnson's peace overture
Aug 22, 1972
Demonstrators disrupt Republican National Convention in Miami Beach

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