Publisher's Synopsis
This is the eighth volume of a projected nine-volume history of Marine Corps opetationsin the Vietnam War. A separate functional series complements the operational histories.This volume details the activities of Marine Corps units after the departure from Vietnamin 1971 of Ill Marine Amphibious Force, through to the 1973 ceasefire, and includes thereturn of Marine prisoners of war from North Vietnam. Written from diverse views andsources, the common thread in this narrative is the continued resistance of the SouthVietnamese Armed Forces, in particular the Vietnamese Marine Corps, to Communistaggression. This book is written from the perspective of the American Marines who assistedthem in their efforts. Someday the former South Vietnamese Marines will be able to telltheir own story.By July 1971, less than 500 U.S. Marines, mostly advisors, communicators, and supportingarms specialists remained in Vietnam. It was thought at the time that the successof "Vietnamizarion" of the war would lessen even this small number, as it was hopedthat the South Vietnamese could continue fighting successfully. This hope vanished inspring 1972, dashed by a full-scale North Vietnamese Army invasion. The renewed combatsaw the U.S. Marines return once more to Southeast Asia in a continuation of thewar that now seemed to have no end. The fighting proceed.ed into the fall, and onlyceased with the signing of peace accords in Paris in January 1973.The War That Wou/d Not End is the product of a collaboration of two career Marines, who brought a total of 42 years of service experience to the project while assigned to theHistory and Museums Division of Headquarters Marine Corps. Lieutenant Colonel CurtisG. Arnold began the task. A native Alabamian, Lieutenant Colonel Arnold enlisted inthe Marine Corps in 1950 and served with the 1st Marine Division in Korea. Dischargedin 1953, he remained in the Marine Reserve in inactive status while he attended AuburnUniversity. Following graduation, Lieutenant Colonel Arnold was commissioned injanuary1958. He attended the Communication Officers Orientation Course at Quantico, Virginia, and served as a communications officer for much of his career. He served in Vietnamwith the 3d Marine Division from 1966 to 1967, receiving the Bronze Star Medal. Hewas aide to Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps General I.ewis W. Walt from 1968to 1969. He then attended Marine Corps Command and Staff College at Quanrico andremained there at the Marine Corps Schools as an instructor. I-Ic joined the History andMuseums Division in 1973 and retired from the division and the Marine Corps in 1975.Lieutenant Colonel Arnold's efforts are reflected in the themes of Chapters 2 through9, based on interviews and then-available records. He played a critical part in the locationand recovery of the Marine Advisory Unit records just prior to the fall of Saigon.Lieutenant Colonel Arnold also contributed to this project through his review of the commentedition and with further advice and encouragement until his untimely death in 1990.The project was completed by Major Charles D. Melson. From California, Major Melsonentered the Marine Corps Reserve in 1967 and in 1970 both graduated from Sonoma StateUniversity and was commissioned. Following Basic School, he served overseas as an infantryofficer with assignments to Vietnam in 1972 with the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade.He was awaiting orders to Sub Unit One, 1st ANGLICO, when the war ended in 1973.Major Melson spent a large portion of his career in combat and reconnaissance units in bothFleet Marine Forces Atlantic and Pacific. He has decorations for military merit, combataction, and humanitarian service. Beginning in 1982, he was as an instructor at the U.S.Naval Academy and earned a master of arts degree from St. John's College, Annapolisto the Command Cente
