USMC 26th Marines The Professionals Patch — Embroidered Patch The Siege of Khe Sanh — 77 Days Under Fire The 26th Marine Regiment earned its nickname "The Professionals" through the kind of sustained combat that tests every fiber of a unit's resolve. This patch represents the regiment that held Khe Sanh Combat Base for 77 days against a massive North Vietnamese siege — one of the defining battles of the Vietnam War. The 26th Marines originally served with the 5th Marine Division at Iwo Jima, where the regiment fought as part of the Corps reserve before being committed to the brutal campaign. In Vietnam, the 26th Marines were attached to the 3rd Marine Division and tasked with defending Khe Sanh Combat Base in Quang Tri Province. From January to April 1968, the regiment endured one of the most intense sieges in American military history as an estimated 20,000 North Vietnamese troops surrounded the base. Under constant artillery, mortar, and rocket fire, the Marines held their positions while B-52 Arc Light strikes and close air support pounded the surrounding enemy. The regiment earned a Presidential Unit Citation for its defense of Khe Sanh. Perfect For: Khe Sanh veterans and their families, 26th Marines alumni, Vietnam War historians, 5th and 3rd MARDIV veterans, siege warfare researchers, and anyone who understands what it means to hold your ground when surrounded. Seventy-seven days under siege — The Professionals held.
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