Originally Posted April 19, 2025
And on this the 26th of February through 30 April in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1968, during the period 26 February through 30 April, the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 5th Marines, 1st Battalion, the 327th Airborne Infantry and the 2nd Battalion, 502nd Airborne Infantry participated in OPERATION HOUSTON, an operation to open Route 1 between Da Nang and Phu Bai in the Thua Thien Province.
And on this the 27th of February through the 8th of May in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1969, during the period 27 February through 8 May, Marines of the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines and the 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines participated in OPERATION PURPLE MARTIN, a clear and search in the Quang Tri Province.
Interestingly, this was originally named OPERATION MASSACHUSETTS BAY.
And on this the 29th of February through 31 October in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1968, during the period 29 February through 31 October, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Marines, 3rd Battalion, 1st Marines, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines and the 2/1 Cavalry participated in OPERATION NAPOLEON/SALINE, an operation along the Cua Viet River in the Quang Tri Province.
During the period 1 March – 29 May 1969 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1969, during the period 29 May through 23 June, 1st, 2nd, and 3rd Battalions, 7th Marines, the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines and the 51st Regiment of the ARVN participated in OPERATION OKLAHOMA HILLS, an operation southwest of Da Nang, in the Quang Nam Province.
And during the period, 2 March through 1 November in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1965, during the period 2 March 1965 through 1 November 1968, the USAF, U.S. Navy and RVNAF participated in OPERATION ROLLING THUNDER a sustained and escalating bombing campaign of North Vietnam to destroy military infrastructure, interdict supply routes and undermine the North’s willingness to continue the war.
During the period 15 March through 2 May 1969 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1969, during the period 15 March through 2 May, the 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division, 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines and the 1st Battalion, 12th Marines participated in OPERATION MAINE CRAG a reconnaissance in force operation along the Laotian border, west of Khe Sanh in the Quang Tri Province.
During the period 19 March through 19 April 1967 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1967, during the period 19 March through 19 April, Marines of the 1st Battalion, 4th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines and the 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines participated in OPERATION PRATRIE III, search and destroy operations against the PAVN 324B and 341st divisions in the DMZ.
During the period 31 March through 29 May 1969 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1969, during the period 31 March through 29 May, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines and the ARVN 51st Regiment participated in OPERATION OKLAHOMA HILLS a clear and search operation in Happy Valley, Quang Nam Province.
Good morning Leathernecks, and on this the 19th day of April in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1775, The American Revolution opens with the battles of Lexington and Concord.
In 1864, Marines on board the gunboat Miami exchange musket fire with sailors aboard the Confederate ironclad Albermarle during a battle at the mouth of the Roanoke River in North Carolina.
In 1945, on Okinawa, XXIV Corps launches a major assault on the Shuri Line, employing three divisions abreast.
In 1952, 3/6 departs Morehead City to become the new landing force of the Sixth Fleet in the Mediterranean.
It will return on 20 October.
This marks the first extension of this deployment to sixth months, which will later become the standard.
In 1967, during the period 19 through 21 April, the 1st Battalion, 1st Marines (1/1 and the ARVN 4th Battalion, 5th Regiment participated in OPERATION COUNTRY FAIR 1-34, a search and destroy operation in the Quang Nam Province.
Also during the period 19 April through 31 May, the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines (2/3), 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines (3/3), 1st Battalion, 4th Marines (1/4), 3rd Battalion 4th Marines (3/4), 1st Battalion, 9th Marines (1/9), 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines (2/9), 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines (3/9), and the 2nd Battalion, 26th Marines (2/26) participated in OPERATION PRAIRIE V, a search and destroy operation in the Quang Tri Province.
In 1968, during the period 18 through 26 April, the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marines (2/5 and the 1st Tank Battalion participated in OPERATION BAXTER GARDEN/LAM SON 214, a rice denial operation 8 Km east of Hue.
During the period 19 through 26 April, the 1st Marine Division, 1st Cavalry Division, 101st Airborne Division, 3rd Brigade, 82nd Airborne Division, and the 196th Infantry Brigade participated in OPERATION DELAWARE, an operation in the A Shau Valley, Thua Thien Province.
In 1975, the 9th MAB, recently activated and consisting of the 31st, 33rd, and 35th MAUs, reorganizes in preparation for evacuation operations in Vietnam.
MAG-39 is activated on board command ship Blue Ridge (LCC-19) to command the air units (HMH-462 and 463, HMM-165, HML-367, and HMA-369), while the BLTs (1/9, 3/9, and 2/4) are consolidated into RLT 4.
MAG-39 remains in existence until 12 May.
In 1995, two Marine recruiters are killed and four wounded in the truck bombing of the Alfred P. Murrah Federal Building in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
There are also hundreds of civilian casualties.
Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas!
Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever!
-Richard W. Pettengill, Corporal USMC
And damn proud of it!