C O, MARBKS
OF INTtRE STINS
TEEL'S
AREEg
Major Hans W. HENZEL enlisted in the
Marine Corps on 14 September 19^3* Sis
infantry career began with E Co,2dBn, 3&
Marines, 3<3MarDiv, EMP during the pacif
ication of Guam in 19^ • In 19^5 he was
moved to Regtl Scout Platoon and made the
journey to a place called Iwo Jima. He
remained with 3dMarDiv until it was deact
ivated, and then returned to the US for
discharge. After WW IIt the ex-Marine
finished college and was graduated from
the VMI and commissioned 2dLt, Cavalry,
US Army, Resigning his Army commission
Civilian Henzel was appointed 2dLt, USMC
and (this being the Johnson era of mil
itary austerity) joined the snallest basic
officers class since 1939 attferine Corps
Schools, Quantico, Va, During his tine
as a lieutenant, he served as a platoon
leader in various units including Tank
Battalions; attended the Infantry School
at Ft Benning, Ga. and courses in Special
Warfare, Intelligence and several Airborne
courses. His specialist training included
parachute demolitions and qualifications
as a Junpnaster.
IstLt Henzel left for Korea in 1952 to
join the IstMarDiv, FMF and saw action in
several phases of the Battle ,for Great
Bend of the Injin(which began in 1952 and
ran the course of several CCF offensives
until the Armistice), During the spring
• of 1953* he left the IstMarDiv on the line
and was sent to assist other US officers
with the 1st Partisan Infantry Regiment,'
an irregular force, conducting clandest
ine amphibious incursions into North Korea
from off the west coast. He remained here
until after the Armistice when he returned
to this IstMarDiv and command of C Co,
IstTankBn, involved in guardingrowdy CCF
POWs being repatriated.
Upon returning to the US, Capt, Henzel
became the Managing Editor of the Marine
Corns Gazette, a prof ess ional publication,
and while there translated several artic
les from the German dealing with combat
experience in WW II, Returning to the
Fleet Marine Force in 195?, he joined the
(Coat *d next column)
"MARINE BARRACKS
6th Marines, 2dMarDiv, FMF and began a
turbulent period of activity as Marine el
ements were committed here and there. Sail
ing for the Mediterranean in August, 1957*
he participated in the first major peace
time amphibious operation by Marines. This
was in Turkey where Navy-Marine Corps hel
locUter assault concept was demonstrated
to NATO. His continued involvement in the
development of helicopter operations con
tinued on returning to the US when his unit
tested the Fast Landing Force concept, at
launchings from FGRRESTAL.
The sudden turn of events which had Vice
President Nixon in trouble in Caracas in
1958 found Henzel id command of the first
Marines to be flown out to Citmo for inter
vention should the need arise. No sooner
resettled than Leanon flared, and off once
more in haste to far shores of the Med.
Continuing experiments•in helicopter as
sault techniques he planned numerous land
ings and the Landing Force and Amphibious
Force became so proficient as to be able
to conduct a night helicopter assault ,
launching from LSD/LST flight decks in total
darkness, simultaneously with a surface as
sault. This landing over the mountainous
terrain of Sardinia was the first such ever
conducted in Europe. ‘
Returning from duty with the Sixth Fleet
in June i960, Major Henzel had just tine
enough to unpack his seabag and repack it
to arrive at Adak in September. "Since ar
riving here six months ago, this is the
longest time live' bden in one place in the
last four years", he said, obviously de
lighted with his assignment here.