Squadrons of SP-2 Neptune maritime aircraft flew from Tan Son Nhut airfield in support of MARKET TIME activities. Saigon U.S. The ARVN would get about US$410 million, half of what it needed. Sitemap. For this reason, the MAAG was retained as a separate headquarters. [1]:79, U.S. military assistance to South Vietnam was "service funded." On the committee's recommendation, logistic advisory functions were transferred from USARV, back to MACV in February 1968. The Defense Attach and his assistant had direct access to the Ambassador on all attach matters and were to keep the Ambassador fully informed. 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. NSA Da Nang was responsible for all activities within the I Corps Tactical Zone. The PAVN had never in the history of the war been in such a favorable logistical condition. 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. "Bravo" command group, consisting of two rifle companies and the 106mm recoilless rifle platoon, assumed responsibility for security of the DAO Annex and its adjoining landing zones. The contracts, however, were also to be reduced in number and scope throughout the year. The History of Army Transportation Units in Vietnam - Grambo It also provided liaison and assistance to the JGS and the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) Signal Department. For example, although the PAVN's expeditionary force in South Vietnam was less than half the size of the South's combat force, the PAVN made up the difference in troops maintained in secure garrisons in North Vietnam, more than 70,000 of which were available for immediate deployment to South Vietnam. The River Patrol Force headquarters were subsequently moved to Can Tho. The training section of the Operations Branch was responsible for training provided to the South Vietnamese military under the Military Assistance Program. At 08:00 on 15 February, USAF General John W. Vogt Jr., as USSAG/7AF commander, took over from MACV control of American air operations. During their approach to the compound, they experienced a firsthand view of the PAVN's firepower as they shelled nearby Tan Son Nhut Airport with ground, rocket and artillery fire. Please sign the MRFA guestbook! Among other operational reductions, the Navy inactivated 21 of its 44 riverine units, reducing security in the Mekong Delta. [3]:601 It supported the combat signal battalions of the divisions and field forces in each corps area. The Communications and Electronics Division supervised a contract which provided communications for DAO, the US Embassy, and other U.S. agencies. [1]:19, In 1973, relying on information supplied by the JGS, DAO Saigon began reporting statistical and descriptive information on ceasefire violations. The conquering Viet Cong and North Vietnamese forces crushed a few pockets of resistance by diehard defenders and . The 69th Signal Battalion took over operation of all local communications support in the Saigon-Long Binh area. [2]:59. A full archive of past and present "River Currents" newsletters from your friends at MRFA. In January 1973, over 23,000 people were employed by contractors in South Vietnam, of whom over 5,000) were Americans, 16,000 were Vietnamese, and the remainder were third-country nationals. The FY 75 POL allocation was projected to be US$154 million, but when the US defense allocation was reduced this amount was reduced to US$60 million with the result that POL supply to the South Vietnamese military was reduced by 50 percent. Explore our Navy section: awards, stories, points of interest, origin of navy terminology and much, much more! JOINT DIRECTIVE 2-67 21 January 1967 In contrast to the carrier, amphibious, and naval gunfire support forces and, at least during early 1965, the coastal patrol force, which Commander Seventh Fleet directed, the Navy's forces within South Vietnam were operationally controlled by COMUSMACV. The Navy established the headquarters of Naval Construction Battalions, U.S. Pacific Fleet Detachment, Vietnam. 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. [8]:197, 9th MAB intelligence photo of the DAO Compound with LZs marked, 9th MAB post-operation map of the DAO Compound and Air America Compound with LZs marked, A Marine provides security as helicopters land at the DAO Compound, Vietnamese evacuees board a CH-53 at LZ 39, Aerial reconnaissance photos of the destroyed DAO Headquarters building with Air America Compound in the foreground, The evacuation of Saigon and the subsequent surrender of South Vietnam on 30 April 1975 effectively terminated the existence of the DAO, however a DAO residual office was established at Fort Shafter, Hawaii on 29 April. ComNavForV assumed responsibility for coordination with the Saigon-based Military Sea Transportation Service office, with the OIC of Construction, and with the Commander, Coast Guard Activities, Vietnam. [1]:18, The advance echelon of USSAG/7AF moved from Tan Son Nhut Air Base to Nakhon Phanom on 29 January 1973. This headquarters was to become the Defense Attache Office, Saigon. On 25 September 1967 the 23rd Infantry (Americal) Division) was activated to control the blocking force, replacing the provisional task force HQ. 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. Vietnam Center & Sam Johnson Vietnam Archive Digital Materials. Because DAO Saigon was subordinate to USSAG in operational and intelligence fields, the normal flow of tasking and reporting was through USSAG to CINCPAC and the Joint Chiefs of Staff in Washington. Language links are at the top of the page across from the title. The second wave of 12 CH-53s from HMH-463 landed in the DAO Compound at 15:15 bringing in the rest of the BLT. There was also a paramilitary junk force for coastal patrol. (TIOH Dwg. 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). As the U.S. military presence in South Vietnam grew, MACV quickly outgrew the Pasteur Street quarters and expanded into a proliferating number of buildings throughout downtown Saigon. Company G occupied the eastern section of the Annex, while Company H assumed control of the western section. [1]:80[6]:272, In April 1974 with ongoing combat between the PAVN and South Vietnamese forces, DAO calculated that even including ammunition in transit, only 121,000 short tons of ammunition would be available to South Vietnamese forces by the end of that month. Home. The influx of large American and allied combat forces into Vietnam from 1965 to 1968 caused the naval establishment in Saigon to undergo dramatic expansion. Search . These sites were chosen because of their proximity to the waterways on which the combat units operated and their accessibility to support ships and craft. He also appointed a temporary committee to determine what functions could be transferred between MACV and USARV headquarters. Drawing by SP4 William Smith, photos by SP5 H. Alan Leo. With the change of July 1965, both positions were occupied by the same individual, Westmoreland. 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). [1]:18, The DAO was organized into 6 main divisions: Army, Navy, Air Force, communications-electronics, operations and plans and support. [5]:94, In January 1974 General Murray met General Cao Vn Vin, chairman of the JGS to emphasise the need to conserve ammunition. MACV replaced MAAG and the former MAAG personnel were absorbed by MACV. [1]:812, In the summer of 1967 a study called Project 640 was conducted by MACV. Explore a glossary of terms, manuals, statistics, historical accounts and reports, maps and articles by MRFA members. Date Range: 1950-1964 Content: 18,669 images Source Library: National Archives (U.S.) Detailed Description: Historical Description MAAG, Indochina; MAAG, Vietnam In September 1950, President Harry Truman sent a Military Assistance Advisory Group(MAAG) to Vietnamto assist the French in the First Indochina war. Designated as Task Force Oregon, it included the 196th Infantry Brigade; the 3rd Brigade, 25th Infantry Division at Chu Lai Base Area; and the 1st Brigade, 10lst Airborne Division. When DAO Saigon became operational in late January 1973, no fewer than 383 separate contracts were on the books with a total value of US$255 million. [8]:197, At 22:50, with the evacuation of the landing control teams from the Annex and Alamo completed, General Carey ordered the withdrawal of the ground security forces from the DAO Compound. That headquarters also reported operational and military intelligence through military channels to DOD authorities. The second a limited military offensive designed to create a military, economic and political situation beyond the capability of South Vietnam to handle. Naval Bases & Support Activities Vietnam. 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. Called the United States Support Activities Group & 7th Air Force (USSAG/7th AF), it was to be located at Nakhon Phanom Royal Thai Air Force Base in northeast Thailand. A shield 3 inches (7.6cm) in height and 2 inches (5.1cm) in width overall; within a .mw-parser-output .frac{white-space:nowrap}.mw-parser-output .frac .num,.mw-parser-output .frac .den{font-size:80%;line-height:0;vertical-align:super}.mw-parser-output .frac .den{vertical-align:sub}.mw-parser-output .sr-only{border:0;clip:rect(0,0,0,0);clip-path:polygon(0px 0px,0px 0px,0px 0px);height:1px;margin:-1px;overflow:hidden;padding:0;position:absolute;width:1px}18 inch (0.32cm) white border three vertical stripes yellow, blue and red, on the center blue stripe a sword pointing upward, blade white and handle yellow. 4TH Trans - Grambo Vietnam. See more. But months passed before the DOD, the Services and Congress could adjust to the changed situation with a new military assistance program. Lieutenant General Bruce Palmer, Jr., who succeeded Engler on 1 July 1967, elevated the logistic advisory group within the USARV staff to a general staff section, which he designated the Military Assistance Section. The MRFA is launching our Historical Data Project (HDP), featuring as much MRF TF-117 data as possible. Long Binh Post ( Tng kho Long Bnh) is a former U.S. Army base located in Long Bnh, ng Nai between Bin Ha and Saigon, Vietnam. In March 1962 Headquarters, U.S. Army, Pacific, removed the "provisional" designation from the U.S. Army Support Group, Vietnam, attached it to U.S. Army, Ryukyu Islands, for administrative and logistical support, and made its commanding officer the deputy Army component commander under MACV. Two months later, the 1st Cavalry Division (Airmobile), recently reorganized from an infantry formation, reported in country, and the rest of the 1st Infantry Division arrived in October. Links to friends, affiliates and other sites you should visit! Inside, according to one staff officer, "the well-waxed corridors had the fluorescent feel of an airport terminal." After completion of his survey, Engler made several observations and recommendations. Transfer of the main body, drawn largely from the operations and intelligence sections of MACV and Seventh Air Force, began on 10 February. It was located near the city of Saigon in southern Vietnam.The United States used it as a major base during the Vietnam War (1959-1975), stationing Army, Air Force, Navy, and Marine units there. Saigon U.S. Naval Headquarters Support Activity, and Naval - MRFA 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. Although the MACV commander had been the Army component commander since August 1963, the senior Army headquarters in Vietnam had had its own commanding general. This action was prompted by Palmer's conviction that logistic advisory responsibilities were equal in importance to the mission of supporting U.S. From Albert's Peach Cobbler to an Irish Chicken Dinner, we have them all! In March 1965, Westmoreland began a search for a new location large enough to accommodate the entire headquarters. d Upon becoming operational in Saigon on 27 December 1965, the 932dMedical Detachment (AI) became the command and control element for dental unitsin Vietnam. [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. Long Binh Post - Wikipedia Helicopter Combat Support Squadron ONE detachments operated from the Tan Son Nhut facility. [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. 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. By April 1975 all U.S. personnel were withdrawn from South Vietnam shortly before the country fell to the communist invaders from North Vietnam. The POL Story, 1st Logistical Command, Vietnam 1968 [1]:189, The deputy Defense Attach was also chief of the Operations and Plans Division, DAO. Throughout 1963 the duties of the U.S. Army Support Group steadily increased, particularly regarding to combat support activities and logistics. In July 1965, in response to the growing size of U.S. Army forces in the country, United States Army Vietnam was established, and both the 2nd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division as well as the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division, deployed from the United States. 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. They . [8]:270. [11]:52 The DAO was activated on 28 January 1973 with United States Army Major General John E. Murray, formerly MACV director of logistics, as the Defense Attach and United States Air Force Brigadier General Ralph J. Maglione, formerly the MACV J-1 (Director for Manpower and Personnel), as deputy Defense Attach. A brigade of the 25th Infantry Division arrived in late 1965, with the 4th Infantry Division deploying between August and November 1966. [3]:645, In June 1967 COMUSMACV approved the replacement of a USARV staff section that had handled civil affairs and civic action with an assistant chief of staff for Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support.[4]. NSA Saigon also ran an air transportation service, called Air Cofat that operated various helicopters and fixed-wing transport aircraft. Click most pictures to enlarge. [2]:59, MACV was disestablished on 29 March 1973 and replaced by the Defense Attach Office (DAO), Saigon. HSAS is primarily staffed by Navy personnel, but is under the operational control of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam. July 1, 1962. * thomas chesney Saigon Support Command, Vietnam Did you proudly serve in SAIGON SUPPORT COMMAND, VIETNAM? Explore historical photos, gripping stories, poetry and song submitted by MRFA members. As provided for in the organization of the task force headquarters in the contingency plans, MACV's commander was also his own Army component commander.