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.

A question for you Vietnam vets

11BravoCrunchie11BravoCrunchie Member Posts: 33,423 ✭✭
edited July 2015 in US Military Veteran Forum
I'm watching the movie "The Green Berets" and I can't help but wonder how true to life it is.

So my question for you guys who were in it is, did Hollywood hit close to the mark with that one?

Comments

  • Sky SoldierSky Soldier Member Posts: 460
    edited November -1
    This is my humble opinion:

    For quite a few years after my tour I was unable suffer through the movies being made because watching even the the things I hadn't been through were intolerable because I knew that some of our guys went through them.
    After many years of avoiding any movie depicting the trials of combat vets in VN I was finally able to sit through them.
    When asked by friends and family the same question you're asking (but not about a specific movie) my reply would be that I think that most of the deeds depicted were true to life but they didn't happen to just one guy/platoon/company or on any one operation.
    So yes, Hollywood did hit close to the mark as far as events are concerned but they certainly used licence in to whom and when they took place.
  • 11BravoCrunchie11BravoCrunchie Member Posts: 33,423 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    If that is how that war was, then I truly salute you folks. Going up against that kind of enemy is not something that I would do willingly.
  • Sky SoldierSky Soldier Member Posts: 460
    edited November -1
    Zulu7.

    Take a look at this:

    http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Green_Berets_(film)

    Just keep in mind: "Never believe anything you hear, and only half of what you see".

    SS
  • perry shooterperry shooter Member Posts: 17,390
    edited November -1
    I was in country fairly early 1966 Only Vietnam movie I ever saw that was the way I saw it was GOOD MORNING VIETNAM Mostly Military BULL CRAP and not Knowing your friend from Foe. Or the ones that were BOTH depending on the time of day.
  • Rocky RaabRocky Raab Member Posts: 14,131 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Movies are fiction. They may be based on real events, but contain about as much truth as there is chicken in chicken noodle soup.

    The Vietnam War was a different experience for every single person who went through it. Like most wars, only a small fraction of those who went there ever saw real combat. Those who did saw it in spades.
    I may be a bit crazy - but I didn't drive myself.
  • cavman 69cavman 69 Member Posts: 654 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    john wayne and aldo ray would not have made in the special forces. too old and over weight. i call most of that movie b.s. mostly propaganda.
  • ltcdotyltcdoty Member Posts: 4,163 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The cool thing about the movie is at the end they show John Wayne and the kid standing on the beach as the sun sets in the east.
  • reddyreddy Member Posts: 4 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I'm not a Hollywood apologist, but one must remember no matter how badly made the movie was, "The Green Berets" was a tribute at the time for the most elite force of the U.S. Army. John Wayne was instrumental in having the movie done with that objective in mind.
  • 70-10170-101 Member Posts: 1,006
    edited November -1
    The movie is semi-realistic, and loosely based on Robin Moore's mid-60s book. I went in about two months after seeing it in 68. When I got to Benning for jump school, in late 68, some of our training cadre were still talking about the movie being filmed on base.
  • pwilliepwillie Member Posts: 20,253 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by reddy
    I'm not a Hollywood apologist, but one must remember no matter how badly made the movie was, "The Green Berets" was a tribute at the time for the most elite force of the U.S. Army. John Wayne was instrumental in having the movie done with that objective in mind.
    John Wayne made all his war movies as an apology for being a draft dodger...."Green Berets" was pure propaganda...Viet Nam was a terrible mistake. 55000 mistakes....
  • pwilliepwillie Member Posts: 20,253 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    "Good Morning Vietnam" was more like the real situation.
  • Laredo LeftyLaredo Lefty Member Posts: 13,451 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was in the Central Highlands from 9-68 to 9-69. Platoon was much more realistic than the Green Berets.
  • CapnMidnightCapnMidnight Member Posts: 8,520
    edited November -1
    Yes Joe, I agree 100%.
    W.D.
  • Skipper49Skipper49 Member Posts: 5
    edited November -1
    My only frame of reference was from the deck of a PBR (Patrol, Boat - River (as our government would say)) with RivDiv 54 (Upper Mekong River)....Right next door to Cambodia!

    Only movie that I saw about river patrol boats was Apocolypse Now (sp?) We sure as hell didn't water ski behind our patrol boats, (What great targets that would have made)& there weren't any sand beaches "Up the River" where I was either. Hollywood took some liberties with that one!! In my humble opinion, I believe they embellish most historical events on film!!!

    I did get my * in a jam one night for "Skippin' Tracers" like stones on the pond....Pretty cool sight @ sundown!! Only problem, is they ricocheted into villages & the locals complained about stray rounds flying through their neighborhood...The dumb things we do when we we're young!! I still to this day don't know how they got word back to our HQ! Truth is stranger than fiction - And usually more fun!
  • Rick S.Rick S. Member Posts: 33 ✭✭
    edited November -1
  • StingSting Member Posts: 629 ✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    The once popular 60's song 'Ballad of The Green Berets' is still very touching to me.
  • Rick S.Rick S. Member Posts: 33 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Yeah,good song. Barry Sadler was going to take all the proceeds he made off the song and use them to help widows of special forces guys KIA. Good thought but he pi--ed it all away.
  • MMOMEQ-55MMOMEQ-55 Member Posts: 13,134
    edited November -1
    I have yet to see a movie about VN that was true to life. All are Hollywood BS glamorized to sell tickets.

    Served with 3rd Force Recon in 1970-71. Spent 15 months in country and ran most of my long range recon patrols out of Vandigriff combat Base. Most were in the Ashau Valley. None of the crap you see in movies compare to anything we went thru.
  • 11b6r11b6r Member Posts: 16,588 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Little known low budget flick called 84 Charlie Mopic. Do not watch it if you still have bad dreams about back then.

    Re: John Wayne, draft dodger. Go read up. Father of 3, damaged shoulder, classified 3-A. Had applied for Annapolis some years before.
  • Sky SoldierSky Soldier Member Posts: 460
    edited November -1
    Holy S**t!!!
    I can't believe that's been around since '89 and I've never even heard about it.
    I haven't had a bad dream for over 20 years but I think that's gonna change tonight. I should have paid more attention to 11b6r's warning.
    I was the 13f1p in a squad like that for 6 months of my tour.

    SS
  • nc huntrnc huntr Member Posts: 11 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by cavman 69
    john wayne and aldo ray would not have made in the special forces. too old and over weight. i call most of that movie b.s. mostly propaganda.

    I agree with you ....
  • kimikimi Member Posts: 44,723 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    Most American men born prior to 1910 with families did not serve in WWII. Do we cast these individuals as draft dodgers too? I think not.
    What's next?
  • BuffaloGunBuffaloGun Member Posts: 12 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    AC-47 (Spooky) and AC-130 (Spectre) did NOT fly in daylight.
    But the effect when they opened fire was about right.
    Too big and too slow a target when they already had a price on their heads.
  • pwilliepwillie Member Posts: 20,253 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by kimi
    Most American men born prior to 1910 with families did not serve in WWII. Do we cast these individuals as draft dodgers too? I think not.
    He(John Wayne) could have volunteered ,like all the other movie stars did....Bob Hope, Clark Gable( born 1901),Jimmy Stewart,and a host of others...Wayne was asked why he didn't serve,and he said he didn't want to interrupt his acting career...
  • kimikimi Member Posts: 44,723 ✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    quote:Originally posted by pwillie
    quote:Originally posted by kimi
    Most American men born prior to 1910 with families did not serve in WWII. Do we cast these individuals as draft dodgers too? I think not.
    He(John Wayne) could have volunteered ,like all the other movie stars did....Bob Hope, Clark Gable( born 1901),Jimmy Stewart,and a host of others...Wayne was asked why he didn't serve,and he said he didn't want to interrupt his acting career...


    Care to name the "host of others" that you claim, pwillie, say those born between 1900 and 1910, as it would be educational, I'd think.
    What's next?
  • 1935Lee1935Lee Member Posts: 61 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    Movies about Vietnam? cow cookies pure and simple.
    Served a total of 39 months (18 months with a 11B mos)
  • The Old SaltThe Old Salt Member Posts: 94 ✭✭
    edited November -1
    I was USN, 69 to 73. I was an FTG2 Guns. For you ground pounder types, Firecontrol Tech 2nd Class. I aimed and fired the ship's 5" guns. Fired many many rounds down range supporting infantry operations close to the coast.

    I have a Vietnanese American grandson. My son's wife is a Vietnamese refugee. In Sept of 1971 my ship, USS Epperson DD719 was assigned to support the AVRN fighting the VC & NVA in the UMinh Forrest. Turns out the other grandfather, my daughter-in-law's dad, was an ARVN Infantry Lt., and was stationed north & east of the forrest. We used our guns to attack massing enemy troop concentrations and supply cashes that were later used to attack the other grandfather. He survived the war and over 6 years in the post war re-education camps ( concentration camps ) and finally got an opportunity to come to the U.S. I am proud to have him as family.

    To all of you who believe VN was a mistake, if you are referring to how the U.S. managed the war, there is great truth in that. If you are commenting on our efforts to save a people from communism, I suggest you get to know some of the South Vietnamese who lived through the war. I know several different families. Everyone of them are greatful for our sacrifices.
  • prangleprangle Member Posts: 1,462 ✭✭✭✭✭
    edited November -1
    . Green Berets is a crap movie just like everything with John Wayne in it.
Sign In or Register to comment.