R e t u r n t o V i e t n a m
12 - 24 August 2010
45th Anniversary of “Operation Starlite”
MHT Vietnam Battlefield Tours
Unique & Customized Vietnam Battlefield Tours
by the Most Experienced Vietnam Veteran Tour Leaders
Tour Leaders: Capt Ed Garr, USMC & Tom Kilduff, USMC
Operation Starlite was the first offensive military action conducted by a purely U.S. military unit during the Vietnam War. LtGen Lew Walt, CG 3rd MarDiv in Da Nang devised a plan to launch a pre-emptive strike against the 1st Viet Cong Regiment building up near Van Tuong to the south to nullify the threat on the Chu Lai Combat Base. The operation was conducted as a combined arms assault involving ground, air and naval units. U.S. Marines were deployed by helicopter insertion into the designated landing zone while an amphibious landing was used to deploy other Marines. This classic hammer and anvil operation now involved helicopters and landing craft in a combined arms operation that was originally called Satellite, but a power blackout led to a clerical error and a clerk working by candlelight typed "Starlite" instead. The operation was launched on 18 August, 1965, involving 5,500 Marines of the 9th Marine Amphibious Brigade. The brigade was comprised of 2nd Battalion 4th Marines (2/4), 3rd Battalion 3rd Marines (3/3), and 3rd Battalion 7th Marines (3/7) - from the Special Landing Force and originally a reserve component.
Come back to walk the places that profoundly shaped the rest of his life 45 years ago--- places that have deep meaning for him --- places with names like: Green Beach, Hill 43, LZ’s Red, White, & Blue, An Cuong as well as other sites such as Hoi An, Hanoi, Khe Sanh, Dong Ha, the Rockpile, Route 9 & Hwy 1, Hue City, Con Thien, Leatherneck Square, Da Nang, An Hoa, the Que Sons, China Beach, the Hai Van Pass, and many, many more.
The highly experienced, Vietnam-veteran battlefield tour leaders of Military Historical Tours have walked them all. We have an outstanding working relationship with the Vietnam government that allows us access to areas previously restricted to other travelers. Each tour is custom-tailored from our time-proven basic itinerary. This ensures the most complete tour package possible, taking you to the most important places of your particular time or interest in the war. Vietnam is eager to welcome the returning American veterans. The Vietnamese people are gracious and sincerely happy to have us with them again. The scenery is great, the food is delicious and plentiful, and the hotels in which we stay are beautiful and very comfortable. Your spouse & children would love it, too.
And now the best part at only $3295 per person, this tour is an outstanding value, making it not only affordable for you to travel, but also to bring other family members. You can invite your friends to come along, too. Together we will visit the sites at which we fought and which are written in our collective history. The price includes everything you see, from Los Angeles, except your drinks and souvenirs. The single supplement is only $525.
If you need to visit any place in Vietnam that is not on the itinerary, please contact us and we will see if we can get you there! We are always prepared to customize this itinerary. We will do all we can to satisfy your request.
Daily Itinerary
12 Aug Thur - (Day One) Depart Los Angeles for Vietnam.
13 Aug Fri - (Day Two) Arrive Inchon & depart for Hanoi late in the evening. Check into Starview Hotel.
14 Aug Sat - (Day Three) A full day tour of sights of military interest in Hanoi, to include the National Army Museum, Hoa Lo Prison (“The Hanoi Hilton”), the Ho Chi Minh Mausoleum and Presidential Palace, and other sites as time permits. In the evening, there will be a brief by the Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) on current their operations. Hotel: Starview (B/L/D)
15 Aug Sun - (Day Four) Depart Hanoi early in the morning for our flight to Da Nang. Proceed to our hotel for check in followed by lunch at Red Beach to commemorate the 45th landing of the Marines in Vietnam. There will be a short city tour to include Marble Mountain and the new China Beach, Dog Patch and Hill 34.
Hotel: Hoi An Hotel (B/L/D)
16 Aug Mon - (Day Five) Early morning departure for a full day in the field covering the area of the “Rocket Belt” west of Da Nang, to include Dodge City, Hill 55, the Vu Gia/Tu Bon River Basin, Go Noi Island, Liberty Bridge, the Arizona Territory, and the An Hoa Combat Base. Other sites as requested, and as time allows.
Hotel: Hoi An Hotel (B/L/Dinner on own)
17 Aug Tue- (Day Six) We continue south to the area of the largest amphibious operation of the Vietnam War - Operation Double Eagle. If there is enough interest, we can visit Duc Pho, Nui Dau, Nui Dang, and many of the battle sites along Route One. We return to Da Nang for the evening, with stops at LZ Baldy and Hoi An en route for a great shopping opportunity.
Hotel: Hoi An Hotel (B/L/D)
18 Aug Wed - (Day Seven) On this day we commemorate the 45th Anniversary of Operation Starlite. We proceed to the Chu Lai area of operations, with stops at Hill 69, Hill 43, and Tam Hiep. We will view the area of the landing and the Catfish Out-Posts. There will be a commentary on the landing and ceremony from Hill 43. We then continue south to the Starlite operational area and after a briefing, we proceed north to Hoi An before completing another full day in the field.
Hotel: Hoi An Hotel (B/L/D)
19 Aug Thur - (Day Eight) We depart Da Nang early in the morning for Hue, while viewing Red Beach, Nam O, the Hai Van Pass, and Lang Co along the route. Upon arrival in Hue, we check into the Huong Giang Hotel that was the former ARVN BOQ during the battle of Hue. After lunch we commence a walking tour south of the Perfume River. We follow in trace of 2/5 and 1/1 areas of operations to retake the city during the Tet Offensive of 1968. Sites covered will be the Phu Cam Canal, the old Texaco Station, MACV Compound, Hue University, and many other sites that were important to the battle. The late afternoon is free for R&R at the hotel pool. Hotel: Huong Giang, (B/L/Dinner on own)
20 Aug Fri - (Day Nine) Our day starts by retracing 1/5’s actions to retake the Dong Ba Market area and the Citadel. This will include a walking tour of the battle of the Phase Lines, the Airstrip, and the Forbidden City, within the walls of the Citadel. After lunch, we depart for the beginning of our DMZ exploration with the first stop in the Dong Ha area. Hotel: Truong Son (B/L/D)
21 Aug Sat - (Day Ten) Early morning departure for Quang Tri.Today is a full day in the field, all along Route 9 to the Lao Border, with stops at Camp Carroll, The Rockpile, Razorback, Khe Gia Bridge, Da Krong, The Hairpin, Lang Vei and Khe Sanh. If time permits, we will visit the Bru tribal village across the Da Krong River.
Hotel: Truong Son (B/Box L/D)
22 Aug Sun - (Day Eleven) Early morning departure for Leatherneck Square. Along the way we will stop at C-2 The Washout, Cam Lo, Con Thien, “The Market Place,” The Peace Bridge at the Ben Hai River, and the Dong Ha Bridge. We return to Hue late in the afternoon. Farewell dinner at the hotel. Hotel: Huong Giang (B/L/D)
23 Aug Mon - (Day Twelve) Return to Hanoi on the early morning flight and check in at the Starview Hotel. After lunch, we will go to an Open House with the Marine Security Guard Detachment. Evening departure for our flight to Inchon.
Hotel: Starview (B/L/D on plane)
24 Aug Tue - (Day Thirteen) We arrive Inchon, and after a short layover, we board our flight for Los Angeles, arriving the morning of the same day.
Tour Price: $ 3,295 @ (Based on double Occupancy)
Single Supplement: $ 545
Tour Price Includes:
* Round-trip economy class airfare from Los Angeles to Vietnam
* Vietnam Visa Processing and fees
* First Class Hotel Accommodations
* Air-conditioned motorcoach transportation
* Meals as indicated in itinerary
* MHT Historical Trip information packet, containing maps and other information
* Emergency Medical Evacuation Insurance
* Admission fees to all sites & museums
* Services of experienced Battlefield Tour Leaders and English- speaking local guides
** @ - Price to be finalized upon fuel surcharge
