Timeline

1973

Discover what happened in this year with HISTORY’s summaries of major events, anniversaries, famous births and notable deaths.

Mar

29

Vietnam War

U.S. troops withdraw from Vietnam

March 29, 1973: Two months after the signing of the Vietnam peace agreement, the last U.S. combat troops leave South Vietnam as Hanoi frees many of the remaining American prisoners of war held in North Vietnam. America’s direct eight-year intervention in the Vietnam War was at an end.

American Troops Boarding A Jet

(Original Caption) Infantrymen of the Ninth Division line up at Ton Son Nhut Airport here on July 8th to board C141 jet transports for their flight back to the U.S. 814 soldiers were making the trip home. It was the beginning of President Nixon's plan to withdraw 25,000 troops from South Vietnam.

Bettmann Archive

Jun

09

Sports

Secretariat wins Triple Crown in breathtaking style

With a spectacular victory at the Belmont Stakes, Secretariat becomes the first horse since Citation in 1948 to win America’s coveted Triple Crown: the Kentucky Derby, the Preakness and the Belmont Stakes. In one of the finest performances in racing history, Secretariat, ridden by Ron Turcotte, completed the 1.5-mile race in 2 minutes and 24 seconds, a dirt-track record for that distance.

Secretariat wins Belmont Stakes by record 31-lengths, completes 1973 Triple Crown

Elmont, N.Y.: Jockey Ron Turcotte aboard Secretariat looks behind for the other horses on his way to a 31-lengths victory in the Belmont Stakes in Elmont, New York on June 9, 1973, to complete the first Triple Crown in 25 years. Over 69,000 spectators in the grandstand witnessed history being made. (Photo by Joe Dombroski/Newsday RM via Getty Images)

Newsday RM via Getty Images

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