Update: Audio of Bert Watkins' Interview can be found
here.
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Living Your Best Life with Genma Holmes as we profile
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On Saturday, November 10, 2012 join us as we celebrate the United States Marine Corps
237th Birthday and show honor to our veterans of the United States Armed Forces. Tune in as we honor the patriotism, service, and sacrifice of men and women who have serve in our armed forces around the world. Listen as we hear from Marine Veteran Bert Watkins who fought in the Operation Swift during the Vietnam War. Hear his first hand account of one of the most hard fought battles during the war. He will also share why the importance of supporting our veterans and active duty military. He will give sage advice to current military families and to the growing Veteran community as he share from chapters of his decorated career.
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More about Bert Watkins
Master Sargent Bert N. Watkins (USMC RET.)
During his career, he served at Camp Lejeune and Viet Nam. After
his active tour of duty, he joined the Marine Corps Reserves where he
retired from in 1992. During his militray career, he was awarded the Navy Commendation Medal w/v;
the purple Heart' Good Conduct Medal, National Defense Service Medal,
President Unit Citation, Viet Nam Service Medal with 2 Stars, and the Viet Nam
Campaign Medal w/Device. He is the married to Edwina Watkins and the father of four children. He is serves as an Elder at Living Word Church in Goodlettsville, TN. Tim and Sonyo Slaton are the Pastors.
Operation Swift: September 4-15, 1967
Operation Swift was a military operation that took place in the Vietnam War. The mission, involving forces of the
1st Marine Division,
was carried out to rescue two Marine companies which had been
previously ambushed by the North Vietnamese Army. Launched on September
4, 1967 the ensuing battles killed 127 Americans and an estimated 600
North Vietnamese. Despite their withdrawal after having suffered much
higher losses, the NVA had accomplished their objective of inflicting
remarkable American casualties.
Sweep operations were then initiated to shield the local populace
from intimidation during upcoming elections. Operation Swift, intended
to be the fourth and the last of the 1967 operations in the Que Son
Valley, began unofficially the morning of September 4 when Delta
Company,
1st Battalion 5th Marines
(1/5) was attacked before dawn by a superior PAVN force while setup in a
night-time defensive perimeter next to the village of Dong Son.
The local Battalion Commander was Lt.Colonel Peter Hilgartener who
sent 1/5's Bravo Company to Delta’s relief, which was all he had at the
time. With Bravo and Delta companies heavily engaged, Mike and Kilo
companies from the adjacent
3rd Battalion, 5th Marines
(3/5) were sent to relieve them. Ambushed and aggressively attacked,
these two companies were also pinned down in separate enclaves by the
early afternoon. During the fighting Sergeant
Lawrence Peters earned a posthumous
Medal of Honor for leading his men in repulsing repeated attempts to overrun his position. Navy Chaplain Lieutenant
Vincent Capodanno was also awarded a posthumous
Medal of Honor
for his efforts in pulling wounded men to safety in face of
overwhelming enemy fire. Sergeant Thomas C. Panian was also awarded the
Navy Cross
for extraordinary heroism for organizing the defense of India Company, 3
Bn/5 Marines; and holding off subsequent attacks over 8 hours of
combat.
Marine artillery fire and Marine jet fighter-bombers prevented the Marine infantry companies from being overrun. A Marine A-6 silenced an anti-aircraft
gun emplacement, allowing more air support against PAVN positions, and a
fresh Marine company launched a dawn counterattack September 5. This
pressed the PAVN into breaking contact. With all engaged companies now
relieved Colonel Stanley Davis, commanding the 5th Marines, ordered 1/5
and 3/5 to pursue the withdrawing PAVN. This officially began Operation
Swift.
In the early afternoon of September 6 two battalions of the NLF 1st
Regiment attacked Bravo company, the lead company of the 1st Battalion.
Bravo 1/5 was isolated and nearly overrun but held when Marine artillery
rained tear gas around their position. Sergeant Rodney M. Davis,
Platoon Guide of 2nd Platoon, Bravo Company, purposely absorbed the
force of an NVA grenade to protect the lives of other Marines during
that fight. Sergeant Davis was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor
for this action.
The nearby 3rd Battalion was also heavily engaged a few hours later.
India Company, dispatched to attack a hill held by the enemy, was
isolated and nearly overrun by the NLF 1st Regiment's previously
uncommitted 3rd Battalion. Kilo Company fought through the NLF and
relieved India but the two companies were then found to have too many
casualties to move. Two determined night assaults by the NLF were
repulsed, and Mike Company eventually fought through against weakening
opposition as the NLF withdrew.
As the enemy withdrew, the Marine battalions continued to press them
in a series of bitter engagements. By September 15, the PAVN 2nd
Division and NLF 1st Regiment had largely given up contesting the
southern half of the Que Son Valley. The area remained quiet from then
until the Marines turned all of southern I Corps over to the U.S. Army
at the beginning of 1968. U.S. intelligence agencies later determined
that the two enemy regiments that had been most active during Operation
Swift were subsequently unfit for combat.
As Operation Swift concluded large U.S. Army units arrived in
southern I Corps, allowing the 1st Marine Division to base a substantial
force in the Que Son Valley on a permanent basis.
More About the United States Marine Corps
The history of the
United States Marine Corps began with the founding of the
Continental Marines
on 10 November 1775 to conduct ship-to-ship fighting, provide shipboard
security and discipline enforcement, and assist in landing forces. Its
mission evolved with changing military doctrine and foreign policy of
the
United States. Owing to the availability of Marine forces at sea, the United States Marine Corps has served in
nearly every conflict in
United States history. It attained prominence when its theories and practice of
amphibious warfare proved prescient, and ultimately formed a cornerstone of the
Pacific Theater of
World War II.
By the early 20th century, the Marine Corps would become one of the
dominant theorists and practitioners of amphibious warfare. Its ability
to
rapidly respond on short notice to
expeditionary crises has made and continues to make it an important tool for
American foreign policy.
United States Marine Corps 237th Birthday: Origins and Traditions
Prior to 1921, Marines celebrated the recreation of the Corps on 11 July with little pomp or pagentry.
[ On 21 October 1921, Major
Edwin North McClellan, in charge the Corps's fledgling
historical section, sent a memorandum to
Commandant John A. Lejeune,
suggesting the Marines’ original birthday of 10 November be declared a
Marine Corps holiday to be celebrated throughout the Corps. Lejeune so
ordered in Marine Corps Order 47:
|
MARINE CORPS ORDERS
No. 47 (Series 1921)
HEADQUARTERS U.S. MARINE CORPS
Washington, November 1, 1921
759. The following will be read to the command on the 10th of
November, 1921, and hereafter on the 10th of November of every year.
Should the order not be received by the 10th of November, 1921, it will
be read upon receipt.
- On November 10, 1775, a Corps of Marines was created by a resolution
of Continental Congress. Since that date many thousand men have borne
the name "Marine". In memory of them it is fitting that we who are
Marines should commemorate the birthday of our corps by calling to mind
the glories of its long and illustrious history.
- The record of our corps is one which will bear comparison with that
of the most famous military organizations in the world's history. During
90 of the 146 years of its existence the Marine Corps has been in
action against the Nation's foes. From the Battle of Trenton to the Argonne,
Marines have won foremost honors in war, and in the long eras of
tranquility at home, generation after generation of Marines have grown
gray in war in both hemispheres and in every corner of the seven seas, that our country and its citizens might enjoy peace and security.
- In every battle and skirmish since the birth of our corps, Marines
have acquitted themselves with the greatest distinction, winning new
honors on each occasion until the term "Marine" has come to signify all
that is highest in military efficiency and soldierly virtue.
- This high name of distinction and soldierly repute we who are
Marines today have received from those who preceded us in the corps.
With it we have also received from them the eternal spirit which has
animated our corps from generation to generation and has been the
distinguishing mark of the Marines in every age. So long as that spirit
continues to flourish Marines will be found equal to every emergency in
the future as they have been in the past, and the men of our Nation will
regard us as worthy successors to the long line of illustrious men who
have served as "Soldiers of the Sea" since the founding of the Corps.
JOHN A. LEJEUNE,
Major General Commandant
|
The first formal ball was celebrated in 1925, though no records exist that indicate the proceedings of that event.
Birthday celebrations would take varied forms, most included dances,
though some accounts include mock battles, musical performances,
pageants, and sporting events.
The celebrations were formalized and standardized by Commandant
Lemuel C. Shepherd, Jr.
in 1952, outlining the cake cutting ceremony, which would enter the
Marine Drill Manual in 1956. By tradition, the first slice of cake is
given to the oldest Marine present, who in turn hands it off to the
youngest Marine present, symbolizing the old and experienced Marines
passing their knowledge to the new generation of Marines. The
celebration also includes a reading of Marine Corps Order 47,
republished every year, as well as a message from the current
Commandant, and often includes a banquet and dancing if possible. In
many cases, the birthday celebration will also include a pageant of current and historical Marine Corps uniforms, as a reminder of the history of the Corps.
Marines are reputed to celebrate the birthday, regardless of where they
may be in the world, even in austere environments or combat.
Photo Credits: Genma Holmes and Bert Watkins
History: USMC and Wikipedia
