Vietnam War

The Battle of Ia Drang in November 1965 was the first major encounter between the People Army of North Vietnam (PAVN or North Vietnamese Army – NVA) and the US Army during the Vietnam War.

1/ US Troops’ Arrival in Vietnam in 1965

On March 8th, 1965 the fist US combat troops arrived in Da Nang and Vung Tau South Vietnam. In Da Nang, it was the 3rd Battalions of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB). The ground deployment of US combat troops in South Vietnam heralded their direct engagements in the battlefields and their leading role in major military operations. The role of the troops of South Vietnam Republic turned to mostly pacification operations in the countryside.