1st Battalion 9th Marines question

[Izzame2]

When I was in the corps I served with the unit 1st Bn. 9th Marines "The Walking Dead" in 78 & 79 at Camp Hansen Okinawa.One of the first things I heard was a rumor that 1/9 was ambushed and wiped out and lost its colors in Vietnam.Of course being a Marine you I took all scuttlebutt with a grain of salt knowing not knowing what to believe.So anyway recently I searched the net looking for info that on my old unit.I couldn't find anything on unit history that could either dispel or make true the rumor.So I was wondering if any Vietnam vets at this forum ever heard this rumor and are able to dispel the rumor or can provide details as to what happened.This has been something that has been gnawing at me for a while since when I had mentioned to other Marines that I served with 1/9 they would usually say "Oh is that the unit that lost it's colors in Vietnam?" You're welcome to chime in with any info you may have-thanks

[corky0566]

You might want to look at *************....And check your date on the Vietnam War...

[Rooger]

When I was at Hansen in 80 to 81 I heard it was 2/4 that lost its colors in Vietnam, so who knows? I was attached to them with 3rd CBT Engr's B Co. and heard it from their 1st shirt.

[ggyoung]

Both 1/9 and 2/4 never lost there colors. I was attached to both at different times 1965- 66 4th Marines burned there colors at the start of WW2 in the Philippines and that was by a order by General Wayneright. Damn japs.

[ggyoung]

BTW 1/9 was the only grunt battalion in Vietnam that had it's own NVA division atached to it.

[ameriken]

When I was in the corps I served with the unit 1st Bn. 9th Marines "The Walking Dead" in 78 & 79 at Camp Hansen Okinawa.One of the first things I heard was a rumor that 1/9 was ambushed and wiped out and lost its colors in Vietnam.

I was with 3/9 in Schwab from 77-78 and heard the same thing about 1/9 the 'walking dead'. Never did find out if it was true or not. I guess ggyoung clears it up.

[Zulu 36]

No Marine unit I have every heard of has "lost" their colors. As ggyoung said, the 4th Marines and it's battalions burned their colors when surrender orders were given at Corrigidor Island. The Japanese captured nothing but ashes.

When the 4th Marines was reconstituted later in WWII, new colors were issued.

Marine units in Vietnam did not carry their colors into the field like in the Civil War days. That business ended at least in WWI.

The Walking Dead was called that because the NVA had a serious case of the red ass for them and were forever ambushing 1/9 units. They seemed to go out of their way to engage 1/9 units. Essentially, ggyoung's comment, although meant tongue-in-cheek, was correct.

[Izzame2]

Thanks for all the replies I guess it must have another pack of lies that was spread by false information.
Corky0566 wrote:

You might want to look at *************....And check your date on the Vietnam War...
Corky what in the world are you referring to? I know the dates of the Vietnam war after all I'm almost 51 years old and grew up during that time.You must have misunderstood what I wrote.I wrote that I served with 1/9 in 78 & 79 which was after the Vietnam war.I'm not someone claiming false glory by pretending to be a Vietnam vet and never even remotely suggested such a thing in what I wrote.I'm a 100% bona-fide former Marine and proud of my service.

[Vandrel]

I was with 1/9 in 2008, different era and battlefield :D

Only stories that got passed around in 1/9 while I was there was how much of a d-bag everything thought the Bn CO was, I personally watched the man throw a Cpl's plate full of burritos at a wall infront of a bunch of Iraqi Police.

[Izzame2]

I was with 1/9 in 2008, different era and battlefield :D

Only stories that got passed around in 1/9 while I was there was how much of a d-bag everything thought the Bn CO was, I personally watched the man throw a Cpl's plate full of burritos at a wall infront of a bunch of Iraqi Police.

:D LoL that was my laugh for today.

[HST]

The colors rumor is false. On July 2, 67 the Corps had its worst day in Nam; 2 1/9 company's A&B were overrun and just about wiped out, north of the trace near rt.561. I went in on the 2nd with C,1/9 and some of 3/9 on a relief op that went nowhere but down hill in a hurry. I don't know how many KIA and WIA there were but there were more than I had ever seen in one place. It took us days to get in to the places where they got hit and get all of the body's back and by the end we had at least 3 batt's in the sh*t. It was a like a butcher shop, some of the KIA's had their hands wired together with c rat wire and had been tortured before they killed them.

The rumor was then that the NVA was after them because they had gunned some water boo's and cattle that the gooks were using for food on the hoof. I don't know if that ever happened but the 1/9 guys said that's how they got the walking dead handle.

I'll agree with those that said a unit never carried their colors with them in Nam, I'd also say that I've never heard of a Marine battallion getting completely overrun in Nam, the only reason those 2 companies were roaming out there was the batt was at con thien and that was the routine there to keep the gooks away from the perimeter as much as possible

[ssgtH]

What Co. were you in. I did a little time with A Co. Left there in Dec. 78.

[FistFu68]

:evilgrin: Every Grunt unit in the 'Nam took pretty much of a Beating Chit The NVA.were so P**Sed at the 26Th.Regt That they assigned 3 NVA.Regiments to take our the 3Rd Bn.They were very P**Sed about Hill 881 South for 2 years afterward. :usmc: :iwo:

[Izzame2]

The colors rumor is false. On July 2, 67 the Corps had its worst day in Nam; 2 1/9 company's A&B were overrun and just about wiped out, north of the trace near rt.561. I went in on the 2nd with C,1/9 and some of 3/9 on a relief op that went nowhere but down hill in a hurry. I don't know how many KIA and WIA there were but there were more than I had ever seen in one place. It took us days to get in to the places where they got hit and get all of the body's back and by the end we had at least 3 batt's in the sh*t. It was a like a butcher shop, some of the KIA's had their hands wired together with c rat wire and had been tortured before they killed them.

The rumor was then that the NVA was after them because they had gunned some water boo's and cattle that the gooks were using for food on the hoof. I don't know if that ever happened but the 1/9 guys said that's how they got the walking dead handle.

I'll agree with those that said a unit never carried their colors with them in Nam, I'd also say that I've never heard of a Marine battallion getting completely overrun in Nam, the only reason those 2 companies were roaming out there was the batt was at con thien and that was the routine there to keep the gooks away from the perimeter as much as possible

Thanks for the details.I was wondering how this rumor got started since I heard it time and time again after I told people I served with 1/9.Apparently the rumor persisted even up until the Gulf war.I told a former Marine I served with 1/9 and he said "Oh isn't that the unit that lost its colors in Vietnam?" I never knew the details of what happened in Vietnam that caused the rumor.The rumor I was told was that 1/9 lost its colors in Nam and was disgraced and had to stay in Okinawa for punishment purposes.They only thing I could think of if you say that the colors weren't taken to the field was the possibility the Hq was attacked and overrun at some point.Which I would see as highly unlikely.


What Co. were you in. I did a little time with A Co. Left there in Dec. 78. I was with H&S company.I was just a lowly truck driver.


Every Grunt unit in the 'Nam took pretty much of a Beating Chit The NVA.were so P**Sed at the 26Th.Regt That they assigned 3 NVA.Regiments to take our the 3Rd Bn.They were very P**Sed about Hill 881 South for 2 years afterward. Sounds like the corps was giving the Nva a real ass kicking and sending them to hell in a hand basket.

[HST]

Thanks for the details.I was wondering how this rumor got started since I heard it time and time again after I told people I served with 1/9.Apparently the rumor persisted even up until the Gulf war.I told a former Marine I served with 1/9 and he said "Oh isn't that the unit that lost its colors in Vietnam?" I never knew the details of what happened in Vietnam that caused the rumor.The rumor I was told was that 1/9 lost its colors in Nam and was disgraced and had to stay in Okinawa for punishment purposes.They only thing I could think of if you say that the colors weren't taken to the field was the possibility the Hq was attacked and overrun at some point.Which I would see as highly unlikely.

I was with H&S company.I was just a lowly truck driver.

Sounds like the corps was giving the Nva a real ass kicking and sending them to hell in a hand basket.

Actually the corps was getting its azz kicked. We were outnumbered and thanks to the idiotic Westmorland stratigy of sitting on strongpionts like Con thien, ka Shan, Camp Carrol, we enede up sitting exposed to constant fire and didn't have the manpower to go out and patrol in strength. The NVA knew it and took advantage of it. They only hit us when they had the numbers.

Don't get me wrong, we made them pay for it but we were always under strength and out numbered. When I got to Nam in Sept 66, there were no strong points, there was Dong Ha and the bush, we were always on the move in strength and we were finding them and kicking their azz. It all changed when westmoreland made Walt set up the strong points and didn't bring in the men needed to keep Marine units in the bush. Walt wanted him to man the strong points with the Army but by then the country was against the war and no one was willing to send in the troops that would have won it.

One other thing, Nam was really hard on the grunt outfits because we lived and were treated like sub humans. We couldn't get basic things like cloths and boots, guys were walking around with their azzes hanging out, boots taped together...and the rear areas were another world, a real nice world they had everything, nice wood, tin roof huts, clean good cloths, cold beer, hot, good food. Da Nang was unbelievable, a huge px, snack bar, hamburgers, malts. Our real didn't even have electricity until the middle of 67, when we went back, we lived in dirt or mud floored tents with cots, 81mm or arty cases for lockers and candles for light.

I'm not b*tching I'm saying that we could have won but didn't because the tail was wagging the dog. We lost 58,000 good Americans there and I hope it isn't going to happen again because this time the stakes are a lot higher. Enough said.

[ggyoung]

westmarland was not fit to command a battalion let alone a war. Sonofa***** got over 58,000 of Americas best killed. If any of you want to read a good book about the 9th Marines in Vietnam and during the time of these false rumorers read "Operation Buffalo".

[Zulu 36]

westmarland was not fit to command a battalion let alone a war. Sonofa***** got over 58,000 of Americas best killed. If any of you want to read a good book about the 9th Marines in Vietnam and during the time of these false rumorers read "Operation Buffalo".


I agree. I think Abrams did a much better job, but he was handicapped by the anti-war sentiments beginning to prevail and he was never given the resources or the latitude he really needed. He was also bringing the S. Vietnamese more into the fight, unlike Westmoreland.

[SSgtBadd]

When I was at Hansen in 80 to 81 I heard it was 2/4 that lost its colors in Vietnam, so who knows? I was attached to them with 3rd CBT Engr's B Co. and heard it from their 1st shirt.

That rumor was alive and well when I was with the 5th Marines in the early 90's. It was just recently I looked it up and found it not to be true. I think it's because their structure is kind of odd. Their H&S and Regimental HQ's are in Okinawa and it's Battalions are all attached to different Regiment. When I was there, 2/4 was attached to HQ, 5th Marines.

[Kenneth Havelka]

I was in B-1-9 at Camp Pendleton in 1959-1960,Best outfit I was ever in.I knew a Cpl.Leon Burns Who was on that Operation Buffalo with B-Company,He told me it was a real mess, he was a S/Sgt and was awarded The Navy Cross.A real Maine!!

[HST]

I guess everyone has experienced some things that they can never forget, Buffalo is mine.I remember it all the time but every year when July rolls around it really gets into my head. I didn't know anyone named Burns but most guys were just a first name or some kind of handle. One thing for sure, if he was with Bravo and made it out he was not only a real Marine he was a real lucky Marine

[fl1946]

Gunny Burns was indeed real. He received the Navy Cross while with 1/9. Gunny will be remembered not just for the NC, but he was known for making the best damn SOS at the picnics in Camp Pendleton.

I had the honor to cover Gunny Burns' memorial at the Riverside Veterans cemetery. Rest in Peace Gunny.

[Riven37]

There are always rumors in the Corps from ghost Marines to lost colors. I too heard this story while with 1/9 Walking Dead weapons. The name Walking dead was given to 1/9 for the highest KIA in Marine Corps History is the only truth about 1/9. This title the Walking dead should always be held in sad honor due to the many lives who were taken while in service of 1/9 and this story of lost colors were made by those Marines who served in 1/9 due to the lost of their friends they felt disgraced for so many KIA's. The Third Marine Division were in a lock down at Okinawa until they were brought home then 1/9 was disbanded until it was reactivated again for the Iraq war. Rumors are cheap.


When I was in the corps I served with the unit 1st Bn. 9th Marines "The Walking Dead" in 78 & 79 at Camp Hansen Okinawa.One of the first things I heard was a rumor that 1/9 was ambushed and wiped out and lost its colors in Vietnam.Of course being a Marine you I took all scuttlebutt with a grain of salt knowing not knowing what to believe.So anyway recently I searched the net looking for info that on my old unit.I couldn't find anything on unit history that could either dispel or make true the rumor.So I was wondering if any Vietnam vets at this forum ever heard this rumor and are able to dispel the rumor or can provide details as to what happened.This has been something that has been gnawing at me for a while since when I had mentioned to other Marines that I served with 1/9 they would usually say "Oh is that the unit that lost it's colors in Vietnam?" You're welcome to chime in with any info you may have-thanks