The Battle of the Ia Drang Classroom Pack: Reading, Timeline, Map and Source Questions, Answer Key + "Why November 11?" Veterans Day Opener (Grades 7–12, Printable PDF)

A ready-to-print, single-topic lesson on the Battle of the Ia Drang (November 14–16, 1965) for middle school, high school and homeschool history, with a one-page "Why November 11?" opener for Veterans Day. It asks one question: when the landing zone was closed to medical evacuation, how many times did two volunteer helicopter pilots fly back in, 14 or 22? (Want quick quizzes across three battles instead? See our Quiz & Worksheet Pack covering Berlin, Midway and Ia Drang: https://payhip.com/b/icWqZ?utm_source=payhip&utm_medium=product_page&utm_campaign=vetday26&utm_content=quiz_pack)

What's inside:

- "Why November 11?": a one-page Veterans Day opener with an 8-row timeline from the 1918 armistice to the 1975 law returning the holiday to November 11, citing the Department of Veterans Affairs and President Eisenhower's 1954 proclamation, plus 3 warm-up questions

- A reading passage, "Fourteen Flights or Twenty-Two," on the 16-helicopter lift into Landing Zone X-Ray, the fifth lift that was waved off, the rule that kept medical evacuation helicopters out, and the volunteer flights of Bruce Crandall and Ed Freeman

- A 16-entry timeline, from the October 19 attack on Plei Me to the 2001 and 2007 Medal of Honor ceremonies

- A 10-term vocabulary list

- 10 comprehension questions and 3 discussion prompts

- Map and primary-source questions: students sketch a map from the sources' own directions and read an excerpt from a Medal of Honor citation

- An exit ticket and a full answer key

- A sources page with 10 cited sources, including four U.S. Army Center of Military History histories, the official citations, and the VA's history of Veterans Day

Where sources disagree (14 or 22 flights, 121 or 130 wounded), the pack gives both figures. Question 10 asks students to find those disagreements.

6 printable pages, US Letter PDF. No images inside.

Want the full story with art? See the Ia Drang Collection (illustrated ebook plus 3 printable posters): https://payhip.com/b/bQ4pM?utm_source=payhip&utm_medium=product_page&utm_campaign=vetday26&utm_content=collection

Written with AI assistance, then edited and fact-checked by hand. Licensed for one teacher's own classroom or homeschool.

Not affiliated with or endorsed by the U.S. military or the Department of War (Department of Defense). Original cover artwork, no insignia.