U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Advisory and Combat Assistance Era, 1954-1964

200 Pages·1977·18.46 MB·English

by  Robert H. Whitlow

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release; distribution
is unlimited.

PCN 19000306400

u.s.
MARINES IN VIETNAM
THE ADVISORY & COMBAT ASSISTANCE ERA
1954-1964
by
Captain Robert H. Whitlow, USMCR
HISTORY AND MUSEUMS DIVISION
HEADQUARTERS, U.S. MARINE CORPS
WASHINGTON, D.C.
1977
Library of Congress Card No. 76—600051
PCN 190 003064 00
For Sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office
Washington, D.C. 20402 (Buckram)
Stock Number 008—055—00094—7
Foreword
This is the first of a series of nine chronological histories being prepared by the
Marine Corps History and Museums Division to cover the entire span of Marine Corps
involvement in the Vietnam conflict. This particular volume covers a relatively
obscure chapter in U.S. Marine Corps history—the activities of Marines in Vietnam
between 1954 and 1964. The narrative traces the evolution of those activities from
a one-man advisory operation at the conclusion of the French-Indochina War in
1954 to the advisory and combat support activities of some 700 Marines at the end
of 1964. As the introductory volume for the series this account has an important
secondary objective: to establish a geographical, political, and military foundation
upon which the subsequent histories can be developed.
The author is a Marine Reservist who was a member of the History and Museums
Division from September 1972 until August 1974. Promoted to major soon after his
return to inactive duty, he is now working for the Kentucky State Government. A
native of Kentucky, he holds a Bachelor of Arts degree from Morehead State College
(1965) and a Master of Arts degree in American History from the University of Ken-
tucky (1972). Commissioned in 1965, Major Whitlow served as an infantry platoon
commander with the 6th Marines, an aerial observer with the 1st Marine Division in
Vietnam, and later as a platoon commander at Officer Candidate School, Quantico.
For services in the Republic of Vietnam during 1967 and 1968 he was awarded the Dis-
tinguished Flying Cross and 26 awards of the Air Medal.
E. H. SIMMONS
Brigadier General, U.S. Marine Corps (Ret.)
Director of Marine Corps History and Museums
Reviewed and Approved:
15 September 1976
111

Preface
U.S. Marines in Vietnam, 1954—1964 is a narrative account of the initial decade of
Marine Corps operations in South Vietnam. The monograph had two immediate
forerunners, both classified studies prepared in the middle 1960s by the former His-
torical Branch, G—3 Division, Headquarters Marine Corps. Authored by Major
James M. Yingling, Captain Harvey D. Bradshaw, and Mr. Benis M. Frank, the
first of these was entitled United States Marine Corps Activities in Vietnam, 1954—
1963." The second, entitled "United States Marine Corps Operations in the Republic
of Vietnam, 1964," was authored by Major Harvey D. Bradshaw. Although unpub-
lished, these studies served as important sources for the material contained in this
text. Otherwise, this history has been derived from official Marine Corps records, the
Oral History Collection of the History and Museums Division, the comment files of
the division, and appropriate historical works. Of particular value in its compilation
have been the command diaries of the various Marine organizations involved.
Unfortunately, few official documents relative to either the early Marine advisory
program or to the early operations of the Vietnamese Marine Corps still exist. There-
fore, that portion of the text which deals with those areas has been reconstructed
from interviews with various former Marine advisors. Even their generous assist-
ance, however, has not completely overcome the dearth of documentary sources.
Any reader possessing a knowledge of this period and subject is invited to submit
pertinent comments to the History and Museums Division.
This monograph has not been the product of a single individual's labor. A com-
ment draft of the manuscript was reviewed by over 40 persons, most of whom were
directly associated with the described events. (A list of these contributors appears as
Appendix F.) Their remarks have been of immense value in reconstructing with
accuracy the origin, nature, and scope of the various Marine operations. The manu-
script was prepared under the editorial direction of Mr. Henry I. Shaw, Jr., Chief
Historian of the History and Museums Division. Final editing and the preparation
of the index was done by Mr. Charles R. Smith of the Historical Branch. Miss Kay P.
Sue, editorial clerk and manuscript typist for the division, performed valuable services
in typing and proof reading both the comment and final drafts. Staff Sergeant Paul A.
Lloyd and Sergeant Eric A. Clark, also members of the History and Museums
Division, were responsible for preparing all maps and charts. Unless otherwise
credited, photographs are from official Marine Corps files.
ROBERT H. WHITLOW
Captain, U.S. Marine Corps Reserve
V

.
Table of Contents
Page
Foreword iii
Preface V
Table of Contents vii
PART I THE WATERSHED 1
Chapter 1 Background to Military Assistance
3
The Geographic Setting
3
The People 6
Vietnam's Recent History 9
Post-Geneva South Vietnam 12
The American Response 14
Chapter 2 The Formative Years 15
Military Assistance Advisory Group, Vietnam 15
Origins of U.S. Marine Assistance 16
Political Stabilization and Its Effects 18
Reorganization and Progress 20
Summing Up Developments 25
Chapter 3 Vietnamese Marines and the Communist Insurgency 26
Origins and Early Stages of Insurgency 26
Insurgency and the Vietnamese Marine Corps 31
Ancillary Effects on Marine Pacific Commands 39
American Decisions at the Close of 1961 42
Chapter 4 An Expanding War, 1962 44
The War's New Context 44
Creation of MACV and Marine Advisory Division 46
The Vietnamese Marine Corps, 1962 49
Some Conclusions 53
PART II MARINE HELICOPTERS GO TO WAR 55
Chapter 5 SHUFLY at Soc Trang 57
The Decision 57
Deployment to Soc Trang 59
Mekong Delta Combat Support Operations 65
Preparations and Redeployment 73
Accomplishments 74
Chapter 6 SI-IUFLY Moves North 75
Arrival at Da Nang 75
I Corps Tactical Zone 76
Military Situation, September 1962 79
Initial Helicopter Operations 80
Marine People-to-People Program 85
SHUFLY Operations in I Corps 85
vii
viii CONTENTS
Page
Chapter 7 The Laotian Crisis, 1962 86
Genesis of the Problem 86
The American Response 88
The Marine Corps Role 88
Marine Participation: A Summary 94
PART III THE STRUGGLE CONTINUES, 1963 97
Chapter 8 The Marine Advisory Effort 99
The Political Climate 99
The Advisory Division and VNMC Operations 100
Accomplishments 110
Chapter 9 SHUFLY Operations 111
Development of the Compound Continues 111
Combat Support Operations 113
The Situation in Vietnam 121
PART IV AN EXPANDING GROUND WAR, 1964 125
Chapter 10 Marines Meet the Challenge 127
New American Decisions 127
A. Restructured Military Assistance Command 130
Changes in Marine Leadership 130
Redesignation and Reorganization 131
The Vietnamese Marine Brigade 132
Additional Marine Activities 138
Chapter 11 Spring and Summer Fighting 144
The Monsoons 144
The Weather Breaks 148
Sure \Vind 202 152
Operations Elsewhere in I Corps 154
Changing the Watch 156
Chapter 12 Fall and Winter Operations 157
Dry Weather Fighting 157
Monsoon and Flood Relief Operations 159
Changes and Improvements 162
Action as the Year Ends 164
Chapter 13 Prelude to Escalation 166
NOTES 169
APPENDICES 175
A. USMC and VNMC Senior Officers, 1954—1964 175
B. Awards and Decorations, RVN, Through 1964 176
C. Glossary of Acronyms 178
D. Chronology 179
E. List of Reviewers 182
INDEX 184