Part 4 — Appendix D Chronology
Reading edition
1954
7 May—French garrison at Dien Bien Phu surrenders to Viet Minh.
16 Jun—Ngo Dinh Diem named premier of Vietnam by French-sponsored emperor, Bao Dai.
20 Jul—French and Viet Minh representatives sign Geneva cease-fire. Vietnam is divided into northern and southern zones pending reunification elections to be held in 1956.
2 Aug—LtCol Victor J. Croizat, USMC, arrives in South Vietnam for duty with USMAAG.
8 Sep—Manila Pact signed by U.S. and seven other nations. Within weeks (Sep 1954) the Manila Pact is transformed into the Southeast Asia Treaty Organization (SEATO).
13 Oct—Premier Diem decrees the establishment of a 1,137-man Marine Corps (VNMC).
1955
Feb—LtCol Croizat becomes first advisor to VNMC.
Apr—Sect rebellion threatens to topple the Diem government. Marine Landing Battalion deploys to the Mekong Delta.
31 May—Diem names Major Le Quang Trong as Senior Marine Officer of VNMC.
Sep—Two USMC advisors, a captain and a technical sergeant, are assigned to the USMAAG, Vietnam, for duty with the VNMC.
23 Oct—Premier Diem receives 98 percent of South Vietnamese vote during a national referendum in which he was opposed by Bao Dai.
26 Oct—Ngo Dinh Diem proclaims the Republic of Vietnam and becomes the republic’s first president.
1956
18 Jan—Diem appoints Major Phan Van Lieu as Senior Officer of VNMC.
Feb—Marine Landing Battalion returns to garrison at Nha Trang. VNMC reorganized into two landing battalions, a 4.2-inch mortar company, and a small headquarters.
Jun—LtCol William N. Wilkes, Jr., replaces LtCol Croizat as Senior Marine Advisor to VNMC.
Jul—Election deadline for reunification of northern and southern zones passes without serious incident.
Aug—Diem appoints Captain Bui Pho Chi as Senior Officer of VNMC.
Oct—Diem appoints Major Le Nhu Hung as Senior Officer of VNMC.
Nov—LtGen Samuel T. Williams, USA, relieves LtGen John O’Daniel as Chief USMAAG, Vietnam.
1958
Jun—LtCol Frank R. Wilkinson, Jr., relieves LtCol Wilkes as Senior Marine Advisor to VNMC.
1959
May—1st VNMC Landing Battalion conducts operations against Viet Cong in An Xuyen Province while 2d Landing Battalion conducts similar operation against Communist guerrillas in Vinh Binh Province.
1 Jun—The VNMC is expanded to a Marine Corps Group of 2,276 officers and men. A 3d Landing Battalion is formed and the battalions are reorganized into four infantry companies.
1960
Jun—LtCol Clifford J. Robichaud, Jr., relieves LtCol Wilkinson as Senior Marine Advisor to VNMC.
Sep—LtGen Lionel C. McGarr, USA, relieves LtGen Williams as Chief USMAAG, Vietnam.
11 Nov—An abortive attempt by ARVN paratroops and two Marine companies to overthrow the Diem Government.
20 Dec—The Communist “National Front for Liberation of South Vietnam” was formed.
1961
May—On The Job Training (OJT) program for USMC junior officers and staff noncommissioned officers is initiated. Thereafter, 20 Marines per month enter Vietnam to observe operations.
16 May—A 14 nation conference on the deteriorating Laotian situation convenes at Geneva.
Jul—VNMC again reorganized and expanded. The addition of a fourth infantry battalion and a 75mm pack howitzer battery raises the strength of the VNMC to 3,321.
Aug—LtCol Robert E. Brown relieves LtCol Robichaud as Senior Marine Advisor to VNMC.
Aug—VNMC battalion conducts operations in the inundated U Minh Forest region of the Ca Mau Peninsula.
Nov—General Maxwell D. Taylor, USA (ret.), President Kennedy’s special military advisor, visits South Vietnam on fact-finding mission.
11 Dec—The first direct support contingent of U.S. military forces arrives in Vietnam—400 Army Troops and two helicopter companies.
Dec—USMAAG approves plan for new 18-man Marine Advisory Division.
1962
1 Jan—VNMC expanded to 6,109 officers and men, and redesignated the Vietnamese Marine Brigade. A new amphibious support battalion is formed.
3 Jan—First element of USAF transport aircraft arrive in South Vietnam to support government forces.
Jan—Detachment A, 1st Radio Company, FMF arrives in Vietnam for duty with Army communications unit.
20 Jan—CinCPac authorizes all MAAG advisors to accompany their Vietnamese units into combat.
3 Feb—President Diem issues decree formalizing initiation of the Strategic Hamlet Program.
8 Feb—U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (USMACV) activated in Saigon with General Paul D. Harkins as commander. MajGen Richard G. Weede, USMC, becomes MACV’s first chief of staff.
7 Feb—Vietnamese Air Force fighters bomb and strafe the Presidential Palace in Saigon but fail to injure President Diem.
9 Apr—The leading elements of Marine Task Unit 79.3.5 (SHUFLY), commanded by Col John F. Carey, arrive at Soc Trang, Republic of Vietnam.
15 Apr—HMM-362 (Reinforced), a Marine medium transport helicopter squadron, arrives at Soc Trang to begin operations in support of government forces.
22 Apr—HMM-362 helicopters fly their first combat support missions in Vietnam.
9 May—Eight Marine helicopters hit by small arms fire during landing on Ca Mau Peninsula.
18 May—The 3d Marine Expeditionary Unit (3d MEU) began moving into position at Udorn, Thailand, in response to the deteriorating situation in Laos. The 3d MEU was part of Joint Task Force 116, organized for use in the mounting crisis.
20 May—BGen Ormond R. Simpson assumes command of 3d MEU.
18 Jun—Eagle Flight first employed in combat by Marine helicopters operating from Soc Trang.
25 Jun—HMM-162 replaces HMM-261 at Udorn as 3d MEW (MEB) helicopter element.
1 Jul—First Marine Combat units withdraw from Udorn, Thailand, as a display of good faith.
23 Jul—An agreement guaranteeing the neutrality of Laos is signed by the U.S., the Soviet Union, Communist China, North Vietnam, and 10 other nations at Geneva.
30 Jul—Col Julius W. Ireland relieves Col Carey as SHUFLY commander.
31 Jul—Last Marine combat units withdrawn from Udorn, Thailand.
1 Aug—HMM-163 replaces HMM-362 as operational squadron assigned to SHUFLY.
Aug—First machine guns mounted on Marine helicopters operating in Vietnam.
4 Sep—Initial SHUFLY elements begin displacing to Da Nang in I Corps Tactical Zone.
18 Sep—HMM-163 conducts first combat operations in I Corps.
20 Sep—All SHUFLY elements are in place at Da Nang.
Oct—LtCol Clarence G. Moody relieves LtCol Brown as Senior Marine Advisor to VNMC.
6 Oct—Five Marines and two U.S. Navy personnel killed in HUS crash near Tam Ky.
7 Nov—HMM-163 executes first tiger flight reaction force mission in I Corps.
Nov—All Marine Corps aircraft redesignated.
6 Nov—Marine Task Unit (SHUFLY) redesignated Task Element 79.3.3.6.
6 Nov—LtCol Alton W. McCully assumes command of SHUFLY.
Dec—Vietnamese Joint General Staff realigns South Vietnam’s Corps Tactical Zones, creating a fourth CTZ and a Capital Military District.
1963
11 Jan—HMM-162 replaces HMM-163 as SHUFLY’s operational squadron.
19 Jan—HMM-162 conducts its first combat troop lift in Vietnam.
10–13 Mar—HMM-162 helicopters participate in search and rescue attempts for U.S. Army OV-1 Mohawk and crew. Two Marine helicopters crash in high mountains of northern II Corps.
13 Apr—Marine transport helicopters conduct first operation with U.S. Army UH-1B armed helicopters.
Apr—Organization of Marine Advisory Division modified slightly.
1 May—Provisional Marine Brigade joins ARVN forces for operation in Do Xa base area.
8 Jun—HMM-261 replaces HMM-162 as SHUFLY’s operational squadron.
15–16 Aug—HMM-261 helilifts 2d ARVN Division units from field to culminate operation LAM SON XII.
21 Aug—Vietnamese National Police raid Buddhist pagodas throughout South Vietnam.
Sep—LtCol Wesley C. Noren relieves LtCol Moody as Senior Marine Advisor to VNMC.
2 Oct—HMM-361 replaces HMM-261 as SHUFLY’s operational squadron.
Oct—Provisional Marine Regiment conducts operation PHI-HOA 5 in Gia Dinh Province.
1 Nov—Diem government overthrown by coup of military leaders. Diem and brother Ngo Dinh Nhu assassinated.
14 Nov—Provisional Marine Regiment launches Operation DAI-PHONG 28 and 29 in III Corps Tactical Zone.
25 Nov—2d VNMC Battalion participates in Operation DAI-PHONG 30.
16 Dec—LtCol Khang relieved as Commandant of Vietnamese Marine Corps. Replaced by LtCol Nguyen Ba Lien.
1964
1 Jan—General Wallace M. Greene, Jr., relieves General David Shoup as Commandant of U.S. Marine Corps.
Jan—General Greene visits Vietnam.
15 Jan—BGen Carl A. Youngdale, USMC, becomes MACV Assistant Chief of Staff for Intelligence (J-2).
1 Feb—HMM-364 replaces HMM-361 as SHUFLY’s operational squadron.
Feb—Col Khang recalled from Philippines and relieves LtCol Lien as Commandant of VNMC.
Mar—LtGen Victor H. Krulak relieves LtGen Carson A. Roberts as Commanding General, FMFPac.
27 Apr—HMM-364 participates in Operation SURE WIND 202 in northern II Corps.
May—MajGen Weede, USMC, relieved as MACV Chief of Staff.
15 May—USMAAG abolished. Marine Advisory Division renamed Marine Advisory Unit and placed under Naval Advisory Group, MACV.
20 May—Marine Advisory Team One arrives at Da Nang.
7 Jun—Two Marines from SHUFLY compound reported missing south of Da Nang.
13 Jun—Advisory Team One moves to Tiger Tooth Mountain in northwestern I Corps.
19 Jun—HMM-364 turn over helicopters and maintenance equipment to VNAF 217th Squadron.
21 Jun—HMM-162 replaces HMM-364 as SHUFLY’s operational squadron.
Jul—Vietnamese Marine Recruit Training Center opens at Thu Due. VNMC expanded with the creation of a fifth infantry battalion.
7 Jul—HMM-162 participates in relief of Nam Dong Special Forces Camp.
2–5 Aug—North Vietnamese patrol boats and U.S. ships clash in Tonkin Gulf.
6 Aug—U.S. Congress passes Tonkin Gulf resolution.
11 Aug—President Johnson signs the so-called Tonkin Gulf Resolution.
19 Aug—Advisory Team One moves to Bach Ma and continues operations.
4 Sep—Col William P. Nesbit replaces Col Noren as Senior Marine Advisor to VNMC.
13 Sep—Advisory Team One dissolved, departs Vietnam.
14 Sep—SHUFLY aircraft flown to safety in face of severe tropical storm.
Sep—Marine Advisory Unit reorganized and expanded.
8 Oct HMM-365 replaces HMM-364 as SHUFLY’s operational squadron.
Oct—Marine reconnaissance element conducts survey of Cam Ranh Bay in southern II Corps.
31 Dec—Viet Cong terrorist bomb American BOQ in Saigon.
31 Dec—4th VNMC Battalion defeated at Binh Gia in III Corps.