Sunday marks 50 years since U.S. combat troops arrived in Vietnam

DA NANG, Vietnam (WLS) -- Sunday marks 50 years since United States combat troops arrived in Vietnam when two battalions made up of hundreds of Marines landed in Da Nang on March 8, 1965.

They originally went to help the South Vietnam government defeat communist forces.

The U.S. sent in more troops over the next few years, peaking at 543,000 in April, 1969.

More than 58,000 U.S. troops lost their lives in the war. The last U.S. troops left the country in March 1973.