13 May Col Padley, CO 26th Marines (FWD), relieves Col Lanigan as Senior Officer Present at Khe Sanh. Elements of 1/26 occupy combat base, Hills 881S, 861, and 950. Operation CROCKETT commences. 13 Jun Due to increasing enemy contacts, LtCol Hoch's 3/26 airlifted to KSCB. 16 Jul Operation CROCKETT terminates with 204 NVA and 52 Marines KIA. 17 Jul Operation ARDMORE begins. 12 Aug Col Lownds relieves Col Padley as CO, 26th Marines. 13 Aug Due to lack of significant contact around Khe Sanh, Company K and L, 3/26, transferred to 9th Marines and Operation KINGFISHER. 17 Aug Khe Sanh airfield closed to normal traffic for repair of runway. 3 Sep Remainder of 3/26 withdrawn to eastern Quang Tri Province. 27 Oct Air strip reopened to C-123 aircraft. 31 Oct Operation ARDMORE terminated with 113 NVA and 10 Marines KIA. 1 Nov Operation SCOTLAND I begins. 28 Nov MajGen Tompkins assumes command of 3d MarDiv. 13 Dec LtCol Alderman's 3/26 returns to Khe Sanh because of increased enemy activity in Khe Sanh TAOR. 21 Dec 3/26 conducts five-day sweep west of base and uncovers evidence of enemy buildup around KSCB. 1968 2 Jan Five NVA officers killed near western edge of main perimeter. Intelligence reports indicate influx of two NVA divisions, and possibly a third, into Khe Sanh TAOR. 16-17 LtCol Heath's 2/26 transferred to operational control Jan of 26th Marines and arrive KSCB; 2/26 occupies Hill 558 north of base. ASRT-B of MASS-3 displaces from Chu Lai to Khe Sanh to handle ground controlled radar bombing missions. 17 Jan Team from Company B, 3d Reconnaissance Battalion ambushed near Hill 881N. 19 Jan While searching ambush site, patrol from I/3/26 comes under fire from estimated 25 NVA troops and withdraws under cover of supporting arms. Two platoons from M/3/26 helilifted to Hill 881S as reinforcements for I/3/26 which prepares for sweep toward 881N the next day. 20 Jan Capt Dabney's I/3/26 attacks and, with the aid of air and artillery, badly mauls NVA battalion entrenched on southern slopes of 881N; 7 Marines and 103 North Vietnamese KIA. On strength of testimony of captured NVA lieutenant that enemy attack is imminent, I/3/26 is withdrawn to 881S and base placed on Red Alert. DASC of MASS-3 displaces to Khe Sanh.