 This convoy is en route to an area along Highway 15 between Benhua and Vung Tau, a coastal resort town at the mouth of the Saigon River some 65 kilometers southeast of Saigon. Its mission is to establish a forward command post from which a multiple armed search and destroy operation by elements of the First Infantry Division will be controlled. It is January 28 and Operation Mallet is beginning. As the forward CP nears operational status and while artillery batteries are occupying positions nearby, Chinook helicopters begin arriving with assault troops. At the CP area, these units of the First Infantry reassemble and await the arrival of UH-1 helicopters. The Hueys will carry the troops into the initial attack against the Viet Cong. First Infantry companies were carried by Hueys from staging areas near their base of operations directly to assault positions. From the landing zones, the units deploy and move forward in a westward sweep through the jungle. The purpose of Operation Mallet was to hunt and kill or capture Viet Cong guerrillas operating in this area, some 35 kilometers east of Saigon, and to destroy their camps and hideaways. On the first day of Operation Mallet, this unit of the First Infantry was filmed as it burned deserted huts used by the VC. After conferring with the unit commander, a forward observer departs in an O-13 light observation helicopter. He will help provide aerial surveillance for the advancing troops. The units continue their sweep through the area and move off narrow trails for probes through dense jungle. In the late afternoon, when this unit had forged within 4,000 meters of its designated resupply area, it came under fire from well-concealed Viet Cong snipers. Air strikes and artillery support against the objective were requested. The unit withdrew for the night after one man was killed and reconnaissance had indicated a large complex of bunkers and tunnels. On the following morning, January 29th, U.S. and Vietnamese Air Force planes hit the bunker complex with bombs. As the air strikes end, the supporting artillery units begin bombarding the objective. When the artillery fire shifts, units of the First Infantry move out and converge from different directions upon the objective area. The units encountered no resistance as they cautiously entered the maze of bunkers, but the area was laced with trip wires leading to booby traps located in trees and huts. The troops threw hand grenades into the vast network of bunkers and tunnels which honeycombed the area. They then made a thorough search of all bunkers and huts. No Viet Cong were found, and it was assumed that they had slipped out during the night before the air strike, taking most of their weapons and equipment with them. However, a sizable cache of paperwork, medical supplies, food, some clothing and training literature was captured. Fertinand items were forwarded to G2 for interpretation. The deserted compound was believed to be a district political camp, housing some 30 V.C. Three days later, on February 1st, other elements of the First Infantry were filmed as they continued Operation Malik. The sweep westward has now brought units to an area some 16 kilometers east of Saigon. Late in the afternoon, the units encountered heavy fire plus numerous mines and booby traps. The sweep forward is halted. Supporting APCs and tanks cover a withdrawal of several hundred meters. Here while tactical air strikes are requested, the wounded are given emergency treatment and evacuated. After the air strikes, which could be seen from the tallest buildings in Saigon, artillery and mortar fires were called onto the objective areas throughout the night. On the following day, February 2nd, resistance was again encountered. After additional air strikes and artillery support, however, the First Infantry units overran the complex of fortifications with no opposition. Examination of the badly damaged bunkers showed that much of the V.C. base camp area apparently had been constructed recently. Much of the turned earth had not yet settled firmly around the fortifications. Some of the bunkers were uncovered by a dozer blade mounted on a tank retriever. Meanwhile, demolition experts prepared multiple block explosive charges of Comp C. The labyrinth of bunkers and tunnels was destroyed. These units of the First Infantry then moved out to establish a new C.P. area from which to continue Operation Mallet. This unit of the Republic of Korea's Tiger Division was filmed as it moved out of its base camp area to begin a combat patrol against the Viet Cong. The unit, one of several ROK forces serving in South Vietnam, was based along Highway 19, some 55 kilometers northwest of Quynh Yen. This action took place in mid-December 1965. As the unit advanced, it came under light small arms fire from the V.C. To disperse the guerrillas, machine guns and recoilless rifles, in addition to individual weapons, are used. As soon as sporadic sniper fire is silenced, the unit continues its march. Its mission on this patrol is to search out and destroy any Viet Cong in the village of Phan Tung, located approximately five kilometers east of the unit's base of operation. One, children, and other non-hostile villagers were rounded up. Some were given food while their houses were searched for Viet Cong or military equipment. Following instructions, the patrol then begins evacuating all residents from the village. All the villagers, approximately 130 persons, were reported as families of Viet Cong guerrillas. They were moved by the Korean unit to a refugee center some distance away. In a subsequent operation, other units of the Tiger Division board helicopters for the start of a mission. They are flown to an area approximately 64 kilometers north of Quynh Yen. From this landing zone, the Koreans set out on a combat patrol. At the edge of the zone, the men pause and await the word to move out and seek the enemy. At base camp, a helicopter arrives bringing the chairman of the U.S. Joint Chiefs, General Earl G. Wheeler, for a visit with the Tiger Division. He is greeted by ranking ROK officers. General Wheeler proceeds to the Tiger Division area. There he holds discussions with the division commander, Major General Che Myeong Shin, and his staff. Elements of the 2nd Marine Division, Republic of Korea, are assigned certain security and protection missions in the Cameron Bay area of South Vietnam. These include guarding the port facilities and the new air base nearby. One of the ROK units is deployed near the narrow neck of the Cameron Bay Peninsula. From their base camp, the Marines conduct patrols against the V.C. They also man observation posts along the bay shore. The overall function of this unit is to prevent infiltration by land. Another unit, deployed on what is known as the South Peninsula, uses 106 recoilless rifles to control the mouth of the bay. Its location is also designed to prevent Viet Cong from bringing mortars within range of installations on the opposite shore. Reconnaissance conducted by the ROK units includes that on the bay itself. Here patrols move out in two U.S. Army larks for a routine check on both movement in the bay and adjacent waters. These water patrols are designed to halt both smuggling and V.C. activity on the bay. Native fishing boats, junks, and other craft are searched for weapons, contraband, or any guerrilla material. As a precautionary measure, many small craft and their occupants, who even though from all appearances are harmless, are also routinely searched. Another ROK unit is deployed near the Ponton Bridge that connects the peninsula to the mainland near Highway 1. Its mission includes routine checks of civilian traffic on Highway 1 and the protection of allied traffic on the mainland approach to the bridge. President Johnson and his chief diplomatic and military advisors arrive in Honolulu on February 5th for an historic three-day conference with the leaders of South Vietnam. In announcing the conferences, President Johnson indicated that their purpose would be a review of our complete program in Vietnam, including economic, social, and political subjects as well as military ones. Among those accompanying the president are Defense Secretary McNamara and the Secretary of State Dean Rusk, as well as other key cabinet members and top-level officials. On the following day, the presidential party returns to Honolulu's International Airport to welcome the top Vietnamese leaders arriving from Saigon. Joining the Vietnamese delegation are the Chief of State Lieutenant General Nguyen Pham Thieu and Air Vice-Marshal Nguyen Kau Kee, the prime minister. Johnson and General Thieu trouped the line. Next Mr. Johnson will make an address welcoming the Vietnamese leaders and briefly outlining the objectives of the conference, the President of the United States. We meet here in a time of testing and trial, but we will talk also of hope and harvest. Our friends in Korea and Australia and New Zealand have sent their own men to join with Vietnamese and Americans in a conflict to decide if aggression and terror are the way of the future, or whether free men are to decide their own course. General Thieu, Vietnamese Chief of State, gives the response. We sincerely thank you, Mr. President, for the warm and heartening welcome which you have extended to us, and we take this opportunity to reiterate the solemn pledge of the Vietnamese people to continue and fight this war for as long as necessary, and to be willing and ready to make sacrifices so as not to betray all those brave Americans and Vietnamese who have given their lives so that we may be free. As the welcoming ceremonies end, the Chiefs of State and delegates depart. On the previous day, General William C. Westmoreland held a press conference on the military situation in Vietnam. What is your estimate of the number of indigenous South Vietnamese that are engaging our troops in the South Vietnamese troops versus what percentage are from North Vietnam? Well, approximately one-third of the regiment that we carry in our order of battle are North Vietnamese organizations. And of the total battalions that we carry, approximately 25 percent are North Vietnamese. The attacks by large units have not been as great during the last several weeks as was the case during November and December. The day after the Vietnamese leaders arrived, the President's motorcade heads for Camp Smith, where the work of the Honolulu Conference will begin. A plenary meeting will be followed by working sessions on all major topics. Arriving at Saigon's Tonsanute Airport on January 1st for a five-day inspection tour of Army facilities and operations in Vietnam is Secretary of the Army Stanley Resurve. He is greeted by General William C. Westmoreland and members of his command. A briefing at the first Logistical Command headquarters was followed by an inspection of warehousing and shipping activities at the Saigon port area. At Phu Loi, some 150 kilometers southwest of Saigon, Secretary Resor talks with members of an aviation unit and inspects new armament and armor used with UH-1 helicopters. High on the topics of discussion were the problems of resupply to units fighting 7,000 miles from their homeland. During his tour, Secretary Resor also visited units in the Ben Hoa, An K, and Placou areas. On January 24th at the Saigon airport, Lieutenant General John A. Hintages, Deputy Commander Mack V, and members of his staff welcome Lieutenant General Gene Engler to his new assignment in Vietnam. After the airport ceremonies, General Engler reviews a color guard in his honor and is introduced to members of his future staff. He assumes his new duties as Deputy Commander of the U.S. Army Vietnam. This position, recently upgraded, was previously held by Brigadier General John T. Norton, now serving as General Engler's Chief of Staff. General Engler's previous assignment was in Washington as commanding general of the supply and maintenance command. As a major part of the buildup at Cameron Bay, elements of the U.S. Army engineers are constructing a number of new type warehouses. On 15 January, we see engineers prepare forms into which concrete will be poured to establish footings. As this phase proceeds, bulldozers level the surrounding area. The Vietnamese workmen have been hired to assist. This type of construction permits large storage areas, in this case, 200 by 250 feet, to be built with a minimum of materials. At the same time, they incorporate the strength and durability needed to withstand the severe winds and rains common to the area. The supporting beams and girders are secured before the roofing is begun. In the final stage of construction, long sheets of corrugated rust-proof metal are used to cover the warehouse. The thin but durable roofing material permits a much lighter supporting structure to be used, saving both time and expense. The speed of construction enables the Army to provide substantial storage facilities in a short space of time. Traffic in the vicinity of Cameron Bay is handled by the U.S. Army military police. They form part of the overall security for the area with special emphasis on the piers and the village. One section they patrol is the fence, which marks the limit of the military reservation. Vendors' stalls are built close against the barbed wire. During vending hours, sales are made directly through the fence. A warning in Korean that beyond the fence is off limits. The American sign with a similar message informs soldiers that the village of Cameron is closed to them. Jeeps are used to patrol the roads and terrain in their jurisdiction. On 28 January 1966, cargo vessels are docked at Cameron Bay to be unloaded. The unloading and storage of the materials is handled by transportation and logistical units at the harbor. Large five-ton trailer trucks are used to handle the volume. Empty trucks are backed into position so that when fully loaded they may drive straightforward. Palate loads of sea rations are raised from the hold of the ship and swung oversight directly onto the waiting trucks. They are immediately driven to one of the several storage areas nearby. All the techniques of material handling and the latest mechanical equipment speed the movement of supplies which pour through in heavy volume. But even modern equipment encounters problems. This large truck tries to fight its way out of the sandy harbor shore. It makes slow progress until it is pushed by another piece of equipment, not handicapped by a heavy load. US Army engineers are making improvements on Cameron Bay Harbor. This project required their working on a raft made of two boats lashed together because it involved the laying of a pipeline over the water. The line is needed to drain waste to a more distant point. Methods were improvised on the spot to perform this difficult task. The pipe is manhandled into place by men who must simultaneously maintain their balance on the boat. As they work almost in the shadow of ships unloading at DeLong Pier, the men are preparing this most important harbor for the heavy demands of future shipping. Operational maintenance is performed on the caribou by members of the aviation company. Even though it is late January of 1966, the climate permits outdoor servicing. A landing gear wheel is replaced. The engine housing is secured after inspection has been completed. Recording is made in the logbook of the details of the servicing. At the aviation company's installation at Sock Trong, the engine is tested before restoring the plane to active operation. The caribou with its short takeoff and landing capability is of particular value in Vietnam. This is the Latin American military communication system site at Guatemala City. Its antenna and transmitter tied into a worldwide communication system through the hub station in the canal zone. The operation of this station is being taken over by an all civilian crew provided by a contractor. Military personnel are being phased out. Teletype as well as voice transmissions are handled through the board. The operators also perform maintenance. Channels of transmission can be quickly checked and corrections made if needed. The officer in charge reviews with the civilian contractor's representative specific details of the conversion to civilian operation. A counterpart of the installation we have just seen is the Lankas station at Managua, Nicaragua. This site, built by an American contractor, began operation in May 1964. Although now operated by civilians, the station is under military supervision. The American embassy and other U.S. officers in the capital city have the advantage of the most modern communications here in Nicaragua. In February 1966, these Vietnamese flee their homes to avoid the Viet Cong. In their flight, they carry food and a few of their possessions. Because the Viet Cong often travel amid innocent groups, Korean military police are checking the refugees for weapons or enemy documents. Until this year, the Viet Cong used this area as one of their main supply sources, taking half of the 11 million ton output of rice. Trucks are provided to carry the refugees to the relative safety of the town. As part of their assignment to provide area security, the Koreans include 105-millimeter howitzers in their equipment. The battery commander supervises the gun team. The men inspect Viet Cong equipment captured on the previous operation. It includes weapons and boxes of ammunition. Also bicycles, which are an important means of transportation to the Viet Cong. Grenades and flares are included in the captured supplies. There were many personal effects and articles of clothing. The Korean Marines clean their weapons in preparation for their assigned duties in the Cameroon Bay area, which include protection of allied base camps, port facilities, airfield, and allied support installations. Each location is systematically prepared for defense. Implacements and positions are improved to withstand any possible attack. Motor emplacements are prepared and foxholes are dug close to machine guns. Attending a briefing are Major General Stanley Larson, Commanding General of Field Forces Vietnam, and Brigadier General Lee of the Korean Marine Corps. The subject is Operation Van Buren, which is providing rice harvest security in the area south of Tui Hoa. Near Cu Chi, some 40 kilometers northwest of Saigon, elements of the 25th Infantry Division encounter heavy Viet Cong mortar and rifle fire on February 9th in one of their first engagements with the enemy since arriving in Vietnam.