Vietnam Veteran Tribute

[Diamondback 2/2]

Thank you, from me personally, to all who served in Vietnam.

 

[Red Flag 1]

Sam Elliot was the perfect pick for this tribute. He has a great voice, and Played a big part in "We Were Soldiers".

 

[metalmom]

I loved this. Wish it was longer. Canada let the draft dodgers in but despite that I have heard numbers of over 60 thousand Canucks went to Vietnam.In Wikipedia it said only 30 thousand.
For so many yrs wore a MIA-POW patch.
Rack you may know the definite numbers on this.
Great tribute.

 

[Gunz]

Glad they mentioned Aussies, New Zealanders, ROKs, Canadiens.

 

[Etype]

I'm glad they mentioned the 97% honorable discharge rate. The libs would have you believe there were a bunch of criminals floating around back then.

I mentioned before, but I the no it disappeared during the updates-

In the face of poor elected leadership, questionable strategy, social tension, an experienced enemy on an unfamiliar and unforgiving battlefield, and 1/3 of the force being drafted; we decisively won every major conflict we were engaged in. That's a huge testament to the quality of service members we had in that era.

 

[Diamondback 2/2]

Some of the battles fought during that war are incredible. Battalions fighting off and beating regiments, small teams taking on platoon and company size units. The advance's in equipment and tactic's, and the advancement of U.S. special ops and reconnaissance is simply, amazing.

I've been on a reading kick on LRRP's and the MAC-V-SOG Recon Teams, everything I've been reading is mind blowing, especially when you consider the technology they used vs ours now. It's very humbling to say the least.

 

[Gunz]

Our 10-man unit had an M60, two M79s, seven rifles, about a dozen LAAWs, frags, smokes, C4, Claymores and Kabars and two PRC25s to pull the chain for heavy hitters...so we were in pretty good shape with firepower if we ran into a larger enemy force, which we did a few times.

Our sole NVD was a Starlight Scope, big and clunky, and frankly we could see better in the dark without it. Our prime operational time was at night; laying low near a ville or hamlet during the day and going mobile at sundown, moving in stages to checkpoints and finally getting to a night ambush site in full darkness where we would remain until about an hour before dawn. We'd sometimes run a Kilo Tango (Kill Team) from the main ambush site, usually three guys with rifles, frags, Kabars and one of the radios...or broke the whole team into Alpha and Bravo units, setting up two night ambush sites, with each to run react or act as blocking force for whichever unit had contact. It was a pretty effective way of doing things and we were quite often able to surprise them as they moved along trails at night.

If we had contact, we'd move again afterwards to a secondary ambush site, provided we had enough remaining ammo. But if we had to medevac more than two people (3 people gone was 30% casualties) we'd abort offensive ops and try to get to a more secure position to ride out the night.

 

[Muppet]

Our 10-man unit had an M60, two M79s, seven rifles, about a dozen LAAWs, frags, smokes, C4, Claymores and Kabars and two PRC25s to pull the chain for heavy hitters...so we were in pretty good shape with firepower if we ran into a larger enemy force, which we did a few times.

Our sole NVD was a Starlight Scope, big and clunky, and frankly we could see better in the dark without it. Our prime operational time was at night; laying low near a ville or hamlet during the day and going mobile at sundown, moving in stages to checkpoints and finally getting to a night ambush site in full darkness where we would remain until about an hour before dawn. We'd sometimes run a Kilo Tango (Kill Team) from the main ambush site, usually three guys with rifles, frags, Kabars and one of the radios...or broke the whole team into Alpha and Bravo units, setting up two night ambush sites, with each to run react or act as blocking force for whichever unit had contact. It was a pretty effective way of doing things and we were quite often able to surprise them as they moved along trails at night.

If we had contact, we'd move again afterwards to a secondary ambush site, provided we had enough remaining ammo. But if we had to medevac more than two people (3 people gone was 30% casualties) we'd abort offensive ops and try to get to a more secure position to ride out the night.

With all respect, hard dick shit there bro. You have my utmost respect. Welcome home bro.....

M.

 

[Gunz]

Some of the battles fought during that war are incredible. Battalions fighting off and beating regiments, small teams taking on platoon and company size units. The advance's in equipment and tactic's, and the advancement of U.S. special ops and reconnaissance is simply, amazing.

I've been on a reading kick on LRRP's and the MAC-V-SOG Recon Teams, everything I've been reading is mind blowing, especially when you consider the technology they used vs ours now. It's very humbling to say the least.

Hard core dudes. And there were CIA officers in Laos and Cambodia during the whole war, out there virtually alone, organizing tribal groups and ambushing NVA along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. And these case officers just lived in the jungle with their indigs for months. Crazy dangerous shit on that side of the fence.

Lam Son 719 occurred during my tour, and although no U.S. ground forces accompanied the ARVN units into Laos, we saw the aftermath of the carnage, with individuals and small groups of wounded, demoralized SVN troops straggling back home after getting pasted up Rte 9. They'd been ferried in by US Army and Marine helos, and US aircrews were doing all the CAS and medevac runs...and in less than two months, (Feb & Mar '71 IIRC) we lost some 400 helicopters during that one operation. It's hard to fathom, but it's true. You'd think those kinds of losses would've made huge headlines in the States, but most people had no idea or couldn't have cared less.

People back then had a much higher tolerance for casualties because older adults--and that includes most of the senior officer corps, senior NCOs and the politicians calling the shots--had lived through or fought in WW2. Hell, the Marines lost 5,000 guys in 30 days on Iwo Jima. So 300 or 400 American KIAs a month in Vietnam was an improvement for people who'd seen the numbers in WW2.

I try to imagine how the American public would react today if we had the kind of losses in OIF/OEF that were common in Vietnam.

 

[Ooh-Rah]

Found this documentary about the LRRP's (Long Range Reconnaissance Patrols) on YouTube. Added bonus that it is narrated by Tom Selleck -

Well worth watching. All 45 minutes of it.

 

[pardus]

A still had a few Vietnam vets as my instructors (they filled a role the same as contractors do today, except these guys were volunteers, they trained us because they loved it and they wanted to help. They were every bit as professional as the enlisted instructors that we had, just more knowledgeable ) when I first joined the Army way back when.
I spent many an hour drinking with others in veterans bars (RSAs/Garrison Clubs and the like), They impressed me then, and they continue top impress me now. Hard bastards with amazing skill.
I NEVER tire of listening to their stories and learning their lessons. We still have much to learn from them/you all.
The disgusting treatment meted out to the Vietnam vets makes me angry to my core. I literally HATE the hippies who abused and spat on my brethren back then. Filthy scum.
Vietnam and the Falklands war shaped my early training, and it was a very good foundation indeed!

My sincere thanks to my Vietnam veteran brothers in arms. We owe you a great debt of gratitude!
Thank you, and welcome home Brothers!