75mm Pack Howitzer at Quantico, USMC Museum

75mm Pack Howitzer at Quantico, USMC Museum

In 1968, members of “India” Company, 3rd Bn, 3rd Marines captured two 75mm Pack Howitzers on Dong Ha Mountain. Although it took the Marines two days to reach the location of the Guns, the Marines of India 3/3 did accomplish their mission despite constant small arms and mortar fire by the entrenched NVA. Once the location of the Guns were discovered, to the astonishment of all, the Marines also discovered that the Guns were American made and bore American stamped marking’s on many of it’s parts to include a “General Electric” marking on the breach. These Guns had pounded and harassed the Marines as well as US Army Artillery Batteries on Camp Carroll for months and despite tons of every known ordinance imaginable, the Guns could never be silenced until the brave Marines of “India” 3/3 put a permanent silence to them, once and for all. Today only one Gun still exists, the second Gun is believed to be buried at Camp Carroll thanks in part to Marines who rather see it buried than fall into the hands of the US Army Artillery Battery at Camp Carroll…So the legend goes. If you are ever at the USMC Museum in Quantico, please stop and see the display and you will understand why these Guns were so prized by the North Vietnamese and hated by Marines.

Danny Medders
Sgt. USMC 67-68
India Co. 3/3