DECLASSIFIED

During late morning on the 17th, the 44th and 45th PF Platoons, searching an area eight miles southwest of Hoi An, made contact with a transiting enemy unit. The resulting engagement produced 14 en­emy dead and six weapons captured. There were no PF casualties.

Acting on information obtained from a Hoi Chanh, the 161st RF Company was lifted by VNAF heli­copters into an area ten miles south-southwest of An Hoa on the 27th. That morning, the Company discov­ered an enemy bunker complex containing 138 SKS rifles, all in good condition. In the afternoon, the 16lst uncovered a second cache comprised of small arms and mortar ammunition, enemy uniforms, and provisions. The estimated weight of the total find was two and a half tons. The food (in poor condition) was destroyed, but the remainder of the haul was taken to the province capital, Hoi An.

On the 15th, responsibility for security of the vital bridge complex linking east and west Danang was transferred from 1st Military Police Battalion, Force Logistic Command to Danang Special Sector Headquarters. The bridges are presently guarded by the 768th Regional Force Company reinforced with a five-man RF underwater surveillance SCUBA team.

In addition to these efforts, two newly acti­vated RF companies and six new PF platoons commenced training in July. The recently formed and trained lOlst RF Battalion began operations, the most ambi­tious of which was a helicopterborne assault into Que Son district, supported by Marine Aircraft Group-16. While results were modest, experience and train­ing benefits derived should pay future dividends.

ARVN Operations in Support of Pacification

While redeployments gradually diminish III MAF presence in Quang Nam province, GVN territorial forces

fECRS.

21

DECLASSIFIED

DECLASSIFIED

SEGaL.

ave been growing in numbers and improving in ability to provide community security and conduct associated offensive operations of limited range and duration. However, a continuing need exists for a mobile mili­tary force to counter North vietnamese and viet Cong main force aggression within the province. To that end, a division-equivalent force has been created in Quang Nam through a gradual developmental process spanning more than a year. Its major permanent ele­ments number Quang Da Special Zone (QDSZ) Head­quarters, 51st ARVN Regiment, 1st Armored Brigade, and 17th Armored Cavalry Squadron. Initially created to coordinate security within the city of Danang, Quang Da Special Zone Headquarters established a field command post southwest of Danang at Hill 34 this spring. Under the tutelage of 1st Marine Divi­sion and others, this command element has been ac­quiring the knowledge, staffing, and equipment neces­sary to conduct maneuver, fire support coordination, and logistic evolutions of a major tactical organi­zation. At the end of the month, Quang Da Special Zone Headquarters had operational control of the 258th VNMC Brigade (2d, 5th, and 6th Battalions and a bat­talion of light artillery), the 1st Ranger Group (21st, 37th, and 39th Battalions), the 5th Mobile Strike Group, and the 44th and 64th Artillery Bat­talions, which, counting permanent units, totaled 12 infantry battalions with attendant armor and artillery support--a sizable force.

During the month, QDSZ forces were actively engaged in three operations to project GVN influence westward into Thuong Duc district beyond populated areas. HUNG QUANG 1/32B and HUNG QUANG 1/32D, con­ducted by units of the 51st ARVN Regiment, were con­tinuations of operations in progress at the begin­ning of the month. VU NINH 12 was opened on 16 June by the 21st and 39th Rangers, joined later (13 July)

DECLASSIFIED

22

DECLASSIFIED

~. laSUR.

~~UJ$$O'OIEW the 258th VNMC Brigade. By the 31st, the month's

total combat results for all three operations (still in progress) were 316 enemy dead and 36 weapons cap­tured.

Civic Action

Foremost among Marine civic action efforts this month has been participation in the GVN Go Noi Island resettlement project. Two of three villages have been established; the first has been occupied by 145 families numbering over 900 people, and the sec­ond has almost 80 homes under construction as well as 50 people remaining each night. Others return each morning to share in development of the growing community and will remain permanently.once dwellings and basic communal necessities are established. In the first village, construction advanced on a commu­nity hall, a school, a dispensary, and a market place. Nine wells have been sunk which produce excellent water.

This project, although GVN inspired and di­rected, has been nurtured by other Free World forces as well. Inasmuch as eastern Go Noi lies within the tactical area of responsibility of the 2d ROKMC Bri­gade, security for the resettlement has been provided by Korean Marines and Vietnamese RFs assisted by a combined action platoon. Engineer assistance has been provided by Seabees, ROK Marines, and US Marines. By the end of July, the requirement for Free World forces participation had dwindled, and the project had gained sufficient momentum to continue toward successful com­pletion.

Chieu Hoi Returnees

Following a general trend of productivity ap­parently sensitive to the relative activity of gov­ernment and enemy forces, the Chieu Hoi (Open Arms) program in Quang Nam province experienced an upswing during July--a 29 percent increase over last month.

iiJPitiJ!!J i!.

23

DECLASSIFIED

200

100

DECLASSIFIED

These ralliers consisted of 38 Viet Cong guerrillas, two NVA, and 57 Vc sympathizers; additionally, 12 weapons were turned in for rewards. The graph below reflects Chieu Hoi trends over the past year.

QUANG NAM CHIEU HOI RESULTS: AUG 69-IUL 70

AUG SEP OCT NOV DEC JAil FED

_ Yiel Cnnl

Pacification

.. -.. ,- - " .. , _ .. ~

MAR .m

"'--:1~970~T:::':OT~Al::-S ---.

YC - 265

m - 38

MOU'lITUT - 386

MAY lUN JUL

~"YA

On 30 June, Phase I of the 1970 GVN Pacifica­tion and Development Plan came to a close, generally reflecting a rate of progress below that anticipated. The basic strategy for Phase I, and for the year, was to improve security and win support for the government from more people. The eight major objectives remained unchanged from those of 1969, and, in fact, the 1970 Plan is only an improved version of last year's.

Early in the year, Tet activities diverted at­tentions and energies until March, usually described as the back-to-work month. Shortly thereafter, na­tional attention was focused on GVN operations in

fEspWf

24

DECLASSIFIED

DECLASSIFIED

U II E"t

ambodia, an upswing (April and May) of enemy small unit attacks on territorial forces, and increased terrorism. These distractions have had adverse ef­fects; the process of consolidation called for in the 1970 Plan is actually taking place, but in some areas at a slower rate than desired. The necessary drudg­ery of improving performance and solving fundamental economic, administrative, and social shortcomings re­mains, but the excitement and appeal which spurred the pacification results of the past two years have diminished. The GVN recognizes the problem and is stressing at all levels of government the need to recapture the momentum and sense of urgency prevail­ing in 1969. Toward that end, a special pacification and development campaign to run from 1 July to 31 October, concurrent with the previously planned Phase II, was instituted to further consolidate 1969 gains.

In Quang Nam, the province chief announced late in July that the priority pacification efforts for Phase II would be in western Dien Ban district and the east and central areas of Que Son district. In July overall territorial security improved, a re­sult of decreased, enemy activity and increased RF/PF small unit counterguerrilla operations.

BECRE l'

25

DECLASSIFIED

DECLASSIFIED

_iDID'"

7,500

5,000

1,500

AIR OPERATIONS

July was marked by continued helicopter and fixed wing support of Free World operations, punctuated by stand down and redeployment of designated units of 1st Marine Aircraft Wing. In-country fixed wing sor­ties increased slightly over the previous month; howev­er, combat support flights decreased by 32 percent. Also, out-of-country strike and escort missions were reduced, and photographic and electronic warfare flights were discontinued as of 30 June.

Over 36,800 of the 40,974 1st Wing sorties were flown by Marine Aircraft Group-16 helicopters to lift more than 93,300 passengers and 6,900 tons of cargo.

The following graphs compare 1st Wing air oper­ations in July with totals since August 1969.

MARINE AIR OPERAIIONS: AUG 1969 - .lUL 1970

........ MONTHl Y AVERAGE: 4,516

FIXED WING SORTIES

.... MONTHL v Avtfil:AG£, 33.oot

- -HELICOPTER SORTIES

-

75,000

50,000

25,000

26

DECLASSIFIED

r.---"'-'--

DECLASSIFIED

country Fixed Wing Operations

In MR I, Marine fixed wing pilots flew 3,285 attack and airborne reconnaissance missions to sup­port Free World ground forces. The major ordnance delivery efforts were focused on aiding units in con­tact, as more than 1,800 of the 2,572 combat flights were logged in the close air support category. At­tack operations of Marine Aircraft Groups (MAG)-ll and 13 delivered 7,665 tons of bombs, 2,189 canisters of napalm, and 6,105 air to ground rockets. These mu­nitions destroyed or damaged 695 bunkers and struc­tures, ignited 441 secondary explosions or fires, and killed 19 NVA/VC.

There were many significant examples available of the results from air delivered ordnance during the month, such as those on 4 July. Three MAG-13 flights struck an enemy logistic area five miles west of Tam Ky--the first was by two F-4BS, which flamed the area at midday with 14 napalm canisters, igniting three large and 25 smaller secondary explosions. A sched­uled flight of two A-4Es hit the same target 15 min­utes later. An airborne forward air controller re­ported three more secondary explosions and five fires. At approximately 1400, a pair of F-4Bs, responding to a request to strike a target in the same area, were launched from the Chu Lai alert pad. The flight dropped 14 500-pound bombs that caused another ten explosions and two fires. Two A-4Es, on another mis­sion launched from the alert pad late in the after­noon, bombed and napalmed enemy mortarmen firing at FSB Ripcord, located 23 miles west of Hue. Five ex­plosions and five fires were tallied as the mortar position was destroyed.

In all, 1st Wing flew 17 sorties against ene­my positions harassing Ripcord by indirect fire. During the afternoon of 23 July, two flights of F-4Bs, one a preplanned mission and the other scrambled from an alert pad to exploit previous results, destroyed ten bunkers, ignited nine secondary explosions, and

DECLASSIFIED

,.

27

DECLASSIFIED

kindled seven sustained fires. Two A-6As, hitting the same locale two days later with 30 1,000-pound bombs, were credited with razing eight bunkers and causing four secondary explosions and one fire. A flight of F-4Bs demolished another 20 bunkers in the same general area later that day.

More extensive use of ground radar-guided bombing by A-6As was made in RVN during the month, as Intruder operations out-of-country were temporarily curtailed after the 9th. Of the 611 missions flown in-country by the two squadrons of A-6AS, 303 were guided to designated targets by air support radar teams utilizing AN/TPQ-lO ground radar systems.

Since December, the pilots of Marine Observa­tion Squadron-2 have averaged 596 sorties per month in OV-10As. The July total of 587, although a drop from last month, was consistent with operational needs. Visual reconnaissance (VR) of the 1st Marine Division operation area and enemy approach routes thereto was the primary mission as evidenced by 405 VR flights. pilot-observer teams rapidly become famil­iar with topography by frequent missions; thus, any changes or indications of new enemy activity are readily apparent to the crews. As a secondary, but no less important mission, OV-10A aircrews averaged five forward air controller (airborne) flights per day in support of ground maneuver in Quang Nam prov­ince. During the month, VMO-2 passed the 30,000 com­bat flight hour mark--accumulated since entering the war in May 1965.

TA-4F pilots from Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron (H&MS)-ll, in addition to Laotian missions, flew 125 sorties over the MR llLaos border area. Placing particular emphasis on lines of communication which connect enemy in-country operating areas to the Ho Chi Minh Trail, these VRs provided continuous in­telligence information regarding enemy movement.

EESIEII",

28

DECLASSIFIED

6,000

4,000

2.000

DECLASSIFIED

The graphs below show in-country fixed wing op­erations and ordnance delivered since August 1969.

A

IN-COUNTRY FIXED WING SUPPORT BY MARINE AIRCRAFT AUGUST 1969 - IUL Y 1970

SORTIES FLOWN ORDNANCE DELIVERED

------- ---- - - --- -- mlrnu 1971 Tom - Tons of Bombs: 45.061 - Rock.I>: 21,081 - Napalm Bomb" 14,295

~Clllbat: 1S,111 15.000 • C.llat Sappart: 5,431

10,000

5,000

0 N F M A M A 0 H M A M

Helicopter Operations

III MAF and other Quang Nam Free World ground forces have dominated combat by using the helicopter to gain mobility in both the lowland and mountain re­gions of the province. Marine Aircraft Group-16 hel­icopter squadrons provided the wherewithal for this mobility--36,887 sorties carrying 93,312 passengers and 6,968 tons of cargo during July.

The CH-46D Sea Knight transported over 45,900 passengers and 1,100 tons of materiel during 19,735 sorties. The usage level of the aircraft was steady throughout the month, as the versatile workhorse was used for combat and logistic troop and cargo lifts, casualty evacuation flights, search and rescue mis­sions, and command and control requirements. The largest helilifts of the month were in support of III MAF Operation PICKENS FOREST and RVNAF Operation VU NINH 12. These maneuvers, discussed in the two pre­vious chapters, took place beyond secure road networks and had to be supported entirely by helicopters.

DECLASSIFIED

11'"''

29

DECLASSIFIED

",Z6R£;;.

Flight operations for the CH-53Ds continued at a rapid pace, as the 20 Sea Stallions lifted over 5,800 tons of cargo and transported in excess of 43,500 passengers in July. Thirty-eight percent of the 6,108 flights this month hauled cargo and troops for specific combat operations, as opposed to general logistic lifts. Some of these sorties lifted ARVN units and equipment into LZs in the eastern Que Son mountains for a joint operation with two companies of 7th Marines in early July and, later in the month, supported RVNAF operations in Base Areas 112 and 127.

Flying escort for helicopters accounted for 7,113 armed helicopter sorties by AH-1G and UH-1E aircrews. Equipped with 2.7S-inch rockets, 7.62mm machine guns, and a 40mm grenade launcher (the lat­ter on AH-1Gs only), armed helicopters are a powerful weapons system flexible enough to provide escort cov­erage and quick response to troops in contact. There were several examples of significant armed helicopter attacks during July. Four AH-IGs participating in a Pacifier operation on the 7th engaged an enemy element in bunkers three miles south of Hill 55. The Cobras expended rockets, grenades, and machine gun fire, killing six VC. A door gunner on a CH-46D killed one more in the same area 40 minutes later. Early in the morning on 26 July, two armed UH-1Es spotted a group of VC close-by Football Island, three miles north­northeast of An Hoa, and killed nine. Almost an hour later, the same UH-IEs located more of the enemy mov­ing westward and killed an additional five.

The graphs on the following page compare July rotary wing operations, by helicopter type, with monthly totals for the past year.

DECLASSIFIED

30

DECLASSIFIED

.B@nC!!"

1ST MARINE AIRCRAfT WING HELICOPTER OPERA liONS: AUGUST 69 • JULY 10

i! i t , j f

ASOHDJfMAMJJ ASOND

__ r ... d hfi<bpt" _ TtO'o-lJ"1:'ltrritr'

TYPES OF MISSIONS _ (argo (Irflff _ M.cl ... ,

Out-of-Country Operations

JfMAMJJ

~ Comm""dlConli.1 .. Otb.,

LIfT SUMMARY * 1 AUG 69 . 31 JUL 70

SORTIES nowli

~ PASSENGERS

~. TONS OF CARGO

~ .... '" Includes UH·34

tof.l, thr.ugh ... ""'S! 1969

There was a substantial reduction of out-of­country strike and combat support missions during July. Frequency of F-4B barrier combat air patrols and TA-4F flights, however, did not vary appreciably from recent monthly levels. Lessening of out-of-coun­try activity was partially attributable to the 1 July stand down and subsequent redeployment of 1st Wing photographic and electronic warfare assets assigned to VMCJ-l.

A-6A aircrews flew 60 night strike missions in Laos before temporarily halting armed reconnaissance flights on 9 July. Before ceasing, A-6A aircrews had located and bombed 66 targets, which were detected by ground sensors or the aircraft's automatic moving tar­get indicator, as well as 24 logistic storage areas along the Ho Chi Minh Trail.

E 11 '2iill a

31

DECLASSIFIED

DECLASSIFIED

SPORlle

750

500

250

Pilots flying TA-4Fs assigned to H&MS-ll again provided vital intelligence and tactical air'control­ler (airborne) coverage over the web of roads and

MARINE OUT-Of-COUNTRY AIR OPERATIONS

TOTAl SORTIES STRIKEjARREC: 5.671 EW/PHOTO: 2.471 CAP IESCORT, \,572 VR/TAC(A), 2.147

ASOHDJfMAM J J

trails in Laos adjacent to MR 1. These flights, which averaged nearly five per day, were the only 1st Wing operations in Laos continued on a daily basis throughout the month.

Most of the 16 F-4B sorties logged over Laos were armed escort missions for high air cover of TA-4Bs early in the month. These flights were discontinued be­cause operations were ham­pered by bad weather in the

Steel Tiger area. Remaining out-of-country F-4B op­erations consisted of 48 missions flown over the Gulf of Tonkin as combat air patrols for Navy and Air Force elements.

Sortie Allocations

Although Marine aviation has been developed specifically for participation with USMC maneuver units and fire support agencies, the role of 1st Ma­rine Aircraft Wing has been expanded significantly in the Vietnamese war. This has resulted, in part, from continuing availability of a diversified inventory of aircraft; a capability to operate from relatively austere shipboard or shore facilities; and a control apparatus to focus helicopter, fixed wing, and anti­aircraft assets on supported unit requirements. Starting in 1962 with the arrival of a helicopter squadron in the Mekong delta for support of ARVN forces, Marine aircraft elements have been tasked with a wide variety of missions which contribute to the overall war effort. First Wing involvement broadened markedly since 1965, as air units deployed to support more than two Marine divisions and provide concurrent support for other agencies, not only in MR 1 but also over North Vietnam, Laos, Gulf of Tonkin,

and recently, Cambodia. 1 WfMf!!U~~WWEIDl J •• OR iIt

32

DECLASSIFIED

DECLASSIFIED

929 ... 5

The following chart depicts distribution of lsE Wing sorties, by aircraft and mission, during the 30-week period 2 January through 30 July 1970.

ALLOCATION OF 1ST WING SORTIES: 2 JAN • 30 JUL 1970

SPECIAL 7TH AIR NAVY AIRCRAfT USMC ARMY ARVN ROKMC FORCES rORCE TF'-77 TOTAL

A..fE

A-6A

F·41

tiGHTER/ATTACK

TOTAL

TA·4F

If·48

EHA

DY-lDA

RECONNAISSANCE TOTAL

CH·46

CI-53

COMBAT/LOGISTIC TOTAL

UH·lE

AH-tS CMD &. CONTROL/

ARMED HELO TOTAL

2,372

1,567

4,314

8,253

515

709

587

4)70

6,081

1111,527

27,898

129.425

35.865

26,107

81.972

2,564 454

1,7G8 Ii!i

5,390 733

9,722 1,252

2 0

0 0

0 2

38 20

40 22

56 888

339 1070

395 1.958

861 248

396 673

1,257 921

* PriMary mlsston--includ.s small numb.r other type missions.

74 0 106 5 5,675

8 0 1,116 0 4.584

JIG 0 1,123 320 11,996

198 0 2,405 325 22,165 .

0 0 844 5 1.366

0 0 245 3 957

0 0 281 179 1,049

2G 0 5 0 4,359

26 0 1.375 187 7.731

5,292 233 0 0 107.996

(,433 154 0 0 33,894

9.725 387 0 0

6.026 180 0 0 43,180

927 t42 0 0 28,245

8.953 322 0 0 11.425

Other forces were provided 62.7 percent (13,902) of the total fighter/attack sorties flown since 1 January by 1st Wing. Although many of these were pro­vided to ARVN units, the majority went to support two and one-third US Army divisions in MR 1. Considering

IEGEET 9

33

DECLASSIFIED

DECLASSIFIED

ly attack sorties in-country, 57.5 percent were ex­ecuted for Free World forces other than Marines.

In contrast, helicopter sorties were, for the most part, flown to support III MAF Marines since other Free World forces (except ROKMC) had helicopter assets to draw from. Less than ten percent of 1st Wing helicopter sorties went to other forces and most of these were provided to Korean Marines. Recently, as RVN forces have operated farther west in central Quang Nam province, an increasing number of 1st Wing helicopter sorties have been allocated to support them.

Aircraft Losses

One TA-4F and a UH-IE were lost to direct ene­my action in July. The TA-4F was downed by hostile ground fire over the southern end of A Shau Valley on the 11th. On the 19th, the armed UH-IE crashed after receiving small arms fire causing a fire and separa­tion of the tail boom.

Distribution of Aircraft

July marked the beginning of redeployments scheduled for increment four of the KEYSTONE series. On 1 July, VMCJ-l stood down from combat operations and made final preparations to redeploy and fly the aircraft out of RVN. Some of the EA-6As were flown across the Pacific to Whidbey Island, Washington and then on to VMCJ-2 at Cherry Point, North Carolina. Six others and nine RF-4Bs were flight ferried to Iwakuni, Japan. During their 62-month tour in RVN, electronic warfare (EW) aircraft (including the EF­lOBs replaced by EA-6As) assigned to VMCJ-l flew over 14,500 combat support sorties. Fulfilling Navy, Air Force, and Marine requirements, the aircrews con­ducted EW missions from western North Vietnam to Hai­phong and the DMZ to Hanoi, and provided support for Marine operations in Route Package One and Air Force

tiGPET.

34

DECLASSIFIED

DECLASSIFIED

strikes in the DMZ. Since the bombing halt north of the 17th parallel, the EA-6A has been a key to the highly successful drone reconnaissance of North Viet­nam.

In addition to EW sorties, VMCJ-l crew members flew photographic, infrared, and side looking air­borne radar missions both in and out-of-country. The RF-8A provided photographic support from April 1965 until November 1966 when the arrival of the multi­sensor RF-4B expanded the squadron's capabilities. Imagery collection missions included flights over Vinh and Dong Hoi, North Vietnam, bomb damage assess­ment in Laos, and daily trips over A Shau Valley and the DMZ.

Signifying the effective performance of VMCJ-1, the unit was selected by the Marine Corps as its outstanding squadron during fiscal year 1967.

Another squadron movement in July was com­pleted on the 26th, when VMA-3ll flew 20 A-4Es from Chu Lai to Danang, thus completing transfer of the Squadron from MAG-13 to MAG-Il.

Aircraft assignments and unit locations of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing are depicted in the chart on the following page.

fI]!gt:l'REl

35

DECLASSIFIED

DECLASSIFIED

626ft •

1ST WING AIRCRAFT: 'UL Y 1970

II .. . IAltl I CIlIII ... lltlllTlES

1.:,:.+ .... IU.,IUS

IAlOI HellCO'TER j ... .,..... fACIUTT .

+ 111·ItT; IILL SIPPIll t·130

DANANG

1ST WING H&MS-17

C-1170 1 US-2A/B 3

MAG-II H&MS-ll

C-117D 2 TA-4F 11

VMA-311

A-4E 25

VMA(AW}-225 A-6A 14

VMA{AWJ-242 A-6A 12

VMO-2

OV-l0A 19

TOTAL 87

eHU LAI

MAG-13 H&MS-13

C-1170 VMFA-115

F-4B

VMFA-T22

F-4B

VMFA-31.4

F-4B

MAG-16 H&MS-16

22

18

17

CH-46D 0

HMt-l67

UH-IE 38

DECLASSIFIED

MARBLE MOUNTAIN (CON'T)

HMl-367 AH-IG 25

HMM-161 CH-46D 27

HMM-262 CH-46D 29

HMM-263 CH-46D 30

HMM-364

CH-46D 32 HMH-463

CH-53D 20

as SF SiP D

36

DECLASSIFIED

LOGISTICS

Increment Four Redeployments

Following a brief respite since conclusion of KEYSTONE BLUEJAY in early April, the 3 June announce­ment of continuing us redeployments from the Repub­lic of Vietnam re-energized embarkation and movement planning by III MAP logisticians in preparation for KEYSTONE ROBIN ALFA. This shift, the fourth in 13 months, prescribes translocation of the 7th Marine Regiment and attendant combat support and service support units, Marine Composite Reconnaissance Squad­ron-I, Marine Medium Helicopter Squadron-16l, Marine Attack Squadron (All-weather)-242, Marine Fighter/At­tack Squadron-122, and the command and support ele­ments of Marine Aircraft Group-13 to bases in Japan, Okinawa, Hawaii, and California. These and other support units and detachments--totaling 18,631 Ma­rines--have been organized into embarkation units (administrative groupments to facilitate embarkation and movement), the last of which is planned to leave RVN by 15 October. On 9 July, Embarkation Unit-I, comprised of elements from 7th Engineer Battalion, 3d Force Reconnaissance Company, and Force Logistic Com­mand, embarked on the USS Cleveland (LPD-7) and the USS Vancouver (LPD-2) and arrived in CONUS on the 30th. Subsequently, Embarkation Unit-2 (16 July), Embarkation Unit-3 (21 July), and Embarkation Unit-4 (23 July) sailed from Danang harbor for destinations in Japan and the United States. Additionally, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing detachments totaling 256 person­nel were airlifted to Iwakuni, Japan between 13 and 27 July.

Concurrent with the steady progress of stag­ing, embarking, and shipping Marines and equipment to positions throughout the Pacific Command, programs to reestablish expeditionary preparedness in redeploying units continued, reconstituting unit mount-out and mount-out augmentation stocks (blocks of supplies for use during the first 60 days of an operation), iden­tifying and redistributing materiel excesses, and ap-portioning personnel skills and numbr~~~----__________ ~

W[M©~Dl~$~~~~lID

DECLASSIFIED

37

DECLASSIFIED

'PEPPii -.....

Major units repositioning as a result of KEY­

STONE ROBIN ALFA and their destinations are shown be­

low.

KEYSTONE ROBIN ALFA MARINE REDEPLOYMENTS

'"' ~""'" ~

Engineer Operations

m MIRIKEs~' . 3~ IN 1111 MU/m, , In SERVICE Brr;;,:;:,,: lIk EISIIIURS """,,,,,,. Iti EIIGIM£[RS YMA(lIl'Z42 11118$,13 RUlS13 NIIII,161

Redeployment reduced Marine engineer operations

in Quanq Nam province, as the 7th and 9th Engineer

Battalions (both Force engineer units possessing capa­

bilities beyond the pioneer and cLose combat support

missions of a division engineer battalion) stood down

from major operations on the 19th, in preparation for

embarkation in August. Thus, at the end of the month,

III MAP operational engineer assets had diminished to

Company A, 7th Engineer Battalion and the 1st Engineer

Battalion reinforced by Company C, 1st Shore Party

Battalion.

Major engineering efforts during the month were

directed toward road improvement and land clearing,

shown on the accompanying map. The Marine/Seabee proj­

ect to upgrade a 20-mile stretch of National Route 1

near Hoi An progressed steadily. Also, the effort be­

gun on 26 April to enhance east-west travel north of

Go Noi Island advanced, as nearly three and one-half

I ijOO~U$~~~!~l. 38

DECLASSIFIED

DECLASSIFIED

5ECP iIi'i

miles of roadway were improved to all-weather stand­ards; work on a second segment continued, despite hinderances caused by bad weather and mines and booby traps.

To the south, engineer efforts in support of the burgeoning Go Noi Island resettlement (begun last month) included cutting of three and a half miles of road trace between the three village sites, upgrading to all-weather capacity more than a mile and a half of access road from National Route 1, clearing 800 acres of land, and installing a pontoon bridge to serve during construction of a pennanent crossing.

South of Hoi An and east of Go Nai, extending a massive land clearance project begun in the spring of this year, Marine engineers cleared over 1,500 acres interlaced with enemy bunkers, trenchworks, and support installations developed over the years. This effort, 58 percent complete at end-month, will be fin­ished by the remaining 7th Engineers company.

ENGINEER PROJECTS: JULY 1970

IOU UPGIIDE/C,ISlRDCTlOI -LUI TI BE CLURED ~

LUI CLUm

RESETTLEIIEIT YnLIIE

..... HOlAN .""",~. -.-­~ ..

SF i\C£1'

39

DECLASSIFIED

DECLASSIFIED

ore Party Support

Although organized and equipped to provide high initial surge of combat power for limited dura­tions--usually 90 to 180 days--Marine divisions in RVN have proven readily adaptable to the demands of protracted land warfare. Among the factors permit­ting this flexibility is functional elasticity of one of the division's organic combat service support units--the shore party battalion. The shore party, as an integral element of the landing force, is tasked with movement of troops, equipment, and sup­plies across landing beaches. providing initial supply and evacuation support to the landing force, the shore party operates the beach support area in a progressively diminishing degree, as other service support units are established ashore and logistic operations extend inland. When no longer required for beach operation, the shore party organization is modified and reassigned to other support roles, made possible by inherent skills such as engineer, commu­nication, motor transport, and supply.

In the late 1940's, Marine Corps helicopter experiments in search of improved ship-to-shore ve­hicles brought the shore party an additional task: providing helicopter support teams {HST} to facili­tate landing and movement of helicopterborne troops, equipment, and supplies and evacuation of casualties. In the Republic of Vietnam, shore party units have performed both functions--supporting 1st and 3d Ma­rine Division helicopter operations as well as more than 60 amphibious operations along the littoral of all four military regions and the DMZ.

During the initial RVN landing of the 9th Ma­rine Expeditionary (later Amphibious) Brigade in March 1965, Company A, 3d Shore Party Battalion provided landing force resupply across Red Beach in Danang harbor pending establishment of a more permanent lo­gistic support area (LSA) at Danang airfield. To has­ten build up of facilities ashore for all us forces

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ollowing opening of the LSA, shore party elements took over unloading amphibious and Military Sealift Command (MSC--previously MSTS) ships arriving at Da­nang until specially trained and organized cargo han­dling units were available. Subsequent landings at Phu Bai and Chu Lai again required over-the-beach shore party support. Helicopter support team opera­tions, however, did not reach full swing until August, as combat operations increased. Fr.om this point in time, shore party activity in RVN became increasingly linked to the spiraling helicopter effort, although still retaining the ability to provide amphibious and light engineering support.

Conceptually, a shore party platoon operates in direct support of an infantry battalion, although considerably larger units could be supported from a large, well-established LSA. In RVN each rifle com­pany was accompanied by a small, shore party-provided landing zone control team (LZCT)--usually two or three men who operated and marked the company landing zone, briefed incoming helicopters, supervised off-loading of supplies, and assisted with medical evacuations. Additionally, the LZCT transmitted resupply requests to the shore party liaison team collocated with the infantry battalion command post, where the companies' requirements were integrated and assigned delivery priorities. The consolidated resupply requirements were then transmitted to the helicopter support team at the logistic support area.

The HST, organized around a shore party pla­toon and augmented as necessary by other service sup­port personnel, drew the requisite supplies from sur­rounding storage dumps, prepared helicopter-trans­portable loads, and staged them in sequence of prior­ity for the following day's resupply missions. Al­most all loads were prepared in nets or slings for external lift, significantly reducing load and un­load time, and achieving maximum utilization of heli­copter assets. These tasks were completed at night to permit early commencement of resupply the next day. As the helicopters (requested the day before

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fPSlliiBt

the battalion air liaison officer--a Marine flyer) arrived at the LSA, pilots were briefed concerning the resupply schedule, tactical situation, unit locations, and LZCT radio frequencies. Individual helicopters were guided to appropriate loads by a landing zone controller, and hook-up was made by two HST members under the watchful eye of the helicopter crew chief. The loaded helicopter then proceeded to the desig­nated unit, established contact with the LZCT for zone briefing and marking, rapidly unloaded, and returned to the LSA to repeat the cycle until the battalion re­supply schedule had been completed. The process could be interrupted at any time for emergency resupply, as the HST command element was in constant communication with the supported unit and the LSA landing zone con­troller, permitting quick alterations or additions to the resupply schedule. The following diagram portrays shore party/supported unit relationships during heli­copterborne resupply.

o Company requesto resupply from Bn.

® HeUcoptcr unloads In company zone and return. to LSA to

"""tlnu. resupply.

HI!LIIf:al~TI!1I

® Bn transmlts "ansol/doted resupply requirement. ond prlorltle. to tn. HST; requests requisite helicopter

support.

® HST !>repare. loads for resupply.

@ Upon arrIval of helicopters. HST brl.fs pHoto and loads

aircraft.

When multi-battalion operations are supported from one logistic support area (such as LZ Baldy or An Roa), shore party assets at the LSA are usually

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consolidated into one helicopter support team for ease of control and economy of resources. The organ­ization for shore party support in helicopterborne evolutions can be (and was) varied considerably to meet the tactical requirements of the moment and in­sure close, continuous, and responsive logistic sup­port to the forward infantry units, fire support bases, and convoys. Additionally, its organic com­munication network is employed for landing zone con­trol and resupply traffic, leaving supported unit nets relatively free for tactical matters. While the preponderance of shore party effort in RVN has been dedicated to operations of this nature, by no means has it been limited to helicopterborne support in­volvement. In addition to recurring calls for par­ticipation in amphibious operations, shore party units have provided pioneer and light engineer sup­port to combat units, including mine sweeping, road upgrading, bunker fabrication, light construction, and land clearing. On at least one occasion (Khe Sanh 1968), shore party personnel operated a resupply parachute drop zone.

At present, HST requirements of the 1st Ma­rine Division are supported by Company C, 1st Shore Party Battalion. Third Shore Party Battalion and the remainder of 1st Shore Party Battalion have been redeployed to Okinawa and California.

Aviation Logistics

Worthy of note has been vastly improved per­formance and reliability of the GB-lA liquid oxygen and nitrogen generating plant introduced to Danang during February. Progressive improvement of opera­tor skills, identification of plant deficiencies, and development of preventive maintenance programs have put the installation on a full-paying basis. Sched­uled maintenance requires 70 man-hours per month (compared to a previous average of 33), while un­scheduled maintenance has dropped to 16 man-hours per month from a peak of 675. At present, the GB-lA is supporting MAG-ll and meeting all requirements.

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In July, 1st Marine Aircraft Wing inventory was reduced in both numbers and types of aircraft, as EA-6As and RF-4Bs of Marine Composite Reconnais-sance Squadron-1 conducted trans-Pac movements to Iwakuni, Japan and the United States as part of KEY-STONE ROBIN ALFA. Distribution of assigned aircraft in service or undergoing repair/rework at end-month is reflected below.

STATUS OF 1ST WING AIRCRAFT: 311ULY 1970

Total PAR Damage Other Assigned Repair

25 5 0 0 20 11 1 0 9 26 0 0 0 26 57 10 4 0 43

4 0 0 0 4 3 1 0 0 2

19 0 0 0 19 25 0 0 0 25 38 6 0 31

118 32 3 0 83 20 0 0 0 20

346 55 9 0 282

NORS/NORM/OR

July A-6A availability dipped as a result of suspected wing structural weakness requiring ultra­sonic and x-ray inspection, temporary degradation of maintenance skill levels caused by personnel rotation and redeployments, and unexpected maintenance facil­ity problems. In this latter regard, diminished re­liability of the 1st Wing Semiautomatic Checkout

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Equipment (SACE) complex, a sophisticated aviation ground support installation for analysis and diag­nosis of malfunctioning A-6A aircraft systems, has been salient. Plans have been made to rehabilitate the SACE on-site in RVN; work is expected to com­mence within the next 60 to 90 days.

The T53 engine powering AH-lG helicopters has, in the past, experienced a high failure rate of the fifth stage compressor rotor disk. To re­lieve stress loads and high temperatures imposed by full-power operation, engine operation was limited to 97.5 percent of rated power output last November; this appeared to provide temporary solution. How­ever, the T53 was increasingly beset with failures of second and fourth stage compressor rotor disks, so replacement disks are being manufactured of ti­tanium for subsequent retrofit.

The NORS/NORM and OR (not operationally ready due to supply/maintenance and operationally ready) data for major categories of III MAF aircraft are shown on the following page.

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ijgfNJ@f1JA\~$~W~~IDJ ORS/NORM RATES - 1ST MARINE AIRCRAFT WING

40 30 20

A-4 [ATTACK]

10~1IIii!~~~~~~----=~~_"] Jul Aug S.p Od No. Dtc Jan Ftb Mar Apr May lun 1.1

1. 1!71

A·6A [ATTACK]

Jul Aug S.p Od N •• Do< Jon Fob Mar Apr May Jun J.I

II' 1111

AH·IG [HHD]

CH·46 [HELD)

90

~~IfAlllll!SS:ll![&1!Vf ""---:_-= ::::-:: :=-:::=-::- "]i.

Jul Aug S.p O,t No. Doc Jan Ftb Mar Apr Mov Jun Jul IIIiI 1!71

NORS-

F·4[FIGHTER·ATUCKJ

90 80 .. ,~: .. - .•••. --. " .. _"

70 _,jp" .... .::;:;;;;;;:;:::..,.. ...... IIIIIlII_...j

20

10~~~~~_~~::::::~ lui Aug S.p Oct No. Ott Jon Flh Mor Apr May J.n J.I

I.! 1111

OY·IOA (RECONNAISSANCE]

10~:::::;~~ 10 r::::::: Jul Au, S.p Oct N.. Doc Jan F.h Mor Apr May Jun Jul

II! 1171

UH·IE [HELD)

:~ RUES IIflIttfIVE 70,.._~~~=::r;;:::;;".--~-___ ::::=1IIIJ"" 60 50

40 30

20 .c._'.' ;,,: _.

IO~~~~:;.:;~~~~~~ Jul "'ug S.p Od No. Doc Jon F.b Mor "'pr Moy J.n Jul

111 1111

[H·53 [H£LO]

90

Jul .... g SIP Od No. Dr< Jan Fob Mar Apr May Jun J.I § 1161 1171 6

NORM - READY- If J

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