operation STARLIGHT information
for 3 MAR DIV
4 MARINES

From date 650818 to 650825


3 MAR DIV was a US Marine Corps unit
4 MARINES was a US Marine Corps unit
Primary service involved, US Marine Corps
Operation STARLIGHT
Quang Ngai Province, I Corps, South Vietnam
Location, Van Tuong
Description: This is the first large scale offensive operation conducted by the Marine Corps. Elements of the 3d Mar Div engaged and defeat a VC Regt. This was a search and destroy mission to exploit sightings of enemy troops in the area and to prevent an attack on the Chu Lai enclave. H Co, 2/4th Marines lands at LZ BLUE only to find almost the entire 60th VC Battalion ready to give battle. As the battle develops a unit with amphibous tracks sets out to reinforce and is ambushed as in another BLT unit. The fighting is intense for several hours but the superior air, artillery, and naval gun fire support certainly swings the action in favor of the Marines.

The source for this information was Rand; Atlas P:102+; Chronology P:4


Additional information is available on CD-ROM.

Please send additions or corrections to: Gary Roush Email address: webmaster@vhpa.org


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Date posted on this site: 05/13/2023