Operation Keystone Cardinal

{{single source|date=April 2024}}Operation Keystone Cardinal was the withdrawal of the 3rd Marine Division from South Vietnam, taking place from 30 September to 27 November 1969.

Background

Following the withdrawal of the 9th Marine Regiment from South Vietnam in Operation Keystone Eagle, planning began for the withdrawal of the remaining units of 3rd Marine Division in line with the plans prepared by MACV.{{cite book|last=Smith|first=Charles|title=U.S. Marines in Vietnam: High Mobility and Standdown 1969|publisher=History and Museums Division, Headquarters, U.S. Marine Corps|url=https://archive.org/details/HighMobilityAndStanddown|year=1988|isbn=978-1494287627|pages=[https://archive.org/details/HighMobilityAndStanddown/page/n180 166]-9}}

Operation

The Keystone Cardinal redeployments took place as follows:{{rp|167-8}}

class="wikitable" border="1"
Departure Date ! Unit ! Strength ! Destination
30 September 1969 \| Detachment, Headquarters, III Marine Amphibious Force \| 70 \| Camp Pendleton
30 September 1969 \| OOCNE \| 724 \| Camp Pendleton
2 October 1969 \| Company B, 3rd Engineer Battalion \| 159 \| Camp Pendleton
2 October 1969 \| Company C, 3rd Medical Battalion \| 24 \| Camp Pendleton
2 October 1969 \| 1st Battalion, 12th Marines \| 662 \| Camp Pendleton
2 October 1969 \| Company B, 3rd Shore Party Battalion \| 82 \| Camp Pendleton
2 October 1969 \| Company B, 9th Motor Transport Battalion \| 91 \| Camp Pendleton
4 October 1969 \| 3rd Bridge Company \| 102 \| Camp Pendleton
4 October 1969 \| Detachment, 11th Engineer Battalion \| 622 \| Camp Pendleton
4 October 1969 \| Company B, 3rd Motor Transport Battalion \| 68 \| Camp Pendleton
4 October 1969 \| Company A, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion \| 143 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines \| 1166 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines \| 1166 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines \| 91 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, Headquarters Battery, 12th Marine Regiment \| 61 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, Headquarters, 3rd Marine Division \| 436 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, 4th Battalion, 12th Marines \| 150 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, Headquarters Company, 3rd Marine Regiment \| 24 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, Force Logistics Command (FLC) \| 400 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, 7th Communication Battalion \| 193 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines \| 118 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines \| 118 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, Headquarters Company, 4th Marine Regiment \| 100 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, 1st Special Security Communications Team (SSCT) \| 4 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| OOCNE \| 14 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| OOCNE \| 123 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, VMO-6 \| 8 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, HMM-164 \| 8 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 36 (MABS-36) \| 89 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, Headquarters & Maintenance Squadron 36 (H&MS-36) \| 164 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 11 (MABS-11) \| 20 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 12 (MABS-12) \| 20 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 13 (MABS-13) \| 20 \| Camp Pendleton
6 October 1969 \| Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 16 (MABS-16) \| 22 \| Camp Pendleton
7 October 1969 \| Headquarters Company, 3rd Marine Regiment \| 230 \| Camp Pendleton
7 October 1969 \| 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines \| 1166 \| Camp Pendleton
7 October 1969 \| Detachment, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines \| 118 \| Camp Pendleton
7 October 1969 \| HMM-265 \| 249 \| Camp Pendleton
7 October 1969 \| VMA-533 \| 304 \| Camp Pendleton
7 October 1969 \| Detachment, Headquarters & Maintenance Squadron 12 (H&MS-12) \| 69 \| Japan
20 October 1969 \| 7th Communication Battalion \| 190 \| Okinawa
20 October 1969 \| 3rd Motor Transport Battalion \| 20 \| Okinawa
20 October 1969 \| Platoon, 3rd Bridge Company \| 21 \| Okinawa
20 October 1969 \| Headquarters Battery, 12th Marine Regiment \| 100 \| Okinawa
20 October 1969 \| HMM-164 \| 258 \| Okinawa
20 October 1969 \| HMH-462 \| 233 \| Okinawa
22 October 1969 \| 1st Battalion, 4th Marines \| 1048 \| Okinawa
22 October 1969 \| Detachment, Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division \| 200 \| Okinawa
22 October 1969 \| VMO-6 \| 234 \| Okinawa
22 October 1969 \| Detachment, VMO-6 \| 32 \| Okinawa
23 October 1969 \| Battery G, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines \| 133 \| Okinawa
23 October 1969 \| 3rd Engineer Battalion \| 341 \| Okinawa
23 October 1969 \| 3rd Tank Battalion \| 345 \| Okinawa
3 November 1969 \| 15th CIT \| 16 \| Okinawa
3 November 1969 \| Detachment, H&HS-18 \| 18 \| Japan
4 November 1969 \| 9th Motor Transport Battalion \| 88 \| Okinawa
5 November 1969 \| 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines \| 328 \| Okinawa
5 November 1969 \| 17th Interrogator Translator Team (ITT) \| 11 \| Okinawa
5 November 1969 \| 11th ITT \| 6 \| Okinawa
5 November 1969 \| 9th ITT \| 6 \| Okinawa
6 November 1969 \| Headquarters Company, 4th Marine Regiment \| 130 \| Okinawa
6 November 1969 \| Company B, 3rd Tank Battalion \| 140 \| Okinawa
7 November 1969 \| H&MS-36 \| 324 \| Okinawa
8 November 1969 \| 1st SSCT \| 6 \| Okinawa
8 November 1969 \| Detachment, MASS-2 \| 39 \| Okinawa
9 November 1969 \| 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines \| 1048 \| Okinawa
9 November 1969 \| Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division \| 308 \| Okinawa
9 November 1969 \| Detachment, Headquarters Battery, 12th Marine Regiment \| 83 \| Okinawa
10 November 1969 \| Battery K, 4th Battalion, 12th Marines \| 100 \| Okinawa
10 November 1969 \| 3rd Shore Party Battalion \| 228 \| Okinawa
19 November 1969 \| 4th Battalion, 12th Marines \| 152 \| Okinawa
20 November 1969 \| 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines \| 1048 \| Okinawa
21 November 1969 \| 11th Engineer Battalion \| 103 \| Okinawa
22 November 1969 \| Company C, 9th Motor Transport Battalion \| 83 \| Okinawa
23 November 1969 \| MABS-36 \| 318 \| Okinawa
23 November 1969 \| MASS-2 \| 123 \| Japan
24 November 1969 \| Detachment, MABS-36 \| 87 \| Japan
24 November 1969 \| Detachment, Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division \| 200 \| Okinawa
24 November 1969 \| 3rd Medical Battalion \| 86 \| Okinawa
24 November 1969 \| 3rd Dental Company \| 3 \| Okinawa
24 November 1969 \| 7th ITT \| 11 \| Okinawa
27 November 1969 \| Battery H, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines \| 110 \| Okinawa

class="wikitable" border="1"

Departure Date

! Unit

! Strength

! Destination

30 September 1969

| Detachment, Headquarters, III Marine Amphibious Force

| 70

| Camp Pendleton

30 September 1969

| OOCNE

| 724

| Camp Pendleton

2 October 1969

| Company B, 3rd Engineer Battalion

| 159

| Camp Pendleton

2 October 1969

| Company C, 3rd Medical Battalion

| 24

| Camp Pendleton

2 October 1969

| 1st Battalion, 12th Marines

| 662

| Camp Pendleton

2 October 1969

| Company B, 3rd Shore Party Battalion

| 82

| Camp Pendleton

2 October 1969

| Company B, 9th Motor Transport Battalion

| 91

| Camp Pendleton

4 October 1969

| 3rd Bridge Company

| 102

| Camp Pendleton

4 October 1969

| Detachment, 11th Engineer Battalion

| 622

| Camp Pendleton

4 October 1969

| Company B, 3rd Motor Transport Battalion

| 68

| Camp Pendleton

4 October 1969

| Company A, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion

| 143

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines

| 1166

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines

| 1166

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines

| 91

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, Headquarters Battery, 12th Marine Regiment

| 61

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, Headquarters, 3rd Marine Division

| 436

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, 4th Battalion, 12th Marines

| 150

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, Headquarters Company, 3rd Marine Regiment

| 24

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, Force Logistics Command (FLC)

| 400

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, 7th Communication Battalion

| 193

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines

| 118

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines

| 118

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, Headquarters Company, 4th Marine Regiment

| 100

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, 1st Special Security Communications Team (SSCT)

| 4

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| OOCNE

| 14

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| OOCNE

| 123

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, VMO-6

| 8

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, HMM-164

| 8

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 36 (MABS-36)

| 89

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, Headquarters & Maintenance Squadron 36 (H&MS-36)

| 164

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 11 (MABS-11)

| 20

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 12 (MABS-12)

| 20

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 13 (MABS-13)

| 20

| Camp Pendleton

6 October 1969

| Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 16 (MABS-16)

| 22

| Camp Pendleton

7 October 1969

| Headquarters Company, 3rd Marine Regiment

| 230

| Camp Pendleton

7 October 1969

| 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines

| 1166

| Camp Pendleton

7 October 1969

| Detachment, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines

| 118

| Camp Pendleton

7 October 1969

| HMM-265

| 249

| Camp Pendleton

7 October 1969

| VMA-533

| 304

| Camp Pendleton

7 October 1969

| Detachment, Headquarters & Maintenance Squadron 12 (H&MS-12)

| 69

| Japan

20 October 1969

| 7th Communication Battalion

| 190

| Okinawa

20 October 1969

| 3rd Motor Transport Battalion

| 20

| Okinawa

20 October 1969

| Platoon, 3rd Bridge Company

| 21

| Okinawa

20 October 1969

| Headquarters Battery, 12th Marine Regiment

| 100

| Okinawa

20 October 1969

| HMM-164

| 258

| Okinawa

20 October 1969

| HMH-462

| 233

| Okinawa

22 October 1969

| 1st Battalion, 4th Marines

| 1048

| Okinawa

22 October 1969

| Detachment, Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division

| 200

| Okinawa

22 October 1969

| VMO-6

| 234

| Okinawa

22 October 1969

| Detachment, VMO-6

| 32

| Okinawa

23 October 1969

| Battery G, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines

| 133

| Okinawa

23 October 1969

| 3rd Engineer Battalion

| 341

| Okinawa

23 October 1969

| 3rd Tank Battalion

| 345

| Okinawa

3 November 1969

| 15th CIT

| 16

| Okinawa

3 November 1969

| Detachment, H&HS-18

| 18

| Japan

4 November 1969

| 9th Motor Transport Battalion

| 88

| Okinawa

5 November 1969

| 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines

| 328

| Okinawa

5 November 1969

| 17th Interrogator Translator Team (ITT)

| 11

| Okinawa

5 November 1969

| 11th ITT

| 6

| Okinawa

5 November 1969

| 9th ITT

| 6

| Okinawa

6 November 1969

| Headquarters Company, 4th Marine Regiment

| 130

| Okinawa

6 November 1969

| Company B, 3rd Tank Battalion

| 140

| Okinawa

7 November 1969

| H&MS-36

| 324

| Okinawa

8 November 1969

| 1st SSCT

| 6

| Okinawa

8 November 1969

| Detachment, MASS-2

| 39

| Okinawa

9 November 1969

| 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines

| 1048

| Okinawa

9 November 1969

| Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division

| 308

| Okinawa

9 November 1969

| Detachment, Headquarters Battery, 12th Marine Regiment

| 83

| Okinawa

10 November 1969

| Battery K, 4th Battalion, 12th Marines

| 100

| Okinawa

10 November 1969

| 3rd Shore Party Battalion

| 228

| Okinawa

19 November 1969

| 4th Battalion, 12th Marines

| 152

| Okinawa

20 November 1969

| 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines

| 1048

| Okinawa

21 November 1969

| 11th Engineer Battalion

| 103

| Okinawa

22 November 1969

| Company C, 9th Motor Transport Battalion

| 83

| Okinawa

23 November 1969

| MABS-36

| 318

| Okinawa

23 November 1969

| MASS-2

| 123

| Japan

24 November 1969

| Detachment, MABS-36

| 87

| Japan

24 November 1969

| Detachment, Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division

| 200

| Okinawa

24 November 1969

| 3rd Medical Battalion

| 86

| Okinawa

24 November 1969

| 3rd Dental Company

| 3

| Okinawa

24 November 1969

| 7th ITT

| 11

| Okinawa

27 November 1969

| Battery H, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines

| 110

| Okinawa

Aftermath

Operation Keystone Cardinal concluded on 27 November 1969.{{rp|168}}

References

Category:United States Marine Corps in the Vietnam War

Category:Battles and operations of the Vietnam War in 1969

Category:September 1969 in Asia

Category:October 1969 in Asia

Category:November 1969 in Asia