Street Cleaning - Beirut 1958
Slot No.555
USMC: Lebanese Government & United States
vs.
Lebanese Opposition - Syrian, INM, LCP, and the PSP
Date: July 26, 1958
Location: Beirut, Lebanon
Designed By: OpArt222
HISTORIC BACKGROUND: President Dwight D. Eisenhower, reacting to the overthrow of King Faisalís government in Iraq, alerted U.S. forces and deployed to Europe a tactical strike force from the Ninth Air Force at Shaw Air Force Base, South Carolina, and transport planes from Donaldson Air Force Base, South Carolina. A naval task force of 75 ships, including three aircraft carriers and two cruisers, and 45,000 men, 5,000 of whom were marines, was deployed to the Middle East from the Sixth Fleet in Italy.
The Government of Lebanon, faced with political turmoil, requested United States military intervention to prevent a collapse. With the situation deteriorating, President Eisenhower ordered U.S. forces to begin deploying on July 14th. The purpose of Operation Bluebat was to bolster the pro-Western government of President Camille Chamoun against internal opposition and threats from Syria and Egypt. The plan was to occupy and secure Beirut International Airport, a few miles south of the city, then secure the port of Beirut and the approaches to the city.
The Sixth Fleet consisted of 3 carriers, 2 cruisers, 22 destroyers, and approximately 50 other support vessels under the overall command of Vice Admiral Charles R. Brown. On this date, the 2d Provisional Marine Force (Task Force 62), consisting of three battalion landing teams (BLTs), under the command of Brigadier General Sidney S. Wade was the landing force of the Sixth Fleet.
PhibRon 6 consisted of five ships: the command ship (AGC), the USS TACONIC; an Attack transport (APA), the USS MONROVIA; an attack cargo ship (AKA), the USS CAPRICORNUS; and two LSTs (Landing Ship, Tank), the USS WALWORTH COUNTY and the USS TRAVERSE COUNTY. Off the coast of Lebanon they were joined by two destroyers, USS THE SULLIVANS and the USS WADLEIGH, which were to furnish direct fire support if the landing were opposed.
Besides authorizing the Navy's Sixth Fleet to conduct air operations and to land Marines in Beirut, the President ordered Tactical Air Command (TAC) Composite Air Strike Force Bravo to deploy from the US to Incirlik AB. The strike force, under command of Maj Gen Henry Viccellio, was in place by 20 July. It consisted of F-100s, B-57s, RF-101s, RB-66s, and WB-66s. The Air Force had no tactical controllers in Lebanon, therefore the Navy established procedures for all tactical aircraft involved in the operation.
SCENARIO: This hypothetical scenario takes place on July 26, 1958. Elements of the The Syrian First Army have occupied the port and sections of East Beirut. The Marines successfully landed at Red Beach and have secured Beirut International Airport. Now the USMC 2d Battalion, 2d Marine Regiment is preparing to advance into the city to dismantle the Syrians along with various anti-government forces.
Historically the Marines encountered only light resistance securing the Port of Beirut and the eastern approaches to the city. This scenario will provided the USMC player with a far more committed Syrian First Army, INM, LCP, and PSP opposition
USMC OBJECTIVES: #1 Secure the Port of Beirut, and the eastern approaches to the city. #2 Defend the American Embassy.
SCENARIO NOTES: This scenario should be played from the USMC side. Company A, 3d Battalion, 6th Marines and one Lebanese Rifle Company must remain in defense of the airfield.
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Landing Force Sixth Fleet
Battalion Landing Team, 2d Battalion, 2d Marines
Detachment, Headquarters Battalion, 2d Marine Division
MEU HQ + Command Vehicle Jeep MMG (x1)
2d Battalion, 2d Marines & Platoon, + 3d Amphibian Tractor Battalion
USMC Rifle Company (Mec) (LVTP5) (x3)
Platoon (Reinf), Company C, 2d Tank Battalion
Tank Platoon (M48A1 Patton x4) (M48A1 Dozer x1)
Detachment, Anti-Tank Company, 2d Marines
SP-RCL Platoon (Ontos x5)
3d Platoon (Reinf), Company B, 2d Pioneer battalion
Marine Engineers Squad (x3) (LVTE1 MCV x1)
Detachment, Explosive Ordnance Demolition Platoon, 8th Engineer Battalion
USN UDT/Raider (x1)
1st Platoon (Reinf), Company B, 2d Motor Transport Battalion
Med Truck (x16)
Detachment, 2d ANGLICO
Forward Observation / (FAQ Marine FO x3)
Detachment, Battalion Mortar
Mortar Platoon (81mm Selection x4)
Battery B, 3d Battalion, 10th Marines
Howitzer Bty - (105mm M114 FH x6)
---------------------------
Detachment, Ordnance Maintenance Company
Location: Beirut International Airport
Ammo Carrier (x6)
Ammo Dump (x4)
---------------------------
Sixth Fleet - Destroyers - Naval GunFire Support
Location: Sixth Fleet, Mediterranean Sea (Off-map)
USS The Sullivans (DD-537) (5 inch Gun x4)
USS Wadleigh (DD-689) (5 inch Gun x4)
---------------------------
Detachment, Marine Aircraft Group 26
Location: Beirut International Airport
HUS-1 Seahorse (x4)
HOK-1 Huskie (x2)
Location: Sixth Fleet, Mediterranean Sea (Off-map)
AD6 Skyraider (COIN Sorties x4 )
A4D Sky Hawk II (COIN Sorties x6)
---------------------------
Tactical Air Command (TAC) Composite Air Strike Force Bravo
Location: Incirlik, AB Turkey (Off-map)
F-100s (Strike Sorties x4)
B-57s (Level Bombing Strikes x6)
---------------------------
Regional Headquarters Region 2, Marine Security Guards,
Location: American Embassy, Beirut, Lebanon
Rifle Platoon (USMC Rifle Squad x3) (MMG Sec x1)
Jeep MMG (x2) (Embassy Motor Pool)
Civilian Car (x2) (Embassy Motor Pool)
---------------------------
Beirut International Airport Security
Location: Beirut International Airport
Battalion Landing Team, 3d Battalion, 6th Marines
(Note: Company A, 3d Battalion, 6th Marines and 1 Lebanese Rifle Company
are required for airfield security)
Company A, 3d Battalion, 6th Marines
USMC Rifle Co
AA Gun Platoon (W)
AA Gun Sec (W) (40mm AA Gun X4)
Lebanese Rifle Company (x1)
---------------------------
U.S Navy's - Sixth Fleet, PhibRon 6
Location: Mediterranean Sea (Western edge of map)
Landing Support
LCM-6- LCF (x2)
LCM-6 (x5)
Zodiac (x4)
---------------------------
Pro-Lebanese Government Forces
Location: Military Area north of Beirut International Airport
Scout Car Pl Ferret Mk.1 (x4)
Truck Inf Co (x2)
Tank Platoon Firefly (x4)
Light Tank Section(Staghound x2)
Pioneer Platoon (x1)
2 Half-Trk APCs (x2)
Support APC Platoon (APC x6)
---------------------------
SOURCES:
"1958 Lebanon Crisis: Operation Blue Bat" - Military In the Middle East (blog)
https://milinme.wordpress.com/2014/0...tion-blue-bat/
"1958 Lebanon Crisis" - Wikipedia.Org
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1958_Lebanon_crisis
"A Brief History of the 8th Marines" by James S. Santelli, 1976
"BEIRUT 1958" - The Cold War Museum
http://www.coldwar.org/articles/50s/root58.asp
"Marines In Lebanon 1958" By Jack Shulimson - The Air University
http://www.au.af.mil/au/awc/awcgate/...st/lebanon.txt
"Not War But Like War: The American Intervention in Lebanon" by RJ Spiller - 1981
usacac.army.mil/cac2/cgsc/carl/download/csipubs/spiller2.pdf
"Operation Blue Bat 1958" - Globalsecurity.Org
http://www.globalsecurity.org/military/ops/blue_bat.htm
Perry-Castañeda Library Map Collection - UT Library Online
http://www.lib.utexas.edu/maps/