Third Marine Division's Battle of Con Thien
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DUPAGE COUNTY ONCE A MARINE, MARINE CORPS ALWAYS A MARINE LEAGUE DETACHMENT 399 VOLUME IV ISSUE XIII AUGUST 2015 OFFICERS - Commandant — John Olenjnicki Third Marine Division’s 630-665-8799 Sr. Vice Cmdt—Rita Kollias Battle of Con Thien 630-362-7210 Jr. Vice Cmdt—Larry Adamiec 630-257-2510 Jr Past Cmdt—Victoria Cobbett 630– 257-6423 Paymaster—Chuck Wingard 630-627-1766 Adjutant—Danielle Provenzale 630-426-3895 Judge Advocate-Gary Cobbett 630-257—6423 Chaplain—Don Kenyon 630-681-0911 On 6 May 1965, the 3rd Marine Division opened the Marine Compound at the Da Nang Air Base, Vietnam. Sgt at Arms—Roger Gaden They were the first American combat troops to be 630-369-9878 sent to Vietnam to protect the Da Nang Air Base. By the end of 1965 the Division had all its regiments Trustee—Bill Barta (3rd Marines, 4th Marines and 9th Marines) on the 630-263-0700 ground. The first major multi-regiment operations against the North Vietnamese Army was Operation Trustee—George Bormann, Jr Hastings in July 1966. Operation Prairie followed in October. This area would come to be known as 630-372-9037 Leatherneck Square. In late 1967 the headquarters Trustee—Larry Olson moved again from Phu Bai to Đông Hà in the Quang Tri Province and more outposts were opened. There 630-569-7395 were five Medal of Honors awarded and nearly 40 Navy Crosses given during this period of time. For its Trustee—John Meschi service in the Republic of Vietnam the division was 630-495-7336 awarded the Presidential Unit Citation in 1967. This is the story of the Third Marine division’s battle of Quartermaster—Mara Myrick Con Thien in the Quang Tri Province. Story begins on 630-668---2492 Page 2. Dues – New Member $35, Renewal $32, Life Member (18-35 yrs. old) $500, (36-50yrs old) $400, (51-64 yrs. old) $300, over 65 yrs. old $200 PAGE 2 BATTLE OF CON THIEN Con Thien (Vietnamese: căn cứ Cồn ble because it was within range of NVA artillery Tiên, meaning the "Hill of Angels") was a Unit- north of the DMZ which was largely immune to ed States Marine Corps combat base located counter-battery fire. near the Vietnamese Demilitarized Zone about 3 km from North Vietnam in Gio Linh District, Quảng Trị Province. It was the site of fierce fighting from February 1967 through February 1968. Marine Commanders Lewis William Walt (February 16, 1913 – March 26, 1989), also known as Lew Walt, was a retired United States Marine Corps four-star general who had served in World War II, the Korean War, and the Vietnam War. During World War II he was awarded two Navy Cross- es for extraordinary heroism, one for leading the attack on "Aogiri Ridge" during the Battle Map of northern Quang Tri Prov- of Cape Gloucester (New Britain); the ridge ince showing location of Con Thien was renamed "Walt's Ridge" in his honor. showing location of Con Thien Robert Everton Cushman, Jr. (December 24, 1914 – January 2, 1985) served as the 25th Commandant of the Marine Corps from January 1, 1972 to June 30, 1975. He was honored for heroism in battle during World War II at the battles of Guam (Navy Cross), Bougainville (Bronze Star) and Iwo Jima (Legion of Merit). He also commanded all Ma- rine forces in Vietnam from June - December 1967. Cushman served as Deputy Director of the Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) from 1969-1971. Map of the strongpoint obstacle Strength system or McNamara Line Third Marine Division – 9,000 Marines North Vietnam – 8,000 to 12,000 NVA Border battles Soldiers On 27 February 1967, in response to Casualties and Losses Marine artillery fire into and the area north of Marines – 1,419 killed and 9,265 the DMZ (Operation Highrise) NVA mortar, wounded rocket and artillery fire hit Con Thien and Gio NVA Soldiers – 7,563 killed NS 168 Linh. On 20 March, NVA began shelling Con captured Thien and Gio Linh which continued sporadical- Location ly for the next two weeks. Con Thien is located at 16°54′35″N 106° On 24 March 1st Battalion, 9th Marines 58′48″E and was originally established as a began Operation Prairie III where they encoun- Special Forces/CIDG camp before being taken tered an NVA battalion in a bunker complex over by the Marines in December 1966. To- southeast of Con Thien. After a two-hour fight gether with Marine bases at Gio Linh, Đông Hà the NVA withdrew leaving 33 killed in action. and Cam Lộ, Con Thien enclosed the area Sergeant Walter K. Singleton was posthumous- known to the Marines as Leatherneck Square. ly awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Con Thien was intended to be used as a base the attack. 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines (3/3) op- for the McNamara Line to prevent NVA infiltra- erating beside 1/9 encountered an entrenched tion across the DMZ. The firebase was strate- NVA Company, killing 28 NVA including two gically important because it offered unfettered women. On 30 March, Company I 3rd Battal- views for 15 km east to the coast and north ion, 9th Marines was establishing a night am- into North Vietnam. It was also very vulnera- bush position when it was attacked by an NVA force, 2LT John P. Bobo was posthumously BATTLE OF CON THIEN PAGE 3 hours later the enemy had with- In Operation Hickory awarded the Medal of Honor for drawn leaving 197 killed and 8 the 2nd Battalion, 26th Ma- his actions during the attack. prisoners. The Marines had suf- rines and 2nd Battalion, 9th In mid-April Charlie Com- fered 44 KIA and 110 wounded. Marines advanced north from pany, 11th Engineer Battalion Remilitarizing the DMZ Con Thien on the morning of was tasked with clearing a 200m After the 8 May attack, 18 May to press any NVA wide strip from Con Thien to Gio recognizing that the NVA were against a blocking force from Linh, a distance of 10.6 km. The using the DMZ as a sanctuary the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines engineers were protected by a for attacks into I Corps, Wash- on the Ben Hai River. At task force consisting of the 1st ington lifted the prohibition on 10:00 2/26 Marines made Battalion, 4th Marines, an US forces entering the DMZ and contact with 2 NVA Battalions AMTRAC (LVT-5) platoon, a pla- MACV authorized the III Marine in bunkers and trenches. The toon of M42 Dusters from the 1st Amphibious Force (III MAF) to 2/9 Marines joined 2/26 and Battalion, 44th Artillery and some conduct combat operations into fought a running battle until ARVN units. By 19 April, despite the southern half of the DMZ. nightfall. 5 Marines were KIA harassment from NVA mines, From 13–16 May, 1/9 and 142 were wounded, while small arms, recoilless rifle, mor- Marines cleared Route 561 from 31 NVA were killed. That night tar and artillery fire the strip was Cam Lo to Con Thien fought a 75 radar-controlled airstrikes half-completed. well-entrenched NVA force south were called in on the bunker In order to protect Route of the base. The NVA subse- complex. At 07:00 on 19 May 561, the supply line to Con Thien quently withdrew into the DMZ. after 2 hours of artillery prep- from Route 9, the Marines had Operations Hickory/Lam Son aration (in which short rounds established two outposts, C-2 54/Beau Charger killed 3 Marines), the 2/26 Base was located 3 km southeast III MAF proceeded to proceeded to attack the bun- of Con Thien and contained artil- plan a series of combined opera- ker complex, overrunning it lery and infantry positions, while tions with ARVN forces that oc- by 10:30 killing 34 NVA. At C-2A nicknamed the Washout curred from 18 to 26 May. Under 13:30 2/9 Marines met heavy was on low-lying ground over- Operation Hickory 3rd Marines' automatic weapons and mor- looking a bridge. advanced to the Ben Hai River. tar fire and an M-48 moved up Attack on Con Thien Under Operation Lam Son 54 the to silence the NVA positions 8 May, at 0300 some 300 1st ARVN Division advanced par- with canister fire. 2 M-48s rounds of mortar and artillery fire allel to 3rd Marines while the were later knocked out by hit the base, while NVA sappers amphibious Special Landing RPG-7 fire and 2/9 Marines with Bangalore torpedoes Force Alpha secured the coast- suffered 7 KIA and 12 wound- breached the perimeter wire. At line south of the Ben Hai River ed. On 20 May, 3rd Battalion, 0400 two battalions of the 812th under Operation Beau Charger 9th Marines covering the left North Vietnamese Regiment and Special Landing Force Bravo flank of the operation encoun- armed with flamethrowers over- linked up with 3rd Marines under tered an NVA bunker complex ran the Marine stronghold. At the Operation Belt Tight. Once at and in fighting lasting into 21 time of the attack the base was the Ben Hai River, the forces May suffered 26 KIA and 59 defended by the command ele- swept south on a broad front to wounded for 36 NVA dead. On ment and Company 'D' of the 1st Route 9. 25 May Companies H and K Bn. 4th Marines. The well- From 19 to 27 May when from the 26th Marines en- organized attack fell primarily on Lam Son 54 ended the ARVN gaged an NVA Company in a Company D's northern perimeter.