Phantom - F-4 Fighter plane
PIO - Public information officer
PF - Popular Forces. Native military forces locally recruited and employed within their home districts by district chiefs.
Police - Military term for clean-up of an area. Implies a clean, thorough search of a battle field.
POW - prisoner of war
PRC-25 - Backpack FM radio-basic communications for nearly every level of command within the division except aviation.
Prep - Short term for preparatory fires on a landing zone.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Friday, April 29, 2011
Wednesday, April 27, 2011
Quotes: Chesty Puller
"You don't hurt 'em if you don't hit 'em."
Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller (June 26, 1898 – October 11, 1971) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Puller is the most decorated U.S. Marine in history, and the only Marine to receive five Navy Crosses.
During his career, he fought guerrillas in Haiti and Nicaragua, and participated in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II and the Korean War. Puller retired from the Marine Corps in 1955, spending the rest of his life in Virginia.
____________
"Will to Win,"
The Military Quotation Book: More than 1,200 of the Best Quotations About War, Leadership, Courage, Victory and Defeat, edited by James Charlton, 2002.
Lieutenant General Lewis Burwell "Chesty" Puller (June 26, 1898 – October 11, 1971) was an officer in the United States Marine Corps. Puller is the most decorated U.S. Marine in history, and the only Marine to receive five Navy Crosses.
During his career, he fought guerrillas in Haiti and Nicaragua, and participated in some of the bloodiest battles of World War II and the Korean War. Puller retired from the Marine Corps in 1955, spending the rest of his life in Virginia.
____________
"Will to Win,"
The Military Quotation Book: More than 1,200 of the Best Quotations About War, Leadership, Courage, Victory and Defeat, edited by James Charlton, 2002.
Vietnam War Glossary - Os
Order of Battle - Listing of units committed to a theater of operations. Obtaining a correct OB on the enemy was a major intelligence operation.
OP - Observation post
Organic - Military term for hardware items - vehicles, aircraft, weapons-that belong to a specific unit. All other materiel comes to units on a mission basis and the commander sometimes has limitations in its employment.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
OP - Observation post
Organic - Military term for hardware items - vehicles, aircraft, weapons-that belong to a specific unit. All other materiel comes to units on a mission basis and the commander sometimes has limitations in its employment.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Tuesday, April 26, 2011
Quotes: John F. Kennedy
"War will exist until that distant day when the conscientious objector enjoys the same reputation and prestige that the warrior does today.."
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.
____________
"Wars and Why They Start,"
The Military Quotation Book: More than 1,200 of the Best Quotations About War, Leadership, Courage, Victory and Defeat, edited by James Charlton, 2002.
John Fitzgerald "Jack" Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), often referred to by his initials JFK, was the 35th President of the United States, serving from 1961 until his assassination in 1963.
____________
"Wars and Why They Start,"
The Military Quotation Book: More than 1,200 of the Best Quotations About War, Leadership, Courage, Victory and Defeat, edited by James Charlton, 2002.
Monday, April 25, 2011
Vietnam War Glossary - Ns
Napalm - jellied gasoline used in air strikes
NCO - noncommissioned officer, a sergent. Also noncoms.
Net - short for radio network. All tactical radios operated within a defined network on a desgnated frequency.
NVA - North Vietnam Army. Generic term for any soldier or group of soldiers of soldiers from the North.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
NCO - noncommissioned officer, a sergent. Also noncoms.
Net - short for radio network. All tactical radios operated within a defined network on a desgnated frequency.
NVA - North Vietnam Army. Generic term for any soldier or group of soldiers of soldiers from the North.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Saturday, April 23, 2011
Quote: McGeorge Bundy
"Although war is easy, it is occasionally the lesser of two evils."
McGeorge "Mac" Bundy (March 30, 1919 – September 16, 1996) was United States National Security Advisor to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson from 1961 through 1966, and president of the Ford Foundation from 1966 through 1979. He is known primarily for his role in escalating the involvement of the United States in Vietnam during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.
____________
"Wars and Why They Start,"
The Military Quotation Book: More than 1,200 of the Best Quotations About War, Leadership, Courage, Victory and Defeat, edited by James Charlton, 2002.
McGeorge "Mac" Bundy (March 30, 1919 – September 16, 1996) was United States National Security Advisor to Presidents John F. Kennedy and Lyndon Johnson from 1961 through 1966, and president of the Ford Foundation from 1966 through 1979. He is known primarily for his role in escalating the involvement of the United States in Vietnam during the Kennedy and Johnson administrations.
____________
"Wars and Why They Start,"
The Military Quotation Book: More than 1,200 of the Best Quotations About War, Leadership, Courage, Victory and Defeat, edited by James Charlton, 2002.
Friday, April 22, 2011
Medal theft stuns Vietnam war veteran
The Northern Advocate: Medal theft stuns Vietnam war veteran
John Waetford bravely fought in the jungles of Vietnam. But the former soldier has been devastated by the theft of the four medals awarded to him for his tour of duty after he returned to Whangarei for a family reunion and to march in the Anzac Day dawn parade.
Within hours of stopping in Whangarei all his possessions were stolen by a thief who preyed on the 62-year-old's mistake.
Mr Waetford, visiting from Australia, had just finished shopping at Pak'nSave on Wednesday about 11am when he dashed back into the supermarket for items he had forgotten, inadvertently leaving his keys hanging from the boot.
An opportunistic thief drove away with the groceries and everything Mr Waetford had brought for his New Zealand trip.
He went to Whangarei police to report the theft and spent hours driving around the city suburbs with a family member looking for the dark green Honda Ascot four-door car.
The vehicle contained his medals and memorabilia he had packed for a special trip to the battle grounds of Vietnam after the Anzac celebrations.
It will be his first trip back after spending a year as a private and lead scout with the Victor 5 Company as a 21-year-old in the early 1970s.
The theft has left him devastated and pleading for the return of his war medals.
"Everything is gone, even the suit I was going to wear for the dawn parade.
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But it's the medals that are the most precious," said Mr Waetford, who has links with Whananaki.
Family photos he had bought with him for the Easter weekend Waetford reunion at Matapouri were among other items taken.
"It's certainly put a damper on the trip. The beer doesn't taste that sweet at all."
Also in the stolen car was a black suitcase with red trim, a black sports bag with Saudi Arabia printed on it, a video camera, camera, binoculars and duty-free alcohol. A new data projector was also stolen.
The four service medals - one in the shape of a cross and the others round - were mounted on a strip. The ribbons were coloured green and white, yellow and red, orange and blue and black and white. The medals were engraved on the rim with Mr Waetford's name.
"These are the original medals," he said. "Just return these precious things."
Mr Waetford said he would still march in Whangarei's dawn parade on Monday.
He will join his wife in Auckland before flying to Vietnam on April 30 with about 70 veterans and family members for a 10-day tour including trips to areas in which he fought.
Mr Waetford's niece, Cushla Smith, appealed to the thief: "Show some compassion to John and for his services to the country by returning the car and medals. It would enable him to enjoy his time here in New Zealand and his first trip back to Vietnam with his unit."
If you can help Mr Waetford and know anything about this theft contact Whangarei Police on 09 430 4500
Putting faces to the names
GrandForksHerald.com: Putting faces to the names
National effort seeks to find photographs of all 58,267 lost in Vietnam
Of the 198 North Dakotans who were killed or declared missing in the Vietnam War, David James Corcoran of Grand Forks was the youngest, just 50 days past his 18th birthday when he died in 1969. Sgt. Ward G. Walter, 50, of Minot, killed in 1967, was the oldest. Their names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., among the 58,267 soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen listed as lost in Southeast Asia more than 40 years ago.
Of the 198 North Dakotans who were killed or declared missing in the Vietnam War, David James Corcoran of Grand Forks was the youngest, just 50 days past his 18th birthday when he died in 1969.
Sgt. Ward G. Walter, 50, of Minot, killed in 1967, was the oldest.
Their names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., among the 58,267 soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen listed as lost in Southeast Asia more than 40 years ago.
Now the people preserving the names of the fallen want to collect and assemble their photographs, too, and make them part of a touring exhibit that puts faces to the names.
“We get the stories people have of their loved ones who were lost in that war,” said Lisa Gough of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. “We read these and they just pull at our heart strings. It shows that so many years later, these people are still loved. They are still missed every day.
“So we want to gather the photos of every name on the wall.”
That pleases the family of Marine Lance Cpl. Robert “Skip” Bye, killed in 1969 at the age of 20, including niece Nikki Holter of rural Larimore, N.D.
“That would definitely be a thing we would want to be part of,” she said.
Not just statistics
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund was established in 1979 to promote healing, educate new generations about the war and its costs and preserve the legacy of those who served there, especially those who were lost.
The national call for photos was launched in September 2009, but it received a boost this week when groups in Kentucky announced plans for a concerted effort to find photographs of all 1,058 service members from that state killed in the war.
“Nationally, we estimate we have about a third of what we need,” Gough said. “We knew it would be a multiyear task. It’s a huge undertaking.”
She said she wasn’t sure how many photographs of the 198 North Dakotans are at the museum now.
“Realistically, we probably won’t be able to get them all, but we’re sure going to try,” she said. “These people gave their lives for their country. They’re never just statistics. Check into each one and there are always people back home who love them and miss them.”
Gough said the campaign to find photographs is based largely on appeals to families and friends. “Beyond that, there are places we can go: universities, the military academies.”
Photographs may be submitted electronically, she said.
“If you go to www.buildthecenter.org, that tells you how to download the photo, and there’s a form you can fill out for identification,” she said. “And if you want to provide a remembrance, we’ll use that, too.”
Contributions will go immediately onto the memorial’s website: www.vvmf.org.
“There is a tab at the top where you can search the wall, and there’s a page for everyone listed on the wall with some information, a photo if we have it and a place for a family to put a remembrance,” she said.
“If you don’t have the ability to scan a photo, you can send it to us in the mail. But you should only send a copy; we can’t take the responsibility for sending them back.”
The Wall that Heals, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial, is on its annual tour around the country, and that traveling museum includes a scanner where family members may provide a photo of a loved one.
More information on the photo project is available at (202) 393-0090.
‘I look like you’
In a 2009 interview with the Herald, Helen Bye, then 81, said she slips her son’s dog tags around her neck every day, and she keeps a pouch of his letters from Vietnam on a nightstand by her bed.
“I take them out now and then,” she said. “I take them out and I read them again, and I have a little cry.”
For more than 40 years, she has led a large family contingent to her son’s gravesite in Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston on Memorial Day.
And there are pictures, including a sketch done two years ago by Helen Bye’s great-granddaughter from Skip’s Marine portrait. “I didn’t know him,” 13-year-old Hannah Holter said then as she worked carefully on his eyes. “But I think he was brave.”
And there is one more image.
Skip Bye had become a father just a month before he was killed. On the 40th anniversary of his death, his daughter wrote him a letter.
“Dear Daddy … Just a little note to let you know what has been happening since you left us.
“I graduated high school, started college, met a man and got married. I had your granddaughter. … She is very smart and a great kid. You would be very proud of her.
“I have been told that she looks a lot like me. In turn, I have been told I look a lot like you.”
National effort seeks to find photographs of all 58,267 lost in Vietnam
Of the 198 North Dakotans who were killed or declared missing in the Vietnam War, David James Corcoran of Grand Forks was the youngest, just 50 days past his 18th birthday when he died in 1969. Sgt. Ward G. Walter, 50, of Minot, killed in 1967, was the oldest. Their names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., among the 58,267 soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen listed as lost in Southeast Asia more than 40 years ago.
Of the 198 North Dakotans who were killed or declared missing in the Vietnam War, David James Corcoran of Grand Forks was the youngest, just 50 days past his 18th birthday when he died in 1969.
Sgt. Ward G. Walter, 50, of Minot, killed in 1967, was the oldest.
Their names are on the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, D.C., among the 58,267 soldiers, Marines, sailors and airmen listed as lost in Southeast Asia more than 40 years ago.
Now the people preserving the names of the fallen want to collect and assemble their photographs, too, and make them part of a touring exhibit that puts faces to the names.
“We get the stories people have of their loved ones who were lost in that war,” said Lisa Gough of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund. “We read these and they just pull at our heart strings. It shows that so many years later, these people are still loved. They are still missed every day.
“So we want to gather the photos of every name on the wall.”
That pleases the family of Marine Lance Cpl. Robert “Skip” Bye, killed in 1969 at the age of 20, including niece Nikki Holter of rural Larimore, N.D.
“That would definitely be a thing we would want to be part of,” she said.
Not just statistics
The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund was established in 1979 to promote healing, educate new generations about the war and its costs and preserve the legacy of those who served there, especially those who were lost.
The national call for photos was launched in September 2009, but it received a boost this week when groups in Kentucky announced plans for a concerted effort to find photographs of all 1,058 service members from that state killed in the war.
“Nationally, we estimate we have about a third of what we need,” Gough said. “We knew it would be a multiyear task. It’s a huge undertaking.”
She said she wasn’t sure how many photographs of the 198 North Dakotans are at the museum now.
“Realistically, we probably won’t be able to get them all, but we’re sure going to try,” she said. “These people gave their lives for their country. They’re never just statistics. Check into each one and there are always people back home who love them and miss them.”
Gough said the campaign to find photographs is based largely on appeals to families and friends. “Beyond that, there are places we can go: universities, the military academies.”
Photographs may be submitted electronically, she said.
“If you go to www.buildthecenter.org, that tells you how to download the photo, and there’s a form you can fill out for identification,” she said. “And if you want to provide a remembrance, we’ll use that, too.”
Contributions will go immediately onto the memorial’s website: www.vvmf.org.
“There is a tab at the top where you can search the wall, and there’s a page for everyone listed on the wall with some information, a photo if we have it and a place for a family to put a remembrance,” she said.
“If you don’t have the ability to scan a photo, you can send it to us in the mail. But you should only send a copy; we can’t take the responsibility for sending them back.”
The Wall that Heals, a half-scale replica of the Vietnam Memorial, is on its annual tour around the country, and that traveling museum includes a scanner where family members may provide a photo of a loved one.
More information on the photo project is available at (202) 393-0090.
‘I look like you’
In a 2009 interview with the Herald, Helen Bye, then 81, said she slips her son’s dog tags around her neck every day, and she keeps a pouch of his letters from Vietnam on a nightstand by her bed.
“I take them out now and then,” she said. “I take them out and I read them again, and I have a little cry.”
For more than 40 years, she has led a large family contingent to her son’s gravesite in Oakdale Cemetery in Crookston on Memorial Day.
And there are pictures, including a sketch done two years ago by Helen Bye’s great-granddaughter from Skip’s Marine portrait. “I didn’t know him,” 13-year-old Hannah Holter said then as she worked carefully on his eyes. “But I think he was brave.”
And there is one more image.
Skip Bye had become a father just a month before he was killed. On the 40th anniversary of his death, his daughter wrote him a letter.
“Dear Daddy … Just a little note to let you know what has been happening since you left us.
“I graduated high school, started college, met a man and got married. I had your granddaughter. … She is very smart and a great kid. You would be very proud of her.
“I have been told that she looks a lot like me. In turn, I have been told I look a lot like you.”
Vietnam War Glossary - Ms
M-16 - US caliber 5.56mm, the basic rifle of the ingfantryman
M-60 - US caliber 7.62mm, platoon and company machine gun.
M-67 - The 90mm recoiless rifle that was the basic weapon for the anti-tank platoon of the combat support company of each battalion. It generally was left in base camp and the platoon organized as infantry.
M-72 - Light anti-tank weapon, called a LAW. Fired a 66mm projectile from a disposable launcher. Used as a bunker buster in Vietnam.
M-79 - The 40mm grenade launcher that looked like a stubby, sawed-off shotgun.
MACV - Military Assistance Command Vietnam; the highest US command authority in the Republic of Vietnam.
Medevac - Term used in the 1st Calvary for aerial medical evaluation (also dustoff)
Medic - Medical aid man
MOH - Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in the US Army.
MR - Military Region. Both North and South used MRs to denote geographicsal areas.
M-102 - The 105mm howitzer used by 1st Calvary artillery units. It had a slightly longer range than the older model, the M-101A1, and was substantially lighter, permitting airlifting by a Huey.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
M-60 - US caliber 7.62mm, platoon and company machine gun.
M-67 - The 90mm recoiless rifle that was the basic weapon for the anti-tank platoon of the combat support company of each battalion. It generally was left in base camp and the platoon organized as infantry.
M-72 - Light anti-tank weapon, called a LAW. Fired a 66mm projectile from a disposable launcher. Used as a bunker buster in Vietnam.
M-79 - The 40mm grenade launcher that looked like a stubby, sawed-off shotgun.
MACV - Military Assistance Command Vietnam; the highest US command authority in the Republic of Vietnam.
Medevac - Term used in the 1st Calvary for aerial medical evaluation (also dustoff)
Medic - Medical aid man
MOH - Medal of Honor, the highest award for valor in the US Army.
MR - Military Region. Both North and South used MRs to denote geographicsal areas.
M-102 - The 105mm howitzer used by 1st Calvary artillery units. It had a slightly longer range than the older model, the M-101A1, and was substantially lighter, permitting airlifting by a Huey.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Wednesday, April 20, 2011
Vietnam War Glossary - Ls
L-19 - Army nomenclature for Bird Dog Aircraft
Logging - Practice of sending logistics helicopters to troop units-the airmobile equivalent of the kitchen and supply trucks of WWII and Korea.
LP - listening post
LRRP - Long range reconnaissance patrol unit
LZ - landing zone
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Logging - Practice of sending logistics helicopters to troop units-the airmobile equivalent of the kitchen and supply trucks of WWII and Korea.
LP - listening post
LRRP - Long range reconnaissance patrol unit
LZ - landing zone
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Tuesday, April 19, 2011
Vietnam wall replica to come to Veterans
The Sun News: Vietnam wall replica to come to Veterans
The Moving Wall, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, will be on display at Veterans High School from April 28 through May 1. The replica contains the names of the more than 58,200 men and women who lost their lives during the Vietnam War.
While the wall is on display, active military from Robins Air Force Base will read the name of each soldier, sailor, airman, marine and Coast Guardsman listed on the wall.
The wall will arrive in Warner Robins about 8 a.m. April 28 and will be escorted by law enforcement and veterans groups down Watson Boulevard to Ga. 247, where it will proceed to Veterans High School. Community members and businesses are asked to line the route that morning to show respect.
Opening ceremonies will begin at 1 p.m. Dignitaries expected to be on hand include Maj. Gen. Robert H. McMahon, commander of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center; Brig. Gen. James E. Sehorn, a POW who retired from the Air Force; Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.; and Gov. Nathan Deal and his wife, Sandra Deal.
Closing ceremony dignitaries are Capt. Bill Robertson, longest-held enlisted POW; retired Maj. Gen. Peter Boylan, president of Georgia Military College; and retired Col. Sam Lamback, chaplain.
The Moving Wall will be open to the public 24 hours a day while at Veterans High School.
Kathryn Carver, director of Service for Service, an organization dedicated to supporting the military that was instrumental in bringing The Moving Wall to the area, said it was time for Vietnam veterans to get some of the recognition they deserve.
“I can’t imagine serving your country, leaving your home and your family, and then coming home and not being thanked and appreciated for your service,” she said.
Carver said the idea to bring the Moving Wall here stemmed from resident Benjamin Jones, who expressed to Carver a desire to honor Vietnam veterans.
Among the names are several of servicemen who listed Warner Robins and Perry as their hometowns.
From Warner Robins are: David Martin Allen, 20; David Eugene Bryant, 21; Anthony Gordon Chandler, 23; Alton Jimmy Fennel, 18; Alvin Maynard Slaton, 22; Wayne Yearwood Stewart, 22; and David Lee Wagner, 31.
From Perry are: Roy Hudson, 21; Dennis Mitchell Perry, 21; and Millard Leroy Williamson, 22.
“It is such a reminder that we are truly blessed to be an American,” Carver said. “We don’t have the freedoms that we have just because we were born here. Every single right and privilege, somebody put their life on the line to provide it.”
Retired Tech. Sgt. Brian L. Schmidt is a past president of the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America. Schmidt sees the wall as not only a way to honor those who gave their lives in Vietnam, but also to educate those too young to remember the Vietnam War.
“It is an awareness that the American public needs, especially our youth today,” Schmidt said. “Seeing the wall will help to bring those events back to the forefront (of those) that have shaped this country.”
Viewing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, whether the one in Washington or the replica wall due to arrive at Veterans High, is a powerful experience and can be emotional. Schmidt believes with that emotion comes some understanding of the promise an American serviceman makes.
“Our soldiers, sailors and airmen, marines and Coast Guard, when they raise their hand to defend this country, it is a commitment up to and including the loss of their own life to defend this country,” Schmidt said.
“Only two people have given up their life for others -- Jesus Christ and the American soldier.”
The Moving Wall, a replica of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall in Washington, will be on display at Veterans High School from April 28 through May 1. The replica contains the names of the more than 58,200 men and women who lost their lives during the Vietnam War.
While the wall is on display, active military from Robins Air Force Base will read the name of each soldier, sailor, airman, marine and Coast Guardsman listed on the wall.
The wall will arrive in Warner Robins about 8 a.m. April 28 and will be escorted by law enforcement and veterans groups down Watson Boulevard to Ga. 247, where it will proceed to Veterans High School. Community members and businesses are asked to line the route that morning to show respect.
Opening ceremonies will begin at 1 p.m. Dignitaries expected to be on hand include Maj. Gen. Robert H. McMahon, commander of the Warner Robins Air Logistics Center; Brig. Gen. James E. Sehorn, a POW who retired from the Air Force; Rep. Austin Scott, R-Ga.; and Gov. Nathan Deal and his wife, Sandra Deal.
Closing ceremony dignitaries are Capt. Bill Robertson, longest-held enlisted POW; retired Maj. Gen. Peter Boylan, president of Georgia Military College; and retired Col. Sam Lamback, chaplain.
The Moving Wall will be open to the public 24 hours a day while at Veterans High School.
Kathryn Carver, director of Service for Service, an organization dedicated to supporting the military that was instrumental in bringing The Moving Wall to the area, said it was time for Vietnam veterans to get some of the recognition they deserve.
“I can’t imagine serving your country, leaving your home and your family, and then coming home and not being thanked and appreciated for your service,” she said.
Carver said the idea to bring the Moving Wall here stemmed from resident Benjamin Jones, who expressed to Carver a desire to honor Vietnam veterans.
Among the names are several of servicemen who listed Warner Robins and Perry as their hometowns.
From Warner Robins are: David Martin Allen, 20; David Eugene Bryant, 21; Anthony Gordon Chandler, 23; Alton Jimmy Fennel, 18; Alvin Maynard Slaton, 22; Wayne Yearwood Stewart, 22; and David Lee Wagner, 31.
From Perry are: Roy Hudson, 21; Dennis Mitchell Perry, 21; and Millard Leroy Williamson, 22.
“It is such a reminder that we are truly blessed to be an American,” Carver said. “We don’t have the freedoms that we have just because we were born here. Every single right and privilege, somebody put their life on the line to provide it.”
Retired Tech. Sgt. Brian L. Schmidt is a past president of the local chapter of the Vietnam Veterans of America. Schmidt sees the wall as not only a way to honor those who gave their lives in Vietnam, but also to educate those too young to remember the Vietnam War.
“It is an awareness that the American public needs, especially our youth today,” Schmidt said. “Seeing the wall will help to bring those events back to the forefront (of those) that have shaped this country.”
Viewing the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Wall, whether the one in Washington or the replica wall due to arrive at Veterans High, is a powerful experience and can be emotional. Schmidt believes with that emotion comes some understanding of the promise an American serviceman makes.
“Our soldiers, sailors and airmen, marines and Coast Guard, when they raise their hand to defend this country, it is a commitment up to and including the loss of their own life to defend this country,” Schmidt said.
“Only two people have given up their life for others -- Jesus Christ and the American soldier.”
Expendable Elite, by Daniel Marvin
Expendable Elite: One Soldier's Journey Into Covert Warfare, by Lt. Colonel (Ret) USAF Daniel Marvin
Independent Publishers Group, 2003
329 pages, Appendices, 24 pages of b&w photos
Library: 959.704 MAR
Description
This true story of a Special Forces officer in Vietnam in the mid-sixties will acquaint you with the unique nature of Special Operations Forces and how covert operations are developed and masked to permit - even sponsor - assassinations, outright purposeful killing of innocents, illegal use of force and bizarre methods in combat operations.
Expendable Elite refers the fear that these elite warriors share with no other military person - not the fear of the enemy they have been trained to fight in battle, but fear of the wrath of our government should they no longer be needed and find themselves classified as ...expendable.
A centerpiece of this book is the CIA mission to assassinate CAmbodian Crown Prince Norodum Sihanouk, the author's unilateral aborting of the mission, and the drama surrounding the dispatch by the CIA of an ARVN regiment to attack, destroy the camp and kill every person in it as retribution for standing up against the CIA.
The dramatic rescue by ARVN LTG Quang Van Dang of eight American Green Berets and hundreds of South Vietnamese will capture your curiosity and whet your appetite for more in this ongoing SPECIAL OPERATIONS series.
Table of Contents
Forword by Martha Raye
Introduction by Jacqueline K. Powers
Acronyms, Terms and Abbreviations
1. Secret Orders
2. Massacre West of Rach Gia
3. A Tiger Named Le
4. Taking the War to Cambodia
5. A Test of Courage
6. Wai for the Southern Wind
7. The Shotgun
8. We Almost Bought the Farm
9. But They're Women, Sir!
10. Hell's Fury Unleashed at Khanh Binh
11. Victory at Khanh Binh
12. Mission: Assassinate a Prince
13. Apocolypse at An Phu
14. We Fade Away
15. A President's Fantasy is a Soldier's Curse
Epilogue Part 1-Official Denial and Subterfuge
Epilogue Part 2 - Speaking with forked tongues - A chronology of subterfuge, abandonment and betrayal
Epilogue 3 - Words of pain, anguish and Wisdom
Aftwerword
Appendices
Notes
Maps
Monday, April 18, 2011
Vietnam War Glossary - Ks
KIA - killed in action
Klick - slang for kilometer
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Klick - slang for kilometer
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
An Accidental Soldier, by Manny Garcia
An Accidental Soldier: Memoirs of a Mestizo in Vietnam, by Manny Garcia
University of New Mexico Press, 2003
278 pages, no index, No photos
Library: 959.704 GAR
Description
"I was born in a log cabin just like Abe Lincoln, except our cabin was a rental." Starting with this account of his humble origins, Manny Garcia, who describes himself as a "left-handed, rather contrary Mestizo-American" has written a memoir that begins in late 1947 in the San Luis Valley of Southern Colorodo. His journey takes him to Utah and ultimately to Vietnam.
In late 1965, a cocky, naive, alienated teenager, Garcia joined the army almost accidentally, enlisting for three years. At eighteen he became an Airborne Ranger, a combat infantryman with the crack First Brigade of the 101st Airborne Division, the Screaming Eagles. His book shows you the war from the point man position, up close and personal, at eye level.
Table of Contents
Acknowledgments
Introduction
1: The Chameleon
Part 1: The Myth of Training
2: The REcruit
3. The Infantryman
4. Airborne Ranger
Part 2: When Men Are Shot At
5. Cherry
6. Hell's Foyer
7. The Field Trip
8. Lady Killer
Part 3: Full of Emptiness
9. Headshot
10. Strike Force
11. Jungle Rat
12. I Corps
13. Bastogne REvisited
Part 4: Armistice and Eloquence
14. Foul
15. Left-handed Eloquence
16. Hindsight and Movement
Epilogue
Saturday, April 16, 2011
Daylong celebration in SC capital celebrates accomplishments of Vietnam War-era veterans
The Republic (Columbia, South Carolina): Daylong celebration in SC capital celebrates accomplishments of Vietnam War-era veterans
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A nonprofit group is celebrating Vietnam War-era veterans with a festival in Columbia.
The Celebrate Freedom Foundation on Saturday (April 16) is putting on a festival at Finlay Park. The daylong event features living history displays, historic home tours and a free concert.
Helicopters are the theme of this year's celebration, with models like the Huey, Cobra, Loach and OH-58 on display. There are also other military vehicles, field encampments and reenactment planned.
The group is also putting on a school education day Friday, as well as a Heroes of Freedom dinner at the Medallion Center.
COLUMBIA, S.C. — A nonprofit group is celebrating Vietnam War-era veterans with a festival in Columbia.
The Celebrate Freedom Foundation on Saturday (April 16) is putting on a festival at Finlay Park. The daylong event features living history displays, historic home tours and a free concert.
Helicopters are the theme of this year's celebration, with models like the Huey, Cobra, Loach and OH-58 on display. There are also other military vehicles, field encampments and reenactment planned.
The group is also putting on a school education day Friday, as well as a Heroes of Freedom dinner at the Medallion Center.
Friday, April 15, 2011
Vietnam War Glossary - Js
JCS - Joint Chiefs of Staff
JUSPAO - Joint United States Public Affairs Office
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
JUSPAO - Joint United States Public Affairs Office
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Thursday, April 14, 2011
Meet a Veteran Q&A: Joseph G. Startt
Dover Post: Meet a Veteran Q&A: Joseph G. Startt
Dover, Del. — Vietnam War veteran Joseph G. Startt fought for his country more than 40 years ago. Over the years, he has given back to the community and kept the memory alive of the soldiers lost in Vietnam through the Kent County Chapter 850 of the Delaware Vietnam Veterans of America. He is the president of the chapter.
To celebrate Vietnam Veterans Day on March 30, Chapter 850 had a ceremony at the Kent County Veterans Memorial Park to honor the fallen soldiers. They also honored John Wheeler III, who was murdered last year.
Here’s an in depth look at Startt and what else Chapter 850 does throughout the year.
Q What part of the military were you in?
A I was in the Army, the 25th Infantry. I was drafted on July 3rd of 1969. I fought in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 for 9 months and 27 days. I was wounded and brought back to a hospital in Valley Forge, Pa. I was in the hospital for six months.
Q How did you feel about being drafted?
A I wanted to be just like my father. He fought in World War II and I had a chance to be just like him. He was in the Army, I was in the Army. He was in the 25th Infantry, I was in the 25th Infantry. He was drafted, I was drafted.
Q How does it feel to have served your country?
A Now I feel honored to have worn that uniform. I wore it proudly. I fought for our freedom. I was willing to lose my life for our country and our freedom. I was very proud to wear that uniform but very sorry we lost 58,000 soldiers. That’s why we honored them with a memorial here, for the guys that fought in Vietnam.
Q What was it like for your wife while you were in Vietnam?
A My wife was 150% supportive. She really has been here for me. She wrote me every single day, never missed a letter. I tried to write back but she has always been 150% supportive. She is wonderful.
Q How did you feel when you came back from Vietnam? Was it hard to adjust?
A I was flown back to the hospital so I didn’t experience what the guys and gals experienced when they first came back. I will say I don’t want other soldiers to experience what we went through. We have a quote that is very dear to our heart, “Never again will one generation of veteran’s abandon another.” We want them to come home. We’re going to try everything we can to give them a good homecoming.
Q What did you do after you came back from Vietnam?
A I retired last March from Dover Air Force Base where I was a sheet metal technician for 30 years.
Q What else does Chapter 850 do throughout the year?
A We have fundraisers. On July 9, we’re having a Nam Jam and Poker Run to raise money for our memorial at the American Legion Post 2. We’re going to have a craft show at the American Legion in June, a Beef and Beer on Sept. 24 in Leipsic and a fried oyster dinner in Felton on Nov. 5. All the money is for Chapter 850 outreach and the memorial.
We also recruit for more veterans and Vietnam veterans to join our chapter. We started out with 20 and now we have 150 members. We started in 2000 and I’ve been president for four years. We have 25 associate members, these are war veterans but didn’t fight in the Vietnam War. We’re looking for new associate members.
Q Where does the money from the fundraisers go?
A The money goes toward the memorial and scholarships to help our brothers and sisters. To families in need of room, food and this winter's fuel.
Dover, Del. — Vietnam War veteran Joseph G. Startt fought for his country more than 40 years ago. Over the years, he has given back to the community and kept the memory alive of the soldiers lost in Vietnam through the Kent County Chapter 850 of the Delaware Vietnam Veterans of America. He is the president of the chapter.
To celebrate Vietnam Veterans Day on March 30, Chapter 850 had a ceremony at the Kent County Veterans Memorial Park to honor the fallen soldiers. They also honored John Wheeler III, who was murdered last year.
Here’s an in depth look at Startt and what else Chapter 850 does throughout the year.
Q What part of the military were you in?
A I was in the Army, the 25th Infantry. I was drafted on July 3rd of 1969. I fought in Vietnam from 1969 to 1970 for 9 months and 27 days. I was wounded and brought back to a hospital in Valley Forge, Pa. I was in the hospital for six months.
Q How did you feel about being drafted?
A I wanted to be just like my father. He fought in World War II and I had a chance to be just like him. He was in the Army, I was in the Army. He was in the 25th Infantry, I was in the 25th Infantry. He was drafted, I was drafted.
Q How does it feel to have served your country?
A Now I feel honored to have worn that uniform. I wore it proudly. I fought for our freedom. I was willing to lose my life for our country and our freedom. I was very proud to wear that uniform but very sorry we lost 58,000 soldiers. That’s why we honored them with a memorial here, for the guys that fought in Vietnam.
Q What was it like for your wife while you were in Vietnam?
A My wife was 150% supportive. She really has been here for me. She wrote me every single day, never missed a letter. I tried to write back but she has always been 150% supportive. She is wonderful.
Q How did you feel when you came back from Vietnam? Was it hard to adjust?
A I was flown back to the hospital so I didn’t experience what the guys and gals experienced when they first came back. I will say I don’t want other soldiers to experience what we went through. We have a quote that is very dear to our heart, “Never again will one generation of veteran’s abandon another.” We want them to come home. We’re going to try everything we can to give them a good homecoming.
Q What did you do after you came back from Vietnam?
A I retired last March from Dover Air Force Base where I was a sheet metal technician for 30 years.
Q What else does Chapter 850 do throughout the year?
A We have fundraisers. On July 9, we’re having a Nam Jam and Poker Run to raise money for our memorial at the American Legion Post 2. We’re going to have a craft show at the American Legion in June, a Beef and Beer on Sept. 24 in Leipsic and a fried oyster dinner in Felton on Nov. 5. All the money is for Chapter 850 outreach and the memorial.
We also recruit for more veterans and Vietnam veterans to join our chapter. We started out with 20 and now we have 150 members. We started in 2000 and I’ve been president for four years. We have 25 associate members, these are war veterans but didn’t fight in the Vietnam War. We’re looking for new associate members.
Q Where does the money from the fundraisers go?
A The money goes toward the memorial and scholarships to help our brothers and sisters. To families in need of room, food and this winter's fuel.
Ambush Valley, by Eric Hammel
Ambush Valley: I Corps, Vietnam, 1967--the Story of a Marine Infantry Battalion's Battle for Survival, by Eric Hammel
Presidio, 1990
327 pages plus bibliography, acknowledgments and index. 13 pages of b&w photos
Library: 959.704 HAM
Summary
In the summer of 1967, the Marines in I Corps, Vietnam's northernmost military region, were doing everything they could to lighten the pressure on the besieged Con Thien Combat Base.
Still fresh after months of relatively light action around Khe SAnh, the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines, was sent to the Con Thien region to secure the combat base's endangered main supply route. On September 7, 1967, its first full day of patrolling in the new area of operations, separate elements of the batallion were attacked by at least two battalions of North Vietnamese infantry, and both were nearly overrun in night-long battles.
Three days later, September 10, while advancing to a new sector near Con Thien, the 3rd Battalion, 26th Marines, was attacked by an entire North Vietnamese regiment, the same NVA unit which had attacked it two days earlier. Isolated into two separate defensive perimeters, the Marines battled through the afternoon and evening against repeated direct assaults by waves of North Vietnamese infantry intent upon achieving a major victory. Only by the narrowest margins did the Americans prevail.
Ambush Valley is an unforgettable account of bravery and survival under impossible conditions. It is told entirely in the words of the men who faced the ordeal together-an unprecedented mosaic of action and emotion woven into an incredibly clear and vivid combat narrative by one of today's most effective military historians. Ambush Valley achieves a new standard for oral history. It is a war story not to be missed.
Table of Contents
Guide to Terms and Abbreviations
Prologue
Maps
Part I: The Churchyard
Part II: Staked Bait
Part III: Ambush Valley
Part IV: Parting Shots
Reflections
Updates
Bibliography
Acknowledgments
Index
Wednesday, April 13, 2011
Vietnam War Glossary - Is
India - The letter I in the phonetc alphabet. Also the designation of a radio telephone operator for a leader. For example Bullwhip-6 India would be radio operator for the commander of the 9th Calvary Squadron.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Monday, April 11, 2011
East Bay veterans group started as outcasts
MercuryNews.com: East Bay veterans group started as outcasts
Today the Viet Nam Veterans of the Diablo Valley are a big part of the East Bay's military community, often a presence at events honoring past and present veterans in addition to finding help for those in need.
But that's not how it began 20 years ago. When Vietnam veterans returned from war, many treated them as outcasts.
"The Vietnam veterans did not get a good welcome home," said the group's co-founder Dennis Marguet, 63, of Cascade, Idaho.
Marguet, who served in the Marines, remembers that time well. Protesters called them "baby killers" and community college teachers didn't like the veterans on campus. An employment specialist told him not to note his war experience to improve his chances of finding work.
He recalls visiting a Southern California post of Veterans of Foreign Wars, the large veterans organization chartered in 1899. He was at the bar when a World War II veteran asked which war he had served in. Marguet told him, and "He said 'I was in the war we won.' Then he got up and left."
That negativity led to the Diablo Valley group's creation outside the more established veteran groups not specific to individual wars. The group is going strong 20 years later with 130 active members who meet monthly to keep their close bond going.
"Veterans learned that you don't tell people you were a Vietnam vet," said Marguet.
Current President Jerry Yahiro, 67, an early member from Danville, concurred. Like Marguet, he had not previously been involved with a veterans group.
"Traditional organizations did not open their arms to welcome us," said Yahiro, an Army mortar platoon leader. "It was the general attitude. The Vietnam War was not a popular war."
The group started after Marguet, living in Pleasanton, contacted the Vietnam Veterans of America, a national organization started for advocacy in 1978, during a time its leaders say the government and established veteran groups were not addressing their problems. Today the group has more than 65,000 members in 630 chapters. They helped him connect with Norm Mahalich, a former Marine pilot living in Diablo, who had also contacted them.
Mahalich was already a member of the VFW and other organizations and felt accepted, but there weren't many others from his war. Their first meeting of Vietnam-era veterans drew more than 100.
"What they needed was to feel safe, to feel wanted, to feel compassion and unconditional acceptance," said Mahalich, 68, a retired commercial airline pilot now living in Placerville. "A lot of Vietnam veterans were hiding in the woodwork."
Instead of joining the national Vietnam group, they decided to be independent, as a similar group in Monterey County had done. Marguet said they stayed out of politics, focusing on camaraderie and working to improve the image of Vietnam veterans.
Too often, the veterans group members said, public perception painted those who served in Vietnam as drug abusers, alcoholics, homeless and with mental problems.
Among this group's work has been the push for construction of the All Wars Memorial in Danville's Oak Hill Park. They are also part of holiday celebrations, such as hosting the Memorial Day event at the park.
When today's military members come home on leave, or if a member of the military is killed in action, their members are among the many groups involved to greet them, or to support their families. Many are involved with the East Bay Stand Down, a days-long event held every two years in a temporary camp where veterans can learn about residential programs, employment and other help.
"Especially for Vietnam veterans, we do not want anyone treated the way we got treated," said Yahiro.
Their monthly dinners at the Crow Canyon Country Club are also a time to bond, both mixing the heavy and lighthearted. It always includes an empty table to represent those missing in action and prisoners of war. Attendees introduce themselves, and while the vast majority are men, there are also women who worked as Navy nurses and Army workers who ran orphanages and other services.
During their 20th anniversary celebration meeting on Thursday, members talked of the bond they felt, hard times they have faced, and remembering those who died in and after the war.
Marguet, a retired insurance agent and broker, and Yahiro, a retired phone company manager, said much has changed since they returned from war. Yahiro notes Iraq and Afghanistan veterans receive warm welcomes. Both he and Marguet also said divides with other veteran generations have improved, with Vietnam vets also taking leadership of the larger veteran groups as they age.
Yahiro, who had relatives in the Japanese-American World War II fighting groups, is part of a VFW Nisei post, while Marguet is part of the VFW and American Legion.
"It's gotten a lot better," said Marguet. "Now you can go out, wear our uniform and be proud."
Today the Viet Nam Veterans of the Diablo Valley are a big part of the East Bay's military community, often a presence at events honoring past and present veterans in addition to finding help for those in need.
But that's not how it began 20 years ago. When Vietnam veterans returned from war, many treated them as outcasts.
"The Vietnam veterans did not get a good welcome home," said the group's co-founder Dennis Marguet, 63, of Cascade, Idaho.
Marguet, who served in the Marines, remembers that time well. Protesters called them "baby killers" and community college teachers didn't like the veterans on campus. An employment specialist told him not to note his war experience to improve his chances of finding work.
He recalls visiting a Southern California post of Veterans of Foreign Wars, the large veterans organization chartered in 1899. He was at the bar when a World War II veteran asked which war he had served in. Marguet told him, and "He said 'I was in the war we won.' Then he got up and left."
That negativity led to the Diablo Valley group's creation outside the more established veteran groups not specific to individual wars. The group is going strong 20 years later with 130 active members who meet monthly to keep their close bond going.
"Veterans learned that you don't tell people you were a Vietnam vet," said Marguet.
Current President Jerry Yahiro, 67, an early member from Danville, concurred. Like Marguet, he had not previously been involved with a veterans group.
"Traditional organizations did not open their arms to welcome us," said Yahiro, an Army mortar platoon leader. "It was the general attitude. The Vietnam War was not a popular war."
The group started after Marguet, living in Pleasanton, contacted the Vietnam Veterans of America, a national organization started for advocacy in 1978, during a time its leaders say the government and established veteran groups were not addressing their problems. Today the group has more than 65,000 members in 630 chapters. They helped him connect with Norm Mahalich, a former Marine pilot living in Diablo, who had also contacted them.
Mahalich was already a member of the VFW and other organizations and felt accepted, but there weren't many others from his war. Their first meeting of Vietnam-era veterans drew more than 100.
"What they needed was to feel safe, to feel wanted, to feel compassion and unconditional acceptance," said Mahalich, 68, a retired commercial airline pilot now living in Placerville. "A lot of Vietnam veterans were hiding in the woodwork."
Instead of joining the national Vietnam group, they decided to be independent, as a similar group in Monterey County had done. Marguet said they stayed out of politics, focusing on camaraderie and working to improve the image of Vietnam veterans.
Too often, the veterans group members said, public perception painted those who served in Vietnam as drug abusers, alcoholics, homeless and with mental problems.
Among this group's work has been the push for construction of the All Wars Memorial in Danville's Oak Hill Park. They are also part of holiday celebrations, such as hosting the Memorial Day event at the park.
When today's military members come home on leave, or if a member of the military is killed in action, their members are among the many groups involved to greet them, or to support their families. Many are involved with the East Bay Stand Down, a days-long event held every two years in a temporary camp where veterans can learn about residential programs, employment and other help.
"Especially for Vietnam veterans, we do not want anyone treated the way we got treated," said Yahiro.
Their monthly dinners at the Crow Canyon Country Club are also a time to bond, both mixing the heavy and lighthearted. It always includes an empty table to represent those missing in action and prisoners of war. Attendees introduce themselves, and while the vast majority are men, there are also women who worked as Navy nurses and Army workers who ran orphanages and other services.
During their 20th anniversary celebration meeting on Thursday, members talked of the bond they felt, hard times they have faced, and remembering those who died in and after the war.
Marguet, a retired insurance agent and broker, and Yahiro, a retired phone company manager, said much has changed since they returned from war. Yahiro notes Iraq and Afghanistan veterans receive warm welcomes. Both he and Marguet also said divides with other veteran generations have improved, with Vietnam vets also taking leadership of the larger veteran groups as they age.
Yahiro, who had relatives in the Japanese-American World War II fighting groups, is part of a VFW Nisei post, while Marguet is part of the VFW and American Legion.
"It's gotten a lot better," said Marguet. "Now you can go out, wear our uniform and be proud."
Vietnam War Glossary - Hs
H-13 - The Army's light observation helicopter
HE - high explosive ammunition
H&J - Harrassing and Interdiction fires
Hog - The armed Huey B-model with various configurations of outboard mounts for rockets and machine guns.
HQ - headquarters
Huey - HU-1, the utility helicopter that was the workhorse of Vietnam. (HU - helicopter, utility)
How - the letter H in the phonetic alphabet
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
HE - high explosive ammunition
H&J - Harrassing and Interdiction fires
Hog - The armed Huey B-model with various configurations of outboard mounts for rockets and machine guns.
HQ - headquarters
Huey - HU-1, the utility helicopter that was the workhorse of Vietnam. (HU - helicopter, utility)
How - the letter H in the phonetic alphabet
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Sunday, April 10, 2011
One Tough Marine, by 1st Sgt Donald Hamblen
One Tough Marine: The Autobiography of First Sergeant Donald N. Hamblen, USMC, by First Sgt Donald Hamblen USMC (ret) and Major B.H. Norton, USMC, (ret)
Ballantine Books, 1993
"As I swung back and forth with my canopy entangled in the 69,000 volt lines above, I could feel myself drop a little and that was when my left foot hit the middle 12,000 volt line beneath me and I drove it against the outside line. When those two lines made contact I was the only obstacle between the humming 12,000 volt and 69,000 volt lines."
Thus began the course of events that changed US Marine Staff Sergeant Donald N. Hamblen's life forever. On September 21, 1962, during a routine jump with his Pathfinder Platoon of First First Reconnaissance Company, strong winds drove his parachute off course and into high tension wires at Camp Pendleton, California. Though he never lost consciousness and doctors were amazed that he had survived, five days later Hamblen's leg had to be amputated six inches below the knee.
With most people, that would be the end of the story, Sgt Hamblen would have retired on a medical pension. But Don Hamblen was one tough Marine. He fought to remain in the Marines, passed all the arduous physical tests expected of any Recon Marine-including a timed three-mile run with pack-and within 11 months was going to the field, parachuting, and scuba diving with First Force REcon Company.
In 1965, Sgt. Hamblen volunteered with three other Marines for service in Vietnam with the supersectret Studies and Observation Group (SOG). Working out of Danang, Sgt Hamblen trained teams of Vietnamese for clandestine missions in both North and South Vietnam. By the time he returned to the United States after serving thirty unbroken months in Vietnam, Sgt Hamblen had been wounded twice in North Vietnam and had been on more than sixty missions with his teams.
As far as is known, Sgt Hamblen is the first and only Marine to have gone into combat with a prothesis. He is one of the few Americans at all who can document having fought repeatedly in North Vietnam, and by his extraordinary example, he served as an inspiration on hospital visits to badly wounded soldiers in tht conflict.
For Donald Hamblen was a true Marine who would not quit and repeatedly demonstrated he had the courage, spirit, and self-determination to overcomee all obstacles.
Contents
Foreword by Lt. Gen Herman Nickerson USMC(ret)
Introduction: Mentors
1. My early years
2. Boot camp
3. Training for Korea
4. Cold-weather training
5. Voyage to Korea
6. Night patrol
7. Life on the lines
8. Sniper school
9. Winter operations
10. The move west
11. Corporal CArico
12. Wounded
13. Bunker Hill
14. Back to stateside duty
15. Marine barracks, New London, Connecticut
16. Back to the fleet
17. 1st Force REcon Company
18. A Jump in the wind
19. Fun in the hospital
20. Back to full duty
21. My trip to Washington, DC
22. SOG Duty in Vietnam
23. People and politics
24. General Nickerson calls
25. Wounded again
26. Final stateside duty
Epilogue
Index
Friday, April 8, 2011
Vietnam 'MIA remains' to return to US
GoogleNews: Vietnam 'MIA remains' to return to US
HANOI — Remains believed to be from American servicemen missing in action after aircraft crashes in the Vietnam War will be returned to the United States, officials said Friday.
The move follows excavations conducted jointly by investigators from the US Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and their Vietnamese counterparts.
Following a ceremony on Saturday four groups of remains will be flown from Danang, in central Vietnam, to Hawaii for further identification, said Ron Ward of the JPAC.
Some were uncovered during a mission in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum at a site believed to be associated with the 1966 crash of a large transport aircraft, Ward said.
Other suspected remains came from an area in Quang Tri province, along the former demilitarised zone, where a US Marines CH-46 transport helicopter went down in 1967, he added.
A resident in Lang Son province, bordering China, also handed over other remains believed linked to the loss of an F-4 fighter-bomber.
Excavation in Tay Ninh province adjacent to Cambodia led to what Ward said are probably remains of another soldier listed as missing in action (MIA).
The working relationship between the US and Vietnamese sides is "at such a level now that really allows us to expand and move forward on our operations here," said Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Keane, commander of JPAC's Hanoi detachment.
The US and Vietnam began cooperating on investigations into missing American servicemen in 1985, helping to pave the way for a normalisation of diplomatic relations 10 years later.
On Thursday investigators marked the 10th anniversary of a helicopter crash which killed seven American military men and nine Vietnamese on a joint mission to search for US MIAs.
Senior officials from both nations, along with relatives of the dead, attended the ceremony at a commemorative monument near the crash site in the north-central province of Quang Binh, Ward said.
Since the end of US combat involvement in 1973, the remains of 668 Americans listed as missing during the war have been repatriated from Vietnam and identified but 1,303 are still unaccounted for, the US says.
Hanoi says about 300,000 North Vietnamese soldiers are also still listed as missing from the war.
HANOI — Remains believed to be from American servicemen missing in action after aircraft crashes in the Vietnam War will be returned to the United States, officials said Friday.
The move follows excavations conducted jointly by investigators from the US Joint POW/MIA Accounting Command (JPAC) and their Vietnamese counterparts.
Following a ceremony on Saturday four groups of remains will be flown from Danang, in central Vietnam, to Hawaii for further identification, said Ron Ward of the JPAC.
Some were uncovered during a mission in the Central Highlands province of Kon Tum at a site believed to be associated with the 1966 crash of a large transport aircraft, Ward said.
Other suspected remains came from an area in Quang Tri province, along the former demilitarised zone, where a US Marines CH-46 transport helicopter went down in 1967, he added.
A resident in Lang Son province, bordering China, also handed over other remains believed linked to the loss of an F-4 fighter-bomber.
Excavation in Tay Ninh province adjacent to Cambodia led to what Ward said are probably remains of another soldier listed as missing in action (MIA).
The working relationship between the US and Vietnamese sides is "at such a level now that really allows us to expand and move forward on our operations here," said Lieutenant Colonel Patrick Keane, commander of JPAC's Hanoi detachment.
The US and Vietnam began cooperating on investigations into missing American servicemen in 1985, helping to pave the way for a normalisation of diplomatic relations 10 years later.
On Thursday investigators marked the 10th anniversary of a helicopter crash which killed seven American military men and nine Vietnamese on a joint mission to search for US MIAs.
Senior officials from both nations, along with relatives of the dead, attended the ceremony at a commemorative monument near the crash site in the north-central province of Quang Binh, Ward said.
Since the end of US combat involvement in 1973, the remains of 668 Americans listed as missing during the war have been repatriated from Vietnam and identified but 1,303 are still unaccounted for, the US says.
Hanoi says about 300,000 North Vietnamese soldiers are also still listed as missing from the war.
Veteran and Attorney Shoots PSA and Commercial at Local Vietnam Museum
AddPR.com: Veteran and Attorney Shoots PSA and Commercial at Local Vietnam Museum
The Coye Law Firm is pleased to announce the completion of a new public service announcement for the Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum located in East Orlando. This museum was built to remind current and future generations of Americans of the legacy of courage, valor, and sacrifice that Vietnam veterans showed and that our troops currently overseas continue to show.
Wade Coye, a personal injury attorney in central Florida, recently shot a public service announcement at the Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum to speak of the importance in remembering our fallen soldiers.
The Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum, formally the National Vietnam War Museum, is a non-profit war museum dedicated to reminding the people of central Florida of the courage and valor of our servicemen and women during the Vietnam War. The museum was currently renamed after Larry E. Smedley for his actions during the Vietnam War who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions. The museum contains a monument to fallen Vietnam War veterans in the state of Florida as well as a U.S. Navy Patrol Boat River, a Douglas A-4B Skyhawk aircraft, and a Bell UH-1 Dustoff helicopter.
Wade Coye has a special bond with this museum and its meaning as he served in the United States Army, 1st Infantry Battalion, 1st Brigade, 2nd Armored Division in Fort Hood, Texas prior to his legal career. As a veteran, Mr. Coye knows that just because a soldier is not at war anymore doesn’t mean that the battle is over. Having successfully handled cases that deal with USERRA and veteran’s benefits, the attorneys at the Coye Law Firm are acutely aware of the challenges that veterans and current soldiers face.
The Coye Law Firm handles personal injury, workers’ compensation, insurance claims, social security disability, and many different types of legal claims. The Coye Law Firm has five locations in the Central Florida area located in Orlando, Tampa, Kissimmee, Melbourne, and Clermont to meet the diverse needs of Central Florida’s communities. Visit our website at www.coyelaw.com or call (800) 648-4941 to discuss your case today.
About Us: The Coye Law Firm works to help people recover from injuries or civil disputes. Our clients may be dealing with personal injuries, workers compensation claims, or denied disability benefits. We also help individuals with estate planning and probate.
Contact Info: Coye Law Firm
730 Vassar Street
Orlando, FL 32804
www.coyelaw.com
800-648-4941
The Coye Law Firm is pleased to announce the completion of a new public service announcement for the Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum located in East Orlando. This museum was built to remind current and future generations of Americans of the legacy of courage, valor, and sacrifice that Vietnam veterans showed and that our troops currently overseas continue to show.
Wade Coye, a personal injury attorney in central Florida, recently shot a public service announcement at the Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum to speak of the importance in remembering our fallen soldiers.
The Larry E. Smedley National Vietnam War Museum, formally the National Vietnam War Museum, is a non-profit war museum dedicated to reminding the people of central Florida of the courage and valor of our servicemen and women during the Vietnam War. The museum was currently renamed after Larry E. Smedley for his actions during the Vietnam War who posthumously received the Medal of Honor for his heroic actions. The museum contains a monument to fallen Vietnam War veterans in the state of Florida as well as a U.S. Navy Patrol Boat River, a Douglas A-4B Skyhawk aircraft, and a Bell UH-1 Dustoff helicopter.
Wade Coye has a special bond with this museum and its meaning as he served in the United States Army, 1st Infantry Battalion, 1st Brigade, 2nd Armored Division in Fort Hood, Texas prior to his legal career. As a veteran, Mr. Coye knows that just because a soldier is not at war anymore doesn’t mean that the battle is over. Having successfully handled cases that deal with USERRA and veteran’s benefits, the attorneys at the Coye Law Firm are acutely aware of the challenges that veterans and current soldiers face.
The Coye Law Firm handles personal injury, workers’ compensation, insurance claims, social security disability, and many different types of legal claims. The Coye Law Firm has five locations in the Central Florida area located in Orlando, Tampa, Kissimmee, Melbourne, and Clermont to meet the diverse needs of Central Florida’s communities. Visit our website at www.coyelaw.com or call (800) 648-4941 to discuss your case today.
About Us: The Coye Law Firm works to help people recover from injuries or civil disputes. Our clients may be dealing with personal injuries, workers compensation claims, or denied disability benefits. We also help individuals with estate planning and probate.
Contact Info: Coye Law Firm
730 Vassar Street
Orlando, FL 32804
www.coyelaw.com
800-648-4941
Thursday, April 7, 2011
Vietnam War Glossary - Gs
G-1 - Personnel officer at division level or higher.
G-2 - Intelligence officer at division level
G-3 - Operations and training officer at division level
G-4 - Logistics officer at division level.
GI - Term for an American soldier, carried over from WWII.
Green Berets - Popular name for the Special Forces, taken from the color of their distinctive headquarter.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
G-2 - Intelligence officer at division level
G-3 - Operations and training officer at division level
G-4 - Logistics officer at division level.
GI - Term for an American soldier, carried over from WWII.
Green Berets - Popular name for the Special Forces, taken from the color of their distinctive headquarter.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Wednesday, April 6, 2011
School to 'welcome home' Vietnam era veterans
Denver POst: School to 'welcome home' Vietnam era veterans
Students at Prairie View High School in Henderson on Friday will present a tribute to hundreds of Vietnam-era veterans, including a program of performances, exhibits and ceremony that took a year to plan.
The "Tribute to Vietnam Era Veterans" has been driven primarily by the freshman leadership class, but also involves many volunteers from the school and the community.
In the morning, students from the high school as well as Prairie View Middle School, Thimmig Elementary and Turnberry Elementary — all in the Brighton 27J School District — will begin rotating among a variety of educational Vietnam-related exhibits, including helicopters and other military vehicles, short movies and a panel discussion among Vietnam era vets.
At about 4 p.m., an estimated 2,500 people — including at least 400 veterans from 13 states and 89 cities — will gather in the high school gym for a series of performances and presentations.
"The level of enthusiasm in the community and in the building is unlike anything I've seen in my 26 years as a teacher," said Kelly Gonzales, who teaches U.S. history at the high school and co-directed the effort along with colleague Kate Hamilton.. "I've never seen this outpouring of support."
As part of the final ceremony, each veteran will be given a special medal created by the school's art students and then participate in a red carpet "walk of honor" before a reception concludes the program.
"Our students came to us last April and said they wanted to do something for Vietnam vets," said Gonzales. "The bottom line to their rationale was that they wanted to officially welcome home these veterans, because we all know they didn't receive one 40 years ago."
Vietnam era veterans can still register for the event by either going to the website, www.namvettribute.org, or contacting Gonzales at kgonzales@sd27J.org.
This tribute is the third such event Gonzales has guided. Ten years ago, when he taught at Greeley's Northridge High School, he helped students honor World War II veterans. Five years later, students recognized those who served in the Korean conflict.
The Vietnam era represented the next step in the progression, Gonzales said.
"The main theme is 'welcome home,'" he added. "And based on conversations with veterans we talked to over the last year, many said that when they came home, they came home alone — there was nobody there but family members. So another one of the underlying themes is, 'I'll stand by you. You're not alone anymore.'"
Students at Prairie View High School in Henderson on Friday will present a tribute to hundreds of Vietnam-era veterans, including a program of performances, exhibits and ceremony that took a year to plan.
The "Tribute to Vietnam Era Veterans" has been driven primarily by the freshman leadership class, but also involves many volunteers from the school and the community.
In the morning, students from the high school as well as Prairie View Middle School, Thimmig Elementary and Turnberry Elementary — all in the Brighton 27J School District — will begin rotating among a variety of educational Vietnam-related exhibits, including helicopters and other military vehicles, short movies and a panel discussion among Vietnam era vets.
At about 4 p.m., an estimated 2,500 people — including at least 400 veterans from 13 states and 89 cities — will gather in the high school gym for a series of performances and presentations.
"The level of enthusiasm in the community and in the building is unlike anything I've seen in my 26 years as a teacher," said Kelly Gonzales, who teaches U.S. history at the high school and co-directed the effort along with colleague Kate Hamilton.. "I've never seen this outpouring of support."
As part of the final ceremony, each veteran will be given a special medal created by the school's art students and then participate in a red carpet "walk of honor" before a reception concludes the program.
"Our students came to us last April and said they wanted to do something for Vietnam vets," said Gonzales. "The bottom line to their rationale was that they wanted to officially welcome home these veterans, because we all know they didn't receive one 40 years ago."
Vietnam era veterans can still register for the event by either going to the website, www.namvettribute.org, or contacting Gonzales at kgonzales@sd27J.org.
This tribute is the third such event Gonzales has guided. Ten years ago, when he taught at Greeley's Northridge High School, he helped students honor World War II veterans. Five years later, students recognized those who served in the Korean conflict.
The Vietnam era represented the next step in the progression, Gonzales said.
"The main theme is 'welcome home,'" he added. "And based on conversations with veterans we talked to over the last year, many said that when they came home, they came home alone — there was nobody there but family members. So another one of the underlying themes is, 'I'll stand by you. You're not alone anymore.'"
Monday, April 4, 2011
Vietnam War Glossary - Fs
F-4C - Air Force fighter-bomber, also known as a Phantom. (F stands for fighter)
F-105 - Air Force fighter bomber (F stands for fighter)
FAC - Forward Air Controller; an officer of the air control team, directing air strikes, from the ground or air.
FDC - Fire Direction Center; at battery level in the artillery; mortar platoon level in the infantry
Flare - As a noun, it is an illumination device. As a verb, it is the landing altitude of an aircraft.
FM - Frequency modulation; also known as Fox Mike, used in most tactical radios
FO - Forward Observer. Usually provided by the supporting artillery batteries to the rifle companies to adjust artillery fire by radio or other means. May be also sent from mortar platoons to rifle platoons to direct mortar fire.
Frag - Fragmentation grenade; also used to denote a fragmentary order for a unit action or movement.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
F-105 - Air Force fighter bomber (F stands for fighter)
FAC - Forward Air Controller; an officer of the air control team, directing air strikes, from the ground or air.
FDC - Fire Direction Center; at battery level in the artillery; mortar platoon level in the infantry
Flare - As a noun, it is an illumination device. As a verb, it is the landing altitude of an aircraft.
FM - Frequency modulation; also known as Fox Mike, used in most tactical radios
FO - Forward Observer. Usually provided by the supporting artillery batteries to the rifle companies to adjust artillery fire by radio or other means. May be also sent from mortar platoons to rifle platoons to direct mortar fire.
Frag - Fragmentation grenade; also used to denote a fragmentary order for a unit action or movement.
Bibliography
Pleiku: The Dawn of Helicopter Warfare in Vietnam, by J. D. Coleman
Sunday, April 3, 2011
Vietnam remembered on 'Big J'
CourierPostOnline: Vietnam remembered on 'Big J'
The battleship New Jersey hosted the inaugural Vietnam War Living History Day here Saturday, and nearly 400 people came aboard for the event that featured Vietnam re-enactors throughout the ship and presentations from veterans
As music from the era played over the ship's loudspeakers -- the Beatles, the Doors, etc. -- veterans talked to visitors about their experiences while "in country."
Paul Niessner of Buena served as an engineman on the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal. He spent just four days off the coast of Vietnam.
"On the 29th of July 1967, we suffered the worst fire aboard a ship since the Second World War," Niessner told a captive audience of about 30 visitors and other vets in the Officers' Wardroom.
"A power surge on one of the aircraft we were starting up for a strike launched a missile across the flight deck and into another aircraft's gas tank. The ensuing explosions killed 134 men and injured almost 400 more.
"We also lost quite a few planes."
Niessner, who is 68, and "two months to the day older than the New Jersey," then threw in a fun fact about the other aircraft that was hit by the missile.
"That plane was flown by a young Lt. Commander by the name of John McCain," he says of the Arizona senator and former presidential candidate.
The legendary battleship played a limited role during the Vietnam War, arriving at Danang in September 1968, and firing its guns for the last time on March 31, 1969.
But the New Jersey's presence was definitely felt during that brief time.
Army Sgt. Maj. Paul Hanson recalls being in a firefight with North Vietnamese troops who were about to overrun his small group of soldiers.
"We called for artillery support but we weren't sure where it was going to come from," said Hanson, an Aston, Pa. resident.
"Next thing this bombardment comes in and it was so big and so loud we knew it had to be from the New Jersey.
"It was so massive that it totally destroyed the road the enemy was coming down toward us. It wiped most of them out, and the rest retreated."
Jack Willard, the senior vice president of marketing for the battleship, said the concept of a Vietnam War Living History Day came from an event the ship hosted last summer.
"We did a World War II re-enactment and it was a great success," Willard said.
"So we thought that as part of the ship's history we ought to do this for the various eras of its service. The battleship was re-commissioned for the Vietnam War on April 6, 1968, so it was good timing for us to do it now."
The battleship New Jersey hosted the inaugural Vietnam War Living History Day here Saturday, and nearly 400 people came aboard for the event that featured Vietnam re-enactors throughout the ship and presentations from veterans
As music from the era played over the ship's loudspeakers -- the Beatles, the Doors, etc. -- veterans talked to visitors about their experiences while "in country."
Paul Niessner of Buena served as an engineman on the aircraft carrier USS Forrestal. He spent just four days off the coast of Vietnam.
"On the 29th of July 1967, we suffered the worst fire aboard a ship since the Second World War," Niessner told a captive audience of about 30 visitors and other vets in the Officers' Wardroom.
"A power surge on one of the aircraft we were starting up for a strike launched a missile across the flight deck and into another aircraft's gas tank. The ensuing explosions killed 134 men and injured almost 400 more.
"We also lost quite a few planes."
Niessner, who is 68, and "two months to the day older than the New Jersey," then threw in a fun fact about the other aircraft that was hit by the missile.
"That plane was flown by a young Lt. Commander by the name of John McCain," he says of the Arizona senator and former presidential candidate.
The legendary battleship played a limited role during the Vietnam War, arriving at Danang in September 1968, and firing its guns for the last time on March 31, 1969.
But the New Jersey's presence was definitely felt during that brief time.
Army Sgt. Maj. Paul Hanson recalls being in a firefight with North Vietnamese troops who were about to overrun his small group of soldiers.
"We called for artillery support but we weren't sure where it was going to come from," said Hanson, an Aston, Pa. resident.
"Next thing this bombardment comes in and it was so big and so loud we knew it had to be from the New Jersey.
"It was so massive that it totally destroyed the road the enemy was coming down toward us. It wiped most of them out, and the rest retreated."
Jack Willard, the senior vice president of marketing for the battleship, said the concept of a Vietnam War Living History Day came from an event the ship hosted last summer.
"We did a World War II re-enactment and it was a great success," Willard said.
"So we thought that as part of the ship's history we ought to do this for the various eras of its service. The battleship was re-commissioned for the Vietnam War on April 6, 1968, so it was good timing for us to do it now."
Vietnam vets saluted at signing ceremony
StatesmanJournal.com: Vietnam vets saluted at signing ceremony
Flanked by about 50 veterans, Gov. John Kitzhaber signed a bill designating March 30 as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day."
Senate Bill 74 honors Vietnam veterans and is part of a national effort to acknowledge the men and women of the Vietnam War who did not receive public recognition and welcome upon returning home. "It is an effort — small, but significant — to rectify that," Kitzhaber said.
The state estimates there are about 120,000 veterans of the Vietnam War.
"We did not dedicate the World War II memorial to veterans until 2006. But warriors don't go to war for memorials," said Jim Willis, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs and a Vietnam veteran himself. "You go to war for the man on your left, the man on your right, the one behind you."
California passed a Vietnam Veterans Day memorial last year and then asked the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs to consider doing the same in their states.
Flanked by about 50 veterans, Gov. John Kitzhaber signed a bill designating March 30 as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day."
Senate Bill 74 honors Vietnam veterans and is part of a national effort to acknowledge the men and women of the Vietnam War who did not receive public recognition and welcome upon returning home. "It is an effort — small, but significant — to rectify that," Kitzhaber said.
The state estimates there are about 120,000 veterans of the Vietnam War.
"We did not dedicate the World War II memorial to veterans until 2006. But warriors don't go to war for memorials," said Jim Willis, director of the Oregon Department of Veterans' Affairs and a Vietnam veteran himself. "You go to war for the man on your left, the man on your right, the one behind you."
California passed a Vietnam Veterans Day memorial last year and then asked the National Association of State Directors of Veterans Affairs to consider doing the same in their states.
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