Communications Support Company
7th Communication Battalion
3rd Marine Amphibious Brigade
DaNang, Vietnam 1971
I was a member of this unit from April 1971 until we left Vietnam at the end of June, 1971. I think we were the last Marine ground unit to leave country, since you had to have Comm until all units left.
The US was leaving Vietnam and turning the Vietnam war back over to the Vietnamese. 3rd Marine Division left country in Nov 1969, and 1st Marine Division left in March on 1971.
3rd MAB was Reactivated 14 April 1971 at Da Nang, Republic of Vietnam to replace 1st MarDiv.
3rd MAB participated in the war in Vietnam, April-June 1971, operating from Da Nang. The 3rd Amphibious Brigade was the last combat unit remaining in Vietnam by July 1971.
https://www.3rdmeb.marines.mil/Unit-Home/About/Lineage/
I searched for this unit online in 2024 and was surprised that I could find very little about this unit. The 7th Comm Battalion site says they left country in 1969. I guess they forgot about the Support Company.
This is excerpted from my DD-214 Discharge.
While in this unit I was the Radio Relay Platoon Commander, then S-3, and finally the XO for a few weeks. I was the senior Lt - all the other Lts were on their first tour. We had radio relay shots around the country which we gradually shut down. We managed to burn a few PRC-47 Radios up by putting the 60 cycle power cable into 400 cycle power. We also sent a MRC-87 up to Khe Sahn.
It was a major effort to get all of our equipment cleaned up to be sent back home. And major inspections to make sure we did not bring anything back with us that should not have been brought back.
I had extended my tour for six months and had left MASS-3in the Marine Air Wing for 1st MarDiv. (What was I thinking?) When the Division left I went to Communications Support Company, 7th Comm Bn at FLC. I think we were the last Marine ground unit out of Vietnam in late Jun 1971.
The Marine infantry was leaving country. Comm Support Company was one of the last units to leave because we had to have Comm until all units left. It was starting to get a little dicey. The Marine infantry left, replaced by 101st Airborne. They were OK. Then they were leaving, replaced by the Americal Division, which was not good, and then replaced by ARVN which was really not good. TIME TO LEAVE! WE GOTTA GET OUt OF THIS PLACE, IF ITS THE LAST THING WE EVER DO!
I had an odd little rifle - like a short M-16 with a foldable stock and short barrel. It looked like a current M-4. The Marines did not have this rifle - it was used by Army Special Forces. MASS-3 CEO Major Hickock got it when it was kicked out of a shot up Army helo, and when he left country he gave it to me. I was not signed for it. Forty Eight hours before we were to leave they said turn in all weapons. WTF? No weapons for 48 hours? What if the NVA found out? Not on a bet. So I kept my little rifle until we got to the freedom bird, and then I gave it to the US Army truck driver - got it back where it belonged.
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On top of Hill 327, near Danang, Vietnam overlooking the South China Sea and Hai Van Pass.
Wire Shack with Lcpl Hopkins, Hill 327
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| Craig Hullinger at the Electric Rat |
