U.S. Marines in Vietnam

High Mobility and Standdown 1969

Charles R. Smith, U.S. Marine Corps History and Museums Division

• Publisher: Barakaldo Books
• Year: 2021
• Topic: History
• eBook ISBN:
  9781839747625
• Subtopic: Military & Maritime History
• Index: History

This volume details the change in United States policy for the Vietnam War. After a thorough review, President Richard M. Nixon adopted a policy of seeking to end United States military involvement in Vietnam either through negotiations or, failing that, turning the combat role over to the South Vietnamese. It was this decision that began the Vietnamization of the war in the summer of 1969 and which would soon greatly reduce and then end the Marine Corps' combat role in the war.
The Marines of III Marine Amphibious Force continued the full range of military and pacification activities within I Corps Tactical Zone during this period of transition. Until withdrawn, the 3rd Marine Division, employing highly mobile tactics, successfully blunted North Vietnamese Army efforts to reintroduce troops and supplies into Quang Tri Province. The 1st Marine Division, concentrated in Quang Nam Province, continued both mobile offensive and pacification operations to protect the city of Da Nang and surrounding population centers. The 1st Marine Aircraft Wing provided air support to both divisions, as well as other allied units in I Corps, while Force Logistic Command served all major Marine commands.
Although written from the perspective of III MAF and the Marine ground war in I Corps, an attempt has been made to place the Marine role in relation to the overall American effort. The volume also treats the Marine Corps' participation in the advisory effort, the operations of the Seventh Fleet Special Landing Force, and, to a lesser extent, the activities of the 101st Airborne Division (Airmobile), 23rd Infantry (Americal) Division, and 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division (Mechanized). There are separate chapters on Marine air, artillery, surveillance, and logistics.

Table of contents

• Title page
• TABLE OF CONTENTS
• ERRATUM
• Foreword
• Preface
• Maps, Charts, and Tables
• PART I-THE CONTINUING WAR
• PART II-SOUTHERN I CORPS BATTLEGROUND
• PART III-THE THIRD’S FINAL MONTHS
• PART IV-QUANG NAM: THE YEAR’S FINAL BATTLES
• PART V-SUPPORTING THE TROOPS
• PART VI-UNIQUE CONTRIBUTIONS
• Appendix A-Marine Command and Staff List January-December 1969
• Appendix B-Glossary of Terms and Abbreviations
• Appendix C-Chronology of Significant Events January-December 1969
• Appendix D-Medal of Honor Citations 1969
• Appendix E-List of Reviewers
• Appendix F-Distribution of Personnel Fleet Marine Force, Pacific-(Reproduction of Status of Forces, 31 January 1969)
• Appendix G-Distribution of Personnel Fleet Marine Force, Pacific-(Reproduction of Status of Forces, 8 December 1969)
• NOTES