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United States Marine Corps Tank
Operations in Vietnam “In addition to air, artillery, and naval gunfire, Marine infantry units received vital combat support from the 3rd Marine Division amphibian tractor companies and tank companies. The experience of the 3rd Tank Battalion was typical of how these organizations functioned in Vietnam. The 3rd Tank Battalion Headquarters, Lieutenant Colonel States Rights Jones, Jr., and Company B arrived at Da Nang on 8 July. The battalion’s other two gun companies were already in Vietnam, attached to the infantry units. On 24 July, the battalion was assigned a general support mission, but retained operational control only of its Headquarters and Service Company. At Da Nang, Company A was in direct support of the 3rd Marines, while Company B was in direct support of the 9th Marines. Company C was attached to the 4th Marines a Chu Lai, with one platoon attached to the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines at Phu Bai. In August, Company B, 1st Tank Battalion arrived at Chu Lai with the 7th Marines and remained in support of that regiment. Four months later Company A, 1st Tank Battalion landed with the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines at Phu Bai.” (“U.S. Marines in Vietnam: The Landing and the Buildup – 1965”) “By December (1965), the III MAG tank force consisted of 65 M-48 (gun) tanks and 12 (M-67) flame tanks deployed at the three Marine enclaves (Da Nang, Phu Bai, and Chu Lai). In addition to the tanks there were 65 ONTOS from both the 1st and 3rd Anti-Tank Battalion.” (Note: Later in the War ATs came under the Command and Control of the 3d Tank Battalion) In the last issue of the “Sponson Box” we covered Tank Operations for the period of March, when tanks first arrived in Vietnam, through September (and Operation Starlite) of 1965. This article covers the last quarter of 1965 – from 1 October through the end of the year.
Location: Period Covered: 1 October through 31 December 1965 Commanding Officer: Lt.Col. Milton L. Raphael Subordinate Commanders: Early in October the Marines
were on the offensive but with little enemy contact. Operations RED
SNAPPER and LIEN KET-10 were typical with a maximum amount of planning
and coordination and a paucity of results. The Marines, however, were
not discouraged and continued the offensive during November. Operation
BLACK FERRET was followed by BLUE MARLIN I & II. HARVEST MOON was the
last of the Marine’s big battles in 1965 and it was considered a
moderate success. None of these operations included the tactical
offensive deployment of Tanks which were used mainly for blocking
positions, road check points, and some convoy duty in and around the Chu
Lai TAOR. The 3rd Tank Battalion’s reporting on the 2 Tank Companies in
the Chu Lai TAOR (B Company, 1st Tank Battalion in support of the 7th
Marines and C Company, 3rd Tank in support of the 4th Marines) was
rather abbreviated compared to that of Companies A & B operating in
support of the 3rd and 9th Marines in the Danang Vital Area. “Again, during the month(s) of October, (November, and December) 1965 the majority of tank offensive operations were conducted by B Company (3d Tank Battalion) in the coastal plain southeast of Danang. On 6 October 1965 a platoon from B Company was placed in direct support of the 3d Battalion, 9th Marines operating in the center portion of the southern flank of the Danang enclave (around the Da Nang Airfield). The remainder of the company remained in direct support of the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines.” (in the area of Marble Mountain) On over 40 occasions during
this 3 month period, tanks from B Company in support of the 9th Marine’s
battalions were assigned missions in support of sweep and clear
operations or patrols, reaction force, destruction of Viet Cong
defensive installations, sinking sampans, providing mobile reserves,
extricating friendly troops, and killing more than 50 enemy troops using
machine gun and/or main armament. Operation DAGGER THRUST
Semper Fidelis, |