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Headquarters Battery - 3rd Battalion 11th Marines
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HQ 3/13
For every Marine in the field or at forward firebase's near the DMZ, there were five to seven Marines working in tenuous areas such as Dong Ha, JJ Carroll or further south at Phu Bai, Chu Lai, Da Nang, Hill 55, supporting ground operations and firebases. Without the effort of these Marines, whose jobs and MOS's varied, the forward firebase's and operations would not have been able to function, let alone exist. Dong Ha, points west, east, and south received mortar and rocket attacks; north of Dong Ha, artillery attacks; Da Nang, Chu Lai, Phu Bai, Hue City, all were not immune to incoming.
These Marines were not impervious to combat, they faced incoming, they took their turns on perimeter lines, acted as forward firebase FO's, did LP's, walked patrols, whatever was required. Often tagged with the moniker "REMF" it was a name they would learn to wear with pride. The "tag" derived from "Rear Echelon Mother Fu...uh, well, you get the idea." After all, their field Marines had to be processed, fed, sheltered, supplied, resupplied, medically cared for, counseled, paid, entertained, (if it was safe enough) and damn near anything and everything else by REMF Marines; they were the grease that kept the war wheel turning.
Many times, duty would require time being spent in heavy combat areas; Leatherneck Square, the Hill 55 battles, Con Thien, Gio Linh, the list is un-ending... All the while those who saw the Marines as "REMF's" assumed it was all beer and "in country R&R."
Their battles were often against enemies unknown to most; generally, rear echelon command was efficient, well disciplined, and professional but there were those certain Marines who seemed adept at creating boredom, tedium, and petty bureaucracy. Yes they had cold beer and other "bennies" not available in the field, but hey, they never asked for the damn job of baby sitting the "FEMF" Marines, it was their duty; somebody had to drink the beer...
