Combined Action Program

• Origins: The Combined Action Program (CAP) was a unique U.S. Marine Corps initiative during the Vietnam War, established in 1965 to improve counterinsurgency operations. • Village Integration: CAP units embedded small teams of U.S. Marines with South Vietnamese Popular Forces (PFs) in rural villages, living among the local population. • Unit Size: A typical CAP unit, called a Combined Action Platoon, consisted of 13 Marines and a Navy corpsman, working with 15–30 PF militia members. • Hearts and Minds: The program focused on "winning hearts and minds" by providing security, medical aid, and development projects while defending villages from Viet Cong attacks. • Language and Culture: Marines often learned basic Vietnamese and adapted to local customs, fostering trust and cooperation with villagers. • High Risk, High Reward: CAP Marines operated in isolated, vulnerable positions and faced frequent attacks, but their close village relationships often led to early warnings and support. • Success Rate: Many historians and veterans consider the CAP program one of the most effective pacification efforts in Vietnam, often reducing enemy activity in their sectors. • Volunteer Basis: Assignment to CAP units was voluntary, and many Marines who served in CAP considered it the most meaningful and impactful part of their service. • Legacy: The lessons learned from CAP influenced later military doctrines on counterinsurgency, including U.S. operations in Iraq and Afghanistan. • Notable Stories: CAP units sometimes thwarted large-scale enemy attacks with the help of villagers; for example, in 1969, CAP 2-7-2 in Hoi An repelled a major Viet Cong assault with minimal Marine casualties.