Originally established to assist the Military Assistance Advisory Group, Vietnam (MAAG-Vietnam), the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) was created on 8 February 1962 to aid MAAG in coordinating joint services support for the Army of the Republic of Vietnam and provide combat arms training to its personnel through a system of field advisors. An Army reorganization in 1964 led to the absorption of MAAG by MACV, with the Commander of MACV given authority over all U.S. Military activities in Vietnam.
The major commands that comprised MACV included U.S. Army Vietnam; I and II Field Forces, Vietnam; XXIV Corps; Naval Forces Vietnam; III Marine Amphibious force; Seventh Air Force; 5th Special Forces Groups; Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support; Studies and Observations Group; and the Field Advisory Element, MACV. Its first commander was General Paul Harkins, who was succeeded by General William Westmoreland, whose tenure saw the period of heaviest fighting and casualties. General Creighton Abrams assumed command from Westmoreland in 1968, and General Frederick Weyand held command as the MACV wound down operations as part of President Nixon’s “Vietnamization” policy.
MACV departed Vietnam on 29 March 1973, just over two months after the signing of the Paris Peace Accords.
Related Items
Military Assistance Command Vietnam Patch (SSI)