MACV Team 9

• Advisory Role: MACV Team 9 was part of the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV) Advisory Teams, focusing primarily on advising and assisting the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) units in their region. • Location: MACV Team 9 was primarily located in Kien Hoa Province (now known as Ben Tre Province) in the Mekong Delta, a region of significant Viet Cong activity. • Early Engagements: Team 9 was involved in numerous early counterinsurgency operations, working closely with local ARVN units and Regional Forces to secure rural villages from Viet Cong influence. • Tet Offensive: During the 1968 Tet Offensive, Team 9 advisors played a key role in helping ARVN units repel Viet Cong attacks on provincial capitals and critical infrastructure in their area. • Riverine Operations: Due to the delta’s geography, Team 9 often coordinated joint operations involving riverine patrols and amphibious assaults with U.S. Navy and ARVN units. • Intelligence Gathering: Advisors in Team 9 were instrumental in gathering local intelligence, building networks among village chiefs, and identifying Viet Cong supply lines and hideouts. • Medal of Honor Recipient: Some members of Team 9 were recognized for valor, including Captain Ronald E. Ray, who was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions in Kien Hoa Province in 1966. • Civil Operations: Team 9 participated in CORDS (Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support) programs, helping rebuild villages, improve infrastructure, and win local support. • Casualties and Sacrifice: Team 9 suffered casualties in ambushes and combat, highlighting the dangers faced by advisors operating alongside ARVN units in contested areas. • Legacy: The unit’s efforts contributed to the eventual pacification of Kien Hoa Province, and many veterans of Team 9 have maintained close ties, commemorating their service with annual reunions and online memorials.