General
Appointed Commander of US Military Assistance Command in Vietnam
Historical biography archive · Updated 2026-11-03
William Westmoreland Biography and Timeline
Follow William Westmoreland through 28 dated historical records for United States of America.
William Westmoreland, historical timeline
A chronological timeline drawn from matching World History Database records.
28Distinct records
1 of 1Page
1964–1968Years on this page
1964
General
Appointed Commander of US Military Assistance Command in Vietnam
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1964-1972
1965
Siege of Da Nang
General Westmoreland requests 2 battalions of US Marines to protect the American air base at Da Nang from 6000 Vietcong
Role range: 1960-1975
Siege of Da Nang
The 1st US combat troops arrive in Vietnam as 3500 Marines land at China Beach to defend the American air base at Da Nang
Role range: 1960-1975
Bombing of Vietnam
McNamara & Westmorland agree to use B52s for conventional bombing in South Vietnam
Role range: 1960-1975
Mobilization
McNamara, Westmoreland, Wheeler, William Bundy & Ambassador Taylor recommend to the President sending another 40,000 combat soldiers
Role range: 1960-1975
Operation Arc Light
Operation Light I, bombing of Ben Cat Special Zone Viet Cong base, a limited success
Role range: 1960-1975
US Combat Escalation
Receives expanded US combat forces after Johnson's escalation decision
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1964-1968
Battle of Ia Drang
Commands US strategy during the Ia Drang campaign
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1964-1968
Operation Arc Light
B-52s support US ground forces for the 1st time
Role range: 1960-1975
Mobilization
Cables Washington requesting 200,000 more troops in 1966
Role range: 1960-1975
Operation Arc Light
82 B-52Ds are modified to carry 42 750-pound bombs
Role range: 1960-1975
Bombing of Laos
Arc Light sorties hit Laos
Role range: 1960-1975
Operation Arc Light
Arc Light sorties hit Laos
Role range: 1960-1975
US Combat Troop Request
Requests substantial US combat forces for the war in Vietnam
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1964-1968
Battle of Drang
US victory in west-central Vietnam near the Kampuchean border
Role range: 1960-1975
Operation Arc Light
Arc Light sorties hit Laos. 82 B-52Ds are modified to carry 42 750-pound bombs. B52s are deployed for bombing in tth Vietnam against Battle targets & Viet Cong bases
Role range: 1960-1975
Siege of Drang
Highlights greater than expected North Vietnamese penetration into South Vietnam
Role range: 1960-1975
1967
Mobilization
Urges expansion of ground operations in Laos & Kampuchea. Requests 200,000 troops, rising to 670,000
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1964-1972
National Press Club Speech
Tells US audiences that progress is being made in Vietnam
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1964-1968
Progress Speech
Tells US audiences that the war is showing progress
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1964-1968
1968
Niagra
Orders Operation Niagra after the Viet Cong strke Khe Sanh
Role range: 1960-1975
Tet Emergency
Commands US forces as communist attacks hit cities across South Vietnam
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1964-1968
Tet Offensive
Commands US forces during the Tet Offensive
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1964-1968
Operation Arc Light
McNamara approves a sortie rate of 1,200 effective from 1st Feb
Role range: 1960-1975
Operation Light Arc
The monthly sortie rate is increased to 1,800
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1968-1972
General
Appointed Chief of Staff for the US Army
General
Appointed Chief of Staff of the Army
Role range: 1960-1975 – 1968-1972
Records, sources and methodology
These dates and descriptions come from the historical_events database. Exact duplicate records have been collapsed. Names are grouped by the country, Name 2 and Name 1 fields; records with missing Name 2 cannot be reliably assigned to an individual biography. Check the underlying sources before formal citation.