Generally these reports addressed tactical, operational, logistics, and intelligence matters. But a number of the Marine officers used the reporting system to articulate their opinions relative to the overall direction of the war. Colonel Warren P. Baker, a member of the 3d Marine Division staff who visited Vietnam in March, pointed out that field advisors and MACV staff members differed sharply in their personal assessments of progress being made. The field advisors, Baker observed, demonstrated far less optimism than did the staff members. Furthermore, he reported that unless the people of South Vietnam could be won over to the government, the Viet Cong’s success could be expected to continue.[10-12] Another officer, Lieutenant Colonel Harry E. Dickinson, summarized his conclusions with an even more emphatic warning: The commitment of sizeable U.S. combat units should not be effected except to protect the seat of government. While local success might be achieved in certain areas, it is extremely doubtful whether any lasting degree of success would entail in the northern and western sections. As combat units were increased, the forces of Vietnam would do less and less with the inevitable conflict of overall command. The end result would be the ringing of the country with combat units but no solution for the internal conflict. I strongly disagree that any two or three divisions could achieve real victory as has been stated in the press.[10-13] Through candid reporting of this nature, Marine commanders from Okinawa to Washington were kept abreast of the complex and difficult problems being generated by the war in Southeast Asia. CHAPTER 11 Spring and Summer Fighting _The Monsoons--The Weather Breaks--Sure Wind 202--Operations Elsewhere in I Corps--Changing the Watch_ Commanded by Colonel Andre D. Gomez, the strength of the Marine task element at Da Nang stood at 450 officers and men as 1964 opened. Lieutenant Colonel Ross’ HMM-361 continued its assignment as the task element’s helicopter squadron while Lieutenant Colonel Cassidy’s 204-man MABS-16 sub unit retained responsibility for maintaining and operating the support facilities.