Logistics
The period covered from 1 to 30 September can be expressed as another ‘lean period’. Many things were accomplished that are not indicative of the compete failure of the logistical system in Viet Nam today.
A daily average of 1100 men were fed two hot meals per day from the Battalion mess.
We wee able to provide showers for every man at least once a week.
Through in in-kind issues, clothing was provided for the majority of the Battalion.
A 500 man mess hall was constructed by Engineers at the Battalion Command Post. Two strong backs were constructed at the rifle companies area.
A. Supply
1. Supply requirements
a. Class I. Water based on the figure of eight gallons per man per day for drinking, showers and operation of the Battalion Mess. Enough hot (B occasionally supplemented by A) rations to feed 1100 men twice per day, and enough C rations to feed 1100 men once per day.
b. Class II. Critical shortages noted especially in items available through the impress fund – consumables such as line and soap. Also shortage of toilet paper, rifle oil, insecticide, and salt tablets only to mention a few. These items necessary for the health and sanitation have been problem items since arrival in RVN, with no relief in sight.
c. Class III. Daily requirements include 115 gallons of diesel for the generator and the heating element of the bath unit. 50 gallons of kerosene per day are required for the two 8 cu ft refrigerators and for burning the heads daily. In addition, 150 gallons of MOGAS is a daily requirement for operation of organic vehicles and field ranges for the mess. Limited quantities of GL90, SAE 30, SAR 10, and GAA are also required daily.
d. Class IV. Requirement exists for approximately 100,000 sandbags, 150 miles of barbed wire, and sufficient metal stakes to complete and/or rebuild defensive positions.
e. Class V. Basic Allowance in hands of troops and additional basic allowance for the two companies located on the islands. Shortage still exists for pyrotechnics.
f. Requirement for adequate water point at the Battalion level is evident. To obtain water for a resupply mission it must first be obtained at a central water point approximately one mile away. These water points are constantly used by all units in the Chu Lai area, and oftentimes entails waiting in line or as long as two hours. The Battalion needs a well that would produce at least 7,000 gallons of water per day, to expedite resupply missions.
2. Procurement Problem
a. Impress Fund. Problems in this area lie in the items authorized for local procurement through the Impress Fund Cashier. Two items which are not available through the normal Marine Corps Supply Channels, soap for the operation of the mess hall, and lime necessary for the sanitation of the heads and urinals have been requisitioned repeatedly though the Impress Fund. A sufficient lead time has been established in requisitioning these items, yet a shortage is always encountered. When the supplies are purchased they are sent to the flight line in DaNang where they remain indefinitely.
1. Solutions. That one individual on the Battalion level be authorized to procure locally for that individual’s particular unit. All purchases would be subject to the approval of the Impress Fund Cashier at the FLSU, both in quantity and material purchased. In this manner, shortages in these hard-to-get items would be attributed only to the using units. Smaller quantities to be transported would expedite shipment from DaNang to Chu Lai.
b. Reconciliation Listing. Upon reconciling the Battalion’s outstanding obligations, it was discovered that 266 requisitions, previously considered by this Battalion as being valid, were not held by the Force Logistics Support Group in DaNang. However, a great portion of these requisitions were submitted immediately following the Battalion’s landing on 7 May 1965, at a time when the FLSU was still in the process of being set up. Since receipt of this listing, cancellation documents have been submitted for those items no longer required, and the pending requisition file has been purified. It has also given supply the opportunity to resubmit for those requisitions not listed, and it is the first time since arrival in RVN that the Battalion has been given a five picture of the status of pending requisitions. Our priority requisitions are receiving better attention as in evidence by priority 02 submissions: a total of 52 submitted and 15 filled for a fill rate of 28.8%, which is considerably higher than the fill rate for all requisitions combined.
c. Usage date – on hand to get consumable items.
1. There are many expendable items that, because they are I short supply, do not afford the using unit proper usage data with which to order. Batteries BA-279 for the AN/PRC-10 is a good example of this. Because these batteries are so critical, it necessitated closing down the company nets, and even then the Battalion lives on a day to day existence. Currently there are several requisitions outstanding for BA-279, one for a quantity of --- on a priority 02 submitted several months ago.
2. Another problem area encountered in a breakdown between using units and the FLSU insofar as distribution of supplies are concerned. FLSU requires all units to submit both the original and pink copies requisitioning documents (NAVMC 10493). The pink copy is used at the Class II and IV dump as their record of all requisitions submitted. However when the supplies are received at that point, no distribution is made on many items until another requirements is generated by the using units.
3. Solution. When supplies are received at the FLSU with no shipping document, the pink copies of requisitions on record should be reviewed by the FLSU to find out which units submitted requirements for these particular items. This will eliminated delay of supplies to the units that requested same, and ensure that these items are distributed to units who first submitted their requirements.
3. Storage
a. Non-availability of adequate or boxes as prescribed by current field warehousing directives. At present, Battalion Supply is relying o the old number ten (7.5 cu ft) boxes for storage of supplies in addition to the standard 4.3 cu ft boxes purchased in Hawaii, most of which are no longer usable. Also on hand are twenty medium storage, plywood, box pallets which have proved to be the most useful especially for bulk in items, and have shown to hold up better than the two previously mentioned; however, should the necessity arise to displace, the contents would have to be emptied and loaded item by item due to the un-availability of materials handling equipment. (Solution: Expedite production and shipment of required boxed to units in RVN).
b. The Battalion Currently has 54 serviceable general purpose tents on hand, some 36 under the T/E allowance, including the encampment/garrison authorization. Tentage of any kind has not been available through the FLSU for almost three months, and the only shelter for supplies have been tarps and fly tents, because of the necessity of employing the tentage on hand for office spaces and living quarters.
B. Transportation
1. Transportation was provided by organic vehicles, cargo vehicles form supporting units, LVT’s, and helicopters. Aside from organic vehicles, no means of transportation is dependable on a timely, day to day basis.
2. Cargo vehicles are required to haul the great quantities of water and supplies consumed daily. The large vehicles are necessary to accomplish the daily housekeeping chores such as trash runs. Personnel must be hauled a considerable distance to take a shower. Often, enough vehicles are not available to accomplish the daily requirements, resulting in ‘put off until tomorrow’ type existence. This only back logs or increases the work to be accomplished tomorrow with no guarantee that sufficient support will be available. Again the lack of spare parts reduces the vehicle availability. Vehicle availability could be increased by re-examining toe assets of all supporting/supported units to determine what units besides the supporting truck companies could provide cargo vehicles for support in this area.
3. LVT support has been outstanding. Once again, the lack of spare parts reduces the dependability.
4. Helicopter support has declined rapidly during this month. An insufficient number of helos is provided to the area, forcing resupply missions to be untimely, incomplete and occasionally unsatisfactory.
5. Transportation support during heavy rains is non-existent.
C. Maintenance
1. 2nd echelon maintenance has been hampered by a shortage of spare parts such as brake shoes, spark plugs, and coil springs.
2. 3rd echelon maintenance provided by FLSU #1 has been rapid and of excellent quality. Certain items, such as engines for M-274, which are scarce, resulting in items being deadline for long periods of time.
D. Sanitation
1. The greatest sanitation problem is the flies. The flies are attracted because of the odors around the urinals and heads. The odors could be controlled if more line were available. Cake deodorant bars have been used to partially control the odor. DD is scarce, and no resupply has been received. A substitute mixed with kerosene is being used to spray the areas.
2. Soap is non-existent except through the Impress Fund. The soap purchased with the impress fund is of poor quality. The large quantities used in the mess hall must be supplemented with soap donated by individuals. The solution to this problem is to provide soap through the Marines Corps supply system.
E. Deadline Combat Essential Equipment by Type
1. Items deadlined for the month of September are listed as enclosures (1) and (2).
F. Embarkation
1. An updating of all embarkation date was accomplished during the month. The status of embarkation readiness is restricted because of a shortage of 4.3 cube boxes.
G. Employment of Indigenous Personnel
1. Twenty-three local villagers were hired on the 27th of September to establish laundry, tailor shop, and barber facilities. Very satisfactory results have been obtained from this service.