Welcome to "Soldier's Stories," where the echoes of courage resonate through personal memoirs. Join us as we delve into untold narratives, stripping away the armor to showcase the humanity beneath the uniform. Each episode transforms words into a cinematic experience, using archival images and expert narration to make history come alive. Explore a global tapestry of experiences from World War I to modern conflicts, connecting the past with the present. Engage in a community that honours sacrifices and shares reflections. Subscribe to "Soldier's Stories" for a timeless journey through the pages of history, a testament to resilience, strength, and shared humanity in times of duty and honour. 🌟
The US certainly had the weapons but from everything I have read training and discipline was lacking, and drugs were everywhere. Most armies learn, but in Vietnam soldiers were dying from the same basic mistakes on the last day of the war as they were on the first.
I first came across the name of Col. David Hackworth while reading an Army publication I found in our company office. I was in the Marine Corps at the time. It was a thin pamphlet, co-authored with BGen. S.L.A. Marshall, a famous name I recognized. Looking back, I think Marshall probably had little to do with writing any of it. "A Vietnam Primer". The distillation of combat experience fighting the VC, their tricks and tactics. It was a fascinating read and a highly instructive little book. This was post-war, 1976-78, but it was still eye opening and very educational, a real primer in what infantry combat was all about.
No sergeants in our company took listening posts… The starlight scopes, both of them rarely left the command post. Occasionally the XO would bring one to the perimeter if we had spotted something… We rarely shot at night unless it was a full on firefight. We used fragmentation grenades at suspicious activity.
Two (2) Tailor's would cut n stitch, make the best Redcoats in Nth America for British Officer's and yet were Continental and a great source of accurate intelligence, just physically seeing a certain officer you knew that a certain warship was in Port. Hercs partner was a Black American Gentleman named only "CATO". He has been lost to written history, unknown.
I like the tale of General George Washington goin' down to Manhattan to have a breakfast with Hercules Mulligan, without any notice to anyone, the more ignorant New York local's were accusing Herc of being a British sympathiser, when in fact He was the Spy Chief, leader of the Culper Ring. He's interred at Trinity Church next to His best Buddy, Alex. Hamilton.
In Ireland nobody who had served with the British could be Army, Post Office, Light Keeper or anything government related. If you were Irish, my Aussie Uncle had no issues, no worries. Such a waste of experienced talent & skills. Political BS.
When our squad impressed other officer's with our appearance, or our close order or clear communication..... that gladdened our NCO and our platoon officer, Lieutenant Heaps. He was the oldest officer in the company.
If the commies hadn't been allowed to get into our schools and media ! And the politicians accepted bribes from everyone, the arms dealers and the commies together
Weii spotted. It actually Australians. This photo has been used in a large mosaic for Vietnam war memorial on the avenue of honor near Australian war memorial in Canberra.
A damn shame, put you guys in an impossible situation and the higher ups were a bunch of cluster fu€k$ as well as the politicians who sent you guys there. Yeah you spoke right about all the B.S attached to the war. I'm a Vietnam Era veteran and I am so grateful that I didn't go to the Nam. My cousin and many other guys who were in Nam, have all passed away from agent orange. A damn shame and a waste of lives.
The Vietnam war was a despicable waste of young men as is in all wars, but the Vietnam war was more if a travesty because there was no purpose except to possibly prevent the spread of communism, the same purpose that the Korean War was to prevent but is still an ongoing conflict which could ignite again!! All wars are hell !!
Purpose of Vietnam and all the other conflicts put money in peoples pockets! You would’ve thought after Vietnam would learn not to trust the government we haven’t Learn our lessons.
It wasn’t a matter of bombs, but will. The US never declared war on North Vietnam. So we would never invade North Vietnam and take Hanoi, its capital which is the ultimate objective of any war. Had we done so, we would have strangled the PLF in the south. Had that been our strategy from the start We would’ve actually lost fewer men in the fighting in South Vietnam. MACV was constrained like no other military force in history. Other than exercising air superiority over North Vietnam we had no strategy to kill the head of the snake in Hanoi. We had no strategic plans to win a war because it wasn’t a war. Nearly all major battles were fought at the place and time of the North’s determination. The United States’ boots on the ground were always outnumbered in the bush. The NVA never bothered with air conditioning and ice cream in their rear. They lived in holes in the ground. Marines that were grunts also lived in fighting holes and leant tos. Our conditions were only slightly better. The VA tunnels were pretty secure but wet and skanky. The biggest fear was from the B-52s. They could cause catastrophic damage just from the shaking of the ground. I interviewed the enemy soldiers we captured in the spring and summer offenses we mounted in 1969. Their soldiers were emaciated and frightened from the American onslaught, especially the jets dropping napalm. The reason was because they couldn’t hear the Jets coming.
You obviously haven't studied the war objectively. You realize after TET, the Vietcong were wiped out, demoralized and the North Vietnamese Army to a degree as well? They did little TET assaults in the proceeding years but they were more harassment and weren't effective or large scale compared to the 68 assault.
That was could have been won in a year if we were allowed to commit war and our state department was giving out targeting information to Sweden who passed it along,,,Deen Rusk sec of state look it up
There were places that were far more dangerous than others. The everywhere was dangerous is normally the opinions of pogs. Any time we had cots we knew we were in the rear. Cold drinks and big guns.
Great material of the nam...it's like the narrator was the LT I was under and our exact feelings daily. If you look everyday for a new story it's good stuff and this nails it. It's early Vietnam war, which was the best. Before it soured so it truly should be where every American should watch and thank there stars of just waking to a warm shower and cut the whining. Every generation in war is the best. Many dont get that this war, men saw way more battle than WW2. You dont understand a hump unless you were there. Great job.
I can't remember ever seeing a gunner with any bandolier's, on him, just a 30 round belt in the gun and an ammo humper/A-gunner shadowing him, just never saw this, just saying. RVN '66-'67 1st Mar Div..
PS...why every president down to congress needs to serve there country. You see how a MAN handles the absolute fear of battle and the rush of a firefight. If you dont agree, well then you never been in it, but you sleep good at night.
And all because if the north wins they will keep going and take over the world. Didn’t happen. Just like weapons of mass destruction and Putin in Ukraine. At what point will the people wake up?
Excellent narrative of the mind and emotions of a Marine Lieutenant leading a platoon in Vietnam. Only my squad mattered to me and they mattered more than anything.
Thanks...very good narrative of very real squad mind, spirit and fears of being in the vietnam war! Some of the best I have heard that is truly the way it was.
