TimelineContinued

Vietnam, 1967 - The Navy forms Meking Delta Mobile Riverine Force to support 9th Infantry Division operations.

Vietnam, 1967 - The first US Air Force scout dogs arrived at Phu Cat Air Force Base. In the beginning Air Force unit commanders had no idea on how to effectively use them and considered them the same as sentry dogs. But, from January to July '67, they conducted 30 patrols, 54 ambush blocking force positions, 430 outposts and 152 camp security patrols...and their role was now firmly established.

Stateside, 1967 - November, the United States establishes its own Combat Tracking Team Center at the US Army Military Police School at Fort Gordon.

Thailand, 1968 - The first Air Force sentry dogs arrived in Thailand, at U-Tapao Royal Thai Air Force Base, Sattahip, with the 635th Security Police.

Vietnam, 1968 - The Army deployed ten tracker teams to Nam and added a final one late in 1969.

Stateside, 1968 - Towards the end of the year, the army began to train off leash dogs, at Fort Benning; they would be assinged to Vietnam by the beginning of 1969.

Vietnam, 1969 - USARV War Dog Training Detachment, set up at Bien Hoa, for the training and deployment center for all dogs and handlers in South Vietnam.

Vietnam, 1969 - Army scout dog teams peaked on January 20 with the arrival of the 37th IPSD, they became the 22nd scout dog platoon deployed to Vietnam.

Thailand, 1969 - July: VC sappers atacked Ubon RTAFB; and again in January 1970. During the atacks two handlers were wounded, one dog was killed in action and another two dogs were wounded. Thailand was considered safe duty.

Vietnam, 1969 - The Mine Dog (not used since WWII) and the new Tunnel dogs arrived in Vietnam for tests. Results were mixed depending on the ability of the hander to 'read' his dogs. In hindsight, both types of dogs were under utilized.

Vietnam, 1969 - The last battle death of an air force canine sentry took place on January 29th, at Phan Rang Air Force Base.

Okinawa, 1969 - PACAF Sentry Dog Training Center was relocated to Kadena Air Base, from Showa, Japan, to be closer to the war zone.

Vietnam, 1969 - July, the army began to withdraw its combat tracker teams.

Okinawa, 1970 - January 1st, the Dog Training Center at Kadena was officially renamed the PACAF MWD Training Center. On December 28th, it moved into a newly constructed facility.

Thailand, 1970 - Air Force personnel started K-9 training for members of the Royal Thai Army and Air Force.

Vietnam, 1970 - The drawdown starts, dogs are turned over to the ARVN, who already had more dogs than it could handle. Never the less, more dogs were turned over to ARVN, who now had a canine force in excess of 700 dogs.

"As the Vietnam War neared an end in 1971, the idea of going home was greatly welcomed by the troops, but the dog handlers were worried what would happen to their dogs? After all, the dogs were catergorized as 'equipment' and therefore were expendable. A number of handlers tried to get permission to take their dogs home with them, but the military said it was afraid that these dogs would carry disease, and said, 'no.'

When the handlers appealed for support from the American public, Congress (and press), the Department of Defense seemed to have a change of heart. Hundreds of dogs were placed in quarantine as a first step towards being sent to the US. But then, the Government reversed its position, feeling that the risks were too great. The handlers were told that the World Health Organization had passed a ruling saying that no animals were to come out of Vietnam. But it wasn't true."

Vietnam, 1971 - May 3rd, two C-5A transports arrived at Long Binh, to pick up 120 dog returnees. Of this number, 15 scout dogs were left in Okinawa and the rest made it back to the US to Lackland AB and Fort Benning.

The only other dogs that made it back to the US were a 'war hero,' who returned earlier, Nemo and Turk. Turk was brought back to help a former handler, who layed near death in a coma. The handler died while Turk was en route and the dog was returned overseas, after several days at Fort Benning.

Vietnam, 1971 - June, the Marines, who were first in Nam with scout dogs, withdrew their remaining scout dog platoons from the theatre of operation.

Stateside, 1971 - With the start of the phased withdrawal of American troops from Vietnam, the US began to dismantle its MWD programs at home. The army dog training school at Fort Gordon was closed.

Vietnam, 1972 - By June, the last American combat troops had left Vietnam. As the letter of the Paris Accords stated, all war combatants, both American and North Vietnameses, were to be withdrawn from the contested areas; however, the North Vietnameses ignored the agreement and continued the war against the South for another thirty-four months.

The ARVN, hopelessly weakened, without the support of American troops and US resources, fought a loosing battle, slowly retreating south, inch-by-inch.