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The President of the United States takes pleasure in presenting the
PRESIDENTIAL UNIT CITATION to
FIRST MARINES (-) (REINFORCED)
FIRST MARINE DIVISION

for service as set forth in the following citation:

For extraordinary heroism and outstanding performance of duty in action against enemy forces during Operation HUE CITY, conducted in Thua Thien Province, Republic of Vietnam, from 31 January to 2 March 1968. On 31 January 1968, Company A, 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, responded as a reaction force to relieve pressure on beleaguered free world forces in Hue City. As the reaction force moved by vehicle convoy toward the city, it was attacked by two battalions of the North Vietnamese Army and temporarily halted. Receiving reinforcements from Company G, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines, and a provisional command group from 1st Battalion, 1st Marines, the reaction force fought its way into the city. Once within the city, it secured various objectives in order to rescue U. S. National and Republic of Vietnam government officials from the north side of the Perfume River. Engaging a numerically superior enemy force, the Marines performed superbly. The attack was a classical example of combat in the built-up area as the majority of the fierce fighting was performed at distances under 35 meters, on streets, in yards, from house to house, room to room, and in hand-to-hand combat. As time passed and the intensity of the fighting increased, the decision was made to declare the action a full-scale operation, and on 2 February control was passed to the 1st Marines. Reacting swiftly to reinforce the units in Hue, the 1st Marines (-) (Reinforced) proceeded from Phu Bai by vehicle convoy to exploit the contact already made. Engaging enemy troops as they drew near, the 1st Marines fought their way into the through the city to the MACV compound to find it under intense attack by a numerically superior force. Immediately deploying, they countered the attack and within 30 minutes placed the enemy on the defensive. The fighting continued and the Marines recaptured the provincial headquarters and hospital while driving the enemy from other critical areas. On 26 February, a portion of the Marines were withdrawn from the Citadel and, upon combining forces with Marines in another portion of the zone of responsibility, began conducting final clearing operations south of the Phu Cam River. Through the remaining four days, the Marines encountered stubborn resistance, but secured the city by 2 March with 1,889 enemy killed. By their effective teamwork, aggressive fighting spirit, and individual acts of heroism and daring, the men of the 1st Marines (-) (Reinforced) soundly defeated a numerically superior enemy force and achieved an illustrious record of courage and skill which was in keeping with the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and the United States Naval Service.

Richard Nixon

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Units eligible for this award:

Unit Listing – MCBul 1650 – 14 Jul 1970
First Marines (-) (Reinforced), First Marine Division (Operation HUE CITY, VIETNAM) – 31 Jan – 2 Mar 68

Consisting of:

Detachment, Headquarters Company, 1st Marines1 Feb-2 Mar 68
Detachment, 3d Interrogator-Translator Team1 Feb-2 Mar 68
Detachment, 13th Interrogator-Translator Team2 Feb-2 Mar 68
1st Battalion (-) (Reinforced) 1st Marines:
Detachment, H&S Company and Company A
1st Battalion, 5th Marines
31 Jan-2 Mar 68
Company B (-), 1st Battalion 1st Marines1 Feb-2 Mar 68
Company F, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines1 Feb-2 Mar 68
Company G, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines31 Jan-2 Mar 68
Company H, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines2 Feb-3 Feb 68
1st Battalion (-), 11th Marines31 Jan-2 Mar 68
Rear Echelon, 2d Battalion 5th Marines31 Jan-2 Mar 68
1st Battalion (-) Reinforced, 5th Marines:
Detachment, H&S Company and Company “B”, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines11 Feb–2 Mar 68
Company A (-), 1st Battalion 5th Marines11 Feb–2 Mar 68
Company C (-), 1st Battalion 5th Marines12 Feb–2 Mar 68
Company D (-), 1st Battalion 5th Marines14 Feb–2 Mar 68
Company L (-), 3d Battalion 5th Marines21 Feb–2 Mar 68
2d Battalion (-) Reinforced, 5th Marines:
H&S Company, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines4 Feb–2 Mar 68
Companies F, G and H, 2d Battalion, 5th Marines4 Feb–2 Mar 68
Company D, 1st Battalion, 5th Marines12 Feb–13 Feb 68
Antitank Company (-), 1st Tank Battalion31 Jan 68
Company A, 1st Engineer Battalion (-) (Rein)1 Feb-28 Feb 68
Detachment, 1st Shore Party Battalion1 Feb-2 Mar 68
Detachment, 1st Motor Transport Battalion1 Feb-2 Mar 68
Detachment, Mortar Battery X-Ray, 1st Battalion, 11th Marines10 Feb-2 Mar 68
Detachment, Battery E, 2d Battalion, 11th Marines21 Feb-2 Mar 68
Detachment, 1st Counter-Intelligence Team, 1st Marine Division31 Jan-7 Feb 68
Battery D, 2d Battalion, 11th Marines12 Feb-2 Mar 68
Detachment, 1st Military Police Company, 1st Marine Division12 Feb-2 Mar 68
1st Platoon, 3d Bridge Company, 7th Engineer Battalion5 Feb-12 Feb 68
Detachment, Headquarters Company, 5th Marine Regiment12 Feb-2 Mar 68
Detachment, 3d Motor Transport Battalion, 3d Marine Division31 Jan-2 Mar 68
Detachment, Task Force X-Ray Headquarters31 Jan-2 Mar 68
Detachment, 1st Field Artillery Group, 11th Marine Regiment31 Jan-2 Mar 68
Detachment, Headquarters Battalion, 1st Marine Division (1st Division Awards Contact Team)21 Feb-28 Feb 68
U.S. Navy Units and Ships:
Detachment, Mobile Construction Battalion-822 Feb-28 Feb 68
Detachment, Mobile Construction Battalion-12112 Feb-2 Mar 68
Detachment, River Group-5215 Feb-2 Mar 68
Naval Support Activity Hue Ramp Detachment31 Jan-2 Mar 68
U.S. Naval Support Activity Lighterage Craft:
LCU/YFU (By Hull Number) – 4, 7, 12, 52, 54, 55,
56, 57, 59, 61, 62, 63, 64, 65, 66, 68, 69, 70,
71, 72, 1475, 1481, 1482, 1484, 1485, 1494, 1498,
1499, 1500, 1576, 1582, 1614, 1619, 1622, 1624,
1615
31 Jan-2 Mar 68
LCM-6 Craft (By Hull Number) – 2, 3, 7, 12, 13, 14, 1631 Jan-2 Mar 68
LCM-8 Craft (By Hull Number) – 798, 826, 850, 871,
920, 923, 925, 926, 937
31 Jan-2 Mar 68
U.S. Army Units:
Detachment, Battery D, 1st Battalion, 44th Artillery31 Jan-2 Mar 68
The following Army Components attached to the Naval Support Activity, Danang31 Jan-2 Mar 68
329th Transportation Company (Heavy Boat)
97th Transportation Company (Heavy Boat)
LCU/YFU Craft (By Hull Number) – 1508, 1535,
1556, 1563, 1569, 1571, 1575, 1580, 1589, 1574,
1534
31 Jan-2 Mar 68