And on this the 27th of January through the 7th of April in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1967, during the period 27 January through 7 April, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines participated in OPERATION DESOTO, a search and destroy operation in the Quang Ngai Province.
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 12 March through 26 March 1968 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1968, during the period 12 March through 26 March, the 1st Battalion, 7th Marines, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines and the 3rd Squadron, 5th Cavalry Regiment participated in OPERATION WORTH a search and destroy operation 24 Km northwest of Da Nang, in the Quang Nam Province.
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 20 March through 28 March 1966 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1966, during the period 20 March through 28 March, the 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines and the 3rd Tank Battalion participated in OPERATION KINGS, a search and destroy operation 25 Km southwest of Da Nang in the Quang Nam Province.
During the period 20 March through 3 April 1967 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1967, during the period 20 March through 3 April, Marines of the 3rd Marine Division participated in OPERATION BEACON HILL, search and
destroy operations in the Quang Tri Province.
During the period 23 March through 27 March 1967 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1967, during the period 23 March through 27 March, the 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines participated in OPERATION PERRY, a search and
destroy operation in the Quang Ngai Province.
During the period 23 March through 3 April 1969 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1969, during the period 23 March through 3 April, the 3rd Marine Division, 1st Brigade, 5th Infantry Division and the ARVN 2nd Regiment participated in OPERATION MAINE CRAG a reconnaissance in force operation in the vicinity of Con Thien, in the Quang Tri Province.
During the period 26 March through 6 April 1966 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1966, during the period 26 March through 6 April, an SLF (1st Battalion, 5th Marines) and 2 Battalions of Vietnamese Marines participated in OPERATION JACKSTAY, a search and clear operation along the Long Tau shipping channel.
Good morning Leathernecks, and on this the 26th day of March in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1917, President Woodrow Wilson issued an executive order allowing expansion of the Corps to its maximum strength under the law passed on 29 August 1916.
In 1943, Marines participated in the Battle of Komandorski Island in the Aleutians.
The 24th Marines, an infantry regiment, is organized at Camp Pendleton.
In 1945, prior to dawn on Iwo Jima, over 200 Japanese launch a surprise attack on Marine, Navy, and Army rear-area elements on the island.
Marine units involved are the 5th Pioneer Battalion and the 8th Field Depot.
The Pioneers, including many black Marines, provide the first organized resistance and lead the effort to destroy the infiltrators after first light.
VAC turns over control of the island to the Army and begins departing.
Elements of the Army’s 77th Infantry Division seize islands in the Kerama Reto group off the coast of Okinawa.
MAG-14 planes support the landing of the Americal Division on Cebu in the Philippines.
During the 26th and 27th of March, the FMF Reconnaissance Battalion lands of four islets of Keise Shima near Okinawa, finds no enemy, and reembarks.
In 1946, the 4th MAW headquarters arrives in San Diego and is disbanded.
In 1947, the planes of VMF-218 depart China for Guam.
In 1966, during the period 26 March through 6 April, an SLF, (the 1st Battalion, 5th Marines (1/5) and 2 battalions of Vietnamese Marines participated in OPERATION JACK STAY, a search and clear operation along the Long Tau shipping channel.
In 1969, Lieutenant General Herman Nickerson, Jr., becomes the commander of III MAF.
President Nixon names Lieutenant General Cushman, the previous MAF commander, the deputy director of the Central Intelligence Agency.
In 1974, DoD officials report that more than 5,000 Navy, Marine, and Air Force aircraft were not operationally ready because of shortages in spare parts and overdue maintenance.
Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas!
Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever!
-Richard W. Pettengill, Corporal USMC
And damn proud of it!