3/5 Operations in Vietnam

Operation Meade River was the largest Marine air mobile op of the war. Six infantry battalions participated, including 3/5. Starting 10 November through 9 December the battalions encircled and searched a 30 click cordon in Dodge City. Just about all the civilians in the area were evacuated.

Operation Taylor Common started 7 December 1968 and continued through until March 8, 1969 and was conducted southwest of AnHoa in area identified as Base Area 112, a major staging area for the NVA.  The intent of the operation was to build and secure a supply line from Da Nang to An Hoa.  3/5's participation started on 11 December when the battalion landed on Hill 575, and established FireBase Lance.   Operations in the surrounding areas continued until February 14, 1969, when all units left except for Mike and Lima Companies 3/5.  Pressure on the two remaining companies increased throughout February and by the end of the month they endured nightly mortar barrages and ground assaults.  FSB Tomahawk was attacked just after midnight on March 1.  Quoting from Semper Fi, Vietnam, page 231 "Four Marines in a listening post first heard the enemy moving toward their position. Private First Class Daniel D. Bruce, a mortar man from the Headquarters and Service Company, 3/5, caught the explosive device in mid-air, then shouted a warning to his buddies as he leaped from the bunker.  Intent only on protecting his fellow Marines, Bruce held the device to his body as he ran into the jungle. Before he could dispose of the charge, it exploded. Bruce absorbed the full and deadly blast, but his buddies survived to fight off their attackers. Bruce would receive a posthumous Medal of Honor for his valor."   On 3 March, Mike Company ran into a well entrenched enemy force.  Two of the three Marines who died in the first few seconds bodies could not be recovered because of withering fire.  A series of bitter fights occurred through March 6 in an effort to recover the bodies.   Force Recon eventually recovered them.  On March 8, the operation ended after forcing the NVA out of Base Area 112 and capturing huge quantities of arms and supplies.   Murphy, on page 232, ends his essay on this op this way: "....as soon as they departed the AO, the enemy began returning.  Such was the war in South Vietnam."

Operation Pipestone Canyon started on May 26 and ran through November 7, 1969 in Goi Noi Island and Dodge City.  This was a multi battalion effort and included ARVNs and ROKs (Republic of Korea Marines).  3/5's part of this op involved driving into east Goi Noi alongside BLT 1/26, then establishing a blocking position west of the railroad berm on 30 May.  The results of this op was to "transform Goi Noi Island from a heavily vegetated tract into a barren wasteland, free of tree lines and other cover long used by the enemy to conceal his movements across the island."  

Operation Durham Peak ran from July 18 to August 13, 1969.  This operation took place in Antenna Valley and the Que Son Mountains.  Enemy forces fleeing the carnage in Goi Noi and Dodge City because of Pipestone Canyon were filtering into this area.  2nd and 3rd Battalions, 5th Marines, along with 2/1, participated.   The Army's Americal Division established blocking positions south of the AO.   According to Murphy most of the heavy contact was sustained by a platoon of   Hotel Company 2/1, ambushed on July 26th.

Danny with his SQUAD 3/5 Mike Company just before Operation PipeStone Canyon.

He was wounded TWICE in the mission and several of his SQUAD didn't make it!

USMC losses were 71 (KIA) Killed In Action and 498 (WIA) Wounded In Action. 852 enemy were killed as counted which meant there were twice that many.

Danny received 2 PURPLE HEARTS for his COMBAT WOUNDS as seen below.