1/9 "Walking Dead" to Stand Up This Week!

By Trista Talton - Marine Times Staff writer

Posted : Monday Apr 16, 2007 6:32:01 EDT

JACKSONVILLE, N.C. — The Camp Lejeune, N.C.-based 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, will officially stand up Wednesday.
The battalion, the legendary “Walking Dead” of Vietnam fame, was originally supposed to be activated Oct. 26, 2005. But the date was delayed while Marine Corps headquarters dealt with manpower and equipment issues, said Lt. Col. Brad Vickers, the battalion’s commanding officer.
That hasn’t kept the grunts with 1/9 twiddling their thumbs. The battalion deployed a reinforced rifle company to Iraq for a security mission and was the lead unit in Marine Corps System Command’s testing of the Modular Tactical Vest.
He said the battalion has received the majority of its assigned personnel, though some critical officer, staff noncommissioned officer and NCO billets remain open.
Wednesday’s ceremony will be held at 10 a.m. at the 10th Marines Landing Zone on Julian C. Smith Road. All former 1/9 Marines and corpsmen are welcome to attend.