A Viet Cong unit penetrates the 13-mile defense perimeter around Saigon's Tan Son Nhut airport and shells the field for over four hours. South Vietnamese and U.S. security guards finally drove off the attackers, killing 18 of them in the process. One U.S. RF-101 reconnaissance jet was badly damaged in the attack. The guerrillas returned that same night and resumed the attack, but security guards again repelled them, killing 11 more Viet Cong during the second battle.
Also on This Day
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- Sports
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- Riverine force surrounds Viet Cong battalion, 1967
- World War I
- Psychiatrist reports on the phenomenon of shell shock, 1917
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- Polish Christians come to the aid of Polish Jews, 1942
Dec 4, 1966:
Viet Cong attack Tan Son Nhut airport
Fact Check We strive for accuracy and fairness. But if you see something that doesn't look right, contact us!
This Week in History, Dec 4 - Dec 10
- Dec 04, 1966
- Viet Cong attack Tan Son Nhut airport
- Dec 04, 1967
- Riverine force surrounds Viet Cong battalion
- Dec 05, 1964
- Army Captain awarded first Medal of Honor for action in Vietnam
- Dec 05, 1970
- North Vietnam announces it will not be intimidated by U.S. bombing
- Dec 06, 1961
- Operation Farm Gate combat missions authorized
- Dec 06, 1972
- Fighting continues in South Vietnam while negotiators talk in Paris
- Dec 07, 1964
- Situation deteriorates in South Vietnam
- Dec 07, 1965
- McNamara predicts that more U.S. troops will be needed
- Dec 08, 1965
- Operation Tiger Hound launched
- Dec 08, 1966
- North Vietnam rejects Johnson's prisoner exchange proposal
- Dec 08, 1969
- Nixon declares Vietnam War is ending
- Dec 09, 1965
- Newspaper reports on bombing over North Vietnam
- Dec 09, 1971
- Paris peace talks break down
- Dec 10, 1970
- Calley trial defense begins
- Dec 10, 1972
- Breakthrough appears near in Paris peace talks
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