MSG Detachment

American Consulate
Saigon, Vietnam



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Last to Leave 1974

Tet Saigon 1968
News:

Last to Leave 1974      Tet Saigon 1968
2007


.

2006



2005



2004



2003



2002


2001

Ambassador: Raymond F. Burghardt
RSO: Chris Amyes

2000


1999


1998


1997

Ambassador: Douglas "Pete" Perterson
RSO:


1996

No Diplomatic Relations
1995

No Diplomatic Relations
1994

No Diplomatic Relations
1993

No Diplomatic Relations
1992

No Diplomatic Relations
1991

No Diplomatic Relations
1990

No Diplomatic Relations
1989

No Diplomatic Relations
1988

No Diplomatic Relations
1987

No Diplomatic Relations
1986

No Diplomatic Relations
1985

No Diplomatic Relations
Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr dies on February 27, 1985. 
Ambassador to South Vietnam from 1963-64 and again from 1965 until 1967
.

1984

No Diplomatic Relations
1983

No Diplomatic Relations
1982

No Diplomatic Relations
1981

No Diplomatic Relations
1980


1979


1978


1977


1976


1975

Ambassador: Graham A. Martin  (Evacuated 29Apr75 Fall-Of-Saigon)
Deputy Ambassador:




NCOIC:

Watchstanders: Mike Bertini, Ken Crouse,
USEMB Saigon: Operation Frequent Wind
Military Analysis Network
Democratic Veteran
Global Security
Fall-Of-Saigon Association (Chris Wood)
USS Hancock
Learners On-line
SSgt Dwight McDonald:  LCpl Judge
&  Vasco Martin

Ambassador's Bodyguards
CBSNews.com:  The Last Long Day

1974


Ambassador: Graham A. Martin 
Deputy Ambassador

1973

Ambassador: Ellsworth Bunker (Until 11May73) -  Graham A. Martin (Appointed 21Jun73)
Deputy Ambassador

1972

Ambassador: Ellsworth Bunker
Deputy Ambassador: Samuel D. Berger (Until Mar 72)

1971


Ambassador: Ellsworth Bunker
Deputy Ambassador: Samuel D. Berger

1970

               Ambassador: Ellsworth Bunker
Deputy Ambassador: Samuel D. Berger





1969

               Ambassador: Ellsworth Bunker
Deputy Ambassador: Samuel D. Berger

03Sep69: North Vietnamese Leader, Ho Chi Minh dies.  




1968

Ambassador: Ellsworth Bunker
Deputy Ambassador: Eugene M. Locke (Left: Jan68);  Samuel D. Berger (Arrived: Mar68)

OIC:
NCOIC:
Watchstanders: Corporal James C. Marshall (See note below)







1967

Ambassador: Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.  (Until: 25Apr67); Ellsworth Bunker (Appointed: 05Apr67)
Deputy Ambassador: William J. Porter (left: May67); Eugene M. Locke (Arrived:  May67).
Administrative Officer:
Regional Security Officer:Regional
Regional Marine Officer (RMO):

OIC: Capt O'Brien
NCOIC: GySgt Morrison
Watchstanders: Horace (Pete) Bratcher (Deceased),  Paul Burton, Tom DeLong, J. C. Dunn, Howard Evers, Jack Futch, Bennie Gallant,  Kenneth Goodall,  Manuel Hernandez, Larry Martin, Jack Mlezko

Departures:
Feb67: Kenneth Goodall and Jack Mlezko  to Taipei, Taiwan
Mar67: Manuel Hernandez to Panama
Jun67: Horace (Pete) Bratcher and Jack Futch to Canberra, Australia; Howard Evers to CONUS; Larry Martin  ETS in RVN
Oct67: Paul Burton and Bennie Gallant  to CONUS


1966

Ambassador: Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.
Deputy Ambassador: William J. Porter
Administrative Officer
Regional Security Officer: Mr. Robert Englund
Regional Marine Officer (RMO):  

OIC: 1stLt Phil E. Tucker (First Detachment OIC) 
NCOIC:   GySgt Jerry N. Lorelli (Deceased 22Jul04) replaced by GySgt Morrison
Watchstanders:Allen, Kenneth Ariola, Emile Barbarin, Horace (Pete ) Bratcher (Deceased), Cleo Bressett, Paul Burton, Ralph Campbell,  Robert Conroy, Ron Degges, Tom DeLong, Tom DeWitt,  J. C. Dunn, Howard Evers, Foster,  Jack Futch,  Benny Gallant, Kenneth Goodall, Charlie Green,  Manuel Hernandez, William B. Hubbard, Jr, J. A. Jackson,  Kenneth James, Billie O. Kean (KIA 16Mar68), Keady,  Jerry Keegan,  Billy Knight, Matt Kreger, Cpl Lee,  Kenneth E. Logue,  Larry Martin, Jack Mlezko, Jim Plank,   Red Podhaski,  Carl  D. Sanders, John Schollenberger, Robert Sistek,  Robert T. Smith (Deceased 22May02), Rudy Soto, Ezra Speaks (Deceased  09Jul92),  Snyder,  Steve Squillace, Gary Stokes,  Goetz Viola, Wood,  and  Erich Zinn

Departures:

GySgt Lorelli  commissioned  2nLt  returned CONUS
Snyder and Steve Squillace to CONUS
Robert T. Smith to Lagos, Nigeria
Oct66: Erich Zinn  to CONUS
Nov66:  Cleo Bressett, Bill  Hubbard  and Kenneth E. Logue  to CONUS
Dec66:  Carl Sanders to CONUS

P:hoto Album entry: Promotion Ceremony

1965

Ambassador: Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr (Re-appointed 31Jul65)
Deputy Ambassador: U. Alexis Johnson (Left: Sep65); William J. Porter (Arrived: Sep65)
Administrative Officer:
Regional Security Officer:
Regional Marine Officer (RMO):  Major White

NCOIC:  GySgt William Kerakos replaced by GySgt Jerry N. Lorelli (Deceased)
Watchstanders: Kenneth Ariola, Emile Barbarin,  Horace (Pete) Bratcher (Deceased),  Cleo Bressett, Paul Burton, CHAPMAN, CLARK,  Robert Conroy, William Davis, Ron Degges,  J. C. Dunn,  Howard Evers,  Benny Gallant, Kenneth Goodall, Charles Green,  Manuel Hernandez,  J. A. Jackson,  Kenneth James, KEADY,  Billie O. Kean (KIA 16mAR68),  Billie Knight,  Larry Martin, Red Podhaski, RAMIREZ, Robert Sistek, Rudy Soto,  Snyder, Steve Squillace,  Gary Stokes,  THOMPSON,  and  Goetz Viola

Arrivals from Vientiane, Laos:
Aug65: Erich Zinn
15Sep65: William B. Hubbard, Jr and Kenneth E. Logue
Nov65: Carl D. Sanders
08Mar65: The 9th MEB begins arriving in Vietnam with the mission of defending the airbase at Da Nang.  
                 The MEB is the first  US ground combat unit  in country.
March 30: Car bombing in front of US Embassy injures US Ambassador's bodyguard.
                  The Marine Security Guard Detachment restores order and safeguards the embassy compound at 39 Dai Lo Ham Nghi.
01Sep65: The Marine Corps reduces recruit training from 12 to 8 weeks in order to process increased numbers
                   without expanding the instructor cadre.
03Dec65: The Marine Corps' share of the January draft call is scheduled to be 8,980 men, the first Marine draftees since the Korean War.
1964

Ambassador: Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr (Termination: 28Jun64); Maxwell D. TaylorFort Sam Houston Museum      Britannica
                          Died: 1987 (Arlington National Cemetary)
Deputy Ambassador: U. Alexis Johnson (Arrived: Jun64)
2-5Aug64: North Vietnamese patrol boats attack US  Warships  
                   in what will become known as the "Tonkin Gulf Incident".  
07Aug64: Congress passes the Tonkin Gulf Resolution, which authorizes President Johnson to use military force in Vietnam.

1963

Ambassador: Frederick E. Nolting, Jr (until 15Aug63); Henry Cabot Lodge, Jr.  Appointed: 01Aug63.

22Nov63: President John Fitzgerald Kennedy was assassinated in a motor-cade in Dallas, Texas.  
                  Then Vice President Lyndon Baines Johnson became President.  

1962

Ambassador: Frederick E. Nolting, Jr



08Feb62 :  United States Military Assistance Command-Vietnam (USMACV) is established.  
06Oct62:  5 Marines and 2 Navy Corpsmen die in accidental  crash of a Shufly helicopter.  They are the first Marines to die in the Vietnam War.  
1961


Ambassador: Elbridge Durbrow (Until 03May61)     /    Frederick E. Nolting Jr. (Appointed 15Mar61)





1960


Ambassador: Elbridge Durbrow





1959


Ambassador: Elbridge Durbrow




1958

Ambassador: Elbridge Durbrow


1957

Ambassador:  G. Frederick Reinhardt (Until: 10Feb57); Elbridge Durbrow (Appointed: 14Mar57)





1956


Ambassador:  G. Frederick Reinhardt 



1955

Ambassador:  G. Frederick Reinhardt  (Appointed 20Apr55)






1954

Ambassador:  Donald R. Heath (Until 14Nov54)




1953


Ambassador:  Donald R. Heath




1952


Ambassador:  Donald R. Heath (appointed Ambassador  01Jul52)
Charge d'Affaires ad interim: Edmund A. Guillion


1951


Charge d'Affaires ad interim: Edmund A. Guillion

1950

Charge d'Affaires ad interim: Edmund A. Guillion

The Saigon post was raised to Legation status on February 17, 1950.


1949