1959
U.S. Military Assistance and Advisory Group (MAAG) trains Vietnamese forces under Lieutenant General Samuel Williams.
July 8: The Vietnam War claims its first American casualties.
1960
John F. Kennedy elected President; he presses for expansion of U.S. Special Forces.
Lieutenant General Lionel McGarr assumes command in Vietnam.
1961
First U.S. Special Forces deployed to Vietnam.
1962
Major General Charles Timmes assumes command in Vietnam; counter insurgency escalates; additional advisors sent.
February 8: Military Assistance Command Vietnam (MACV) established under General Paul Harkins.
Two Minnesotans are killed or declared missing.
1963
November 1: Overthrow of Diem government; assassination of Diem and his brother Nhu.
November 22: John F. Kennedy assassinated; Lyndon Johnson becomes President.
Three Minnesotans are killed or declared missing.
1964
August 7: Congress passes Gulf of Tonkin Resolution after U.S. destroyer reports attack by
North Vietnamese patrol boats off the coast of Vietnam.
President Johnson orders attack on North Vietnamese patrol boat bases.
June 20: General William C. Westmoreland assumes command of MACV.
Two Minnesotans are killed or declared missing.
1965
March 2: Operation Rolling Thunder begins.
March 8: The first U.S. Marine infantry battalion arrives in Da Nang.
December 31: U.S. troop strength in Vietnam is 200,000.
33 Minnesotans are killed or declared missing.
1966
April 12: First B-52 raids on North Vietnam.
112 Minnesotans are killed or declared missing.
1967
January: Operation Cedar Falls begins in the Iron Triangle near Saigon.
February 12: Operation Junction City begins northwest of Saigon.
December 31: U.S. troop strength is nearly 500,000.
211 Minnesotans are killed or declared missing.
1968
January 30-31: The Tet Offensive begins.
February 24: Hue retaken by U.S. and South Vietnamese forces, ending the Tet Offensive.
March 16: My Lai 4 incident occurs.
March 31: President Johnson restricts the bombing of North Vietnam and announces he will not seek re-election.
April 5: Siege at Khe Sanh broken.
May 11: Paris Peace Talks begin.
June 10: General Creighton Abrams assumes command of U.S. forces in Vietnam.
June 24: Vietnam becomes the longest armed conflict in U.S. history.
August 26-29: Police and anti-war demonstrators clash violently outside Democratic convention in Chicago.
November 6: Nixon elected President.
December 31: 540,000 Americans are in Vietnam.
333 Minnesotans are killed or declared missing.
1969
June 8: Nixon withdraws 25,000 American troops.
December 31: U.S. troop strength drops to 480,000.
245 Minnesotans are killed or declared missing.
1970
April 30: U.S. and South Vietnamese forces invade Cambodia.
May 4: Four Kent State students killed by National Guard troops.
December 31: U.S. troop strength falls to 280,000.
122 Minnesotans are killed or declared missing.
1971
December 31: U.S. troop strength totals 140,000.
49 Minnesotans are killed or declared missing.
1972
May 8: Haiphong Harbor mined, bombing of North stepped up.
March 30: Easter Offensive begins.
December 31: U.S. combat troops number less than 30,000.
12 Minnesotans are killed or declared missing.
1973
January 27: Agreement reached between U.S. and North Vietnam to end the war.
March 29: U.S. ceases offensive ground operations; majority of U.S. troops leave South Vietnam.
April 1: Last American POWs released by North Vietnam arrive at Clark Air Force Base.
Three Minnesotans killed or declared missing.
1974
North Vietnam escalates fighting against South Vietnam.
1975
April 30: Saigon falls to North Vietnamese forces; the war ends.
Total American military personnel killed or declared missing: 58,220.
Total Minnesotans killed or declared missing: 1,127, with 35 known still missing.