155mm Gun Batteries were independent batteries, that were part of the Fleet Marine Force (FMF), typically commanded by a Major and fully capable of performing their own administration, organizational maintenance, and organic supply functions similar to that of a battalion. At the time of the Vietnam involvement there were at least 5 of these batteries in the Marine Corps. Four of them (1st, 3rd, 5th, and 7th) were part of Force Troops/FMF PAC and saw action in Vietnam. The other battery (2nd) was assigned to the 2nd Field Artillery Group - Force Troops/FMF ATL and was based at Camp Lejeune in North Carolina. In Vietnam they were often placed under the administrative and operational control of one of the divisions' artillery Regiments (i.e., 11th or 12th). This battery, 1st Guns, was attached to the 12th Marines (3rd MARDIV), the 11th Marines (1sr MARDIV), and to the 1st Field Artillery Group (FMFPac) at various times during its 4 year, 7 month deployment to Vietnam. The battery fired self-propelled 155mm Guns (M53) that were unique to the USMC until February 1969, when they converted to 175mm Guns (M107). They were often deployed with self-propelled 8" Howitzers (m55s) which shared the same carriage. In 1969, when the Marine Corps retired the M53's and converted all the 155mm Gun batteries to 175mm Gun Batteries, the unit's designation became the "1st 175mm Gun Battery (SP)..
Feb66 7Feb66 departed 29 Palms w/1st FAG consisting of HqBtry, 1st Guns, and 3rd 8" 8Feb66 underway USS Ogden from Pier 6 San Diego 24Feb66 CO: 1st FAG ordered to drop 3rd 8" at Chu Lai, 1st Guns at Danang, and to deliver HqBtry to Okinowa
Mar66 3Mar66 USS Ogden arrived at Danang Battery laid at AT964712
Apr66 CO: Capt H. H. Brooks III 2Apr66 1st Guns CHOP 4th Bn 12th Marines Battery Location AT964712
May66 CO: Capt H. H. Brooks III > 18May66 Capt N. M. Larimer II 18May66 > Battery Location AT964712
Jun66 Battery CHOP to 3rd Bn 12th Marines CO: Capt N. M. Larimer II > 18Jun66 Capt W. H. Wantland 18Jun66 > 3Jun66 The Battery moved from the Danang area to the Phu Bai area. An advance party arrives by convoy. 6Jun66 The Guns arrived in Hue by LCU at 1000H, and the rest of the battery arrived by convoy at 1015H. The guns were laid at YD811160 (Gia Le) 9Jun66 Battery received 50 - 100 rounds of harassing small arms fire while putting up concertina wire. "A heavy volume of fire was returned" according to the Battalion monthly report but what that really meant is that the entire Battery grabbed their weapons and ran off firing in the general direction the shots came from. A sweep of the area the following day found one VC KIA. 14Jun66 Captain Larimer was conducting a survey of a possible new battery location when his vehicle hit a mine. He was severely wounded and MEDIVACed to CONUS. Four enlisted men and one other officer were wounded in the incident.
Jul66 CO: Capt W. H. Wantland Battery Location YD811160
Aug66 CO: Capt W. H. Wantland Battery Location YD811160
Sep66 CO: Capt W. H. Wantland 6Sep66 Battery moved on to southern perimeter of Phu Bai enclave (YD8932712786) where it remained until November, 1968.
Oct66 CO: Capt W. H. Wantland Battery Location YD8932712786
Nov66 Battery Location YD8932712786
Dec66 CO: Maj E. D. Litzenberger Battery Location YD8932712786 19Dec66 the Battery came under the operational and administrative control of 4/12
Jan67 CO: Maj E D Litzenberger US Army 40mm M42 gun and crew located with battery Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) 30Jan67 one platoon 8" at YD643279 (PK17)
Feb67 CO: Maj E D Litzenberger US Army 40mm M42 gun and crew located with battery Battery adds 81mm mortar at battery center Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) one platoon 8" at YD643279 (PK17)
Mar67 CO: Maj E D Litzenberger US Army 40mm M42 gun and crew located with battery Three Purple Hearts and one Bronze Star with combat "V" awarded Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) one platoon 8" at YD643279 (PK17)
Apr67 CO: Maj E D Litzenberger one platoon 8" at YD643279 (PK17) 1-21 Apr: YD4827 (Shawnee AO) 21-30 Apr Battery mess hall completed and in full operation 6Apr67 - Battery attacked at PK17 1-8" Howitzer lost due to direct hit 1USMC KIA, 1 USN KIA, 8 USMC WIA 28Apr67 Battery received incoming mortars - battery replied with 50 Cal MG and Army 40mm AA gun netting 7 VC KIA
May67 CO: Maj E D Litzenberger > 2May67 Capt M. M. (Harry) Baig 2May67 > US Army 40mm M42 gun and crew located with battery Battery lost the use of the 81mm mortar Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) 9May67 one platoon of 155s at (YD829153) to support Operation Cumberland 14May67 one platoon of M109s from L/4/12 came under OpCon of 155mm Gun Btry
Jun67 CO: Capt M. M. (Harry) Baig Two US Army 40mm M42 guns and crews located with battery one platoon of M109s from L/4/12 under OpCon of battery Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) one platoon of 155s at (YD829153) to support Operation Cumberland Extensive floodlighting erected on battery perimeter for night defense 25Jun67 platoon of M109s from L/4/12 released from OpCon of battery 29Jun67 platoon of 155s moved to (YD716106) to support Operation Cumberland
Jul67 CO: Capt M. M. (Harry) Baig Two US Army 40mm M42 guns and crews located with battery one platoon of M109s from L/4/12 under OpCon of battery Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) 12Jul67 platoon at YD716106 receives 50 - 70 82mm mortar round attack receiving 1 WIA 17Jul67 platoon of 155s at (YD716106) returns to Phu Bai 31Jul67 1st platoon placed under OpCon of 1st FAG
Aug67 CO: Capt M. M. (Harry) Baig Two US Army 40mm M42 guns and crews located with battery Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) One platoon at YD620095 to support Operation Cumberland 5Aug67 platoon released from 1st FAG and returns to BC
Sep67 CO: Capt M. M. (Harry) Baig > 16Sep67 Maj N. J. Beckman 16Sep67 > One US Army 40mm M42 gun and crew located with battery Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) 9Sep67 one Gun platoon moved to Gia Le (YD829151) in support of Operation Cumberland
Oct67 CO: Maj N. J. Beckman One US Army 40mm M42 gun and crew located with battery Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) One platoon at Gia Le (YD 829153) until 28Oct67
Nov67 CO: Maj N. J. Beckman One US Army 40mm M42 gun and crew located with battery Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) Battery issued M-16A1 rifles
Dec67 CO: Maj N. J. Beckman Two US Army 40mm M42 guns and crews located with battery Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786)
Jan68 CO: Maj N. J. Beckman Two US Army 40mm M42 guns and crews located with battery Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) 15Jan68 Battery OpCon to 1st FAG, 1st MarDiv 16Jan68 2nd Plt 3rd 8" How Btry OpCon to 1st Guns 28Jan68 Battery received 60-80 rounds 82mm Mortar - 10 WIA 29Jan68 one platoon Guns OpCon to 5th 155mm Gun Btry (SP) at Camp Evans (YD53453153) in support of 1st AirCav
Feb68 CO: Maj N. J. Beckman Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) 4Feb68 54 rounds of 105mm friendly fire received by battery from "B" Battery, 321st Artillery, 101st Airborne. 3 WIAs resulted The battery fired 5 missions and provided an FO team in support of the Battle of Hue
Mar68 CO: Maj N. J. Beckman Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) 13Mar68 Gun #2 exploded killing 6 and wounding 1. The wounded Marine died later in the month
Apr68 CO: Maj N. J. Beckman Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) 8Apr68 two guns moved to western sector of Phu Bai perimeter (YD87361265) to improve fire coverage
May68 CO: Maj B. A. Mutch Jr. Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) One platoon located at YD87361265 16 - 20May68 2nd Platoon 3rd 8" Btry (SP) located at BC 26May68 one platoon from B/1/11 located at BC 28May68 platoon moves from YD87361265 to YD929071
Jun68 CO: Maj B. A. Mutch Jr. Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) One platoon located at YD929071 15Jun68 105mm platoon moves to 3rd 8" location 28Jun68 105mm platoon returns from 3rd 8" location
Jul68 CO: Maj B. A. Mutch Jr. Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) One platoon located at YD929071 1Jul68 platoon from B/1/11 leaves 5Jul68 platoon from E/2/11 joins battery 18Jul68 platoon from E/2/11 leaves 25Jul68 platoon from F/2/11 joins battery 26Jul68 platoon from F/2/11 leaves
Aug68 CO: Maj B. A. Mutch Jr. Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) One platoon located at YD92530708
Sep68 CO: Maj B. A. Mutch Jr. Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786) One platoon located at YD92530708 Barrels containing Napalm located in perimeter wire to improve defenses 3Sep68 platoon returns from YD92530708 to BC 4Sep68 MPQ-10 (Counter Mortar Radar) from 1st FAG lactated at Phu Bai BC
Oct68 CO: Maj B. A. Mutch Jr. Battery in Phu Bai (Battery Location YD8932712786)
Nov68 CO: Maj B. A. Mutch Jr. > 8Nov68 Capt M. H. Long 9Nov68 > 13Nov68 Maj R. E. Leva 14Nov68 - Battery Location YD8932712786 (Phu Bai) > 19Nov68 AT96606216 (hill 55) 20Nov68 > AT87595744 (hill 65) Battery's mission changes from reinforcing XXIV Corps Artillery, US Army, to general support of 1st MarDiv coincidental with its move from Phu Bai to south of Danang
Dec68 CO: Maj R. E. Leva 14Nov68 - Battery Location AT96606216 (hill 55) AT87595744 (hill 65)
Jan69 CO: Maj R. E. Leva 14Nov68 - Battery Location AT96606216 (hill 55) AT87595744 (hill 65) Battery sharing location with Counter Mortar Radar from 1st FAG Preparing for delivery of 175mm Guns (M107) - training at "B" Btry, 8th Bn, 4th Arty Corps US Army at Chu Lai
Feb69 CO: Maj R. E. Leva 14Nov68 - Battery Location AT96606216 (hill 55) AT87595744 (hill 65) 28Feb69 Battery receives 175mm Guns - official designation changes to 1st 175mm Gun Btry (SP)
Operations participated in: Bacon Bighorn Cannon Chinook I Chinook II Cumberland Deckhouse Donahue I Hastings Houston Lam Son 134 Liberty Macon Nightsticker I Orange Pawnee I Pawnee II Pawnee III Prairie Primness I Shawnee Rush
