This color silent film footage was shot during the Vietnam War and shows day to day operations of members of the 9th Infantry Division (“Old Reliables”). All the material was filmed circa Spring, 1967 in and around the Mekong Delta. The footage gives a sense of the monotony of life for many soldiers during the Vietnam conflict.
The newly reconstituted 9th ID arrived in South Vietnam on 16 December 1966 from Fort Riley, Kansas. The 9th was deployed in Dinh Tuong and Long An Provinces (6 January-31 May 1967) in Operation Palm Beach. Its area of operations was in the rivers and canals of the Mekong Delta from 1967 to 1972.
U.S. G.I.s on the move, walking across a pipeline, probably at Đồng Tâm Base Camp. Soldiers sit around and wait. Soldiers on a amphibious assault craft, probably an LCM-8 (“Mike Boat”). One soldier has “Ohio” written on his helmet (:44). Another soldier mans the .50 cal on the boat while others sit and wait. (1:44) soldiers pay a visit to a village. Americans pass by the locals in tiny boats. Soldiers walk through waist deep water in the jungle (:12:2:16).
A soldier drinks from a canteen. Camera slate. Two officers including a Colonel discuss (2:47) (9th Infantry Division patch visible). A Huey helicopter comes in for a landing. Supplies including C rations are put into the helicopter. Helicopter takes off. Soldiers drive down a paved street in an APC (2:17-3:47). Soldiers walk through a field and then through deep mud. Soldiers, including African Americans, leap over water and walk into the jungle. One soldier has a map laid out as others listen (3:48-4:55). Camera slate from March, 1967, Dongtam (Đồng Tâm was a U.S. Army Base Camp). Soldiers board a helicopter and it takes off. Soldiers on the move in a field. (5:5) Soldiers perform a search at a village and interrogate and search residents. Soldiers wander through a village. Soldiers walk across a field (4:56-6:32). Suspected Viet Cong sits and waits (6:19). Soldiers walk across dry rice paddies holding their weapons. Soldiers sit on an APC. At 6:54, possibly suspected VC are brought aboard an APC. Soldiers walk down a street. Soldiers on APCs. Camera slate. A group of soldiers receive boxes of combat rations and cigarettes. They board an LCM #8365 (6:33-8:07). Soldiers sit on a boat transport. Some of the men smoke cigarettes. A purple smoke bomb is going off in a building (9:05). Purple is usually used to indicate an LZ or Medevac LZ. Soldier visible holding a 16mm movie camera. Soldiers walk around. A soldier radios in while others stand around and wait for orders (8:08-9:49). Soldiers sit near trees, smoke, and read. Camera slate (10:20) says “Operation in Delta”. Soldiers walk through the jungle. A soldier on a transport boat watches. The boat sits in the water (9:50-11:17). The men on the LCM-8 are ready to go. The vessel moves slowly down a river. Men sit and wait. Men unload from the boat transport. Soldiers walk across the sand. Another troop transport boat comes in and stops, soldiers exit onto the sand (11:18-13:08).
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This film is part of the Periscope Film LLC archive, one of the largest historic military, transportation, and aviation stock footage collections in the USA. Entirely film backed, this material is available for licensing in 24p HD, 2k and 4k. For more information visit http://www.PeriscopeFilm.com
