Personnel 1965 – December 1965

 

Personnel/Administration

Section II

  1. Summary.  The Battalion spent the entire month within the Chu Lai enclave, did not displace the Command Post, conducted one Battalion (-) size operation, but was not involved in any other major operation.  The Personnel Section was involved in administrative duties, casualty reporting, and handling of Viet Cong suspects.
  2. Significant Events
    1. Twenty corporals were promoted to Sergeant on 1 December.  In addition, eight meritorious promotions to Lance Corporal, and two to Corporal, were affected during the month.  Six Sergeants have been selected for promotion to Staff Sergeant, and two Staff Sergeants have been selected for Gunnery Sergeant; promotion dates have not yet been announced.  Further, minimum composite scores for additional promotions to Sergeant have been received, such promotions to be effective 1 January 1966.
    2. Five appointments to First Lieutenant were affected, to rank from 3 December 1965.
    3. Approximately ten thousand pounds of package mail were received on 12 December, for distribution to men of the Command, from the people of Concord, California.  The town of Concord has ‘adopted’ this Battalion, as far as public support activities are concerned.
    4. FMF Pac Contact Team visited the Command on 7 December; Commanding General, FMF Pac, visited the Company D CP, the same day.
    5. Reassignment was accomplished on 24 December, in accordance with 3rd MarDiv Bul 1300 of 12 November 1965.  Company C was redesignated as Company D, 1st Bn 3rd MarDiv, like redesignation was affected by that unit.  Personnel detached from ‘H&S’ Company were transferred by individual orders.
    6. Christmas Eve and Christmas Day were acknowledged by a halt in offensive action by all MACV Forces in Viet Nam.  Appropriate religious services were conducted to celebrate the occasion of Christmas.  The Commanding General, III MAF, visited the Bn CP to extend his greetings and his good wishes.
    7. The new Battalion Command, Lt/Col R. E. Sullivan, arrived on 28 December; he will assume Command on 1 January 1966.  A buffet was held on 30 December, to extend farewells and to introduce the new Commanding Officer to the military and civilian officials in the area.
    8. The following awards were presented to members of the Command: one Navy Commendation Medal and one Purple Heart award.  Also, the 2nd and 3rd Purple Heart Awards (gold star in lieu of award and ribbon) were presented to one enlisted Marine, by Commanding Officer, 4th Marines.  Three Meritorious Masts were held by the Battalion Commander.
  1. Problem Areas/New Developments
    1. Shortages of necessary supplies continue to preclude implementation of the address-o-graph system into this organization’s Personnel Administration.  Non-availability of other admin supplies, while somewhat lessened, is still a problem.  All sections continue to operate with one typewriter per section.
    2. All units continue to be widely dispersed, and almost completely reliant on wire lines, or radio, for communications.  There have been instances during the period when communications with island units have been virtually non-existent; this points up a possible problem area of greatest concern.  Routine communications are often hard to attain and hamper proper and timely administrative procedures.
    3. Personnel shortages in the lower ranks continue to be a problem, one that should be solved.  As stated in subparagraph D.4. below, of these 38 replacements received, 22 were Corporals or above.
    4. R&R to Saigon, cancelled earlier in the month, has been resumed; R&R to Tokyo has been made available, on a limited (two quotas for December) basis.
    5. The increase in volume of Christmas mail has become a problem, in that additional time, manpower, and space has to be made available for proper handling and distribution.  Overall, for the month, the volume has increased by 10, such increase mainly being package mail.
  2. Personnel
    1. Monthly Strengths (average)
  1. USMC
  2. Officers – 37
  3. Enlisted – 971
  4. USN
  5. Officers – 2
  6. Enlisted – 59
    1. Casualties
  1. Battle – 4 (2 KIA, 2 WIA)
  2. Non-battle – 3 (1 Off) (drowned)
    1. Rotation during month
  1. 1 – USN Officer
  2. 31 – USMC Enlisted
    1. Replacements
  1. 3 – USMC Officers
  2. 1 – USN Officer
  3. 38 – USMC Enlisted
  4. 1 – USN Enlisted
    1. Personnel Daily Summaries
    2. Periodic Personnel Reports
  2. Discipline, Courts-Martial, Non-Judicial Punishment
    1. Excellent discipline is maintained within the Command, with a minimum of judicial proceedings, and non-judicial punishments; this is evidenced by the following statistic for the period:
  1. Courts-Martials Pending
  2. Summary – 0
  3. Special – 1
  4. Completed
  5. Summary – 1
  6. Special – 0
  7. Non-Judicial Punishment
  8. Battalion Commander – 2
  9. Company Commander – 11
  1. Morale, PX, Postal Affairs, Liberty, R&R
    1. Morale is high and has been at this level for the entire period.  There has been an increase in opportunities to engage the enemy, and resultant increase in contacts made.  The passing of the Christmas season, away from home, has not lessened the high morale of the men. Though no substantial changes have been made regarding personnel comforts, this aspect of morale, satisfactory before, has been maintained.  The acknowledged support of the average citizen back home, his anonymous gifts and cards, and the noted increase in public interest in this Viet Nam Conflict (as stated in newspapers available to all hands), has boosted the attitude of all.  Mail has increased, with the Christmas season.  Beer and soda remain available.  USO shows, including Bob Hope and his troupe, were very well received.  The weather has not improved, though the end of the monsoon season is approaching.  Damage to tentage has been considerable, however, with no replacement foreseeable.  Billeting areas for the majority of the Command have not been strong backed.
    2. PX facilities are satisfactory.  During the period, the Exchange was shifted from the Navy Exchange System to the Army/Air Force System.  Most shortages in necessary items have been alleviated with the exception of powder laundry soap.
    3. Postal affairs include mail, postal money orders, and proper handling of incoming and outgoing mail:
  1. The free-mail privilege, and reduced parcel rates are very beneficial and appreciated.
  2. The purchase of postal money orders has become a problem.  Each such purchase requires the individual buyer to fill out MACV form 311 for each money order.  This takes extra time for the men and the clerk.  Though such a service is readily available, it should work on a more efficient basis.  Excluding use of MACV Form 311 for men in the field is recommended.
  3. Handling of incoming and outgoing mail, during this period of increased mail volume, has been very noteworthy.  Time enroute has increased very little, the average letter taking about five days.  Package time varies with class of mailing, but overall is very satisfactory.
    1. Liberty is not authorized to this Battalion in Viet Nam.  R&R quotas are available, and it is estimated that each man will receive one period ‘In-Country’ and one period ‘Out of Country’ during the present 13-month tour.  Limited number of quotas to Tokyo are now available.
  2. Chaplain’s Activities and Totals
    1. Sunday Divine Services (Protestant)
  1. number of services – 14
  2. total attendance – 462
  3. average attendance – 33
    1. Weekday Services
  1. number of services – 14
  2. total attendance – 534
  3. average attendance – 47

    1. Field Visitation
  1. number of visits to units – 26
  2. total individuals contacted – 785
    1. Professional Counseling
  1. number of cases – 36
  2. units represented – 5
    1. Administration of Sacraments
  1. Holy Communion – 284
    1. Narrative Account of Chaplain’s Activities
  1. H&S Co. and Company C are within the Battalion CP and are covered by regularly scheduled Sunday services.  Special Holy Day Services are conducted by the Regimental Chaplain.  Co D on Ky Xuan Island and Co. B on Ky Hoa Island are both covered by the Battalion Chaplain and the Regimental Chaplain.  Two services are conducted by Battalion Chaplain on Ky Hoa for Company B, the extra service for the platoon on Hill 12.  Company A with two platoons deployed outside the Company CP has been covered by MAG-36 Chaplain because of their proximity to MAG-36 Chapel.  Beginning in January, the CP and both platoons will be covered for Protestant Services by the Battalion Chaplain.  Mass for Catholic personnel will be conducted by the MAG-36 Chaplain.  Memorial Services for two Marines of Co D, killed in an accident, were conducted on Christmas Day.  Hospital Visitation is made twice each week with more intensified visiting when circumstances indicate the need.  Seven such visits were made this month with nine men contacted by the Chaplain, and daily rounds of the wards are made by the B Med Chaplain.
    1. Significant events
  1. The most helpful event for our Battalion, this month, was the attachment of a Catholic Chaplain to Regiment.  This means more frequent coverage to all our units.  Chaplain Nilus Hubble, the new Chaplain, and the Battalion Chaplain make the outlying units together, providing both Protestant and Catholic coverage on the same day.
  2. During Christmas week, two Roman Catholic Services were conducted on Ky Xuan for Company D.  These services were conducted at the village church, the first services in a long period of time.  The first of these was poorly attended, but the second was attended to the capacity of the little church, with about 40 Vietnamese and 40 Marines present.
  3. Finally, the Chief of Chaplains visited the Peninsula on Christmas Eve, with a special visit to the Battalion’s Memorial Chapel.  The Bronze Plaque to be set in the Memorial stone also arrived in time for the Chief’s visit.

This page last corrected 19 September 2011