The Legend of Marble Mountain

By Gene Csuti

           Marble Mountain was one of four mountains located south of Da Nang that stretched from the coast inland or westward for about three miles. All of the mountains had lots of cave entrances and tunnels. A road ran between Crow's Nest and Marble Mountain, from Da Nang through the mountains and about 8 miles down to 2/1's 2nd Battalion, 1st Marine Regimental combat base, then hung a left for about five miles to the Tu Cau bridge.

     North of the Mountains on the ocean side of the road was a Marine Helicopter base know as MAG 16, also North of the mountains was the 5th USMC Comm. Battalion. South of that was 5th Special Forces Compound. 

     On the other side of the road north of the mountains was a POW compound. There was a leprosarium south of the mountains on the coast. The Leprosarium has since been moved to the base of the Hi Van Pass. The village at the base of the mountains was called Nui Kim Son, which translates to "Mountain of Gold". 

     Most of the villagers were jewelers and worked with the Marble from the mountains.  At the base of Marble Mountain there was a monastery. 

     The mountain had a huge cave opening and just inside the cave are two huge statues of gods guarding the entrance.  Since 1975 the mountains have become a tourist stop and you can tour any of the caves with children from the village of Nui Kim Son. 

     Just north of the mountains on the ocean side of the road was a Marine chopper unit and north of that was a Special Forces compound. On the other side of the road, north of the mountains was a POW compound and Adams Base. 2/1 maintained a Grunt company at Tu Cau bridge; a Grunt company at a leprosarium on the coast; a Grunt company at a fire base just west of the mountains, and one Grunt company at the battalion area. So if you were at the fire base near the mountains you manned a check point just south of where the road ran through the mountains.

      We ran patrols around the mountains and through Nui Kim Son. Nui Kim Son, which translates to "Mountain of Gold," was a village at the base of marble mountain; a quiet village and all people there were friendlies. You never got hit in Nui Kim Son. Just about all the villagers were jewelers; they made nice stuff, too. A trail ran out of Nui Kim Son to the north, to the base of Marble Mountain where there was the monastery and a huge cave opening. Just inside the cave entrance was a statue of Buddha, just like in the Indiana Jones movie. 2/1 had just come down to Da Nang from up north and the Marines moving out told this story...

     Never--never--ever go in any of the caves or tunnels in any of the mountains and for sure stay out of the cave by the monastery. Well, Indiana Jones had not been invented yet, but it was made real clear about bobby traps, secret passages, and tons of gold and jewels hidden inside the caves. We were also told that there was a squad of Marines that had gone in there to never return. We figured that we had enough to worry about without playing Indiana Jones and kinda of blew it off as bullshit. But Nui Kim Son, the mountains, the caves, the monastery and statue of Buddha do exist, we have seen them.

    I never thought too much of Nui Kim Son until about a year ago. A good Vietnamese friend of mine here at work named Chanh Tran (he's from Saigon) and I got talking one day and I mentioned I knew of Nui Kim Son and Marble Mountain and such. He got this look on his face and asked me if I ever had heard the legend of Nui Kim Son. I said I had heard some stuff but thought it was bullshit.

       He then told me the Vietnamese version of "Legend of Nui Kim Son." Back in the feudal war lord years, all the war lords stored their gold and jewels inside Marble Mountain. The monks at the monastery guarded the caves, the gold and jewels and passages inside. The villagers of Nui Kim Son made jewelry for the war lords and jewelry for them selves to sell. All the villagers, to ensure security, never married outside the village. Chanh said that over hundreds of years that large amounts of gold and jewelry made its way inside the mountains of Nui Kim Son and no body really knew how much was in there because the monks always hid it and they were the only ones to know their way around inside the mountains.

     Okay, Okay. I thought maybe what I heard 27 years ago was not bullshit, after all. Chanh is from Saigon, not Da Nang; how would he know... unless it is a vietnamese legend passed down... Nah, can't be. Grunt bullshit. Chanh kinda sensed this and asked if I would like to meet and have lunch with a friend of his, a jeweler from Nui Kim Son. He has a jewelry shop here in Denver.

     Whoa. Wait a minute! I could not resist. I met Ho Thang at lunch who thanked me keeping Nui Kim Son safe. He said he was always glad to see the Marine patrols, who he said the patrols kept the NVA and VC away from his village. We parted new friends.

     About two weeks later Chanh gave me a present from Ho Thang, a little gold buddha. Ho's thanks, said Chanh.

       Anyway. Fact, fiction, or myth. All we know is, we have seen Nui Kim Son, the monastery, the statue of Buddha, the Marble Mountains. We have seen Ho Thang and I have my little gold buddha.

        That my friends is the legend of Marble Mountain, according to Gene'o, Chanh Tran and Ho Thang.

History of the Village of Nui Kim Son

(they stilldo to this day).

    Back in the feudal war lord years, all the war lords stored their gold and jewels inside Marble Mountain.  The monks at the monastery guarded the caves, gold and jewels as well as guarding all the passages inside the caves. 

    The village of Nui Kim Son made jewelry for the war lords and jewelry to sell.  

`Bout 0ur Unit

    The 173rd Airborne Brigade became the first U.S Army Ground combat unit committed to the defense of South Vietnam.

 There, further organizational changes took place.

     Attached to the Brigade in Vietnam were:

the 1st Battalion, Royal Australian Regiment, the Prince of Wales Light Horse Troop, a battery of the Royal Australian, Artillery, the 161st Royal New Zealand Artillery Battery, and Company “A” of the 82d Aviation Battalion.

  In addition, the necessary intelligence, transportation, chemical and signal detachments were added to round the Brigade into a full-fledged fighting

           Airborneforce.

         The Brigade and attached units have continually distinguished themselves as fierce fighters on the battlefields of Vietnam, and just as importantly, they have assisted in the extensive civic action programs which have aided the South Vietnamese people to gain a better life and to bolster their confidence for a future of peace and progress. Their assistance programs included medical assistance, support of orphanages, distribution of food and clothing, construction and repair of churches, schools, roads, and even the constructor of wells.

      Another one of the 173rd’s many “firsts”

was that it was the first and only airborne

unit to execute a Combat Parachute Jump in

Vietnam.

    This jump was performed on 22 February 1967, by the 2/503d Infantry and Battery A, 3d Battalion, 319th Artillery.

    The 173rd received Battle streamers for their participation in the following campaigns in Vietnam:

      The Defense Campaign, Vietnam Counteroffensive, the Counteroffensive Phase II, Counter offensive Phase III, and TET Counter offensive.

    The Brigade also proudly displays Streamers signifying the award of the Presidential Unit Citation for action in Dak-To, Republic of Vietnam and the Meritorious Unit Commendation, awarded for action in the Republic of Vietnam from 1965-1969.

Ricr0c RePortin`

   All Infantry battalions of the 173rd Airborne Brigade are elements of the 503d Infantry,

     “The Rock Regiment,” and tracetheir proud history back to one of the original Airborne units.

    The 503d Infantry was activated at Fort Benning, Georgia, on 22 August 1941, as the 503d Parachute Battalion. On 2 March 1942, it became the 503d Parachute Infantry Regiment.

While in Vietnam, the Brigade was commanded by the following Brigadier Generals:

Ellis W. Williamson        May 65 to Feb 66

Paul F. Smith                   Feb 66 to Dec 66

John R. Deans, Jr.            Dec 66 to Sep 67

Leo H. Schweiter             Sept 67 to March 68

Richard J. Allen              March 68 to Dec 68

John W. Barnes                 Dec 68 to Aug 69

H. S. Cunningham               Aug 69… 

What Else Did                

The 1st Batt, 503d Infantry, " My Group, " operated in Hoai An district with headquarters at Landing Zone Orange.

 The 2/503d Infantry operated in Hoai Nhon district with Bong Son as district headquarters, and

the 4th of the 503d went into the newest district, Tam Quan, with the combined headquarters at LZ Tom.

Our plan called for Vietnamese forces to continue security operations as the 173rd’s forces gradually withdrew, setting up again in other key hamlets.  Eventually, these paramilitary Vietnamese forces will carry on the defense effort without U.S. help.  

Regular ARVN troops will be freed from the populated areas to prevent invasion across national boundaries and to search out the VC and NVA in mountain base areas.

And Every Tiger Gets A Man…

Other indications measured pacification progress.

The people began to point out booby traps andturn in enemy weapons and equipment.  They got paid according to the information or material they turned in. Funds for the payments came from the country-wide Volunteer Informant Program.

Regional and Popular Forces became increasingly proficient at setting out night ambushes and defending the hamlets against VC guerrillas.  At the beginning of Washington-Green, Brigade forces assumed bridge and road security missions, releasing RF-PF for defense of the hamlets.

General Barnes and his Successor,

BrigadierGeneral H.S. Cunningham,

Recognized That success of thepacification mission Required the confidence of the Vietnamese people. To generate confidence, Combined RF-PF, 173rd, or ARVN security Elements Remained in their assigned hamlets Until Pacification goals were achieved. These goals Included effectiveSelf Defense Forces, RF and PF, elected hamlet chiefs living day and night in the hamlets, responsive hamlet government, elimination of VC, resettlement of refugees, attendance in school by children, andinvolvement of residents in self-help projects of their choice. Each hamlet organized a RF platoon...as its primary defense force and a Self Defense Force for intra-hamlet security.

74^th Rangers  `69

                   The Department of the Army officially authorized the formation of the 74th Infantry Detachment (LRP) on 20 December 1967 and all personnel of the LRRP platoon were absorbed in to the 74th Infantry Detachment (LRP). The 173rd Airborne Brigade had moved to Dak To in the II Corps area of Vietnam. The 74th Infantry Detachment (LRP) was awarded the Presidential Unit Citation for its actions during the Dak To battles in November 1967, however this was in error as the 74th Infantry Detachment (LRP) did not exist at the time. The award should have been presented to The 173rd Airborne Brigade (LRRP) (Provisional).

       The 74th Infantry (LRP) continued to perform missions as directed by the 173rd commander through out the II Corp region of Vietnam and eventually established a base camp at An Khe. Team leaders and potential team leaders were now able to attend the Recondo school conducted by the Special Forces at Nha Trang on a rotating basis while continuing to be the :

"Eyes and Ears of the Commander".

          Staff Sergeant Laszlo Rabel, 74th Infantry Detachment (LRP) was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions on 12 November 1968. He was the only LRP member to be awarded the medal during the Vietnam war. Much credit needs to be given to the personnel of the LRRP platoon and the 74th Infantry Detachment (LRP) for establishing the doctrine that would become SOP for Company N (Ranger), 75th Infantry which absorbed the personnel of the 74th Infantry Detachment (LRP) on 1 February 1969.

drgRAFIx~

Herd History…

One thousand years of Chinese rule did not dim

the Vietnamese vision of freedom and independence.

The sometimes quiet, sometimes violent struggle

against French colonialism lasted more than 70  yrs.

One point has become clear.  The Vietnamese are a

Patient people.  They will eventually overcome their

communist enemies and live in peace and freedom

as they did between the 9th and 19th centuries.

~ Our BunKer`s Exclusivly.         

   BINH DINH PROVINCE

The faces of northern Binh Dinh Province, the 173rd Airborne Brigade’s area of operation, are smiling, contemplative, patient, disturbed. They re-flect the ethnic and cultural diversity of Vietnam.      

   The people in northern Binh Dinh’s districts of Tam Quan, Hoai Nhon, Hoai An and Phu My earn their living primarily by agriculture, with rice as the  basic crop.                                                                    Land locked Hoai An District is the area’s rice bowl.

Other trades and industries supplement the agricultural economy.

Shallow water fishing industries and salt fields flourish in the three

coastal districts.  In northern most Tam Quan, recognized by the

Vietnamese government as a separate district only since February

1969, small factories or shops produce cigarettes and coconut fiber

rope.  Hoai Nhon tradesmen manufacture brick and roof tiles, pottery,

charcoal and some coconut fiber rope.  Phu My District has four rice

mills and two ice plants.

    To learn something of the proud people who are the beneficiaries

of their government’s pacification program in northern Binh Dinh,

we turn to the past, looking for the ancient roots that nourished the

growth and development of the people, culture, and economy.

Ancient Vietnam consisted of three geo?graphic areas administered

as separate political units: Tonkin, which included most of present

day North Vietnam; An?nam, the middle that includes Binh Dinh

Province; and Cochin China, the southern third of South Vietnam.

   The ancestors of present Vietnamese seem both physically and

culturally to have been a mixture of Sino-Tibetan and early Indonesian

or Malay types.  Today about 85 percent of the present Vietnamese

     The work of the grunt was unnoticed by the average American. But to the men they worked with in the field, the men that shared life and death on a daily basis he was respected...

and honored.

        Photograph of John Kerry meeting with Comrade Do Muoi, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam, in Vietnam. Photo displayed in the War Remnants Museum (formerly the "War Crimes Museum") in Saigon.

The June 2, 2004, edition of "Viet Nam News" is held beside the Kerry photograph to confirm the date the photo was taken.

   Subject: POW/MIA Consultations Conclude in Cambodia
United States Department of Defense
News Release
On the web: http://dod.mil/releases/nr20040802-1078.html

  No. 732-04
Aug 02, 2004
IMMEDIATE RELEASE

POW/MIA Consultations Conclude in Cambodia

The four nations involved in accounting for Americans missing in action from the Vietnam War closed their meeting Friday in Siem Reap, Cambodia, agreeing to intensify cooperation on losses in border areas.

The 2004 Consultations were hosted by Deputy Assistant Secretary of Defense for POW/Missing Personnel Affairs Jerry D. Jennings. Senior leaders from the United States, Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam gathered to forge a common vision, share experiences and set a course for the future.

Cambodian Prime Minister Hun Sen opened the meeting challenging the conference participants to find new ways to cooperate on the POW/MIA issue “for the sake of humanity.” He said it was “…important to enhance cooperation and integration of efforts between the United States, Vietnam, Laos and Cambodia as so many of the missing were lost in border areas.”

Last year’s gathering in Bangkok, was the first time the four nations had come together to hold such a meeting since the end of the war in 1975. The United States also continues to work with each of the countries individually to investigate MIA cases and excavate loss sites in an effort to recover, identify and return to the families in the United States the remains of missing Americans.

Expressing gratitude for the assistance the United States has received from Cambodia, Laos and Vietnam, Jennings said, “Without your cooperation, this mission could not continue. We know that and the families and veterans know that.”

At the conclusion of the two-day session, the delegates agreed to reactivate senior-level trilateral discussions on cases in the border areas, where the United States will join either Vietnam and Laos, or Vietnam and Cambodia to mount a three-nation, or trilateral, effort for case resolution.

Additionally, the delegates established new mechanisms at the expert level to coordinate efforts on these cases. Special emphasis will be placed on the United States government’s highest priority cases, those involving servicemen last known to be alive (LKA) at the time of their incident of loss.

Resolving the LKA cases and improving trilateral investigations in the border areas are two tasks President Bush has identified as key to success in accounting for missing United States personnel. The multilateral consultations follow recent bilateral breakthroughs that also reflect President Bush’s push for greater cooperation. These include agreements between the United States and Vietnam, and the United States and Laos on initiatives to improve access to each country’s archival holdings, along with renewed access for investigations and recoveries in previously denied areas of the Central Highlands in Vietnam.

Since the end of the war, the United States has accounted for more than 700 Americans from the Vietnam War. More than 1,800 are unaccounted-for from the war. More than 88,000 are still missing from all conflicts.

Additional information on POW/MIA accounting may be found on the DPMO web site at http://www.defenselink.milhttp://www.dtic.mil/dpmo or by calling (703) 699-1169.

                  We are proud to have served with the Best Unit of Sky Soldiers in the Republic of Vietnam.

The 173rd Airborne Brigade’

   Although our first few months were spent seeking out and killing of Viet Cong, Our remaining time was of great concern and Pacification to the Republic as a whole.

   Our pacification efforts gave us a sense of serving these people, rather than burning their Villages and blowing up their wells… Killing the animals and confiscation of their food!

          I can live with the fact that when I left Vietnam after My tour in November of 1969... We were "winning" the War

                      and Not "Turning Away" …from the People in

The Republic of Viet Nam.

Ricr0c

DRGrafiX

Yes…war does things to a man.

Congratulations on an outstanding web site. Keep up the great work.

TLCB Webmaster

Bob Norway.