 In February of the following year, he was sent to South Vietnam as commanding general of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade, where he directed the Marine landing on Nam O Beach, a very public display of American intentions in Vietnam which was the idea of President Lyndon Johnson.For his efforts, he was awarded a second Legion of Merit.The landing took place on 8 March 1965 on the coastline around the port of Da Nang in South Vietnam.