The key may be the word initial since we became more savvy with successive combats and had improved survivability. We fought to an agreed stalemate. However, inaccurately reported, the News Media made the Tet Offensive famous. both tours. Contents1 [] In the First Armored Division, now part of the 23rd Infantry Division, commonly known as the Americal Division, combat medics were called into action every day because the fighting was now. Also, it would mean the killed RTOs died within seconds of the fight (it doesnt distinguish between ambush or regular fight, eg. I couldnt disagree. A battery of big 155 mm howitzers blasted the tiny platoon perimeter, tearing trees out of the ground and hurling chunks of red-hot shell splinters through the air. The oldest man killed was 62 years old. Both halves quickly swept toward the river to clear the village. 1 Gun. But it was my jobso I tried not to think about it much. I was shot down on my very first mission in July 1968. What percentage of Vietnam veterans actually saw combat? Different jobs have different life expectancy. Over the next two months, we exchanged fire with groups of the NVA. His body was torn to pieces. Some of my men didnt. 17 photos showing the life of an elite US Army Ranger We gathered the casualties and set out for Company A. At age 55, World War 2 Veterans They were held in special regard after the Normandy landings, when 225 Rangers scaled cliffs at Pointe Du Hoc on June 6, 1944 under intense enemy fire. As I made it back to the road I remember seeing the Two rounds smashed into a log inches above my head. DeLong had only fired the weapon once in training, so I let him fire off a few rounds to practice. If youre a foreigner, I respect what you think, but make sure you read ALL your facts, and dont come to rash conclusion until you know everything from BOTH sides. Joe DeLong joined the company, and Sholly informed me that he would be the M60 gunner. Our chase after the enemy unwittingly led us into a large ambush. Welcome Home Roger. Sure, its softer than it was before, but the training they go through is intense, something a loser who spends his time on the computer all day attacking people he doesnt know anything about and all the facts CANNOT do. Point, slack and compass. Welcome home!! THE MAN I INHERITED THE GUN FROM WASNT SO LUCKY. I may not have hit anyone that day, but I am certain that No. The average age of the 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years (Although 58,169 names are in the Nov. 93 database, only 58,148 have both event date and birth date. I was an Artillery Forward Observer 13F20 E-5 at that time. Was Billeted near an Army medevac Unit and was offered a chance to lay on my stomach with an M16 and door gun for them I decided not a good Idea. 76% of the men sent to Vietnam were from lower middle/working class backgrounds. No trees or anything on the ground. Interesting reading. 82nd 2/505th. For his actions, he was awarded the Congressional Medal if Honor. 1 Gun more than I did. Information presented by SFC (Ret) David Hack. I was drafted on Nov. 10, 1965, and assigned to the 4th Infantry Division. well i have been army infantry for 12 years with 2 deployments, and still going strong. He was with the 509th Radio Research Station. Even the AP photographer, Nick Ut, who took the picture, was Vietnamese. I kept the radio because I understood the power of having the first communication with the support mechanisms of the military. If my memory is correct, only the 1st Cab flew wiith doorgunners. Fact: 86% of the men who died in Vietnam were Caucasians, 12.5% were black, 1.2% were other races. My assistant gunner and my ammo bearer also carried 300 rounds each. 10-4. Soon I could take the gun apart and put it back together in the dark. Videos, Film, Music, and Movies about VN War, Author interview War & Life: Discussions with a Veteran, A Chat Between Three Veterans [live video with author], Lest We Forget Meet the Authors & Book Signing April 4th: Cherries and Donut Dolly, Interview with author John Podlaski in Examiner Magazine, American Heroes Radio interviews author of Cherries A Vietnam War Novel, Cherries Author Interviewed on British Website, U.K. Blogspot posts interviews author, John Podlaski, More Book Reviews and author interviews about Cherries, Les Scates, U.S. Army (Ret.) Save my name, email, and website in this browser for the next time I comment. The average life expectancy of a Soviet soldier during the height of the battle was just 24 hours. Back home he returned to hairdressing and got a job at Kenneth Salon in New York City working with top models and fashion magazine editors. Subscribe to receive our weekly newsletter with top stories from master historians. In Vietnam, 1 in 400 of the wounded died of their . Were talking averages, obviously so, an RTO, with an expectancy of 5 seconds (!) 2023 CherriesWriter - Vietnam War website, RTO, John Scheur. If you look at all of the things the radio operators were tasked with, it becomes abundantly clear why commo guys weren't expected to last long. 4 Bill May and Spc. Activated in 1915, as the 173rd Infantry Brigade, the unit saw service in World War II but is best known for its actions during the Vietnam War. There were no Americans involved in any capacity. endstream endobj startxref PDF Mortality Rates and Life Expectancy of Veterans from 1980 to 2017, and 1 Gun became my very best friend. Sergeant Galiano's experience does not deny Brands depiction of the battle in Vietnam, but offers a typically overlooked perspective of a drafted soldier fighting in the central highlands of Vietnam. Gotta say I think you hit it on the nose. I was in 2nd Platoon and carried the platoons No. Was I lucky ? According to the American War Library, as of February 28, 2019, it is estimated that approximately 610,000 Americans who served in land forces during the Vietnam War or in air missions over Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 are still alive to this day. See also: Population Change), You are commenting using your Facebook account. PDF Sobering Statistics Concerning Vietnam Vets As of April 2016 African Americans played a prominent role in the Vietnam War. Hi, the whole thing is going nicely here and ofcourse every one Moving west down the trail, 4th Platoon exchanged fire with a single NVA soldier, then a handful and finally a group of about 10-15 around noon. Great story!!! An Rtos job was essential, tough,(Carrying the extra weight of the radio transmitter along with his rucksack), and dangerous. 15 May he was killed by friendly fire, and a host of us were WIA, myself included. General Vo Nguyen Giap, the designer of the Tet Offensive, is considered by some as ranking with Wellington, Grant, Lee and MacArthur as a great commander. _____ 1. The smell of those charred bodies, blackened and smoking from the napalm strike, is something I can never forget. That was supposed to be 58, 220. but wait, there are more numbers for the same story. We wanted a break. 91% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served. KICK ASS AS NEEDED!!! Well he didnt make it. Rules may have changed, I was in the Delta region. On the morning of March 22, 1967, companies A and B of my battalion began a search-and-destroy operation along the Cambodian border. The battalion was sending us to a village with a small river running through it. For example: 7*x^2. Supported by a shoulder strap, No. The CACF is the basis for the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall): Average age of 58,148 killed in Vietnam was 23.11 years. E)V_5lu[vC3+"vg2L& Wortman, another RTO never made it back to The World. Cluster F, SNAFU and FUBAR fer sur. Ordered to reinforce the unit, the Company B commander put our four platoons abreast of each other, and we marched west. The machine guns were numbered within each platoon. Was a door gunner and crew chief for just shy of 18 months (I extended to get out early). To my surprise, I qualified as an expert with the M60 machine gun, nicknamed the pig because of the size, weight and sound of the weapon. Although the percent that died is similar to other wars, amputations or crippling wounds were 300 percent higher than in World War II. Vietnam veterans' personal income exceeds that of our non-veteran age group by more than 18 percent. Men and women die everyday. Often as not he was right beside you with a stolen chicken and a bag of rice. (tirotactico.net). Walked point way to many times but never had contact. Sure but so was everyone else who went 12 months without getting killed or wounded. What unit lost the most soldiers in Vietnam? maybe your question i vauge. 1 Gun over my shoulder, grabbed a corner of a poncho and stumbled off with three other soldiers. I was told to show the new guy how to use it properly. Knowing I had a 100-round belt in my M60, I opened up on that hillside, my gun getting so hot that the barrel smoked. Stop staring at your computer already, get up. Some 23% of Vietnam vets had fathers with professional, managerial I DISAGREETHE ENEMY WOULD SHOOT THE GUY NEXT TO THE RTO-KNOWING HE WAS THE COMMANDER. I carried the PRC-25 for most of a year. Now, to calmly answer your question, air strikes have actually been an efficient technique used by us for years now. I prayed I would not have to fire over the heads of the 4th Platoon troops entering the draw to retrieve our dead. I was also told that the Radio did put a target on my back. Hurrying forward with No. The U.S. Army Infantryman Vietnam Pocket Manual Review - HistoryNet Then the tempo changed suddenly and violently. The average life expectancy of a front-line soldier in eastern Ukraine is four hours, a Marine said. Soldiers also act in the mobilization of vehicles, weaponry, troops, and more. 1 Gun. I had an assistant gunner, Spc. Combatants on both sides faced physical challenges posed by the climate, terrain and wildlife of the country. At this time- senior Army leadership ordered us all to read the Geneva Convention to our troops because of the My Lai debachle. Mech. U.S. Wings is a manufacturer and a supplier. Found NVA bunker complex. Our Aussie Dust off choppers had door gunners, we worked on the theory if the Noggies would shot at Red Cross choppers, we would return fire, Aussie grunt, 60000 00 Aussies fought in Vietnam, Up the Old Red Rooster and more beer. 2 Gun to Ranallo. We (Americans) had nothing to do with controlling VNAF, according to Lieutenant General (Ret) James F. Hollingsworth, the Commanding General of TRAC at that time. As soon as he did, a round hit him in the forehead, blowing out the back of his skull. Out of the 3,000,000 men and women in our armed forces and reserves, we have lost 4,500 in this 9 year war. We had run patrols for about a month when I first saw action. I traveled to Fort Lewis, Washington, and trained there for 10 months before deploying to Vietnam as specialist 4. 240 men were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War. 1 Gun was firing. I met a Marine a few years ago who was stationed North of Da Nang. I too never understood survivor quilt, Enjoyed your article. The death squads focused on leaders at the village level and on anyone who improved the lives of the peasants such as medical personnel, social workers, and school teachers. The Marine Corps lost 14,836, or 5 percent . One of them gazed in our direction, lowered his AK 47 assault rifle and fired six shots. John Doever According to the Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund (VVMF) there are now officially 58, 318 names on the wall. I applaud the courage and difficult and all so dangerous job of Roger Herforth when he served as an RTO for the Hawk Recon Platoon of the 101st airborne division in Vietnam.. They were well-armed, well-trained and knew how to fight. Sholly finally agreed and stated that the next time we received replacements I could give one of them my M60. What were the life expectancies of soldiers during the Vietnam War There were also wounded. More importantly, Grandstaff was very gung-ho. Total fantasy. If the enemy was near, we never saw any. Fact: 2/3 of the men who served in Vietnam were volunteers. At that time, an infantry company consisted of about 150 men. HistoryNet.com is brought to you by HistoryNet LLC, the worlds largest publisher of history magazines. I saw aircraft loaded with troops explode in mid-air. . US Wings is a verified SAM Contractor and DLA Supplier and is officially listed as a manufacturer/retailer in the US Department of Commerce's Office of Textile and Apparel (OTEXA) Made in the USA database. Im laying behind a rice paddie dike.I put my whole body as far down in the muck while the bullets were over my head. Remember he wanted to reenlist for one more year in Vietnam. An Hinglish word (Hindi/English). (LogOut/ 97% of Vietnam Veterans were honorably discharged. They run into the fire to help the wounded and many get wounded or killed. The 140,000 evacuees in April 1975 during the fall of Saigon consisted almost entirely of civilians and Vietnamese military, NOT American military running for their lives. EACH OF US CARRIES OUR OWN MEMORIES AND THEY RUN THE GAMUT. This makes our site more accessible to the blind, visually impaired, motor disabled, people with cognitive disabilities and more. 4 Charlie Ranallo, were on No. We could not see any enemy soldiers, but we could see smoke coming from their weapons through the trees. Anyway I was wondering about the RTOs in a grunt platoon, was that their MOS or were they 11B that carried a PRC ? What was the average life expectancy of a soldier in Vietnam? The CDC Vietnam Experience Study Mortality Assessment showed that during the first 5 years after discharge, deaths from suicide were 1.7 times more likely among Vietnam veterans than non-Vietnam veterans. When Roeski got hit, I took over the M-60. In the few firefights and skirmishes we had with local VC, the gun always performed well. The man with the carbine immediately dropped it, and the two VC surrendered. The group found the first man killed and carried him up the hill, placing his body right next to me. Vietnam War soldiers Ambushed on October 4th,1967. Without that commitment, Communism would have swept all the way to the Malacca Straits that is south of Singapore and of great strategic importance to the free world. Thank You Roger!!! Either way, thats a lot of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen, male and female that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and there are still people dying as a result of their wounds receiver so very long ago in a place called Vietnam. 2: role (MOS?). July 68 to July 69. There is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam Veterans and non-Vietnam Veterans of the same age group (Source: Veterans Administration Study). As a Huey door gunner, when we left the ground on a mission, I always thought that this mission would be my last! I wasnt sure if the VC had moved to right or left, so I sprayed the elephant grass in both directions. 1st Cav, 101st, etc. I did worry about the strength of my flax vest. Umm..maybe its because we also learn from experience. I am 81 now and survived the encounter by terminated the sniper. RIP KOOKIE forever young, Thank god you are still alive, I am age 77. I remember we were always short of replacements throughout 1968 because of the high Kia & wounded rate we suffered at that time ! I carried the PRC-25 Radio most of that time. This was another example in the Vietnam War of an inaccuracy becoming the perceived truth. I was already lugging around a 24-pound weapon, 300 rounds of ammo and a pack that weighed a good 45 pounds. Fortunately, it was recorded on Spotify and can be listened to here: Thank you for both articles: (1)Going up river to port and (2) the flight from Italy back to Nam. Radiomen in the Vietnam War faced a 5-second life expectancy Ambulances are not supposed to be armed (either) though in training, medics are told they and their vehicles will be a prime target. On average US troops served 1-2 years in Vietnam, and the percentage of troops killed was actually fairly low for a war this size, 2.14% of all who served were killed, the life expectancy was roughly around 1 year, 5 months and 3 weeks (taking into account the 1-2 year difference in some troops's serving times) Sponsored by Primal Labs When Apache Snow began, I was an RTO, after Airborne, and before the CA on Dong Ap Bia, I became the AG for Roeski. The earliest casualty record contains a date of death of . Both were infantry in WW2. Three-fourths had family incomes above the poverty level; 50% were from middle income backgrounds. Fact: The average infantryman in the South Pacific during World War II saw about 40 days of combat in four years. The Department of Defense Vietnam War Service Index officially provided by The War Library originally reported with errors that 2,709,918 U.S. military personnel as having served in-country. I was sitting on the ground one day trying to dry out my gear and better configure my ruck when my squad leader came walking over to me and said, Gow, youve got the radio. As he turned and walked away! hbbd```b`` ,&Iw sA '#o (LogOut/ The answer that we have always been given is that 1 year in the Infantry is equivalent to 3 years of hard labor. 4 Paul Domke, who carried extra belts of ammo and fed them into the gun. Enemy fire greeted as us as soon as we landed near the village. Life expectancy at birth. His comparison to a FB was that if we were fired on we returned fire and requested assistance when needed. Before I became a team leader on ambush and recon I was in command of the scout jeep for the 25th ID resupply convoy from January 1968 to June 15, 1968 and I found the resupply convoys a lot more dangerous because the enemy always knew where it would be and when. I agree with all of the comments, however I would add Tunnel Rats to the group I was one and saw many of my friends die in those tunnels I was very fortunate or very lucky and was never a lead but was at the tail end.
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