The Path to War: U.S. Marine Corps Operations in Southeast Asia 1961 to 1965 - Response to Communist Aggression, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, Mao Tse-tung, Advisors to Major Forces

Nonfiction, History, Military, Vietnam War, Asian, United States
Cover of the book The Path to War: U.S. Marine Corps Operations in Southeast Asia 1961 to 1965 - Response to Communist Aggression, Laos, Thailand, Vietnam, Ho Chi Minh, Mao Tse-tung, Advisors to Major Forces by Progressive Management, Progressive Management
View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart
Author: Progressive Management ISBN: 9781310430121
Publisher: Progressive Management Publication: February 24, 2015
Imprint: Smashwords Edition Language: English
Author: Progressive Management
ISBN: 9781310430121
Publisher: Progressive Management
Publication: February 24, 2015
Imprint: Smashwords Edition
Language: English

This narrative chronicles the activities of the U.S. Marine Corps in Southeast Asia from January 1961 to March 1965. The period witnesses increasing Marine Corps involvement in the region as our nation's leaders responded to Communist aggression and sought to protect the United States' national interests. Individual Marines saw duty as early as 1954 when a Marine lieutenant colonel was assigned to the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) in Saigon, South Vietnam. The first involvement of a Marine Corps operational unit came in March 1961 with the deployment to Udorn, Thailand, of approximately 300 Marines from Marine Air Base Squadron 16 (MABS-16). The squadron's mission was to provide aircraft maintenance and flight-line support operations for Air America, a U.S. company flying missions in support of the pro-Western forces in Laos. MABS-16 remained in northeast Thailand for seven months, not returning to its home base at Futema, Okinawa, until Air America had become self-supporting in October 1961.

The situation in Laos continued to deteriorate, and in early 1962 Communist aggression was threatening to spill over into neighboring Thailand. President John F. Kennedy's administration, determined to protect this vitally important Asian ally and Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) member, ordered the 3d Marine Expeditionary Brigade (3d MEB) to deploy to Thailand in May 1962 as a "show of force" and as a demonstration of American resolve to halt the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia. As the situation in Laos stabilized, the 3d MEB, which in fact was reduced in size and actually deployed as a Marine expeditionary unit, began an incremental withdrawal with all Marines departing Thailand by the end of July 1962.

Earlier, individual Marines had been posted to South Vietnam, where they served in a variety of roles. Prior to the signing of the 1954 Geneva Agreement that partitioned Vietnam at the 17th parallel, a Marine guard detachment had been assigned to provide embassy security. In addition, several Marines were assigned to the MAAG staff" and, when it was established, to the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (USMACV).

When the South Vietnamese Marine Corps (VNMC) was established on 13 October 1954, U.S. Marine advisors— both officers and enlisted men—were assigned to provide training, operational, and logistic support. As the VNMC expanded over time, the number of U.S. Marine advisors assigned also grew. In 1961, the commanding general of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (FMFPac), initiated an On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program that assigned 3d Marine Division (3d MarDiv) and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW) junior officers and staff noncommissioned officers to Republic of Vietnam (RVN) military units for 30 days to observe combat operations. In response to increasing Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army (NVA) operations in South Vietnam and to providing the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) with much-needed tactical mobility, a Marine medium helicopter squadron with supporting elements was ordered to South Vietnam and arrived on 15 April 1962. In the closing months of 1964, the Marine Corps began assigning officers and enlisted Marines as advisors to the ARVN divisions operating in South Vietnam's I Corps Tactical Zone (I Corps).

View on Amazon View on AbeBooks View on Kobo View on B.Depository View on eBay View on Walmart

This narrative chronicles the activities of the U.S. Marine Corps in Southeast Asia from January 1961 to March 1965. The period witnesses increasing Marine Corps involvement in the region as our nation's leaders responded to Communist aggression and sought to protect the United States' national interests. Individual Marines saw duty as early as 1954 when a Marine lieutenant colonel was assigned to the U.S. Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) in Saigon, South Vietnam. The first involvement of a Marine Corps operational unit came in March 1961 with the deployment to Udorn, Thailand, of approximately 300 Marines from Marine Air Base Squadron 16 (MABS-16). The squadron's mission was to provide aircraft maintenance and flight-line support operations for Air America, a U.S. company flying missions in support of the pro-Western forces in Laos. MABS-16 remained in northeast Thailand for seven months, not returning to its home base at Futema, Okinawa, until Air America had become self-supporting in October 1961.

The situation in Laos continued to deteriorate, and in early 1962 Communist aggression was threatening to spill over into neighboring Thailand. President John F. Kennedy's administration, determined to protect this vitally important Asian ally and Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO) member, ordered the 3d Marine Expeditionary Brigade (3d MEB) to deploy to Thailand in May 1962 as a "show of force" and as a demonstration of American resolve to halt the spread of Communism in Southeast Asia. As the situation in Laos stabilized, the 3d MEB, which in fact was reduced in size and actually deployed as a Marine expeditionary unit, began an incremental withdrawal with all Marines departing Thailand by the end of July 1962.

Earlier, individual Marines had been posted to South Vietnam, where they served in a variety of roles. Prior to the signing of the 1954 Geneva Agreement that partitioned Vietnam at the 17th parallel, a Marine guard detachment had been assigned to provide embassy security. In addition, several Marines were assigned to the MAAG staff" and, when it was established, to the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (USMACV).

When the South Vietnamese Marine Corps (VNMC) was established on 13 October 1954, U.S. Marine advisors— both officers and enlisted men—were assigned to provide training, operational, and logistic support. As the VNMC expanded over time, the number of U.S. Marine advisors assigned also grew. In 1961, the commanding general of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific (FMFPac), initiated an On-the-Job Training (OJT) Program that assigned 3d Marine Division (3d MarDiv) and 1st Marine Aircraft Wing (1st MAW) junior officers and staff noncommissioned officers to Republic of Vietnam (RVN) military units for 30 days to observe combat operations. In response to increasing Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army (NVA) operations in South Vietnam and to providing the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) with much-needed tactical mobility, a Marine medium helicopter squadron with supporting elements was ordered to South Vietnam and arrived on 15 April 1962. In the closing months of 1964, the Marine Corps began assigning officers and enlisted Marines as advisors to the ARVN divisions operating in South Vietnam's I Corps Tactical Zone (I Corps).

More books from Progressive Management

Cover of the book 21st Century U.S. Military Documents: Air Force C-17 Globemaster III Military Transport Aircraft - Operations Procedures, Aircrew Evaluation Criteria, Aircrew Training Flying Operations by Progressive Management
Cover of the book 21st Century Solar Power and Photovoltaics: Energy Department Multi-year Program Plan through 2012 for Solar Development and Research, Systems, Materials, CSP Technologies by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Airpower, Afghanistan, and the Future of Warfare: An Alternative View - Assessing the Air-Ground Relationship, Precision Strike, Change in Land Combat, Force Intensification, Doctrine Impact by Progressive Management
Cover of the book 21st Century Adult Cancer Sourcebook: Gallbladder Cancer - Clinical Data for Patients, Families, and Physicians by Progressive Management
Cover of the book U.S. Marines History: Marine Advisors with the Vietnamese Provincial Reconnaissance Units, 1966-1970 - Phoenix Program, Counterinsurgency, PRU, Advisors Tell Their Stories by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Flight Plight: An Examination of Contemporary Humanitarian Immigration from Honduras, Cuba, and Syria to the United States with Considerations for National Security - Cuban Adjustment Act, ICE, Visas by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Gangs and Crime in America: Organized Crime, Combating Central American Gangs, Latin Kings, Jamaican Posse, Mara Salvatrucha (MS-13),18th Street, Hell's Angels, Los Zetas, El Salvador and Guatemala by Progressive Management
Cover of the book National Industrial Security Program (NISP) Operating Manual - DoD 5220.22-M - Preventing Unauthorized Disclosure of Classified Information, Contractor Guidelines, Security and Secrecy Classifications by Progressive Management
Cover of the book 21st Century Pocket Guide to the Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) and the Privacy Act - Your Right to Federal Government Records, Sample Request Letters by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Space Shuttle Orbiter Approach and Landing Test (ALT) Program Final Evaluation Report - Complete Details on the 1977 Captive and Free Flight Tests on the 747 STS Carrier Aircraft by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Nigeria: Federal Research Study and Country Profile with Comprehensive Information, History, and Analysis - Politics, Economy, Military, Abuja by Progressive Management
Cover of the book The Russian Military Today and Tomorrow: Putin, Russian Navy, Ukraine, Gazprom, Rosneft, Lavrov, Deep Operations, Campaign Design, Russian-Chinese Security Relations, Mafia and Arms Dealers by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Eisenhower: The Colonels' Revolt: Eisenhower, The Army, and the Politics of National Security - Budgetary Politics and Interservice Rivalries, Role of Nuclear Weapons, Korean War Policy by Progressive Management
Cover of the book The U.S. Air Force's First War: Korea 1950-1953 Significant Events - The Korean War, First All-Jet Air Battle, New Weapons Systems, New Tactics by Progressive Management
Cover of the book Like a Thunderbolt: The Lafayette Escadrille and the Advent of American Pursuit in World War I - Sopwith Camel, American Pilots, Aces, William Thaw, Foulois by Progressive Management
We use our own "cookies" and third party cookies to improve services and to see statistical information. By using this website, you agree to our Privacy Policy