"I don't think this happened during the '65 riot."
Wrong!
Wrong!
SEMP Biot #144: The Flawed Emergency Response to the 1992
Los Angeles Riots PART C
November 30, 2004
At about 9:00 pm on April 29, 1992, Wilson’s office, at Bradley’s request, contacted the Adjutant General of the California National Guard, Major General Robert Thrasher, who at 9:15 pm ordered troop mobilization, which meant the troops would be “in their armories” in about six hours.
By 4 am on April 30, 1992, 2,000 Guard troops had reported to about ten armories in the city area. The goal of getting the troops on the streets by 4 pm, April 30, was hindered by failure to assign which agency would coordinate the Guard’s involvement, deciding what its missions would be, and estimating how many more troops ultimately might be called up. Unknown to Thrasher and Wilson, most of the troops weren’t really trained to respond to a riot. As a result, commanders at the armories trained the troops on the spot.
Troops had to read and sign a copy of the Rules of Engagement, which emphasized the importance of restraint, so that soldiers “wouldn’t leave themselves open to charges, such as those that arose after the Watts riots, of having fired on rioters without adequate cause.” (C, p. 5)
A constraint quickly became apparent: there were insufficient ammunition and basic equipment, such as flak vests, face shields, and riot batons, available in the armories. _________________________________________________________
Yes, it was the '92 riots, you just have your era's and riots mixed up.