US Marines in Vietnam

This is the story of how the US Marines became this country's policemen. It is also how the Corps became America's expert jungle fighters.

The 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines wading ashore 10 miles west of Da Nang in March 1965 marked the beginning of the Corps commitment to the war in Vietnam. This is the story of why they were called in and their first actions against the Viet Cong. The Battalions initial orders read in part - to conduct security missions, reconnaissance operations, and offensive operations as directed. The Battalion's first assigned mission was defense of the Da Nang Airfield.

Threatened by numerous attacks by enemy troops in the Cam Lo area, 8,500 Marines and 3,000 ARVN troops strike along the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) on July 7, 1966. The battle, known as Operation Hastings, lasted until August 3rd. The Marines pushed the NVA forces back across the DMZ. General Lew Walt, Commanding General, III Marine Amphibious Force, described the NVA troops encountered during Operation Hastings as follows: "We found them well-equipped, well-trained and aggressive to the point of fanaticism...

On May 9-10, 1967, seven men from Reconnaissance Team Breaker, Alpha Company, 3rd Marine Recon, ran into one tough fight on Hill 665 near Khe Sanh, Republic of Vietnam.

U.S. and ARVN forces conducted a series of operations along the Mekong River Delta. "Deckhouse Five" was notable in that it was a sizable amphibious operation; with both U.S. Marines and Vietnamese Marines, and it was the last Special Landing Force (SLF) amphibious landing to take place beyond the boundaries of I Corps. An SLF was the designation of the Marine battalion and medium helicopter squadron (HMM) assigned to the Seventh Fleet Amphibious Ready Group.

Operation Union was a search and destroy mission in the Que Son Valley. Ordered to leave its base Foxtrot Company sweeps toward Binh Son, the nearest enemy-held village complex. The Marine Company was soon pinned down in a tree line near Binh Son, thereby fixing the NVA forces who were soon subjected to a withering air and artillery bombardment. This allowed Foxtrot Company to attack into Binh Son.