1/9 Marines operations in Vietnam

1965

16^th July – 1^st battalion 9^th Marines came to Vietnam and replaced 3/9 in security task of Da Nang airfield.

Blastout - near Cam Ne

   3^rd August – „…marines burned tens of houses and killed or wounded tens of civilians, in the dirtiest war America ever fought…“, K. Beech. But in fact befor burning this village down, Marines were under fire from this village.

Golden Fleece

Rice Straw

1966

   In January 9^th Marines began using of a new tactic, Sparrow Hawk. That meant every battalion had an emergency team, flown in combat by helicopters, which were ready at Da Nang airfield. This teams were used to make a contact with enemy.

   Country Fair – military, civilian and psychological program for restoring government of RVN in places under control of Viet Cong. It meant catching of Viet Cong suspects, medical help for civilians and securing their food from stealing by Viet Cong.

Independence

Montgomery

Ky Lam Campaign

Liberty

Macon

1967

Deckhouse V

   One from few amphibious operations of USMC in Mekong Delta began on January 5^th. 1/9 was infantry part of 7^th Fleet´s Special Landing Force. 21 enemies were killed.

Prairie II

Beacon Hill

Prairie III

1^st Khe Sanh

   16^th March – company E from 2/9 Marines was attacked in area of Khe Sanh, 24^th April – company B 1/9 got into heavy firefight near Hill 861.

Prairie IV

Chinook II

Cimarron

Con Thien

   FSB closest to DMZ, area of heavy combat in the summer 1967. It was first base of „Mc Namara line“, which should stop enemy infiltration into South Vietnam. When Marines started digging of bunkers, trenches etc. NVA attacked. Marines called Con Thien „Meat Gringer“ For example, 2^nd July – from company B 1/9 left 27 combat able men. Fights lasted until July 14^th - Operation Buffalo??? Total Marines´ casaulties were 159 dead and 450 wounded. Enemy left here about 1000 bodies. 

   After short break, the base was under siege in September. It looked there like a Europe in the First World War.

Buffalo

Fremont

Kingfisher

Kentucky

Neosho

Scotland

1968

Ballistic Armor

Dai Do

2^nd Khe Sanh

   One from the most known battles in Vietnam war. Informations will be added.

Pegasus

   This operation made a way to besieged Khe Sanh.

July Action

Dawson River

1969

Dawson River West

Operation Dewey Canyon

Apache Snow

   Marines form 1/9 light contact with enemy. 101. Airborne Division was fighting at Hamburger Hill in this operation.

Utah Mesa

Cameron Falls

   Marines form 1/9 light contact with enemy, they are transfered to Vandegrift and 1/9 was getting ready for redeployment. But actully there was a change of personnel between 1/9 and other Marine Battalions, so rotated only those Marines which should.

Keystone Eagle

Redeployed to Okinawa

  The Walking Dead battalion won two Presidential Unit Citations, two Navy Unit Commendations, two Meritorious Unit Commendations, Vietnamese Gallantry Cross and Civic Actions Citation.