13 August 1965

 

 

From:        Commanding Officer

To:             Commanding Officer, 4th Marines (-)(rein)

Subj:          Interpreters; Needs for

 

1.                  In order for this Battalion to execute the tasks inherent in its assigned mission, it needs to use interpreters in its many contacts with the Vietnamese people.  Examples are:

a.     Obtaining information from local intelligence sources.

b.     Carrying out daily contact with village and hamlet officials.

c.      Interrogating VN along route of combat patrols.

d.     Conducting Civic Action projects.

2.                  In the past two months this Battalion has benefited from an increasing flow of information of Viet Cong movements and activities from local sources within the TAOR.  Much of this information is obtained from Police Officials, Administrative Leaders, Popular Forces Commanders, Plain Citizens, and Agents working for higher Headquarters within the TAOR.  An interpreter is needed to obtain this information.

3.                  Daily contact with village and hamlet officials, for purposes of liaison, settling problems, and exchange of views is highly desirable.  Again, interpreters are needed.

4.                  In conducting extended patrols each maneuver element has need to interrogate VCS, civilians encountered, and VCS captured along it’s route in order for it to be most effective.  In only a few instances in the past have I have been capable of providing this most useful tool to patrols because of non availability of interpreters.

5.                  In conducting the bi-weekly (now) Medical Out-Patient Clinic operated by the Battalion of Tuesday and Friday it is necessary to use two interpreters – one by the corpsmen screening the people and administering to their simple complaints and one by the doctor who treats the more serious complaints and practices medicine-in-depth within the limits imposed by diagnostic and treatment facilities available.  Experience shows that these two functions must occur simultaneously for the people do not/will not understand or wait for the screening and dispensing of drugs to be completed in order to see the doctor.  They appear to consider themselves rejected for treatment when asked to wait to see the doctor and so leave rather than wait – which defeats the purpose for the more serious cases thus do not get treatment.

6.                  Heretofore this Battalion has been able to make do for all purposes except combat patrols by using the attached ARVN Liaison Officer in a dual capacity – as part – time interpreter and one more or less full-time interpreter from Regiment.  We no longer have an ARVN Liaison Officer.

7.                  In summation, current needs for interpreters are as follows:

a.     Daily – one, full time.

b.     Bi-weekly – two, 0800-1300 in addition to full time daily interpreter.

c.      As occurring – extended combat patrols, in addition to needs of.

 

This page last corrected 17n September 2011