5th marine regiment - 3rd battalion - command ......b, medical officer's report the battali>n...

5TH MARINE REGIMENT - 3RD BATTALION - COMMAND DIARY -DECEMBER 1953

Korean War

Korean War Project Record: USMC-2221

CD: 22

United States Marine Corps History Division

Quantico, Virginia

Records: United States Marine Corps

Unit Name: 1st Marine Division

Records Group: RG 127

Depository: National Archives and Records Administration

Location: College Park, Maryland

Editor: Hal Barker

Korean War Project

P.O. Box 180190

Dallas, TX 75218-0190

http://www.koreanwar.org

http://www.koreanwar.org/

Korean War Project USMC-08002568DECLASSIFIED

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Fii:tST ENDORSEMENT on CO 3rd3n 5thl'Jar ltr ser 001 of 5 Jan 1954

From: To: Via:

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Commanding Officer, 5th !1arinea Command::t~ of the Mari..."le Corps (l) Conrranding General, lat Harine Division, FMF (2) Co~manding General 1 Fleet Marine Force, Pacific

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Korean War Project USMC-08002569t

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FEB 3 i954

SECOND ENDORSEMENT on 3rdBn 6tbMar 1tr ser 001 ot 5 Jan 1954 From: CoiiiiBanding General, let Marine Division (Reinf), TD To: Commandant ot the Marine Corps V~ft· ~ftMM-ft~4~~ dafta __ , ,Aa+ U--4Ma .__AA ~--4#4a • -Q• VV-Qoi&--.U.~ VliOI'.&&'V .. Q.o&o' ... -..... VVV 4"~.1.-.IA'V 1.•uo~, VVI ~ a,UoL.L ""''-'

Subj: Command Diary tor Deoember 1953

1. Forwarded.

2. The seourity classitioat1on ot th1s endorsement 1s removed when detached trom the basio dooum&nt.

Copy to: CMC (1) MCS (2) I'MFPao (1) 2d MarDiv (1) 3d MarDiv (1)

S\-.~-~ UT. P lJJUH.AN

B7 direction

MCB, Camp Pendleton (1) let Prov Marine Ai~Ground Task Foroe (1) S&C Files (1)

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Korean War Project USMC-08002570

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on 3dBn 6tbMaf ltr ser .OO;J. ot 6 Jan 1954

From: To:

Comm~nding General, F;J.e•t llarine Force, Pacific Commandant ot the Mar~11e>Oorp•

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Subj: Command Diary for D8~·~~F .. 1963 '- . --~.~-'

1. For-war-ded. . ·_ . . -,:·>~1; .. ~--- ~... _' . . . 2. This endoreeme..r1t 1s d.6Vrl~jlij_~:(t6 unclaa'li1fied .uPon de-tachment trom the basic d~tlii"'lffi~~('\ ,-~ ----- -- - : • ··'

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na• (l) OollrlnnUns Ottiilol;oi .Stn MorWe ';,;., {2) oom.Bndins Oenue.1j lat ~1M';1)ljlf.i~P. (lleiftf),; 1W • (,9) Oollllll)nt\ing Oeiierali Flaot ~~no~iftJI,, i'tloltle ·

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a. r,t 12"!1 this 'bt\ttaUon l'd~ t~."llli.H'J!l.Klti ""leived. l.l!t Ba'tc tnlion~ 7th ~.arinee, and r~~R!!'~ .roo~Iw~1ttoty or ooAUwtn.s ~~-~ftM~ 1tat; 0:.1. :.u :-,v~iJ!x::-~tr.:".. s~ot:Jr.

b, Co.re ana lllllintommce of S~\li~n{ il:nd· weapotlllll,lSsd on.W.RLICX, '!'f

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•• Battalion participated 'in a)>i~i~1rm Omunand .roet Ext;~to1ee.

Battali-..n level ori tiqu~ ot:¥VJ\LU.' d, Teet /,ir l.lert 113'\ . "

:,ll Conpanies not it'iei\ 1135••

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oo Tost /,ir ',lert 2125 . . 1 ' · '.ll Cnmpanies n">tifled ,,130 .

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b. fd1· J.ler·~ :i_6Z.J :.11 Compml.s nntif~od 1632 ~ir :.lert. ovm: l6h', All Camp:mies lDtH led J.646

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b, B:~tt111i 'n p:~rticip~ted in a Divisbn Command •'ost ll:xercise.

c. Test /.ir J.lart 0843 1•11 CO>mpllllies n~tified ·1848

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e, Routine,

b. B'lttalbn nartio1'1ptec1 in I U, 8, COI:'-ps tr'lining xorcise '1·.!rc'r·.c w'1ioh time b~tt1e O'nr.itbns were sillllllatea, tnsitbns mannGd 1"~. "'"~ C1"ll'1Unior.ti.·ms testa-'\, Sxorcisa started l:Jn6 ani seouren 1620,

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a, lbuiine,

b. Test ·.ir '•lort :.. '~''J 1.11 C'lmpnnios n 'ti:''.ec: 1"55

a1 R-,utine,

b. Ba,tal1'n participated in a negimental training exerciSe &urirl!; which timO.bot~le conditi,ns were simulated, p0siti'lns manned 101% and o-".i_:·r-;ru:n.i~ati -·ns testc·:l.. StnrtGd 1416 nnd scoured nf'tcr all cJmp11nies were inspected by Bogimontol Inspeot~rs,

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Lieuten'(rit Colcmel, U. s,· Mtu-ine Corps

Directives Received

Direotivea Issued

Reparts nn1 Summaries

rtnte>gl'nphi~ Supplam~nt ( ~cg'ltive)

c~lll!ll)nts nnd T1eor:>mmend.nti •ns

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1. Directives Recoivod

a, trders and Memorn~1n

Ragt 11 Thg Momo 29~53 Regt '1 Tng Moun 3~··53 Regt 11 Tng Mom:> 31-53

Regt 1 1 Mom0 69-53

Regt 1l Bulletin 17-53

Re£t 11 Oi -16-53

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lraotice Alert for manning OrLR. Cmmoond I'oet Exercise c~mmand ~oat Exercise

.i'ay fnrcrmati-:>n . Christml'ls l'arty

Annex Mnn.,; to 5 Mor 0 '-19-53 Wi thdrwo1 fre>rn Bridgehea:1s to Reserve r,ssembly !.rea,

b, Messagas

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l• Directives Issued1 Negative

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• •• I.ppendilt III to 'd Batt'lli 'n, 5th l·'ari.oBs c~::r;:anci Dlni'Y ::c.r Doaemb3r 1953

i• OYerlayJ D1sposi tiDn dnrl.ng clcrio:i 09l21'lO!-.JJ24'lOI

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• •• Appendix IV to 3d Battalbn. ,5th ~~v.·' -'~'~ [•omr,am Di11ry for December 1953

1, R:OR>RTS l.NU SUMM:.R:r;;;S

a, Special SGrvices

In 'l-i:l.itbn tn rnwios 1 .this batt'>lin had the opportunity to see

tvo (2) stage Shows ~uring tho month of December 1953• The first of these was • The General Mark Ollll'k Sh,v1 and the second an "l•ll :i.rroy Show",·

Two ( 2) b~er ratbns ware recoivec1 and rlistributei\ during the

month and two ( 2) cans of free boer were rna;'le available tn e'lch raan dur-

ing the OhriStiJIIIS Se'lS·~n.

Magazines, b~r>ks, anc~ oowspopers ~1ere ·Ustributerl to all c~panies,

b, Medical Officer's Report

The Battali>n Command Post as well as each Company Chmmand area

received a sanit!U'y inspection once weekly nn:l. all rec~11111E1n·1ntbns have

been adequately c!U'rie-:'1 nut,

Sick call was conducted :\nily in the \11 Station at 180(1 aM an

average of twenty-five (25) patients were seen each day.

During the month three (3) eases of veneral desease were :\iqgnosed

and tre'lted~ The percentage of veneral deaaose !n this b~tt~li~n is 3/10%

Innoculati'>ns •u1m1nistere~ 1 I

538 Influenza injeoti~ns

c. l'erse>nnel Reprt

Transferrcn 2 Marine Offio0rs to OONLUS

TransferreJ 1 Marine Officer '" US Navnl U\visory Gr•up, Rep..tblic

ot Koren Navy,

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Appen,1h: IV to 3d B"tt.,lbr., _5th lt~rines Gomma.ni\ Di'lry fnr December 1953 (C~nt'd)

- -- - ~ - - ~ - - - -~ ·~ ~ - ~ ~ ~ - - - - - - - ~ - - -- . - -- - . --- - ~ Joined 2 M'lrine Officers fr~m 3d Marino Divisi~n, FMF

Transferred 1 lfl.rlrino Bnlisto:l to 3il M!lrine Di visbn, FMF

Transferred 4 Msrine Enlisted Inter-Regiment

Transferred 3 M!lrine Enliste1 to lstPrav~~s Center, FMF, Camp Fisher, Japan.

Japan

Transferrec1 l M!lrine Enl1steil Inter~Divisbn

Joined 189 M'lrine ~nlisteil fr'm CO~LUS

Joined 2 Marino Enliste'\ fr·lm let ProvCasCenter, FMF, Camp Fisher,

Joineil 3 I~rine Enlisted Intor~Regiment

Joined l Merino Enlisted Inter-Division

Transferre~ 9 Na-ey :,;nlistod lntel'-Divisbn

Transfol'l'ed 1 Navy Enliste1 to USS OONSOL:.TION

Tl'ansferl'ed l Navy Enlisted lsti~ovC•sContel', FMF, Camp Fisher, Japan

J~ined l Nqvy Officer Inter-Divisi~n

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• •• SRCRFJ!' Appendix V! to 3d Betta: ic;~. ·;


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Appendix VI to 3d Ba+.t2lbr,, 5ti1 l'fa.·'.nen~~• obstaub ~rc.ssing 1 gave tho mm tb.a neoossary 'Qnnfidon~a ~:1Gy nJ.:;d0c1 f' n:r· the !:!e·~nal debarking and lend-

ing, The helicopter t=·eL,,.,., ,..,.a f.~.r'rc time

c~uld havo bcon spent on th-,se operatnns,

£.• Thu rno••alo of thv troc.ps >f hul-·up by the

Amphibious Tro>ps Training Co~mand, &nd a real &oslro on tho pal't of the

tro-,ps to learn.

g._ Th~ 2~. :,f De~om·c,3r was sp.mt in r.l aaning gea-:o and preparing for the trin b Ir.ch~r.. t.t ObJD on 2 D~ooniDCI the advance party left tho training ar0a b g0 ab>ard ship, Thoy rrrivcd at IPc!"l~n at 0945. Tho first ochcbn -,f the batt ali on loft by tr·u.ck fer tho Munsani

railhead at 0330 on 3 De0-ornber, I'' was folbwod s:1ortly by tho 2d ech-elon, Tb.!'. Jirst o~:lwlon a:.-r!.ved H-msard the AP!. 194, USS Sand:wal at 1400.

(J) E:Keoution of the M',RlEX,

~· The ship gnt under way on 4 Ducamber. During tho day of 4 December aband-,n ship and debarkation stati-,n drills wore held.

T:> insure that the tro0ps know where their debark statbne were, three

(3) drill ·.rare held, The first was held with life jackets, the SGc>nd with steal helmots and life jackets, and th3 third with steel helmets,

life jaclrots, and individual and crew served wea!Y'ns. On the evening of

4 Deczmbcr a cnnf~rence was held with all Captains of ships of CTU 90.8.5

wave guides_, LVT Company Cmnmandor, and Commanding Officers BLT 3/5. The weather had bac-~rne r·mgh and th0re was e.-,me doubt 1f R day WJuld be

held, H~wever, during the night the wind died and R day and H h-,ur went

as scheduled, R day >ras set as 5 Decembar anc1 I! hour as 1000. On 5 Dec~ Gmber BLT 3/5 held a rehaarsal for the D day l> nding on the island -:>f

Tok Ch:>k 'T-:>. On R day reveille was ·held at 0530, ;,11 070.CI the trovos

started debarking into tha LOU's, LCM's and LCVP1s for the transfer to

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the LSD. Once abc:>ard the l.l'lD they illlli'.Dil~ atc,l y p-:-n~3~1ad t'l tlwh• ascign~

ad LVT 1 s. On R day thcra was soma c )U:~-..sJ..-,n durint; the traPsfor ~pGra

ti'ln. This was dua t~ s~me diffioult.y in dssod the line .-,f d"parturu in o-,r~ reot formati'ln and on time, The first wavo hit the beach at H h"lur, The 2d waTe O!llll'l in well disp3rsed, tho troops walked out of the vehicles,

dispersed, and m-,ved rapidly acr-,ss the beach t~wards their initial ~b~ jectives. 1.11 succaoding waves landod wall dispersed and the tro . .,ps

moved very rapidly inland,

s. Radb and wire communioatinna ::>n D day were ex-cellent, c~ntact between our FI,O and tha air support was excellent. .t

.all tiroos BLT 3/5 had f"ur (4) aircraft on station, '-t no tiiW did it

8 ke longer than five (5) minutes t~ got an a~r strike ~n designated targets. :.t appr,ximatcly 12'1') the pr~blam was secured and tl\o tr?"l;JS started ·bhOkloading, This backloading was d~nc; very rapidly and with a

minimum of c~nfusbn, ¥.Jst :1f the oredi t f-:or the rapid backbading must

.. e givon t-, tho LVT units who had ccnstruoteci an Ufr bridge on which tho troops c:1uld walk ~ver the LOU's, B~ 3/5 was c•mpletly back ab-,ard ship by 1430.

,9.. J.s during the training, the U, S: Marines nnd

IMl's proved t-, be very interested and did their jobs tn the fullest.

M-:orale aboard ship W'lS excellent, Tho cleavage that usually exists be-

tween Marinas and No.vy abo·;rd an '•PA seoJOOd to bo non~existant. -

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• • • SS:OREI' ....... -- ... - .. - - ....... - .. -- ...... .,._, .. -..... --~ ~ - ........ - - - -- ....... - ~ .. -.'.pporuUx VI to 3d Battol.bn, 5th M:1r:nns eommt:~nd Diary t'nr :X.cJir 1:!'·1~pq. It was alsJ noted that lllllrcy" ot these .~bsnor.; ~ '.d mt go :1l.ong wl.th tho spirit of the ex-ercise, On D day several ~f thorn didn't ev~n ~ther to go on tho land~ ing i;hat they were eupp1sof to obsorve,

1', M 120'l on 9 December tho 3d Battalhft, 5th Marinas re1eiYod the 1s~DautB11Qn, 7th ~'lrinos,

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5th marine regiment - 3rd battalion - command ......b, medical officer's report the battali>n...

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