B6 | THE FLAGSHIP | JUL 2, 2015 | FLAGSHIPNEWS.COM
U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO Marines from the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade arrive at Da Nang, Vietnam.
1965
Marines began to engage in counterinsurgency operations
1967
20 YEARS IN VIETNAM: THE MARINE STORY BY CARRIE ANDERSON Comparatively speaking, the U.S. Marine Corps played a big role in the Vietnam War providing ground, air, supply and logistic support throughout the course of the war. Initially, their role started small. The Marine Corps was in country to provide advice and combat service support to the South Vietnamese army. Their role grew quickly, however, once they were tasked with protecting a key airbase at Da Nang. By March 1965, 5,000 Marines were on the ground in response to the growing threat to the Da Nang airbase. It was in this year that the Marines already stationed at Da Nang were allowed to engage in counterinsurgency operations, rather than merely providing defensive support. These Marines pioneered the use of Combined Action Platoons, which involved a local Vietnamese militia platoon and a Marine Corps infantry squad fighting side by side. With the escalation of the conflict, the Marines’ area of responsibility expanded to include, not only the areas around Da Nang, but also the villages to the south. By the end of the year, there were 42,000 Marines throughout Vietnam. In addition to ground combat, the Marine Corps provided air support from helicopter squadrons and
fixed-wing aircraft, striking targets in South and North Vietnam. As the fighting increased, the Marines were called upon to conduct two very different missions: traditional operations against the North Vietnamese along the demilitarized zone (DMZ) in the north, and guerrilla-style counterinsurgency operations against the Viet Cong in the south. The Marine Corps presence in Vietnam almost doubled in 1967 to 70,000, in order to fulfill these two missions. In 1967, Marines began construction of the illfated McNamara Line, which was planned to be a series of strong points, sensors and obstacles designed to detect and prevent incursions across the DMZ. The project was a target for heavy fire from the North Vietnamese from the start, and was never completed. Despite the failure of the McNamara Line, the Marines had successfully blunted the flow of North Vietnamese soldiers through the DMZ by the end of 1967. The Tet Offensive in 1968 was a turning point for Marines in Vietnam. Despite successfully defeating the North Vietnamese on all fronts, including a 26-day siege against the city of Hue to clear out the North Vietnamese army, the televised images cemented the American public’s distaste for the war and resulted in significant pressure on President Lyndon B. Johnson and his successor President
U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO A Mechanical mule, foreground, waits to receive supplies on Hill 327 from a Marine Corps helicopter amidst a cloud of dust produced by the rotor blades.
U.S. MARINE CORPS PHOTO Marines land at Da Nang beach on LPU 1476 landing tanks from USS Vancouver (LPD 2).
TELL US YOUR VIETNAM STORY If you have a story or photos you would like to share, please contact Carrie Anderson at carrie.anderson@militarynews.com or 757-222-3983.
1975
Marines began evacuating U.S. Embassies in Phnom Penh and Saigon
Marines began construction of the illfated McNamara Line.
Marines pioneered the use of Combined Action Platoons. Richard Nixon, to start drawing down American troops. In 1969, while 1st Marine Division fought in major engagements around Da Nang, the 3rd Marine Division was heading back to Okinawa. By 1971, the 1st Marine Division and 3rd Marine Aircraft Wing departed for the U.S. and Japan. But the role of the Marines in Vietnam was not over yet. While no Marine Corps troops were on the ground, Marine Corps advisors remained behind to help the South Vietnamese army and played a crucial role in the 1972 Easter Offensive; their actions resulted in the awarding of the Navy Cross to three individual Marine Corps captains. In 1975, the Marines were also responsible for evacuating the U.S. embassies in Phnom Penh and Saigon before the two cities fell to the advancing enemy forces. Immediately following those evacuations, they were tasked with rescuing the crew of the SS Mayaguez after its capture by the Khmer Rouge.