I am glad our only enemy for my nine months, with the 5th of the 7th, 1st CAV Div, was the NVA. Ambushed several times (lead still in me from one in Cambodia) and malaria X2, despite never missing an "anti" dose. It was known not to be 100% effective. 24 hr quinine IV and all good. Falciparum malaria is non recurring. There is also vivax, which at least back then, there was no cure. I have no clue how often in life the symptoms reoccur from it!
Just veiwed Newsweek Video of Booby Traps Used by the Viet Cong!
- Thread starter emertmakeshiteup
- Start date
‘Twas some nasty times. Had brother there, very fortunate to came back unscathed. May have some Agent Orange issues.
Thanks for your service. Be proud!
What? I thought it was "sucky f**ky five bucky!"?
It was really "feel my ti**y a buck fitty!"????
Apparently they got it wrong in the movie.
once again, thank you for your service!
When were you there? '69-70- First of the Fifth Mech - attached to 1/77 armor - Con Tien.
Nine months in 70'! In theory, the draftees were suppose to do 24 months active, however, I've always held the theory they did not want us un-disciplined grunts polluting the reservists! Like they are going to get us guys with lead in us to get a hair cut?! Fantasy liadogue: "What are you going to do if I refuse, send me to nam?"
Yeah and Ho Chi Minh wasnt really an SOB... just on occasion when he lost at Billiards. Very poor loser.
Another in a long list of bullshit conflicts that our great government has gotten us into without a clear objective
Not true at all. VN Vets are greatly appreciated. And the country has been trying to correct the bad treatment they received after the war.
One practical advantage/benefit of having been awarded the purple heart, is eyeglasses! All vets get hearing aids, although to the exasperation of my family (lol), I never wear them unless I'm gobbler or archery hunting. Although it seems like I've adapted (if that is even possible) as I don't seem to ask, "What" much anymore or, I do it so often, I don't even realize I ask! There may be other perks too! I should google it as, haven't in years. Any way, I go to Erie VA Hospital (about 40/45 miles) yearly for eye exam and/or glasses. Another kind of crazy thing, decades ago my wife made this thing called a "shadow box" (I think!). Our bedroom thermostat is behind a curio cabinet so I don't have a direct view of it, so I have a little thermometer on the shadow box. A year or so I was changing the thermo battery and looked inside the S box and I had a commendation for valor during an assault in Cambodia 70! Never knew, however, I believe recall which firefight. The CAV had choppers looking for NVA 24/7. Being "air mobil", if they saw something we would force march to the closest place the Hueys could extract and move us. Consequently I was in numerous firefights (ambushed). Most of my co-workers at a PFC hatchery and other PFC employees were vets, including marines. None of them had been in any firefights but 1 or 2!
Would be interesting to see date it was awarded as they denied we were in Cambodia for a long time.
"Would be interesting to see date it was awarded as they denied we were in Cambodia for a long time." I never knew that!
Ok, so it was long time ago so looked around. We bombed Cambodia for a year or so and kept that secret. When we sent in troops Nixon announced it live on tv, two days later, saying it weaken the enemy and quicken the end of the war.
Found this scholarly article.
In the first book of his memoirs, Kissinger (1979) recalls that from day one, the president was for a more active policy towards Cambodia. In March 1969, after a conclusive meeting of the National Security Council (NSC): Nixon ordered Operation Menu, this began a prolonged period of secret bombing of Cambodia. Fittingly, it began with Operation Breakfast. Once the first mission remained unnoticed by the media, “it would now have been hard for the White House to insist on only one attack” (Shawcross, 1979, p.26). Accordingly, Operation Menu would remain secret for a year with flight records falsified. Shawcross (1979) divulges that very few senior officials were informed and that official records didn’t just conceal the raids but failed to state that they had even occurred at all. The account of Shawcross has shown the determination of the Nixon Administration to keep the expansion of U.S operations in Cambodia undisclosed. It is worth noting that one conceivable reason for this approach was the desire from the White House to publically endorse American military de-escalation within the Vietnam context. This was the central policy from which Nixon had received his mandate from the American people......
Later in same article
Nixon’s initial approach towards Cambodia, as is demonstrated by his second major policy initiative – the 1970 invasion. On April 28, 1970, the order was given to action the invasion of Cambodia (NSDM 58, 1970). Two days later, the scope of the operation was presented to the American public in a televised Presidential address. Nixon affirmed “Tonight, American and South Vietnamese units will attack the headquarters for the entire Communist military operation in South Vietnam” (Nixon, 1970). With a strong tone of alarm, Nixon attempted to justify his decision by citing his commitment, as Commander in Chief, to protect U.S. national security and the lives of American soldiers in South Vietnam. In a direct challenge to the logic presented by Nixon, Schlesinger makes the observation that “The enemy bases and the threat to American forces had existed in Cambodia for years; there was no sudden emergency in April 1970; indeed, the enemy had already largely evacuated the sanctuary areas by the time the invasion began” (1974
An Analysis of U.S. Policy Towards Cambodia Between 1969-1973
Nixon's policy towards Cambodia was treacherous because of the political implications in Washington and the tragic consequences in Cambodia.
www.e-ir.info
Interesting stuff! We were informed that it was their supply route and store! Well I've opened this subject so shall vent! My worst, of several days as, you might imagine, I'm handing Srg S, who is left of me, the hand set, he turns right and takes an ak round to the left temple. Instantly black far head and empty eye sockets. A second or two later, rocket propelled grenade hits tree two feet to my right. On the very steep Shakey's Hill, with as much as 7 Q of H2O (depending when we were re supplied - every third day), frag and smoke grenades, ammo and the 22 lb secure radio on me, the implosion flipped me the perfect reverse somersault. After regaining my composure, I see, with heartbeat, blood shooting out/up, looking exactly like an oil well just tapped, of my left arm. Was medivaced out, 24 hours antibiotic IV, and was back out. Lead (and scars) still in there and back.
PS I'd have to look in the shadow box to be sure, but I think this was May 70. Also, I can see everything vividly, however, have never, ever had a dream. Thinking I "washed" all those bad experiences out while partying at PSU!
PS I'd have to look in the shadow box to be sure, but I think this was May 70. Also, I can see everything vividly, however, have never, ever had a dream. Thinking I "washed" all those bad experiences out while partying at PSU!
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Glad that PSU helped you deal with it. Some poor guys never stop ‘washing ‘ away those experiences. And interesting that many of your coworkers at the hatchery were VN vets. For many being in nature away from people is great therapy.
Heard the same thing when i got back to the states. We, the 38th ARRS was dropping supplies in Cambodia from Udorn AB in 66 or 67.
Thailand, but the 52s flew out of Anderson, Guam daily, left at 5:00am almost daily. I learned real quick to keep 2 bags packed hot and cold weather gear on the plane ,C-130H. After arriving at Udorn flying rescue, 3 weeks later we were on our way to Perth, WA, secondary landing for Gemini, Indian ocean. 3 weeks later we were loading beans and rice on Okinawa headed to India, that had been hit by a typhoon, and then back to Udorn for 2 months.
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On the whole, I liked the "Booby Christmas "calendar a lot more than the booby traps.
