CHAPTER 9
SPECIAL MISSION SERVICE ADVISORY DETACHMENT
GENERAL
(TS) The mission of the Special Mission Service Advisory Detachment (SMSAD) was to train
and advise the Vietnamese Special Mission Service (SMS) in the conduct of unconventional
warfare and strategic reconnaissance; to
assist in developing within SMS the capability to maintain this program; and to assure a continuing
input of trained personnel. Also, SMSAD monitored the distribution, storage, maintenance and
utilization or materiel provided by the Military Assistance Support Fund Program (MASFP);
maintained a continuing evaluation of personnel, materiel and organization requirements; and
submitted recommended changes in policies related to these matters to the Cmdr/SA STDAT.
ORGANIZATION
(S) As of 1 May 1972, SMS was organized as
shown on Figure 9.1. Initially, only three of the
SMS’s five authorized operational groups
were actually assigned. On 23 May 1972, Group 11
was placed under SMS’s operational control
in order to reinforce operations in support of MR I.
On 1 October 1972, Group 11 was formally
assigned to SMS and became the fourth of SMS’s
five authorized
units. It was anticipated that Group 68 would eventually be reassigned from LS
to SMS to give SMS its full TO&E
complement of five operational units. SMSAD organization
is depicted in Figure 9.2.
(S) On 25 October 1972 all of SMS’s
Advisory Elements were deactivated. SMSAD deactivated
on 15 November 1972.
OPERATIONS
(S) May. 1972. During the first three weeks
in May, SMS units in Da Nang
conducted mission
training while Group 75 conducted local
security operations south of Kontum city. SMSAD
elements advised and assisted their SMS
counterparts in the conduct of mission training. On 19
May 1972, SMS was tasked to support ARVN I
Corps operations in Northern MR I. On 22
May, the SMS HQs, minus a small rear
detachment, which remained with Group 72 in Da Nang, moved with Group 71 to a forward base in Hue. Group 75 engaged in
mission training, camp defense, and local security operations.
Group 72 (Da Nang)
in addition to being responsible for two outposts on top of Marble Mountain,
conducted mission training, local security operations, and Camp defense. Group 71 (Hue) conducted area
reconnaissance missions under SMS for I Corps; Group 11, already at Hue along with four
action recon teams, also conducted area reconnaissance missions under SMS for I Corps. SMS HQs (-)
remained at Hue
where it coordinated and controlled operational missions. SMSAD
supported SMS operations from Da Nang.
(C) June 1972. During the first week in
June, most of the Support and Service Company personnel were transferred to Camp HungVuong to improve Group 72’s camp defense. From 28- 30 June, Group 72 and Group 71, along with
their respective AEs, switched locations. SMS
continued tactical reconnaissance
operations in support on MR I throughout the remainder of
June.
(S) July 1972. On 11 July, Group 75
(Kontum) took over responsibility for securing the Golf-5
radio relay site. On 19 July 1972, Group
71, composed of three action teams and most of the
HQs and AE 71, moved to Chu
Lai to conduct area reconnaissance missions to the West of the
2nd ARVN Division. The remainder of Group
71 and elements of the Support and Service
Company continued to secure Camp Hung
Vuong and to support the two Marble
Mountain
outposts in Da Nang.
(TS) August 1972. SMS consolidated
facilities in order to reduce the personnel overhead required for adequate camp defenses. SMS elements
were located at only three base camps: Camp Hung Vuong (Da Nang),
Camp Tran
Cao Van (Da Nang)
and Kontum. On 2 August 1972, SMS was tasked to establish a series or
observation posts and execute interdiction missions in support of MR I. SMS immediately initiated
an intensive refresher training program for Group 11 and Group 72. This instruction
emphasized artillery adjustment procedures and communication techniques. The first mission was initiated
by SMS elements on 8 August 1972. Subsequent operations, however, pointed up the
inherent limitations of reconnaissance units engaged in prolonged combat operations. Because of
these inherent limitations, and because of inadequate air and artillery
support, SMS requested that MR I change the assigned OP/Interdiction mission
to one of area reconnaissance. This request
was approved, and on 2 September 1972, SMS began to conduct area reconnaissance missions in
support of MR I and the 1st Division.
(S) September 1972. On S September 1972,
when Group 75 (Kontum) was relieved of its tactical area of responsibility (TAOR) South of
Kontum, Group 75 and AE 75 began intensified mission training. The general dispositions and
operations of SMS and SMSAD remained unchanged during the remainder of September 1972. In
mid-September 1972, the Senior Advisor SMSAD and three NCO’s were sent TDY to Pleiku to
conduct a special training mission. The Special Training Team (STT) was activated with
selected STDAT and STD personnel. The STT established and conducted a reconnaissance training
program for selected MR II reconnaissance and ranger companies. STDAT’s participation in
the program ended after the graduation of the second training cycle on 15 November 1972. Severe
flooding from Typhoon Flossie on 16 September 1972 resulted in extensive damage and
numerous refugees in Kontum. In response, Group 75 provided shelter and food for several
groups of refugees. During the period 16 to 27 September, Group 75 provided forty men per day in
support of flood relief operations and civic action programs throughout the Kontum City
area. During the last week of September, Group 71 and Group 72 and their respective AEs
exchanged locations and operational responsibilities. By 3 October, Group 71 had completed its move
to Hue and had
begun preparation for immediate insertion into area
reconnaissance operations in its newly assigned TAOR. Group 72 took over responsibility for the two Marble Mountain
outposts on 29 September, commenced mission training and camp security operations, and
began a camp defense improvement program.
(S) When US personnel and equipment were
permanently withdrawn from the GOLF-5 radio
relay site at the end of September 1972,
Group 75 also withdrew its security personnel and
ended its support mission of the site.
Group 75 continued to conduct mission training and local
security of their Kontum base camp.
(S) October and November 1972. Several
significant events took place in October and November 1972. On 1 October 1972, Group 11 was
formally assigned to SMS, and gave SMS four of its five authorized operational groups. On
9 October 1972, SMSAD received formal notification of its phase down and close out, while SMS
assumed responsibility for the 81st Airborne Battalion TAOR.* By 25 October, all SMSAD field AEs
were deactivated. Most of their equipment was laterally transferred to their
Vietnamese counterpart organizations with the exception of designated sensitive items which were
retrograded to the SMSAD for disposition. All AE personnel were reassigned within the remaining STDAT
organization or released to MACV for further assignment. On 14 November 1972, Camp Fay
was laterally transferred to SMS, and on 15 November 1972 SMSAD was deactivated.
SUMMARY
(S) Though based in Da Nang, the SMSAD Advisory Elements, and its
Operations/Intelligence
staffs worked closely with their
counterparts at each SMS element location. In addition to providing assistance in planning and conducting SMS
operations, SMS also assisted SMS operations by conducting parallel coordination with
appropriate Corps and Division level US advisory elements. This was a particularly critical
area with respect to US controlled ARCLIGHT strikes, TACAIR support, and area denial seeding
operations. These efforts paid off in more realistic and effective employment of SMS forces.
SMSAD officer and NCO advisors also played an important role in the planning and conduct of mission
training, both in developing training doctrines, and in presenting specific classes.
* Located mid-way
between Hue and
the Laotian border
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