Combined Action Program (CAP)Combined Action Program (CAP)

Richard M. Cavagnol USMC

Phu Bai, Vietnam 1965-1966

Richard M. Cavagnol USMC

Phu Bai, Vietnam 1965-1966

“All Alone in Indian Country”All Alone in Indian Country”“All Alone in Indian Country”All Alone in Indian Country”

Situation 1965Situation 1965

• 3d Battalion 4th Marine Regiment landed at Phu Bai Vietnam in May 1965 to establish a TAOR

• The mission of 3/4 was to “occupy and defend assigned TAOR in the vicinity of HUE PHU BAI airfield and defend the 8th RRU compound…”

Challenges Facing 3/4Challenges Facing 3/4

• Original Phu Bai TAOR assigned to 3/4 was considered tactically undesirable:

—Insufficient terrain to the north of vital installations—Enemy could approach undetected and mortar

airfield and base• At the request of CO 3/4, Marines secured operation

control of “A” Zone with population of 16,000 people

Phu BaiPhu Bai

• Phu Bai was an agricultural community made up of four hamlets and had a population of about 15,000

• Phu Bai was revitalized when Marines arrived in May 1965 but continued to be a target of the VC

Marine TAOR and Base CampMarine TAOR and Base Camp

• Lack of interpreters made operational control of the Popular Forces (PF) platoons essential for population control

• Commanding General 1st ARVN Division gave operational control of six PF platoons to 3/4

Marines Assume ControlMarines Assume Control

• 3/4 established radio communications with each village and hamlet chief who was linked with ARVN liaison in the Marine FSCC

• FO surveyed in and registered with smoke artillery concentrations in each village and were named for animals by the village chief

TIGERRAT

MONGOOSE

Building a Force MultiplierBuilding a Force Multiplier

• Approximately one rifle company was assigned to control “A” Zone

• As an economy of force measure, Marines were permanently assigned to villages to achieve greater security and improve Vietnamese-American relations

Joint Action CompanyJoint Action Company

• LtCol Taylor and the staff of 3/4 developed a plan to create a “Joint Action Company (JAC)” composed of Marines and Popular Forces

• A battalion officer and recent graduate of Vietnamese Language School was named Company Commander

• One T/O squad of Marines was hand picked from each of the four rifle companies to become a permanently organized unit – 1st Provisional Marine Platoon

• Six PF platoons were formed into a company and an ARVN officer named Company Commander

• The Marine platoon and PF company became the Joint Action Company with a Marine officer as the CO and the ARVN officer as the XO

Training CAP UnitsTraining CAP Units

• CAP personnel were hand-picked and interviewed for the job

• They were given very little cultural or language training. Much of what they learned was on-the-job training (OJT)

• For the first CAP units in Phu Bai, we started a week-long combined action school that included a crash course in Vietnamese political structure and culture

• Notably absent from the syllabus was any sort of language training, a weakness of the program that would continue throughout its existence

• Later, a formal school was set up in Danang, and the candidate CAP members went through two-week curriculum that included basic language instruction and cultural awareness

JAC to CAC to CAPJAC to CAC to CAP

• The name of the Joint Action Company evolved to Combined Action Company with each of the village units called Combined Action Platoons (CAP)

• In each village, the Marine squad leader was responsible for operations of the integrated unit

• Operationally his commands are passed through the PF platoon commander to the Vietnamese

• The Marine squad leader always consulted his PF counterpart

• All matters pertaining to the village are accomplished through, and in conjunction with, the village chief

• The village chief was kept apprised of all tactical operations

Living in a CAP UnitLiving in a CAP Unit

• The Marine squad with corpsman lived in the village next to the village chief’s house 24 hours a day, 7 days a week

• The CAP unit living quarters was a bamboo and tin hut with fighting holes dug outside

Orienting the CAP UnitOrienting the CAP Unit

• CAP Marines were highly motivated, idealistic, and sympathetic to the Vietnamese people

• We sent Marines with MEDCAP teams to the various Phu Bai villages to build trust and friendship and served to familiarized the CAP Marines with the area

Mission of the CAP UnitMission of the CAP Unit

•Destroy the communist infrastructure within the platoon's area of responsibility.

•Protect public security; help maintain law and order

•Organize local intelligence nets

•Participate in civic action and conduct propaganda against the communists

•Motivate and instill pride, patriotism, and aggressiveness in the militia

•Conduct training for all members of the combined-action platoon in general military subjects, leadership, and language

• Increase the proficiency of the PF so they could function effectively without the Marines

CAP Unit OperationsCAP Unit Operations

• Tactical Operations – Recon patrols, security patrols and ambushes (~20 per week)

• Intelligence – Reduced VC domination of the villages from 35% to near 0% and opened information flow

• Counterintelligence – CAP unit denied the use of the villages by the VC and propaganda dropped to near 0%

• Economic Influence – Became part of the community and assisted in civil action projects

• Psychological Operations – By word of mouth, CAP unit offers people friendship, civic action and protection as representatives of the South Vietnamese government

• Coordination and Liaison – Close contact was maintained with civil, military and police heads for mutual assistance in intelligence and operations

SummarySummary

"The struggle was in the rice paddies....in and among the people, not passing through, but living among them, night and day .... and joining with them in steps toward a better life long overdue."

Memoirs of Gen. Lew WaltUSMC, Retired