fortitudine vol 22 no 3 - united states marine corps · s. 'bigfoot' brown hall at fort...

FORTITtJD.BULLETIN OF THE MARINE CORPS HISTORICAL PROGRHISTORICAL BULLETIN VOLUME XXII WINTER 1992-1993 NUMBER s

STORIED MARINE AImLLERYMAN RECALLED IN FORT SILL DETACHMENT BUILDING NAMING.. . REUVING AFTER

2 WARS ThE VIETr1vI WAR'S BRUTAL 'BATFLE FOR HUE'. . . ON THE ROM) IN SO1vIAuA, MAmNE HISTORMNS,ARTISTS RECORD THE CORPS' HUMANITAIuM. MISSION. . FLIGHT LINES: ThOMAS-MORSE S.4 SCOUT TRAINER

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FORTITtJD.BULLETIN OF THE MARINE CORPS HISTORICAL PROGRHISTORICAL BULLETIN VOLUME XXII WINTER 1992-1993 NUMBER

SiORIED MARINE ARTILLERYMAN RECALLED IN FORT SILL DETACHMENT BUILDING NAMING. . . REUVING AFTER

15 WARS ThE VIETNAM WAR'S BRUTAL 'BATFLE FOR HUE'. . . ON THE ROAD IN SOMAUA, MARINE HISIO1UANS,

ARTISTS RECORD THE CORPS' HUMANITARIAN MISSION. . . FLIGHT LINES: ThOMAS-MORSE S.4 SCOUT ThATNER

DISTRIBUTION STATEMENT A: Approved for public release; distribution isunlimited.

PCN 10401220100

Marine Corps Historical CenterBuilding 58. Washington Navy Yard

901 M Street. SoutheastWashington, DC, 20374-5040

Telephone: (202) 433-3838, 433-3840, 433-3841

DIREC1DR

BGen Edwin H. Simmons, USMC (Ret)Secretary to the Director Mrs. Patricia E. Morgan.

DEPUTY DIREC1DR

Cot Marsha!! B. Darling, USMC

HIS1DRICAL BRANCH

Head: LtCol Thomas A. Richards, USMC. Histories Section:Mr. Bents M. Frank, Chief Historian; Dr. Jack Shulimson;Mr. Charles R, Smith; LtCoi Kenneth W. Estes, USMC; CaptDavid A. Dawson. USMC. Oral Histoty Unit: Mr. RichardA. Long. Reference Section: Mr. Danny J. Crawford; Mr.Robert V. Aquilina: Mrs. Ann A. Ferrante; Miss Lena M. Kal-jot; Mrs. Regina Strother; Mrs. Shelia Gramblin. Archives:

Mr. FrederickJ. Graboske: Mr. J, Michael Miller, PersonalPapers; Mrs.Joyce C. Hudson; Cpl Joshua R. Ford, USMC,Official Papers.

MUSEUMS BRANCH

Head/Officer-in- Charge. Air. Ground Museum, Quantico:LtCol Carmen Dragotta, USMC. Operations Officer CaptChristopher L. French, USMC. Museums Section: Mr.

Charles A. Wood, Chief Curator, Mr. Kenneth L. Smith-Christmas, Matenal History; Mr. John G. Griffiths, Ord-nance; Mr. Joseph E. Payton; SSgt Mitch Garringer, USMC;Cpl David S. Crockett, USMC, Restoration; Mr. Michael E.Stain, Aeronautics; Mr. Ronald J, Perkins, Mr. Ronnie D.Alexander, Exhibits; Mrs. Nancy F King, Uniforms; Mrs.

Jennifer L. Castro, Registrar Mrs. Kathryn R. Trout, Pro-grams Assistant. Security: GySgtRobert L. Holloway, USMC;

Sgt Daryl L. Clark, USMC: Sgt Vincent L. Wright, USMC;Cpl Guillermo J. Serra, USMC; LCpI Kevin S. Anderson,USMC; LCpI Sean A. Brooks, USMC; LCpI Jose Rodriguez,USMC; LCpI Jeffrey J. Weins, USMC; LCpI Steven E.Winsky, USMC.

MARINE CORPS MUSEUM UNIT, WASHINGTON, D.C.

E,chibits: Mr. James A. Fairfax; Mr. Gordon Heim; Sgt AlbertRamos, USMC; Manne Corps Art Collection: Mr. John TDyer, Jr.

SUPPORT BRANCH

Head/Division Executive Officer LtCol Dale K. Johnson,USMC. Editing and Design Section: Mr. Robert E. Struder;Mr. William S. Hill; Mrs. Catherine A. Kerns. Libraty: Miss

Evelyn A. Englander. Administration: Capt Joe Wells, Jr.,USMC: 2dLt John T Simpson, USMC; SSgtJohn Hudson.USMC; Sgt Exkchart Rattanachai, USMC; CpI Michael L.Ashley, USMC; LCpI Amanda F. Bernard, USMC; LCpI An-thony R. Hicks, USMC. Security Unit SSgt Ricaido E. Hard-ing, USMC; Sgt Andre L. Owens III, USMC.

Mr. Robert E. StruderSenior Editor/Editor. Fortitudine

FORTIT[JD INEMotto of the United States Marine Corps in the 1812 era.

Historical Bulletin Volume XXII Winter 1991-1992 No. 3

This quarterly bulletin of the Marine Corps historical program is published for Marines, atthe rate of one copy for every nine on active duty, to provide education and training in theuses of military and Marine Corps history. Other interested readers may purchase single co-pies or one-year subscriptions (four issues) from the Superintendent of Documents. U.S.Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Memorandum from the Director: Fond Memories of 'Bigfoot' BrownBGen Edwin H. Simmons, USMC (Ret) 3

Marine Facilities' Names Honor Corps' HeroesRobert V Aquilina 7

Histories Follow Marine Units in Iceland, the CaribbeanBenis M. Frank 8

Marines Mark 25th Anniversary of Pivotal Battle for HueD, Jack Shulimson 9

Somalia Task Force History-Keeping in Care of MarinesLtCol Thomas A. Richards, USMC .......................................... 12

Marine Historians Tracked Somalia Force from OutsetLtCol Thomas A. Richards, USMC ..................................,,,,,.,, 14

Marines' Efforts, People's Dramatic Plight Drew Combat Artists to SomaliaJohn T Dye J........................................................ 16

Gish Found Color Beautiful, People Lovely and GracefulCol Peter M. Gish, USMCR................................................ 17

Neary Sketch Wreathed by Small, Dusty Fingerprints ........................... 19

Marine Historian Inspects YugoslaviaCivilian Relief Operation's Zagreb Forward Headquarters .................... 20

Awards Citing Combat Prowess Are Presented to Persian Gulf MarinesAnn A. Ferrante ................................,,,,,,,,,.,,,,,,,,,.,. 20

Mentioned in Passing: Medals Expert Blakeney, SgtMaj Crawford DieBenis M. Frank 20

Commandant Opens Pentagon World War II ExhibitKenneth L. Smith-Christmas .......................................,,,,,,, 21

Flight Lines: Thomas-Morse S.4 'Scout'Michael E. Starn 22

W"orld Var II Chronology, 1941-1945: July — December 1943Robert V Aquilina ...................................................... 23

THE COVER

Marines of 2d Platoon, Bravo Company, 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion, were taking partin Operation Coronado in Bardera, Somalia, on 10 February when they were sketched inpencil and watercolor by Col Peter M. Gish, USMCR, a senior member of the Marine CorpsCombat Art Program. Col Gish and fellow artist LtCol DonnaJ. Neary, USMCR, were thefirst two combat artists to be dispatched to record the Marine presence in Somalia. In addi-tion to the art program, operations of the Combined joint Task Force Somalia were coveredby some innovative programs developed by military historians, with Marine historians ofMobilization Training Unit (History) DC-7 taking the lead. A number of articles, and someof the interesting artwork brought back from the humanitarian relief program in the EastAfrican nation, appears beginning on page 12. Another History and Museums Division pro-gram, Commemorative Naming, is highlighted by discussion of the dedication of WilburtS. 'Bigfoot' Brown Hall at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, by BGen Simmons, beginning on page 3.

Fortitudine is produced in the Editing and Design Section of the History and Museums Division. Thetext for Fortitudine is set in 10-point and 8-point Garamond typefaie. Headlines are in 18-point or24-point Garamond. The bulletin is printed on 70-pound, matte-toated paper by offset lithography.

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402.

2 Fortitudine, Winter 1992-1993

HISTORYAND MUSEUMSDIVISION

Marine Corps Historical CenterBuilding 58. Washington Navy Yard

901 M Street. SoutheastWashington, D.C. 20374-5040

Telephone: (202) 433-3838, 433-3840, 433-3841

DIRECTOR

BGen Edwin H. Simmons, USMC (Ret)

Secretary to the Director Mrs. Patricia E. Morgan.

DEPUTY DIRECTOR

Cot Marshall B. Darling. USMC

HISTORICAL BRANCH

Head: LrCol Thomas A. Richards, USMC. Histories Section:Mr. Benis M. Frank, Chief Historian; Dr. Jack Shulimson;Mr. Charles R. Smith: LtCol Kenneth W. Estes, USMC; CaptDavid A. Dawson, USMC. Oral History Unit: Mt. RichardA. Long. Reference Section: Mr. Danny J. Crawford: Mr.Robert V. Aquilina; Mrs. Ann A. Ferrante; Miss Lena M. Kal-jot; Mrs. Regina Strother; Mrs. Shelia Gramblin. Archives:Mr. Frederick J. Graboske; Mr. J. Michael Miller, PersonalPapers; Mrs. Joyce C. Hudson; Cpl Joshua R. Ford, USMC,Official Papers.

MUSEUMS BRANCH

Head/Offlcer.in.Charge. Air-Ground Museum, Quantico:LtCol Carmen Dragotta, USMC. Operations Officer CaptChristopher L. French, USMC. Museums Section: Mr.

Charles A. Wood, Chief Curator, Mr. Kenneth L. Smith.Christmas, Material History; Mr. John G. Griffiths, Ord-nance; Mr. Joseph E. Payton; SSgt Mitch Garringer. USMC;Cpl David S. Crockett, USMC, Restoration; Mr. Michael E.Starn, Aeronautics; Mr. Ronald J. Perkins, Mr. Ronnie D.Alexander, Exhibits; Mrs. Nancy F King. Uniforms; Mrs.

Jennifer L. Castro, Registrar; Mrs. Kathryn R. Trout, Pro-grams Assistant. Security: GySgt Robert L. Holloway, USMC;Sgt Daryl L. Clark, USMC; Sgt Vincent L. Wright, USMC;Cpl GuillermoJ. Serra, USMC; LCpI Kevin S. Anderson,USMC; LCpI Sean A. Brooks, USMC; LCplJose Rodriguez,USMC; LCpI Jeffrey J. Weins, USMC; LCpI Steven E.Winsky, USMC.

MARINE CORPS MUSEUM UNIT, WASHINGTON, D.C.

Exhibits: Mr. James A. Fairfax; Mr. Gordon Heim; Sgi AlbertRamos, USMC; Marine Corps Art Collection: Mr. John TDyer, Jr.

SUPPORT BRANCH

Head/Division Executive Officer LtCol Dale K. Johnson,USMC. Editing and Design Section: Mr. RobertE. Struder;Mr. William S. Hill; Mrs. Catherine A. Kerns. Library: MissEvelyn A. Englander. Administration: Capt Joe Wells, Jr.,USMC; 2dLt John T Simpson, USMC; SSgt John Hudson,USMC; Sgt Exkchari Rattanachat, USMC; Cpl Michael L.Ashley, USMC; LCpI Amanda F Bernard, USMC; LCpl An-thony R. Hicks, USMC. Security Unit SSgt Ricasdo E. Hard-ing, USMC; Sgt Andre L. Owens III, USMC.

Mr. Robert E. StruderSenior Editor/Editot Fortitudine

FORTIT[JD INEMotto of the United States Marine Corps in the 1812 era.

Historical Bulletin Volume XXII Winter 1991-1992 No. 3

This quarterly bulletin of the Marine Corps historical program iS published for Marines, atthe rate of one copy for every nine on active duty, to provide educatton and training in theuses of military and Marine Corps history. Other interested readers may purchase single co-pies or one-year subscriptions (four issues) from the Superintendent of Documents. U.S.Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C. 20402,

TABLE OF CONTENTS

Memorandum from the Director: Fond Memories of 'Bigfoot' BrownBGen Edwin H. Simmons, USMC (Ret) 3

Marine Facilities' Names Honor Corps' HeroesRobert V Aquilina 7

Histories Follow Marine Units in Iceland, the CaribbeanBenis M. Frank 8

Marines Mark 25th Anniversary of Pivotal Battle for HueDr Jack Shulimson 9

Somalia Task Force History-Keeping in Care of MarinesLtCol Thomas A. Richards, USMC 12

Marine Historians Tracked Somalia Force from OutsetLtCol Thomas A. Richards, USMC 14

Marines' Efforts, People's Dramatic Plight Drew Combat Artists to SomaliaJohn T Dyer; Jr 16

Gish Found Color Beautiful, People Lovely and GracefulCol Peter M. Gish, USMCR 17

Neary Sketch Wreathed by Small, Dusty Fingerprints 19

Marine Historian Inspects YugoslaviaCivilian Relief Operation's Zagreb Forward Headquarters 20

Awards Citing Combat Prowess Are Presented to Persian Gulf MarinesAnn A. Ferrante 20

Mentioned in Passing: Medals Expert Blakeney, SgtMaj Crawford DieBenis M. Frank 20

Commandant Opens Pentagon World War II ExhibitKenneth L. Smith-Christmas 21

Flight Lines: Thomas-Morse S.4 'Scout'Michael F. Starn 22

World War II Chronology, 1941-1945: July — December 1943Robert V Aquilina 23

THE COVER

Marines of 2d Platoon, Bravo Company, 3d Assault Amphibian Battalion, were taking partin Operation Coronado in Bardera, Somalia, on 10 February when they were sketched inpencil and watercolor by Col Peter M. Gish, USMCR, a senior member of the Marine CorpsCombat Art Program. Col Gish and fellow artist LtCol DonnaJ. Neary, USMCR, were thefirst two combat artists to be dispatched to record the Marine presence in Somalia. In addi-tion to the art program, operations of the Combined joint Task Force Somalia were coveredby some innovative programs developed by military historians, with Marine historians ofMobilization Training Unit (History) DC-7 taking the lead. A number of articles, and someof the Interesting artwork brought back from the humanitarian relief program in the EastAfrican nation, appears beginning on page 12. Another History and Museums Division pro-gram, Commemorative Naming, is highlighted by discussion of the dedication of WilburtS. 'Bigfoot' Brown Hall at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, by BGen Simmons, beginning on page 3.

Fortitud,ne is produced in the Editing and Design Section of the History and Museums Division. Thetext for Fortitudine is set in 10-point and 8-point Garamond typeface. Headlines are in 18-point or24-point Garamond. The bulletin is printed on 70'pound, matte-coated paper by offset lithography.

For sale by the Superintendent of Documents, U.S. Government Printing Office, Washington, D.C.20402.


HISTORYAND MUSEUMSDIVISION

Memorandum from the Director

Fond Memories of 'Bigfoot' BrownBGen Simmons

Q NE OF THE Commemorative Nam-ing Program actions this past year

was the naming of the Marine CorpsDetachment Headquarters at Fort Sill,Oklahoma, in honor of MajGen WilburtS. "Bigfoot" Brown. Marines have been go-ing to Fort Sill for gunnery instructionsince at least the First World War. GenBrown had been one of them; he had beenthere both as a student and as an instruc-tor. Artillerymen are a brotherhood oftheir own and the rapport between theArmy and the Marines at Fort Sill has al-ways been superb. All things considered,it was almost inevitable that the MarineCorps Detachment headquarters facility,a one-story building, be named for Big-foot Brown, but credit for pursuing thenaming action must go to the detachmentcommander, Col Philip E. Hughes.

The date of the dedication was set for27 August. Gen Brown's widow, Mrs. Mar-tha Stennis Brown, asked me to make thededicatory remarks and that pleased me

very much. Bigfoot Brown had been myregimental commander in Korea and atseveral other times we had served in thesame places and I admired him greatly.

MajGen Fred F. Marty, USA, the com-mander at Fort Sill, was a splendid hostand turned out a fine ceremony for the oc-casion. Fort Sill is a beautiful post in theSouthwestern style and filled with histo-ry. It had been a cool, wet summer. Every-thing was unexpectedly green and the daywas almost chilly. The post band was thereand so was the distinctive showpiece of FortSill ceremonies, the half-section of horse-drawn artillery.

W HEN MY TURN 10 speak came, Icould almost see my old regimen-

tal commander sitting there in the frontrow, legs crossed so that a large foot with alarge shoe could be seen moving up anddown impatiently. In my mind's eye, hewas wearing a loose set of green herring-bone utilities stained with the dust of the

Korean hills. His helmet, chin strap un-fastened, was worn at a jaunty angle so asto accommodate his ear to the handset of afield radio. Like most artillerymen he was abit deaf. As I stammered through my in-troductory remarks I could hear himsaying:

"Never mind the false humility, Sim-mons. Get to the point."

And the point was that we were thereto dedicate the headquarters building inthe name of one of the Marine Corps'finest and most beloved artillerymen.

After getting through the amenities Itold an artillery story that involved boththe Army and Marines, something that oc-curred on Okinawa near the end of the Se-cond World War. Col Brown was then thecommanding officer of the 11th Marines,the artillery regiment of the 1st Marine Di-vision. For those in the audience who werenot artillerymen, I explained that there isa technique that artillerymen like to useto demonstrate their virtuosity called a

Col Wi/burt S. Bigfoot" Brown, right, z congratulated upontaking command of the 1st Marines in Korea by outgoing com-mander Col Francis M. McAlister Following the 25 May 1951

picture-taking, Col Brown told battalion commanders that hehad asp iredfor years to the command of a Marine infantry regi-ment in combat and would issue his first order as such: Retreat."

p

Memorandum from the Director

Fond Memories of 'Bigfoot' BrownBGen Simmons

Q NE OF THE Commemorative Nam-ing Program actions this past year

was the naming of the Marine CorpsDetachment Headquarters at Fort Sill,Oklahoma, in honor of MajGen WilburtS. "Bigfoot" Brown. Marines have been go-ing to Fort Sill for gunnery instructionsince at least the First World War. GenBrown had been one of them; he had beenthere both as a student and as an instruc-tor. Artillerymen are a brotherhood oftheir own and the rapport between theArmy and the Marines at Fort Sill has al-ways been superb. All things considered,it was almost inevitable that the MarineCorps Detachment headquarters facility,a one-story building, be named for Big-foot Brown, but credit for pursuing thenaming action must go to the detachmentcommander, Col Philip E. Hughes.

The date of the dedication was set for27 August. Gen Brown's widow, Mrs. Mar-tha Stennis Brown, asked me to make thededicatory remarks and that pleased me

very much. Bigfoot Brown had been myregimental commander in Korea and atseveral other times we had served in thesame places and I admired him greatly.

MajGen Fred F. Marty, USA, the com-mander at Fort Sill, was a splendid hostand turned out a fine ceremony for the oc-casion. Fort Sill is a beautiful post in theSouthwestern style and filled with histo-ry. It had been a cool, wet summer. Every-thing was unexpectedly green and the daywas almost chilly. The post band was thereand so was the distinctive showpiece of FortSill ceremonies, the half-section of horse-drawn artillery.

W HEN MY TURN 10 speak came, Icould almost see my old regimen-

tal commander sitting there in the frontrow, legs crossed so that a large foot with alarge shoe could be seen moving up anddown impatiently. In my mind's eye, hewas wearing a loose set of green herring-bone utilities stained with the dust of the

Korean hills. His helmet, chin strap un-fastened, was worn at a jaunty angle so asto accommodate his ear to the handset of afield radio. Like most artillerymen he was abit deaf. As I stammered through my in-troductory remarks I could hear himsaying:

"Never mind the false humility, Sim-mons. Get to the point."

And the point was that we were thereto dedicate the headquarters building inthe name of one of the Marine Corps'finest and most beloved artillerymen.

After getting through the amenities Itold an artillery story that involved boththe Army and Marines, something that oc-curred on Okinawa near the end of the Se-cond World War. Col Brown was then thecommanding officer of the 11th Marines,the artillery regiment of the 1st Marine Di-vision. For those in the audience who werenot artillerymen, I explained that there isa technique that artillerymen like to useto demonstrate their virtuosity called a

Col Wilburt S. "Bigfoot" Brown, right, is congratulated upontaking command of the 1st Marines in Korea by outgoing com-mander Col Francis M. McAlister Following the 25 May 1951

picture-taking, Col Brown told battalion commanders that hehad asp iredfor years to the command of a Marine infantry regi-ment in combat and would issue his first order as such: "Retreat."

"TOT" or "time-on-target" It is a shoot soplanned that all shells impact at the sametime regardless of the caliber or range ofthe guns from which they come.

I repeated the story as Gen Brown toldit to us and as we taped it some 25 yearsago:

'' NE NIGHT, JUST when the battlewas nearly over," Gen Brown

recalled, "I asked the 96th Division abouta TOT on a town in the south of Okinawa.The 96th went at it with a happy heart,and they got support from the 77th Divi-sion artillery . . I got some help [too]from the 6th [Marine] Division and weused the Corps artillery of the III Phib-Corps and the Corps artillery of the XXIVCorps. So we ended up with a 22-battalionTOT.

"[A] time-on-target is always a prettything to watch . . The man that's shoot-ing says 'Time on target—90 seconds aftermy mark. Stand by. Mark.' Then everyonesings this chorus over their loudspeakers.Then, almost at once, the guns in the rearwith the longest flight go bo-o-om! Andthen the guns up a little closer speak, andthe other guns come in — boom — boom —

boom— boom. And then the lOSs and the75s come in—boom—boom—boom—boom—boom. And God Almighty, thisplace is coming down. We had 22 battal-ions in this shoot, but I hadn't told mydivision general or the Army general orany division general.

"If I had only been smart enough to dothat, the Army commander would havebeen down there to have his picture taken.I could have probably become the Com-mandant of the [Marine] Corps. But in-stead, everyone in the island was wakenedout of a sound sleep at 2230 when all thistremendous hassle started and theythought it was a Japanese counterattack.So instead of getting credit out of it, I

caught hell from all sides."That was typical of Bigfoot Brown: do-

ing the outrageous, endearing himself tohis troops, telling a great story, and catch-ing hell, if not from all sides, at least fromthe top.

He was a big man with craggy featuresand large hands and large feet. In appear-ance he always reminded me of a moreroughcut version of the actor Walter Pidg-eon. He also had an actor's voice, a rum-bling sort of voice that started deep in hischest, and he could use it well. It was in

Col Brown, second from left, receives theLegion of Merit from MayGen DeU"ittPeck at 1st Marine Division Headquarters,Tientsin. The award cited Brown 's serviceas 11th Marines commander on Okinawa.

Nicaragua that he received the nickname"Bigfoot" and here is how he rememberedthe circumstances:

'Well, I do have this great big foot. It'sa size 14F . . With all the patrols I wasdoing my shoes all wore out . . TheArmy was supposed to have some largesizes in Panama. So I asked the quarter-master to get me some of those."

T HIS WAS IN 192.7 and Lt Brown wasthen up in the mountains of north-

western Nicaragua at San Albino Minesnear Jicaro. The Marine Corps was ex-perimenting with aerial resupply. A tn-motor Fokker would take the supplies fromManagua to Ocotal and from Ocotal theremote hill stations would get emergencyresupply dropped from two-place biplaneVought Corsair fighter-bombers. However,in this case, the pilot of the Fokker decid-ed to make the drop himself.

As Gen Brown remembered it:"Here was this big package of shoes for

me . . . Nothing would suit [Sid] Wil-liamson then but that he should take

them up to the hill station and drop themhimself . . He stuck a note to me onit and it said, 'The Corsair couldn't get offthe ground with this load, so I had to riskmy life to bring this up to you. Regards,Sid.'"

The story got touched up a bit as timewent on and it emerged that the plane re-quired two trips to deliver the shoes. Thisversion of the story would send Gen Browninto a mock rage.

"It is a canard," he would say, "It is nottrue that two trips were made. That Fok-ker was perfectly capable of carrying bothshoes in one load."

I first saw Gen Brown in October 1945,after the war's end, and the place was theBritish Club at the end of Race CourseRoad in Tientsin. This imposing figure ofa colonel was on the dance floor sweep-ing along his partner in a most impressiveway. I guessed that he must be Col Brown,commander of the 11th Marines, andsomeone told me that, yes, I was right, thiswas the legendary Bigfoot Brown. I was notintroduced that afternoon. In 1945 Marinecolonels were not apt to have much to sayin a social way to Marine captains.

I N CHINA THAT following summersomething happened that came to be

known as the An Ping Incident. ColBrown had his regimental headquarters inthe old French arsenal outside of Tient-sin. One of his missions was to send a truckconvoy twice a week from Tientsin to Pek-ing. On the 29th ofJuly 1946, one of theseconvoys was attacked at a place called AnPing, about half-way between Tientsinand Peking. The second lieutenant com-manding the patrol and several other Ma-rines were killed. As soon as word of theambush reached Brown he sent a moto-rized column, including several pieces ofartillery, to the rescue.

Gen Brown later told me what followedin approximately these words:

"I was summoned to division head-quarters andI went modestly expecting tolearn that I had been recommended forthe Navy Cross. Instead, they handed methis letter of reprimand. I told [the Gener-al] that if my mission was to spread sweet-ness and light, then he should take awaymy howitzers and issue me baskets full ofrose petals."

As he remembered the outcome of theincident:


a

"TOT" or "time-on-target." It is a shoot soplanned that all shells impact at the sametime regardless of the caliber or range ofthe guns from which they come.

I repeated the story as Gen Brown toldit to us and as we taped it some 25 yearsago:' NE NIGHT, JUST when the battle

was nearly over," Gen Brownrecalled, "I asked the 96th Division abouta TOT on a town in the south of Okinawa.The 96th went at it with a happy heart,and they got support from the 77th Divi-sion artillery . . . . I got some help [too]from the 6th [Marine] Division and weused the Corps artillery of the III Phib-Corps and the Corps artillery of the XXIVCorps. So we ended up with a 22-battalionTOT....

"[A] time-on-target is always a prettything to watch. . . . The man that's shoot-ing says 'Time on target —90 seconds aftermy mark. Stand by. Mark.' Then everyonesings this chorus over their loudspeakers.Then, almost at once, the guns in the rearwith the longest flight go bo-o-om! Andthen the guns up a little closer speak, andthe other guns come in — boom — boom —

boom — boom. And then the lOSs and the75s come in—boom—boom—boom—boom—boom. And God Almighty, thisplace is coming down. We had 22 battal-ions in this shoot, but I hadn't told mydivision general or the Army general orany division general.

"If I had only been smart enough to dothat, the Army commander would havebeen down there to have his picture taken.I could have probably become the Com-mandant of the [Marine] Corps. But in-stead, everyone in the island was wakenedout of a sound sleep at 2230 when all thistremendous hassle started and theythought it was a Japanese counterattack.So instead of getting credit out of it, I

caught hell from all sides."That was typical of Bigfoot Brown: do-

ing the outrageous, endearing himself tohis troops, telling a great story, and catch-ing hell, if not from all sides, at least fromthe top.

He was a big man with craggy featuresand large hands and large feet. In appear-ance he always reminded me of a moreroughcut version of the actor Walter Pidg-eon. He also had an actor's voice, a rum-bling sort of voice that started deep in hischest, and he could use it well. It was in

Col Brown, second from left, receives theLegion of Merit from MayGen DeW/ittPeck at 1st Marine Division Headquarters,Tientszn. The award cited Brown serviceas 11th Marines commander on Okinawa.

Nicaragua that he received the nickname"Bigfoot" and here is how he rememberedthe circumstances:

"Well, I do have this great big foot. It'sa size 14F . . . . With all the patrols I wasdoing my shoes all wore out . . . . TheArmy was supposed to have some largesizes in Panama. So I asked the quarter-master to get me some of those."

T HIS WAS IN 192.7 and Lt Brown wasthen up in the mountains of north-

western Nicaragua at San Albino Minesnear Jicaro. The Marine Corps was ex-perimenting with aerial resupply. A tn-motor Fokker would take the supplies fromManagua to Ocotal and from Ocotal theremote hill stations would get emergencyresupply dropped from two-place biplaneVought Corsair fighter-bombers. However,in this case, the pilot of the Fokker decid-ed to make the drop himself.

As Gen Brown remembered it:"Here was this big package of shoes for

me . . . . Nothing would suit [Sid] Wil-liamson then but that he should take

them up to the hill station and drop themhimself. . . . He stuck a note to me onit and it said, 'The Corsair couldn't get offthe ground with this load, so I had to riskmy life to bring this up to you. Regards,Sid.'

The story got touched up a bit as timewent on and it emerged that the plane re-quired two trips to deliver the shoes. Thisversion of the story would send Gen Browninto a mock rage.

"It is a canard," he would say, "It is nottrue that two trips were made. That Fok-ker was perfectly capable of carrying bothshoes in one load."

I first saw Gen Brown in October 1945,after the war's end, and the place was theBritish Club at the end of Race CourseRoad in Tientsin. This imposing figure ofa colonel was on the dance floor sweep-ing along his partner in a most impressiveway. I guessed that he must be Col Brown,commander of the 11th Marines, andsomeone told me that, yes, I was right, thiswas the legendary Bigfoot Brown. I was notintroduced that afternoon. In 1945 Marinecolonels were not apt to have much to sayin a social way to Marine captains.

I N CHINA THAT following summersomething happened that came to be

known as the An Ping Incident. ColBrown had his regimental headquarters inthe old French arsenal outside of Tient-sin. One of his missions was to send a truckconvoy twice a week from Tientsin to Pek-ing. On the 29th ofJuly 1946, one of theseconvoys was attacked at a place called AnPing, about half-way between Tientsinand Peking. The second lieutenant com-manding the patrol and several other Ma-rines were killed. As soon as word of theambush reached Brown he sent a moto-rized column, including several pieces ofartillery, to the rescue.

Gen Brown later told me what followedin approximately these words:

"I was summoned to division head-quarters and I went modestly expecting tolearn that I had been recommended forthe Navy Cross. Instead, they handed methis letter of reprimand. I told [the Gener-all that if my mission was to spread sweet-ness and light, then he should take awaymy howitzers and issue me baskets full ofrose petals."

As he remembered the outcome of theincident:


"There was a tremendous outcry thatfollowed this, and it was alleged that theMarines had taken the offensive againstthe Commies. Of course, when one puts50 men against a battalion of a couple ofhundred, I mean even the 11th Marinesdoesn't start a fight under those circum-stances. The President of the United Statestook it up and when the smoke all clearedaway, I had a letter of admonition from[the Commanding General, MarineFbrces, China] and it was decided that Ihad better be getting out of China."

He reported in at Headquarters MarineCorps in Washington, and found thatHeadquarters, still upset over the fight atAn Ping, was pondering his next assign-ment. The Air University, then just form-ing at Montgomery, Alabama, had askedfor a Marine Corps instructor. It seemedto be an assignment in which Brown coulddo relatively little harm, so he was sentthere in November 1946.

H E TAUGHT amphibious tactics, in-cluding coordination of artillery

with naval gunfire and air support. He alsohad a prize lecture on the organization ofthe Navy. He would tell the class that,upon being assigned this latter subject, hehad been "amazed to hear that the Navyhad an organization."

He had "always thought that it was likethe Marine Corps." The Marines, he be-lieved, "stayed in a continual state of dis-organization so they could be ready foranything."

Behind the wit and clowning there wasa carefully prepared, finely tuned, cons-tantly revised lecture. In a serious mo-ment, he once told me that for every houron the platform, whatever the school, hewould spend 40 hours in preparation.

This is a man who enlisted in the Ma-rine Corps at Boston in the spring of 1918.Born in December 1900 and underage at17, he managed an adjustment to his birthcertificate to show his birth year as 1899vice 1900. After recruit training at ParrisIsland he went as a private to France,where he joined the 20th Company, 5thMarines, in time for the St. Mihiel andChampagne offensives. In the latter, dur-ing the attack against Blanc Mont, he waswounded on 4 October. That took him outof action for the remainder of the war.

In the summer of 1920 he was dis-charged, as a sergeant, from the MarineCorps to take an appointment to the Naval

Academy. His stay at Annapolis was nota complete success. During the summercruise in 1922 he had a problem with theshore patrol in Lisbon and again in Mar-tinique.

As he put it: ". . . the Academy authori-ties then decided to drop me from therolls for inaptitude, which was kind ofthem at that."

He left the Academy in September, re-enlisted in the Corps, and in 1925 wascommissioned a second lieutenant fromthe ranks. After finishing the Officers Bas-ic School, he was assigned to his old regi-ment, the 5th Marines, in time to helpguard the mails during an outbreak oftrain robberies. There were two tours inNicaragua and several engagementsagainst the Sandinistas, for one of whichhe received the Navy and Marine CorpsMedal.

He returned from Nicaragua in 1929,went to Sea School at San Diego, and wasassigned as the junior officer to the Ma-rine Detachment of the new aircraft car-rier, USS Saratoga. Barracks duty in MareIsland, California, and on Guam followed.

In 1935 he was assigned to the BaseDefense Weapons Course at Quantico andhis formal education as an artillery officerbegan. On graduation he was given com-mand of an artillery battery of the 1st Ma-rine Brigade.

Then in 1937 he was transferred to SanDiego and given command of a 155mmgun battery in the 2d Marine Brigade. The

155mm of the time was the "G.P.E," along-barreled French gun left over fromthe First World War: the "Grande Puis-sance Filloux" as he used to like to roll offhis tongue.

I N 1939, now a captain, he went onboard the USS Pennsylvania as the Ma-

rine Detachment commander. In thosedays of the old battlewagons, the Marinesmanned the secondary batteries of 5-inchguns.

In the summer of 1941, with the warclouds thickening, he returned to San Die-go as a major to take command of the 4thBattalion, 10th Marines, of the new 2dMarine Division.

In March 1942, after the war had begun,he went off to serve as executive officer ofthe 8th Defense Battalion, which was sentto defend Wallis Island, west of Samoa.

He was returned to the United Statesas a lieutenant colonel in November 1942with a persistent tropical skin disease. Thiscaused his hospitalization until February1943, when he was ordered to Fbrt Sill toattend the Advanced Artillery School. Af-ter completing the school he was detailedto the Troop Training Unit then formingat the Amphibious Base, Coronado,California. Serving as a team leader, hehelped train four Army divisions and twoMarine divisions in amphibious tactics andtechniques.

While at Camp White, Oregon, train-ing the 96th Infantry Division, he receivedhis promotion to colonel. He celebrated

Fortitudine, Winter 1992-1993 5

At the Fort Sill dedication ceremonies, the General's widow, Mrs. Martha Stennis Brown,accepts roses and other remembrances from a soldier in vintage uniform. The postjoined in the honors by sending its ceremonial half section of horse-drawn artillery.

'I.-ye;

— f

- —

"There was a tremendous outcry thatfollowed this, and it was alleged that theMarines had taken the offensive againstthe Commies. Of course, when one puts50 men against a battalion of a couple ofhundred, I mean even the 11th Marinesdoesn't start a fight under those circum-stances. The President of the United Statestook it up and when the smoke all clearedaway, I had a letter of admonition from[the Commanding General, MarineForces, China] and it was decided that Ihad better be getting out of China."

He reported in at Headquarters MarineCorps in Washington, and found thatHeadquarters, still upset over the fight atAn Ping, was pondering his next assign-ment. The Air University, then just form-ing at Montgomery, Alabama, had askedfor a Marine Corps instructor. It seemedto be an assignment in which Brown coulddo relatively little harm, so he was sentthere in November 1946.

H E TAUGHT amphibious tactics, in-cluding coordination of artillery

with naval gunfire and air support. He alsohad a prize lecture on the organization ofthe Navy. He would tell the class that,upon being assigned this latter subject, hehad been "amazed to hear that the Navyhad an organization."

He had "always thought that it was likethe Marine Corps." The Marines, he be-lieved, "stayed in a continual state of dis-organization so they could be ready foranything."

Behind the wit and clowning there wasa carefully prepared, finely tuned, cons-tantly revised lecture. In a serious mo-ment, he once told me that for every houron the platform, whatever the school, hewould spend 40 hours in preparation.

This is a man who enlisted in the Ma-rine Corps at Boston in the spring of 1918.Born in December 1900 and underage at17, he managed an adjustment to his birthcertificate to show his birth year as 1899vice 1900. After recruit training at ParrisIsland he went as a private to France,where he joined the 20th Company, 5thMarines, in time for the St. Mihiel andChampagne offensives. In the latter, dur-ing the attack against Blanc Mont, he waswounded on 4 October. That took him outof action for the remainder of the war.

In the summer of 1920 he was dis-charged, as a sergeant, from the MarineCorps to take an appointment to the Naval

Academy. His stay at Annapolis was nota complete success. During the summercruise in 1922 he had a problem with theshore patrol in Lisbon and again in Mar-tinique.

As he put it: ". . . the Academy authori-ties then decided to drop me from therolls for inaptitude, which was kind ofthem at that."

He left the Academy in September, re-enlisted in the Corps, and in 1925 wascommissioned a second lieutenant fromthe ranks. After finishing the Officers Bas-ic School, he was assigned to his old regi-ment, the 5th Marines, in time to helpguard the mails during an outbreak oftrain robberies. There were two tours inNicaragua and several engagementsagainst the Sandinistas, for one of whichhe received the Navy and Marine CorpsMedal.

He returned from Nicaragua in 1929,went to Sea School at San Diego, and wasassigned as the junior officer to the Ma-rine Detachment of the new aircraft car-rier, USS Saratoga. Barracks duty in MareIsland, California, and on Guam followed.

In 1935 he was assigned to the BaseDefense Weapons Course at Quantico andhis formal education as an artillery officerbegan. On graduation he was given com-mand of an artillery battery of the 1st Ma-rine Brigade.

Then in 1937 he was transferred to SanDiego and given command of a 15 5mmgun battery in the 2d Marine Brigade. The

15 5mm of the time was the "G.P.F.," along-barreled French gun left over fromthe First World War: the "Grande Puis-sance Filloux" as he used to like to roll offhis tongue.

I N 1939, now a captain, he went onboard the USS Pennsylvania as the Ma-

rine Detachment commander. In thosedays of the old battlewagons, the Marinesmanned the secondary batteries of 5-inchguns.

In the summer of 1941, with the warclouds thickening, he returned to San Die-go as a major to take command of the 4thBattalion, 10th Marines, of the new 2dMarine Division.

In March 1942, after the war had begun,he went off to serve as executive officer ofthe 8th Defense Battalion, which was sentto defend Wallis Island, west of Samoa.

He was returned to the United Statesas a lieutenant colonel in November 1942with a persistent tropical skin disease. Thiscaused his hospitalization until February1943, when he was ordered to Fort Sill toattend the Advanced Artillery School. Af-ter completing the school he was detailedto the Troop Training Unit then formingat the Amphibious Base, Coronado,California. Serving as a team leader, hehelped train four Army divisions and twoMarine divisions in amphibious tactics andtechniques.

While at Camp White, Oregon, train-ing the 96th Infantry Division, he receivedhis promotion to colonel. He celebrated


At the Fort Sill dedication ceremonies, the General's widow, Mrs. Martha Stennis Brown,accepts roses and other remembrances from a soldier in vintage uniform. The postjoined in the honors by sending its ceremonial half section of horse-drawn artillery.

his promotion with a wetting-down partyheld in a bedroom of a hotel in nearbyMedford. He climbed up onto the bed,stooping to accommodate his height tothe ceiling, and demanded of the well-wishers crammed into the room that hebe treated with more respect by his subor-dinates, Marine and Army alike.

"Now that I am a colonel," he an-nounced, "No more of this 'Bigfoot' non-sense. From here on I expect to beaddressed in the British manner; that is,as Colonel Wilburt Scott-hyphen-Brownewith an 'e' on the end."

D ESPITE THIS DEMAND, the hyphenat-ed Scott-Browne with an "e" on the

end never caught on, and he continuedto be Bigfoot Brown.

In October 1944 he went to Guadal-canal to take command of the 15th Ma-rines, the artillery regiment of the 6thMarine Division, but found that the 15thMarines already had a commandingofficer. After a few days of impasse, he wassent to the 1st Marine Division in the near-by Russell Islands to take command of the11th Marines, in time, as said above, forthe Okinawa operation.

Despite the unannounced TOT onOkinawa and the An Ping Incident inChina, and a few more almost equallyscandalous episodes, he received a Legionof Merit with Combat "V" for outstand-ing service at Okinawa and a second suchaward for service in China. Possibly thiswas because he managed to fob off someof the blame for certain of his more out-landish escapades on his mythical identi-cal twin brother, Philbert Brown, whoseems to have spent most of his imaginary

service in the United States Air Force.While at the Air University at Maxwell

Field, Alabama, then-Col Brown met andmarried Martha Stennis of Mississippi. Thenewly married couple left Maxwell Fieldin 1949 for Camp Lejeune, North Caroli-na, where he took command of the 10thMarines, the artillery regiment of the 2dMarine Division.

He was so serving when he was sent toKorea in April 1951. His departure fromCamp Lejeune was somewhat abrupt. The10th Marines was providing drafts ofreplacements to the 11th Marines, then inthe fight in Korea. By regulation no Ma-rine under 18 years of age could go toKorea. While Col Brown was on Christ-mas leave, several 17-year-olds slippedthrough with a draft. The 17-year-oldsthought it was a fine idea, but their par-ents did not. The division commander was

determined that the battalion commanderconcerned be disciplined for the error. ColBrown, as regimental commander, wasequally determined that the battalioncommander not be disciplined. By the endof March the division commander was con-vinced that Brown was lacking in loyaltyand demanded his immediate relief.Brown's orders to Korea were delivered tohim on 31 March along with a bad fitnessreport. He rebutted the bad fitness reportwith a masterful statement that endedwith this sentence:

"If it is considered disloyal to a leader,for me to speak up against an action of his,which I believe to be unjust, then I willbe disloyal to any such leader, military orcivilian, until I die."

He arrived in Korea just as the com-manding officer of the 1st Marines, an in-fantry regiment, was wounded and he wasgiven command of that regiment as a tem-porary thing. Our casualties had beenhigh in that regiment and I, as a major,was briefly the acting commander of the3d Battalion. It was the time of theChinese spring offensive and the divisionson our right and left had given way.

T HE BArrALION COMMANDERS or their

operations officers were called back tothe regimental command post to meet thenew regimental commander and to get thenew operation order.

"Gentlemen," said Col Brown, "for 33years I have aspired to the command of aMarine infantry regiment in combat, andnow that I have that command, I will is-sue my first order: Retreat."


Marine historian BGen Edwin H. Simmons addresses the audience at the dedicationof W7ilburt S. "Bziloot" Brown Hall at Fort Sill. Gen Simmons drew on personalmemories of Gen Brown, as well as information found in Brown 'c oral history interview.

Fort Sill commander MajGen Fred F Marty, USA, left, accompanies Mrs. Brown toremove bunting from the sign at the post's new Marine Detachment Headquarters,Brown Hall, Gen Brown had been at Fort Sill as both student andinstructor of artillery.

BROWN HALL

t

his promotion with a wetting-down partyheld in a bedroom of a hotel in nearbyMedford. He climbed up onto the bed,stooping to accommodate his height tothe ceiling, and demanded of the well-wishers crammed into the room that hebe treated with more respect by his subor-dinates, Marine and Army alike.

"Now that I am a colonel," he an-nounced, "No more of this 'Bigfoot' non-sense. From here on I expect to beaddressed in the British manner; that is,as Colonel Wilburt Scott-hyphen-Brownewith an 'e' on the end."

D ESPITh ThIS DEMAND, the hyphenat-ed Scott-Browne with an "e" on the

end never caught on, and he continuedto be Bigfoot Brown.

In October 1944 he went to Guadal-canal to take command of the 15th Ma-rines, the artillery regiment of the 6thMarine Division, but found that the 15thMarines already had a commandingofficer. After a few days of impasse, he wassent to the 1st Marine Division in the near-by Russell Islands to take command of the11th Marines, in time, as said above, forthe Okinawa operation.

Despite the unannounced TOT onOkinawa and the An Ping Incident inChina, and a few more almost equallyscandalous episodes, he received a Legionof Merit with Combat "V" for outstand-ing service at Okinawa and a second suchaward for service in China. Possibly thiswas because he managed to fob off someof the blame for certain of his more out-landish escapades on his mythical identi-cal twin brother, Philbert Brown, whoseems to have spent most of his imaginary

service in the United States Air Force.While at the Air University at Maxwell

Field, Alabama, then-Col Brown met andmarried Martha Stennis of Mississippi. Thenewly married couple left Maxwell Fieldin 1949 for Camp Lejeune, North Caroli-na, where he took command of the 10thMarines, the artillery regiment of the 2dMarine Division.

He was so serving when he was sent toKorea in April 1951. His departure fromCamp Lejeune was somewhat abrupt. The10th Marines was providing drafts ofreplacements to the 11th Marines, then inthe fight in Korea. By regulation no Ma-rine under 18 years of age could go toKorea. While Col Brown was on Christ-mas leave, several 17-year-olds slippedthrough with a draft. The 17-year-oldsthought it was a fine idea, but their par-ents did not. The division commander was

determined that the battalion commanderconcerned be disciplined for the error. ColBrown, as regimental commander, wasequally determined that the battalioncommander not be disciplined. By the endof March the division commander was con-vinced that Brown was lacking in loyaltyand demanded his immediate relief.Brown's orders to Korea were delivered tohim on 31 March along with a bad fitnessreport. He rebutted the bad fitness reportwith a masterful statement that endedwith this sentence:

"If it is considered disloyal to a leader,for me to speak up against an action of his,which I believe to be unjust, then I willbe disloyal to any such leader, military orcivilian, until I die."

He arrived in Korea just as the com-manding officer of the 1st Marines, an in-fantry regiment, was wounded and he wasgiven command of that regiment as a tem-porary thing. Our casualties had beenhigh in that regiment and I, as a major,was briefly the acting commander of the3d Battalion. It was the time of theChinese spring offensive and the divisionson our right and left had given way.

T i-rn BArrALION COMMANDERS or their

operations officers were called back tothe regimental command post to meet thenew regimental commander and to get thenew operation order.

"Gentlemen," said Col Brown, "for 33years I have aspired to the command of aMarine infantry regiment in combat, andnow that I have that command, I will is-sue my first order: Retreat."


Marine historian BGen Edwin H. Simmons addresses the audience at the dedicationof W7ilburt £ "Bziloot" Brown Hall at Fort Sill. Gen Simmons drew on personalmemories of Gen Brown, as well as information found in Brown's oral history interview.

Fort Sill commander MajGen Fred F Marty, USA, left, accompanies Mrs. Brown toremove bunting from the sign at the post's new Marine Detachment Headquarters,Brown Hall. Gen Brown had been at Fort Sill as both student andinstructor of artillery.

Well, we did not exactly retreat. We re-stored the line and advanced up to theedge of the Punchbowl. For the twomonths that he commanded the 1st Ma-rines we were a particularly happy regi-ment. In July he was relieved by an infan-try colonel and given command of the Di-vision rear at Masan, a command he didnot particularly like or want and which puthim at some distance—literally andfiguratively—from the division com-mander with whom he was having hisdifferences. He was passed over for promo-tion to brigadier general, but did receivea well-deserved Silver Star for his leader-ship of the 1st Marines.

H E RETURNED 10 the States inNovember 1951 and was posted to

Camp Pendleton as intelligence officerand post inspector of the Marine CorpsBase. I was then at Camp Pendleton and Iremember fondly that Mrs. Brown crochet-ed a pair of bootees for my first-born child.

In May of 1952 he was transferred to thestaff of the Field Artillery School at FortSill. He was so serving when a promotionboard in, as he put it, a "fit of absent-mindedness," selected him for promotionto brigadier general. Shortly thereafter hemoved back to Camp Pendleton as Com-manding General, Force Troops, Fleet Ma-rine Force, Pacific.

Upon his retirement in 1953 he was ad-vanced to the grade of major general by

reason of his combat decorations, a won-derful old custom, abandoned some 30years ago for legal reasons.

A well-read and learned man, he hadnot bothered to pick up any degrees, noteven, if you would believe him, a highschool diploma. He now entered theUniversity of Alabama. He would soon tella highly unlikely story of seeking exemp-tion from compulsory ROTC on thegrounds that he was an overage, retiredMarine major general. I never quite be-lieved that story, but at breakfast beforethe Fort Sill dedication ceremony, Mrs.Brown presented me with his exemptioncard.

He zipped through the requirements

for a bachelor's degree and master's degreein history. He became a teaching memberof the faculty in 1957. He then went inpursuit of a Ph.D. This he achieved in1963. His doctoral dissertation treated theBritish invasion of Louisiana in 1814 as anamphibious operation. It is indisputablythe best and most analytic military histo-ry of that campaign, which we otherwiseremember chiefly for Andrew Jackson'sdefeat of Sir Edward Pakenham at NewOrleans.

G EN BROWN, now Dr. Brown, as amember of the history department

of the University of Alabama, was just asbeloved on the Tuscaloosa campus, andthe subject of just as many stories, as hehad been at Quantico, or Pendleton, orLejeune, or Maxwell Field, or at Fort Sill.

Regrettably, he did not have many yearsto enjoy this academic pasture. He died,after a long bout with emphysema, in De-cember 1968. His dissertation, slightly re-worked, was published posthumously in1969 by the University of Alabama underthe title The Amphibious Campaign forWest Florida and Lousiana, 1814-1815: ACritical Review of Strategy and Tactics atNew Orleans.

But any recollection of Bigfoot Brownshould not end on such a morbid note.At Fort Sill I told one more story, a per-sonal one. That morning in Korea, afterhe had given his retreat order to the 1stMarines, he kindly asked me to stay be-hind to have lunch with him—lunch be-ing taking a mess kit through the chowline and then sitting on opposite ends ofhis canvas cot.

As we talked, I thought he might


UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMADEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE & TACTICS

STUDENT No. 3 3 7 IS EXEMPT

FROM MILITARY TRAINING AT THIS UNIVERSITY.

- N. DY .E S S

WD, UsA,Aiijutant PM' &T

TO E PRESENTED AT EAq G STRATION

University of Alabama compulsory ROTC relented in the case of new student Brown.

Marine Facilities' Names Honor Corps' Heroes

by Robert V AquilinaAssistant Head, Reference Section

It is Marine Corps policy to name facilities in honor of those Marines (and othermembers of the Naval Service) who have served the Corps with distinction. TheMarine Corps Commemorative Naming Program was instituted to oversee thisresponsibility, and to ensure that names are selected in an equitable and just man-ner. The program is administered by the Reference Section of the History and Muse-ums Division, in accordance with guidelines promulgated in SECNAVINST 5030.2and MCO P5750.1G.

To date, approximately 650 facilities have been identified with commemorativenames, and more than 450 individuals have been honored (many names are usedat more than one facility). Marine commanders who have occasion to name propertycan submit names of candidates to the History and Museums Division (CodeHDH-2), or can request that the Division recommend suitable names for specificfacilities.

Since the inception of the Commemorative Naming Program, all naming ac-tions have required, and continue to receive, the personal approval of the Com-mandant of the Marine Corps.

Well, we did not exactly retreat. We re-stored the line and advanced up to theedge of the Punchbowl. For the twomonths that he commanded the 1st Ma-rines we were a particularly happy regi-ment. In July he was relieved by an infan-try colonel and given command of the Di-vision rear at Masan, a command he didnot particularly like or want and which puthim at some distance — literally andfiguratively—from the division com-mander with whom he was having hisdifferences. He was passed over for promo-tion to brigadier general, but did receivea well-deserved Silver Star for his leader-ship of the 1st Marines.

H E RETURNED 10 the States inNovember 1951 and was posted to

Camp Pendleton as intelligence officerand post inspector of the Marine CorpsBase. I was then at Camp Pendleton and Iremember fondly that Mrs. Brown crochet-ed a pair of bootees for my first-born child.

In May of 1952 he was transferred to thestaff of the Field Artillery School at FortSill. He was so serving when a promotionboard in, as he put it, a "fit of absent-mindedness," selected him for promotionto brigadier general. Shortly thereafter hemoved back to Camp Pendleton as Com-manding General, Force Troops, Fleet Ma-rine Force, Pacific.

Upon his retirement in 1953 he was ad-vanced to the grade of major general by

reason of his combat decorations, a won-derful old custom, abandoned some 30years ago for legal reasons.

A well-read and learned man, he hadnot bothered to pick up any degrees, noteven, if you would believe him, a highschool diploma. He now entered theUniversity of Alabama. He would soon tella highly unlikely story of seeking exemp-tion from compulsory ROTC on thegrounds that he was an overage, retiredMarine major general. I never quite be-lieved that story, but at breakfast beforethe Fort Sill dedication ceremony, Mrs.Brown presented me with his exemptioncard.

He zipped through the requirements

for a bachelor's degree and master's degreein history. He became a teaching memberof the faculty in 1957. He then went inpursuit of a Ph.D. This he achieved in1963. His doctoral dissertation treated theBritish invasion of Louisiana in 1814 as anamphibious operation. It is indisputablythe best and most analytic military histo-ry of that campaign, which we otherwiseremember chiefly for Andrew Jackson'sdefeat of Sir Edward Pakenham at NewOrleans.

G EN BROWN, now Dr. Brown, as amember of the history department

of the University of Alabama, was just asbeloved on the Tuscaloosa campus, andthe subject of just as many stories, as hehad been at Quantico, or Pendleton, orLejeune, or Maxwell Field, or at Fort Sill.

Regrettably, he did not have many yearsto enjoy this academic pasture. He died,after a long bout with emphysema, in De-cember 1968. His dissertation, slightly re-worked, was published posthumously in1969 by the University of Alabama underthe title The Amphibious Campaign forWest Florida and Lousiana, 1814-1815: ACritical Review of Strategy and Tactics atNew Orleans.

But any recollection of Bigfoot Brownshould not end on such a morbid note.At Fort Sill I told one more story, a per-sonal one. That morning in Korea, afterhe had given his retreat order to the 1stMarines, he kindly asked me to stay be-hind to have lunch with him — lunch be-ing taking a mess kit through the chowline and then sitting on opposite ends ofhis canvas cot.

As we talked, I thought he might


UNIVERSITY OF ALABAMADEPARTMENT OF MILITARY SCIENCE & TACTICS

STUDENT No. 3 3 7 IS EXEMPTFROM MILITARY TRAINING AT THIS UNIVERSITY.

- W. DY .E S S TRY.WD, USA,

Aiijutant PM' &TTO E PRESENTED AT EA G STRATION.

University of Alabama compulsory ROTC relented in the case of new student Brown.

Marine Facilities' Names Honor Corps' Heroes

by Robert V AquilinaAssistant Head, Reference Section

It is Marine Corps policy to name facilities in honor of those Marines (and othermembers of the Naval Service) who have served the Corps with distinction. TheMarine Corps Commemorative Naming Program was instituted to oversee thisresponsibility, and to ensure that names are selected in an equitable and just man-ner. The program is administered by the Reference Section of the History and Muse-ums Division, in accordance with guidelines promulgated in SECNAVINST 5030.2and MCO P5750.1G.

To date, approximately 650 facilities have been identified with commemorativenames, and more than 450 individuals have been honored (many names are usedat more than one facility). Marine commanders who have occasion to name propertycan submit names of candidates to the History and Museums Division (CodeHDH-2), or can request that the Division recommend suitable names for specificfacilities.

Since the inception of the Commemorative Naming Program, all naming ac-tions have required, and continue to receive, the personal approval of the Com-mandant of the Marine Corps.

benefit as a newly arrived colonel fromsome of things I could tell him as a29-year-old major who had been with theregiment since the Inchon landing. I be-gan sketching in lightly some lessonslearned, when he interrupted me.

"You know, Simmons," he rumbled,"When I was a young lieutenant in

Nicaragua I came back to the companybase after one of those long patrols andthe company commander invited me tohave dinner. The company commanderfancied himself as a bridge player and af-ter dinner there was a game, the compa-ny exec and the machine gun officer

against the captain and me. You know, thecaptain was not a very good bridge playerand after he failed to make his bid, I said,'If you will permit me, sir, I will show youhow you could have made that bid.' Doyou know, Simmons, I was back on patrolthe next morning."

Suitably chastened, I went back to mybattalion. A few weeks later I was slightlywounded. Col Brown came to see me, toassure himself that I was not seriously hurt.

"A pitcher that goes to the well toooften," he said. "gets broken. You've beento the well often enough." He then wentto the division commander to get a set of

special orders to send me home.As I told that story to Mrs. Brown and

the audience at Fort Sill, I could still seemy regimental commander sitting there infront of me, just as I described earlier. Ashe was known to do in the course of anover-long critique of a field problem, hehad taken off his shoe and was massagingthat large size-14F foot. By so doing hewould shift the focus of attention from thespeaker to himself. In my imagination, Icould hear him saying:

"Simmons, you have talked longenough. Sit down."

And so I did. L111775L1

Histories Follow Marine Units in Iceland, the Caribbean

T WO NEW TITLES have been added tothe list of History and Museums Di-

vision publications. The first is an occa-sional paper, U.S. Marine CorpsOperations in the Dominican Republic,April-June 1965, by Maj Jack K. Ringler,USMC, and former Chief Historian HenryI. Shaw,Jr. This history originated in therequest of then-Commandant Gen Wal-lace M. Greene, Jr., that an account of thedeployment of Marines to the DominicanRepublic be compiled shortly after theevent, when the command diaries of theunits involved became available. Thesedocuments were on hand in the summerof 1965, when a chronology was preparedusing the diaries, message traffic, andother material, most all of which was still

by Benis M. FrankChief Historian

classified. The demands of historicalreporting and writing about Marine Corpsoperations in Vietnam caused the incom-plete narrative of this history to be putaside until 1969, when Mr. Shaw was avail-able to finish it.

T HE SECOND NEW publication is Out-post in the North Atlantic: Marines

in the Defense of Iceland, written by ColJames A. Donovan,Jr., USMC (Ret), who,as a second lieutenant, was a member ofthe 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, 1st MarineBrigade (Provisional) when it was deployedto Iceland in mid-1941 to join Britishforces to defend that country from apotential Nazi takeover. In Outpost in theNorth Atlantic, Col Donovan provides agood picture of life in a pre-World War IIMarine infantry battalion as it prepared forwar, and then deployment to an unknowndestination. He tells of the brigade's eight-month stay on Iceland under conditionsfor which the Marines were not fully pre-pared, either in dress or equipment. Hegives a good picture of the day-to-day con-ditions of the Marines on Iceland, howthey trained in an unfamiliar environ-ment, and how they were able to keepbusy in the long, dark days of winter.Perhaps the highlight of this deploymentwas the day that Prime Minister WinstonS. Churchill reviewed the Allied garrison.

As other pamphlets in the World WarII 50th anniversary commemorative series,Outpost in the North Atlantic: Marines inthe Defense of Iceland is available to Ma-

rines and historians by sending $1.50 forpostage and handling to the Marine CorpsHistorical Foundation, P.O. Box 240,Quantico, Virginia 22134. Veterans' or-ganizations can obtain limited numbersof copies by writing to the Director of Ma-rine Corps History and Museums, MarineCorps Historical Center, Washington NavyYard, Building 58, 901 M Street, SE.,Washington, D.C. 20374-5040. Other in-terested individuals should mail $3.75 tothe Superintendent of Documents, P.O.Box 371954, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania15250. A finite number of copies of US.Marine Corps Operations in the Domini-can Republic, April-June 1965 is availableto institutional addressees and can be ob-tained by writing to the Center at theabove address. L111775L11


U.S. MARINE CORPSOPERAI1ONS IN THE

DOMINICAN REPUBLICAPRIL -JUNE 1965

Major J.ck K. Ringlet. USM(and

Henry'. Sh.wJr

Oc.cauor.d Fke,

Infli DItAfliST% VS MMJP Citfl_._c,.. DC t•.

nn -

S

benefit as a newly arrived colonel fromsome of things I could tell him as a29-year-old major who had been with theregiment since the Inchon landing. I be-gan sketching in lightly some lessonslearned, when he interrupted me.

"You know, Simmons," he rumbled,"When I was a young lieutenant inNicaragua I came back to the companybase after one of those long patrols andthe company commander invited me tohave dinner. The company commanderfancied himself as a bridge player and af-ter dinner there was a game, the compa-ny exec and the machine gun officer

against the captain and me. You know, thecaptain was not a very good bridge playerand after he failed to make his bid, I said,'If you will permit me, sir, I will show youhow you could have made that bid.' Doyou know, Simmons, I was back on patrolthe next morning."

Suitably chastened, I went back to mybattalion. A few weeks later I was slightlywounded. Col Brown came to see me, toassure himself that I was not seriously hurt.

"A pitcher that goes to the well toooften," he said. "gets broken. You've beento the well often enough." He then wentto the division commander to get a set of

special orders to send me home.As I told that story to Mrs. Brown and

the audience at Fort Sill, I could still seemy regimental commander sitting there infront of me, just as I described earlier. Ashe was known to do in the course of anover-long critique of a field problem, hehad taken off his shoe and was massagingthat large size-14F foot. By so doing hewould shift the focus of attention from thespeaker to himself. In my imagination, Icould hear him saying:

"Simmons, you have talked longenough. Sit down."

And so I did. L111775L1

Histories Follow Marine Units in Iceland, the Caribbean

T WO NEW TITLES have been added tothe list of History and Museums Di-

vision publications. The first is an occa-sional paper, U.S. Marine CorpsOperations in the Dominican Republic,April-June 1965, by Maj Jack K. Ringler,USMC, and former Chief Historian HenryI. Shaw, Jr. This history originated in therequest of then-Commandant Gen Wal-lace M. Greene, Jr., that an account of thedeployment of Marines to the DominicanRepublic be compiled shortly after theevent, when the command diaries of theunits involved became available. Thesedocuments were on hand in the summerof 1965, when a chronology was preparedusing the diaries, message traffic, andother material, most all of which was still

by Benis M. FrankChief Historian

classified. The demands of historicalreporting and writing about Marine Corpsoperations in Vietnam caused the incom-plete narrative of this history to be putaside until 1969, when Mr. Shaw was avail-able to finish it.

T HE SECOND NEW publication is Out-post in the North Atlantic.' Marines

in the Defense of Iceland, written by ColJames A. Donovan,Jr., USMC (Ret), who,as a second lieutenant, was a member ofthe 1st Battalion, 6th Marines, 1st MarineBrigade (Provisional) when it was deployedto Iceland in mid-1941 to join Britishforces to defend that country from apotential Nazi takeover. In Outpost in theNorth Atlantic, Col Donovan provides agood picture of life in a pre-World War IIMarine infantry battalion as it prepared forwar, and then deployment to an unknowndestination. He tells of the brigade's eight-month stay on Iceland under conditionsfor which the Marines were not fully pre-pared, either in dress or equipment. Hegives a good picture of the day-to-day con-ditions of the Marines on Iceland, howthey trained in an unfamiliar environ-ment, and how they were able to keepbusy in the long, dark days of winter.Perhaps the highlight of this deploymentwas the day that Prime Minister WinstonS. Churchill reviewed the Allied garrison.

As other pamphlets in the World WarII 50th anniversary commemorative series,Outpost in the North Atlantic: Marines inthe Defense oflcelandis available to Ma-

rines and historians by sending $1.50 forpostage and handling to the Marine CorpsHistorical Foundation, P.O. Box 240,Quantico, Virginia 22134. Veterans' or-ganizations can obtain limited numbersof copies by writing to the Director of Ma-rine Corps History and Museums, MarineCorps Historical Center, Washington NavyYard, Building 58, 901 M Street, S.E.,Washington, D.C. 20374-5040. Other in-terested individuals should mail $3.75 tothe Superintendent of Documents, P.O.Box 371954, Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania15250. A finite number of copies of US.Marine Corps Operations in the Domini-can Republic, April-June 1965 is availableto institutional addressees and can be ob-tained by writing to the Center at theabove address. L111775L11


Marines Mark 25th Anniversary of Pivotal Battle for Hue

T WENTY-FWE YEARS AGO this winter,U.S. Marines turned back the North

Vietnamese massive onslaught on the cityof Hue, the former Imperial capital ofVietnam.

On 30-31 January 1968, during theVietnamese lunar New Year, the Com-munists mounted a surprise offensivethroughout all of South Vietnam. Most ofthese attacks were by local Viet Congunits. There was one place, however, wherethe Communists committed first-lineNorth Vietnamese units and that was inthe one-month struggle for Hue. It is

probable that in the battle for Hue theNorth Vietnamese attempted to achieve,with some prospect of success, a decisivevictory that would result in the loss of thetwo northern provinces of South Vietnamto the Communists.

At the beginning of 1968, nearly threeyears after the commitment of largeAmerican combat forces, the U.S. MilitaryAssistance Command, Vietnam (MACV),under Army Gen William C. West-moreland, had intelligence of a massingof enemy divisions in the northern bord-er region, especially in the DemilitarizedZone (DMZ) dividing the two Vietnamsand in Laos near the isolated U.S. Marinebase at Khe Sanh. Westmoreland preparedto reinforce the III Marine AmphibiousForce (III MAF), under Marine LtGenRobert E. Cushman, in the five northernprovinces in South Vietnam.

III MAF in January 1968 numberedmore than 100,000 Marines, sailors, andsoldiers, including two Marine and oneArmy infantry divisions. In mid-January,Westmoreland rushed yet another Armydivision, the elite 1st Air Cavalry Division,north. Worried about the Marine defensesat Khe Sanh and lacking confidence in theability of the Marine commanders to con-trol the situation, Westmoreland plannedto establish a temporary northern forwardheadquarters under his deputy, Army GenCreighton Abrams. Before he could im-plement this plan, the enemy launched hisTet offensive — everywhere but at KheSanh.

by D Jack ShulimsonHead, History W/riting Unit

both of its colonial and its imperial past.It was, in effect, two cities. North of thePerfume River lay the Hue of the Em-perors with its ancient Citadel. South ofthe river was the modern city. The Cercle-Sportif with its veranda overlooking theriver evoked the former French colonial ad-ministration.

The South Vietnamese had dismissedany notion that the enemy had the "capa-bility" to launch a division-size attackagainst the city. Unknown to the allies, twoenemy regiments, the 6th and 4th NorthVietnamese Armies (NVA) were on themove. On 31 January, at 0223, a signalflare lit up the night sky above Hue. Afour-man North Vietnamese sapper teamopened the Western gate of the Citadelto the lead battalions of the 6th NVA. Bydaylight, most of the Citadel was in thehands of the NVA. At the Mang Ca 1stArmy of Vietnam (ARVN) Division com-pound, an ad hoc 200-man defensive forcemanaged to stave off the enemy assaults.

Across the river in southern Hue, muchthe same situation existed. The NVAmaintained a virtual siege of the MACV

advisory compound. While the 4th NVAattack in the new city lacked the cohesionand timing of those in the Citadel, theNVA had control of most of southern Hue.

The first U.S. Marines to bolster theSouth Vietnamese in the city were fromthe newly formed Task Force X-Ray, a newcommand under BGen Foster C. LaHue,at Phu Bai, about eight miles south ofHue. LaHue had barely enough time tobecome acquainted with his new sector,let alone the fast-developing Hue situa-tion. He later wrote: "Initial deploymentof forces was made with limited infor-mation."

W ITH THIS "limited information,"Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Ma-

rines received orders to relieve Hue.Although reinforced by four Marine tanks,the Marine company was caught in a mur-derous crossfire after crossing the An CuuBridge into the city. Among the casual-ties was the company commander.

The Marines reinforced the embattledcompany with the command group of the1st Battalion, 1st Marines (LtCol Marcus

A S THE FORMER imperial capital, Huewas for many Vietnamese the cultur-

al center of the country. It emitted a sense

Forrirudine, Winter 1992-1993 9

On 3 February 1968, aided by tanks in street fighting, Marines clear buildings at theUniversity of Hue. LtCol Cheatham established a command post at the university.

Marines Mark 25th Anniversary of Pivotal Battle for Hue

T WENTY-FWE YEARS AGO this winter,U.S. Marines turned back the North

Vietnamese massive onslaught on the cityof Hue, the former Imperial capital ofVietnam.

On 30-31 January 1968, during theVietnamese lunar New Year, the Com-munists mounted a surprise offensivethroughout all of South Vietnam. Most ofthese attacks were by local Viet Congunits. There was one place, however, wherethe Communists committed first-lineNorth Vietnamese units and that was inthe one-month struggle for Hue. It is

probable that in the battle for Hue theNorth Vietnamese attempted to achieve,with some prospect of success, a decisivevictory that would result in the loss of thetwo northern provinces of South Vietnamto the Communists.

At the beginning of 1968, nearly threeyears after the commitment of largeAmerican combat forces, the U.S. MilitaryAssistance Command, Vietnam (MACV),under Army Gen William C. West-moreland, had intelligence of a massingof enemy divisions in the northern bord-er region, especially in the DemilitarizedZone (DMZ) dividing the two Vietnamsand in Laos near the isolated U.S. Marinebase at Khe Sanh. Westmoreland preparedto reinforce the III Marine AmphibiousForce (III MAF), under Marine LtGenRobert E. Cushman, in the five northernprovinces in South Vietnam.

III MAP in January 1968 numberedmore than 100,000 Marines, sailors, andsoldiers, including two Marine and oneArmy infantry divisions. In mid-January,Westmoreland rushed yet another Armydivision, the elite 1st Air Cavalry Division,north. Worried about the Marine defensesat Khe Sanh and lacking confidence in theability of the Marine commanders to con-trol the situation, Westmoreland plannedto establish a temporary northern forwardheadquarters under his deputy, Army GenCreighton Abrams. Before he could im-plement this plan, the enemy launched hisTet offensive — everywhere but at KheSanh.

by Dr Jack ShulimsonHead, History W/riting Unit

both of its colonial and its imperial past.It was, in effect, two cities. North of thePerfume River lay the Hue of the Em-perors with its ancient Citadel. South ofthe river was the modern city. The Cercle-Sportif with its veranda overlooking theriver evoked the former French colonial ad-ministration.

The South Vietnamese had dismissedany notion that the enemy had the "capa-bility" to launch a division-size attackagainst the city. Unknown to the allies, twoenemy regiments, the 6th and 4th NorthVietnamese Armies (NVA) were on themove. On 31 January, at 0223, a signalflare lit up the night sky above Hue. Afour-man North Vietnamese sapper teamopened the Western gate of the Citadelto the lead battalions of the 6th NVA. Bydaylight, most of the Citadel was in thehands of the NVA. At the Mang Ca 1stArmy of Vietnam (ARVN) Division com-pound, an ad hoc 200-man defensive forcemanaged to stave off the enemy assaults.

Across the river in southern Hue, muchthe same situation existed. The NVAmaintained a virtual siege of the MACV

advisory compound. While the 4th NVAattack in the new city lacked the cohesionand timing of those in the Citadel, theNVA had control of most of southern Hue.

The first U.S. Marines to bolster theSouth Vietnamese in the city were fromthe newly formed Task Force X-Ray, a newcommand under BGen Foster C. LaHue,at Phu Bai, about eight miles south ofHue. LaHue had barely enough time tobecome acquainted with his new sector,let alone the fast-developing Hue situa-tion. He later wrote: "Initial deploymentof forces was made with limited infor-mation."

W ITH THIS "limited information,"Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Ma-

rines received orders to relieve Hue.Although reinforced by four Marine tanks,the Marine company was caught in a mur-derous crossfire after crossing the An CuuBridge into the city. Among the casual-ties was the company commander.

The Marines reinforced the embattledcompany with the command group of the1st Battalion, 1st Marines (LtCol Marcus

A S THE FORMER imperial capital, Huewas for many Vietnamese the cultur-

al center of the country. It emitted a sense


On 3 February 1968, aided by tanks in street fighting, Marines clear buildings at theUniversity of Hue. LtCol Cheatham established a command post at the university.

J. Gravel) and Company G, 2d Battalion,5th Marines. Gravel's relief columnreached Company A in the early after-noon. By this time, the enemy attackershad pulled back their forces. BGen LaHueremembered that reports came in that the1st ARVN Division was "in trouble" and"we were ordered to go across the river torelieve some of the pressure."

Leaving Company A behind to securethe MACV compound, LtCol Gravel tookCompany G and attempted to cross themain bridge over the Perfume River. Twoinfantry platoons successfully made theirway over, but then immediately came un.der machine gun fire. Gravel remem-bered, "we were no match for what wasgoing on . . . I decided to withdraw."

This was easier said than done. The ene-my was well dug-in and "firing from vir-tually every building." Company G lostnearly a third of its men, either woundedor killed, "going across that one bridgeand then getting back across that bridge."

T HE AMERICAN COMMAND still had lit-tle realization of the situation in Hue.

In Saigon, Gen Westmoreland cabledWashington, the "Enemy has approxi-mately three companies in the HueCitadel and Marines have sent a battalioninto the area to clear them out."

Gen LaHue soon realized the enemystrength in Hue was much greater than hehad originally estimated. Shortly afternoon, on 1 February, he called in Col Stan-ley S. Hughes of the 1st Marines and gavehim tactical control of the forces in thesouthern city. Hughes reinforced the twoMarine companies in Hue with CompanyF, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines.

In southern Hue, on 2 February, theMarines made some minor headway andCompany H, 2d Battalion, 5th Marinesreinforced the Marines in the city. TheNVA, however, continued to block any ad-vance to the west towards the Provinceheadquarters building.

At Phu Bai, Col Hughes prepared tobring his headquarters and that of the 2dBattalion, 5th Marines, under LtCol ErnestC. Cheatham, into Hue. On the morningof the 3d, Hughes established his com-mand post in the MACV compound andheld a hurried conference with his two bat-talion commanders. While LtColCheatham took control of his three com-panies already in the city, Gravel retainedcommand of his Company A.

Establishing his command post at theUniversity, LtCol Cheatham, like Gravelbefore him, made no headway against theenemy. The following morning, 4 Febru-ary, Col Hughes decided to place the 1stBattalion on LtCol Cheatham's exposedflank and continue the push against theenemy defensive positions.

On the morning of the 4th, CompanyB, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines joined LtColGravel's command. That night, however,North Vietnamese sappers blew the AnCuu bridge, effectively closing the landroute into the city. This left the Marinecommand only two alternatives to resup-ply the Hue forces—river traffic andhelicopters.

One of the immediate problems was theinadequacy of the Marine maps. As thecommander of Company G observed,"You have to raid the local Texaco stationto get your street map," which located theprincipal buildings and prominent touristattractions in Hue.

W ITH LITTLE ROOM to outflank theenemy, the battalion had to take

each block and each building "one at atime." According to Cheatham, "we hadto pick a point and attempt to break thatone strong point After a time,Cheatham and his officers noted that theenemy "defended on every other street

The battalion would move quicklyand then hit a defensive position.

On the morning of 5 February, bothMarine battalions resumed the attack ina southwesterly direction toward the cityhospital and provincial headquarters. Onthe right flank, Company H advancedalong the river front. The 1st Battalion, 1stMarines secured the left flank. LtCol Grav-el remembered, "The going was slow

We fought for two days over onebuilding."

Using tear gas, Company H, on the af-ternoon of 6 February, finally over-whelmed the NVA defenders in theprovincial headquarters. The capture ofthe provincial headquarters was more thansymbolic. The building apparently hadserved as the command post for the 4thNVA Regiment. Once the headquartersfell to the Marines much of the enemy or-ganized resistance in southern Hue col-lapsed. Gravel recalled "He [the NVA]seemed to lose his stomach for the fight.

once we started rolling . . . the mainforce sort of evaporated . . . and left some

local force—rinky dinks . . . When hisdefense crumbled, it crumbled."

B Y io FEBRUARY, despite some occa-sional resistance, the Marines were in

control south of the Perfume River. Withthe NVA still holding fast in the Citadel,Hue was now indeed two cities. NorthVietnamese sappers had blown the mainbridge across the river, literally dividingthe city in half.

In clearing the modern city, the Marinestook a heavy toll of the enemy, but at ahigh cost to themselves. The Americanshad accounted for more than 1,000 ene-my dead and took six prisoners. Marinecasualties included 38 dead and more than320 wounded. A Marine from 2d Battal-ion, 5th Marines remarked, "The stink—you had to load up so many wounded, theblood would dry on your hands. In two orthree days you would smell like deathitself."

While the Marines cleared the new city,a South Vietnamese offensive in theCitadel had faltered. By 8 February, BGenNgo Quang Truong, the 1st Division com-mander, had inside the Citadel four air-borne battalions and the 3d ARVNRegiment, which were able to hold theirown.

About 10 miles to the west of Hue, theU.S. Army's 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Divi-sion was having about as little luck as theARVN forces in the Citadel. Having runinto well entrenched enemy forces, the 3dBrigade did not have the wherewithal topush the NVA out. During this period, theNorth Vietnamese command maintainedits "own support area outside the westernwall [of the Citadel

I N THE INTERIM, the South VietnameseJoint General Staff sent reinforcements

from Saigon to Phu Bai, the lead elementsof a Vietnamese Marine Task Force. GenTruong proposed to have the South Viet-namese Marines replace the battered Viet-namese airborne battalions in the Citadel.Although one company entered theCitadel on the 10th, the Vietnamese Ma-rine commander refused to insert anymore troops until the rest of his commandarrived from Saigon.

Gen Truong also asked for a U.S. Ma-rine battalion. On 11-12 February, the 1stBattalion, 5th Marines, under Maj RobertH. Thompson, entered the Citadel to takeover the southeastern sector. As did the


J. Gravel) and Company G, 2d Battalion,5th Marines. Gravel's relief columnreached Company A in the early after-noon. By this time, the enemy attackershad pulled back their forces. BGen LaHueremembered that reports came in that the1st ARVN Division was "in trouble" and"we were ordered to go across the river torelieve some of the pressure."

Leaving Company A behind to securethe MACV compound, LtCol Gravel tookCompany G and attempted to cross themain bridge over the Perfume River. Twoinfantry platoons successfully made theirway over, but then immediately came un-der machine gun fire. Gravel remem-bered, "we were no match for what wasgoing on . . . I decided to withdraw."

This was easier said than done. The ene-my was well dug-in and "firing from vir-tually every building." Company G lostnearly a third of its men, either woundedor killed, "going across that one bridgeand then getting back across that bridge."

T E AMERICAN COMMAND still had lit-tle realization of the situation in Hue.

In Saigon, Gen Westmoreland cabledWashington, the "Enemy has approxi-mately three companies in the HueCitadel and Marines have sent a battalioninto the area to clear them out."

Gen LaHue soon realized the enemystrength in Hue was much greater than hehad originally estimated. Shortly afternoon, on 1 February, he called in Col Stan-ley S. Hughes of the 1st Marines and gavehim tactical control of the forces in thesouthern city. Hughes reinforced the twoMarine companies in Hue with CompanyF, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines.

In southern Hue, on 2 February, theMarines made some minor headway andCompany H, 2d Battalion, 5th Marinesreinforced the Marines in the city. TheNVA, however, continued to block any ad-vance to the west towards the Provinceheadquarters building.

At Phu Bai, Col Hughes prepared tobring his headquarters and that of the 2dBattalion, 5th Marines, under LtCol ErnestC. Cheatham, into Hue. On the morningof the 3d, Hughes established his com-mand post in the MACV compound andheld a hurried conference with his two bat-talion commanders. While LtColCheatham took control of his three com-panies already in the city, Gravel retainedcommand of his Company A.

Establishing his command post at theUniversity, LtCol Cheatham, like Gravelbefore him, made no headway against theenemy. The following morning, 4 Febru-ary, Col Hughes decided to place the 1stBattalion on LtCol Cheatham's exposedflank and continue the push against theenemy defensive positions.

On the morning of the 4th, CompanyB, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines joined LtColGravel's command. That night, however,North Vietnamese sappers blew the AnCuu bridge, effectively closing the landroute into the city. This left the Marinecommand only two alternatives to resup-ply the Hue forces—river traffic andhelicopters.

One of the immediate problems was theinadequacy of the Marine maps. As thecommander of Company G observed,"You have to raid the local Texaco stationto get your street map," which located theprincipal buildings and prominent touristattractions in Hue.

W ITH LITTLE ROOM to outflank theenemy, the battalion had to take

each block and each building "one at atime." According to Cheatham, "we hadto pick a point and attempt to break thatone strong point After a time,Cheatham and his officers noted that theenemy "defended on every other street

The battalion would move quicklyand then hit a defensive position.

On the morning of 5 February, bothMarine battalions resumed the attack ina southwesterly direction toward the cityhospital and provincial headquarters. Onthe right flank, Company H advancedalong the river front. The 1st Battalion, 1stMarines secured the left flank. LtCol Grav-el remembered, "The going was slow

We fought for two days over onebuilding."

Using tear gas, Company H, on the af-ternoon of 6 February, finally over-whelmed the NVA defenders in theprovincial headquarters. The capture ofthe provincial headquarters was more thansymbolic. The building apparently hadserved as the command post for the 4thNVA Regiment. Once the headquartersfell to the Marines much of the enemy or-ganized resistance in southern Hue col-lapsed. Gravel recalled "He [the NVA]seemed to lose his stomach for the fight.

once we started rolling. . . the mainforce sort of evaporated . . . and left some

local force—rinky dinks . . . . When hisdefense crumbled, it crumbled."

B Y io FEBRUARY, despite some occa-sional resistance, the Marines were in

control south of the Perfume River. Withthe NVA still holding fast in the Citadel,Hue was now indeed two cities. NorthVietnamese sappers had blown the mainbridge across the river, literally dividingthe city in half.

In clearing the modern city, the Marinestook a heavy toll of the enemy, but at ahigh cost to themselves. The Americanshad accounted for more than 1,000 ene-my dead and took six prisoners. Marinecasualties included 38 dead and more than320 wounded. A Marine from 2d Battal-ion, 5th Marines remarked, "The stink—you had to load up so many wounded, theblood would dry on your hands. In two orthree days you would smell like deathitself."

While the Marines cleared the new city,a South Vietnamese offensive in theCitadel had faltered. By 8 February, BGenNgo Quang Truong, the 1st Division com-mander, had inside the Citadel four air-borne battalions and the 3d ARVNRegiment, which were able to hold theirown.

About 10 miles to the west of Hue, theU.S. Army's 3d Brigade, 1st Cavalry Divi-sion was having about as little luck as theARVN forces in the Citadel. Having runinto well entrenched enemy forces, the 3dBrigade did not have the wherewithal topush the NVA out. During this period, theNorth Vietnamese command maintainedits "own support area outside the westernwall [of the Citadel

IN THE INTERIM, the South VietnameseJoint General Staff sent reinforcements

from Saigon to Phu Bai, the lead elementsof a Vietnamese Marine Task Force. GenTruong proposed to have the South Viet-namese Marines replace the battered Viet-namese airborne battalions in the Citadel.Although one company entered theCitadel on the 10th, the Vietnamese Ma-rine commander refused to insert anymore troops until the rest of his commandarrived from Saigon.

Gen Truong also asked for a U.S. Ma-rine battalion. On 11-12 February, the 1stBattalion, 5th Marines, under Maj RobertH. Thompson, entered the Citadel to takeover the southeastern sector. As did the


other 5th Marines battalion, the 1st Bat-talion remained under the operationalcontrol of the 1st Marines.

Apparently when the one VietnameseMarine company came into the Citadel theprevious day, the Vietnamese airborneunits departed. Unaware of the departureof the Vietnamese airborne, Maj Thomp-son departed the Mang Ca compound onthe morning of 13th to take over the newsector: "There was no Airborne unit in thearea and Company A was up to their arm-pits in NVA." Within minutes the com-pany sustained 35 casualties.

Much of the fighting centered aroundan archway tower occupied by the NVAalong the Citadel's eastern wall. Finally af-ter committing its reserve and the exten-sive use of supporting fires, including air,the battalion captured the tower on thenight of 15-16 February.

F OR THE NEXT few days the 1st Bat-talion met the same close-quarter

resistance from the enemy. In contrast tothe enemy in southern Hue, the battal-ion discovered that the NVA units in theCitadel employed "better city-fighting tac-tics." As Maj Thompson wrote, the ene-my "had everything going for him."

During this period, on the 13th, theVietnamese Marine Task Force finally ar-rived in the Citadel and was assigned thesouthwest sector. In two days of heavyfighting, however, the Vietnamese Marinetask force advanced less than 400 meters.In other sectors of the Citadel, otherARVN units were also at a standstill.

By this time, the enemy also had hisproblems. On the night of 16-17 Febru-ary, the allies intercepted an enemy radiotransmission, relating the death of theNVA commander in the city and the as-sumption of command of a new officer.The new commander recommended with-drawal but the senior headquarters deniedthe request.

In the Citadel General Truong preparedfor the final thrust to capture the Imperi-al Palace. With the Vietnamese Marineson the western flank, he placed the 3dARVN Regiment in the center. On the leftflank, the U.S. Marine battalion renewedits assault. If the NVA in the Citadel werenow fighting a rear guard action, they con-tested nearly every piece of ground.

Both Gens Abrams, who had estab-lished his new headquarters at Phu Bai,and Cushman shared a concern about

progress in the Citadel and the resultingAmerican casualties. The Washington Postquoted a Marine officer: We don't haveenough men, . . . air support, or enoughartillery to do this thing quickly

Q N io FEBRUARY, Gen Abrams radio-ed Gen Cushman that he consi-

dered "the measures so far taken to be in-adequate." He also sent a message to GenTolson of the 1st Air Cavalry to clear theapproaches to Hue. Tolson was to "makepersonal contact with BGen Truongand report personally to this headquart-ers with your proposed plan of action."

Despite the note of anxiety in Abrams'messages, the battle for Hue was in its laststages. By 22 February, after stiff resistance,the 1st Cavalry's 3d Brigade was withinsight of the city walls.

In the eastern sector, the 1st Battalion,5th Marines had once again taken the in-itiative. Despite heavy initial resistance, bythe morning of the 22d, the Marines hadreached the southeastern wall.

To the west of the American Marines,however, the North Vietnamese continuedto hold out. Venting his anger at what heconsidered the slow progress of the Viet-namese Marines, Gen Abrams complainedto Westmoreland that the Vietnamese Ma-rines in the last three days "have movedforward less than half a city block," andeven recommended their possible disso-lution.

N OTWITHSTANDING Abrams' frustra-tions, the Vietnamese forces were on

the offensive. At 0500 on the 24th, ARVNsoldiers raised their flag over the Citadeland by late afternoon, South Vietnamesetroops had recaptured the palace with itssurrounding grounds and walls. Save formopping-up operations, the fight for theCitadel was over. On 26 February, ARVNforces relieved the Marine battalion.

On the 29th, the 1st and 2d Battalions,5th Marines conducted a sweep east andnorth of the city. The Marines uncovered"fresh trench work along the route of ad-vance:' but the search for significant NorthVietnamese forces proved fruitless. LtColCheatham observed, "we couldn't close theloop around the enemy. To be honest, wedidn't have enough people to close it." On2 March 1968, the Marines closed out theoperation.

The suddenness and the extent of theenemy offensive in Hue caught both the

South Vietnamese and American com-mands offstride. At first underestimatingthe strength of the enemy in Hue, the al-lies sent too few troops. Command, con-trol, and coordination remained a

problem until the last weeks. The activa-tion of the MACV Phu Bai Headquartersadded an additional unneeded layer ofcommand from above. Task Force X-Ray,the 1st ARVN Division, and the 3dBrigade fought their own battles in isola-tion from one another. Outside of GenCushman of III MAF and Gen Abrams,there was not even an overall American,let alone a single, commander of the Huecampaign. Both Cushman and Abramswere at too high a level to focus much oftheir attention on the Hue situation. Fromhis headquarters, Gen Truong controlledthe South Vietnamese effort. As a Marineofficer observed, the lack of an overallcommander resulted in no general battleplan and competition for support. By thetime a U.S. Army general became the Huecoordinator, 'he didn't have anything tocoordinate

T HE BATFLE COST all sides dearly. Alltold, allied unit casualties totaled

more than 600 dead and nearly 3,800wounded and missing. Allied estimates ofNVA and VC dead ranged from 2,500 to5,000 troops.

Just as speculative were the size andnumber of enemy units in the one-monthbattle. Allied intelligence officers initial-ly identified at least three North Viet-namese regimental headquarters. Laterthey confirmed battalions from at leastfour more NVA regiments. Allied intelli-gence estimated that from 16 to 18 ene-my battalions took part in the battle.Some of these battalions were supposedto have been at Khe Sanh. From 8,000 to11,000 enemy troops participated in thefighting for Hue in the city itself or its ap-proaches. American intelligence officersbelieved that a forward headquarters of theTri-Thien-Hue Front under a North Viet-namese general officer directed the Hueoffensive.

Given both the resources that the NorthVietnamese put into the battle and thetenacity with which they fought, it was ob-vious they placed a high premium onHue. The North Vietnamese plannersviewed Hue as the weak link in the allieddefenses in the north. As a North Viet-

(Continued on page 24)


other 5th Marines battalion, the 1st Bat-talion remained under the operationalcontrol of the 1st Marines.

Apparently when the one VietnameseMarine company came into the Citadel theprevious day, the Vietnamese airborneunits departed. Unaware of the departureof the Vietnamese airborne, Maj Thomp-son departed the Mang Ca compound onthe morning of 13th to take over the newsector: "There was no Airborne unit in thearea and Company A was up to their arm-pits in NVA." Within minutes the com-pany sustained 35 casualties.

Much of the fighting centered aroundan archway tower occupied by the NVAalong the Citadel's eastern wall. Finally af-ter committing its reserve and the exten-sive use of supporting fires, including air,the battalion captured the tower on thenight of 15-16 February.

OR THE NEXT few days the 1st Bat-I talion met the same close-quarterresistance from the enemy. In contrast tothe enemy in southern Hue, the battal-ion discovered that the NVA units in theCitadel employed "better city-fighting tac-tics." As Maj Thompson wrote, the ene-my "had everything going for him."

During this period, on the 13th, theVietnamese Marine Task Force finally ar-rived in the Citadel and was assigned thesouthwest sector. In two days of heavyfighting, however, the Vietnamese Marinetask force advanced less than 400 meters.In other sectors of the Citadel, otherARVN units were also at a standstill.

By this time, the enemy also had hisproblems. On the night of 16-17 Febru-ary, the allies intercepted an enemy radiotransmission, relating the death of theNVA commander in the city and the as-sumption of command of a new officer.The new commander recommended with-drawal but the senior headquarters deniedthe request.

In the Citadel General Truong preparedfor the final thrust to capture the Imperi-al Palace. With the Vietnamese Marineson the western flank, he placed the 3dARVN Regiment in the center. On the leftflank, the U.S. Marine battalion renewedits assault. If the NVA in the Citadel werenow fighting a rear guard action, they con-tested nearly every piece of ground.

Both Gens Abrams, who had estab-lished his new headquarters at Phu Bai,and Cushman shared a concern about

progress in the Citadel and the resultingAmerican casualties. The Washington Postquoted a Marine officer: "We don't haveenough men, . . . air support, or enoughartillery to do this thing quickly

Q N io FEBRUARY, Gen Abrams radio-ed Gen Cushman that he consi-

dered "the measures so far taken to be in-adequate." He also sent a message to GenTolson of the 1st Air Cavalry to clear theapproaches to Hue. Tolson was to "makepersonal contact with BGen Truongand report personally to this headquart-ers with your proposed plan of action."

Despite the note of anxiety in Abrams'messages, the battle for Hue was in its laststages. By 22 February, after stiff resistance,the 1st Cavalry's 3d Brigade was withinsight of the city walls.

In the eastern sector, the 1st Battalion,5th Marines had once again taken the in-itiative. Despite heavy initial resistance, bythe morning of the 22d, the Marines hadreached the southeastern wall.

To the west of the American Marines,however, the North Vietnamese continuedto hold out. Venting his anger at what heconsidered the slow progress of the Viet-namese Marines, Gen Abrams complainedto Westmoreland that the Vietnamese Ma-rines in the last three days "have movedforward less than half a city block," andeven recommended their possible disso-lution.

N OTWITHSTANDING Abrams' frustra-tions, the Vietnamese forces were on

the offensive. At 0500 on the 24th, ARVNsoldiers raised their flag over the Citadeland by late afternoon, South Vietnamesetroops had recaptured the palace with itssurrounding grounds and walls. Save formopping-up operations, the fight for theCitadel was over. On 26 February, ARVNforces relieved the Marine battalion.

On the 29th, the 1st and 2d Battalions,5th Marines conducted a sweep east andnorth of the city. The Marines uncovered"fresh trench work along the route of ad-vance," but the search for significant NorthVietnamese forces proved fruitless. LtColCheatham observed, "we couldn't close theloop around the enemy. To be honest, wedidn't have enough people to close it." On2 March 1968, the Marines closed out theoperation.

The suddenness and the extent of theenemy offensive in Hue caught both the

South Vietnamese and American com-mands offstride. At first underestimatingthe strength of the enemy in Hue, the al-lies sent too few troops. Command, con-trol, and coordination remained a

problem until the last weeks. The activa-tion of the MACV Phu Bai Headquartersadded an additional unneeded layer ofcommand from above. Task Force X-Ray,the 1st ARVN Division, and the 3dBrigade fought their own battles in isola-tion from one another. Outside of GenCushman of III MAF and Gen Abrams,there was not even an overall American,let alone a single, commander of the Huecampaign. Both Cushman and Abramswere at too high a level to focus much oftheir attention on the Hue situation. Fromhis headquarters, Gen Truong controlledthe South Vietnamese effort. As a Marineofficer observed, the lack of an overallcommander resulted in no general battleplan and competition for support. By thetime a U.S. Army general became the Huecoordinator, "he didn't have anything tocoordinate

T HE BATFLE COST all sides dearly. Alltold, allied unit casualties totaled

more than 600 dead and nearly 3,800wounded and missing. Allied estimates ofNVA and VC dead ranged from 2,500 to5,000 troops.

Just as speculative were the size andnumber of enemy units in the one-monthbattle. Allied intelligence officers initial-ly identified at least three North Viet-namese regimental headquarters. Laterthey confirmed battalions from at leastfour more NVA regiments. Allied intelli-gence estimated that from 16 to 18 ene-my battalions took part in the battle.Some of these battalions were supposedto have been at Khe Sanh. From 8,000 to11,000 enemy troops participated in thefighting for Hue in the city itself or its ap-proaches. American intelligence officersbelieved that a forward headquarters of theTri-Thien-Hue Front under a North Viet-namese general officer directed the Hueoffensive.

Given both the resources that the NorthVietnamese put into the battle and thetenacity with which they fought, it was ob-vious they placed a high premium onHue. The North Vietnamese plannersviewed Hue as the weak link in the allieddefenses in the north. As a North Viet-

(Continued on page 24)


Somalia Task Force History-Keeping in Care of Marines

T HE FIRST U.S. Joint History Team everto deploy went to Somalia on 4

February with LtCol Charles H. Cureton,USMCR, as its officer in charge. LtColCureton is a member of the History andMuseums Division-affiliated MobilizationTraining Unit (History) DC-7.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman GenCohn L. Powell, USA, approved the jointhistory program concept during the springof 1992, as an extension of the Goldwater-Nichols Act, which directs more and im-proved interservice cooperation and un-derstanding. With the concurrence of theService chiefs, the Joint Staff issuedMemorandum of Policy No. 62: Guidancefor the Joint Histoiy Program on 15 May1992, and followed that with an improvedversion of the same document on 23November 1992. That "MOP" spawnedthe Joint History Program, and with Presi-dent Bush's offer of humanitarian relief as-sistance for Somalia, the opportunity arosealmost immediately to test its precepts.

The team, which consisted of six mem-bers representing all of the Services, as-sembled at the Pentagon on 2 February

by LtCol Thomas A. Richards, USMCHead, Historical Branch

and received two days of briefings aboutthe program and the current operationalsituation in Somalia. Thereafter, itdeployed to the U.S. Central CommandHeadquarters at McDill Air Force Base,Florida, for additional briefings. It arrivedin Somalia on 6 February and, as of thiswriting, remains there. The team's dutieswhile in Somalia included collecting docu-ments, journals, photos, film, and files;conducting oral history interviews; andrecording its own impressions of Opera-tion Restore Hope.

B EFORE LTCOL CuRFIDN'S team coulddeploy, the Joint Staff and the Serv-

ices had to coordinate the finai details ofthe program and the logistical arrange-ments for the deployment. Meanwhile,Capt David A. Dawson, USMC, an infan-try officer who currently is serving as ahistorical writer for the Marine Corps His-tory and Museums Division, precededLtCol Cureton into Somalia. Capt Dawsonprovided historical advice to the staff ofCombined Joint Task Force Restore Hope,initially at Camp Pendleton and then in

Somalia, and simultaneously served as theinitial representative of the Marine Corps'historical effort. He commenced the col-lection effort of both Marine and jointdocumentation.

On 18 December 1992, LtCol Dennis P.Mroczkowski, USMCR, also a member ofMTh DC-7, followed Capt Dawson intoSomalia and became the second Marine(and second person) to represent the JointHistory Program in an operational en-vironment. LtCol Mroczkowski was also"dual-hatted," serving additionally as thesenior Marine historian. He built uponCapt Dawson's work, continuing the col-lection and oral history efforts. On 8February, after welcoming LtCol Curetonand his team to Somalia and orientingthem, LtCol Mroczkowski returned to theUnited States.

The joint history MOP provides for: adirector, a new Senior Executive Servicebillet; a joint staff history office to bestaffed by a combination of civilian histori-ans and three "full-time support" (FTS)officers; history offices at each of the speci.


In Somalia inJanuaiy, in a photograph by combat artist LtColDonna]. Neaiy, USMCR, a Marine talking with an adult inBardera, "The Italian Village," is quickly surrounded by curious

children. To fellow combat artist Col Peter M. Gish, USMCR,on his own visit, "some of the children seem too far gone to besaved but most, with multiple daily feedings gain strength."

4.-

Somalia Task Force History-Keeping in Care of Marinesby LtCol Thomas A. Richards, USMC

Head Historical Branch

T HE FIRST U.S. Joint History Team everto deploy went to Somalia on 4

February with LtCol Charles H. Cureton,USMCR, as its officer in charge. LtColCureton is a member of the History andMuseums Division-affiliated MobilizationTraining Unit (History) DC-7.

Joint Chiefs of Staff Chairman GenCohn L. Powell, USA, approved the jointhistory program concept during the springof 1992, as an extension of the Goldwater-Nichols Act, which directs more and im-proved interservice cooperation and un-derstanding. With the concurrence of theService chiefs, the Joint Staff issuedMemorandum of Policy No. 62: Guidancefor the Joint History Program on 15 May1992, and followed that with an improvedversion of the same document on 23November 1992. That "MOP" spawnedthe Joint History Program, and with Presi-dent Bush's offer of humanitarian relief as-sistance for Somalia, the opportunity arosealmost immediately to test its precepts.

The team, which consisted of six mem-bers representing all of the Services, as-sembled at the Pentagon on 2 February

and received two days of briefings aboutthe program and the current operationalsituation in Somalia. Thereafter, itdeployed to the U.S. Central CommandHeadquarters at McDill Air Force Base,Florida, for additional briefings. It arrivedin Somalia on 6 February and, as of thiswriting, remains there. The team's dutieswhile in Somalia included collecting docu-ments, journals, photos, film, and files;conducting oral history interviews; andrecording its own impressions of Opera-tion Restore Hope.

B EFORE LTCOL CURE1ON'S team coulddeploy, the Joint Staff and the Serv-

ices had to coordinate the finaj details ofthe program and the logistical arrange-ments for the deployment. Meanwhile,Capt David A. Dawson, USMC, an infan-try officer who currently is serving as ahistorical writer for the Marine Corps His-tory and Museums Division, precededLtCol Cureton into Somalia. Capt Dawsonprovided historical advice to the staff ofCombined Joint Task Force Restore Hope,initially at Camp Pendleton and then in

Somalia, and simultaneously served as theinitial representative of the Marine Corps'historical effort. He commenced the col-lection effort of both Marine and jointdocumentation.

On 18 December 1992, LtCol Dennis P.Mroczkowski, USMCR, also a member ofMTU DC-7, followed Capt Dawson intoSomalia and became the second Marine(and second person) to represent the JointHistory Program in an operational en-vironment. LtCol Mroczkowski was also"dual-hatted," serving additionally as thesenior Marine historian. He built uponCapt Dawson's work, continuing the col-lection and oral history efforts. On 8February, after welcoming LtCol Curetonand his team to Somalia and orientingthem, LtCol Mroczkowski returned to theUnited States.

The joint history MOP provides for: adirector, a new Senior Executive Servicebillet; a joint staff history office to bestaffed by a combination of civilian histori-ans and three "full-time support" (FTS)officers; history offices at each of the speci-


In Somalia in January, in a photograph by combat artist LtColDonna J. Neary, USMCR, a Marine talking with an adult inBardera, "The Italian Village," is quickly surrounded by curious

children. To fellow combat artist Col Peter M. Gish, USMCR,on his own visit "some of the children seem too far gone to besaved but most, with multiple daily feedings gain strength."

fled commands; Reserve joint historydetachments; and a joint advisory com-mittee, a new body which has not yet offi-cially convened—though a group whichfunctioned in this capacity has met sever-al times to coordinate the details of theprogram. Officers to fill the three FTSbillets will come, one each, from theArmy, Air Force, and naval services, thelatter billet to be a rotational one, withthe Marines and Navy having alternatingresponsibility for filling it. The Joint Staffwill ask each of the Services to providerepresentatives to serve in the Joint His-tory Detachments.

A SECOND TEST of the program com-menced on 13 February when a joint

history team deployed to the Headquart-ers of the U.S. European Command towork on the historical effort for Operation

Provide Promise relief efforts in the form-er Yugoslavia. MTU DC-7 member LtColNicholas E. Reynolds, USMCR, represent-ed the Marine Corps on that team.

These test deployments, which occurunder actual operational conditions, pro-vide invaluable lessons for the Joint His-tory Program. The "after-action" reportssubmitted by the returning team membersprovide recommendations for refining theprocedures for future deployments. Addi-tionally, they provide valuable informationregarding the training of future Joint His-tory Detachment members, and alsoabout the logistical requirements for fu-ture deployments. The team members willalso contribute their observations to thedocumentation files for the exercises, fromwhich will be written the joint histories ofthe respective operations. Ill 775L11


Col Gish, a renowned watercolorist, portrayeda pair of "Fast At-tack Vehicles, 15th MEU Somalia." In his journal, he describesan early morning ride "with an armed convoy from the airport

to the Embassy, driving through littered dirty streets, past ricketymarkets more filthy than I could have imagined, including acamel slaughtering area cleansedonly by the hot sun andflies."

Child photograp hed in Baidoa by LtColNeaiy has more than hunger as a problem;he has measles. His bed is on the ground

4'r4 A',tL -

/t

•1

fled commands; Reserve joint historydetachments; and a joint advisory com-mittee, a new body which has not yet offi-cially convened—though a group whichfunctioned in this capacity has met sever-al times to coordinate the details of theprogram. Officers to fill the three FTSbillets will come, one each, from theArmy, Air Force, and naval services, thelatter billet to be a rotational one, withthe Marines and Navy having alternatingresponsibility for filling it. The Joint Staffwill ask each of the Services to providerepresentatives to serve in the Joint His-tory Detachments.

A SECOND TEST of the program com-menced on 13 February when a joint

history team deployed to the Headquart-ers of the U.S. European Command towork on the historical effort for Operation

Provide Promise relief efforts in the form-er Yugoslavia. MTU DC-7 member LtColNicholas E. Reynolds, USMCR, represent-ed the Marine Corps on that team.

These test deployments, which occurunder actual operational conditions, pro-vide invaluable lessons for the Joint His-tory Program. The "after-action" reportssubmitted by the returning team membersprovide recommendations for refining theprocedures for future deployments. Addi-tionally, they provide valuable informationregarding the training of futureJoint His-tory Detachment members, and alsoabout the logistical requirements for fu-ture deployments. The team members willalso contribute their observations to thedocumentation files for the exercises, fromwhich will be written the joint histories ofthe respective operations. L111775L11


Col Gish, a renowned watercolorist, portrayeda pair of "Fast At-tack Vehicles, 15th MEU Somalia." In his journal, he describesan early morning ride "with an armed convoy from the airport

to the Embassy, driving through littered dirty streets, past ricketymarkets more filthy than I could have imagined, including acamel slaughtering area cleansed only by the hot sun and flies."

Child photographed in Baidoa by LtColNeary has more than hunger as aproblem;he has measles. His bed is on the ground

Marine Historians Tracked Somalia Force from Outset

"\V7 HERE IS MY HISTORIAN?"'V demanded Col Billy C. Steed,

Chief of Staff of the I Marine Expedition-ary Force (I MEF), of Col Marshall B.Darling, Deputy Director of the MarineCorps History and Museums Division. ColSteed was assembling his operational"team," even as he planned for the deploy-ment of the Joint Task Force headquart-ers and its subordinate units to Somalia.

LtGen Robert B. Johnston, Command-ing General, I MEF, had recently receivedorders to serve as Commander, Joint Task

Above: The "noisiest, but most beautiful"campsites in Somalia belonged to Battal-ion Landing Team 2/9, writes Col Gish ofthe also steadily windy seaside locations.

by LtCol Thomas A. Richards, USMCHead Historical Branch

Force Restore Hope, and to organize theSomalian relief effort. This was to be thefourth time that a Marine has served as thecommander of an operational joint taskforce. Marines served as JTF commandersfor Operation Sea Angel, humanitarianrelief program following a typhoon inBangladesh; Operation Gitmo, relief ef-fort for Haitian refugees; and OperationProvide Relief, predecessor of OperationRestore Hope. Additionally, a Marinecommanded theJTF which conducted thewargame exercise Cobra Gold-92 inThailand last year.

Within a few days of the formation ofthe JTF, Col Darling had bidden farewellto Capt David A. Dawson, one of theHistorical Branch's writers, departing on

temporary duty orders to the CG, I MEF,at Camp Pendleton, California. CaptDawson was the "point man" of the Ma-rine Corps' historical effort in Somaliawhich, as of the date of publication, con-tinues.

W ORKING UNDER THE auspices ofthe J-3, Joint Task Force Restore

Hope, Capt Dawson set immediatelyabout the task of organizing the histori-cal program for the Somalian relief effort.While still at Camp Pendleton, hereceived advice and assistance from ColCharles J. Quilter II, USMCR, who livesnearby in Laguna Beach. (Col Quiltercommands Mobilization Training Unit[Historyl DC-7 and served as the I MEF


A

•1

'TI

, '1

t 9

Marine Historians Tracked Somalia Force from Outset

"\V7 HERE IS MY HISTORIAN?"'V demanded Col Billy C. Steed,

Chief of Staff of the I Marine Expedition-ary Force (I MEF), of Col Marshall B.Darling, Deputy Director of the MarineCorps History and Museums Division. ColSteed was assembling his operational"team:' even as he planned for the deploy-ment of the Joint Task Force headquart-ers and its subordinate units to Somalia.

LtGen Robert B. Johnston, Command-ing General, I MEF, had recently receivedorders to serve as Commander, Joint Task

Above: The "noisiest, but most beautiful"campsites in Somalia belonged to Battal-ion Landing Team 2/9, writes Col Gish ofthe also steadily windy seaside locations.

by LtCol Thomas A. Richards, USMCHead, Historical Branch

Force Restore Hope, and to organize theSomalian relief effort. This was to be thefourth time that a Marine has served as thecommander of an operational joint taskforce. Marines served as JTF commandersfor Operation Sea Angel, humanitarianrelief program following a typhoon inBangladesh; Operation Gitmo, relief ef-fort for Haitian refugees; and OperationProvide Relief, predecessor of OperationRestore Hope. Additionally, a Marinecommanded the JTF which conducted thewargame exercise Cobra Gold-92 inThailand last year.

Within a few days of the formation ofthe JTF, Col Darling had bidden farewellto Capt David A. Dawson, one of theHistorical Branch's writers, departing on

temporary duty orders to the CG, I MEF,at Camp Pendleton, California. CaptDawson was the "point man" of the Ma-rine Corps' historical effort in Somaliawhich, as of the date of publication, con-tinues.

W ORKING UNDER THE auspices ofthe J-3, Joint Task Force Restore

Hope, Capt Dawson set immediatelyabout the task of organizing the histori-cal program for the Somalian relief effort.While still at Camp Pendleton, hereceived advice and assistance from ColCharles J. Quilter II, USMCR, who livesnearby in Laguna Beach. (Col Quiltercommands Mobilization Training Unit[History DC-7 and served as the I MEF


historian during Operations Desert Shieldand Desert Storm. The History and Muse-ums Division will shortly publish hismonograph entitled "With the I MarineExpeditionary Force in Operations DesertShield and Desert Storm.")

Following closely on the heels of the IMEF command group, Capt Dawsondeployed to Somalia on 13 December1992. In his capacity as the representativeof the Director of Marine Corps Historyand Museums, Capt Dawson's duties in-cluded: serving as the "duty expert" onCombined Joint Task Force (CJTF)Somalia* for the Marine Corps HistoricalProgram; advising historians of subor-dinate units about the Historical Program;collecting documents, photographs, andoral history interviews relative to any andall aspects of Operation Restore Hope; andcoordinating the submission by all of theMarine units in the CJTF of periodic"command chronologies" to the Comman-dant of the Marine Corps. Capt Dawson'sinitial duties also included serving as theMarine Corps's representative for the nas-cent Joint History Program.

A N INFANTRY OFFICER, Capt Dawsonattended Kansas State University un-

der the Marine Corps' Advanced DegreeProgram and will receive his master'sdegree in 1993. He reported immediatelythereafter to the History and Museums Di-vision. He has performed several functionsin the Historical Section, including beingthe interim custodian of the Oral HistoryProgram, revising the Marine CorpsHistorical Center W/riting Guide, and con-tributing to the on-going writing of the1968 Vietnam history volume).

LtCol Dennis P. Mroczkowski, USMCR,reported to active duty on 14 December1992. Three days later, after receivingJointHistory Program and "current ops" brief-ings at the Pentagon, he departed forSomalia. Upon his arrival there, he as-sumed Capt Dawson's role at the head-quarters of the CJTF. Capt Dawson movedon to perform similar historical functionsfor the 1st Marine Division, which is alsothe Marine Corps 'component command:'or Marine Corps Forces (MARFOR) Soma-lia. LtCol Mroczkowski departed Somaliaon 8 February, after serving as the JTF

*TheJTF was first redesignated as Combined JointTask Force (CJTF) Somalia; later, it was redesignat-ed again as Unified Task Force (IJNITAF)/Combined

Joint Task Force Somalia.

Flyer dropped by aircraft over Somalian towns and villages was collected by LtCol Neary.It advises residents of the impending arrival of military convoys on friendly missions.

historian and the senior Marine historian published by the History and Museumsfor about eight weeks. Division.

LtCol Mroczkowsi is a member of MTLJ LtCol Charles H. Cureton, USMCR,(History) DC-7 and served during Opera- who reported for active duty on 2 Febru-tions Desert Shield and Desert Storm with ary, succeeded LtCol Mroczkowski inthe 2d Marine Division. His manuscript, Somalia. After receiving two days of brief-'With the 2d Marine Division in Desert ings from the Joint Staff, LtCol CuretonShield and Desert Storm," is about to be deployed from Washington, D.C., via U.S.

Near Baidoa, in the village of Goof Guudud, young women watched the unloadingof foodstuffs and using appropriate hand gestures, asked the visiting LtCol Neary,well disguised by her layers of military and protective clothing if she also was a woman.


WAXAANU XAGAN UNIMID IN AANUDIFAACNO DADCA IDN CAAWINAYA,

HA HOR-ISTAAGINA WADADA I

r-I

H(

historian during Operations Desert Shieldand Desert Storm. The History and Muse-ums Division will shortly publish hismonograph entitled "With the I MarineExpeditionary Force in Operations DesertShield and Desert Storm.")

Following closely on the heels of the IMEF command group, Capt Dawsondeployed to Somalia on 13 December1992. In his capacity as the representativeof the Director of Marine Corps Historyand Museums, Capt Dawson's duties in-cluded: serving as the "duty expert" onCombined Joint Task Force (CJTF)Somalia* for the Marine Corps HistoricalProgram; advising historians of subor-dinate units about the Historical Program;collecting documents, photographs, andoral history interviews relative to any andall aspects of Operation Restore Hope; andcoordinating the submission by all of theMarine units in the CJTF of periodic"command chronologies" to the Comman-dant of the Marine Corps. Capt Dawson'sinitial duties also included serving as theMarine Corps's representative for the nas-cent Joint History Program.

A N INFANTRY OFFICER, Capt Dawsonattended Kansas State University un-

der the Marine Corps' Advanced DegreeProgram and will receive his master'sdegree in 1993. He reported immediatelythereafter to the History and Museums Di-vision. He has performed several functionsin the Historical Section, including beingthe interim custodian of the Oral HistoryProgram, revising the Marine CorpsHistorical Center W/ritzng Guide, and con-tributing to the on-going writing of the1968 Vietnam history volume).

LtCol Dennis P. Mroczkowski, USMCR,reported to active duty on 14 December1992. Three days later, after receivingJointHistory Program and "current ops" brief-ings at the Pentagon, he departed forSomalia. Upon his arrival there, he as-sumed Capt Dawson's role at the head-quarters of the CJTF. Capt Dawson movedon to perform similar historical functionsfor the 1st Marine Division, which is alsothe Marine Corps "component command,"or Marine Corps Forces (MARFOR) Soma-lia. LtCol Mroczkowski departed Somaliaon 8 February, after serving as the JTF

*TheyrF was first redesignated as Combined jointTask Force (CJTF) Somalia; later, it was redesignat-ed again as Unified Task Force (IJNITAF)/Combined

Joint Task Force Somalia.

Flyer dropped by aircraft over Somalian towns and villages was collected by LtCol Neary.It advises residents of the impending arrival of military convoys on friendly missions.

historian and the senior Marine historian published by the History and Museumsfor about eight weeks. Division.

LtCol Mroczkowsi is a member of MTLJ LtCol Charles H. Cureton, USMCR,(History) DC-7 and served during Opera- who reported for active duty on 2 Febru-tions Desert Shield and Desert Storm with ary, succeeded LtCol Mroczkowski inthe 2d Marine Division. His manuscript, Somalia. After receiving two days of brief-"With the 2d Marine Division in Desert ings from the Joint Staff, LtCol CuretonShield and Desert Storm," is about to be deployed from Washington, D.C., via U.S.

Near Baidoa, in the village of Goof Guudud, young women watched the unloadingof foodstuffs and, using appropriate hand gestures, asked the visiting LtCol Neary,well disguised by her layers of military and protective clothing if she also was a woman.


Central Command, as the officer in chargeof the first Joint History Team ever todeploy. As of this writing, he and the teamremain in Somalia, working at the Uni-fied Task Force headquarters, collectingdocuments, papers, journals, photos, andfilms; conducting interviews; and record-ing their own impressions of OperationProvide Hope. He also served as the seniorMarine historian in Somalia, coordinatingand assisting the efforts of Capt Dawson

and the several Marine combat artists whodeployed to Somalia.

LTCOL CuREION ALSO is a member ofMT(J (History) DC-7, and served dur-

ing Operations Desert Shield and DesertStorm with the 1st Marine Division as itshistorian. His manuscript, "U.S. Marinesin the Persian Gulf, 1990-1991: With the1st Marine Division in Desert Shield andDesert Storm," is pending publication by

the History and Museums Division. Thatmonograph forms one of the series of sixcovering major forces engaged in the Gulfconflict—I MEF, 1st and 2d Marine Divi-sions, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, MarineForces Afloat, and Humanitarian ReliefOperations in Northern Iraq andTurkey— all under the general editorshipof LtCol Kenneth W. Estes, USMC. All areslated for publication in fiscal year 1994.

Eli 775 El

Marines' Efforts, People's Dramatic Plight Drew Combat Artists to Somalia

A RTISTS' FIELD sketches, drawings,and on-the-spot watercolors; the

subjects they focus their reference-gather-ing cameras on; and their finished studioproducts differ as they are filtered throughbrain, heart, fingertips, tools, and the sumof individual experience.

One of the products of History andMuseums Division's assignment to Soma-lia of three Marine Corps Reserve artists(and of the preparations for sending acivilian artist) will be a major Washington,D.C., exhibit recounting the Marine Corps'experience in Operation Restore Hope.

Col Peter Michael Gish, USMCR (Ret),Vietnam veteran and veteran combat ar-tist, whose most recent assignment was toOperation Provide Comfort for Kurdishrefugees in northern Iraq and Turkey,landed in Somalia in December 1992.LtCol DonnaJ. Neary, USMCR, noted for

A young girl visiting the Bardera feedingcenter filled the pot atop her head withfood and then posed for LtCol Neary.

by John T Dyer JrCurator of Art

her highly detailed paintings of historicalsubjects and as the artist for the plate seriesMarine Corps Uniforms, 1983, joined ColGish in January 1993. Capt Burton Moore,USMCR, a Vietnam veteran and a wild-life artist of national repute, teamed withthem in Somalia in early February. ColGish and LtCol Neary have returned to theU.S. and are working up finished piecesin their respective studios.

WO Charles Grow, USMC, who pro-duced fine paintings and drawings, now inthe Museum collection, from his ex-

periences of the war in the Persian Gulf,was in Somalia with the Joint CombatCamera Team, attached to the CombinedJoint Task Force Somalia, and is preparingnew art from his African experience.

James A. Fairfax, civilian head of theMarine Corps Museums' Exhibits Unit, an-other Vietnam veteran combat artist and

retired Marine master sergeant, is prepar-ing for the possibility of going to Somalia,also for the combat art program.E1i775E1

One of many pencil sketches made by ColGish is this figure from a full sheet, "Refu-gees —The Sick and Starved at Bardera."

In this scene by LtCol Neary, a Marine stands guard while Somali villagers unloadbags of grain from a UN convoy truck. "No matter what village we were in, the vil-lagers unloading the trucks would chant and sing" while the work progressed she wrote.

16

/

A

4

Central Command, as the officer in chargeof the first Joint History Team ever todeploy. As of this writing, he and the teamremain in Somalia, working at the Uni-fied Task Force headquarters, collectingdocuments, papers, journals, photos, andfilms; conducting interviews; and record-ing their own impressions of OperationProvide Hope. He also served as the seniorMarine historian in Somalia, coordinatingand assisting the efforts of Capt Dawson

and the several Marine combat artists whodeployed to Somalia.

LTCOL CUREION ALSO is a member ofMT(J (History) DC-7, and served dur-

ing Operations Desert Shield and DesertStorm with the 1st Marine Division as itshistorian. His manuscript, "U.S. Marinesin the Persian Gulf, 1990-1991: With the1st Marine Division in Desert Shield andDesert Storm," is pending publication by

the History and Museums Division. Thatmonograph forms one of the series of sixcovering major forces engaged in the Gulfconflict—I MEF, 1st and 2d Marine Divi-sions, 3d Marine Aircraft Wing, MarineForces Afloat, and Humanitarian ReliefOperations in Northern Iraq andTurkey—all under the general editorshipof LtCol Kenneth W. Estes, USMC. All areslated for publication in fiscal year 1994.

Eli 775LIl

Marines' Efforts, People's Dramatic Plight Drew Combat Artists to Somalia

A RTISTS' FIELD sketches, drawings,and on-the-spot watercolors; the

subjects they focus their reference-gather-ing cameras on; and their finished studioproducts differ as they are filtered throughbrain, heart, fingertips, tools, and the sumof individual experience.

One of the products of History andMuseums Division's assignment to Soma-lia of three Marine Corps Reserve artists(and of the preparations for sending acivilian artist) will be a major Washington,D.C., exhibit recounting the Marine Corps'experience in Operation Restore Hope.

Col Peter Michael Gish, USMCR (Ret),Vietnam veteran and veteran combat ar-tist, whose most recent assignment was toOperation Provide Comfort for Kurdishrefugees in northern Iraq and Turkey,landed in Somalia in December 1992.LtCol DonnaJ. Neary, USMCR, noted for

A young girl visiting the Bardera feedingcenter filled the pot atop her head withfood and then posed for LtCol Neary.

by John T Dyer JrCurator of Art

her highly detailed paintings of historicalsubjects and as the artist for the plate seriesMarine Corps Uniforms, 1983, joined ColGish inJanuary 1993. Capt Burton Moore,USMCR, a Vietnam veteran and a wild-life artist of national repute, teamed withthem in Somalia in early February. ColGish and LtCol Neary have returned to theU.S. and are working up finished piecesin their respective studios.

WO Charles Grow, USMC, who pro-duced fine paintings and drawings, now inthe Museum collection, from his ex-periences of the war in the Persian Gulf,was in Somalia with the Joint CombatCamera Team, attached to the CombinedJoint Task Force Somalia, and is preparingnew art from his African experience.

James A. Fairfax, civilian head of theMarine Corps Museums' Exhibits Unit, an-other Vietnam veteran combat artist and

retired Marine master sergeant, is prepar-ing for the possibility of going to Somalia,also for the combat art program.E11775E1

One of many pencil sketches made by ColGish is this figure from afull sheet, "Refu-gees —The Sick and Starved at Bardera."

In this scene by LtCol Neary, a Marine stands guard while Somali villagers unloadbags of grain from a UN convoy truck. "No matter what village we were in, the vil-lagers unloading the trucks wo uld chant and sing" while the work progressed she wrote.

16

C ol Gish, a longtime member of theCombat Art Program, kept a jour-

nal during his stay in Somalia. Below aresome entries from the period 29 Decem-ber 1992-21 February 1993— Editor

After two days of travel in a C-5, I spentmy first night in a tent at the airport be-ing introduced to the wind, blowing sand,and noise which would be features of lifehere. (The Battalion Landing Team 2/9 ofthe 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit hadthe noisiest, but most beautiful, sites be-tween the airport and the sea.)

In the morning I rode with an armedconvoy from the airport to the Embassy,driving through littered, dirty streets, pastrickety markets more filthy than I couldhave imagined, including a camel slaugh-tering area cleansed only by the hot sunand flies.

But the color is beautiful, especially thebrilliant orange saffron yellows, scarlets,bright blues, and violets in many intricatepatterns worn by the women. The people,too, are lovely and graceful with finefeatures.

Life here is rougher than I'danticipated — no showers, laundry, or hotchow, only blowing sand, MREs, and awater bull, but I am now able to shave outof a cup at first light and be ready in cam-

mies, boots, web belt, cameras and camerabag, plus my Alice-pack full of watercolorpaper, art supplies, and my French fold-ing easel. For overnight excursions my cot,mosquito netting, and poles also have tobe carried. Nevertheless, I manage to beready to move out by 0600, catching a con-

voy to the airport or port for travel intothe interior.

Baidoa

We spent a windy night at theMogadishu port, up at 0330, and depart-ing while it was still dark to avoid possi-ble hostile fire. The long convoy of UNtrucks loaded with packs of grain rumbledout of the city, and in the early dawn I wassurprised by the amount of traffic comingtoward town on foot and by donkey. Loadafter load of fresh-cut firewood and strawand other products were carried by wom-en and pack animals. The women carriedhuge loads on their backs, headbandsgripped in their hands. We passed camelherds and fields of corn and areas moreverdant than I'd thought possible. I won-dered why the people were starving.

One of our LAVs had a battery explodeand we had to wait for a replacement. Backunderway we passed through drier areas,past a prominent rock cliff seeminglyheaved up by the desert, towering over avillage, and finally in the late afternoonentered the streets of Baidoa.

As the convoy turns into the dusty vil-


Gish Found Color Beautiful, People Lovely and Gracefulby Col Peter M. Gish, USMCR

Mogadishu

Combat artist Col Peter M. Gish, USMCR, was sketched in Somalia by fellow combatartist andportraitist LtCol Donnaj Neary, USMCR, as Col Gish painted in watercolors.

Col Gish pauses in Kismayo for some hand games with youngsters. He found Somaliansto be "lovely and graceful" and "handsome, erect people with welcoming smiles."

..-4ç

-

r

C ol Gish, a longtime member of theCombat Art Program, kept a jour-

nal during his stay in Somalia. Below aresome entries from the period 29 Decem-ber 1992-21 February 1993— Editor

Mogadishu

After two days of travel in a C-5, I spentmy first night in a tent at the airport be-ing introduced to the wind, blowing sand,and noise which would be features of lifehere. (The Battalion Landing Team 2/9 ofthe 15th Marine Expeditionary Unit hadthe noisiest, but most beautiful, sites be-tween the airport and the sea.)

In the morning I rode with an armedconvoy from the airport to the Embassy,driving through littered, dirty streets, pastrickety markets more filthy than I couldhave imagined, including a camel slaugh-tering area cleansed only by the hot sunand flies.

But the color is beautiful, especially thebrilliant orange saffron yellows, scarlets,bright blues, and violets in many intricatepatterns worn by the women. The people,too, are lovely and graceful with finefeatures.

Life here is rougher than I'danticipated—no showers, laundry, or hotchow, only blowing sand, MREs, and awater bull, but I am now able to shave outof a cup at first light and be ready in cam-

mies, boots, web belt, cameras and camerabag, plus my Alice-pack full of watercolorpaper, art supplies, and my French fold-ing easel. For overnight excursions my cot,mosquito netting, and poles also have tobe carried. Nevertheless, I manage to beready to move out by 0600, catching a con-

voy to the airport or port for travel intothe interior.

Baidoa

We spent a windy night at theMogadishu port, up at 0330, and depart-ing while it was still dark to avoid possi-ble hostile fire. The long convoy of UNtrucks loaded with packs of grain rumbledout of the city, and in the early dawn I wassurprised by the amount of traffic comingtoward town on foot and by donkey. Loadafter load of fresh-cut firewood and strawand other products were carried by wom-en and pack animals. The women carriedhuge loads on their backs, headbandsgripped in their hands. We passed camelherds and fields of corn and areas moreverdant than I'd thought possible. I won-dered why the people were starving.

One of our LAVs had a battery explodeand we had to wait for a replacement. Backunderway we passed through drier areas,past a prominent rock cliff seeminglyheaved up by the desert, towering over avillage, and finally in the late afternoonentered the streets of Baidoa.

As the convoy turns into the dusty vii-


Gish Found Color Beautiful, People Lovely and Gracefulby Col Peter M. Gish, USMCR

Combat artist Col Peter M. Gish, USMCR, was sketched in Somalia by fellow combatartist andportraitist LtCol Donnaj Neary, USMCR, as Col Gish painted in watercolors.

Col Gish pauses in Kismayo for some hand games with youngsters. He found Somaliansto be "lovely and graceful" and "handsome, erect people with welcoming smiles."

lage roads people alongside are smiling,waving, and sometimes applauding the ar-rival of the relief column. They are hand-some, erect people with welcoming smilesand again the brilliant colors; and fre-quently a baby strapped to the back or thehips of a woman. There are not many signsnow of starvation, seeing these handsome,healthy people walking barefootedthrough the African dust. But tomorrowthe convoys will go out to the feedingcenters where malnutrition and disease arevery much in evidence.

Bardera, 'The Italian Village'

The human suffering here is appalling.I take pictures and sketch, feeling that Iam intruding on these poor people, yetthis my mission. This is at the heart of ouroperation.

Two women have been left out of thegreen plastic-roofed shelter. They are toofar gone to be helped, skeletal, unable tohold down any nourishment, pleadingwith their eyes, muttering throughphlegm, indecipherable. I cannot respondto them, not knowing their language.Some of the children seem too far goneto be saved, but most, with multiple dailyfeedings gain strength. Some who havebeen in the camp for a while are sporting"Friend of the USMC" tee shirts providedby Camp Pendleton.

OddurJust between the runway and the French

positions is a large circular well. As withothers in the village it is stepped up, madeof stone and concrete. The figures of menand women drawing water are most color-

Fascinated by the plant life as wel/ ColGish painted Son7alian trees near Oddur In Mogadishu, above, Col Gish drew a

Marine sentry posted at the US. Embassy.

ful and the splashed water shining on thestone levels reflects the ultramarine bluesky late in the day. This next to the ochres,scarlets, and blues of the dress, and theexotic shapes of camels passing is spec-tacular.

The villagers do not easily admit refu-gees, who are camped outside, their stickhovels scattered about in a barren land-scape with sparse, dry vegetation. Alongthe roadside are thousands of mound-graves, stark reminders of how bad it was.

Despite the harshness of life and theheat, these colors are gentle and lovely,ideally suited to watercolor and pastel

L111775L1J


5' 'Jr

— I (J

lage roads people alongside are smiling,waving, and sometimes applauding the ar-rival of the relief column. They are hand-some, erect people with welcoming smilesand again the brilliant colors; and fre-quently a baby strapped to the back or thehips of a woman. There are not many signsnow of starvation, seeing these handsome,healthy people walking barefootedthrough the African dust. But tomorrowthe convoys will go out to the feedingcenters where malnutrition and disease arevery much in evidence.

Bardera, 'The Italian Village'

The human suffering here is appalling.I take pictures and sketch, feeling that Iam intruding on these poor people, yetthis my mission. This is at the heart of ouroperation.

Two women have been left out of thegreen plastic-roofed shelter. They are toofar gone to be helped, skeletal, unable tohold down any nourishment, pleadingwith their eyes, muttering throughphlegm, indecipherable. I cannot respondto them, not knowing their language.Some of the children seem too far goneto be saved, but most, with multiple dailyfeedings gain strength. Some who havebeen in the camp for a while are sporting"Friend of the USMC" tee shirts providedby Camp Pendleton.

OddurJust between the runway and the French

positions is a large circular well. As withothers in the village it is stepped up, madeof stone and concrete. The figures of menand women drawing water are most color-

Fascinated by the plant life as well, ColGish painted Somalian trees near Oddur In Mogadishu, above, Col Gish drew a

Marine sentry posted at the US. Embassy.

ful and the splashed water shining on thestone levels reflects the ultramarine bluesky late in the day. This next to the ochres,scarlets, and blues of the dress, and theexotic shapes of camels passing is spec-tacular.

The villagers do not easily admit refu-gees, who are camped outside, their stickhovels scattered about in a barren land-scape with sparse, dry vegetation. Alongthe roadside are thousands of mound-graves, stark remindets of how bad it was.

Despite the harshness of life and theheat, these colors are gentle and lovely,ideally suited to watercolor and pastel

L111775L1J


M ARINE CORPS combat artist LtColDonna J. Neary, USMCR, is

newly returned from Somalia, where sherecorded her observations, made pagesof pencil and pen-and-ink sketches, andtook scores of photographs of Marinesand allied forces in Operation RestoreHope.

During her tour LtCol Neary hitchedrides with Marine convoys and subse-quently visited nearly every locationwhere Marines worked to end the fa-mine that has afflicted the people of theEast African country. She also touredbases established by Australian and Bel-gian troops.

A portion of the sketches she madeare of Somalis, and one drawing, madein the courtyard schoolroom of an or-phanage, is decorated with the small,dusty fingerprints of children who want-ed to see or feel the paper; school sup-plies have been unavailable for manymonths. In one village, women whocongregated to watch the unloading offoodstuffs pointed fingers toward LtColNeary with laughter. Finally they madehand gestures to suggest female curva-ture, obviously to ask if she indeed wasa woman, heavily encumbered as shewas by "chocolate chip" utilities and thevarious layers and appurtenances of Ma-rine field gear.

LtCol Neary's previous Marine Corpsassignments have included NATO exer-cises in Norway and Korea. In 1991 she

LtCol Neary wears familiar gear of Ma-rines in Somalia: helmet and goggles.

produced the widely displayed colorprint illustrating the various uniformsworn by Marines for Operations DesertShield and Desert Storm. She also is theartist of the print set Marine Corps Unitforms 1983, a prominent feature of wallsat all Marine Corps posts and stations.

An artist of both national and inter-national reputation, LtCol Neary hasproduced paintings for the Queen'sOwn Highlanders and the Scots Guardsin Britain, as well as for many U.S.Government agencies and facilities. Herpaintings have been published on the

covers of numerous books and maga-zines, including Saturday Review, TheW/ashington Post Magazine, CommonCause, Regardie c, and Naval InstituteProceedings. Others of her works haveappeared in Time-Life Books' seriesEchoes of Glory, Civil lVar, and Enchant-ed Uorld, as well as Boston Publishing'sVietnam Experience series. She also hasillustrated articles in Smithsonian andJVashingtonian magazines. Her currentproject is a series of limited editionprints based upon her paintings of CivilWar subjects.


Neary Sketch Wreathed by Small, Dusty Fingerprints

The LaFole Hospital and Orphanage was used as a food distribution center. ThereLtCol Neary saw a woman and a child who vividly seemed to express restored hope.

-I

M ARINE CORPS combat artist LtCol

Donna J. Neary, USMCR, isnewly returned from Somalia, where sherecorded her observations, made pagesof pencil and pen-and-ink sketches, andtook scores of photographs of Marinesand allied forces in Operation RestoreHope.

During her tour LtCol Neary hitchedrides with Marine convoys and subse-quently visited nearly every locationwhere Marines worked to end the fa-mine that has afflicted the people of theEast African country. She also touredbases established by Australian and Bel-gian troops.

A portion of the sketches she madeare of Somalis, and one drawing, madein the courtyard schoolroom of an or-phanage, is decorated with the small,dusty fingerprints of children who want-ed to see or feel the paper; school sup-plies have been unavailable for manymonths. In one village, women whocongregated to watch the unloading offoodstuffs pointed fingers toward LtColNeary with laughter. Finally they madehand gestures to suggest female curva-ture, obviously to ask if she indeed wasa woman, heavily encumbered as shewas by "chocolate chip" utilities and thevarious layers and appurtenances of Ma-rine field gear.

LtCol Neary's previous Marine Corpsassignments have included NATO exer-cises in Norway and Korea. In 1991 she

LtCol Neary wears familiar gear of Ma-rines in Somalia: helmet and goggles.

produced the widely displayed colorprint illustrating the various uniformsworn by Marines for Operations DesertShield and Desert Storm. She also is theartist of the print set Marine Corps Uni-forms 1983, a prominent feature of wallsat all Marine Corps posts and stations.

An artist of both national and inter-national reputation, LtCol Neary hasproduced paintings for the Queen'sOwn Highlanders and the Scots Guardsin Britain, as well as for many U.S.Government agencies and facilities. Herpaintings have been published on the

covers of numerous books and maga-zines, including Saturday Review, TheU-7ashington Post Magazine, CommonCause, Regardie , and Naval InstituteProceedings. Others of her works haveappeared in Time-Life Books' seriesEchoes of Glory, Civil War, and Enchant-ed W/orld, as well as Boston Publishing'sVietnam Experience series. She also hasillustrated articles in Smithsonian andWashingtonian magazines. Her currentproject is a series of limited editionprints based upon her paintings of CivilWar subjects.


Neary Sketch Wreathed by Small, Dusty Fingerprints

The LaFole Hosp ital and Orphanage was usedas afood distribution center. ThereLtCol Neary saw a woman and a child who vividly seemed to express restored hope.

Jane V E. BlakeneyJane V. E. Blakeney, longtime head of

the Decorations and Medals Branch ofHeadquarters Marine Corps, died on 14January at the age of 94.

Mrs. Blakeney is best known to militaryhistorians and medals collectors as theauthor of Heroes, US. Marine Corps,1861-1955, published by the author in1957. This is an invaluable semi-officialrecord of Marine heroes and the awardswith which they were decorated in theperiod indicated by the book's title.

Mrs. Blakeney enlisted in the MarineCorps in 1918 and was sent to Washing-ton to work in the decorations and medalsbranch. She was discharged in 1922, butremained on the job as a civilian employeefor the next 34 years, retiring as branchhead in 1956 after a total of 38 combinedyears with the federal government. She wasuniversally acknowledged as an expert inher field and in 1953, the Marine CorpsReserve Officers Association recognizedher with the Non Sibi Sed Patriae award,the first woman to receive it. Her husband,

which focus on the contributions of in-dividual Services to joint operations.

T HE TEAM ARRIVED at EUCOM on 13February and was met by the com-

mand historian, Dr. Bryan van Sweringen.He asked the team to create an operationalarchive of key EUCOM documents on Pro-vide Promise, to interview principal staffofficers planning for the operation, andto prepare a subteam to travel ahead toYugoslavia.

Chosen to be a member of the subteam,LtCol Reynolds set off for Zagreb on 26February, to visit Joint Task Force ProvidePromise (Forward), collocated with a U.S.Army medical unit, the 212th MASH.There he conducted interviews with keypersonnel, including the task force andMASH commanders.

The team returned to Stuttgart, Germa-ny, on 27 February and to the U.S. on 1March, to begin organizing their observa-tions for official reports. Eli 775E

Maj Arthur Blakeney, died in 1947. Mrs.Blakeney was buried in Arlington Nation-al Cemetery on 21 January.

SgtMaj Leland D. CrawfordRetired Sergeant Major of the MarineCorps Leland D. "Crow" Crawford, 63,died of cancer at his home in San Diegoon 16 February. SgtMaj Crawford, a nativeof West Virginia, enlisted in September1951. He served in Korea as a rifleman andartilleryman. SgtMaj Crawford also servedtwo tours in Vietnam, where he receivedtwo awards of the Bronze Star Medal andthe Purple Heart Medal.

He had several tours as a Drill Instruc-tor, first at Parris Island and then at SanDiego. He was the Sergeant Major of the1st Marine Division until he was selectedas Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps inAugust 1979.

Funeral services were held for SgtMajCrawford at the MCRD, San Diego PostChapel, 19 February, following which hewas buried with full military honors at FortRosecrans National Cemetery. LI1i775LI1

Awards Citing CombatProwess Are PresentedTo Persian Gulf Marines

by Ann A. FerranteReference Historian

A FINAL UPDATE of awards fromOperations Desert Shield and

Desert Storm was recently released by theMilitary Awards Branch of HeadquartersMarine Corps.

The following numbers of awards havebeen presented to Marines for exception-al valor and performance in SouthwestAsia: Navy Cross, 2; Distinguished Serv-ice Medal, 8; Silver Star, 14; Legion ofMerit, 70; Distinguished Flying Cross, 21;Bronze Star, 509; Defense MeritoriousService, 1; Meritorious Service, 201; AirMedal, 1,949; Joint Service Commenda-tion, 6; Navy Commendation, 3,296; JointService Achievement, 5; Navy Achieve-ment, 5,075; Air Force Commendation, 5;Army Commendation, 4; and ArmyAchievement, 114.

The two Navy Crosses were awarded toLtCol Michael M. Kurth of Waukegan, Il-linois, and Capt Eddie S. Ray of LosAngeles, California. Their bravery is

reflected in the following excerpts fromtheir award citations.

D URING OPERATION Desert Storm,LtCol Kurth commanded Marine

Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369.On 26 February 1991, as the 1st Marine Di-vision attacked north to prevent Iraqiforces from escaping, LtCol Kurth's repeat-ed acts of bravery in providing close-in firesupport to embattled Marines helped tocollapse the Iraqi defenses. With visibili-ty nearly impossible due to hundreds ofburning oil field fires, and with total dis-regard for his own safety, he flew underand perilously close to high-voltagepowerlines.

Capt Ray commanded Company B, 1stLight Infantry Battalion, Task ForceShepherd, 1st Marine Division. On 25February 1991, an Iraqi mechanized divi-sion counter-attacked elements of the 1stMarine Division west of the flame- andsmoke-engulfed oil fields in SoutheasternKuwait. Capt Ray repeatedly maneuveredhis light armored vehicle company inharm's way, skillfully integrating his lightarmored infantry weapons to decisivelydefeat main Iraqi counterattacks. Eli 775L11

20 Fortjtudjne, Winter 1992-1993

Marine Historian Inspects Yugoslavia CivilianRelief Operation's Zagreb Forward Headquarters

W ITH A FINAL destination of Zagrebin the former Republic of Yugos-

lavia, a Marine Reserve historian was as-signed to a Joint History Team gatheredin February in Washington, D.C., andtransported to the headquarters of the U.S.European Command (EUCOM) in Vaihin-gen, Germany, in support of the emergen-cy civilian assistance program, OperationProvide Promise.

LtCol Nicholas E. Reynolds, USMCR, amember of the History and MuseumsDivision-sponsored Mobilization TrainingUnit (History) DC-7, joined Air Force andArmy Reservists to form the team, whichfirst met on 11 February in the office ofWillard Webb, chief of the Joint StaffHistorical Office at the Pentagon. Theteam heard briefings on the backgroundof Provide Promise and met briefly withGen Cohn L. Powell, Chairman of theJoint Chiefs of Staff, who described his in-terest in the writing of joint histories ofjoint operations, as opposed to histories

Mentioned in Passing

Medals Expert Blakeney, SgtMaj Crawford Dieby Benis M. Frank

Chief HistorianJane V E. Blakeney

Jane V. E. Blakeney, longtime head ofthe Decorations and Medals Branch ofHeadquarters Marine Corps, died on 14January at the age of 94.

Mrs. Blakeney is best known to militaryhistorians and medals collectors as theauthor of Heroes, US. Marine Corps,1861-1955, published by the author in1957. This is an invaluable semi-officialrecord of Marine heroes and the awardswith which they were decorated in theperiod indicated by the book's title.

Mrs. Blakeney enlisted in the MarineCorps in 1918 and was sent to Washing-ton to work in the decorations and medalsbranch. She was discharged in 1922, butremained on the job as a civilian employeefor the next 34 years, retiring as branchhead in 1956 after a total of 38 combinedyears with the federal government. She wasuniversally acknowledged as an expert inher field and in 1953, the Marine CorpsReserve Officers Association recognizedher with the Non Sibi Sed Patriae award,the first woman to receive it. Her husband,

which focus on the contributions of in-dividual Services to joint operations.

T HE TEAM ARRWED at EUCOM on 13February and was met by the com-

mand historian, Dr. Bryan van Sweringen.He asked the team to create an operationalarchive of key EUCOM documents on Pro-vide Promise, to interview principal staffofficers planning for the operation, andto prepare a subteam to travel ahead toYugoslavia.

Chosen to be a member of the subteam,LtCol Reynolds set off for Zagreb on 26February, to visit Joint Task Force ProvidePromise (Forward), collocated with a U.S.Army medical unit, the 212th MASH.There he conducted interviews with keypersonnel, including the task force andMASH commanders.

The team returned to Stuttgart, Germa-ny, on 27 February and to the U.S. on 1March, to begin organizing their observa-tions for official reports. E1775E

Maj Arthur Blakeney, died in 1947. Mrs.Blakeney was buried in Arlington Nation-al Cemetery on 21 January.

SgtMaj Leland D. CrawfordRetired Sergeant Major of the MarineCorps Leland D. "Crow" Crawford, 63,died of cancer at his home in San Diegoon 16 February. SgtMaj Crawford, a nativeof West Virginia, enlisted in September1951. He served in Korea as a rifleman andartilleryman. SgtMaj Crawford also servedtwo tours in Vietnam, where he receivedtwo awards of the Bronze Star Medal andthe Purple Heart Medal.

He had several tours as a Drill Instruc-tor, first at Parris Island and then at SanDiego. He was the Sergeant Major of the1st Marine Division until he was selectedas Sergeant Major of the Marine Corps inAugust 1979.

Funeral services were held for SgtMajCrawford at the MCRD, San Diego PostChapel, 19 February, following which hewas buried with full military honors at FortRosecrans National Cemetery. 1111 775E1

Awards Citing CombatProwess Are PresentedTo Persian Gulf Marines

by Ann A. FerranteReference Historian

A FINAL UPDATE of awards fromOperations Desert Shield and

Desert Storm was recently released by theMilitary Awards Branch of HeadquartersMarine Corps.

The following numbers of awards havebeen presented to Marines for exception-al valor and performance in SouthwestAsia: Navy Cross, 2; Distinguished Serv-ice Medal, 8; Silver Star, 14; Legion ofMerit, 70; Distinguished Flying Cross, 21;Bronze Star, 509; Defense MeritoriousService, 1; Meritorious Service, 201; AirMedal, 1,949; Joint Service Commenda-tion, 6; Navy Commendation, 3,296; JointService Achievement, 5; Navy Achieve-ment, 5,075; Air Force Commendation, 5;Army Commendation, 4; and ArmyAchievement, 114.

The two Navy Crosses were awarded toLtCol Michael M. Kurth of Waukegan, Il-linois, and Capt Eddie S. Ray of LosAngeles, California. Their bravery is

reflected in the following excerpts fromtheir award citations.

D URING OPERATION Desert Storm,LtCol Kurth commanded Marine

Light Attack Helicopter Squadron 369.On 26 February 1991, as the 1st Marine Di-vision attacked north to prevent Iraqiforces from escaping, LtCol Kurth's repeat-ed acts of bravery in providing close-in firesupport to embattled Marines helped tocollapse the Iraqi defenses. With visibili-ty nearly impossible due to hundreds ofburning oil field fires, and with total dis-regard for his own safety, he flew underand perilously close to high-voltagepowerlines.

Capt Ray commanded Company B, 1stLight Infantry Battalion, Task ForceShepherd, 1st Marine Division. On 25February 1991, an Iraqi mechanized divi-sion counter-attacked elements of the 1stMarine Division west of the flame- andsmoke-engulfed oil fields in SoutheasternKuwait. Capt Ray repeatedly maneuveredhis light armored vehicle company inharm's way, skillfully integrating his lightarmored infantry weapons to decisivelydefeat main Iraqi counterattacks. Eli 775L1


Marine Historian Inspects Yugoslavia CivilianRelief Operation's Zagreb Forward Headquarters

W ITH A FINAL destination of Zagrebin the former Republic of Yugos-

lavia, a Marine Reserve historian was as-signed to a Joint History Team gatheredin February in Washington, D.C., andtransported to the headquarters of the U.S.European Command (EUCOM) in Vaihin-gen, Germany, in support of the emergen-cy civilian assistance program, OperationProvide Promise.

LtCol Nicholas E. Reynolds, USMCR, amember of the History and MuseumsDivision-sponsored Mobilization TrainingUnit (History) DC-7, joined Air Force andArmy Reservists to form the team, whichfirst met on 11 February in the office ofWillard Webb, chief of the Joint StaffHistorical Office at the Pentagon. Theteam heard briefings on the backgroundof Provide Promise and met briefly withGen Cohn L. Powell, Chairman of theJoint Chiefs of Staff, who described his in-terest in the writing of joint histories ofjoint operations, as opposed to histories

Mentioned in Passing

Medals Expert Blakeney, SgtMaj Crawford Dieby Benis M. Frank

Chief Historian

Commandant Opens Pentagon World War II Exhibit

R EMARKING THAT THIS World War IIcampaign is too little known and

studied, the Commandant of the MarineCorps, Gen Carl E. Mundy,Jr., dedicateda new exhibit on the Central Solomonsoperations on 19 February. The exhibithad been installed in the ceremonial Cor-ridor A of the Pentagon by the MuseumsBranch during January.

Sponsored by the Department ofDefense's World War II Anniversary Com-mittee, the exhibit is the third to be shownin the 55-foot-long Pentagon case. Eachbranch of Service has volunteered tomount an exhibit which focuses on the an-niversary of a six-month period of WorldWar II. These exhibits emphasize cam-paigns which have special significance foreach Service, but yet are explained in thecontext of the entire war, with an empha-sis on joint operations.

The Navy Museum was the first insti-tution tasked, and it opened with an ex-hibit covering the first six months of thewar after the attack on Pearl Harbor. ByMay 1992, the Marine Corps had beenscheduled to follow the Army's treatmentof the six-month period betweenJuly andDecember 1942. While assisting the Ar-my's Center of Military History for theirpresentation on the Guadalcanal cam-paign, the Marine Corps Museums Branchformalized its own approach to the sub-ject and staned the in-depth research andplanning for the Central Solomonsexhibit.

T HE TIME PERIOD allotted to the Ma-rine Corps corresponded with the

Central Solomons campaign in the springand summer of 1943. This island-to-islandcampaign was launched following thefight for Guadalcanal to establish new airbases from which the majorJapanese baseat Rabaul on New Britain could be at-tacked. Codenamed Operation Toenails,the action centered around a series ofsmall islands between Guadalcanal andBougainville, and opened with the seizureof the Russell Islands in February 1943. Bythe end of the summer of 1943, Marinesand soldiers had seen several months ofhard fighting and had eliminated theJapanese defenders on the large islands of

by Kenneth L. Smith-ChristmasCurator of Material History

Rendova and New Georgia, while firmlyestablishing antiaircraft defenses on VellaLavella and other smaller islands. All ofthe fighting was done in much the samesetting as the Marines had found onGuadalcanal: a steaming, almost im-penetrable tropical rain forest.

Since the Marine Corps' contribution tothe actions were in direct support of a larg-er Army force, this simplified the request-ed emphasis on joint operations. In hisremarks at the dedication, Gen Mundyalso would note that "we ... tend to thinkwe invented it, but as we see here, this was'jointness' in its classic sense." The MarineCorps units involved often were the Raid-ers and the defense battalions.

Plans called for the exhibit to be brokendown into three distinctive sections. Thearea in the center would address the his-tory of the campaign, with a reference toother significant events of World War IIwhich occurred during the same period.Flanking on the right would be a sectionon the Marine Raiders, and on the left, asection on the history of the defense bat-talions. In the center section, oversizedphotographs were used to illustrate theNorth Africa campaign, the bombing ofGermany, the battle for the Atlantic, andthe Casablanca conference. The photo-graphs are backdrop to a 50-inch by50-inch model of an F4U Corsair. TheCorsair was chosen to symbolize the air waragainst Rabaul, and it was at this time thatthe aircraft first appeared in the Pacific.The Marine Raiders display includes such

rarities as Raider knives and boots, a

M1897 trench shotgun, and a capturedJapanese light machine gun.

Sand, with broken sea shells, was usedalong with dried tropical foliage as a"floor" to the exhibit to create a tropicalbeach atmosphere in the two side sectionsof the case.

SINCE THE EXHIBIT case is so large, itwas possible to place crew-served

weapons in the areas between the majorsections. Two significant weapons from theperiod were included in the exhibit: aJapanese Type 92 heavy 7.7mm machinegun and a Boys .55 caliber anti-tank rifle.The Boys rifle was carried by Marine Raid-ers in the early part of the war.

The Ml rifle and the 1941 utility uni-form were worked into the area dedicatedto the defense battalions. Text labels onthe various weapons used by these battal-ions are supported by enlarged photo-graphs of the guns and an array of inertammunition, from the 90mm antiaircraftround to a belt of .50-caliber machine guncartridges. While most of these artifactscame from the Museum's collection, theU.S. Army Ordnance Museum at Aber-deen Proving Ground came through at thelast minute with a needed complete90mm round.

The exhibit will remain on display untilthe end ofJuly, when it will be succeededby an exhibit mounted by the U.S. AirForce. L11775E


At the Central Solomons exhibit dedication, Marine Commandant Gen CarlE. Mun-dy,Jr., left, is assisted by MajGenJohn P Condon, USMC (Ret), a veteran of the Pacif-ic air war andLtGen Claude M. Kicklighter, USA (Ret), of the Anniversary Committee.

Commandant Opens Pentagon World War II Exhibit

R EMARKING THAT THIS World War IIcampaign is too little known and

studied, the Commandant of the MarineCorps, Gen Carl E. Mundy,Jr., dedicateda new exhibit on the Central Solomonsoperations on 19 February. The exhibithad been installed in the ceremonial Cor-ridor A of the Pentagon by the MuseumsBranch during January.

Sponsored by the Department ofDefense's World War II Anniversary Com-mittee, the exhibit is the third to be shownin the 55-foot-long Pentagon case. Eachbranch of Service has volunteered tomount an exhibit which focuses on the an-niversary of a six-month period of WorldWar II. These exhibits emphasize cam-paigns which have special significance foreach Service, but yet are explained in thecontext of the entire war, with an empha-sis on joint operations.

The Navy Museum was the first insti-tution tasked, and it opened with an ex-hibit covering the first six months of thewar after the attack on Pearl Harbor. ByMay 1992, the Marine Corps had beenscheduled to follow the Army's treatmentof the six-month period between July andDecember 1942. While assisting the Ar-my's Center of Military History for theirpresentation on the Guadalcanal cam-paign, the Marine Corps Museums Branchformalized its own approach to the sub-ject and staned the in-depth research andplanning for the Central Solomonsexhibit.

T HE TIME PERIOD allotted to the Ma-rine Corps corresponded with the

Central Solomons campaign in the springand summer of 1943. This island-to-islandcampaign was launched following thefight for Guadalcanal to establish new airbases from which the majorJapanese baseat Rabaul on New Britain could be at-tacked. Codenamed Operation Toenails,the action centered around a series ofsmall islands between Guadalcanal andBougainville, and opened with the seizureof the Russell Islands in February 1943. Bythe end of the summer of 1943, Marinesand soldiers had seen several months ofhard fighting and had eliminated theJapanese defenders on the large islands of

by Kenneth L. Smith-ChristmasCurator of Material History

Rendova and New Georgia, while firmlyestablishing antiaircraft defenses on VellaLavella and other smaller islands. All ofthe fighting was done in much the samesetting as the Marines had found onGuadalcanal: a steaming, almost im-penetrable tropical rain forest.

Since the Marine Corps' contribution tothe actions were in direct support of a larg-er Army force, this simplified the request-ed emphasis on joint operations. In hisremarks at the dedication, Gen Mundyalso would note that "we ... tend to thinkwe invented it, but as we see here, this was'jointness' in its classic sense." The MarineCorps units involved often were the Raid-ers and the defense battalions.

Plans called for the exhibit to be brokendown into three distinctive sections. Thearea in the center would address the his-tory of the campaign, with a reference toother significant events of World War IIwhich occurred during the same period.Flanking on the right would be a sectionon the Marine Raiders, and on the left, asection on the history of the defense bat-talions. In the center section, oversizedphotographs were used to illustrate theNorth Africa campaign, the bombing ofGermany, the battle for the Atlantic, andthe Casablanca conference. The photo-graphs are backdrop to a 50-inch by50-inch model of an F4U Corsair. TheCorsair was chosen to symbolize the air waragainst Rabaul, and it was at this time thatthe aircraft first appeared in the Pacific.The Marine Raiders display includes such

rarities as Raider knives and boots, a

M1897 trench shotgun, and a capturedJapanese light machine gun.

Sand, with broken sea shells, was usedalong with dried tropical foliage as a

"floor" to the exhibit to create a tropicalbeach atmosphere in the two side sectionsof the case.

SINCE THE EXHIBIT case is so large, itwas possible to place crew-served

weapons in the areas between the majorsections. Two significant weapons from theperiod were included in the exhibit: aJapanese Type 92 heavy 7.7mm machinegun and a Boys .55 caliber anti-tank rifle.The Boys rifle was carried by Marine Raid-ers in the early part of the war.

The Ml rifle and the 1941 utility uni-form were worked into the area dedicatedto the defense battalions. Text labels onthe various weapons used by these battal-ions are supported by enlarged photo-graphs of the guns and an array of inertammunition, from the 90mm antiaircraftround to a belt of .50-caliber machine guncartridges. While most of these artifactscame from the Museum's collection, theU.S. Army Ordnance Museum at Aber-deen Proving Ground came through at thelast minute with a needed complete90mm round.

The exhibit will remain on display untilthe end ofJuly, when it will be succeededby an exhibit mounted by the U.S. AirForce. L11775L1


At the Central Solomons exhibit dedication, Marine Commandant Gen CanE. Mun-dy, Jr., left, is assisted by MajGen John P Condon, USMC (Ret), a veteran of the Pacific air war and LtGen Claude M. Kicklightei USA (Ret), of the Anniversary Committee.

Fkght Lines

Thomas-Morse S.4 'Scout'

T HE "SCOUT," ALSO known as

the "Tommy," was designed andproduced by the Thomas-Morse AircraftCorporation shortly after the United Statesentered World War I in 1917. The proto-type was evaluated as a fighter by the Armyand Navy but not accepted. After modifi-cations were made to the airframe, and theoriginal Gnome rotary engine was replacedby the more dependable Le Rhone, theresulting S.4B and, later, S.4C variants,along with the Curtiss JN-4 "Jenny," werewidely used by the Marine Corps, the Navy,

by Michael E. StainCurator of Aviation

and the Army for training fighter pilots.Because of its success as an advanced train-er, the Scout became one of the most fa-mous single-seat aircraft built in the UnitedStates during the war.

William T Thomas, who founded theThomas Brother's Airplane Company, Inc.,in 1910, had emigrated to America initial-ly to assist Glenn Curtiss in the design ofaircraft engines. He was soon joined by hisbrother, Oliver W. Thomas, and B. D. Tho-mas (no relation) who became their chiefengineer. The combined experimental ef-

forts of the three Thomas's culmi-nated in the production of a successfulpusher biplane later that year.

Merging with Morse Chain Company ofIthaca, New York, the Thomas Morse Air-craft Corporation incorporated in 1917. De-termined to produce a single-seat aircraft,for the purpose of training pursuit pilots,Thomas-Morse started from scratch insteadof starting with an obsolete or war-wearydesign, as was being done by most foreigngovernments. Though not too surprising-ly, the S.4 empennage and wing designreflected B. D. Thomas' earlier work withSopwith "Camels."

During the summer of 1917 flight testsof the S.4 at the Army Experimental AirStation at Hampton, Virginia (now LangleyField), revealed the need for numerousmodifications. This resulted shortly there-after in the production of an entirely new"Scout," the S.4B.

In early October, 150 S.4B aircraft wereordered by the Army Signal Corps.Although the new airframe proved to besturdy during aerobatics, its 100 horsepowerGnome engine proved to be a seriousproblem due to excessive right-hand tor-que, difficulty in starting, high rate ofcastor-oil leakage, and the resultant fires.Being tail heavy, the S.4B was prone toground loop on landing. Its flight controlswere difficult to operate in the cold becauseof control cable contraction.

Refinement of the S.4B led to its even-tual success and the U.S. War Department'sorder of 400 aircraft of a yet newer version,the S.4C. The S.4C showed marked im-provements in the control system, wasarmed with a camera gun, and was drivenby the more dependable 80 horsepower LeRhone engine.

Being powered by rotary engines, the"Scout" had some potentially dangerousflight characteristics common to all like-powered aircraft. Pilots were cautioned notto attempt a right-hand turn during aclimb-out after takeoff, and to enable themto pull-out, never to attempt a right-handpower-on spin at less than 4,000 feet of al-titude. E11775E1


A "Tommy Morse Scout" powered by an 80-horsepower LeRhone engine, was pho-tographedat Marine Flying Field, Miami, Florida, in 1915. Because of the Tommy'ssuccess as a trainer; it became one of the most popular single-seaters built in America.

Technical Data

Manufacturer: Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation, Ithaca, New York

Type: Fighter-pilot training

Accommodation: Pilot

Power Plant: Le Rhone 80 hp

Dimensions: Length, 19 feet 10 inches; wing span, 26 feet 6 inches; height 8 feet10 inches

Weights: Empty, 940 pounds; Gross, 1,330 pounds

Performance: Max speed 97 mph; climb to 7,500 feet in 10 minutes; Landing speed,45 mph

Armament: Principally a gun camera

\a . ----

Flight Lines

Thomas-Morse S.4 'Scout'

T HE "SCOUT," ALSO known as

the "Tommy:' was designed andproduced by the Thomas-Morse AircraftCorporation shortly after the United Statesentered World War I in 1917. The proto-type was evaluated as a fighter by the Armyand Navy but not accepted. After modifi-cations were made to the airframe, and theoriginal Gnome rotary engine was replacedby the more dependable Le Rhone, theresulting S.4B and, later, S.4C variants,along with the Cuniss JN-4 "Jenny," werewidely used by the Marine Corps, the Navy,

by Michael E. StainCurator of Aviation

and the Army for training fighter pilots.Because of its success as an advanced train-er, the Scout became one of the most fa-mous single-seat aircraft built in the UnitedStates during the war.

William T Thomas, who founded theThomas Brother's Airplane Company, Inc.,in 1910, had emigrated to America initial-ly to assist Glenn Curtiss in the design ofaircraft engines. He was soon joined by hisbrother, Oliver W. Thomas, and B. D. Tho-mas (no relation) who became their chiefengineer. The combined experimental ef-

forts of the three Thomas's culmi-nated in the production of a successfulpusher biplane later that year.

Merging with Morse Chain Company ofIthaca, New York, the Thomas Morse Air-craft Corporation incorporated in 1917. De-termined to produce a single-seat aircraft,for the purpose of training pursuit pilots,Thomas-Morse started from scratch insteadof starting with an obsolete or war-wearydesign, as was being done by most foreigngovernments. Though not too surprising-ly, the S.4 empennage and wing designreflected B. D. Thomas' earlier work withSopwith "Camels."

During the summer of 1917 flight testsof the S.4 at the Army Experimental AirStation at Hampton, Virginia (now LangleyField), revealed the need for numerousmodifications. This resulted shortly there-after in the production of an entirely new"Scout," the S.4B.

In early October, 150 S.4B aircraft wereordered by the Army Signal Corps.Although the new airframe proved to besturdy during aerobatics, its 100 horsepowerGnome engine proved to be a seriousproblem due to excessive right-hand tor-que, difficulty in starting, high rate ofcastor-oil leakage, and the resultant fires.Being tail heavy, the S.4B was prone toground loop on landing. Its flight controlswere difficult to operate in the cold becauseof control cable contraction.

Refinement of the S.4B led to its even-tual success and the U.S. War Department'sorder of 400 aircraft of a yet newer version,the S.4C. The S.4C showed marked im-provements in the control system, wasarmed with a camera gun, and was drivenby the more dependable 80 horsepower LeRhone engine.

Being powered by rotary engines, the"Scout" had some potentially dangerousflight characteristics common to all like-powered aircraft. Pilots were cautioned notto attempt a right-hand turn during aclimb-out after takeoff, and to enable themto pull-out, never to attempt a right-handpower-on spin at less than 4,000 feet of al-titude. Eli 775E1


A "Tommy Morse Scout" powered by an 80-horsepower LeRhone engine, was pho-tographed at Marine Flying Field, Miami; Florida, in 1915. Because of the Tommy'ssuccess as a trainer it became one of the most popular single-seaters built in America.

Technical Data

Mantifacturer: Thomas-Morse Aircraft Corporation, Ithaca, New York

Type: Fighter-pilot training

Accommodation: Pilot

Power Plant: Le Rhone 80 hp

Dimensions: Length, 19 feet 10 inches; wing span, 26 feet 6 inches; height 8 feet10 inches

Weights: Empty, 940 pounds; Gross, 1,330 pounds

Performance: Max speed 97 mph; climb to 7,500 feet in 10 minutes; Landing speed,45 mph

Armament: Principally a gun camera

W/orld JVar II Chronology, 1941-1945

July— December 1943by Robert V Aquilina

Assistant Head, Reference Section

Fortitudine's World War II Chronology continues with plan-ning for 1943 Central Pacific operations, which would be-

gin later in the year in the Marine assault on Tarawa.

ijul—The Navy's V.12 program, designed to recruit and traincollege students for future service as line officers, was launched;11,500 Marines were to be included initially in the training.3 Jul—In New Georgia, the Southern Landing Group of theMunda-Bairoko Occupation Force landed troops of the Army's172d Infantry, 43d Division, on Zanana Beach.5Jul —The Northern Landing Group, commanded by Col Har-ry B. Liversedge, made a secondary landing on New Georgia,and established a beachhead at Rice Anchorage on the northcoast.lOJul—Marine Corps Air Station, El Centro, California was com-missioned.11 Jul—The 1st Marine War Dog Platoon arrived in the SouthPacific where the dogs would serve on Bougainville, as scouts,messengers, and night security guards with the 2d Marine Raid-er Regiment.20-2lJul —The Northern Landing Group (including the 1st Ma-rine Raider Regiment, the 4th Raider Battalion, and the Army's3d Battalion, 148th Regiment) unsuccessfully attacked BairokoHarbor, then withdrew to Enogai, covered by one of the heavi-est air strikes of the Central Solomons campaign.25 Jul —The final attack by the New Georgia Occupation Forceopened with destroyer and torpedo and dive-bomber support.Marine tanks from the 9th Defense Battalion, joined (3 Aug)by those of the 10th and 11th Defense Battalions, supported theinfantry advance.6-7 Aug—In the Battle of Vella Gulf, U.S. Navy forces defeated

As heavy black smoke pours from a burning fuel dump to therear and broken, shredded palms give evidence of preparationfire, Marines on Tarawa await orders to press the attack inland

a Japanese attempt to reinforce the Central Solomons area.14-24 Aug—At the Quebec Conference (Quadrant), the line ofadvance for the Central Pacific offensive was delineated from theGilberts, to the Marshalls, to the Marianas, and then to theCarolines.16 Aug—The 4th Marine Division, commanded by MajGen Har-ry Schmidt, was activated at Camp Pendleton, California. It wasthe only Marine division during World War II to be mountedand staged into combat directly from the United States.25 Aug—Bairoko Harbor was captured on New Georgia, end-ing Japanese resistance on the island.25 Aug—The V Amphibious Corps was activated at Camp El-liott, California.28 Oct—The 2d Parachute Battalion landed on Choiseul Islandin a diversionary raid prior to the Bougainville operation.1 Nov—The 3d Marine Division (Reinforced) landed in assaulton Bougainville at Cape Torokina as part of I Marine Amphibi-ous Corps. Despite prior bombardment by both ships and planes,the invasion force met heavy fire from Japanese defenders.Nevertheless, by nightfall, the Marines had 14,000 troops and6,200 tons of supplies ashore.2 Nov—In the Naval Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, Task Force39 turned back a Japanese naval attempt to counterattack theCape Torokina landing.5 Nov—In the Bismarcks, Task Force 38, covered by GrummanHellcat F6F fighters from Aircraft, Solomons, flew the firstcarrier-cased air strike on Rabaul, causing heavy damage toJapanese warships, and preventing another sea attack on the Bou-gainville beachhead.8 Nov—The 3d Marine Brigade was deactivated at Apia, WesternSamoa.9 Nov— MajGen Roy S. Geiger relieved LtGen Alexander A. Van-degrift, the newly appointed 18th Commandant of the MarineCorps, as Commanding General, I Marine Amphibious Corps.16 Nov—Tactical Group I was activated under V AmphibiousCorps for the Eniwetok (Marshalls) operation.20 Nov—Following a massive preliminary bombardment, the 2dMarine Division (Reinforced) landed in assault on Betio Island,Tarawa atoll, as part of the V Amphibious Corps. HeavyJapanesefire accounted for many landing craft attempting to reach thebeach, and there were 1,500 Marine casualties at the end of thefirst day's fighting.28 Nov—MajGenJulian C. Smith, commanding the 2d MarineDivision, announced the capture of Tarawa atoll.15 Dec—Army XIV Corps assumed control of the Bougainvilleoperation from I Marine Amphibious Corps.26 Dec—Following a light naval and air bombardment, the 1stMarine Division landed in assault on Cape Gloucester, New Bri-tain. While meeting relatively light enemy resistance, the Ma-rines encountered an exceedingly difficult terrain in the dense,tropical rain forest that covers most of the island. L111775L1


4

W/orld War II Chronology, 1941-1945

July— December 1943by Robert V Aquilina

Assistant Head, Reference Section

Fortitudine's World War II Chronology continues with plan-ning for 1943 Central Pacific operations, which would be-

gin later in the year in the Marine assault on Tarawa.

lJul—The Navy's V-12 program, designed to recruit and traincollege students for future service as line officers, was launched;11,500 Marines were to be included initially in the training.3 Jul—In New Georgia, the Southern Landing Group of theMunda-Bairoko Occupation Force landed troops of the Army's172d Infantry, 43d Division, on Zanana Beach.5Ju1—The Northern Landing Group, commanded by Col Har-ry B. Liversedge, made a secondary landing on New Georgia,and established a beachhead at Rice Anchorage on the northcoast.lOJul—Marine Corps Air Station, El Centro, California was com-missioned.11 Jul—The 1st Marine War Dog Platoon arrived in the SouthPacific where the dogs would serve on Bougainville, as scouts,messengers, and night security guards with the 2d Marine Raid-er Regiment.20-2lJul —The Northern Landing Group (including the 1st Ma-tine Raider Regiment, the 4th Raider Battalion, and the Army's3d Battalion, 148th Regiment) unsuccessfully attacked BairokoHarbor, then withdrew to Enogai, covered by one of the heavi-est air strikes of the Central Solomons campaign.25 Jul —The final attack by the New Georgia Occupation Forceopened with destroyer and torpedo and dive-bomber support.Marine tanks from the 9th Defense Battalion, joined (3 Aug)by those of the 10th and 11th Defense Battalions, supported theinfantry advance.6-7 Aug—In the Battle of Vella Gulf, U.S. Navy forces defeated

As heavy black smoke pours from a burning fuel dump to therear and broken, shredded palms give evidence of preparationfire, Marines on Tarawa await orders to press the attack inland

a Japanese attempt to reinforce the Central Solomons area.14-24 Aug—At the Quebec Conference (Quadrant), the line ofadvance for the Central Pacific offensive was delineated from theGilberts, to the Marshalls, to the Marianas, and then to theCarolines.16 Aug—The 4th Marine Division, commanded by MajGen Har-ry Schmidt, was activated at Camp Pendleton, California. It wasthe only Marine division during World War II to be mountedand staged into combat directly from the United States.25 Aug—Bairoko Harbor was captured on New Georgia, end-ing Japanese resistance on the island.25 Aug—The V Amphibious Corps was activated at Camp El-liott, California.28 Oct—The 2d Parachute Battalion landed on Choiseul Islandin a diversionary raid prior to the Bougainville operation.1 Nov—The 3d Marine Division (Reinforced) landed in assaulton Bougainville at Cape Torokina as part of I Marine Amphibi-ous Corps. Despite prior bombardment by both ships and planes,the invasion force met heavy fire from Japanese defenders.Nevertheless, by nightfall, the Marines had 14,000 troops and6,200 tons of supplies ashore.2 Nov—In the Naval Battle of Empress Augusta Bay, Task Force39 turned back a Japanese naval attempt to counterattack theCape Torokina landing.5 Nov—In the Bismarcks, Task Force 38, covered by GrummanHellcat F6F fighters from Aircraft, Solomons, flew the firstcarrier-cased air strike on Rabaul, causing heavy damage toJapanese warships, and preventing another sea attack on the Bou-gainville beachhead.8 Nov—The 3d Marine Brigade was deactivated at Apia, WesternSamoa.9 Nov.— MajGen Roy S. Geiger relieved LtGen Alexander A. Van-degrift, the newly appointed 18th Commandant of the MarineCorps, as Commanding General, I Marine Amphibious Corps.16 Nov—Tactical Group I was activated under V AmphibiousCorps for the Eniwetok (Marshalls) operation.20 Nov—Following a massive preliminary bombardment, the 2dMarine Division (Reinforced) landed in assault on Betio Island,Tarawa atoll, as part of the V Amphibious Corps. Heavy Japanesefire accounted for many landing craft attempting to reach thebeach, and there were 1,500 Marine casualties at the end of thefirst day's fighting.28 Nov—MajGenJulian C. Smith, commanding the 2d MarineDivision, announced the capture of Tarawa atoll.15 Dec—Army XIV Corps assumed control of the Bougainvilleoperation from I Marine Amphibious Corps.26 Dec—Following a light naval and air bombardment, the 1stMarine Division landed in assault on Cape Gloucester, New Bri-tain. While meeting relatively light enemy resistance, the Ma-rines encountered an exceedingly difficult terrain in the dense,tropical rain forest that covers most of the island. L111775L1


MARINE CORPS HISTORICAL CENTERBUILDING 58, WASHINGTON NAVY YARD

901 M STREET, SOUTHEASTWASHINGTON, D.C. 20374-5040

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

Marines Defended Hue in Historic Clash 25 Years Ago(Continued from page 11)

namese author wrote: "the enemy knewnothing of our strategy; by the time ourforces approached the city of Hue, theenemy still had not taken any specificdefensive measures."

O NCE IN HUE, the Communists es-tablished their own civil government

and their cadres rounded up knowngovernment officials, sympathizers, andforeigners. After the recapture of Hue,South Vietnamese authorities exhumedsome 3,000 bodies thrown into hastily-duggraves. The North Vietnamese admittedthe tracking down and punishing of"hoodlum ringleaders:' but denied killinginnocent civilians.

The struggle for Hue initially was a nearthing. Only the failure of the North Viet-namese to overrun the Mang Ca andMACV compounds permitted the allies toretain a toehold in both the Citadel andthe new city. This enabled the allies tobring in reinforcements, albeit piecemeal.A Marine commander observed that theenemy had oriented his defenses to fendoff forces coming into the city in strengthand that the Americans "fought him fromthe inside out." Even then, if the enemyhad blown the An Cuu Bridge on the firstday, the Marines would not have been able

to bring their initial battalions and sup-plies into the city.

Fortuitously, the 1st Air Cavalry Divi-sion was in position to commit eventuallya four-battalion brigade to the battle. The1st Cavalry commander remembered thatGen Truong told him that if "I could everget the Cay to the walls of Hue, the ene-my would 'bug out.' " The problem wasthat it took 22 days for the 3d Brigade tofight its way there.

A LTHOUGH THE Viet Cong and theNorth Vietnamese harassed ship

traffic in the Perfume River, they made noserious attempt to close the waterways.Even with the An Cuu Bridge closed forover a week, the Marines had stockpiled

In 1968, men of Company C, 1st Battal-ion, 5th Marines, wage a firefight in thestreets of the ancient imperial capital.

and brought in enough supplies by boatto support operations in both the Citadeland southern Hue. If the enemy cut boththe water and land lines of communica-tions, the outcome of the struggle for Huewould have been less predictable.Although desiring a general uprising dur-ing Tet, the Communists realistically mayhave had in mind a more limited and at-tainable goal. They perhaps hoped thatthe capture of Hue would result in thedefection of the Southern Vietnameseforces and the loss of other populationcenters in the two northern provinces ofSouth Vietnam. Such a result would havecut the allied lines of communication andleft the 3d Marine Division isolated infixed positions bordering the DMZ andLaos. This would have left the Com-munists in a strong position for obtainingtheir own terms. In any event, Tet servedas a bench mark for both sides, forcingeach to reassess his strategy. The UnitedStates determined the extent of its com-mitment to Vietnam and began turningmore of the war over to the South Viet-namese. After August 1968, the Com-munists scaled down their large-unit war.probably out of both weakness and the expectation that the Americans would even-tually withdraw. Tet taught both sides thatthere was to be no quick fix. Eli 775 LI


'-'M

.t

7rJ.

.I

MARINE CORPS HISTORICAL CENTERBUILDING 58, WASHINGTON NAVY YARD

901 M STREET, SOUTHEASTWASHINGTON, D.C. 20374-5040

OFFICIAL BUSINESS

Marines Defended Hue in Historic Clash 25 Years Ago(Continued from page 11)

namese author wrote: "the enemy knewnothing of our strategy; by the time ourforces approached the city of Hue, theenemy still had not taken any specificdefensive measures."

O NCE IN HUE, the Communists es-tablished their own civil government

and their cadres rounded up knowngovernment officials, sympathizers, andforeigners. After the recapture of Hue,South Vietnamese authorities exhumedsome 3,000 bodies thrown into hastily-duggraves. The North Vietnamese admittedthe tracking down and punishing of"hoodlum ringleaders," but denied killinginnocent civilians.

The struggle for Hue initially was a nearthing. Only the failure of the North Viet-namese to overrun the Mang Ca andMACV compounds permitted the allies toretain a toehold in both the Citadel andthe new city. This enabled the allies tobring in reinforcements, albeit piecemeal.A Marine commander observed that theenemy had oriented his defenses to fendoff forces coming into the city in strengthand that the Americans "fought him fromthe inside out." Even then, if the enemyhad blown the An Cuu Bridge on the firstday, the Marines would not have been able

to bring their initial battalions and sup-plies into the city.

Fortuitously, the 1st Air Cavalry Divi-sion was in position to commit eventuallya four-battalion brigade to the battle. The1st Cavalry commander remembered thatGen Truong told him that if "I could everget the Cay to the walls of Hue, the ene-my would 'bug out.' " The problem wasthat it took 22 days for the 3d Brigade tofight its way there.

A LTHOUGH THE Viet Cong and theNorth Vietnamese harassed ship

traffic in the Perfume River, they made noserious attempt to close the waterways.Even with the An Cuu Bridge closed forover a week, the Marines had stockpiled

In 1968, men of Company C, 1st Battal-ion, 5th Marines, wage afirefight in thestreets of the ancient imperial capital.

and brought in enough supplies by boatto support operations in both the Citadeland southern Hue. If the enemy cut boththe water and land lines of communica-tions, the outcome of the struggle for Huewould have been less predictable.Although desiring a general uprising dur-ing Tet, the Communists realistically mayhave had in mind a more limited and at-tainable goal. They perhaps hoped thatthe capture of Hue would result in thedefection of the Southern Vietnameseforces and the loss of other populationcenters in the two northern provinces ofSouth Vietnam. Such a result would havecut the allied lines of communication andleft the 3d Marine Division isolated infixed positions bordering the DMZ andLaos. This would have left the Com-munists in a strong position for obtainingtheir own terms. In any event, Tet servedas a bench mark for both sides, forcingeach to reassess his strategy. The UnitedStates determined the extent of its com-mitment to Vietnam and began turningmore of the war over to the South Viet-namese. After August 1968, the Com-munists scaled down their large-unit war.probably out of both weakness and the cxpectation that the Americans would even-tually withdraw. Tet taught both sides thatthere was to be no quick fix. Eli 775 [1
