Marine Corps History

1. Marine Corps History Vietnam War 1962-1975 Pages 84-92

2. Political Unrest • North: Socialized Govt. support >[China & USSR] • South: Democratic Govt. support >[USA & others] • Business Men = were madeemployees of the State • Land was seized = owners treated as criminals • The people of Vietnam revolted • The North Vietnamese Army restored order

3. The Revolt • Ho Chi Minh wanted a unified Vietnam • The South did not want to fall under communist rule • The North formed: “The People’s Revolutionary Party for the South” • 1965: The North began infiltrating the South

4. 1962-1965Marines provided transportation to the South Vietnamese Government

5. 15 April 1962 : HMH-362 arrived at Soc Trang to provide mobility to the South Vietnamese forces.

6. September 1962: Marine Helicopters established an Air Base at DaNang

7. Feb 1965: • Viet Cong : attacked US military installations • President Johnson : ordered the bombing of North Vietnamese military targets

8. 6 March 1965: Two battalions of Marines sent to South Vietnam at the request of Saigon Government.

9. 1965: Marines had operational control of the 5 northern provinces. (225 milesx 50 miles) 17 degrees

10. Marines built another airfield at Chu Lai for Jets(55 miles south of Da Nang)

11. By the end of 1965: • 4 Marine Regiments in country: 3rd, 4th, 7th, & 9th Infantry Regiments • 4 Marine Air Groups in country: 11th, 12th, 16th, & 36th MAG’s

12. First ground operation by Marines: • 18 August 1965 • V.C. were going to attack Chu Lai airbase • Operation Starlite • Marines successfully used “Vertical Envelopment”

13. Vertical Envelopment: • Inserting Marines behind enemy defensive lines

14. Pacification Program: • Free villages of V.C. influences • Provide security for villages • Improve quality of life in villages through civic action programs

15. Combined Action Program • Marines would : • Live and work among villagers • Train south Vietnamese to provide security for themselves • Require the South Vietnamese forces to takeover responsibility of security for their villages

16. 1965 • Operation Golden Fleece: • Ensured farmers were able to harvest their crops • Keep the food supply out of V.C. hands

17. 1965 • Operation County Fair: • To help the villages with health & sanitation problems • Marines : dug wells, built schools, funded orphanages, supplied hospitals, distributed food, etc…

18. 1966 + 1967 • V.C. stopped major confrontations with U.S. Marines • Marines were victorious in all major confrontations with V.C. & N.V.A. • V.C. began heavy Guerrilla & Terrorist activity (sniper & ambush)

19. 1968 • The “TET” Offensive • A truce was agreed upon for: 27 Jan - 3 Feb in observance of the Lunar Holiday “Tet” • NVA & VC attacked all major military bases

20. Hue fell to the V.C. • Khe Sanh under siege was evacuated and “razed” by the Marines (11June 1968)

21. 1969 : Pacification continued • Republic of Vietnam forces : taking over in the defense of their country • For the Marines : the War was winding down • 1970 : Most Marines left Vietnam and their only area of responsibility was the Quang Tri Province • 1971 : Only 500 Marine advisors remained in country • 1972 : Marine’s role in Vietnam is over

22. What difficulty did Marines experience while fighting in Vietnam ??? It was difficult distinguishing between enemy & friendly forces

23. In 1975 Marines returned to Vietnam for evacuation operations

24. April 1975 • Operation Frequent Wind • Marines from HMH-462 evacuated Americans & Vietnamese refugees from Saigon, South Vietnam

25. April 1975 • Operation Eagle Pull • Marines from HMH-362 evacuated the U.S. Embassy in Phnom Penh, Cambodia

26. Acronyms: • VC • NVA • ARVN • MEB • MAW • DMZ • HMH • HMM • HML • HMLA

27. US Marine Casualties: Wounded 88,591 Killed 12,983

28. Questions ???