The Last Battle Of The Vietnam War

[sgtmonroe]

Over the past few months I have noticed interest in the use of the LINCLOE 30-round small arms ammunition cases by the USMC during Vietnam. Also there have been a number of questions here and there about the use of ALICE equipment during Vietnam. There is pretty much no evidence than any ALICE equipment ever served during the Vietnam War. As far as the LINCLOE small arms ammunition cases go...everyone seems to point out FREQUENT WIND. It seems alot of people forget about the so-called Maraguez Incident - or The Last Battle Of The Vietnam War. 41 soldiers lost their lives during this operation - they are the last 41 names on the wall. It seems during this battle the LINCLOE cases as well as ERDL camouflage helmet covers were in full use.

 

I mention the ERDL helmet covers as their use in FREQUENT WIND was brought up in this thread recently.

 

Here are a few images during the "Maraguez Incident" (the capture of the ship by Cambodians started on 12 May 1975, these images were all taken on 15 May 1975):

 

US Marine boarding the Maraguez - a 30-round small arms ammunition case is visible as is an ERDL helmet cover.

 

 

US Marines (left) and US Air Force demolition technicians (right) on the Maraguez. The 30-round small arms ammunition case is visible.

 

 

US Marines resting on the deck of the Maraguez. A very good image showing the 30-round small arms ammunition case as well as some M-1967 water canteen covers.

 

[coolman]

Over the past few months I have noticed interest in the use of the LINCLOE 30-round small arms ammunition cases by the USMC during Vietnam. Also there have been a number of questions here and there about the use of ALICE equipment during Vietnam. There is pretty much no evidence than any ALICE equipment ever served during the Vietnam War. As far as the LINCLOE small arms ammunition cases go...everyone seems to point out FREQUENT WIND. It seems alot of people forget about the so-called Maraguez Incident - or The Last Battle Of The Vietnam War. 41 soldiers lost their lives during this operation - they are the last 41 names on the wall. It seems during this battle the LINCLOE cases as well as ERDL camouflage helmet covers were in full use.

 

I mention the ERDL helmet covers as their use in FREQUENT WIND was brought up in this thread recently.

 

Here are a few images during the "Maraguez Incident" (the capture of the ship by Cambodians started on 12 May 1975, these images were all taken on 15 May 1975):

 

US Marine boarding the Maraguez - a 30-round small arms ammunition case is visible as is an ERDL helmet cover.

 

 

US Marines (left) and US Air Force demolition technicians (right) on the Maraguez. The 30-round small arms ammunition case is visible.

 

 

US Marines resting on the deck of the Maraguez. A very good image showing the 30-round small arms ammunition case as well as some M-1967 water canteen covers.

 

good pictures

[Salvage Sailor]

Just a sidebar, I was given a pair of LINCLOE pouches by a Marine we were working with at Numazu, Japan where we held joint exercises in mid 1977. I've got some photos of the landing exercise and still have the pouches around here somewhere.

[Salvage Sailor]

Salvage Sailor said:

Just a sidebar, I was given a pair of LINCLOE pouches by a Marine we were working with at Numazu, Japan where we held joint exercises in mid 1977. I've got some photos of the landing exercise and still have the pouches around here somewhere.

 

Photos

 

markings

 

Front & Back

[Bill in VA]

Not to nit-pick, but I believe the ship was the SS Mayaguez, not the "SS Maraguez."

[sgtmonroe]

Not to nit-pick, but I believe the ship was the SS Mayaguez, not the "SS Maraguez."

 

You are correct sir! Sorry, I sometimes think faster than I type. Did not catch the error!

[VolunteerArmoury]

Any chance anyone have the photos that were initially posted on here?

[sgtmonroe]

Any chance anyone have the photos that were initially posted on here?

I sincerely apologize for the loss of most of the images I have posted on the forum the past few years. I had issues with the image hosting service coupled with my PC calling it quits so I have lost alot of the original images. Slowly but surely I will try to get all the images I had posted back up.

 

Here are a couple of images taken on 20 May 1975 of the Marines of Echo and Golf Companies, 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, departing the USS CORAL SEA [CV-43] following the operation. The LINCLOE small arms ammunition cases are clearly present.

 

 

 

This next image is from Marine Fred Morris of Golf 2/9 Weapons Platoon. The image was taken on Koh Tang on 15 May 1975. Morris is on the right. The Marine in the center has a XM177E2 SMG with XM148 grenade launcher and the Marine on the left, with captured AK, has the LINCLOE small arms ammunition case visible on his individual equipment belt.

 

 

For those interested the above image comes from the Koh Tang veterans website. There are alot more photographs taken by the veterans posted on the website. A number of them show use of the LINCLOE small arms ammunition case.

[kammo-man]

Very important information posted here !

and thanks for the link.

owen

[Rhscott]

Nice post.  Here is a piece of the ship that was removed by my first cousin who was in the boarding party. He has since died from cancer due to Agent Orange exposure in 1967-69 during a tour in Vietnam with the 3rd Marines.

Thick brass like you might find on a hatch or ships wall.