Personnel – January 1966

 

Personnel/Administration

  1. Summary.  The Battalion spent the entire month within the Chu Lai enclave.  On 25 January, Operation SPREAD EAGLE was affected (see Section IV); a forward Command post was established at vicinity (BT 462073) on that date.  The organization participated in no other major operations.  The Personnel Section was involved in administrative duties, casualty reporting, and handling of Viet Cong suspects.
  2. Significant Events

1 Jan         Lt/Col R. E. Sullivan assumed command as Battalion Commander.

                                    Promotions effected as follows:    12 Cpl to Sgt

                                                             8 L/Cpl to Cpl

                                                           19 PFC to L/Cpl

                  9 Jan         Commandant of the Marine Corps attended services at Bn Chapel visited Co ‘D’ CP.

                                    Commandant awarded a Bronze Star to member of Co ‘A’, Navy Commendation Medal to                                     Corpsman.

                                    Commanding Officer meritoriously promoted Bronze Star winner from L/Cpl to Cpl.

                 15 Jan       One Temporary appointment to 1st Lt delivered to officer of the command.

     19 Jan       Rosters received stating names of those persons whose RTD was changed to 12 months vice 13 months (over 100 men affected by the change).  One Bronze Star awarded by Assistant Division Commander to member of Company ‘A’.

     20 Jan       1st Marines (-) (rein) assumed Administrative and Operational control of this command. Cease-fire by all MACV forces in Viet Nam commenced at 1200, to last until 231800H Jan (in observance of Vietnamese Lunar New Year, TET).

    21 Jan        Vietnamese holiday season of TET began festivities to last for seven days.

    24 Jan       Two Navy Commendation Medals awarded by Assistant Division Commander to members of                              Company ‘A’.

    25 Jan       Battalion commenced Operation SPREAD EAGLE (see Section IV).

    27 Jan       Squad-size outpost raided by Viet Cong, resulting in five Marines KIA (see Section IV)

  1. Problem Areas/New Developments.
  2. Problem areas have decreased somewhat during the past month.  Administrative supplies, including two typewriters, have been received.

Shortage in consumable paper forms continues to preclude implementation of Addressograph system into the administration.  Communications have not improved to the island units and hamper the administrative efficiency of the section.  Recent disposition of units in accordance with Operation SPREAD EAGLE now allows only one guard mail run per day; two companies are separated from then administrative headquarters, causing further delay in administration.  Difficulty is experienced in the interpretation of ‘battle death’, as per JAG Manual and MARCORPERS Manual, pertaining to the submission of investigative reports.

  1. New developments include a new casualty reporting procedure (see attached papers), free radiogram service to the United States, availability of R&R in Manila.
  2. The area of personnel rotation holds both a problem and a new development.  Critical months for rotation are April, June, and October, with 200 persons or more rotating during each month.  ‘Short-touring’ has been of little help to lessen the loss for each month in OF other that 03.  Further, the majority of June rotates are in Company ‘A’, the majority of October rotates in Company ‘C’.  The section has developed a system of transferring such persons within the Battalion, so that all companies have an equal number of men rotating within any of these critical months.  Implementation of the system has begun and will probably continue for the next month.  However, the ‘hump’ rotation remains, in ‘H&S’ Company, for personnel in OF other then 03, as there are no units with like OF in the Battalion to level the hump with.
  3. Personnel
  4. Monthly strengths (average)
  5. USMC Officer – 35               Enlisted – 998
  6. USN Officer – 2                     Enlisted – 58
  7. Casualties
  8. Battle Officers – 1                Enlisted – 9
  9. Non-Battle Officers – 0    Enlisted – 9
  10. Rotation during month
  11. 1 USMC Officer
  12. 39 USMC Enlisted
  13. Replacements
  14. 77 USMC Enlisted
  15. 9 USN Enlisted
  16. Personnel Daily Summaries.  (See attached documents)
  17. Periodic Personnel Reports.  (See attached documents)
  18. Directives.  (See attached documents)
  19. Discipline; Courts-Martial, Non-Judicial Punishment
  20. Discipline was excellent during the period as evidenced by the following statistics:
  21. Courts-Martial

(1)    Pending

(a)   Summary – none

(b)   Special – none

(2)   Completed

(a)   Summary – none

(b)   Special – two

  1. Non-Judicial Punishment

(1)               Battalion Commander – 2

(2)               Company commanders – 12

  1. Morale, PX, Postal Affairs, Liberty, R&R
  2. Morale remains high, though contact with the enemy is hampered by our present location.  Good food, beer and soda, remain available for all hands.  Billeting space has improved with six native shelters being constructed by local civilians. Weather has improved, with less rain and warmer temperatures noted.  The roster of early rotates, mentioned in C. 3. above, had greatly bolstered the morale of some.
  3. Exchange facilities are inadequate, and unsatisfactory. It is noted that wide selection of venereal prophylactics is stocked, while health and comfort items are not available.  Necessities not available include toothbrushes, foot powder, shaving cream, towels, and writing materials.  Other necessary items available perhaps once each month are razor blades (of any type), toothpaste, batteries, and laundry soap.  Many items have never been available in the system and can be purchased only in Vietnamese hamlets.  These include washbasins, washrags and towels, soap dishes, flashlights, kerosene lamps, scrub brushes, shower shoes, combs, nail clippers, and candles.  The foregoing has obvious implications in the gold flow problem, as U. S. items would be purchased instead of inferior Vietnamese products if the U.S. product was available.
  4. Postal services continue to be adequate.
  5. Liberty is not authorized for the command.
  6. R&R is available in the following areas: Okinawa, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, Manila, Tokyo, and Saigon.  Quotas allocated are sufficient.
  7. Chaplain’s Activities and Totals
  8. Sunday Divine Services (Protestant)

(a) Number of services – 24

(b)   Total Attendance – 892

(c)   Average attendance 37

  1. Weekday Divine Services (Protestant)

(a) Number of Services – 27

(b)   Total Attendance – 631

(c)   Average Attendance – 24

  1. Memorial Services

(a) Total Services – 1

(b)   Total Attendance – 61

  1. Professional Counseling

(a) Number of cases – 36

(b)   Units represented – 6

  1. Administration of Sacraments

(a) Holy Communion – 61

(b)   Baptism – 6

  1. Narrative of Chaplain’s Activities

The Protestant coverage of Divine Services has been extended to a company of 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines who are temporarily in the three positions occupied by our Company ‘A’.  Company ‘A’ is redeployed to another area for a short period of time along with a Command Group, 1st Platoon of Company ‘C’, and Company ‘D’.  These units will also have Catholic coverage to be arranged according to their operating schedule.

Memorial Services for two Catholic and three Protestant men of Company ‘B’ were held on 31 January.

  1. Significant Events.

Of special significance this month was the visit for worship services at our Memorial Chapel, of General Wallace M. Greene Jr., Commandant, USMC.

           This page last updated 24 August 2011