User:Cuprum17/ Coast Guard Squadron Three

=lede= Coast Guard Squadron Three was a combat unit formed by the United States Coast Guard in 1967 under the operational control of the United States Navy during the Vietnam War and assigned duties in Operation Market Time.

=Background= Five WHEC commissioned at Pearl 24 April 1967

Early in 1967, the Navy forces assigned to Market Time and other operations were being stretched thin. As a result, the Navy requested that the Coast Guard provide five high endurance cutters (WHEC) for duty with the Coastal Surveillance Forces. On 24 April 1967, Coast Guard Squadron Three was formed at Pearl Harbor. Two days later the squadron sailed from Pearl Harbor and arrived at Subic Bay on 10 May. Barataria left Subic Bay a few days later and on the 22 May fired the first Squadron Three naval gunfire support mission of the war. Still, the WHECs continued their peacetime duties with Half Moon acting as On Scene Commander in the search for survivors from the sunken ship Shinagawa Maru. Yakutat took a young girl on board for medical treatment after she suffered a gunshot wound to the leg.

=Operations=

Market Time operational theory
Market Time planners sectioned off nine patrol areas numbered in order from the Demilitarized Zone (DMZ) in the north to the Cambodian border in the south. The areas varied in size, measuring 80 x and running 30 to 40 mi out to sea. The outer two-thirds of each area was covered by the Navy DER and MSO fleet and was identified by the area number with the suffix "B". After May 1967 Coast Guard Squadron Three high endurance cutters (WHEC) also assisted in the outer patrol areas. Because the inner third of each patrol area was usually shallow water it was covered by Navy PCFs and Coast Guard WPBs which had shallow drafts. These smaller patrol areas were identified by a letter "C" or higher. Thus, the patrol area covering the waters near Cam Ranh Bay would have the outer two-thirds designated "4B" and the waters nearer shore designated "4C" through "4H". Overflying the whole area were Navy patrol aircraft that flew various assigned tracks, reporting any traffic to watchstanders stationed at five Coastal Surveillance Centers (CSC) operated jointly by the Navy and South Vietnamese Navy. Reports of movements by suspicious vessels were relayed to the nearest Market Time patrol craft whose duty it was to board and search for contraband material and persons on board with out proper identification. The rules of engagement that Market Time forces operated under allowed any vessel except warships to be stopped, boarded and searched within three miles (4.8 km) of the coastline and from the area three miles to twelve miles (19.4 km) from shore, identification and a declaration of intent could be demanded of any vessel except a warship. Outside the twelve mile limit only vessels of South Vietnamese origin could be stopped, boarded and searched.

While on patrol the cutters operated under orders from an operational commander at the CSC and not the division commander to which they were assigned. The division was responsible for seeing that each cutter was ready to perform her assignments and properly supplied with trained personnel, supplies and equipment. Each division's staff performed regular readiness reviews on each assigned cutter; riding with the crews to judge their effectiveness.

On 30 September 1968, Vice Admiral Elmo R. Zumwalt, Jr. assumed command of Naval Forces Vietnam and he redirected the focus of interdiction operations conducted by TF115 to areas nearer the DMZ as a part of Operation SEALORDS. (Southeast Asia Lake, Ocean, River, and Delta Strategy). The result was that all but four Division 11 WPBs were transferred to Divisions 12 and 13 and the shallower draft Navy PCFs that had been used for patrol duties at the DMZ were used to patrol the canals and rivers.

Major cutter operations
1967 22 may 1967 USCGC Barataria WHEC-381 fire first naval gunfire support mission (NGFS) 1968

1 March 1968 Androscoggin WPG-68, Winona WPG-65, Minnetonka WPG-67 1969

1970 21 November 1970 Trawer destroyed Rush WHEC-723, Sherman WHEC-720 1971-1972 21 December 1971 last two cutters of RONTHREE transferred Cook Inlet WHEC-384 and Castle Rock WHEC-383 to SVN

=Vietnamization and disestablishment=

=Civic action=

=Legacy and impact=

Unit and service awards
The Navy Unit Commendation was awarded for exceptionally meritorious service to the United States Navy Coastal Surveillance Force (Task Force 115) which included USCGC Winona 15 Feb 68 to 14 Mar 68. USCGC Minnetonka WHEC67 28 January 68 to 15 Feb 68, and 23 February 68 to 16 March 68. USCGC Androscoggin WHEC68 17 Dec 67 to 31 Dec 67 and 14 Feb 67 to 6 Mar 68. https://www.mrfa.org/us-navy/list-of-unit-awards-navy/citation-18/ The Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation was awarded for meritorious service to units of the United States Navy Coastal Surveillance Force (Task Force 115) which included the following Squadron Three cutters:. https://www.mrfa.org/us-navy/list-of-unit-awards-navy/citation-20/
 * Navy Unit Commendation
 * Navy Meritorious Unit Commendation

Although the Vietnam Service Medal is a personal service award, it is permissible and customary under Coast Guard regulations for cutters to display service awards on the port and starboard bridge wings. Squadron Three cutters were entitled to display the VSM by virtue of having served in Vietnam for more than thirty days during the eligibility period of 15 November 1961 to 30 April 1975.
 * Vietnam Service Medal

All units serving under MACV were awarded the Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm by the Republic of Vietnam. Because U.S. Navy units serving in Vietnam were subordinate to MACV this included all Coast Guard Squadron Three cutters.
 * Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation with Palm

The Vietnam Campaign Medal was an award of the Republic of Vietnam for those individuals who served in Vietnam for a period of at least six months. Although it was a personal award, Coast Guard regulations permitted its display on a cutter's port and starboard bridge wings since Squadron Three cutters served during the eligibility period of 1 March 1961 to 28 March 1973.
 * Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal

Cutter assignment and disposition information
=See also=