“Ho Chi Minh told them that he was going to kill them all, so just consider themselves dead walking, so they called themselves the “Walking Dead,” Pulliam, the new national president of the American Gold Star Mothers Inc., said.“That was the story told to me.”
The then-Vietnam president had indeed labeled the unit “Di bo Chet”, the Walking Dead, for its actions in the valley near the Song Nu Yi River in 1966.
Source: American Forces Press Service
President Republic of South Vietnam
To the Officers and Men of Battalion 1/9 – 3rd Marine Division In appreciation of your contribution to the defense of freedom in Vietnam Thieu July 1969
Nguyen Van Thieu, President Republic of South Vietnam (1967-1975)
Note:This photo hung proudly in Battalion Headquarters until 1975 when it was stored with personal items after it was not properly packed with the other items of Battalion Headquarters. In 1990, the photo was forwarded to me after reading a reunion notice for the 1st Battalion 9th Marines.It was requested that I act as custodian to this priceless item. On March 5, 2007, the photo was presented to LtCol Bradley Vickers, Commanding Officer of 1st Battalion 9th Marines to be hung once again in Battalion Headquarters.
A copy of the photo has been forwarded to the National President of First Battalion Ninth Marines Network for their archives. ..
OPERATIONS INVOLVING 1/9(1965-69)
Operations
Dates
Units
Battle Locations
Blastout I
Aug-65
1/3,1/9
Cam Ne, Cau Do, North of DaNang
Quang Nam
Golden Fleece
Sep-Oct 65
9th Mar
Hoa Vang District
Quang Nam
County Fair
Sep-Dec 65
1/1,1/3,1/9
Village surround and search
Various
Rice Straw
Oct-Nov 65
9th Mar
TAOR Extension to Ky Lam River
Quang Nam
Independence
Feb-66
1/9,2/9
South of Song Vu Gia
Quang Nam
Montgomery
May-66
1/9,2/9,3/9,2/4
Ky Lam Campaign
May-66
1/9,2/9,3/9,2/4
Dai Loc area, 6 miles So of Da Nang
Quang Nam
Liberty
Jun-Jul 66
1/9,2/9,1/1
Dai Loc area, 6 miles So of Da Nang
Quang Nam
Macon
Jul-Oct 66
1/9,2/9,3/9,1/3,2/3
An Hoa Area, So of Da Nang
Quang Nam
Deckhouse V
Jan-67
1/9,
Mekong Delta, Co Chien, ham Luong
Kien Hoa
Prairie II
Feb-Mar 67
2/3,3/3,3/4,1/9,2/9
DMZ North of Cam Lo
Quang Tri
Beacon Hill
Mar-Apr 67
3/3,1/9,1/4
DMZ No of Cam Lo, Gio Linh area
Quang Tri
Prairie III
Mar-Apr 67
3/4,2/3,1/9,2/9,3/3
DMZ
Quang Tri
Prairie IV
Apr-May 67
1/9,2/9,3/9,2/3,3/3,1/4,3/4
DMZ
Quang Tri
Chinook II
Apr-67
1/9.
St w/o Joy, 12 mile North of Hue
Thua Thien
Cimarron
Jun-Jul 67
1/9,2/9,3/9,1/4,3/4,3/3
DMZ North of Cam Lo
Quang Tri
Buffalo
Jul-67
1/9,2/9,3/9,1/3,2/3
North/East of Con Thien
Quang Tri
Fremont
Jul-Oct 67
1/3,2/3,1/4,2/4,1/9
Cobi-Thanh Tan North of Hue
Thua Thien
Kingfisher
Jul-Oct 67
9th Mar,2/3
DMZ Con Thien to Cam Lo area
Quang Tri
Kentucy
Nov 67-Feb 69
1/9,2/9,3/9,1/4,3/3
DMZ Leatherneck Square
Quang Tri
Neosho
Nov 67-Jan 68
3/4,1/9
Cobi-Thanh Tan sector North of Hue
Thua Thien
Scotland
Nov 67-Mar 68
26th Mar, 1/9
Khe Sanh Plateau (was Ardmore)
Quang Tri
Ballistic Armor
Jan-68
2/4,1/9
North of Hue
Thua Thien
Dai Do
Apr-May 68
1/3,2/4,1/9
Battle of Dai Do - Cau Viet
Quang Tri
Pegasus/
LamSon 207
Apr-68
26 th Mar, 2/1,2/3,1/9
Khe sanh area
Quang Tri
July Action
Jul-68
1/3,2/3,3/3,1/9,2/9,3/9
North of Camp Carroll
Quang Tri
Dawson River
Nov 68-Jan 69
1/9,2/9
Ba Long Valley
Quang Tri
Dawson River West
Jan-69
1/9,2/9,3/9
West of Khe Sanh - to Loation Border
Quang Tri
Dewey Canyon
Jan-Mar 69
1/9,2/9,3/9
Da Krong Valley Base Area 611
Quang Tri
Apache Snow
May-Jun 69
1/9,2/9,3/9
Da Krong Valley
Quang Tri
Utah Mesa
Jun-Jul 69
1/9,2/9,3/9
Khe Sanh Plateau
Quang Tri
Cameron Falls
Jun-69
1/9,2/9,3/9
Da Krong Valley S/W of Vandergift
Quang Tri
Keystone Eagle
Jul-69
1/9,2/9,3/9
Redeploymeny
Information Compiled by: Dan Beckham - 81's FO Alpha Co.1968
OPERATIONS INVOLVING 1/9 AFTER DEPARTURE OF III MAF
Operations
Dates
Units
Location
Direct Combat Support
May 19-21, 1971
31MAU, 1/9, HMM164
off South Vietnam
Heroic Action
May 11, 1972
31MAU, 1/9
of North Vietnam
Song Thanh 5-72
May 13, 1972
9 MAB, 31MAU, 1/4, 1/9, HMM164
Quang Tri Province
Song Thanh 6-72
May 24, 1972
9 MAB, 31MAU, 1/4, 1/9, HMM164
Quang Tri Province
Ready Op
June 27, 1972
9 MAB, 31MAU, 33MAU, 1/4, 1/9,
DMZ
HMM164, HMM165
LamSon 72 (I)
June 29, 1972
9 MAB, 31MAU, 33MAU, 1/4, 1/9,
Quang Tri Province
HMM164, HMM165
LamSon 72 (II)
July 11, 1972
9 MAB, 31MAU, 33MAU, 1/4, 1/9,
Quang Tri Province
HMM164, HMM165
Information Compiled by Maj Charles D. Melson
Source: Marine Corps Command Center, Chronologies, 1971-73
Platoon Photos - Okinawa 1966
I am looking for copies of the other platoon pictures taken on Okinawa in 1966.
A-Company/2nd Platoon Okinawa - 1966
A-Company/Weapons Plt Okinawa - 1966
H&S Company/Comm Platoon Okinawa - 1966
Individual & Personal Photos
LCpl Johnson (KIA), Cpl Liggon & Sgt Jones
Sgt Loyd, SSgt Wade (KIA) & Sgt Sewell
Unknown, Michael Stewart (KIA) Navy Cross, Unknown
S.B. Jones (kneeling), Gallman (KIA), Doc Hopson, R. Jones, Cook, Guilfoyle (A-Co/2nd)
GySgt Geller - 1967
Mike Heffernan (A-Co/60mm)
Charles Cool (A-Co/2nd)
A-Company 2nd Platoon - Okinawa 1966
Marine & Frank "Irish" Healey
Kellner (Peanuts), Guilfoyle, C. Johnson (KIA), Liggon, R. Jones
