Vietnam War: Facts, Stats & Myths

[Jeepnik]

The “civil engineering squad” is most likely a group known as “Prime Beef”. Basically a small group of folks from the various “shops” ( plumbing, carpentry, electrical) set up for rapid deployment.

Once your name got on the list you were stuck there.

I haven’t ever heard of them being deployed.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Yje “civil engineering squad” is most likely a group known as “Prime Beef”. Basically a small group of folks from the various “shops” ( plumbing, carpentry, electrical) set up for rapid deployment.

Once your name got on the list you were stuck there.

I haven’t ever heard of them being deployed.

My brother was a " first class electrician," stationed on an Ad-26 off shore of nam, and was pulled into the fight when the carrier was hit, explosion, and it had to be repaired asap! They flew in 'critical" ratings from all over to get it done!

 

[ronto]

there is a difference from being "in country" and being in serious combat. I was in country but never engaged in what i would call 'full on combat" No night patrols, no firebase sieges, no ambush setups, only sporadic fire when investigating a village for intel etc.and that was only a few times. So, I am on of those that was "there" but never really faced Serious combat. Know what, I never missed it! I had no desire or need to prove anything and dead is dead, regardless of how or when it happens.

You didn't have to be in serious combat to be at risk. There was always the chance that some kid would toss a grenade in your Jeep, you'd be shot while on guard duty, be a victim of a sniper or mortar attack

 

[Snake Pleskin]

You didn't have to be in serious combat to be at risk. There was always the chance that some kid would toss a grenade in your Jeep, you'd be shot while on guard duty, be a victim of a sniper or mortar attack

True, but I would never compare my self with someone who was in Landing zone X ray or Tet, or Khe Sahn etc.

 

[ronto]

True, but I would never compare my self with someone who was in Landing zone X ray or Tet, or Khe Sahn etc.

I left 2 weeks before the Tet Offensive and I still kept in touch with some guys in my outfit. When they toss a satchel charge in your hooch it makes no difference if you're a clerk or L.R.R.P.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

I left 2 weeks before the Tet Offensive and I still kept in touch with some guys in my outfit. When they toss a satchel charge in your hooch it makes no difference if you're a clerk or L.R.R.P.

very true!

 

[vito]

Walter Cronkite was nothing more than a lying leftist sack of donkey excrement who LIED about the Tet offensive.

Personally I don't think Cronkite was lying about the Tet offensive. He was not there, and was basing his opinions on what his reporters and photographers reported from Vietnam. Without question the NVA and VC caught us by surprise, and that accounted for their early success in this effort. American living rooms were filled with images of enemy soldiers within the compound of the U.S. embassy, of the enemy taking over the Imperial city of Hue. I think Cronkite was just overwhelmed by what he was seeing, which easily could have been misinterpreted as a Communist victory, rather than what we later found it to be, a huge gamble by the North to spark a revolt by the people against the South Vietnamese government and the occupying U.S. forces.

FWIW, I served as a Captain with the 326 Medical Battalion, 101st Airborne (Airmobile) Division at Camp Eagle in the Republic of South Vietnam from 1970 to 1971.

 

[Johnny-Baseball]

If everyone who, today, claims they were in combat in Viet Nam actually WAS in combat, that war would have been over in 6 months.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

If everyone who, today, claims they were in combat in Viet Nam actually WAS in combat, that war would have been over in 6 months.

I do not understand why some people feel it necessary to inflate what they did in the service. I was fortunate and avoided 99% of all real combat. Never made me feel like I wasn't doing my part. I went where I was told to go etc. I had a good friend who was "drafted" at the same time I joined( I had a draft number of 23!) He was a clerk typist in Fort DIx, NJ. Oh well, that is where he was sent!

 

[Colonialgirl]

I was never in Vietnam; Pneumonia in basic kept me out with a "B" physical profile. I DID spend from 1967-1968 (18 months) in Korea with Hq, Hq Btry 38th Arty Bde (AD) permanently stationed on Osan AFB (south of Suwon) and was there when the N Koreans sent 20 infiltrators down to KILL the South Korean President that got spotted by a S. Korean wood cutter who reported them to the Korean National Police; The LAST one was killed on the outskirts of Seoul. I was also there when that idiot Navy Captain surrendered the USNS Pueblo without a fight compromising every confidential code in Korea ( I was in Commo). They locked down everything, no leaves, no return to the states, etc and C-141's arriving every half hour. Out the gate to check commo from the Hawk Battalion at Suwon to BDE HQ, E-7 driving, E-8 in the back seat and me (An E-4) in the right front with an M-14 and two 20 round magazines; Had to lock one in the weapon BEFORE the AP's at the gate would let us out. Yeah, I spent early July to early Dec, TDY at "Sea Range" the Missile practice range camp down on the Yellow sea ($1.00/day TDY money !!) watching Hawk Missiles and Nike-Hercules getting launched. Met and knew some who had served in Vietnam that were then assigned to Korea.
Never trust cnn, abc, cbs, nbc, msnbc for the tales they tell.

 

[Snake Pleskin]

Service is Service, glad you made it through ok.

 

[gramps]

Thank you Jim for setting the record straight. The truth needs to be told.
gramps

 

[Snake Pleskin]

In my years working in the corporate world I had many refugees from South Vietnam working for me. I found every single one of them to be hard-working, honest people and not "trash" as you describe them. Some were "boat people" that went through hell to escape the communists.

pulled

 

[dweis]

Wow, did that ever bring back some bad memories and some good ones too.

 

[dannyd]

Just got done listening to "Bonnie-Sue" A Marine Corps Helicopter Squadron in Vietnam by Marion Sturkey.

I was in the Navy but went to H-46 school at MCAS New River, NC in 1977. The instructor's were great all Vietnam Combat Vets from I Corps. I can never thanks those guy's enough for what they did for me.

Also worked on Every Helicopter the Navy and Marine Corps had in the 1970's and 80's and almost ended on the V-22.

But I Still Love the H-46 most of all.

 

[caryc]

Lady Bird Johnson, was building a loading dock in the DaNang harbour, when I was stationed at Camp Ten Sha, DaNang! Overloadded

I don't remember any loading dock there. I do remember Ten Sha Ramp. That's where the LST's came in and unloaded supplies.

 

[kmoore]

I don't know about the news reporting in the 60s and 70s. But as an adult in the 80s and being involved in local stories or others that I knew the real facts. I can sit at my computer and say most reporting in Portland was and is reported with a biased against police. Simple example true story: The man was unarmed and attempted to run over an officer with his car when he was shot. Is not a 4,000 lb car a weapon when used as one, YES. Media knows that, but words they use in the story belittle cops, change facts. All, most people hear is "an unarmed person was shot to death by cops". They conclude that cops are killing people for no reason.
National level the "hands up don't shoot" was a false story from the start. Media kept pushing it even when police and facts proved it was false. Think back how much rioting was because of a known false fact was told over and over.
I also know some of this reporting is due to the quest to get ratings and a lead story out first. Be damn of facts or vetting the truth. "If it bleeds it leads." If the media would take a New York minute pause and just check the facts or vet the source we might get unbiased reporting. I am not holding my breath.
Lastly years ago, I spoke up about this locally to the dept. PIO (Public Information Officer) His answer was they would not push back against the media's biased reporting for fear of sounding like whining children and losing more support. They wait until facts are known and then release the information , sometimes weeks later. Well how's that working out. I think that war has been lost. A few police union leaders did speak up, but were almost never supported by the leaders.
I don't have any close friends buying what the media puts out in print or on TV. But some of my neighbors take it hook line and sinker as the truth.

 

[vito]

I don't know about the news reporting in the 60s and 70s. But as an adult in the 80s and being involved in local stories or others that I knew the real facts. I can sit at my computer and say most reporting in Portland was and is reported with a biased against police. Simple example true story: The man was unarmed and attempted to run over an officer with his car when he was shot. Is not a 4,000 lb car a weapon when used as one, YES. Media knows that, but words the story to belittle cops. All, most people hear is "an unarmed person was shot to death by cops". They conclude that cops are killing people for no reason.
National level the "hands up don't shoot" was a false story from the start. Media kept pushing it even when police and facts proved it was false. Think back how much rioting was because of a known false fact was told over and over.
I also know some of this reporting is due to the quest to get ratings and a lead story out first. Be damn of facts or vetting the truth. "If it bleeds it leads." If the media would take a New York minute pause and just check the facts or vet the source we might get unbiased reporting. I am not holding my breath.
Lastly years ago, I spoke up about this locally to the dept. PIO (Public Information Officer) His answer was they would not push back against the media's biased reporting for fear of sounding like whining children and losing more support. They wait until facts are known and then release the information , sometimes weeks later. Well how's that working out. I think that war has been lost. A few police union leaders did speak up, but were almost never supported by the leaders.
I don't have any close friends buying what the media puts out in print or on TV. But some of my neighbors take it hook line and sinker as the truth.

What does this have to do with the Vietnam War?

 

[kmoore]

Vito, I was only providing my knowledge of how the media twists stories to a side they want people to hear. By the words they use. It seems to me the media ended up playing a big role in that war, as to how the American people felt it was vs the truth. The article posted seem to bear that out.
Maybe just maybe the media learned how the change stories instead of reporting the truth during that time and it's only gotten worse since. That's all.

 

[OVERLOADDED]

I don't remember any loading dock there. I do remember Ten Sha Ramp. That's where the LST's came in and unloaded supplies.

Standing looking out from shore at the Small boat repair area it was maybe 1/2 mile to the right! They were driving pilings into the coast line. Overloadded