And on the 22nd of January through the 18th of March in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1969, during the period 22 January through 18 March, 1969, Marines of the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines (1/9), the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines (2/9), the 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines (3/9), the 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4), 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines (3/4), the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines (3/9), and the ARVN 2nd Regiment participated in OPERATION DEWEY CANYON, an offensive against PAVN communication lines in Laos, north of the A Shau Valley in the Thua Thien Province
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 1st of Feb. through 18th of March in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1967, during the period 1 February through 18 March, Marines of the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines, 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, 3rd Battalion, 9th Marines and the 2nd Battalion,26th Marines participated in OPERATION PRAIRIE II, a search and destroy operation to prevent the PAVN 324B Division from entering the DMZ area, around Con Thien and Gio Linh, in the Quang Tri Province.
And during the period 3 February through the 10 March in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1971, during the period 3 February through 10 March, Marines of the III MAF, the ROK’s 2nd Marine Brigade and the ARVN’s 51st Regiment participated in OPERATION HOANG DIEU 103, a counter-offensive in the Quang Nam 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.
March 1–10, 1776 The Raid of Nassau was a naval operation and amphibious assault by Colonial forces against the British port of Nassau, Bahamas, during the American Revolutionary War (also known as the American War of Independence). The battle is considered one of the first engagements of the newly established Continental Navy and the Continental Marines, the respective progenitors of the United States Navy and Marine Corps. The action was also the Marines’ first amphibious landing. It is sometimes known as the “Battle of Nassau”.
Departing from Cape Henlopen, Delaware on February 17, 1776, the fleet arrived in the Bahamas on March 1, with the objective of seizing gunpowder and munitions known to be stored there. Two days later the Marines came ashore seizing Fort Montagu at the eastern end of the Nassau harbor, but did not advance to the town where the gunpowder was stored. That night Nassau’s governor had most of the gunpowder loaded aboard ships sailing for St. Augustine. On March 4, the Continental Marines advanced and took control of the poorly defended town.
The Continental forces remained at Nassau for two weeks and took away all the remaining gunpowder and munitions found. The fleet returned to New London, Connecticut in early April after capturing a few British supply ships, but failed to capture HMS Glasgow in an action on April 6.
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 6 March through 10 March 1968 in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1968, during the period 6 March through 10 March, the 3rd Battalion, 7th Marines participated in OPERATION ROCK and sweep the peninsula formed by the Vu Gia and Thu Bon Rivers, the so called “Arizona Territory” 6 Km northwest of An Hoa, in the Quang Nam Province.
Now Hear This!!
Good morning Leathernecks,
1: Betcha ya don’t know what the Fighting Tops are.
I’ll give you a hint; they ain’t a bunch of First Shirts participating in a boxing smoker.
2: Of special interest to this dinosaur is a blurb that states on 8 March 1965 the first ground troops (3/9) landed at Red Beach, Da Nang, Vietnam. I participated in that landing as a member of the 1st. BN. 12th Marines. We climbed into the Landing Craft, circled for about 20 minutes and made a run for the beach. I was in the water that day and can be found on the cover of Life, Look, or some other magazine which was lost during one of my many moves in civilian life.
In 2019, I played in a Golf Tournament for BDFM.org (Building Dreams For Marines). They do great work at absolutely no cost to the Marine in need.
It was during this tournament that I noticed an antique like myself standing at the tee with memorabilia and other handouts, so I struck up a conversation with him.
Bottom line is I was presented a 12th Marines, 3rd Marine Division challenge coin as during our conversation we discovered that we were both in the water that day. I will be forever indebted to Cpl. Gary A. Gahan for this coin and after 54 years to find someone that was there with me. I cried my eyes out then and am holding them back as I write this. Semper Fi Brother!! Damn, I need a few to collect my thoughts.
One last thought on that day. When we got into the hills and set up our base camp our front lines and our final field of fire were one and the same. Fortunately, the much-anticipated counter-attack never came. We were ready though.
54 years later, think about it. I never thought that I would be able to share that memory with someone who was there. I will never forget you Corporal Gahan. May God bless you.
On this the 8th day of March in the history of our beloved Corps:
In 1777, the British frigate Levant defeats the Pennsylvania Navy ship Montgomery and her Marines.
In 1805, Presley O’Bannon and his landing party, reinforced by several Greek and Arab mercenaries, start the trek from Derna to Tripoli.
In 1822, Marines and sailors from the Enterprise land at Cape Antonio, Cuba, to pursue pirates.
In 1854, all Marines in Perry’s squadron escort him ashore at Yokohama to negotiate a treaty with Japan.
In 1862, Marines on board the Congress, the Minnesota, and the Cumberland participate in the battle with the Confederate ironclad Virginia in Hampton Roads, Virginia.
In 1895, Marines from the Atlanta land at Boca del Toro, Colombia, to protect American lives during political disturbances.
In 1911, Colonel George Barnett assumes command of a provisional regiment at Mare Island, California, for potential expeditionary duty in Mexico as a result of a revolution there.
In 1917, Marines from Guantanamo Bay and three warships occupy Guantanamo City, Cuba, then begin to spread out to other threatened areas.
Marine forces remain in Cuba territory until 25 May.
In 1919, the 15th Regiment and Squadron D arrive in Santo Domingo to reinforce the 2nd Marine Brigade during a time of increasing banditry.
In 1942, Japan invaded New Guinea (Lae, Salamaua, and Finschhafen).
In 1943, the 1st Marine Depot Company is formed, with primarily African American enlistedMarines.
It is the first of 51 such units, which have the mission of unloading supplies at the beach and moving them inland during an amphibious assault.
In 1944, the Japanese launched a counteroffensive on Bougainville, which was later (24 March) smashed by the Marines.
In 1945, Army Air Forces fighter planes on Iwo Jima begin to assume combat air patrol over the island and to fly some close air support missions.
Elements of VMTB-242 also arrive on Tinian to assist.
Aircraft from VMR-253, 353, and 952 begin landing on Iwo Jima’s airstrips to deliver supplies and evacuate wounded.
That night, the 4th Marine Division repulses a large-scale enemy counterattack, the first since the battle began.
In 1946, the headquarters of the 4th Marines is formally rejoined to the 6th Marine Division in North China.
Its subordinate elements will be gradually reconstituted from personnel of other division units that are disbanded.
In 1962, HMM-263 provides assistance along the Outer Banks of North Carolina following one of the worst storms to ever hit the area.
In 1965, the 9th MEB begins arriving in Vietnam with the mission of defending the airbase at Da Nang. the 3rd Battalion 9th Marines (3/9) landed at Red Beach and the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines (1/3) arrives by air from Okinawa in Da Nang, Vietnam.
This was the first Ground Combat Force to land in Viet Nam.
In 1966, HMM-164 arrives in Da Nang with the first CH-46 helicopters to reach Vietnam.
During the period 8 through 17 March, the 3rd Battalion, 6th Marines (3/6) operates above Norway’s Arctic Circle in Winter Express, the largest cold weather exercise held by NATO to date.
Just what is a fighting top, you say?
A Fighting Top is one of the gun platforms on the lower masts of sailing Men-of-War, used in attacking the crew of an enemy ship with swivel guns and muskets.
And now you know.
Saepius Exertus, Semper Fidelis, Frater Infinitas!
Often Tested, Always Faithful, Brothers Forever!
-Richard W. Pettengill, Corporal USMC
And damn proud of it!