What was the Lam Son offensive?
Operation Lam Son 719 or 9th Route – Southern Laos Campaign (Vietnamese: Chiến dịch Lam Sơn 719 or Chiến dịch đường 9 – Nam Lào) was a limited-objective offensive campaign conducted in the southeastern portion of the Kingdom of Laos.
Who won operation Lam Son 719?
In fact, Lam Son 719 was far from a victory. Some South Vietnamese units had fought valiantly in Laos; others had not. The cost of the fighting had been high. Saigon reported the operation had resulted in 1,160 government troops killed, 4,271 wounded and 240 missing.
What happened in Operation Lam Son 719?
Operation Lam Son 719 was a crucial test of Vietnamization that began on 8 February 1971. The United States provided air and artillery support for 16,000 elite troops from Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) who crossed the border into Laos and raided the Ho Chi Minh Trail.
Was Operation Lam Son 719 a success or failure?
Lam Son 719 was supposed to last 90 to 120 days. It was to be the first real test of Vietnamization, the Nixon Administration plan to turn the war over to South Vietnam. The campaign ended in failure after only 60 days.
Why did Vietnam veterans throw away their medals?
The veterans were there to protest the brutal and unwinnable war that the United States was perpetrating in Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia — the war in which those veterans earned those medals and ribbons in the first place.
How many helicopters were shot down in Vietnam?
According to the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association, a total of 11,846 helicopters were shot down or crashed during the war, resulting in nearly 5,000 American pilots and crew killed.
What did 800 Vietnam veterans do with their medals at the protest?
A little less than fifty years ago in 1971, over 800 Vietnam War veterans gathered in Washington, D.C. and ceremonially threw their medals, ribbons, and other markers of military valor onto the grounds in front of the Capitol.
What do veterans suffer from the most?
The three most common mental health concerns for veterans are Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), depression and Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI).
What mental disorders disqualify you from the military?
Disturbances of conduct, impulse control disorder, oppositional defiant disorder, or other personality or behavior disorders characterized by frequent encounters with law enforcement agencies, and antisocial attitudes or behavior also warrant disqualification from service.