On 11 October, 1967, two battalions of the First Marine Regiment embarked on Operation Medina in the hills of the

Hai Lang Forest, Quang Tri Province, Vietnam.

 

The web pages linked here (Medina) are dedicated to the men of the 1st Bn 1st Marines, and 2nd Bn 1st Marines and to Charlie Company, Delta Company, Hotel Company, and HMM-361 in particular. Those pages are 

also dedicated to ALL the men (Marine Corps and Navy) who served in, or with, the 1st Marines in RVN during the period 1965-1971.

 

Location: Base Area 101, Hai Lang National Forest, LZ DOVE, LZ BUZZARD, Quang Tri Province. Type: search & destroy. Controlling headquarters: 1st Marines; SLF ALPHA; 1st ARVN Div. Task organization: 1/1 Marines, 2/1 Marines 1/4 (-) Marines, BLT 1/3 Marines, two ARVN airborne bns. Intelligence: 5th and 6th PAVN Rgts. Execution: After displacing from the 1st Mar Div's TAOR to Quang Tri on 5 Oct, the 1st Marines began Operation MEDINA in the enemy's Base Area 101 located in the Hai Lang National Forest south of Quang Tri City. On 11 Oct, 1/1 and 2/1 combat-assaulted into LZ DOVE in the forest and swept in a northeasterly direction while BLT 1/3 from SLF ALPHA on Operation BASTION HILL blocked to the east and two ARVN airborne bns conducted Operation LAM SON 138 northeast of the MEDINA AO. On the night of 11 Oct, C/1/3 came under mortar and small arms fire followed by a ground assault. The company drove off the attackers and the fighting subsided. On 12 Oct, C/1/1 was attacked by three NVA companies and drove off the enemy force with the help from D/1/1. 40 enemy dead were counted around the Marines position, friendly casualties were 8 KIA and 39 WIA.
After these two fights the enemy avoided further contact and MEDINA turned into a search for small groups of NVA in the nearly impenetrable forest. On 20 Oct, the 416th Bn of the 5th PAVN Rgt, in an effort to elude the sweeping Marine units,
attacked an ARVN airborne company in the LAM SON 138 AO.
The airborne company held and, after reinforcements, killed 179 NVA in the day-long battle. The operation ended on 20 Oct with the SLF battalion transferring to the FREMONT AO. 

Results:
237 enemy killed, 26 detained, 34 US KIA, 225 US WIA, 18 ARVN KIA, 107 ARVN WIA.

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Delta Company lost PFC David Gronau on 15 Oct 1967 During Operation Medina.

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