UH-34D A single-engine, Marine, medium transport Sea Horse helicopter with a crew of three; carries 16-18 combat troops or 8 litters or a normal 5,000 pound payload. USAF United States Air Force USA United States Army USMC United States Marine Corps USN United States Navy VC Viet Cong VFR Visual Flight Rules VHF Very High Frequency Viet Minh The Vietnamese contraction for Viet Nam, Doc Lap Nong Minh Hoi, a Communist-led coalition of nationalist groups which actively opposed the Japanese in World War II and the French in the early years of the Indo-China War. VMA Marine Attack Squadron VMFA Marine Fighter/Attack Squadron VMGR Marine Aerial Refueler Transport Squadron VMO Marine Observation Squadron VNAF Vietnamese Air Force VT Variable Timed fuze for artillery shell which causes airburst over target area. APPENDIX C CHRONOLOGY 1962 Aug U. S. Army Special Forces establish CIDG camp at Khe Sanh. 1966 Apr 1/1 sweeps Khe Sanh plateau during Operation VIRGINIA. Oct 1/3 occupies KSCB; CIDG displaces to Lang Vei. 1967 Feb 1/3 replaced by single company, E/2/9. 15 Mar Company B, 1/9, replaces E/2/9 as resident defense company. 20 Apr Combat assets at KSCB pass to operational control of Col Lanigan's 3d Marines which commences Operation PRAIRIE IV. 24 Apr B/1/9 patrol engages large enemy force north of Hill 861 and prematurely triggers attack on Khe Sanh; "Hill Fights" begin. 25 Apr 2/3 and 3/3 airlifted to KSCB to counter enemy drive. 28 Apr After heavy prep fires, LtCol DeLong's 2/3 assaults and seizes first objective--Hill 861. 2 May LtCol Wilder's 3/3 seizes Hill 881S after four days of heavy fighting. 3 May 2/3 repulses strong enemy counterattack south of 881N. 5 May 2/3 secures final objective--Hill 881N. 11-13 "Hill Fights" terminate with 940 NVA and 155 Marine May KIA. 3d Marines shuttled to Dong Ha as 26th Marines (FWD) and 1/26 move into Khe Sanh.