Gen. William Westmoreland, commander of U.S. Military Assistance Command Vietnam, welcomes 1,200 Thai troops as they arrive in Saigon. By 1969, Thai forces in Vietnam would number more than 12,000. The effort to get additional "Free World Military Forces" to participate in the war in support of South Vietnam was part of President Lyndon Johnson's "Many Flags" program. Under this program, 40 nations would send aid and assistance to the Saigon government. However, only five nations--Thailand, Australia, New Zealand, Korea, and the Philippines--sent troops. A total of 351 Thai soldiers were killed in action in Vietnam.
Also on This Day
- Lead Story
- Benedict Arnold commits treason, 1780
- American Revolution
- Spaniards capture Baton Rouge, 1779
- Automotive
- Nils Bohlin, inventor of the three-point seatbelt, dies at 82, 2002
- Civil War
- Union General John Reynolds is Born, 1820
- Cold War
- Mao Zedong outlines the new Chinese government, 1949
- Crime
- A 13-year-old's dead body turns up, 1983
- Disaster
- Earthquake kills thousands in Taiwan, 1999
- General Interest
- Monarchy abolished in France, 1792
- The Great New England Hurricane, 1938
- Powell becomes Joint Chiefs' chairman, 1989
- Hollywood
- Clooney makes Facts of Life debut, 1985
- Literary
- H.G. Wells is born, 1866
- Music
- Jeannie C. Riley is the first woman to top the Country and Pop charts simultaneously, 1968
- Old West
- The great Nez Perce leader Chief Joseph dies in Washington, 1904
- Presidential
- FDR urges repeal of Neutrality Act embargo provisions, 1939
- Sports
- Carlton gets 3,118th strikeout, 1981
- Vietnam War
- 5th Special Forces Group is activated at Fort Bragg, 1961
- Thai troops arrive in Saigon, 1967
- World War I
- Central Powers respond to Papal Peace Note, 1917
- World War II
- The Superfortress takes flight, 1942
Sep 21, 1967:
Thai troops arrive in Saigon
Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!
This Week in History, Sep 21 - Sep 27
- Sep 21, 1961
- 5th Special Forces Group is activated at Fort Bragg
- Sep 21, 1967
- Thai troops arrive in Saigon
- Sep 22, 1964
- Goldwater attacks Johnson's Vietnam policy
- Sep 22, 1971
- Medina is acquitted of all charges
- Sep 23, 1965
- South Vietnam executes three accused VC agents
- Sep 23, 1969
- Chicago 8 trial opens in Chicago
- Sep 24, 1963
- McNamara and Taylor assess situation in Vietnam
- Sep 24, 1967
- Political instability continues in South Vietnam
- Sep 25, 1969
- Congressional opponents of Nixon Vietnam policy renew opposition
- Sep 26, 1945
- First American soldier killed in Vietnam
- Sep 26, 1969
- Nixon responds to critics
- Sep 27, 1967
- Antiwar sentiment increases
- Sep 27, 1969
- Thieu comments on Nixon's Vietnamization policy
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