United States Army 9th Infantry Division (Old Reliables)

U. S. ARMY 9TH INFANTRY DIVISION (OLD RELIABLES) -  "Old Reliables" – The 9th was unique as far as nicknames are concerned because Old Reliables was derived from words of praise for continuous dedication to duty and successful campaigns against the Axis Powers.  "Psychedelic Cookie" - Used during the Vietnam War in reference to its shoulder patch.  The shoulder sleeve insignia is an octofoil resembling a heraldic design given to the ninth son of a family.  This represents the son as a circle in the middle with eight brothers around him.  The blue represents the infantry, the red the artillery with all the white making the colors of the flag of the United States of America.  The 9th Infantry Division was created as the 9th Division during World War I, but never deployed overseas.  Later, the division was an important unit of the United States Army in World War II and the Vietnam War.   It was also activated as a peacetime readiness unit from 1947 to 1962 at Fort Dix, New Jersey, and Fort Carson, Colorado, and from 1972 to 1991 as an active-duty infantry division at Fort Lewis, Washington.  The division was eventually inactivated in December 1991.

WWII Casualties

• Total battle casualties: 23,277
• Killed in action: 3,856
• Wounded in action: 17,416
• Missing in action: 357
• Prisoner of war: 908

WWII Individual awards

• Medal of Honor: 4
• Distinguished Service Cross: 86
• Legion of Merit: 6
• Silver Star: 1,789
• Soldier's Medal: 55
• Bronze Star: 5,518
• Distinguished Flying Cross: 1
• Air Medal: 124

The 9th Division was reactivated on February 1, 1966, and arrived in Vietnam on December 16, 1966 from Fort Riley, Kansas, and its major units departed Vietnam on August 27, 1969.