This is a bit more background on how the two divisions were first alerted and arrived in Vietnam.
During the latter part of 1965, the 25th Division was alerted to deploy to Vietnam. - Sarge AK
From (courtesy of ) Ev Stoutner:
I took command of the 3rd Brigade in June, 1965. At that time the major units of the Brigade were: 1st Bn, 35th Infantry
commanded by Lt. Col. Ed Callanan, 2nd Bn, 35th Infantry commanded by Lt. Col. George Scott (now deceased), 1st Bn,
5th Mech Inf commanded by Lt. Col. Thomas Greer, 2d Bn 9th Artillery commanded by Lt Col Saul Jackson.
On December 12, 1965 I was directed by Col Tom Mellon, 25th Inf Div C/S to meet Major General Fred Weyand , CG 25th
Infantry Division, at his quarters at 1800 hours that evening. Gen Weyand, who had just returned from a meeting at
CINCPAC, informed me that the 3rd BDE was to be deployed to Pleiku, Vietnam and that an Advanced Party should leave
within a week. This information was, of course, TOP SECRET at that time.
The 3rd Brigade was tailored as a Separate Brigade Task Force and would be under the Operational Control of the CG First
Field Force Commanded by Maj Gen Stanley Larsen whose Headquarters was some 100 miles Southeast of Pleiku on the
Coast at Nha Trang .
Before leaving Schofield Barracks, the 1st Bn 5th Mech was moved to the 2nd Brigade and the 1st Bn, 14th Infantry
commanded by Lt Col Gilbert Proctor was assigned to the 3rd Bde. In addition to the three infantry battalions, and the direct
support artillery battalion, there was a Provisional Support Battalion, consisting of various combat and service support
elements such as Medical, Signal, Ordnance, and Administrative units . Plus, there was a combat engineer company, a
cavalry troop and a tank company. The overall strength of this separate brigade task force was about 4200 people.
The 3rd Bde, less the 1-14 and the large armor and engineer equipment, deployed by air. The code name of the airlift was
"Operation Blue Light". The Air Force dedicated 12 C-141 and 4 C -133 aircraft to this operation. The Advance Party,
utilizing three C-141 aircraft, departed for Pleiku on or about December 16th. (I do not recall the exact date) The Main Body
started deployment on December 25th and I departed Schofield Barracks at that time. Major (P) Phil Feir, was the Brigade
Executive Officer. He remained at Schofield to supervise the movement and to close out the brigade responsibilities as the
last elements of the brigade departed.
The 1-14th Inf, after spending 12 days at sea, arrived at Cam Ran Bay on January 17th, 1966. Our initial mission was to
build a Base Camp about 4 miles East of Pleiku, establish communications, and to ensure the protection of the base as the
units phased in. A plane arrived about every six hours. In addition, we had the mission of securing Hwy 19 (?) from the
Coast to Pleiku as our out sized and logistical elements moved via that route to Pleiku.
As I recall, the 3rd BDE completed its move to Pleiku during the 3rd week in January 1966 which was eight days ahead of
the target date that had been set by MACV.
Operation Blue Light was completed without incident and was, at that time, the largest Air Force/Army movement in point of
number troops moved and the amount of ton miles flown. The 61st Military Air Lift Wing flew 225 missions, transporting
more than 4700 Tons of cargo plus approximately 4000 troops. A total of 225 missions were flown during this movement.
Following this early movement of the brigade, the 1st Battalion, 69th Armor joined the unit in May 1966. The brigade
engaged North Vietnam regulars along the Cambodian border and then Viet Cong main-line forces in Quang Ngai province
for which it received a Valorous Unit Award.
4th Division
The 4th Division started it's deployment on July 21, 1966 as the USS Nelson M Walker departed the Port of Tacoma and
arrived in Qui Nhon on August 6, 1966 to deploy it's 2nd Brigade (1-12th, 3-12th, 2-8th) to the Central Highlands near
Pleiku. Two months later on October 4th, the 1st Brigade (1/8th, 3/8th, 1-22nd) arrived in Vietnam and right behind them on
October 12th, the 3rd Brigade (2-12th, 2-22nd, 3-22nd) arrived at Vung Tau, Vietnam."
"For some reason and I am guessing, with the ramp up of the war and as we began to deploy divisions to Vietnam, MACV
was feeling their way along. We just located the 25th Div's 3rd brigade to the north and their 2nd Brigade to Cu Chi. Just
prior to this the 4th staged two brigades to I Corp so when the 3rd Brigade of the 4th arrived they were not needed in the
north immediately so they were moved from Vung Tau inland as a staging maneuver. With the 25th Division setting up it's
headquarters in Cu Chi and already manned with two brigades, the plan seemed to be to also expand the presence of the
fighting forces toward War Zone C and D which meant establishing a presence in Dau Tieng which Operation Fort Nisqually
initiated in November, 1966. The 2-12th Inf. was part of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Infantry Division who were Hq'd in Central
Vietnam. But due to where they were currently located in III Corp, the 3rd Brigade (and the 2-12th ) was placed under the
operational control of the 25th Infantry Division's HQ and visa versa for the 25th's 3rd Brigade located in Pleiku. Ultimately,
in August of 1967, the two divisions reflagged their respective brigades and realigned the division. " - Sarge AK
On November 28, 1966, the 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Division established a base at Dau Tieng via Operation Fort
Nisqually. The 3rd Brigade began continuous operations in the area surrounding Dau Tieng with maximum use of small unit
patrols and "Bushmasters". Once the surrounding area was secure, the Brigade joined other units of the 25th Division in
field operations.
In April 1967 the 196th was transferred to Chu Lai in I Corps, thus reducing the division to three brigades. On 1 August
1967 the 25th Division assumed control of the former elements of the 3rd Brigade, 4th Division, the 2nd Battalion, 12th
Infantry, 2nd Battalion (Mechanized), 22nd Infantry and the 3rd Battalion, 22nd Infantry. The 2nd Battalion, 77th Artillery was
assigned to the 25th Division Artillery. In exchange the 4th Division at Pleiku assumed control of the units formally with the
25th Division's 3rd Brigade, 1-14th, 1-35 & 2-35th Infantry except for Troop C, 3/4th Cavalry and several other company-
level support elements which rejoined the division at Cu Chi less personnel and equipment.
On January 27, 1966, at 0830 hours, Task Force Queen, consisting of the 1st Bn 27th Infantry, the 2nd Bn 27th Infantry, the
1st Bn 8th Artillery(-), the 2nd Brigade Headquarters and Headquarters Company (-), and elements of the 2nd Support Bn,
proceeded from the staging area near Saigon University to Cu Chi.
On January 29, 1966, at 0830, hours Task Force King, consisting of the 1st Bn(M) 5th Infantry(-), The 2nd Brigade HHC
Rear element, and elements of the 2nd Support Bn began movement to their assigned assembly area at Cu Chi from the
staging area near Saigon University. Meanwhile at 0700 hours, the 1st Bn 27th Infantry began relieving the 1st Bn 28th
Infantry, 1st Infantry Division and assumed their perimeter defensive positions. They also provided extraction zone security
for the 1st Bn 28th Infantry.
At 1200 hours, the 2nd Bn 27th Infantry began relieving Company B, 2nd Bn 2nd Infantry, 1st Infantry Division and assumed
their perimeter defensive sector. A secure extraction zone was also provided for Company B, 2nd Bn 2nd Infantry.
On February 3, 1966 the last element of the 2nd Brigade Task Force closed into the Cu Chi base camp area from the
staging area near Saigon University. There were no major convoy incidents during the movement of the entire task force.
On February 22, 1966, Troop A, 3rd Squadron, 4th Cavalry arrived at the Cu Chi Base Camp Area.
Last to arrive was the 1st Brigade (4-23rd) on 29 April 1966. Before leaving Hawaii the brigade received two battalions from
Alaska, the 4th Battalions of the 9th and 23rd Infantry to bring it up to strength. During the period from the summer of 1966
to the spring of 1967 the 25th Division was the largest division in Vietnam with four brigades under its command, the
division s 1st and 2nd Brigades as well as the 3rd Brigade, 4th Division and the 196th Light Infantry Brigade. In early 1967
the 25th participated in two major operations conducted in Military Region III, Cedar Falls and Junction City.
April, 1966 - The 25th's 1st Brigade leaves Hawaii in April by ship and arrives in Vung Tau on April 29, 1966 and the next
day, is airlifted to Cu Chi where she joins the rest of the division.
On January 22, 1966 an Operations Order was issued to alert units to prepare to move to the area of Cu Chi. Movement
was to be in 4 segments. The first segment on January 25; the second on January 27; the third on January 29 and the
fourth at a date to be determined.
The 1st Infantry Division (Reinf) was given the assignment of receiving, staging and deploying the 2nd Brigade 25th Infantry
Division to the base area near Cu Chi. The 1st Division was to coordinate security during movement to, initial occupation of,
and development of the Cu Chi base camp area.
The 3rd Brigade, 1st Infantry Division was assigned to clear and secure the initial base area near Cu Chi not later than 1200
hrs on January 25, 1966. The 25th Infantry Division of the Army of the Republic of South Viet Nam (ARVN) was assigned to
secure Highway 1 from the area of the Cau Bong Bridge to the road junction of Highway 8A near Cu Chi during the
movement of the 2nd Brigade Task Force convoys.
On January 25, 1966 at 0930 hours, Task Force Jack, consisting of one company from the 1st Bn(M) 5th Infantry , one
battery from the 1st Bn 8th Artillery, Companies B and C of the 65th Engineer Battalion and the advance parties from 2nd
Brigade units departed the staging area near Saigon University and proceeded to an assigned assembly area at Cu Chi.
After the arrival of TF Jack at Cu Chi, elements of the 1st Infantry Division continued to receive small arms (SA), automatic
weapons (AW) and mortar fire. The Viet Cong (VC) in the area were operating in small teams and attempted to maintain
continual harassing activities against friendly forces.
TF Jack units were moved into assembly areas in the vicinity of their assigned sectors. The 3rd Brigade of the 1st Infantry
Division was responsible for the security and defense of the area and orders were issued that strict fire discipline was to be
observed by all units. The firing of weapons by TF Jack units was not permitted during the period that the 3rd Brigade, 1st
Infantry Division had responsibility for security of the area.
From the 1-5th Bobcat's (courtesy of) website:
"The main body of the 2nd Brigade Task Force, 25th Infantry Division, arrived at Vung Tau, South Viet Nam on January 18,
1966. The 2nd Brigade Command Post was initially located in the area of Saigon University. Company B, 1st Bn 503 Bde,
173rd Abn Div was under the operational control of the 2nd Brigade Task Force and supplied the perimeter security for the
Task Force. The 2nd Bn 27th Infantry supplied 9 rifle squads to Co B, 1-503rd Inf to reinforce the perimeter security of the
staging area. The 1st Bn 27th Infantry and the 1st Bn (M) 5th Infantry were on standby to furnish 3 rifle squads each to Co
B, 1-503 rd Infantry, should they be needed. Controlled issue of ammunition for the 2nd Brigade Task Force was to be
maintained. Only those personnel occupying perimeter defensive positions and ambush sites were supposed to be issued
ammunition.
Aboard USS Walker - PFC Winder
3rd Bde at Cam Ranh Bay '66
B Winder At Cu Chi
Command Bunker 1/5th
Bunker 1/5th at Cu Chi
Tower with 90MM 1/5th
These photos were emailed to me, but so far, I haven't identified the contributor - click on photo to run slide show