2nd Battalion, 4th Marines (2/4) is an infantry battalion of the United States Marine Corps. The battalion, nicknamed the Magnificent Bastards, is based out of Marine Corps Base Camp Pendleton, California and are a part of the 5th Marine Regiment and 1st Marine Division.
2nd Battalion, 4th Marines was constituted in April 1914 during World War I when it was activated as one of the three battalions of the 4th Marine Regiment.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
LtCol Howard V Lee
Major [then Captain] Howard Vincent Lee (MCSN: 0-69961), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 8 and 9 August 1966, while serving with Company E, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action against enemy forces near Cam Lo, Republic of Vietnam.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
MGen James Livingston
Captain James Everett Livingston (MCSN: 0-84449), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 2 May 1968, while serving as Commanding Officer, Company E, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, Ninth Marine Amphibious Brigade, in action against enemy forces at Dai Do, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Viet Nam.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
Col Jay Vargas
Major Jay R. Vargas (MCSN: 0-83768), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty while serving as Commanding Officer, Company G, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, Ninth Marine Amphibious Brigade, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action against enemy forces at Dai Do, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam, from 30 April to 2 May 1968.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
LCpl Jedh Colby Barker
Lance Corporal Jedh Colby Barker (MCSN: 2207369), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 21 September 1967, while serving as a machine gunner with Company F, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action near Con Thien, Republic of Vietnam.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
LCpl Joe Calvin Paul
Lance Corporal Joe Calvin Paul (MCSN: 2033358), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 18 August 1965, while serving with Company H, Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action against an armed enemy near Chu Lai, Republic of Vietnam.
Medal Honor - Vietnam -
Sgt Paul Hellstrom Foster
Sergeant Paul Hellstrom Foster (MCSN: 1903536), United States Marine Corps Reserve, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of his life above and beyond the call of duty on 14 October 1967, while serving as an artillery liaison operations chief with the Second Battalion, Fourth Marines, THIRD Marine Division (Reinforced), Fleet Marine Force, in action near Con Thien, Quang Tri Province, Republic of Vietnam.
Description
Some of the most prolonged and vicious combat of the war opened on 29 April and lasted until 30 May when the 8,000 men of the 320th PAVN Division, backed by artillery from across the DMZ, threatened the U.S. logistical base at Dong Ha, in northwestern Quảng Trị Province.
On 29 April 1968, the 2/4 Marine Battalion Landing Team of the 3rd Marine Division, locked horns with an NVA Division (304th) in the 'ville" of Dai Do on the Cua Viet River 'horseshoe' just south of the DMZ (I Corp RVN). Intelligence had tipped our Forces that an entire NVA Division was in the first stage of a major march to seize and destroy the 3rd Marine Division Headquarters at Dong Ha. The Army’s grunt rifle battalion 3/21st Infantry, 196th LIB (out of the Americal) was attached to the 3rd Marine Division on May 1st to help quell the NVA’s intentions.
The stubbornness of the NVA was stunning (as was always the case), though they out-numbered the US troops three to one. And though the loss of American lives was staggering (one is too many), the courage and the stamina of the Marines and Army was valorous. The campaign was marked by constant bombing and shelling (aerial, land based and Naval Cruiser USS Boston). At several points the US Military powers used experimental 2000 lb bombs, when the village areas (Dai Do, Dinh To, Dong Huan, An Lac, Thuong Do and Nhi Ha) turned into a NVA hornet nest. The 3rd Marines officially list the series of actions as ended on May 15 1968 and labeled it (during Operation Night Owl) as the Battle of Dai Do. The Americal classifed it as a continuance of Operation Napoleon.
In what became known as the Battle of Dai Do, the North Vietnamese clashed savagely with U.S. Marine, Army, and ARVN forces before withdrawing.
List of Casualties:
3d Marines Division- 233 KIA 821 WIA 1 MIA
3/21 Infantry 196th LIB- 29 KIA 130 WIA 1 MIA
Navy TF Clearwater- 15 KIA 22 WIA
ARVN- 42 KIA 124 MIA
NVA- 2945 KIA 47 POW
From the start of the battle, the CO of the Marines 2/24 BLT, LT COL William Weise had great concern about airmobility. He requested that the Army provide helicopter support for resupply, extraction, insertion and medevac. The 174th AHC provided that airmobility for the entire battle. There were three Dolphin Slicks and Crews that accomplished this.
BattleType
Operation
Country
Vietnam
Parent
Vietnam War/Counteroffensive Phase IV Campaign (1968)
