CHAPTER 3
Formation and Development of III MAF
The Birth of
III MAF-The Le My Experiment-Building the Chu Lai Airfield-Ill MAF in
Transition-The Seeds of Pacification-June Operations in the Three Enclaves
The Birth of III
MAF
The birth of III Marine Amphibious
Force occurred almost simultaneously with the landing at Chu Lai. On 5 May, the
Joint Chiefs relayed Presidential approval for the deployment to Da Nang of a
Marine 'force/division/wing headquarters to include CG 3d Marine Division and
1st Marine Aircraft Wing.'1 The following day, Major General Collins, who had
remained in Vietnam after the Saigon meeting earlier in the month, assumed
command of the Naval Component Command and also established the headquarters of
the in Marine Expeditionary Force and the 3d Marine Division in Vietnam. The
former 9th MEB commander, Brigadier General Karch, resumed his duties as
assistant division commander and left for Okinawa to take over the units of the
division remaining there. Brigadier General Carl became Deputy Commander, HI MAF
after the Chu Lai landing.
The ni Marine Expeditionary Force
became the III Marine Amphibious Force on 7 May. General Westmoreland had
recommended to the Joint Chiefs that the Marines select a different designation
for their command because the term 'Expeditionary' had unpleasant connotations
for the Vietnamese, stemming from the days of the French Expeditionary Corps.
The Joint Chiefs of Staff asked the Commandant, General Greene, to come up with
another name. Although a HI Marine Amphibious Corps had existed in the Pacific
Theater during World War n, and was a logical choice for the name of the new
Marine organization in Vietnam, several of the Commandant's advisors believed
that the Vietnamese might take exception to the word 'Corps.' Consequently,
General Greene chose the title in Marine Amphibious Force (III MAF) for the
Marine forces in Vietnam and extended this revision to the Marine brigades.2
One other major headquarters arrived at
Da Nang during this period. On 11 May, Major General Fontana established a
forward headquarters of the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing in Vietnam (1st MAW
Advance). Four days later, his Da Nang headquarters assumed command of all
Marine aviation in the country. The Marine division/wing team was in Vietnam.
The expanded Marine force operated
under guidelines provided by General Westmoreland. In his letter of instruction
to General Collins, the MACV commander outlined the general mission of the
Marines. They were directed to coordinate the defense of their three bases with
General Thi; to render combat support to the South Vietnamese; to maintain the
capability of conducting deep patrolling, offensive operations, and reserve
reaction missions;
and, finally, to carry out any
contingency plans as directed by ComUSMACV.3
The U.S. relationship with the
Vietnamese military was a sensitive one. Since the Americans were the guests of
the Vietnamese, they could offer advice to their allies, but could not compel
action. Means had to be devised so that the two military forces could cooperate,
but remain independent entities.
General Westmoreland elaborated further
on this relationship between the U.S. and South Vietnamese commands in a message
to Admiral Sharp. According to the MACV commander the requirement was for
cooperation and agreement among senior commanders of different nationality
groups. One of General Westmoreland's more intriguing phrases was that of
'tactical direction.' In actuality it was identical to operational control, but
the general explained that tactical direction was a more palatable term to the
Vietnamese. Westmoreland warned: 'U.S. commanders at all levels
