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detail the ‘fiasco’ of Operation Oregon with which I was personally involved as the S-2 ( staff intelligence officer ). I describe that operation later in this project but finding the Col.’s paper on that operation is an example of the kinds of bits and pieces of my story that I was able to find thru research and especially the internet.
My focus is upon the time I spent in E company, Second Bn., 7th Marine Regiment, First Marine Division. Later, after ‘Operation Mixmaster’ I focused on my time in A Co., First battalion, Fourth Marine Regiment, first Marine Division as the first platoon commander. I would be assigned to the Battalion Commander’s staff in 1/4 later in the Spring of 1966 as the S-2 ( Intelligence ).
I became a platoon commander right out of basic school in the Summer of 1964. Most Marine lieutenants with an 03 ( Infantry ) MOS ( Military Occupational Specialty ) did, if they were lucky. Infantry had been my first choice of MOS coming out of Basic School ( we were given three choices as to our desired Military Occupational specialty) . I had just completed approx. nine months of OCS and Basic School before being assigned to the Second Bn., 7th Marines located at Camp Pendleton. Our Battalion Headquarters was at Camp Las Pulgas——one of the several ‘satellite’ camps located within the boundaries of Camp Pendleton.
I had the honor and privilege of being the commander of the First Platoon in Echo Company for and entire year prior to shipping out for combat duty in Viet
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