Evening star., 1962-05-17
Battle-Equi pped Marines
Go Ashore at Bangkok
Flown North
For Duty on
Laos Border
By HENRY HARTZENBUSCH
Associated Press Staff Writer

Associated Press Staff Writer
BANGKOK. Thailand, May
II. - United States Marines,
carrying a blistling array Of
bazookas and other arms,
moved up to Thailand's bor-
der with Communist st-weakened
Laos today.
One of their officers declared
they will stay "as long as We
are needed"
A task force of / 800 Leather
necks in brown-green-blue jun
gle uniforms came ashore from
United States 7th Fleet war
ships at Bangkok with rifles.
grenade launchers, machine
guns and bazookaS and were
greeted by the cheering Thai
crowds.
Thailand's government had
invited American forces to help
defend the border which was
threatened by a Communist
offensive in Laos last week.
Over 5O0-MiIe Arc
The first Marines we're flown
Immediately in huge Hercules
transports to point about 40
miles southeast Of the Laos
capital of Vientiane-a flat area
that is hot and dusty in summer
and wet and muddy in winter.
American forces were ex-
pected to be strung out in a
500-mile arc along the Mekong
River border from the Vientiane
area to the southern extremity
Of Laos.
The nearest tip Of the arc is
more than 200 miles southeast
Of Houei Sal, where the Com
munist offensive in Northwest
Laos threatened Thailand's
frontier.
Could Back Up vientiane
The Americans position was
designed to carry no threat Of
immediate contact with pro-
Communist Pathet Lao forces.
but would make 1t possible to
back up the royal government
at Vientiane II the Communists
continued their drive to seize
the administrative capital.
The United States combat
command in Thailand seemed
likely to be bolstered soon by
units from other members OF
the Southeast Asia Treaty
organization.
British Prime Minister Mac
milan announced plans to
Royal Air Force fighter units
to Thailand II requested. Aus
tf'alia and New Zealand also
were reported ready to send
token forces.
Uneasy Quiet In Laos
An uneasy quiet prevailed in
adjoining Laos potential flash
point for a war that could spill
over that country's borders.
United States officials we're
hopeful that the American
show of force would deter the
so far victorious pro-Commu-
mist rebels and that the leaders
Of the country's three factions
would agree on a coalition gov
ernment.
Greeted by American diplo-
matte and military officials and
Marshal Dawee Chullasapa,
chief of staff of Thailand's
armed forces, the first batch Of
400 United States Marines
landed at Bangkok's port dis
trict Of K1ong Toey from the
LSD Qanding ship dock) Point
Defiance and the attack trans
port Navarro.
Another 400 aboard the car
rier Valley Forge were flown
by helicopters to Bangkok's
Don Muang Airport.
Total of 5000 Men
Led by 1t. Col. Fred A. Steele
Of Ventura, Calf, the Marine
task force will bolster a 1900
man American Army combat
group already in Thailand since
the SEATO maneuvers here
two weeks ago. That group
was to be strengthened by an
other TOO men from Hawaii
and Okinawa, and United
States Army, Marine and Air
Forces in Thailand will tota!
about 5000 men.
1t. Gen. James L. Richard
son, jungle warfare expert and
deputy chief of United States
Army forces in the Pacific, ar
rived in Saigon, South Wet
Nam, on his way to Bangkok
to take command of the Ameri-
can forces in Thailand. In
See BANGKOK, Page A-3