- - - -,., I -- - I -. I FPO SAN FRANCISCO CAMP BARNES, DONG HA9 REPUBLIC of VIETNAM. UNITED STATES NAVAL CALIFORNIA, U.S.A. MOBILE CONSTRUCTION BATTALION ELEVEN HANSEN, EAO 2 PISCITELLO,EAD 2 11-233E ---- DRAWING I Of I ---- SHEET NO. NONE SCALE
U. S. NAVAL MOBILE CONSTRUCTION BATTALION ELEVEN FLEET POST OFFICE SAN FRANCISCO 96601 NMCBll: 30: jrl 5213 Ser 299 12 March 1968 From: To: Subj: Conunanding Officer, U. S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ELEVEN Commander Naval Construction Battalions, Pacific NMCB ELEVEN Deployment Completion Report Ref: (a) COMCBPACINST 5213.lD Encl : (1) Deployment Completion Report (4 copies) 1. Enclosure (1), a summary of the May through November 1967 deployment of U. S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ELEVEN, is submitted in accordance with reference (a). (~~ W. K. HARTELL Copy to: NAVFACENGCOM (8) CINCPACFLT COMSERVPAC COMSERVLANT COMCBLANT ( 2) COMNAVFORV COM3NCB (2 ) CG, FMFPAC CG III MAF (2) CG III MARDI V COM30NCR ( 2) COM31NCR (2) COM32NCR (2) COM20NCR (2) COM21NCR ( 2) COM3NCB REP SAIGON COMNAVFORV REP DANANG DIRECTOR OF NAVAL HISTORY DIRECTOR OF CONSTRUCTION, CO CBCEN PORHUE (2) CO CBCEN GULFPORT (2) CO CBCEN DAVISVILLE (2) OIC NAVSCOL CEC OFF (2) CO NCEL (2) CO NAVSCOLCONST (2) HISTORIAN, CBCEN PORHUE (2) ALL NMCB's ALL CBMU' s ( 2 ) NORTHERN AREA
Ref: (a) COMCBPAC OPORD 10-6 7 NMCB ELEVEN DEPLOYMENI' COMPLETION REPORT DONG HA, REPUBLIC OF VIETNAM MAY THRU NOVEMBER 1967 1. Employment Status. In accordance with reference (a), U. S. Naval Mobile Construction Battalion ELEVEN was deployed to Camp Barnes, Dong Ra Forward Combat Base, Republic of Vietnam from May through November 1967. The primar y mission of the Battalion was construction in support of U. S. Military Forces in the Republic of Vietnam. The following units were employed at other locations as follows: a. Cua Viet Detail. During the period of 19 May through 8 November 1967, a 14 to 27 man netail was employed at Cua Viet, RVN, in accordance with NMCB ELEVEN OPORD 12-67, to construct an LST/LCU ramp complex and staging area for NSA Danang. The Detail also constructed berthing huts for the 1st Am.tract Battalion, the Vietnamese Junk Advisory Force and NSA Danang-. b. Khe Sanh Detail ONE. From 23 May through 15 July, a Detail of 73 personnel was employed at the Khe Sanh Forward Combat Base, RVN, in accordance with NM.CB ELEVEN OPORD 13-67. The Detail reconstructed and repaired the SATS runway at the Base for III MAF and accomplished miscellaneous dust suppression, earthwork and construction of various facilities. c. Lang Vei Detail. During the period of 18 June through 26 November 1967, a 36 man Detail was employed a t Lang Vei, RVN to construct a Special Forces Camp for the U. S. Army FIFTH Special Forces Group (Airborne) i n accordance with NMCB ELEVEN OPORD 14-67. d. Khe Sanh Detail TWO. From 24 July through 4 August and from 9 through 12 August 1967, an 8 man Detail was employed at the Khe Sanh Forward Combat Base, RVN, in accordance with NM.CB ELEVEN OPORT 15-67, to inst all a SATS runway lighting system for III MAF. e. National Route ONE Detail. During the period of 6 August t hrough 24 Sep tember 1967, a 13 man Detail was employed to Quang Tri and Camp Evans, RVN, in accordance with NMCB ELEVEN OPORD 16-67, to accomplish repairs to National Route ONE between Quang Tri and the Song Bo River. f. Khe Sanh Detail THREE. From 14 through 22 September 1967, a 4 man Detail was employed to Khe Sanh Forward Combat Base to construct aircraft reve tments and an aircraft parking apron for 12th TASS in accordance with CI MCB 11-371E. g. Khe Sanh Detail FOUR. From 28 September through 6 October 1967 a 4 man Detail was employed at Khe Sanh, RVN to provide survey services to t he U. S. Army FIFTH Special Forces Group (Airborne) in the area. h. Danang Personnel. Throughout the deployment NMCB ELEVEN maintained an average of 8 expeditor and embarkation personnel in Danang, i
RVN to procure and ship materials equipment, spare parts and supplies to the Bat ta lion. i. Sea bee Team 1108. Employed t o Lai Thieu, RVN, in accordance with CBPACDET RVN OPORD 2-67, to perform construction support of USAID projects until its return to the Battalion and dises t ablishment on 10 Oc t ober 1967. j. Seabee Team 1109. After completing trai ning at 31NCR, employed at Chaiang Kham, Thailand from 25 April t hrou h 14 November 1967, in accordance with CBPACDET THAI OPORD 6-67, to perform construction and training support of USOM projects. k. Seabee Team 1110. On leave in CONUS and in traini ng at 31NCR from 3 July 1967 through t he end of t he Battalion deployment. 2. Unit Movements. In addition to the deployment and return of Details and Seabee Teams as described above, t he following Battalion unit move~ ments were accomplished during the deployment : a. RVN Predeployment Party. On 19 M rch 1967, a Predeployment Party of 4 Officers and 1 enlisted man departed t he B ~tttalion a t NCBC Port Hueneme and proceeded via commercial and military air transportation to Danang, RVN. b. RVN Advance Party ONE. On 23 and 24 March 1967, the first increment of the Advance Party, consisting of 2 officers and 40 enlisted personnel, deployed from the Battal ion a t NCBC Port Hueneme via VR-21 aircraft to Danang, RVN. c, RVN Advance Party TWO. On 2 and 3 April 196 7, t he second increment of the Advance Party, consisting of 1 officer and 99 en l isted personnel, deployed from t he Battalion a t NCBC Port Hueneme via VR- 21 aircraft to the Dong Ha Forward Combat Base, RVN. The f irst increment of the Advance Party moved from Danang to Dong Ha duri ng thi s and t he subsequent two week period. d. RVN Main Body Movemen t. From 26 Ap r i l t hrough 3 May 1967, the NMCB ELEVEN Main Body, cons i s ting of 16 offi cers and 637 enlist ed personnel, deployed from NCBC Port Hueneme t o the Dong Ha Forward Combat Base. Tbe movement was accomplished by e l even Military Air Command C-130 aircraft direc t into Dong Ha. The NMCB ELEVEN Advance Party was disestablished upon t he a r rival of the firs t Main Body flight on 28 Apri l 1967. e, CONUS Advance Party. On 24 and 25 October 1967, an Advance Party consisting of 2 offi cers, 27 enlisted personnel and a dog (Seabee Team 1108' s mascot "Colonel") departed the Battalion at t he Dong Ha Forward Combat Base for return to NCBC Port Hueneme. Th e majority of t h i s group was transported from Danang to CONUS by VR-21 aircraft. f. CONUS Main Body Movement, During the period of 29 November thru 7 December 1967, the NMCB ELEVEN Main Body, consistin' of 20 Officers and 738 enlisted personnel, deployed to NCBC Port Hueneme. ii
The movement was accomplished by fifteen Military Air Command C-130 aircraft from Dong Ha, RVN to Point Mugu, California. The NMGB ELEVEN Advance Party was disestablished upon the CONUS arrival of the Main Body. 3. Significant Events. In addition to the various mili~ary actions that NM.CB ELEVEN was involved in during the deployment as discussed in paragraph 4 and Annex B of this report, the Battalion recorded the following events of historical significance: 10 April 1967 - The Advance Party at Dong Ra corm:nenced construction of the first permanent Seabee camp to be located in the Northern I Corps of RVN. 28 April 1967 - NMCB ELEVEN, the first Battalion to be deployed to the Northern I Corps, co1illllenced arriving at the Dong Ha Forward Combat Base. 4 May 1967 - The Commanding Officer assumed responsibility for the perimeter defense of a portion of the Dong Ha Forward Comoa t Base. 8 May 1967 - Starting with a covered storage and various maintenance facilities, the Battalion commenced construction of the permanent F~U ONE area for Dong Ha. 30 May 1967 - The emergency construction of a 500 BBL steel water tank for a Vietnemese refugee v i l lage near Cam Lo, RVN was completed. 5 June 196 7 NMCB ELEVEN commenced work on the patching, sealcoating and repair and replacement of bridges and culverts on National Route ONE between Gio Linh and the Song Bo River north of Rue Phu Bai. The roadway assigned included a total length of 43.2 miles. 6 June 1967 - Personnel of the Battali on Security Company conducted a daytime reconnaissance patrol approximately 4,000 meters to the front of the camp perimeter. This patrol, one of many to be conducted during the deployment, is bel i eved to be another first for NMCB ELEVEN. 20 June 1967 - RADM W. M. BEAMAN, CEC, USN, COMCBPAC, visi ted the Battalion camp and project sites in Dong Ra and Cua Viet. 22 June 1967 - After fifteen days of around the clock operations, a C-130 aircraft landed at the Khe Sanh Forward Combat Base signifying the completion of the Battalion's reconstruction of this 3900 foot SATS runway. 2 July 1967 - ADM T. H. MOORER, USN, Prospective CNO, visited the Dong Ha Combat Base and received a briefing on the construction program of NMCB ELEVEN. iii
4 July 1967 - As an em>r gency construction project t o permit opening of the facility prior t o a scheduled military operation, the Battalion completed the er ect ion of r eve tments around the Dong Ha Combat Base Hospital. 7 July 196 7 - The 75 ton Eagl e rock crusher assigned to the Battalion was made fully operational. 27 July 1967 - CDR W. K. BARTELL, CEC, USN rel ieved CDR W. L. WILSON, CEC, USN as Commanding Officer and, a t the change of conunand ceremony, Camp Barnes was dedicated to the memory of EOCS D. J. BARNES, USN of NMCB ELEVEN who had been killed in action at Khe Sanh, RVN on 6 June 1967. During a reception following the ceremony, the Combat Base came under artillery attack causing what is believed to be the f irst time that a Seabee Brigade Cormnander and six of his Battalion Commanders shared the same motar hole during an artillery attack. 7 August 1967- The Battalion completed construction of the first permanent cold storage reefer facility in the Northern I Corps area and increased t he cold storage capability of Dong Ra by 450%. 20 August 1967- The construction of thirty r eveted helicopter pads for MAG-16 at Dong Ha was complet ed five days ahead of schedule. 28 August 1967- The COMCBPAC Annual Supply Inspection of the Battalion commenced. A subsequent adjective rating of 11 Excellent" was assigned by COMSERVPAC. 30 Augus t 1967- The NMCB FIVE Predeployment Party arrived at Camp Barnes for a five day visit with NMCB ELEVEN. 1 September 1967 - RADM Wo M. ENGER, CEC, USN, Vice Commander of NAVFAC ENGCOM, visited the Battalion at Camp Barnes and inspected the project sites in Dong Ha. 3 September 1967 - A most sign'ficant date in the 1967 deployment of NM.CB ELEVENo A date of frequent artillery attack, an eight hour period of concussion a nd shock wave from the fires and explosions of an ad jacent ammun i t ion supply point, a date of heroism, fear and maturity and a date of cons i derable damage to Camp Barnes. 14 Septel!lber 1967 - The Battalion commenced providing supply, material handli ng, personnel embar ation and equipment support for the Project XRAY construction program i n Quang Tri Province. 14 September 1967 - After only eight days of worki ng time and to meet an operational r equirement of a local Marine unit, tbe Battalion completed construction of a 250-man galley for the Ill MARDIV FWD compound. i v
lo October 1967 - Construction of the first permanent module of ammunition storage berms for Dong Ha was completed despite the continual delays of artillery attack and the monsoon rains. 23 October 1967 - The NMCB ELEVEN Advance Party departed Camp Barnes for return to CONUS. 23 October 1967 - The Battalion commenced construction of a s econd LCU ramp and staging area for the Dong Ha Forward Combat Base. 27 October 1967 - The emergency construction of a causeway loading ramp to permit the off-loading of barges in Dong Ra was completed. 28 October 1967 - The Battali on comple ted construction of five permanent maintenance buildf?gs for Marine units of the Dong Ha Combat Base. 30 October 1967 - The COMCBPAC Annual Operations and Administrative inspection of the Battalion commenced. Subsequent ratings of "EXCELLENT" were assigned by COMCBPAC to both areas. 10 November 1967- NMCB ELEVEN completed the const ruction of a permanent LST and I.CU ramp and staging area at Cua Viet, RVN. The facility initially s t arted seven months previous, accommodates two LST's and six LCU' s and provides a 13,000 square yard hardstand for the staging of materials for shipment to Dong Ra. 14 November 1967- The first portion of the NMCB FIVE Advance Party arrived at Camp Barnes. 15 November 1967- The NMCB FIVE/NMCB ELEVEN BEEP connnenced. 26 November 1967 - Despite acute material problems, arduous working conditions and fre quent monsoon rains, the U. S. Army Special Forces Camp a t Lang Vei, RVN was comple ted by the Battalion's Detail. 27 November 1967- As an emergency project prior t o t he commencement of the monsoon floods, completed the reconstruction of a s i xty foot t imber bridge on National Route NINE in the vicinity of Cam Lo, RVN. 1 December 1967- The Commanding Officer of NMCB FIVE assumed command of Camp Barnes. 4 December 1967- At ceremonies conducted aboard NCBC, Port Hueneme, Senator V. L. STURGEON, Aide to t he Governor of California accepted custody of a California State flag that had been flown over the Camp Barnes' berthing areas in Dong Ha during the deployment. v
5 December 1967- At Battalion ceremonies aboard the NCBC, Port Hueneme, the Mayors of Port Hueneme, Oxnard, Camarillo and Ventura joined with the Commodore in officially "Welcoming Home" NMCB ELEVEN. The Battalion was presented a resolution passed by the City Counci 1 of t he City of Oxnard. 7 December 1967- The final flight of NMCB ELEVEN arrived at NAS Point Mugu signifying completion of the Battalion's 1967 deployment to Dong lia, RVN. 13 December 1967- At ceremonies conducted in front of the California State House in Sacramento, California, Governor R. E. REAGAN and the Commanding Officer of NMCB ELEVEN raised the California State flag that had been flown at Camp Barnes and subsequently presented to the State of California by the Battalion. After serving as the official display f lag for two days, the flag was retired to a permanent display in the rotunda of the State Capitol. Following the flag raising ceremony, Governor REAGAN was made an honorary Seabee and member of NMCB ELEVEN by the Commanding Officer. 4. Military Actions. As reviewed in detail in Annex B to this report, personnel of NMCB ELEVEN were i nvolved n a considerable number of military actions during the deployment to the Northern I Corps. These actions, incl uding artillery, rocket and mortar attacks, mining incidents, sn per attacks, reconnaissance atrols and ambushes, resulted in five Battalion personnel killed in ac t ion and an additional sixty- our ersonnel wounded. I t also resulted in a loss of efficiency of operation by reason of the interruption of work and the physical and mental fatigue of personnel. S. Factors Affecting Battalion Productivity. As noted above, the continual harassment by enemy action affected the Battalion's efficiency of operation. The f requent daytime arti llery and rocket attacks experienced during the deployment ca used continual interruption of work. Night t i me attacks coupled with the i nh rent effects of t he harassment caused l oss of sleep and resultant loss of Battalion efficiency. The weather conditions experienced n Dong Ha similarly hampered the Battalion's rate of production. The dry season conditions experienced were cons t ant dryness from the nonexistance of rai and extreme low humidity aggrevated by dust storms caused by winds with sustained gusts of 20 knots and maximum gusts of 43 knots. Such conditions made working conditions extremely difficult. The monsoon rains and the cold of Dong Ha were equally as hard. Weeks of effort were eliminated by a single series of storms during which 7.5 inches of rain fell within one twenty-four hour period and the rainfall for a twelve day period totaled 21.1 inches. 6. Major Problems. The major problem t hat confronted the Battalion during the deployment concerned the job site availability of materials required to sustain the construction effort or enable tb.e Battalion to react to emergency or high priority demands in the anner historically expected. The causes and effects of this unsatisfactory condition and recommended solutions are discussed in Annex K to this report.
Nayv Achievement Medal with Combat "V" BUC J. FLAHERTY, USN BUC C. M. R!L!MA.N, USN BUL2 B. D. KORODY, USliJ CEP2 D. R. ROBESON, USN UTP2 F. E. BECK.ET!', USN CMA2 S. J. HAZELWOOD, USN Eleven Awards Pending Navy Commendation for Achievement Ribbon BUCS W. G. NOWMAN, USN SWE3 A. T. STANFIELD, USN Navy Unit Commendation 18 MAY 196 7 BMl T. H. HINSON, USN BUH2 J J. CLARK, USN 6 JUNE 1967 EOC A. G. EDWARDS, USN EOl S. J. SCARBOROUGH, USN EOl R. DOWNEY, USN HM2 R. J. RANDOLPH, USN YN2 JI. P. BEADSOLER., USN CS3 M. W. TEEL, USN EOCS D. J. BARNES, USN (KIA) SWC J. T. HESSON, USN EON2 T. R. NEADOW, USN EAS2 D. D. MARICHICH, USN UTA3 R. L. MORGAN, USN EOH3 D. NOHLQUIST, USN EAD3 M. IRVIN, USN EONCN R. E. BIGGS, USN UTACN G. V, OLSON, USN EADCN P. MARTIN, USN 1 JULY 1967 CECS J. R. HERRARA, USN 7 JULY 1967 SWE3 J.E. ZEITTS, USN 26 JULY 1967 EOH2 J. W. LUDLUM, USN SN S. R. DOBSON, USN CA T. L EMMONS, USN 19 AUGUST 196 7 EONCN D. W. TURRISI, USN Purple Heart Medal 22 AUGUST 1967 EONCN J. E. DAVIS, USN 23 AUGUST 196 7 EOHCN N. L. GAY, USN 25 AUGUST 196 7 EONCA S. J. MERRILL, USN 28 AUGUST 196 7 RM! H. E. CALDWELL, USN BUR2 J L. NEWMAN, USN (KIA) EON3 L. F. PETERSON, USN BUHCN R. A. MARTINDALE, USN BURCN R. L. SHEETS, USN BUHCN E. J, STIER, USN BURCN R. J. WAGER, USN (KIA) BURCN A. J. GRASSO, USN (KIA) BURCN J. D. PATTERSON, USN (KIA) CN E" E. PUGH, USN 3 SEPTEMBER 196 7 LTJG R. H. CAHILL, CEC, USNR ENS G, A. ROWELL, CEC, USNR BUC R. J. HANNIGAN, USN DTl R. W. STAFFORD, USN HM2 I. R. WISTED, USN BUH2 C. W. DAVIS, USN BUL2 W. E. SAVAGE, USN EOR2 J. H. POPE, USN A-9
3 SEPTEMBER 1967 CONT ID EOH2 G. LOPEZ, USN SN S. R. DOBSON, USN (SECOND AWARD) HN P. H. BEAfS, USN EONCN R. T LACHAUSSE, USN EONCN J. W. URBIHA, USN BUHCN R~ C. RIZZO, USN CN R. A. BROWN, USN CA G. L. SOUZA, USN 5 SEPTEMBER 196 7 UTW2 G. W. LAMOTHE, USN SH3 T. J. WALSTROM, USN CES3 J, F. HARRIS, USN SD3 T. C. GALACIA, USN SD3 P. C. PASCO, USN CMHCN P. J. DOLAN, USN CMHCN S. W. "BUTLER, USN CN W. L. STEWART, USN 28 SEPTEMBER 1967 BUl J. E. BLACKBURN, USN EOH2 R. E. GREY, USNR CMH3 R. E. QI.SON, USN CMH3 D. V. COOK, USN Vietn.amese Honor Medal, First Class LTJG P. A. O'NEAL, CEC, USNR b. Other Decorations or Awards: Good Conduct Medals: 25 Expert Rifle or Pistol Medals: 3 MACV Certificates of Achievement : 51 Letters of Commendation: 100 Letters of Appreci ation: 66 Seabee of the Deployment CEI W. E. WARREN, USN 2 2 OCTOBER 196 7 SFP2 M. L, WEETER, USN UTP3 R. L. BYRD, USN 29 OCTOBER 196 7 BMC R. ELLIS, USN UTA2 J. F. JOHNSON, USN 11 NOVEMBER 196 7 EOl C. KEY, USN EON2 L. W. LACEY, USN EON2 W. E. MILLER, USN EON2 R. L. HASELBAUER, USN EONCN W. L. CLOYD, USN 18 NOVEMBER 1967 EAD3 c. C. OPPLE, USN Seabees of the Month BUl J. MANALO, USN BUL3 A. F. MACHI, USNR CN W. A. BAILEY, USNR CEP3 T. R. LYMAN, USNR HM2 R. J. RANDOLPH, USN UTP2 D. R. WILLIAMS, USN SWECN K. L. MOE, USN SWF2 F. H. SURBAUGH, USN DK2 E. D. PORE, USN April May June July August September October November A-10