Logistic support operations were highly fragmented. Its purpose was to examine the problems that had arisen because the MACV organization lacked a single staff focal point to coordinate and monitor all aspects of the assistance effort. Vietnam: Commander Naval Forces Vietnam (COMNAVFORV) - NHHC Join us for our 2017 reunion by making a reservation today! The Vietnam Center and Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive: Map Collection Database [2]:59, MACV was disestablished on 29 March 1973 and replaced by the Defense Attach Office (DAO), Saigon. The DAO remained in existence until August 1975. Vietnam War ends: Saigon government surrenders (1975) [1]:812, Engler maintained that logistics should not be separated from operations and advisory activities, and therefore these functions should be performed by USARV, in an expanded role as a full-fledged Army component. The Naval Support Facility at Newport carried out a similar transfer. This action was prompted by Palmer's conviction that logistic advisory responsibilities were equal in importance to the mission of supporting U.S. For this reason, the MAAG was retained as a separate headquarters. While pursuing this military course of action North Vietnam would continue political and economic actions to support it and proceed with the development of the military strength required for a decisive offensive. HSAS provided U.S. military services in the capital of Saigon with supply, fiscal, public works, medical and dental, transportation, commissary and exchange, special services, security, and general administrative support. General Murray warned that "without proper support, the [South Vietnamese] are going to lose, maybe not next week, or next month, but after the year they are going to. MACV replaced MAAG and the former MAAG personnel were absorbed by MACV. "[7]:471. On 23 and 24 September, the House and Senate appropriated only US$700 million for Vietnam in the Defense Appropriation Bill for FY 75. Chapter IV: Ammunition Logistics This chapter identifies the problems that developed in ammunition support. By mid-year of 1973 the total was reduced by half. Helicopter Combat Support Squadron ONE detachments operated from the Tan Son Nhut facility. Similarly, U.S. Army organizations in South Vietnam were responsible to the head of MACV for combat operations and to the commander in chief of U.S. Army, Pacific, for Army matters. [4] : 10 A subordinate command of the Navys Bureau of Yards and Docks (BuDocks), the Officer-in-Charge of Construction, established his office on Tu Do Street. [6]:433 General Smith later wrote that "crippling limitations were imposed on firepower and mobility All of this had a debilitating effect on morale and gave strong encouragement to the enemy. By mid-1967, USARV, 1st Logistical Command, and many other Army units dispersed in Saigon were moved to Long Binh Post to resolve centralization, security, and troop billeting issues. Pacific military leaders gradually transferred HSAS responsibilities to deploying Army logistics commands. [5]:5960 General Murray's briefing papers on the deteriorating aid situation were provided to General Vin and leaked to the North Vietnamese by a spy in Vin's office. Combat and administrative support units had added about 30,000, for a new strength of over 100,000. Contact Us Shop Military Gear Recognize these names from Saigon Support Command, Vietnam? Chapter VI: Service Support in Vietnam: Transportation and - GWDG Military Assistance Command, Vietnam - INFOGALACTIC [5]:324, An Alternate DAO Programs Activity Office was established at Nakhon Phanom in April to administer military assistance and on 18 April the chief of the military assistance division was directed to proceed to Nakhon Phanom, it was expected that up to 100 staff would follow, however this movement was overcome by events. In June 1972, the NSA Saigon turned over its assets and responsibilities to the Vietnamese and was disestablished. CHAPTER 28: The U.S. Army in Vietnam As the French withdrew from Indochina, the Navy section of MAAG worked to develop the fledgling South Vietnamese Navy. That headquarters also reported operational and military intelligence through military channels to DOD authorities. [3]:278 Lieutenant General Paul D. Harkins, the Deputy Commander in Chief, U.S. Army, Pacific, who, as the commander-designate for the task force headquarters (HQ) in the event of operations in Southeast Asia, had participated in the planning for such operations, was appointed commander and promoted to general. The RVNAF would receive about US$160 million, less than 30 percent of its requirement, while the Navy would have to make do with about US$9 million. MARKET TIME activities were subsequently moved to Cam Ranh Bay. advisory effort should, he contended, be the exclusive function of USARV, freeing MACV to concentrate on the control of its components. But months passed before the DOD, the Services and Congress could adjust to the changed situation with a new military assistance program. With the signing of the Paris Peace Accords all American and third country forces were to be withdrawn within 60 days of the cease-fire. The service divisions corresponded to their predecessor elements in MACV, except for the advisory role, their basic missions being to support the self-sufficiency of the South Vietnamese military. Vietnam Establishes State-Run Cyber Security Command Center Following the closure of MACV and the establishment of the DAO, the MACV Headquarters became the DAO Compound. Through the U.S. Army Support Commands at Saigon, Qui Nhon, Da Nang, and Cam Ranh Bay, the petroleum products are received, tested, and distributed to U.S. Army, Navy, Air Force, Marine, South Vietnamese, and other allied forces, and various civilian agencies throughout the country. The OIC of Construction and his staff oversaw the building of airfields, warehouses, and other facilities by civilian contractors. c Attached for administration and logistics. [1]:87 The DAO calculated that at this funding level by 30 June 1975 the South Vietnamese military would have only a 30 day supply of ammunition and almost no fuel. The following sections - Historical Note, Scope and Content Notes, and Arrangement and Description - were written by the collection's original processors, Dr. Oscar Fitzgerald and Mrs. Sharyn Walker, on 13 December 1974. As a result, the 1st Logistics Command was established. Tan Son Nhut Air Base (Vietnamese: Cn c khng qun Tn Sn Nht) (1955-1975) was a Republic of Vietnam Air Force (RVNAF) facility. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group Browse Military Units. Chapter IX:Logistic Support of U.S. Advisors and Special Forces - GWDG [6]:15, Commander Naval Forces, Vietnam (COMNAVFORV) also controlled the Naval Support Activity Saigon (NSA Saigon), which supplied naval forces in the II, III and IV Corps areas. Due to ongoing reporting requirements the Secretary of Defense designated CINCPAC to assume responsibility for remaining DAO Saigon Defense Assistance Vietnam functions and records after 31 August. Saigon Island Depot, Republic of Vietnam [1967] NSA DaNang, 1965-1966. Defense Attach Office. Hi-Lite, Autumn 1968. [7] COMUSMACV was in one sense the top person in charge of the U.S. military on the Indochinese peninsula; however, in reality, the CINCPAC and the U.S. ambassadors to Vietnam, Laos, and Cambodia also had "top person in charge" status with regard to various aspects of the war's strategy. Unit awards, medals and ribbons, and information on applying for and obtaining your medals and ribbons. The technical assistance provided by the military and senior civilian officials of DAO and by the contractors was essential to the South Vietnamese military's modernization and expansion, but the South Vietnamese military would get no advice on military operations, tactics, or techniques of employment. [1]:88, On 4 December 1973 the DAO submitted to DOD its projected military assistance requirements for Fiscal years (FY) 1976 to 1980, requiring approximately US$1.2 billion each year based on a South Vietnamese force structure of 1.2 million men and RVNAF strength of 66 squadrons capable of generating 12,000 combat sorties per month. In late April 1966, with the Saigon regime locked in a tense confrontation with Buddhist and ARVN rebels in I Corps, Ambassador Henry Cabot Lodge Jr. and Westmoreland reopened the effort to acquire the Tan Son Nhut soccer field. The first was political: creating a recognized government within South Vietnam capable of competing in the economic and political struggle. See more. On 20 July 1965 a letter of instruction from U.S. Army, Pacific, headquarters spelled out the new command relationship. Engler concluded that MACV was no longer operating as a military assistance command in the true sense of the term, since U.S. tactical forces had been so greatly increased and their mission expanded. Following the Fall of Saigon, it was taken over as a . The shoulder sleeve insignia was approved on 10 February 1966. Included in these estimates were the one-for-one replacement of destroyed or obsolete equipment as permitted by the Paris Peace Accords, including the replacement of M41 tanks with M48s and F-5As with F-5Es. Company G occupied the eastern section of the Annex, while Company H assumed control of the western section. NSA Da Nang was responsible for all activities within the I Corps Tactical Zone. The Defense Attach was CINCPAC's single senior military representative in South Vietnam. First Log Command's Story Comes Alive at Quartermaster Museum Admiral Harry D. Felt, Commander-in-Chief, Pacific, established the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, on 8 February 1962, as a subordinate unified command under his control. Significantly, the South Vietnamese were, for the first time in the war, in an inferior position. It assumed all DOD responsibilities in South Vietnam following the disestablishment of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) in March 1973. - William Shakespeare, Henry V, Navy Cross recipients, Distinguished Service Cross recipients, and Medal of Honor recipients from the Navy Mobile Riverine Force and Army 9th Infantry Division. Explore artwork by members, and read historical articles and books. [3]:601 It supported the combat signal battalions of the divisions and field forces in each corps area. The new designation went into effect on 1 March 1964. [10]:397[11]:48 U.S. air support operations into Cambodia continued under USSAG/7th AF until August 1973. He initially tried to obtain a site between the ARVN Joint General Staff compound and Tan Son Nhut Airport, desirable from the standpoint of removing Americans from central Saigon and placing MACV conveniently close to its Vietnamese counterpart. Called the United States Support Activities Group & 7th Air Force (USSAG/7th AF), it was located at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base in northeast Thailand. Click most pictures to enlarge. "[5]:63, In August 1974 the DAO recommended a substantial reduction in RVNAF training in the United States in order to save costs. Saigon U.S. Naval Headquarters Support Activity, and Naval - MRFA The ever-growing responsibilities of the Army Support Command, especially its duties as the U.S. Army component headquarters, precluded its reorganization into a logistical command, as envisaged in contingency plans. The conquering Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces crushed a few pockets of resistance by diehard defenders and . [8]:196 Between 19:00 and 21:00 General Carey transferred three platoons (130 men) of BLT 2/4 into the Embassy Compound to provide additional security and assistance for the Embassy. The third a major military offensive to cause the immediate collapse of South Vietnam's government and armed forces. Under the terms of the Geneva Agreement on Indochina, Vietnamese living in areas controlled by the communist Viet Minh (North Vietnam) could be evacuated by sea to the non-communist South Vietnam. The 69th Signal Battalion took over operation of all local communications support in the Saigon-Long Binh area. By the end of 1961, the 63-man naval advisory team had created a 4,500-man Vietnamese Navy with 119 ships, landing craft, and boats. [5]:222 In a 22 March cable to Admiral Gayler he asked the Admiral to airlift equipment other than tanks to South Vietnam and "to pull out all stops in moving material even if it requires withdrawing it from US forces. Become a member of MRFA! The DAO residual office closed on 31 August 1975 and CINCPAC staff assumed any residual functions. July 1, 1962. Saigon U.S. However, the increasing demands of the war required a distinct operational rather than an advisory headquarters for naval units. Another reason for the popularity of the name "Saigon" is because many foreign visitors find it easier to remember than "Ho Chi Minh City", and the "SGN" abbreviation is also used for flights from or to Ho Chi . [8]:26870, On 2 July 1966 construction started on a new purpose-built facility. With the elapse of five months, all the three same brigades remained in the new division, but the brigade at Chu Lai was now named the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division, after a responsibility swap that had occurred in August. Vietnam. Between 1950 and 1954, hundreds of ships and craft, including the light carrier USS BELLEAU WOOD (CVL-24), amphibious ships and craft, riverine craft, yard craft, barges, and floating cranes were provided to the French Expeditionary Forces in its unsuccessful fight against the Viet Minh forces. The original MACV Headquarters were colocated with MAAG at 606 Trn Hng o, Cholon. He also appointed a temporary committee to determine what functions could be transferred between MACV and USARV headquarters. This series contains data from daily and weekly Operations Summary Reports (OPREP-5) sent by teletype from Military Assistance Command-Vietnam in Saigon. Naval Support Activity . [2]:441, In early 1967,in order to improve South Vietnamese military morale and reduce desertion rates, COMUSMACV ordered USARV to assume responsibility for improving the South Vietnamese military field ration utilization, for garrison ration commodities and for the distribution system. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. Drawing by SP4 William Smith, photos by SP5 H. Alan Leo. In Hanoi on Monday, Prime Minister Nguyen Xuan Phuc announced the establishment of the Cyberspace Operations Command which is tasked with protecting Vietnam's control of the Internet and overseeing ICT-related issues in the military. On this airlift, thirteen C-123s delivered 475 troops and over 12,000 pounds of equipment. Bandages and surgical dressings were washed and reused, as were other disposable surgical supplies such as hypodermic syringes and needles, intravenous sets, and rubber gloves. The Defense Attach Office, Saigon (also known as DAO, Saigon or simply DAO) was a joint-service command and military attach branch of the United States Department of Defense (DOD) under the control of United States Support Activities Group (USSAG). troops. [1]:19, The ceasefire agreement in Vietnam signalled the end of the American advisory effort in that country. 318 crew in training would return to Vietnam between August and December 1974, while 347 crew would stay to complete their training. On 4 April 1975 35 DAO employees acting as escorts during Operation Babylift were killed when their USAF C-5 transport plane crashed near Tan Son Nhut. Although the U.S. Army Support Group was the Army component command within Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) in 1962, its functions were limited to logistical and administrative matters and excluded operational matters, which were the concern of the chief of Military Assistance Advisory Group, Vietnam. Chapter 2 - Communication-Electronics 1962-1970 - GWDG Also service support includes food service, graves registration, laundry, Inside, according to one staff officer, "the well-waxed corridors had the fluorescent feel of an airport terminal." The construction contractor was RMK-BRJ, at a cost of $25 million. All U.S. Army units in South Vietnam, excluding advisory attachments, were assigned to the Army Support Group for administrative and logistical needs. Between 1955 and 1961, American advisors made progress in both men and equipment. Naval chaplains attached to HSAS attended to the spiritual needs of Armed Forces personnel. Time has become most precious out here and unless [the South Vietnamese] can buy enough time to properly execute their retrograde plansthe situation will become desperate." [4]:323. Unresolved differences between the Ambassador and the Defense Attach concerning attach matters were to be referred by the Defense Attach to the Director of the DIA. [8]:195 At 19:30 General Carey directed that the remaining elements guarding the Annex be withdrawn to DAO Headquarters (the Alamo) where the last of the evacuees would await their flight. Of these, more than half were involved in aircraft maintenance, another large group was in communications and electronics, and the rest worked in technical fields ranging from vehicle repair and overhaul to ship overhaul and maintenance. Timeline Details | Vietnam War Commemoration 6 . By 20:30 the last evacuees had been loaded onto helicopters. The first minesweeping units were converted landing craft operating from Saigon Naval Shipyard. [8]:1912, The HMH-462 CH-53s loaded with evacuees and left the compound they unloaded the first refugees delivered by Operation Frequent Wind at 15:40. The high degree of ammunition support provided to the combat elements in Vietnam was the result of intensive management at Department of Defense, Department of the Army, and Furthermore, the PAVN possessed the frequently decisive advantages of surprise and the ability to mass overwhelming force. No. On 1 July 1962, the Headquarters Support Activity Saigon was established under a chain of command descending from the Commander-In-Chief of the Pacific Fleet but under the operational control of Commander U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. Long Binh Post - Wikipedia It also continued to provide messing, berthing, medical and dental, administrative, and personnel services during this time. This was Commander, Naval Forces, Vietnam (ComNavForV) with headquarters in Saigon. A small U.S. military headquarters was needed to continue the military assistance program for the South Vietnamese military and supervise the technical assistance still required to complete the goals of Vietnamization and also to report operational and military intelligence through military channels to DOD authorities. Led. To improve logistics flow to naval units in the field, NSA Saigon established subordinate detachments at An Thoi, Cam Ranh Bay, Cat Lo, Nha Be, Qui Nhon, Can Tho-Binh Thuy, Dong Tam, Sa Dec, Vinh Long, Vung Tau, and Ben Luc. Gayler endorsed Smith's request and promptly sent it on to the Joint Chiefs of Staff. The Communications and Electronics Division had functions which, like those of the Operations and Plans Division, included support of U.S. military activities as well as continued military assistance to the South Vietnamese military. In my judgment, that will be necessary. Harkins had the task of advising the South Vietnamese government on security, organization, and employment of their military and paramilitary forces. As a result of the study, Westmoreland established the post of Assistant Chief of Staff, Military Assistance, in the MACV staff to provide that focus. [1]:1456, In mid-March General Smith requested the Pentagon to prioritise all South Vietnamese equipment requests and he passed on General Khuyen's request for the LSTs previously proposed by General Murray. Draconian measures were applied. Papers on construction, lines of communication, supply level and the pipeline showed that the PAVN in the South had built a complex logistical system and had stockpiled enough supplies to support a major offensive for over a year. Although most contract employees were located in the Saigon region, sizable groups were at the air bases at Da Nang, Pleiku, Ph Ct, Phan Rang and at Binh Thuy. [8], The Vietnamese government refused to turn over the most suitable location, a soccer field (104845.62N 1063957.49E / 10.8126722N 106.6659694E / 10.8126722; 106.6659694 (post-1967 MACV, Saigon)) near the civilian air terminal, allegedly because Premier Nguyn Cao K wanted to keep the property for a postwar tourist hotel. This eventually included the major combat formations: Coastal Surveillance Force (Task Force 115), River Patrol Force (Task Force 116) and Riverine Assault Force (Task Force 117). Later, dedicated units from Mine Squadron 11 operated from Nha Be. To improve co-ordination and management of communications-electronics assets, the brigade commander served as the U.S. Army, Vietnam, staff adviser on all matters pertaining to Army communications-electronics. The advisors also provided assistance to the Saigon Naval Shipyard, the largest facility of its kind in Southeast Asia. (U.S. Air Force photo) What is particularly special about this issue is that I am pictured in it. U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) was a joint-service command of the United States Department of Defense. 1st Logistical Command Unit History In Vietnam [3]:54, To perform the traditional representational and information-collecting functions of military attaches, five professional attaches two Army, two Air Force and one Navy were assigned to the DAO with offices in the Embassy of the United States, Saigon. During the twelve months of 1964, HSAS supplied over 100 local and field exchanges, maintained 186,000 square feet of warehouse space, 200,000 cubic feet of refrigerated storage, and 127,000 square feet of outside storage. MACV occupied its new headquarters early in August 1967. 1st Theater Sustainment Command - Wikipedia The PAVN now had twice as many tanks in South Vietnam (about 700) as did the ARVN (352). U.S. MACV was first implemented to assist the Military Assistance Advisory Group (MAAG) Vietnam, controlling every advisory and assistance effort in Vietnam. The South Vietnamese, even when they were able to discover the enemy's intent in advance, were often unable to move sufficient reserves to the battle area in time to forestall defeat in detail.