Appendix C
Chronology of
Significant Events
l Jan-TE 79.3.3.6 at Da Nang was
designated Marine Unit, Vietnam (MUV), TU 79.3.5, by direction of CG FMFPac. The
organization and its operations remained essentially as before.
7 Feb-Communist guerrillas attacked a
United States compound at Pleiku, and U.S. aircraft retaliated by striking
targets in North Vietnam, initiating a new phase of the war. U.S. forces in
South Vietnam totaled 23,000. U.S. dependents were ordered evacuated from RVN.
8 Feb-Battery A, 1st LAAM Battalion
arrived at Da Nang via C-130; it was operational the next day.
10 Feb-The Viet Cong blew up a U.S.
military billet at the coastal city of Qui Nhon killing 23 soldiers.
13 Feb-More elements of the 1st LAAM
Battalion (-), commanded by Lieutenant Colonel Bertram E. Cook, Jr., arrived at
Da Nang by sea and air. Two full batteries and supporting elements were 100
percent operational five days later. .
17 Feb-Company C of the USMC 7th
Engineer Battalion began arriving at Da Nang by LST. HMM-163, commanded by
Lieutenant Colonel Norman G. Ewers, relieved Lieutenant Colonel Joseph Koler,
Jr.'s HMM-365 as the operating squadron of TU 79.3.5.
28 Feb-USMC tactical unit strength in
RVN was 1,248, broken down as follows:
HMM-163.
.................................. .230
Sub-Unit l
.................................. ..203
Security Company (D/l/3) .........
............ .260
Total MUV
....................................693
1st LAAM Bn(-) .................
.............405
CO C, 7th Engr Bn
............................. 150
Total, New Elements ..............
............. 555
Total, USMC (Tactical)
........................ 1,248
These figures do not include USMC
advisors. Embassy Marines, MACV staff personnel, and various other categories of
Marines assigned outside the Da Nang area.
8 Mar-The 9th Marine Expeditionary
Brigade (MEB) commanded by Brigadier General Frederick J. Karch, landed at Da
Nang. The MEB included two Marine Battalion Landing Teams (BLTs) - 3/9
(Lieutenant Colonel Charles E. McPartlin, Jr.) which landed over Red Beach 2,
and 1/3 (Lieutenant Colonel Herbert J. Bain) which arrived by air from Okinawa.
The 9th MEB mission was to defend the Da Nang Airbase. This was the first U.S.
ground combat unit to land in RVN.
9 Mar-The MUV (TU 79.3.5) was placed
under operational control of the 9th MEB and designated MAG-16, com
manded by Colonel John H. King, Jr.
HMM-163 remained in direct support of ARVN I Corps; other elements of the
expanding MAG (Sub-Unit 2, MABS-16) were in direct support of the 9th MEB. The
1st LAAM Battalion was placed under operational control of MAG-16 with a mission
to defend Da Nang Airbase from air attack.
9 Mar-Lieutenant Colonel Oliver W.
Curtiss' HMM-162 arrived at Da Nang.
14 Mar-Sub-Unit 2 was redesignated
MABS-16; H&MS-16 was activated at Da Nang under the operational control of
MAG-16 (-). 23 Mar-Current composition
of 9th MEB is as follows:
9th MEB.
...................................... .4,612
HqCo
.......................................... 145
BLT 1/3
......................................1,124
BLT 3/9
......................................1,115
Brigade Logistic Support Group
..................... 583
Brigade Engineer Group
........................... 224
Brigade Artillery Group
........................... 235
MAG-16C-) H&MS-16(-)
...................................88
MABS-16(-)
................................ ..208
HMM-162.................................... 233
HMM-163.
................................. ..246
1st
LAAM...................................'.•411
2 Apr-The United States announced the
intention of sending
several thousand more troops to Vietnam.
10 Apr-Lieutenant Colonel David A. Clement's BLT 2/3 landed at Da Nang. Task
Force Alpha of the BLT was helilifted to the Phu Bai airstrip, 45 miles north of
Da Nang near Hue, to assume the defense of that area. Lieutenant Colonel William
C. McGraw, Jr.'s F-4B squadron, VMFA-531, arrived at Da Nang.
12 Apr-The RLT-3 commander, Colonel
Edwin B. Wheeler, and his headquarters arrived; he assumed command of all BLTs
ashore.
13 Apr-An HMM-162 detachment of 10
UH-34D helicopters was established at Phu Bai. VMFA-531 flew its first combat
mission in RVN.
14 Apr-Lieutenant Colonel Donald R.
Jones' BLT 3/4 arrived in Vietnam and moved to Phu Bai where it relieved Task
Force Alpha.
16 Apr-MASS-2 (Lieutenant Colonel Paul
L. Hitchcock) arrived Da Nang and established the DASC west of the runway.
Lieutenant Colonel Otis W. Gorman's VMCJ-1 arrived at Da Nang, coming under
operational control of MAG-16 but remaining under administrative control of
MAG-12, which was still located at Iwakuni, Japan.
