# Ho Chi Minh Trail - Laos



## AWP (Feb 28, 2017)

Picture heavy, but WELL worth the time. The amount of material left behind is staggering. There are some "dark" photos with background behind aircraft losses, but they are all fascinating.

Ho Chi Minh trail past and present, hundreds of present day photos of the Ho Chi Minh Trail | Laos GPS Map


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## Gunz (Mar 1, 2017)

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## Marine0311 (Mar 1, 2017)

Ocoka One said:


> Fantastic find. A lot of those relics are from Lam Son 719, March-April 71, which occurred during my time there. 618 US helos damaged, more than 100 destroyed in that operation.



Wow. You never cease to amaze me with your history there.


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## Devildoc (Mar 1, 2017)

Great pics.  The one captioned "fishing in a bomb crater" made me wonder, how did fish get into the bomb crater?  But I suppose that's another discussion.

Military tourism is becoming popular; I have spoken to a couple Vietnam vets who have gone back.  I imagine the trail would hold a special place for some people to return to.


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## Red Flag 1 (Mar 1, 2017)

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## Gunz (Mar 1, 2017)

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## Diamondback 2/2 (Mar 1, 2017)

Devildoc said:


> Great pics.  The one captioned "fishing in a bomb crater" made me wonder, how did fish get into the bomb crater?



River flooded the area, or maybe birds carrying eggs over, or locals stocked them. Any number of ways. My dad had this old dirt tank that would dry up during drought years, but after it came  back we would always see fish in it. Apparently, some eggs and minnows can survive in the mud for years...


As for those pictures, hard to believe that the locals have been able to reclaim that area, given the amount of ordinance that has been dropped along that trail. It always impresses me how humanity can adapt to an environment.


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## Devildoc (Mar 1, 2017)

Diamondback 2/2 said:


> River flooded the area, or maybe birds carrying eggs over, or locals stocked them. Any number of ways. My dad had this old dirt tank that would dry up during drought years, but after it came  back we would always see fish in it. Apparently, some eggs and minnows can survive in the mud for years...
> 
> 
> As for those pictures, hard to believe that the locals have been able to reclaim that area, given the amount of ordinance that has been dropped along that trail. It always impresses me how humanity can adapt to an environment.



Agreed.  Just a weird visual.  Kinda reminds me about a trip to the beach a few years ago, tide went out, leaving about 4 feet of warm water between the beach and a sandbar.  In that "pond" was a nurse shark, maybe 4 feet long.  After people stopped freaking out, we were walking into the water, petting it as it swam by.  Same thing:  a weird visual, like "huh?"

I too am amazed at how adaptable people are.  I am also struck at how in 2017 utterly remote and 'out there' that really is.


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## Ooh-Rah (Mar 1, 2017)

The two Dog Tags are from 2 different Marines. 
I cannot help but wonder their fate and ran ran their service numbers thru The Wall database.  No hits, so here's to hoping they made it home.


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## Gunz (Mar 2, 2017)

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## RackMaster (Mar 2, 2017)

Devildoc said:


> Great pics.  The one captioned "fishing in a bomb crater" made me wonder, how did fish get into the bomb crater?  But I suppose that's another discussion.
> 
> Military tourism is becoming popular; I have spoken to a couple Vietnam vets who have gone back.  I imagine the trail would hold a special place for some people to return to.



More than likely it's full of snakeheads. That crater would have very low oxygen levels to support any other type of fish.


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## Gunz (Mar 2, 2017)

...the fuck


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## Devildoc (Mar 2, 2017)

"Show the world that National Geographic was right about you."  Hi-lareous.


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## RackMaster (Mar 2, 2017)

Ocoka One said:


> ...the fuck



In case you want to see one up close, they are spreading in the US and some of Southern Canada; they've been caught near here.

Here's a map.
Nonindigenous Aquatic Species


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## Devildoc (Mar 2, 2017)

RackMaster said:


> In case you want to see one up close, they are spreading in the US and some of Southern Canada; they've been caught near here.
> 
> Here's a map.
> Nonindigenous Aquatic Species



Not hating on you at all.  But those things give me the heebie-jeebies.


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## RackMaster (Mar 2, 2017)

Devildoc said:


> Not hating on you at all.  But those things give me the heebie-jeebies.



No worries.  I hear they put up a good fight and are actually good to eat.  They are farming them now in Vietnam.


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## Gunz (Mar 2, 2017)

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## Gunz (Mar 2, 2017)

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