The 406th Mobile Medical Laboratory was the first unit of its type to arrive in South Vietnam, with a detachment arriving from Japan in 1962. The Mobile Medical Laboratory was part of the US Army's Medical Service, with their mission being to generate medical technical information for patient care, disease prevention, and forensic activity. In 1965 the 406th was placed control of the blood program with the responsibility to: calculate estimates of blood requirements, establish blood depot facilities, coordinate for delivery, establish procedures for appropriate utilization of blood, consolidate blood reports, and conduct inspections of medical treatment facilities utilizing blood.