Coastie here. I went in at 17 in 1970 and after 6 months on a bouy tender i went aviation helicopters hh52a left in 1974 AM2. Met a few Vietnam Coast Guard Veterans. Proud to have met them. Not as tough a job as a grunt but at least they did their part.
Wow, we joined at the same time and age. Placing well at boot camp I got to choose my duty station. I chose Hawaii. From there I got chosen to go to Vietnam.
When it comes to Vietnam, we always think about the Navy, Army, Marines, or the Air Force, but very few of us realize how much of a contribution the Coasties and allies made. This is a great upload.
Coast Guard in 2nd WW ran many landing crafts for the Marines. Also at the Normandy invasion the Coast Guard ships could get closer to shore so it guns could hit targets that Navy ships could not reach.
@@Josh-kx1vv That is correct. It is at the discretion of the Secretary of Defense, but as a general rule, when arriving in the theater the USCG maintains its identity, but is under the direction of the theater commander. E.g., When I was in Vietnam and was awarded the Combat Action Ribbon, the letterhead said "Commander U.S. Naval Forces Vietnam." What this means in day-to-day operations is that we take orders, so to speak, from theater commanders. But the line officers of the Navy and Coast Guard are not senior to the other. IOW, a Lt. Commander of a Navy ship cannot order about the Lt. Commander of a Coast Guard vessel. Trivia: Back then the USCG didn't have wartime decorations, e.g., the Combat Action Ribbon; Meritorious Unit Commendation; etc. So instead we received the Navy's awards.
As a former gunners mate in the USCG I can tell you that back then in Vietnam for boardings we liked certain weapons, typically based on familiarity, compactness, and hitting power. At the time the M16 still in its first debuting. Additionally, distribution was a slow reluctant process. (I can't think of any Jarhead or fellow Coastie who liked the M16. And the Army, it was legendary the hate they had for it.) I too didn't like the M16. All of us were used to guns with wood. We all looked at the M16 as being made of plastic. It didn't have a heft to it. And on reading the comic-book-style manual, one got the impression the M16 was a delicate flower, that if you even looked at it wrong, a petal would fall off this "daisy." What I remember most, a buddy Marine sergeant (aka "Jarhead") told me he heard that M16 bullets can ricochet off a leaf and miss the target. With horror story rumors like that it is now wonder everyone opted for the Thompson, Remington 870 w/ shortened barrel, and the ultra-reliable trusty ol' M1 for the guy at your six. End result, no one was in a hurry to trade in the Thompson for a plastic rifle yet to be tested in combat conditions.
this video has a lot of things I agree with, and many I don't... But thank you for posting it. It's history, and if we don't learn history then we can't change the future.
A wonderful Video about US Coast Guard Vessels in( past ) South Vietnam Republic ...Since 1930 always USA have Best qualities of Navigation weaponry capacities ...also other department of US Military Efforts ...Nowadays Vietnam Communist Regime in cooperation with USA in Protecting Region Security & its Economic efforts - Commercial activities & internal Markets opened to USA Economic efforts in width doors ...that was Real Victory for USA where was not notable at its times
To the men of the USCG, many of those who served in Vietnam, and those who didn't, I learned something while watching the History Channel. When the US Air Force purchased the brand new helicopter known as the "Jolly Green Giant." The helicopter's sole purpose was to rescue downed pilots. But there was one MAJOR PROBLEM.....The Air Force didn't have helicopter pilots that SPECIALIZED in this type of duty. Who did the Air Force turn to for HELP?...You bet your ASS!!....The USCG!! The Air Force asked for VOULINTEERS and the USCG RESPONDED. The USCG is KNOWN for ALWAYS answering the call to HELP or ASSIST, etc. The USCG was also a part of the MRF, Mobile Riverine Force, patrolling the muddy waters of the Mekong Delta along with Naval Task Force 115, 116 and 117. Which provided support to the US ARMY's 1st and 2nd Brigades. Their duty was to go inland and patrol the endless rice paddies of the Delta, searching for "Charlie," which was a living HELL. This is where my Dad's service comes into play. He arrived in Vietnam in March of '68 and was assigned to B Co 3rd Bn 47th Infantry, 9th Infantry Division, base camp was "Bearcat." He SURVIVED the 12 months of leeches, misquotes, red ants, wasps, and the deep thick mud along with the monsoon rain and the heat!! He EARNED a purple heart, a bronze, C.I.B, along with many more. He retired with the rank of E-7 and passed away in Nov of '83....R.I.P....Much thanks to both NAVY & COAST GUARD for your assistance.
