USMC 9th Marines Patch — Embroidered Patch
First on the Ground in Vietnam
The 9th Marine Regiment holds a distinction that placed it at the very beginning of America's longest 20th-century war. On March 8, 1965, the 9th Marines came ashore at Red Beach, Da Nang, as the first conventional U.S. ground combat unit in South Vietnam — a moment that changed the course of American military history.
Activated in 1917, the 9th Marines fought with the 3rd Marine Division on Bougainville, Guam, and Iwo Jima during World War II. But it was Vietnam that defined the regiment's modern legacy. Operating in the northern I Corps tactical zone, the 9th Marines served as a critical barrier against North Vietnamese penetrations across the DMZ and along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. The regiment fought in the Hill Fights north of Khe Sanh, at Con Thien, and conducted Operation Dewey Canyon in the A Shau Valley — considered one of the most successful operations of the war, netting 16 artillery pieces, 73 anti-aircraft guns, and 92 trucks. Ten Marines from the 9th Regiment received the Medal of Honor for their service.
Perfect For:
Vietnam veterans who served with 9th Marines, 3rd MARDIV personnel, Khe Sanh and DMZ veterans, WWII Iwo Jima historians, Medal of Honor researchers, and anyone who honors the Marines who went in first at Da Nang.
First boots on Vietnamese soil — and they held the line.