Vietnam Marines 1965–73

Osprey Elite #43

by Charles D. Melson, Paul Hannon (Illustrations)

Osprey's survey of Marines during the second half of the Vietnam War (1955-1975). The period following World War II (1939-1945) saw a number of associated Marine Corps, three of whom fought together during the war in Vietnam from 1965 to 1973. These Corps were similar formations, but each had its own history and they were the United States Marines, the Vietnamese Marines, and the Korean Marines. Common to them was a reputation for toughness on themselves and any foreign or domestic enemies; strong unit pride and loyalty; and a privileged place within the political structure of their respective countries. This title by US Marine historian Charles Melson describes the history, weapons, equipment, uniforms and insignia of the US, Vietnamese and Korean Marines who fought in Vietnam.

Genres: Military History, History

64 pages, Paperback

First published November 26, 1992

Reviews

[Filipe Amaral · Rating 5 out of 5]

The funeral oration by Pericles praised the Athenians for making the sea a pathway to valour. This notion can describe the peculiar mix of soldier and sailor that has earned the title of 'marine' in the modern world. Most nations that use the ocean have had, or will have, soldiers of the sea: marines."
- Charles Melson, US Marine Corps History Division.

With these words Charles Melson begins his excellent "Vietnam Marines 1965–73". Not only a book for the true military audience but a book on the special kind of warrior required to storm enemy positions without the means to retreat and during the most difficult movement in military warfare: the marines.

The movement from sea to land is a very grim one and requires a special kind of soldier. As the enemy will be free to shoot the marines while they are vulnerable during their forced entry, an amphibious force must be a force multiplier with high quality human material. The marines first mission was to board enemy ships and fight in close quarters. For this reason some aspects of military training survived in the naval tradition of the sea soldier: marksmanship, to compensate for small numbers; and the will of closing in with the enemy in hand-to-hand combat.

This book starts with the South Vietnamese marines ("Sea Tigers"). They had a proud and interesting history: Born as Commandos of the French Dinassauts, the Sư Đoàn Thủy Quân Lục Chiến (TQLC or RVNMD) would become one of the most effective units of the South Vietnamese Armed Forces. Easily recognizable by their smartly and tight fitting "Sea Wave" uniforms - that caught the eye of an American advisor, leading to the Americans introducing their own version as the "Tiger Stripes" - the Sea Tigers participated in every important campaign of the war, paying a high price for their reputation. They spent over 75% of their time in the field, the highest proportion in the Free World Forces, made an amphibious crossing across the Perfume River during the Battle of Hue (1968) and fought hard to take the Citadel of Quang Tri in 1972. In vicious house-to-house fighting in which almost one out of every four of the 8,000 ARVN Marines in the division had been killed or wounded during the operation. The TQLC/RVNMD would fight until the bitter end, in 1975.

The book also presents the USMC and the ROK marines (which still used WWII-type weapons and uniforms). The USMC, ROKMC and the RVNMD conducted more than 72 small-scale amphibious landings, called Special Landing Force Operations, during the war. One of the most interesting insights provided by the author is the food and personnel equipment of the three marines corps - with the ARVN and ROK eating with chopsticks in the field and having a more Spartan diet when compared to their US counterparts.