Deployments

Introduction

Alan Kisling
V.P. Historian 5th Bn.60th Inf
Wednesday, August 18, 1999 

Chronological Order, Area of Operations.
5th Bn. 60th Inf.
9th / 1st / 25th Inf. Div`s R.V.N.
Dec. 20th 1966 to Oct. 12th 1970.

I have gleaned the following information from Shelby L. Stantons Vietnam Order of Battle and the 9th Infantry Division Unit Histories.  It is being presented here as a reference/guide for those who request membership in the 5th/60th Association.  The Army did us no favors by attaching us to different units many times during the units stay in country.  Even though the 5th/60th was fairly consistently under operational control of the 3rd Brigade, it moved base camps 10 times in 4 years, lost its mechanized assists to the 1st Infantry Division and was part of the 25th Infantry Division prior to departure from the RVN in 1970.  When you add to that the times individual companies were attached to other battalions I believe you will understand that it can be confusing at best to verify membership qualification.  There is no intent with this document to exclude anyone from membership.  Only to provide a clearer picture of who we all are and a general idea of where we were at a given time.  In the future a more in depth history of the 5th./ 60th. will be written and displayed on this site.  Please note that from this point forward the use of (mech) versus (leg) is an attempt to clarify the status of the unit.

The entire 3rd Brigade left Fort Riley Kansas by troop train on Dec 1st 1966.  It arrived in Oakland Ca. on the 4th.  The 5th. (mech) 60th. Inf. as part of the 3rd Brigade shipped out on the 4th via the USMS General Weigel arriving Vung Tau on Dec 22nd., 1966 then trucked to Bearcat where tents were set up for barracks.

Locations

Bearcat Dec 66-Jan 67
Tan Heip Airstrip Feb 67-March 67 (known as Truscotts International )
Binh Phuoc Feb 67-June 68
Tan An/My Tho July 68-Aug 68
My Tho/Can Giuoc Aug 68-Sept 68
Binh Phuoc Oct 68-Nov 68
Rach Kien Nov 68-Dec 69
Binh Phuoc Jan 70-Apr 70
Cambodia May 70-June 70
Binh Phuoc July 70-Oct 70

On Sept. 14th., 1968, the 5th. Bn. (mech) 60th. Inf. lost its mechanized assists and personnel to the 1st. Infantry Division becoming the 1st. Bn. (mech) 16th. Inf.

While the 5th. Bn. (mech) 60th. Inf. moved north, personnel from the 1st. Bn. (leg) 16th. Inf. moved south becoming the 5th Bn. (leg) 60th. Inf. On Sept 28, 1968

The 5th. Bn. (leg) 60th. Inf. as part of the 3rd Brigade stayed under the general command of the 9th Infantry Division until the 9th. went home in Sept. of 1969. At that time the 5th.Bn. (leg) 60th Inf. as part of the 3rd Brigade went under operational control of the 25th Infantry Division  It remained in this status until, it departed RVN. Oct 12th., 1970.  It was then shipped to Fort Lewis Wash.