Veterans?

[wodin]

Just wondering if we have any Vietnam veterans here?

When I was around 12\13 I read 13th Valley and had just watched Apocalypse Now for the first time (this was around '83\84). I remember desperately wanting to talk to veterans, which pre internet never seemed likely. Amazing how modern communications have really made the world smaller in a good way. On my wall was a poster of Vietnam with dates of battles on it as at the time a Vietnam magazine came out the map being a pull out. I also read Fields of Fire and Chickenhawk but it was 13th Valley that topped my list. Years later Steel my Soldiers Hearts and When we were soldiers hit my top ten.

Anyway respect goes out to you and all veterans of all conflicts.

[Big Ivan]

Sorry wodin I wasn't in it as I was in my early to mid-teens during the height of it. I do remember a lot of it coming across the TV in those days.

I am sure there are some Vietnam vets around that will chime in.

Good post for that to happen![:)]

[ringoblood]

I am not one, but my 3 Uncles and one Cousin is. All served in Vietnam. My Uncle Toby Infantry; Uncle Rich Pilot; Uncle Henry Tank Platoon; Danny Infantry.

[berto]

I almost served. In my senior year of high school, 1969-1970, I took and passed with flying colors the NROTC exam, thereby qualifying me for a four-year full college scholarship and subsequent service in the US Navy (of course). But then being near-sighted as I was, I failed the eye exam! So lost the NROTC opportunity.

Still itching to serve, I briefly considered joining the US Army, but opted again instead for the Navy. I got as far as taking the basic aptitude tests and the pre-induction physical exam. I nearly flunked the basic aptitude test! ("What is this [pictured] tool used for? And so on.) "WTF?!" I thought. On the one hand, the Navy thinks I am officer material. On the other hand, the Navy thinks I am a dolt. What kind of BS outfit is this? I realized I probably wouldn't obey stupid orders well.

Then I read a Life Magazine article about a Vietnam veteran returning home with his face bashed in. I chickened out, and went off to college like most of my peers.

As a college freshman in autumn 1970, my Draft Lottery number was ~330 IIRC. Meaning I had zero chance of being called to service. (Ironic that I, a war supporter, was draft-safe while my anti-war classmates nearly all had low lottery numbers. None of them were called anyway, since by then the War was winding down (Vietnamization etc.) and inductions were dwindling.)

But I still had the itch to go to Southeast Asia. In early 1978 I scratched that itch by joing the US Peace Corps (hah! the irony!), serving as PCV in the Philippines 1978-1981. During that tour, out in the field, I came into close contact with Maoist Philippine New Peoples Army guerillas on more than one occasion.

I regret never having served in the military. (It's on my Bucket List to tour Southeast Asia and Vietnam in particular.) But then I think of my (Filipina) wife and kids, and All's Well That Ends Well.

[michacey]

In 1962, I dropped out of high school and joined the Army. In December of 62, I was sent to the RVN and assigned to MAAG VIET-NAM, Advisory Team 23 with the 23rd ARVN Inf Div at Ban Me Thout. Extended my tour 6 months and left in July 64. As a 18 year old PFC, I did very little advising but they did let me carry the radio.

[robertahyuk]

I was in a S.O.A.R. unit for 9 years in S.E. Asia. We called it "The Green Hell".
Don't go by what you see in the lame movies. From what I've seen of any of them? Maybe 10% is some truth.
Not a place I want anything to do with these days.
Highly doubt that I would play this game.
Sorry.

[dox44]

vietnam ERA veteran. USMC. okinawa in 75 was as close as i got, although put on alert for Korea in 76 during
the tree chopping episode. i think it was 76.

happy to miss that...although

my wife lived in vietnam from 1961-1974. Hue, Da Lat, Saigon, and a couple of other places. They were evacuated several
times.

[ringoblood]

God Bless Her, Hope she doing well now?, dox.

[BeirutDude]

We were still using Vietnam flack jackets, helmets and other equipment in Beirut, and they were firing Vietnam era RPGs and Grads at us. That's about as close as I come! [:D]

[alwaysdime]

I was too young since I wasn't born until 1972. I do salute and support all the men and women who have fought and died for our great nation. I have had this view probably since 1982 at the age of 10. I grew up with a huge interest in military history and was reading every book I could on WW2 and Vietnam despite being just 10.

I almost joined but I am rather scrawny and have to take a lot of meds just to sleep so I wouldn't have been able to handle it. I am not naïve to think I would have been successful. Like I said I do salute you guys who did!

[dox44]

yeah doing well. as long as she gets her cha gio & nuoc cham.

[fritzfarlig]

my sister and brother-in-law worked with Vietnamese refugees in a refugee camp in the 70s
scary and strange, hard-tried people these Vietnamese
my mom helped former kz prisoners in a hospital just after war II

[Rosseau]

My friend Larry joined the 5th Marine Regiment right after the Battle of Huy, so he has some familiarity with that AO.

My cousin Larry was with 1/Cav in A Sầu Valley. He and others will only talk with other combat vets - maybe.

Among the best stuff (imo) is Keith William Nolan's books, as I'm sure you know.

[sfbaytf]

I was young and my parents would not let me watch the news or anything related to it. I had a older cousin who's fiance was fresh out of ROTC who I met and was sent to Viet-Nam and was KIA. Nobody talked about it. I grew up in Hawaii and there were lots of military kids I grew up with who's fathers were in Viet-Nam. Nobody really talked about it much but occasionally they did and it wasn't pleasant. The military was very unpopular in the country at that time, a far cry from today.

I also knew servicemen in the military in the post Viet-Nam period and there were serious drug and discipline issues. There were were stories of officers who had to be escorted by armed guard when going to parts of a ship as discipline had broken down. Whether that was actually true I don't know, but I wouldn't doubt it.

Things began to change after the failed Iranian hostage rescue attempt. Then there was the crash of the A-6 Intruder on the USS Nimitz that killed many sailors and the aircrew. Autopsies found drug use and that's when they really began to crack down.

The other thing that sticks out in my mind was when Saigon fell. We got many new students at school who were refugees from Viet-Nam. Aside from the fact they stood out-they took school very seriously and were all excellent students. They were thankful to be in America and were going to make the most of the opportunity they had in front of them.

[sgtmorgue]

I'm a Viet Nam veteran, went over on a ship with the 9th Infantry Division in January of 1967.

Fought in at least one battle covered by this game, the 2nd battle of Ap Bau Bang 19-20mar67.

If anyone has questions, I will try to answer.

[Jason Petho]

Good day!

Which other battles did you participate in, I will see if they are on the "to be created" list?

[JWW]

My oldest brother was a forward air controller who flew an OV 10 Bronco over Vietnam and the whole region. I have a first cousin a few years older than me who was an infantry squad leader in Vietnam. He doesn't talk about it much. He does tell occasional stories. A buddy of his died recently, and he told us how his buddy, a Native American from Alaska, usually took point on patrols because he could just sense things better than anyone else in the squad. He said his buddy saved them from ambushes more than once. Just brief, vicious, small unit firefights in the jungle. He really wanted us to know about his buddy. I enlisted in 1973, so the US Army says I'm a Vietnam Era veteran, but hardly anyone was being sent to Vietnam at that point. I spent my first tour in Germany and then went back to finish college and get my commission. The war was over for the US by the time I finished that tour in Germany.

[bairdlander2]

ORIGINAL: wodin

Just wondering if we have any Vietnam veterans here?

When I was around 12\13 had just watched Apocalypse Now for the first time (this was around '83\84)

That film is based on "Hearts of Darkness" and has no basis of reality to the conflict.We studied the novel last year of high school.

[DandricSturm]

I flew attack helicopters in I Corps from March of 1969 to Sept of 1970. I was in an artillery unit and mostly flew AH-1Gs but also some time in UH-1Cs. My unit is mentioned in A Shau Valor by Thomas Yarbrough.

[MemoryLeak]

I was a Radioman on the USS Long Beach CGN-9 for four years and two Vietnam Cruises. My ship was on Yankee Station and PIRAZ and because of our advanced radar system (at the time) coordinated air strikes and we shot down several enemy aircraft with our onboard missiles. We participate in the mining Haiphong Harbor in May 1972. I was onboard 1969 to 1973.