TO COMMO FROM JC SUBJ ROAD CONST BY 3RD ENGINEERS
THIS FOUND IN 3RD ENGINEERS COMMAND CHRONOLOGY DATED OCT, 65:
"BLACKBOX MSR"--
...c. Road and Bridge Construction.
(1) 2/9-3/9 MSR: This project started in late August, continued through the month of September. It consisted of building a road to the immediate east of an existing elevated railroad bed, from (AT998705 to Duong Son (2) (AT990676). This route offered terrain slightly above the paddies which flank the railroad bed and was the best site other than the railroad bed itself. During the first two weeks work proceeded satisfactorily. One bridge was built and 7 culverts installed. 725 cubic yards of laterite were hauled and spread on the roadway. Work on the project was completed on 13 September 1965. A combination of rain, starting on 16 September 1965, and the heavy traffic of 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines support operations caused the road to deteriorate rapidly and it became...
untrafficable to all except light and tracked vehicles. On 17 September work resumed by the 3rd Platoon, "C" Company under the command of 2ndLt T. M. Rodriguez, who had been assigned originally. The period 17-21 September was spent in repairing the damage done and opening the road vital traffic. This consisted of scraping the road and draining standing water. Since laterite by itself had proved to be a poor material for all-weather road base (although with good weather, the best available due to the scarcity of crushed rock), a combination use of this fill and sand was started and by 21 September 1965 the road was open to 15 T traffic. Fill and grading operations continued until 26 September 1965. 815 cubic yards of fill distributed on the road. On 25 September 1965 permission was obtained to use the railroad itself and work was started removing the rails and ties. By 30 September 1965 all sections of rail had been unbolted and 400 yards of rail and ties removed and stockpiled. During this period the original road was improved and kept open to all traffic.
DUONG SON (2) BECAME THE CP OF 27TH MARINES REGIMENTAL COMMAND.
TO COMMO FROM JC SUBJ ROAD CONST BY 3RD ENGINEERS