Personnel and Administration
- Summary. The Battalion spent the entire month within the Chu Lai enclave, continuing in the execution of Operation Spread Eagle. A forward Command Post, established in late January, was manned during the entire period. The organization aided in Operation Double Eagle but was not deployed out of the enclave (see Section IV). An Admin Rear was established, within the confines of the Battalion Command Post, consisting of the Administration and Supply/baggage sections of the companies. The Personnel Section was involved in administrative duties, casualty reporting, and handling of Viet Cong suspects.
- Significant Events.
9 Feb – Moved Company Admin centers to Bn CP
16 Feb – 3rd Marine Division Band visited Ky Xuan Island, and Nue Nong Trach area in connection with Civil Affairs program.
18 Feb – USNHS REPOSE assumed position offshore to act as Hospital Ship for Chu Lai enclave.
27 Feb – Robert Mitchum, Hollywood movie star, visited Bn CP, Company C, Company D.
- Problem Areas New Developments.
- A problem solved during the month was that of shifting RTDs so that each company had a near – equal amount of persons rotating during any month. Previously, the majority of June rotates were in Company A and October rotates in Company C. Such persons are now mainly distributed to all line companies.
- A problem area as yet unsolved concerns the loss of key personnel during the months of March and April. The majority of those rotating in March (total 138) are from H&S Company, in Occupational Fields other than 03. Again, in April (total 98), the losses will be in key billets, with nine officers, six Staff NCOs and 28 NCOs departing.
- A new development is the establishing of an Admin Rear within the present Bn CP. Each company will maintain it’s own admin section, supply section, and personal baggage account. Two strong backed GP tents have been allocated to each company for this purpose.
- Personnel
- Monthly strengths (average, chargeable):
(a) Officers – USMC-35 USN-2
(b) Enlisted – USMC-982 USN-55
- Casualties
(a) Battle – Officers-2 Enlisted-14
(b) Non-Battle – Officers-0 Enlisted-16
- Administrative during month
(a) USMC – Officers-1 Enlisted-23
(b) USN – Officers-0 Enlisted-3
- Replacements
(a) 1 USMC Officer, 60 USMC Enlisted
- Personnel Daily Summaries – (see attached documents)
- Daily Personnel Reports – (see attached documents)
- Directives – (see attached documents)
- Discipline, Courts-Martial, Non-Judicial Punishment.
- Discipline was excellent, as evidenced by the following statistics:
(a) Courts-Martial
(1) Pending – Summary-2, Special-2
(2) Completed – Summary-0, Special-0
(b) Non-Judicial Punishment
(1) Battalion Commander-2
(2) Company Commander-4
- Moral, PX, Postal Affairs, Liberty, and R&R.
- Morale, as it connotes the attitude of the men to engage and destroy the enemy, is very high, hindered only by this organization’s inability to close with the enemy, due to its present deployment, and for tactical commitments regarding Operation Spread Eagle. As it concerns the comforts and facilities available to the men, morale must be rated only as fair. The food is good, and in sufficient quantity. Billeting spaces are adequate. Weather conditions continue to improve. Beer and soda, however, were available for only the first half of the month. Many health and sanitation items are not available.
- Exchange facilities improved with a large re-supply of necessary items, only to be immediately diminished due to the large demand; subsequent resupply has not been accomplished. A total lack of concern regarding PX facilities seems apparent; the matter is presently under investigation by higher headquarters.
- Postal services continue to be adequate, though mail delivery had slacked off during the latter half of the period.
- Liberty is not authorized for the command.
- R&R quotas are adequate. R&R is available in the following locations: Okinawa, Bangkok, Hong Kong, Taipei, Manila, Tokyo, and Saigon.
This page last updated 21 August 2011