Operation Keystone Cardinal was the withdrawal of the 3rd Marine Division from South Vietnam, taking place from 30 September to 27 November 1969.

Background Following the withdrawal of the 9th Marine Regiment from South Vietnam in Operation Keystone Eagle, planning began for the withdrawal of the remaining units of 3rd Marine Division in line with the plans prepared by MACV.

Operation

The Keystone Cardinal redeployments took place as follows:

Departure Date Unit Strength Destination 30 September 1969 Detachment, Headquarters, III Marine Amphibious Force 70 Camp Pendleton 30 September 1969 OOCNE 724 Camp Pendleton 2 October 1969 Company B, 3rd Engineer Battalion 159 Camp Pendleton 2 October 1969 Company C, 3rd Medical Battalion 24 Camp Pendleton 2 October 1969 1st Battalion, 12th Marines 662 Camp Pendleton 2 October 1969 Company B, 3rd Shore Party Battalion 82 Camp Pendleton 2 October 1969 Company B, 9th Motor Transport Battalion 91 Camp Pendleton 4 October 1969 3rd Bridge Company 102 Camp Pendleton 4 October 1969 Detachment, 11th Engineer Battalion 622 Camp Pendleton 4 October 1969 Company B, 3rd Motor Transport Battalion 68 Camp Pendleton 4 October 1969 Company A, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion 143 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines 1166 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marines 1166 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines 91 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, Headquarters Battery, 12th Marine Regiment 61 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, Headquarters, 3rd Marine Division 436 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, 4th Battalion, 12th Marines 150 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, Headquarters Company, 3rd Marine Regiment 24 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, Force Logistics Command (FLC) 400 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, 7th Communication Battalion 193 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines 118 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines 118 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, Headquarters Company, 4th Marine Regiment 100 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, 1st Special Security Communications Team (SSCT) 4 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 OOCNE 14 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 OOCNE 123 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, VMO-6 8 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, HMM-164 8 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 36 (MABS-36) 89 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, Headquarters & Maintenance Squadron 36 (H&MS-36) 164 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 11 (MABS-11) 20 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 12 (MABS-12) 20 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 13 (MABS-13) 20 Camp Pendleton 6 October 1969 Detachment, Marine Air Base Squadron 16 (MABS-16) 22 Camp Pendleton 7 October 1969 Headquarters Company, 3rd Marine Regiment 230 Camp Pendleton 7 October 1969 3rd Battalion, 3rd Marines 1166 Camp Pendleton 7 October 1969 Detachment, 1st Battalion, 4th Marines 118 Camp Pendleton 7 October 1969 HMM-265 249 Camp Pendleton 7 October 1969 VMA-533 304 Camp Pendleton 7 October 1969 Detachment, Headquarters & Maintenance Squadron 12 (H&MS-12) 69 Japan 20 October 1969 7th Communication Battalion 190 Okinawa 20 October 1969 3rd Motor Transport Battalion 20 Okinawa 20 October 1969 Platoon, 3rd Bridge Company 21 Okinawa 20 October 1969 Headquarters Battery, 12th Marine Regiment 100 Okinawa 20 October 1969 HMM-164 258 Okinawa 20 October 1969 HMH-462 233 Okinawa 22 October 1969 1st Battalion, 4th Marines 1048 Okinawa 22 October 1969 Detachment, Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division 200 Okinawa 22 October 1969 VMO-6 234 Okinawa 22 October 1969 Detachment, VMO-6 32 Okinawa 23 October 1969 Battery G, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines 133 Okinawa 23 October 1969 3rd Engineer Battalion 341 Okinawa 23 October 1969 3rd Tank Battalion 345 Okinawa 3 November 1969 15th CIT 16 Okinawa 3 November 1969 Detachment, H&HS-18 18 Japan 4 November 1969 9th Motor Transport Battalion 88 Okinawa 5 November 1969 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines 328 Okinawa 5 November 1969 17th Interrogator Translator Team (ITT) 11 Okinawa 5 November 1969 11th ITT 6 Okinawa 5 November 1969 9th ITT 6 Okinawa 6 November 1969 Headquarters Company, 4th Marine Regiment 130 Okinawa 6 November 1969 Company B, 3rd Tank Battalion 140 Okinawa 7 November 1969 H&MS-36 324 Okinawa 8 November 1969 1st SSCT 6 Okinawa 8 November 1969 Detachment, MASS-2 39 Okinawa 9 November 1969 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines 1048 Okinawa 9 November 1969 Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division 308 Okinawa 9 November 1969 Detachment, Headquarters Battery, 12th Marine Regiment 83 Okinawa 10 November 1969 Battery K, 4th Battalion, 12th Marines 100 Okinawa 10 November 1969 3rd Shore Party Battalion 228 Okinawa 19 November 1969 4th Battalion, 12th Marines 152 Okinawa 20 November 1969 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines 1048 Okinawa 21 November 1969 11th Engineer Battalion 103 Okinawa 22 November 1969 Company C, 9th Motor Transport Battalion 83 Okinawa 23 November 1969 MABS-36 318 Okinawa 23 November 1969 MASS-2 123 Japan 24 November 1969 Detachment, MABS-36 87 Japan 24 November 1969 Detachment, Headquarters Battalion, 3rd Marine Division 200 Okinawa 24 November 1969 3rd Medical Battalion 86 Okinawa 24 November 1969 3rd Dental Company 3 Okinawa 24 November 1969 7th ITT 11 Okinawa 27 November 1969 Battery H, 3rd Battalion, 12th Marines 110 Okinawa

Aftermath Operation Keystone Cardinal concluded on 27 November 1969.

References