9th Infantry Division Vietnam Patch

9th Infantry Division Vietnam Patch (U.S. Army) 3.0" x 3.0" Embroidered Patch with Iron-On Backing

Superior Materials: Made with premium polyester thread and durable twill fabric, ensuring long-lasting color and strength.

Advanced Embroidery Technology: Crafted using the most advanced embroidery machinery, guaranteeing intricate detail, sharp lines, and consistent quality every time.

Easy Iron-On Application: Features a heat-activated adhesive backing for quick, no-sew attachment. Simply position, iron, and press for a secure bond.

Versatile Use: Perfect for personalizing jackets, backpacks, uniforms, or any fabric surface that needs a touch of personality. 

Durable and Washable: Designed to withstand everyday wear and occasional washing without fading or fraying.

Formations & Origins
The 9th Infantry Division, known as "Old Reliables," was first activated in 1918 during World War I but saw no combat before being deactivated shortly after the Armistice. Its legacy was truly forged during World War II, where it fought across North Africa, Sicily, France, Belgium, and into Germany. After the war, it was deactivated and reactivated multiple times, but it was in 1966—amid rising U.S. involvement in Vietnam—that the 9th Infantry Division was brought back to life once more.

Deployed to South Vietnam in 1967, the division became one of the most active and strategically placed American units in the Mekong Delta, an area notorious for its maze of rivers, swamps, and dense foliage. Its mission was to root out Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army elements who used the region as a sanctuary, supply corridor, and staging area for attacks in southern South Vietnam.

The division’s patch features a red octagon with a white disc centered by a blue circle—simple in appearance but quickly recognizable. The red represents valor, the white stands for purity, and the blue signifies loyalty and perseverance. Though not as flamboyant as some unit insignia, the 9th’s patch became a feared sight in the Mekong Delta, synonymous with sudden, aggressive engagements and relentless patrolling.

Notable Commanders
Major General William W. Fulton played a pivotal role in shaping the 9th Infantry Division's doctrine in Vietnam. He led the unit during its initial deployment and helped transition it from a traditional mechanized force into one of the most innovative and flexible infantry divisions in the entire U.S. Army. Under his command, the division pioneered tactics that blended conventional infantry strategies with the demands of Vietnam’s unique terrain and guerrilla warfare style.

Another key figure was Brigadier General Julian Ewell, who later commanded the division and was instrumental during Operation Speedy Express. Ewell was both admired and criticized for the aggressive nature of his operations and the heavy enemy body counts they produced—raising both tactical praise and moral questions that would echo long after the war.

Major Campaigns/Operations
From 1967 to 1970, the 9th Infantry Division was engaged in nonstop combat across the Mekong Delta. It operated under the II Field Force and was heavily involved in several major campaigns and dozens of smaller, relentless operations.

One of the most significant was Operation Speedy Express (1968–1969), designed to suppress Viet Cong activity in the Delta and regain control over rural areas. The operation claimed high enemy casualties and disrupted local insurgent networks, but it was later scrutinized due to claims of civilian deaths and inflated body counts. Despite controversy, the campaign showed the division’s ferocity and operational efficiency.

The division also participated in Operation Coronado and its multiple phases—large-scale search-and-destroy missions aimed at clearing the Viet Cong from strongholds along rivers and canals. These operations often combined infantry assaults with riverine warfare in coordination with the U.S. Navy's Mobile Riverine Force—a unique, dual-branch task force created specifically for the Delta. The 9th was the only Army unit to participate in such joint-force missions on this scale.

During the Tet Offensive in 1968, the 9th reacted swiftly, smashing Viet Cong elements trying to destabilize key Delta cities like My Tho and Vinh Long. Their rapid and violent counterattacks prevented those cities from falling and pushed the attackers back into the countryside.

Specialized Role/Equipment
Unlike most infantry divisions, the 9th was heavily adapted for riverine and swamp warfare. They worked closely with the U.S. Navy’s Mobile Riverine Force, operating from specially converted LSTs (Landing Ship, Tank) and using river patrol boats, armored troop carriers, and helicopter-borne air mobility to move swiftly through the Delta's impossible terrain.

The division fielded mechanized infantry units equipped with M113 armored personnel carriers in less flooded areas, but the true innovation came in their deployment of air-mobile infantry and joint Army-Navy assault groups, a first for modern warfare. Hueys, Chinooks, and heavily armed gunships became their daily companions.

Soldiers of the 9th carried M16 rifles, M60 machine guns, M79 grenade launchers, claymore mines, and often modified their gear to adapt to the Delta’s wet, suffocating environment. Boots rotted fast, skin infections were common, and soldiers were rarely dry. But they moved quickly, struck hard, and vanished back into the canals like shadows.

Acts of Heroism
Courage was commonplace in the 9th Infantry Division, especially because combat in the Mekong Delta could erupt at any time—from an ambush in a flooded rice paddy to a firefight in a canal-bound hamlet.

One of the most legendary acts came from Staff Sergeant Clifford Sims of Company D, 2nd Battalion, 501st Infantry (though later attached to 9th Division units). On February 21, 1968, during a combat mission near Hue, Sims took point and led his men under intense fire. When a booby trap was triggered nearby, he threw himself on it to shield his squad, sacrificing his life. He was posthumously awarded the Medal of Honor.

Specialist Four Donald W. Evans Jr., a medic in the 9th Infantry Division, also received the Medal of Honor for extraordinary valor. During an operation in 1967, he repeatedly exposed himself to enemy fire to rescue wounded soldiers. Even after being seriously wounded himself, he continued to treat others until he was fatally shot.

Countless Silver Stars and Bronze Stars with Valor were awarded to 9th Infantry soldiers for actions during river ambushes, urban assaults, and last stands deep in the Delta. Heroism in the 9th didn’t mean one moment—it meant months of endurance, courage, and violent contact in a nearly impenetrable environment.

Legacy & Notable Achievements
The 9th Infantry Division’s service in Vietnam marked one of the war’s most aggressive and inventive fighting forces. It pioneered the concept of joint Army-Navy operations and revolutionized how conventional troops could operate in a guerrilla war environment. Its tactics were studied by military academies long after the war ended, particularly its adaptability to the terrain, use of mobility, and fusion of technology with traditional infantry methods.

The division was officially withdrawn from Vietnam in 1970 as part of the drawdown, and deactivated in 1991 after serving during the Cold War period at Fort Lewis, Washington.

Though it no longer exists as an active division, the 9th’s legacy lives on in U.S. military doctrine and in the memory of veterans who fought, died, and survived the crucible of Vietnam’s Delta. The red, white, and blue patch of the Old Reliables remains a symbol of relentless fighting spirit and the ability to adapt, overcome, and endure.