| on March 8, 1965, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB) landed at Da Nang. The MEB included two Marine Battalion Landing Teams (BLTs), 3rd Bn, 9th Marines, and 1st Bn, 3rd Marines. In addition, the landing included Marine Amphibious Brigade (MAB) Headquarters, and the Regimental Landing Team (RLT). All units moved into positions around the Da Nang airfield in support of Marine units arriving prior to the landing. These units included Battery "A" of the 1st LAAM BN, Company "C" of the 7th Engineer Bn, and HMM-365 after relieving HMM-163.
Marine Aircraft Group-16 became operational on March 9th along with the arrival of HMM-162. On March 10th the 3rd Bn, 9th Marines established defensive positions on Hills 327 and 268 overlooking the Da Nang airfield. March 11th saw the Brigade Artillery Group (BAG) including Batteries "A" and "F" of the 12th Marines. The Brigade Engineer Group (BEG) and Brigade Logistic Support Group (LBSG) were activated on March 12th. The 9th MEB was now fully operational and in place.
On March 14th Sub-Unit #2 was designated Marine Air Base Squadron-17 (MABS-16) and Headquarters and Maintenance Squadron-16 (H&MS-16) under the operational control of MAG-16 at Da Nang airfield. By March 31st the 9th MEB total strength was 5,140 Marines.
On April 10th the 2nd Bn, 3rd Marines landed on Red Beach 2 and the fighter/attack F-4 Phantoms of VMFA-531 arrived at Da Nang.
The landing of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade at Da Nang in 1965 marked the beginning of large-scale Marine involvement in Vietnam. By summer 1968, after the enemy's Tet Offensive, Marine Corps strength in Vietnam rose to a peak of approximately 85,000. The Marine withdrawal began in 1969 as the South Vietnamese began to assume a larger role in the fighting; the last ground forces were out of Vietnam by June 1971. The Vietnam War, longest in the history of the Marine Corps, exacted a high cost as well with over 13,000 Marines killed and more than 88,000 wounded. In the spring of 1975, Marines evacuated embassy staffs, American citizens, and refugees in Phnom Penh, Cambodia, and Saigon, Republic of Vietnam. Later, in May 1975, Marines played an integral role in the rescue of the crew of the SS Mayaguez captured off the coast of CambodiaToday's Marine Corps stands ready to continue in the proud tradition of those who so valiantly fought and died at Belleau Wood, Iwo Jima, the Chosin Reservoir, and Khe Sanh. Combining a long and proud heritage of faithful service to the nation, with the resolve to face tomorrow's challenges will continue to keep the Marine Corps the "best of the best." |
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