Memorial Statue Dedicated to the 5th Marine Regiment in Vietnam

[advanced]

Here is a short video on my old Regiment, the 5th Marines, and the regiments time in Vietnam. A memorial statue has been erected at Camp Pendleton in our honor. The video states that we lost over 2700 Marines in Vietnam, I had no idea we lost that many. It made me remember and think.

http://5thmarinesvietnammemorial.org/the-cause/

Similar Threads:

• Salute to ship set: Memorial to be dedicated Dec. 7
• Memorial for soldiers dedicated
• Place of Honor: New memorial dedicated Monday
• New River Aviation Memorial dedicated
• Vietnam Vets Buy N.Y. Dog Statue

[chulaivet1966]

Howdy Russ.....

I've just watched it....pretty cool and makes one proud to have serve with the Fighting Fifth.

As inconsequential as it is in the overall picture I believe I noticed at date reference oversight though.
Unless I'm missing something the narrator states the 5th served in Nam from May 66 to April '71.
I was attached to the 5th Marines with BLT 1/5 (for my whole tour) and our first Op (from the Princeton LPH-5) was a couple months earlier being Op Jackstay on 3/26/66 with 1/5.
No big deal, just something I noticed.

Thanks for posting that vid.....brings back memories from over 50 years ago.
Sheesh.....who would have thunk we'd live this long.

Back to topic....

[USMC 2571]

Russ, thanks for posting that video, I just watched the whole thing, and recommend that everyone else does also. I didn't know that that regiment is the most decorated in Marine Corps history.

[Mongoose]

5th Marines was a legend before Nam. They were a force to be reckoned with in the Nam. Great Marines.......almost as great as the 3/26.

[chulaivet1966]

I'm and idiot.

I'm meant 5thMarReg.....not "5th MarDiv".

Brother FTO will hopefully correct my typo idiocy.

I'm going to have Sam Adams in a frosted mug to deal with my embarrassment.

Back to it....

[advanced]

Chulaivet, you're forgiven brother. Yes, even before the Nam we were awesome, and in the Nam we continued our fabled legend. I was with the 1/5 and then in March I went to the 3/5. From watching the video I had no idea that we had lost so many, though I knew we lost way too many. Just saying.

[chulaivet1966]

Chulaivet, you're forgiven brother.

Great...thanks Brother.....I'll pop another SA and recover.

Hmmm....if I recall correctly....it was C/1/5 was the Sparrowhawk unit dispatched to assist SSGT Howard at Hill 488.
From what I recall we knew what was happening via intercepted radio communiques but we were out of range to offer mortar support.
I still have a Sea Tiger issue talking about that event.

Back to topic....

[FoxtrotOscar]

That's correct Chu, "C" 1/5 was the Sparrowhawk for SSgt Howard on Hill 488...!!!

[chulaivet1966]

That's correct Chu, "C" 1/5 was the Sparrowhawk for SSgt Howard on Hill 488...!!!

Ha....I was pretty sure but all my military related info is on a different desktop computer and I'm here on my laptop....tomando una cervesa frio.


Have a good eve....

[FistFu68]

Superb couldn't think of a Finer bunch too have been in the Deep Kim Chee with makes me Walk taller after seeing this post Godbless Yah All Aye Aye Semper Fi

[advanced]

I'd like to thank you all for the wonderful comments that you have made regarding my old outfit. Before I went in the Corps, my father who had no luck talking me out of enlisting took me to Atlanta to talk to my uncle Paul who had also been a Marine. After 2 hours my uncle who had been with the 5th Marines, 1st Marine Division all through the Pacific starting with Guadalcanal and ending at Okinawa, and later called back into the 5th and a survivor of the Frozen Chosen finally said "If you're going to join I'm proud of you, just don't let them put you with the 5th Marines."

Well, the Marine Corps must have heard that and later I helped make history in both the 1st and 3rd Battalions of the Fighting 5th, luck of the draw. Thank God.

[Rattlesnake]

Thank You for posting this website Advanced...this is a GREAT video. I didn't realize that 2/4 was part of the 5th Regiment. Like a lot of combat vet's I have forgotten a lot, some by choice and some by the aging process. I remember pulling ops with the 3rd, 5th, 9th & 26th Marines in the Nam (I remember some of the ops names, some I don't...some I will never forget).

Semper Fi,

[advanced]

Snake, looks like we were in the Corps and the Nam about the same time. Thanks brother.

[Rattlesnake]

Advanced, we were in the Corps and the Nam about the same time...small word. Thank You Brother!!!

[chulaivet1966]

I was with the 1/5 and then in March I went to the 3/5. From watching the video I had no idea that we had lost so many, though I knew we lost way too many. Just saying.

Oh man.....every time I think of 3/5...
I lost a dear friend who was in I/3/5 during Op Hastings and KIA at the Hill 362 ambush.....Thomas Frank Presby...RIP.
We were prepping for Op Colorado at that time.

No hijack intended....back to topic.