In order to participate in the GunBroker Member forums, you must be logged in with your GunBroker.com account. Click the sign-in button at the top right of the forums page to get connected.
quote:Originally posted by lindalecowboy
Most real Viet Vets don't TALK. they are certainly not ashamed of their service but don't get caught up in all the TALK. they are silent until they are challenged on their service OR find one of those famous wannabees OR best of all, meet a brother they can do some quick exchange with and move on. You won't find many true VVs that do much talking, they just listen and when their BS alarm starts going off, they'll move on.
I served on a carrier, providing much needed air support to our in country troops but I've sure never tried to act like I knew what it was like in the bush, trying to survive all the emotional and physical elements of living and dying there. I've met a lot of VVs who look like hollow tombs of a human being, still suffering from all the trauma they experienced, some I believe died there, just didn't come home in a body bag. I have no less respect for those guys than I would for a CMH recipient, but maybe even more compassion for the prison they live in and have for the last nearly 40 years.
Lindalecowboy,
I agree with you totally. I was in Vietnam from April 1966 to mid 1968 as part of TF115, Operation Market Time. We patrolled the coast and searched vessels. Pretty mundane stuff. Although we did earn the Combat Action Ribbon, what we experienced doesn't even compare to what the Marines and Army folks had to go through. Not to take a thing away from the Seals and other high profile folks, often their success was due to the support given by those who did far less glamorous things. I think the air support you provided and our impact on contraband getting to the south did make a difference and saved some lives. It's really sad to see people taking advantage of the service of others and the current respect for military service that was hard to find when we came home.
Paleogrunt,you are right about the V designation.But that is for Airborne Qualified Rangers only.Non Airborne designation is G.
My MOS WAS 11B1G-Means E-1 thru E-4 non Airborne/:Ground Ranger Qualified Grunt.
I served in the Navy for 22 years, I went to Boot camp while the Viet Nam conflict was coming to a close and retired just after the first conflict in the Gulf. ( didn't go to that one either). I was not in any kind of combat arms position in the Navy, my area of expertise was Jet engine repair and overhaul. I did most of my cruises on Ambhibious Assault ships. Had a couple of SEALS that liked to hang out in my shop, my experience with them is they are for the most part a quiet, un assuming group of men. They couldn't brag about their expoits if they wanted to because their missions were classified.
I don't belong to the Legion or the VFW for the same reasons that have been stated in prior posts.
I guess what I am getting at that it takes all of us no matter what the MOS or NEC to perform the mission assigned, I am just as proud of my service as anyone who served in a combat role.
I enlisted in 1964 and pulled three yrs stateside duty. I never felt the need to lie about my service. I would say I am very happy I was lucky enough to have job that kept me home with my wife and three Kids.I admire the troops who served in country and have shut down a loud mouth or two who obviously never served.I have also had to defend the fact that I did'nt go to Nam.I'm not now or have I ever been a coward but I aint stupid either.I am proud to have served in what way I could. Trapper
I was on an replenishment ship (AOR)in WESTPAC 71-72 Got close enoungh to see the coast and UNREP tin cans coming off the line. Close enough for me. Several years ago for vets day my preacher asked me to tell a couple of "war stories" I told him most of my war stories involved a Olongapo fatlady and San Megal beer. Needless to say I was excused.
I never tried to get out of snything but never volinteered either.
These guys chap my butt. I got great pleasure in taking one down at the VN memorial, in front of his girlfriend. :-)
Claimed he was a chopper pilot, "secretly trained in the jungle." Yeah well, I was trained the regular way, and that one was just too easy to smoke out.
Turned to his girlfriend and said, "Your boy here is completely full of chit. You need to get him off these hallowed grounds."
I'm glad I wasn't there, there would have been police and assualt charges. I need to get up there, I've never been there. I want to see it before I die. Hmmmmmmmmm, chopper pilot??? I can cover all the MOS's quote:Originally posted by roboat
These guys chap my butt. I got great pleasure in taking one down at the VN memorial, in front of his girlfriend. :-)
Claimed he was a chopper pilot, "secretly trained in the jungle." Yeah well, I was trained the regular way, and that one was just too easy to smoke out.
Turned to his girlfriend and said, "Your boy here is completely full of chit. You need to get him off these hallowed grounds."
Hi Vinhlong,
I missed your post above, about the wannabe chopper pilot, before I posted. Glad you cut him down hard.
quote:Originally posted by VinhlongVet71
I'm glad I wasn't there, there would have been police and assualt charges. I need to get up there, I've never been there. I want to see it before I die. Hmmmmmmmmm, chopper pilot??? I can cover all the MOS's
But it's always a pleasure to run up on a real one[:D]quote:Originally posted by roboat
Hi Vinhlong,
I missed your post above, about the wannabe chopper pilot, before I posted. Glad you cut him down hard.
quote:Originally posted by VinhlongVet71
I'm glad I wasn't there, there would have been police and assualt charges. I need to get up there, I've never been there. I want to see it before I die. Hmmmmmmmmm, chopper pilot??? I can cover all the MOS's
It can be just about anybody. The publisher of The Arizona Republic (Phoenix' largest newspaper) in the early '80's was a guy called 'Duke' Tully. Tully was a bigwig who was fast friends with John McCain, Barry Goldwater, et al, and claimed to have been a jet fighter pilot in Korea and VN. Because of all that he was often asked to officiate at different ceremonies at Luke AFB, and was full of stories about his exploits.
Turned out that Tully had never even been in the military. After the story broke, he was last heard from working for some podunk-junction newspaper in the Dakotas.
An opposite side of the equation is also always there, that being the guys who would never even mention their experiences. I've been aware of this for a very long time, as are most other people. But it really came home to me after my stepdad died. He had been married to my mother for over 30 years, and was a retired Air Force Lt. Col., with a term of service from 1937 to 1964. He would only say that he had been in troop carriers during WW2, and that he had served in Korea. He never spoke in any detail, and for the most part he avoided conversations about what he had done. He gave everyone the impression that his service had been mundane.
He died about two years ago. He left a couple of boxes of military papers that I started going through, and, well... It turned out he had flown in a C47 of serial #12 in the early morning of June 6, 1944, which dropped the 2nd Bn, 506th PIR, 101st AB, into Normandy. Serials 11 and 12 were comprised of two squadrons of around 40 aircraft each, from the 439th Troop Carrier Group. Serial 11 was six minutes ahead of serial 12, carrying the 1st Bn. The other two squadrons from the Group were to follow, towing gliders. My stepdad was the 439th TCG's Communications Officer.
He rode on Market-Garden to Nijmegen, Holland, and on the invasion across the Rhine. I found a letter that was passed to him by his 439th CO, Col. Charles Young, dated Jan. 15, 1945, that was written by Gen. Anthony McAuliff. In it, McAuliff wished to express his personal thanks to all who were involved in the resupply of the trapped 101st AB at Bastogne.
And then I found out that his photos appear in four places in the book 'Into the Valley', a 600-page story of Troop Carrier operations in WW2. And I don't think he ever even knew that.
He served a rotation as Commander of Radar and Communications for the Fifth Air Force in Korea, during the Korean War. He was decorated again there, and personally cited by Son Won-Iyl, Korean Minister of Defense, for leading a group which ground-infiltrated into hostile areas and planted homing beacons to enable bad-weather strikes.
All of this, without a word. I feel so damn humble I could just about crumble. And I can't even tell him.
I read this topic for the first time yesterday. Wouldent you know I was going into a place for breakfast today an here was a guy about 50 wearing a 101 hat. I asked the dumb question you were with the 101. His reply yes 10 years at fort cambell. Oh I spent my time overseas. He said I was in VN for 2 years, What base were you out of? I dont remember. I say Eagle, Evans. Ya I think so. In the valley
On the way out I ask where in the valley were you? Just in the Valley 2 years. What fire bases. I dont remember. I do not think you could forget where you were if you spent 1 nite on ripcord, oriley, the rock pile, or k son much less 2 years. I never spent a nite on any of them only flew over an I will never forget them.
C/4/77 Death on Call "Griffens" Camp evans 69 - 71 LBJail 71
Charlie A
I've run across a few as well, pitiful in my opinion. I joined the Navy in 69 and was discharged in 77. Spent two years in Alaska (Adak) and 6 stationed in Hawaii. Radioman and both tours were spent in the communications center. Tough duty huh? LOL.
My hat is off to those that served, and my utmost respect to those that were in Nam.
I want to mention something that has been occuring over the last 5 years. I occasionally wear a "Military Assistance Command Viet Nam" Hat -- you know Viet Nam Vet Hat. Young people walk up to me and thank me for my service. Whow! I'm not used to that-- and by young people? I as a returning infantryman, I was never spat upon but I was never welcomed back either! It was like the war did not exist and the sooner I forgot about it the better! The fealings I get...
What a differance NOW!
As you might suspect from my user name i was in the artillery. 105 outfit next to Tay Ninh 69/march70.
I do talk about my experiances now and again, but do pay a price, because it does mess with the ole brain cage for a while.
This whole forum reminds me of those blessed souls that didn't make it back from Firebase St Barbara.
Maybe the fact that the phonies are such an insult to the good men that died there in an action that really didn't even get much mention in any records that i have seen. But they paid the ultimate price. I guess i am writing to say i am proud of my service and verteran status, and will defend the honor of those that can't!
quote:Originally posted by azreal-gun5
As you might suspect from my user name i was in the artillery. 105 outfit next to Tay Ninh 69/march70.
I do talk about my experiances now and again, but do pay a price, because it does mess with the ole brain cage for a while.
This whole forum reminds me of those blessed souls that didn't make it back from Firebase St Barbara.
Maybe the fact that the phonies are such an insult to the good men that died there in an action that really didn't even get much mention in any records that i have seen. But they paid the ultimate price. I guess i am writing to say i am proud of my service and verteran status, and will defend the honor of those that can't!
I decided to look at this thread and found your post. I was in the 2/32FA in and around War Zone C from Sep 68 to Sep 69. Our guns were 175mm and 8 inch.
I made a mistake in deciding to reply to your post because it got me to thinking about what to say which brought a string of memories that were not wanted or very good, to say the least.
However, I spent some time in Fire Base Saint Barbara, we called it French Fort because it was supposed to be at the location of an old French Fort.
I could write pages here, however, I do not want to as my day is pretty well ruined now, no use making it worse by digging up more old memories. Not a day goes by that I do not have intrusive memories, however, at times like this it is worse.
I will say this, my time spent in that AO was so bad that I did not go on R&R, if I had, I would have gone AOWL and never gone back, so I stuck it out my full tour.
We were all young, mostly teenagers, and my friends and I got our teeth kicked in far too often by Charlie. It was not a nice place to be in at that period. And, Tay Ninh West, 23rd Inf base camp, was also a very nasty place. The West end was known a Rocket City and the East end as Mortar Town, if my memory serves me correctly.
I suffered a couple of head wounds only several days apart and the second one caused brain damage resulting in memory loss. Part of me wishes that I had 100% memory loss. Yes, I stayed in country after being wounded, but I was young and stupid.
As to my friends and so many others, great guys all, too bad some never came back alive or whole.
From Valley Forge until this day some pay the price so the majority can experience freedom. Except for brain dead politicians, I would not wish anyone the experiences of war.
God help our young people because liberalism seems to have taken over this country. And, God keep us all safe from those who wish to rob us of our liberties and rights. I pray that after over 200 years of paying for our liberty that fools will not be allowed to take it from us, if they succeed, what will all the suffering and loss of blood mean?
I apologize for straying into politics.
Note, I had to fix a typo, I said War Zone 3 by mistake, I meant War Zone C.
Danra, good to here from you through this post. I was with the A battery 7/9th arty 23rd artillery group(transferred from the 54th?)that took over the positions that were hurt so bad about aug 16 69. Sorry to here about your wounds , both visible and invisible. The invisible ones i think are worse sometimes more than the ones that you can see. If it is any comfort, May God bless you for the sacrifice you made those days and every day since. Others will not know, but i have an idea, having been there, and want you to know that your service means a lot to me and many others.
I do recall calling our FB old french fort. Just the other side of the mountain from Tay Ninh. I believe from satelite photos the whole area looks to be under water from a Dam project that was built.
A little story you might get a kick out of. I went to the outhouse next to the 175 at about 2 am and was so tired i fell asleep on the john. Heard the deisel start, and thought to my self, i got a couple of minutes. The next thing i heard was the command fire! I got my fingers within five inchs of my ears when the gun went off, and i swear i came off the seat four inchs! So now i know who dun it![:D]
[8]Mostly I have run into CIA assASSins. Seemed to be more of them than of us grunts. Don't have records- secret you know
Semper Fi- When in doubt empty the magazine.
Darrelllee 70-71
I second Darrelllee's motion: When in doubt, empty the magazine. We've all met the pretenders, the wannabes and the assumed identity types. Most of us who went did so because that's what the orders said to do. We did our jobs, served our time, then came home and got on with our lives. In my case, avoiding military service meant the Peace Corps or the Air Force (before this gets zapped, let it be noted I'm a "brat"; Dad was an Air Force major and light colonel in my growing up years--it's an old family joke). Over the years, Dad (a now long-since retired colonel and WWII as well as Korean War vet) had warned me to expect to come across lots of "heroes." My favorite was a guy in California years ago who served with "5th Special Services" along the Thailand border. Maybe he ran the gym at Korat?
MemphisJim1, In-country, 2 Mar 67 - 27 Apr 68, Army
The best one I had was a barracaded armed suspect in the early 80's. The Shift Commander knew I was a Viet Vet and ask me to try and talk to the guy who claimed to be a Viet Vet. Well I ask to see everything we had on him and when I saw his DOB ( he was 16 in 1975) I called him a phoney and gave him hell for making all of us real Vets look bad. It upset him so bad he came out crying and surrendered with out an incident. Latter he ask to see me. I went to the jail and he appoliged. I told him I would kick his personaly if he ever did it agin.[:(!]
I ran into alot of them on the street. It was acommon practice for the old drunks and pan handelers to make that claim. There were VERY few who were actuly Viet Vets, and even fewer who were combat vets.
Hello Frank, and welcome to the forum. Get your snake boots and kevlar ready. Post in General Discussion,,, I'll back you up. My hat is off to your brother in law,,, I may know his anguish. It was not impossible to sit behind a desk and a typewriter sometimes and then fly doorgunner sometimes. I did it. I rode shotgun on a convoy once from Saigon to Vinhlong. Thats another story.quote:Originally posted by huntsman53
quote:Originally posted by Hot Tuna
When my son took history in high school the teacher asked if anyone in the room had a parent who served in VN. He was the only one who raise his hand. I'l bet there were a few kids whose parents did serve in VN and they didn't know it. Combat vets usually don't like to talk about it, even with each other.
Hey Guys,
I know that it is hard but it is better to talk about what you went through and did in Vietnam than to hold it in and let it eat you up. My brother-in-law served two tours with the Navy in Vietnam and although he told all of us that he sat behind a desk at Tan Son Nhut Airforce Base, we now know better. He held everything back and it ate him up! He drank two to three six-packs of beer every night ever since Nam and died of Agent Orange related Cancer in 2001. My sister requested two sets of all of his' Medals so that he could be buried in his' Uniform and so that she would have one set for his' Shadow Box. Well besides the one Bronze Star with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Navy awarded him two more just before he died and they also had three Oak Leaf Clusters each which they had just got cleared due to the secrecy of the missions he went on. We do know that he saved some lives at the restaraunt that was bombed in Saigon but you don't receive three Bronze Stars, all with three Oak Leaf Clusters for setting behind a desk!
Respectfully...Frank Ferrell - U.S. Army Nov. 27, 1972 to Mar. 30, 1978.
Huntsman,
Your are correct. You MUST let it out. After my first tour I had to do some serious soul searching, and talked to those who had some of the same 'experiances' as well as some people close to me I could trust. I then went back to RVN and when I returned I spent 26 years as a cop. Dealing with the stress in a healty manner is one of the most important parts of the 'job'.[:)]
I was at Tuy Hoa in the 39th Air Rescue & Recovery Sq. from 7-7-68 to 7-7-69. I remember a new definition of loud. Constant Hilos. Body bags & something cold to drink. Being so wet that you couldn't get wetter if you went swimming. Things moving in you food.
Run into wannabes all the time. VA says that 3 million served & 10 million claimed to have. You can chop their legs out pretty quick. Still ride motorcycles with the guy I was shoulder to shoulder with. 41 years this year. Some good does come out of the bad.
Fellow in the next town to the north says he has 5 Silver Stars, from serving in the 9th Division. Saw a reference to him in the local (county) weekly newspaper.
Does anyone know ANYBODY with 5 Silver Stars from VietNam?
quote:Originally posted by 103166A
Fellow in the next town to the north says he has 5 Silver Stars, from serving in the 9th Division. Saw a reference to him in the local (county) weekly newspaper.
Does anyone know ANYBODY with 5 Silver Stars from VietNam?
103166A
I know one Green Beret who earned two Bronze and one Silver Star and two purple hearts, but that was over a 6 year period.
and here this evening I started reading another county newspaper, they were interviewing long time residents, for local history, etc. Local couple long time pillars of the community, etc etc.
She is a J P Clerk, he a deputy sheriff.
Guess what. Yes he served his country during the VietNam war. He was in the Navy, did some shore duty in VietNam, but it was Top Secret and he can't talk about it.
Is there anyone else out there who was not assigned to a secret unit and didn't do any secret missions? I'm beginning to feel left out...[:D]
One of the 'few' true heros I personaly know is a disabled (you couldn't tell by seeing or talking to him) jar head named Lafford Collins. He has 5 purple hearts, and I beleive one bronze star w/v device. He is one tough cookie. [8D]
I have ALOT of awards!![}:)] 38 air metals, as I said on the Capt. ED Freeman thread, I can relate to what he did and why. But they are only awards for 'time' I spent in the air.
The only one which matters is my purple heart, which I tried to refuse because my wounds were so minor (RPG schrapnel in my left arm) but my Bn. CO ordered me to accept.
My first tour I did do some things which we were not to talk about. There was alot of this in RVN. Most now is no longer considered 'secert'. I can say what program I was involved in, but I refuse to discuss any of the details.[;)]
I met a guy at a motorcycle rally that was in the army and was stationed north of Hanoi (he was in the US Army) but he really could'nt talk about it, when he asked what I did I had to tell him my job was so secret I had to wear a blindfold to do it [:D] and he believed me!!
There was a guy who died out west last year and was buried here in Dayton ( not in the VA cemetary ??) and I caught his obit that said he was a MOH and a NAVY corpsman. I checked the NAVY corpsman list cuz I wasn't familiar with the name and sure enough, a POSER !! Being his "MOH" was listed in his obit, I'm sure his family bought it Hook Line and Sinker. My best friend was in the 187th AHC and he checked too, just in case I may have been impaired. NADA. On the up side, as we all die off, they do as well. quote:Originally posted by Ironrifle
I`ve run into a dozen or more in the last 10 years and they wear me out! The fake POW`s are the worst! When you call them on it, they bow up and lie even more! Anyone else have them in their AO? Charlie
mrseatle, there actually was a country named Biafra. In 1967 a small group of ethnic people seceded from Nigeria and named the newly formed country Biafra which was short lived (1967-1970). Your former roommate most likely picked this country for his "service" since it would be very difficult to prove or disapprove his story especially if he was telling of his service after Biafra no longer existed. A rather clever and devious individual.
My thanks to all Veterans-Vietnam and otherwise. In one post here I read that combat vets usually don't talk about their experiences. I do believe this is true. It seems to me that wannabes always "brag" about their exploits while the true combat vets really don't care to share their experiences. (No, I am not a veteran)I personly think someone could not be more disrespectful to our service men and women than to falsly claim to be one!
lkannes you are correct , i have 3 nam combat vets that live close and we have never talked other than where we were, I am 60 now and have never met a vet from nam that wanted to talk about it.
When you here one , in a bar , here or whatever , be very suspect.
GOD bless , be safe and don't ask.
Comments
Most real Viet Vets don't TALK. they are certainly not ashamed of their service but don't get caught up in all the TALK. they are silent until they are challenged on their service OR find one of those famous wannabees OR best of all, meet a brother they can do some quick exchange with and move on. You won't find many true VVs that do much talking, they just listen and when their BS alarm starts going off, they'll move on.
I served on a carrier, providing much needed air support to our in country troops but I've sure never tried to act like I knew what it was like in the bush, trying to survive all the emotional and physical elements of living and dying there. I've met a lot of VVs who look like hollow tombs of a human being, still suffering from all the trauma they experienced, some I believe died there, just didn't come home in a body bag. I have no less respect for those guys than I would for a CMH recipient, but maybe even more compassion for the prison they live in and have for the last nearly 40 years.
Lindalecowboy,
I agree with you totally. I was in Vietnam from April 1966 to mid 1968 as part of TF115, Operation Market Time. We patrolled the coast and searched vessels. Pretty mundane stuff. Although we did earn the Combat Action Ribbon, what we experienced doesn't even compare to what the Marines and Army folks had to go through. Not to take a thing away from the Seals and other high profile folks, often their success was due to the support given by those who did far less glamorous things. I think the air support you provided and our impact on contraband getting to the south did make a difference and saved some lives. It's really sad to see people taking advantage of the service of others and the current respect for military service that was hard to find when we came home.
John
My MOS WAS 11B1G-Means E-1 thru E-4 non Airborne/:Ground Ranger Qualified Grunt.
11B6R-IS oatmeal....ANOTHER PHONY CRACKER.
I don't belong to the Legion or the VFW for the same reasons that have been stated in prior posts.
I guess what I am getting at that it takes all of us no matter what the MOS or NEC to perform the mission assigned, I am just as proud of my service as anyone who served in a combat role.
I never tried to get out of snything but never volinteered either.
Claimed he was a chopper pilot, "secretly trained in the jungle." Yeah well, I was trained the regular way, and that one was just too easy to smoke out.
Turned to his girlfriend and said, "Your boy here is completely full of chit. You need to get him off these hallowed grounds."
These guys chap my butt. I got great pleasure in taking one down at the VN memorial, in front of his girlfriend. :-)
Claimed he was a chopper pilot, "secretly trained in the jungle." Yeah well, I was trained the regular way, and that one was just too easy to smoke out.
Turned to his girlfriend and said, "Your boy here is completely full of chit. You need to get him off these hallowed grounds."
I missed your post above, about the wannabe chopper pilot, before I posted. Glad you cut him down hard.
quote:Originally posted by VinhlongVet71
I'm glad I wasn't there, there would have been police and assualt charges. I need to get up there, I've never been there. I want to see it before I die. Hmmmmmmmmm, chopper pilot??? I can cover all the MOS's
Hi Vinhlong,
I missed your post above, about the wannabe chopper pilot, before I posted. Glad you cut him down hard.
quote:Originally posted by VinhlongVet71
I'm glad I wasn't there, there would have been police and assualt charges. I need to get up there, I've never been there. I want to see it before I die. Hmmmmmmmmm, chopper pilot??? I can cover all the MOS's
Turned out that Tully had never even been in the military. After the story broke, he was last heard from working for some podunk-junction newspaper in the Dakotas.
He died about two years ago. He left a couple of boxes of military papers that I started going through, and, well... It turned out he had flown in a C47 of serial #12 in the early morning of June 6, 1944, which dropped the 2nd Bn, 506th PIR, 101st AB, into Normandy. Serials 11 and 12 were comprised of two squadrons of around 40 aircraft each, from the 439th Troop Carrier Group. Serial 11 was six minutes ahead of serial 12, carrying the 1st Bn. The other two squadrons from the Group were to follow, towing gliders. My stepdad was the 439th TCG's Communications Officer.
He rode on Market-Garden to Nijmegen, Holland, and on the invasion across the Rhine. I found a letter that was passed to him by his 439th CO, Col. Charles Young, dated Jan. 15, 1945, that was written by Gen. Anthony McAuliff. In it, McAuliff wished to express his personal thanks to all who were involved in the resupply of the trapped 101st AB at Bastogne.
And then I found out that his photos appear in four places in the book 'Into the Valley', a 600-page story of Troop Carrier operations in WW2. And I don't think he ever even knew that.
He served a rotation as Commander of Radar and Communications for the Fifth Air Force in Korea, during the Korean War. He was decorated again there, and personally cited by Son Won-Iyl, Korean Minister of Defense, for leading a group which ground-infiltrated into hostile areas and planted homing beacons to enable bad-weather strikes.
All of this, without a word. I feel so damn humble I could just about crumble. And I can't even tell him.
On the way out I ask where in the valley were you? Just in the Valley 2 years. What fire bases. I dont remember. I do not think you could forget where you were if you spent 1 nite on ripcord, oriley, the rock pile, or k son much less 2 years. I never spent a nite on any of them only flew over an I will never forget them.
C/4/77 Death on Call "Griffens" Camp evans 69 - 71 LBJail 71
Charlie A
My hat is off to those that served, and my utmost respect to those that were in Nam.
What a differance NOW!
dg13
I do talk about my experiances now and again, but do pay a price, because it does mess with the ole brain cage for a while.
This whole forum reminds me of those blessed souls that didn't make it back from Firebase St Barbara.
Maybe the fact that the phonies are such an insult to the good men that died there in an action that really didn't even get much mention in any records that i have seen. But they paid the ultimate price. I guess i am writing to say i am proud of my service and verteran status, and will defend the honor of those that can't!
As you might suspect from my user name i was in the artillery. 105 outfit next to Tay Ninh 69/march70.
I do talk about my experiances now and again, but do pay a price, because it does mess with the ole brain cage for a while.
This whole forum reminds me of those blessed souls that didn't make it back from Firebase St Barbara.
Maybe the fact that the phonies are such an insult to the good men that died there in an action that really didn't even get much mention in any records that i have seen. But they paid the ultimate price. I guess i am writing to say i am proud of my service and verteran status, and will defend the honor of those that can't!
I decided to look at this thread and found your post. I was in the 2/32FA in and around War Zone C from Sep 68 to Sep 69. Our guns were 175mm and 8 inch.
I made a mistake in deciding to reply to your post because it got me to thinking about what to say which brought a string of memories that were not wanted or very good, to say the least.
However, I spent some time in Fire Base Saint Barbara, we called it French Fort because it was supposed to be at the location of an old French Fort.
I could write pages here, however, I do not want to as my day is pretty well ruined now, no use making it worse by digging up more old memories. Not a day goes by that I do not have intrusive memories, however, at times like this it is worse.
I will say this, my time spent in that AO was so bad that I did not go on R&R, if I had, I would have gone AOWL and never gone back, so I stuck it out my full tour.
We were all young, mostly teenagers, and my friends and I got our teeth kicked in far too often by Charlie. It was not a nice place to be in at that period. And, Tay Ninh West, 23rd Inf base camp, was also a very nasty place. The West end was known a Rocket City and the East end as Mortar Town, if my memory serves me correctly.
I suffered a couple of head wounds only several days apart and the second one caused brain damage resulting in memory loss. Part of me wishes that I had 100% memory loss. Yes, I stayed in country after being wounded, but I was young and stupid.
As to my friends and so many others, great guys all, too bad some never came back alive or whole.
From Valley Forge until this day some pay the price so the majority can experience freedom. Except for brain dead politicians, I would not wish anyone the experiences of war.
God help our young people because liberalism seems to have taken over this country. And, God keep us all safe from those who wish to rob us of our liberties and rights. I pray that after over 200 years of paying for our liberty that fools will not be allowed to take it from us, if they succeed, what will all the suffering and loss of blood mean?
I apologize for straying into politics.
Note, I had to fix a typo, I said War Zone 3 by mistake, I meant War Zone C.
I do recall calling our FB old french fort. Just the other side of the mountain from Tay Ninh. I believe from satelite photos the whole area looks to be under water from a Dam project that was built.
A little story you might get a kick out of. I went to the outhouse next to the 175 at about 2 am and was so tired i fell asleep on the john. Heard the deisel start, and thought to my self, i got a couple of minutes. The next thing i heard was the command fire! I got my fingers within five inchs of my ears when the gun went off, and i swear i came off the seat four inchs! So now i know who dun it![:D]
Semper Fi- When in doubt empty the magazine.
Darrelllee 70-71
MemphisJim1, In-country, 2 Mar 67 - 27 Apr 68, Army
I ran into alot of them on the street. It was acommon practice for the old drunks and pan handelers to make that claim. There were VERY few who were actuly Viet Vets, and even fewer who were combat vets.
quote:Originally posted by Hot Tuna
When my son took history in high school the teacher asked if anyone in the room had a parent who served in VN. He was the only one who raise his hand. I'l bet there were a few kids whose parents did serve in VN and they didn't know it. Combat vets usually don't like to talk about it, even with each other.
Hey Guys,
I know that it is hard but it is better to talk about what you went through and did in Vietnam than to hold it in and let it eat you up. My brother-in-law served two tours with the Navy in Vietnam and although he told all of us that he sat behind a desk at Tan Son Nhut Airforce Base, we now know better. He held everything back and it ate him up! He drank two to three six-packs of beer every night ever since Nam and died of Agent Orange related Cancer in 2001. My sister requested two sets of all of his' Medals so that he could be buried in his' Uniform and so that she would have one set for his' Shadow Box. Well besides the one Bronze Star with three Oak Leaf Clusters, the Navy awarded him two more just before he died and they also had three Oak Leaf Clusters each which they had just got cleared due to the secrecy of the missions he went on. We do know that he saved some lives at the restaraunt that was bombed in Saigon but you don't receive three Bronze Stars, all with three Oak Leaf Clusters for setting behind a desk!
Respectfully...Frank Ferrell - U.S. Army Nov. 27, 1972 to Mar. 30, 1978.
Your are correct. You MUST let it out. After my first tour I had to do some serious soul searching, and talked to those who had some of the same 'experiances' as well as some people close to me I could trust. I then went back to RVN and when I returned I spent 26 years as a cop. Dealing with the stress in a healty manner is one of the most important parts of the 'job'.[:)]
Run into wannabes all the time. VA says that 3 million served & 10 million claimed to have. You can chop their legs out pretty quick. Still ride motorcycles with the guy I was shoulder to shoulder with. 41 years this year. Some good does come out of the bad.
Does anyone know ANYBODY with 5 Silver Stars from VietNam?
103166A
Fellow in the next town to the north says he has 5 Silver Stars, from serving in the 9th Division. Saw a reference to him in the local (county) weekly newspaper.
Does anyone know ANYBODY with 5 Silver Stars from VietNam?
103166A
I know one Green Beret who earned two Bronze and one Silver Star and two purple hearts, but that was over a 6 year period.
She is a J P Clerk, he a deputy sheriff.
Guess what. Yes he served his country during the VietNam war. He was in the Navy, did some shore duty in VietNam, but it was Top Secret and he can't talk about it.
Is there anyone else out there who was not assigned to a secret unit and didn't do any secret missions? I'm beginning to feel left out...[:D]
I have ALOT of awards!![}:)] 38 air metals, as I said on the Capt. ED Freeman thread, I can relate to what he did and why. But they are only awards for 'time' I spent in the air.
The only one which matters is my purple heart, which I tried to refuse because my wounds were so minor (RPG schrapnel in my left arm) but my Bn. CO ordered me to accept.
My first tour I did do some things which we were not to talk about. There was alot of this in RVN. Most now is no longer considered 'secert'. I can say what program I was involved in, but I refuse to discuss any of the details.[;)]
You left out Snipers, LRRP's and SOG's, but you can be anything you want when your behind your monitor[}:)]
I`ve run into a dozen or more in the last 10 years and they wear me out! The fake POW`s are the worst! When you call them on it, they bow up and lie even more! Anyone else have them in their AO? Charlie
Hell, where were all the cooks, bakers, clerks, what have you?
I ain't gonna lie to you, I was a truck driver, not ashamed of it, and not some kind of wanna be hero. I did what was asked of me!!!!!
Americal & 196th LIB Chu Lai & DaNang 71'
Fred
When you here one , in a bar , here or whatever , be very suspect.
GOD bless , be safe and don't ask.