HISTORY OF THE SOUTH VIETNAMESE MARINE CORPS

A Mission

2nd Lieutenant Nguyen Ba Hoe

In early February 1972, the Long Range Reconnaissance Company A received orders to move. We were airlifted from Saigon to Phu Bai Airfield, and from there transported by GMC trucks to Mai Loc Base.

The Long Range Reconnaissance Company Headquarters was stationed at the same place as the 147th Marine Brigade's headquarters. The commander of the latter was Colonel Nguyen Nang Bao. We performed our duties according to schedules drawn up by the Brigade G3. On each mission into enemy territory, we would go in two groups of seven Marines each. The group leader was an officer, the assistant leader, an underofficer; privates made up the rest of the group.

In April of 1972, I led one group on a mission. At the time I was a Warrant Officer. Staff Sergeant Ly was the assistant leader. Five Marines made up the rest of the group: Corporals Hien, Loc, Binh and first class Privates Hoa and An.

We had been ordered to trace the enemy along Route 9. The mission was to last for a period of five days. We were airlifted in by helicopter, and dropped off about 8km (as the crow flies) from Mai Loc. Before we landed, the 1st Marine Artillery Battalion had cleared the landing zone. As the helicopter hovered at about the height of 6m we jumped down one after another. Following the landing, I ordered the group to move as quickly as possible to avoid detection by the enemy. For four continuous days we crept and sneaked along Route 9 but could find no traces of any enemy activity. Occasionally we would hear the sound of AK 47s in the surrounding areas.

At noon on the 5th day, whilst we stopped to eat our dried rations, Corporal Hien who had been on guard crawled up to me.

“Warrant Officer, I saw a NVA walking along the route.”

I ordered the rest of the group to crawl along the route to await the NVA's arrival. We captured him alive and I immediately made contact with the 147th Marine Brigade's Headquarters. Colonel Nguyen Nang Bao ordered me to escort the prisoner to the 4th Marine Battalion Headquarters at Dong Toan, which fell under the command of Lieutenant Colonel Quang. From there the prisoner was airlifted out by the 3rd Infantry Division under the command of Brigadier General Vu Van Giai.

We had accomplished our mission, and sat back to await the next. 

2nd Lieutenant Nguyen Ba Hoe