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"It seems almost impossible to learn that Hotel Btry personnel did not receive medals for their heroic actions at Russell on 25 Feb 1969. As the Bn Exec, I wrote many award recommendations and presented them to Gene Foxworth, the CO at that time. He and the HQ CO, then Lt. David Vetter, were to read them and forward them to CO 12th Marines (Pete Mulroney) who was then to forward to Gen Davis's headquarters.

Dave remained in the Marine Corps, and rose to colonel. He is retired and is on the staff at the US Naval Academy. Gene is living in South Carolina, and Davis and Mulroney have passed away. I do know your co cdr did receive the silver star. He was on CINCPACFLT staff when I bumped into him.

As for the other awards, who knows? I feel very sad that others in Hotel did not receive recognition for their heroic action. I will never forget that long night of 25 Feb. I took over the FDC to direct offensive arty fires from Neville and Fuller. At 5:00 the next morning I rounded up beer and soft drinks and hot chow and delivered them to you on Russell. That was a long time ago.

Bob Gibson"

Editor's Note: Two people from Hotel Battery did receive awards; Lt. Basel, Hotel Battery's C.O. and Joe "Doc" Mullens, a Medical Corpsman attached to Hotel Battery...both received Silver Stars. These awards were recommended by Captain Hill, who was Echo Company 2/4's C.O. at the time. Following different channels at a different time, these recommendations were not lost with the others.

It seems Bob confirms what we have suspected all along; that the award recommendations were made, but lost while on their way to General Davis' desk. The timing would be about right for something like this to happen, considering the 3rd Marine Division was already making preparations for it's move out of Vietnam. The recommendations could have been boxed at any one of the offices in route. For all we know, Hotel Battery's award recommendations could still be sitting in a box on a loading dock in Da Nang, used as a seat for a smiling old Mama San selling Beetlenut to passing shoppers. And if that be the case, lets hope she is comfortable and happy.

Thanks Bob, for taking the time to deliver drinks and hot chow after the battle. It really helped take the edge off.

My Story

A photo of my promotion to LtCol at Vandegrift Combat Base, 3 July 1969. From left to right: Col Bill Goggin (CO 4th Mar), Col Pete Mulroney (CO 12th Mar), LtCol Bob Gibson (CO 3/12) and SgtMaj Harbison (SgtMaj 3/12) . Bill is pinning my new insignia on my cap.

I reported to the 3rd Marine Division Headquarters in July of 1964. I was assigned as Off-Island Scheduling Officer in G-3. (MGen) William R. Collins was Commanding General (CG) and (BGen) Ray Davis was Assistant Division Commander (ADC). (LtCol) Don Blanchard was 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion Commander and the 3rd Marine Division was engaged in planning scenarios for South East Asia operations.

In August of 1964, I was a member of III Marine Expeditionary Force (MEF) contingency plans group that arrived in Yokosuka for the quarterly 7th Fleet Planning Conference. Admiral Blackburn broke up the conference by announcing that the USS Madson had been fired on by North Vietnamese gunboats, in the Tonkin Gulf.

Upon return to Division Headquarters at Camp Tengan, I became an action officer for Jungle Drum III operations for the lower peninsula of Thailand. As Military Assistance Command Vietnam's (MACV's) requirements came into focus, General Westmoreland (MGen Richard G.Stillwell was his deputy) requested immediate introduction of the Army's 197th Infantry Brigade (Okinawa) into South Vietnam.

By this time, BGen Davis had been relieved by (BGen) Fred Karch and the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade (MAB) that was then called 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (MEB), was afloat off the horizon of DaNang with (LtCol) McPartlain's Battalion Landing Team (BLT) 3/9 (3rd Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment)and a UH-34 medium helicopter squadron on the LPH (Landing Platform Helicopter.)

The Army was not ready to move the 197th, because many dependents in Okinawa would have to be relocated to the Continental United States. The Commanding General of Fleet Marine Force, Pacific, (LtGen) Victor H. Krulak informed Westmoreland that a MEB could be landed immediately, BLT 2/3 by sea within five days and BLT 1/3 by air.

On 8 March 1965 BLT 3/9 was off loaded with MEB Headquarters and the helicopter squadron at DaNang. UH-34's went to Marine Air Group (MAG)-16 at DaNang and 2/3 shipping was diverted from Jungle Drum III to DaNang.

At the same time, 1/3, under the command of (LtCol) Herb Bain, was airlifted from Naha and Kadena into DaNang as McPartlain's battalion waded ashore at Red Beach with Karch and his headquarters. MEB was changed to MAB upon entry into the combat area, since "Expeditionary" had a stigma with the Vietnamese. "Expeditionary" reminded them of the French occupation, but "Amphibious" seemed unobtrusive. Bain came in with USAF C-130's and (LtCol) Clement's BLT 2/3 that had been diverted from Jungle Drum III arrived about 13 March by ship. During 1/3's arrival at DaNang airstrip we received a message from Westmoreland that said to slow down entry in-country. (MGen) Rip Collins said, "Let's get more in, faster!"

In 1964 Krulak had flown the east coast of South Vietnam with other Marines in his staff, including (Col) Regan Fuller, in a Marine C-130, saw a bay and christened it Chu Lai (which, allegedly in Chinese means Krulak).

It was then up to III MAF as senior headquarters to the 3rd Mar Div (FWD) and 1st Mar Air Wing (FWD) to fill Chu Lai with Marines.

General Krulak embarked the 4th Marine Regiment and most of the air arm in Kaneohe for an amphibious landing in California. Its code name was "Solid Shield."

"Solid Shield" was executed and we at Marine Bases, Okinawa, knew that this was a diversion. That 1st Marine Brigade showed up at Okinawa on 18 April of 1965.

(Gen) Wallace M. Greene, then Commandant of the Marine Corps, was in Okinawa taking his Western Pacific tour, and seemed to know nothing of our plans to commit III MAF to South Vietnam. He was interested in rewarding (Maj) Bill Leftwich with the Navy Cross. Bill was killed in action while commanding the 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion in Vietnam in 1970. General Collins called me from his office after I had told him LANSHIPRON-9 (12 LST's of the Amphibious Force, 7th Fleet) was going to leave Okinawa to go to its home port in Yokosuka. He asked me if we could put a BLT on those ships and I said "Yes."

I called (LtCol) D.C. Hall, CO of BLT 3/3 and asked him to execute an embarkation with LANSHIPRON-9 immediately, as an order from Rip Collins. Staff members of III MAF, 3rd Mar Div and 1st Mar Air Wing met to determine which battalions and how much of the Air Wing would go in country to Chu Lai. A third enclave was designated to be at Hue Phu Bai.

The staff recommended, (and it was approved by the CG) to take Ed Dupra's 4th Marines with three battalions (Hall's 3/3, Bull Fischer's 1/4 and Bob "Bonzo" Perrich's 2/4) with the 7th NCB's and MAG's 11 and 12 and 3rd Recon Battalion Headquarters into Chu Lai. BLT 3/4, commanded by (LtCol) Woody Taylor was to sail with (BGen) Marion Carl (as CG 3rd MAB) into Hue Phu Bai. These plans were executed, with the Seventh Fleet questioning the authenticity of each move. The 9th Marines Headquarters, under (Col) Frank Garretson, and 3rd Marines Headquarters, commanded by (Col) Ed Wheeler with the 4th and 11th Naval Construction Battalion's with their 3rd Regimental Headquarters closed into DaNang. This occurred on 7 May 1965 at the same time Chu Lai was opened. We said good-bye to Rip Collins and ushered in (MGen) Lew Walt as the new CG.

The 9th MAB under Karch was chopped to CG 3rd Mar Div and MAG-16 under (Col) John King was chopped to 1st Mar Air Wing (FWD) commanded by (BGen) Bruce McCutcheon. (MGen) Paul Fontana, GG of 1st Marine Air Wing, stayed at Iwakuni).

Later, the 7th Marines, commanded by (Col) Oscar Petross, sailed from San Diego and debarked at Chu Lai and by July the Marine Corps had two regiments at DaNang and two at Chu Lai with a separate battalion (3/4) at Hue Phu Bai. Not one fighting force from the US Army had yet entered the fray. During those days and nights there was little sleep. I remember Don Blanchard walking up to me and saying, "My God, we are the only Marines awake in Headquarters of the 3rd Mar Div."

(LtCol) Joe Muir came into country as operations officer (G-3) 9th MAB, and when the chop occurred, he became G-3 Operations Officer of 3rd Mar Div. I remember when we went out one day into "Indian Country" (just beyond Lei Mi) to watch F-2/3 on a clean and sweep operation. (Capt) Pete Yadlowsky (a USNA roommate of mine who commanded the company) saw us coming. Joe was sauntering around during the firefight and Pete said to me, "Jesus, teach that LtCol how to duck, for Christ's sake!". Joe was fearless. He was chosen to command 3/3 and was killed in action in August of 1965.

I received orders to Recruit Depot (MCRD), San Diego, and enplaned to Okinawa to inform (BGen) Henderson (the ADC, Rear) to apply pressure with CMC to close the remainder of the Division and Wing in country, Vietnam. Walt was very serious about this. I was detached from Okinawa in July of 1965, and enjoyed two tours of duty in CONUS (MCRD San Diego and the US Army's Command and General Staff College at Ft. Leavenworth, Kansas).

I flew to Okinawa in July of 1968, and arrived in DaNang to be assigned as III MAF Protocol Officer, Camp Horn----almost three years to the day after having left the I Corps Combat Zone.

The CG was (LtGen) Bob Cushman, and Chief of Staff was (MGen) Earl E. Anderson. It was interesting to develop itineraries and accompany such people as Curtis LeMay,(running mate with George Wallace, an independent presidential candidate), Billy Graham, Bob Hope, State Department people and generals / admirals who wanted to put their feet in the door, so they could say "I was there."

Lyndon Johnson used to send pictures of Chuck Robb's new baby by Marines visiting from HQMC. We would dig Chuck out of the boonies, dress him up to be with four star generals/admirals to see the pictures. Much later, Chuck would be a senator, representing Virginia.

(Col) Pete Mulroney was CO of the 12th Marines, and I asked him to save a battalion for me in 1969. Pete said, "Bob, don't you know that I have lots of LtCol's that are 0802's (the artillery officer's MOS) who could take command if they were designated? You are a Major." I said, "Just keep me in mind."

(General) Leonard F. Chapman, who was just designated as CMC (over Vic Krulak, who retired immediately) was my last Very Important Person (VIP) while I was in the Protocol Office at Camp Horn.

Of course, the Horn Direct Air Support Center (DASC) was located there, and it was a fight between USAF and USMC on who could frag aircraft for missions.

The Marine Corps' position has always been "our high performance aircraft is a logical extension of close support offered by artillery. We frag our own aircraft for those missions that need deep and/or heavy ordnance drops".

7th Air Force finally became the main fragging DASC for all combat zones, but sorties were set aside for Marine close air support assignments. After all, only the Marine Corps could speak to the Navy at Yankee Station, to the Air Force in and out of country, and to the Army's limited fixed wing units--through our Marine Air Control Squadron (MACS)-4 at Monkey Mountain. The Air Force needed our capabilities.

I was released from the Protocol Section after Gen Chapman's visit in January 1969. MGen Anderson walked to and confronted me in my office and said he was rotating, and I could go to either division. I said "I want to go to the 3rd," and he said "OK." I hopped a commercial plane at DaNang and flew to Hawaii on 6 January for R & R with my wife for a glorious week together, and then back to South Vietnam.

Soon, I found myself knocking at Mulroney's hooch (on 16 January). Pete said I had to serve my entrance into hell by being (LtCol) Gene Foxworth's 3rd XO (he had fired two before me) in a row until Gene's tour ended. I said "yes" and established a relationship with Gene, as his exec at Quang Tri Combat Base (3/12 Rear) while he was forward at Vandegrift Combat Base overseeing our troops at Fire Support Base (FSB) Fuller, FSB Russell, FSB Cates, and FSB Neville, as well as FSB Sandy, FSB Argonne and Vandegrift Combat Base.

Rockets were dropping down on us, and a very sad day engulfed us when Fuller and Russell were hit by regular North Vietnamese troops, and we received many casualties (16 dead) on 25-26 February 1969.

Our infantry lines surrounding our mountain based fire support bases were manned by the second Battalion, 4^th Marines, commanded by then LtCol Joe Hopkins (Retired as a Brigadier General in 1985). His boss was Colonel Bill Goggin, and my boss, after Gene Foxworth moved up to regimental executive officer, was Pete Mulroney.

I was in Quang Tri when the sh-- hit the fan on Russell and Neville. Gene called me and I hopped into my jeep and tooled up HWY 9 to Vandegrift. Gene was tired and hit the sack as I came aboard. I helped Major Paul Puletz (Bn. FDO) track our supporting fires and general support fires from the Rockpile and Dong Ha Combat Base in support of Russell and Neville. (We had preplanned supporting fires for just such an occasion.) Never did we fire above our pre-registered fire lines.

Joe Hopkins was as adrenaline steamed as I was and we were still friends when the fire fights were over.

The first person on FSB Russell after the attack was our 24th Corps Commanding General, (LtGen) Dick Stillwell USA. (Dick retired as a 4 star general, and has passed away.) There was only one Helicopter Landing Zone (HLZ), so I had to wait until he departed to set down, and provided our occupants with beer, soft drinks and hot chow.

After Russell and Neville had been sapper attacked, we switched our artillery supporting effort to the west, so that our infantry could get in position to shut down the Ho Chi Min Trail in Laos. That trail, if we controlled it would have brought an end to North Vietnam's effort to "unify" the country.

One of the jobs inherited by arty battalion XO's was to investigate any friendly arty rounds that injured or killed American troops. I remember being called to investigate an outpost (listening post) for "A" Company, 1st Bn, 9th Marine regiment. One of Battery F, 2/12's 105's was laid out (using another tube's aiming stakes).

I reported my findings to the 9^th Marines regimental commander, Col Robert H. Barrow (who would become our 27^th Commandant). I have never seen a more perfect and COOL gentleman, as they were fighting "Dewey Canyon" at the time. If Commandants could have been voted in, he would have had my vote.

We closed Neville and reopened FSB Cates and Argonne during April 1969. This moved our fire power west toward the Laotian Border. I formed a jump FDC on Cates, and we had Golf Battery and two 155 Howitzers from 4^th Battalion, 12^th Marines. First Battalion, 4^th Marines were our infantry group, commanded by LtCol Dick Sargent.

In late April, the plan was to create two fire support bases straddling the Ho Chi Min Trail, FSB Alpine and FSB Greene, to provide support for 1/4.

1/4 jumped off from Cates and Argonne and began landing at Alpine. Their battalion commander was killed in the first wave, and LtCol Claire Wilcox (he had been G-2 of the division) was flown in to take command.

Our KIA and WIA were mounting, and, at that time, President Lyndon Johnson instructed our Ambassador in Saigon to withdraw all troops from Laotian territory. This was the commencement of the wind down, and it sealed the end to any victory that was almost within our grasp.

Our 3/12 artillery jump group and 1/4 headquartered at Cates, and a Naval Construction Battalion section was assigned to us to harden our artillery site in preparation for a visit from our 24^th Commandant, General Leonard F. Chapman, Jr. Unfortunately, Cates was considered "Too Hot" for his visit and construction was halted.

I inherited the 3rd Artillery Battalion on 4 May and commanded the battalion through the attachment of several Army artillery units, until we had the largest artillery battalion in our Tactical Area Of Responsibility (TAOR).

I was promoted to LtCol in July by Pete Mulroney, and received orders for the Naval Post Graduate School (NPGS) at Monterey, California in August. My change of command was to then Major Harry H. Bair as I departed from the combat zone on 1 August 1969.

Full Name	Robert E. Gibson	Previous Duty Station	US Army Command and General Staff College
Service Branch	USMC	Location In Area	Headquarters, 3/12
Unit	HQ-3/12	Date Arrived In Area	January, 1969
Date Entered	06/04/54	Main Job In Area	XO/CO of 3/12
Date Discharged	04/30/85	Rank When There	Major
Highest Rank	Colonel	Date Left Proximity	May, 1969
MOS	9906/0802	Next Duty Station	US Naval Post Graduate School
Boot Camp Location	US Naval Academy	Medals Received	Awards included Defense Superior Service Medal, Legion of Merit Medal (V), two Meritorious Service Medals, Navy Commendation Medal (V), Combat Action Ribbon and Presidential Unit Citation

Robert Gibson

Joined the Association: 04/30/04

My Story