HQ. CO. 9TH MARINES

On 4 August 1964 with the "reported" Gulf of Tonkin incident "the stage was set" for the first large scale buildup of combat troops in the Republic of South Vietnam. Following the attack against two U.S. destroyers in the Gulf of Tonkin, the U.S. Pacific Command activated the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade (9th MEB). In the summer of 1964, the most combat ready American troops in the Far East were those of the 3d Marine Division (3rd MarDiv) on Okinawa. During the summer of 1964 the Third Marine Division along with the Ninth Marine Regiment leaders accompanied by some Marines with Headquarters Company 9th Marines "choppered" ashore to develop contingency plans as a part of the III Marine Expeditionary Force (III MEF) consisting of the entire 3d Division and the 1st MAW for dealing with Southeast Asia. The Headquarters Company 9th Marine Regiment 3rd Marine Division began its official "tour of duty" in the Republic of Vietnam on 4 July 1965 when it arrived from Okinawa along with 2/9..