VOL. III--U. S. GROUND STRATEGY AND FORCE DEPLOYMENTS, 1965--1967
The enemy ' s TET offensive, which began with the attack on the U.S. Embassy in Saigon on 31 January 1968, although it had been predicted, ~/ took the U.S. command and the U.S. public by surprise, and its strength, length, and intensity prolonged this shock. As the attacks continued, the Secretary of Defense, on 9 February, requested the Joint Chiefs of Staff to furnish plans which would provide for emergency reinforcement of COMUSMACV (pdf 8)
The three plans for emergency reinforcement examined by the Joint Chiefs of Staff were:
a . Plan One, which is based upon prompt deployment of the 82nd Airborne Division and 6/9 Marine division/wing team, callup of some 120,000 Army and Marine Corps Reserves, and appropriate legislative action to permit extension of terms of service of active duty personnel and the recall of individual Reservists .
b . Plan Two, which would deploy as many Marine Corps battalions as are now available in CONUS, less one battalion in the Caribbean, the battalion in the Mediterranean, and the Guantanamo Defense Force. This plan would not be based upon a callup of Reservists or legislative action.
c. Plan Three, which would deploy the 82nd Airborne Division but would leave Marine Corps battalions in CONUS . This plan would likewise envisage no Reserve callup and no legislative action. (pdf 9-10)
Notwithstanding the recommendation of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, the Secretary of Defense almost immediately approved the deployment of one brigade of the 82ncl Airborne Division and one Marine regimental landing team to South Vietnam. A total strength of almost 10,500 was assumed and publicly announced. (pdf 12)
The Marine Corps Regiment was to close in SVN not later than 26 February also. The Regiment (reinforced) less one battalion, was to be deployed by air from California at a strength of about 3,600. One battalion (reinforced) which was then embarked, "was to be deployed by surface at a strength of about 1,600. ~/
In view of the wide variation of strength associated vii th a Marine Corps Regiment (reinforced), CINCPAC was directed to advise all concerned of the identity, composition and strength of the force selected for deployment. 1/ CINCPAC nominated the 27th Marine Regiment, which included 5247 Marine and 327 Navy personnel. (pdf 12)
( 2) The Reserve force will consist of approximately 12,000 personnel. It will provide the capability to deploy a balanced, self-sustaining air/ground combat force in relief of the lightly structured 27th Marines (Rein) and permit return of the 27th Marine Regiment (Rein) to the training/rotation base in CONUS/Hawaii . This exchange would commence as soon as the Reserve unit becomes combat-ready (approximately 60 days after callup) and must be completed not later than 120 days after deployment of RLT-27. (pdf 13)
c. Navy. Support of the newly authorized deployments will require the callup of two Navy mobile construction battalions (NMCB ) totalling 1,700 personnel and 600 individual medical/ dental/chaplain Reservists . These callups will provide for bringing recalled Marine units up to strength, sustaining the Navy personnel organic to the deployed RLT. (pdf 14)
2. The Troop Request
Although the new Secretary of Defense, Clark Clifford, was formally sworn into office by the President on 1 March, his work had begun many days before .
In order to ascertain the situation in SVN and to determine subsequent MACV force requirements , General Earle Wheeler, Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, had been sent by the President to Saigon on 23 February. His report was presented to the President on 27 February 1968 . On the basis of this report, and the recommendations it contained, the President ordered the initiation of a complete and searching reassessment of the entire U. S. strategy and commitment in South Vietnam. (pdf 18)
New ceiling in RVN: 549, 500
a. Program 5: 525,000.
b. Emergency deployment of 82d Abn, 27th RLT : 11,000.* 13,500 .*
c. Support and sustain emergency deployment:
d. Total: 549,500.
Includes estimated 1,444 Air Force and Navy.
1st Bde , 5th Inf Div (Mech) ,Will replace 27th RLT . (pdf 83)
6. JCS Msg 9929, 130341Z Feb 68, Subject: "Deployment of Marine Corps Regiment (Reinforced) to SVN (S)."
7 • Ibid.
8. CINCPAC Msg to JCS/CINCSTRIKE, 150125Z Feb 68, Subject: "Deployment of Marine Regiment (U)" JCS in 12316. (pdf 100)
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