U.S. Marine and Navy veterans recall their experiences from Operation Starlite during the Vietnam War. Operation Starlite Symbolism. In the summer of 1965, under the command of General William Westmoreland, US forces executed their first major offensive operations against the Viet Cong and scored victories around Chu Lai (Operation Starlite) and in the Ia Drang Valley. The heavy fighting resulted in 700 enemy dead to and expensive 242 marines killed in action. Free shipping for many products! Operation Starlite: The Symbol for Marines Over the course of the Vietnam War, 9,087,000 soldiers fought for the U.S., 58,220 soldiers died in action, and 250,000 Vietnamese were killed in 20 years. The number would escalate to 536,100 by the end of 1968. Select one of the topics below and write one or two paragraphs in which you hypothesize what would have happened if Johnson had made a different decision. • Operation Starlite PROCESSING What if President Johnson had decided not to increase U.S. military involvement in Vietnam in 1965 or had even decided to reduce or withdraw U.S. forces? With Doris Day, Gordon MacRae, Virginia Mayo, Gene Nelson. An early divide between the personalities of the US government and the Saigon press corps can be seen in the aftermath of Operation Starlite, a large-scale search-and-destroy mission conducted during the escalation phase of 1965. Directed by Roy Del Ruth. At one point during the battle, the ships killed or wounded one … Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The First Fight: U. S. Marines in Operation Starlite 1965 : U. S. Marines in Operation Starlite, August 1965 by Rod Andrew Jr. (2016, Trade Paperback) at the best online prices at eBay! The assault included two amphibious landing sites and three helicopter landing zones named Landing Zone (LZ) Red, LZ White and LZ Blue. South Vietnamese involvement in Operation Starlite The 3rd Marine Divisions first major fight was OPERATION STARLITE and the Battle of Chu Lai in the Quang Ngai Province, August 18-21, 1965. The U.S. relied on a two-staged strategy of attrition in Operation Starlite, involving the use of artillery, ground units, and helicopter support. Operation STARLITE, the largest planned US military operation to that time, was to be a combined amphibious/air assault operation against the VC Regiment twelve miles south of Chu Lai. U.S. Marine and Navy veterans recall their experiences from Greg Frikken was drafted into the war after he had completed high school. These coastal missions were the norm until August, when guided missile light cruiserGalveston (CLG 3) and destroyers Prichett (DD 561) and Orleck (DD 886) joined in support of amphibious Operation Starlite. Find many great new & used options and get the best deals for The First Battle : Operation Starlite and the Beginning of the Blood Debt in Vietnam by Otto Lehrack (2004, Hardcover) at the best online prices at eBay! Free shipping for many products! To impress a movie star, a U.S. Air Force crewman pretends he is soon …