I was a machine gun squad leader attached to the Third platoon Fco -2/7 on March 4, 1966. I was never wounded during my 13 months in Vietnam. I left the Marines as an E 5 and 21 years of age. It was a hell of a day. I joined the Marines in April of 63 at seventeen years of age. I still stand 5'6" at 78. Semper Fi .
I have nothing but 100% respect and out of all veterans you Vietnam veteran are the best God bless you all.I am Canadian born 3 months after you left for Vietnam. I can remember crying to my mom thinking I would by sent there when I got older.I had the privilege of meeting the daughter of Colonel W E Campbell of the 90th replacement Battalion Commander. Love you guys.
My great uncle James French was a Navy Corpsman and was at Operation Utah. He also earned a Silver Star during this same battle. I was so glad to find this interview because my Uncle rarely talked about his time in Vietnam.
In 88 when I step on those yellow foot prints it was all the same. Just love the boot camp stories. Great story, thanks for sharing your experiences. Sempi Fi Marine.
I look forward to your interviews each week, episodes like this one are why. Thank you for preserving these stories in the words of the men (and women) who lived them @Combat Story
I have been going to the Memphis VA for 25 years or so, when I first started going the old guys were still WW2 vets and now they are the Korean/Vietnam guys now the Vietnam guys look like the WW2 guys of my early years .
Wow!! As a simple Marine infantryman myself I loved this interview. I loved his boot camp stories. Albeit a different era, I can definitely relate. This is the type story drill instructors pound on us to instill our warrior legacy. The actions of regular Marines rival those of any special forces warrior. Mad props to you sir. Thanks for your service, and WELCOME HOME!!
Great interview! My dad, Donald Madrid, was a LCpl in 3/1 H&S as an infantry radioman, went to Vietnam on board troop carrier, USS Paul Revere, they landed with the old "Mike boats" D-Day style, during Double Eagle 1 and 2... he was reassigned to 2/4 after Utah as 3/1 was disbanded due to the losses sustained in that battle. 3/1 was reformed back in the US.
I am a civilian. I'm always blown away at the stories of these brave super-men full of awesome sauce. Great interview. Danny is an amazing human. He really tells an awesome story!
I especially enjoyed his story of his basic training at MCRD San Diego. I joined the Marine Corps in March 1968 and to Vietnam in April 1969. I really enjoyed hearing his story. I was lucky to not be in a rifle company and saw very little action. I have so much respect for these guys. Semper Fi
Are you trying to tell me that operation Utah was larger than Khe Sahn or Hue! A lot of Marine battles in Vietnam were much larger than operation Utah. Prairie, Hastings just to name a few. Operation Utah only lasted a few weeks. There were Marine operations that lasted over a year!
Ryan - Another OUTSTANDING guest and podcast. A suggestion for a guest, who wrote a PHENOMENAL "Fiction" book about a 1st Lt who leads his platoon in Vietnam. His book is loosely based upon his own Navy Cross winning tour in Vietnam. His name -- Karl Marlantes and his award-winning book is "Matterhorn" (New York Times best seller). I have heard one interview with him and it held my interest every second. The book was just as good. The damn thing is THICK....and I burned through it in 3-4 days. It's THAT GOOD.
SEMPER FI Brother.... MCRD San Diego, 1st BTTN, Charlie Company Platoon 1066 June-Sept 1985 Hqtrs Battery 5th Battalion 10th Marine Regiment Camp Lejeune, NC
He should be ashamed of himself for taking part in the atrocity we call the Vietnam war. The Vietnamese were the heroes, the freedom fighters. We were the invaders, the occupiers, the murderers and torturers. We need to hear the war stories from the Vietnamese perspective.
