How times have changed

[Dari]

Took my father and wife to Finger Lakes region on Saturday and Sunday. Food was great. Wine was great, too. The wine opened him up and he told me some of the fucked up things that happened to soldiers during the Vietnam War. Apparently, he and his friend were drafted and the Army wanted them to go to Officer's School. But that meant committing at least 5 or 6 years of their life to the military when they just wanted to do their time. Both declined. As punishment, they put his friend in the tunnel-sweeping canine unit. He was dead within 2 weeks. He said he was spat on upon returning to America at Atlanta's airport. I've heard about soldiers being spat on before but it never registered to me that these boys were drafted so it's not like they had a choice in going to war. What a fucked up time.

 

[pcgeek11]

Both declined. As punishment, they put his friend in the tunnel-sweeping canine unit.

I'm not buying that part. But yes they did not get any respect for their service and some were in fact spat upon when they returned.

 

[KLin]

Boo fucking hoo

 

[John Connor]

Used to be in Army ROTC and my instructor was a Green Beret and told some real crazy shit. Apparently the fucking Russians were in Nam too! He said he got shot in the ass once and he ate what the native people ate. That included a tiny bowl of rice and pig, even its bone marrow was eaten. Nothing went to waist. Being a Green Beret you blend in with the culture, speak the language and teach the resistance to fight. He had some neat pictures on his office wall. Some of the shit he did is still top secret today. It makes you wonder just what the fuck we did over there.

I'm a huge patriot myself and as such my political philosophy is that of Conservative (not to be confused as Republican). I put out the flag on all occasions including the dates December 7th and June 6th. Ideally the flag should be out all the time, but that's a PITA bringing it in every night.

Tell your dad I said thank you for his service! John Connor said so. LOL

 

[John Connor]

Boo fucking hoo

:thumbsdown:

 

[Dari]

I'm not buying that part. But yes they did not get any respect for their service and some were in fact spat upon when they returned.

That was his perception. I believe it. His friend had just gotten out of law school when he was drafted. Fresh out of Yale Law he was supposed to work for a politician in Connecticut and stay at home but someone else got the job (family probably paid more). So he was drafted. Army saw that he was smart and wanted him to go to Officer's School instead of being a grunt. He turned them down. They sent him into the tunnels.

 

[SlickSnake]

At least he didn't get drunk, mistake you for the enemy, and cut off your ears and wear them around his neck as a war trophy. Better luck next time.

 

[Dari]

At least he didn't get drunk, mistake you for the enemy, and cut off your ears and wear them around his neck as a war trophy. Better luck next time.

Nah, he just listens to folk music like this. He's old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTCNwgzM2rQ

 

[pcgeek11]

That was his perception. I believe it. His friend had just gotten out of law school when he was drafted. Fresh out of Yale Law he was supposed to work for a politician in Connecticut and stay at home but someone else got the job (family probably paid more). So he was drafted. Army saw that he was smart and wanted him to go to Officer's School instead of being a grunt. He turned them down. They sent him into the tunnels.

He turned them down.

I believe this part.

They sent him into the tunnels.

I believe this also. Especially if he was of a smaller stature than average.

I don't buy that it was Punishment for refusing to go OCS. Most of the tunnel rats were volunteers.

Tunnel Rats in Nam had a very low life expectancy. Just so you know.

 

[norseamd]

my uncle usually does not talk about his service in vietnam

some years ago during the holidays he opened up and talked about a few experiences

he said one time his platoon was around a water buffalo that got angry and upset and someone tried to shoot it with a m16 and they had tracers loaded and the bullets went right to the head of the water buffalo and bounced off.

did not say much about any crazier shit

 

[Dari]

He turned them down.

I believe this part.

They sent him into the tunnels.

I believe this also. Especially if he was of a smaller stature than average.

I don't buy that it was Punishment for refusing to go OCS. Most of the tunnel rats were volunteers.

Tunnel Rats in Nam had a very low life expectancy. Just so you know.

Alright, not saying I don't believe you but who the hell would volunteer for something like that? People looking for the next high?

 

[norseamd]

someone who thinks they will die anyways and might get more pay

 

[Kaido]

Cu Chi Tunnels:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azxnc1nDkos

 

[Kaido]

Nah, he just listens to folk music like this. He's old.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dTCNwgzM2rQ

:|

 

[Dari]

someone who thinks they will die anyways and might get more pay

What an attitude. It's one way of getting rid of fear, I guess but damn, what a high that can bring.

Cu Chi Tunnels:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=azxnc1nDkos

Thanks. That must've been a hell of an encounter.

 

[Scarpozzi]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LBdeCxJmcAo

 

[Hayabusa Rider]

Every politician who gets us involved in a military action should have a loved one put in harms way as part of the process. At least that way some might not take some things for granted.

 

[z1ggy]

News flash, all war is messed up. I met a guy a few years ago who served in Iraq circa 2004. He said he and his crew had to mow down entire crowds of people with their machine gun because they were being shot at from within the crowd and could not tell who it was specificially.

Maybe they could and just felt like being able to kill some muslims scott-free. Who knows.

 

[Rakehellion]

News flash, all war is messed up. I met a guy a few years ago who served in Iraq circa 2004. He said he and his crew had to mow down entire crowds of people with their machine gun because they were being shot at from within the crowd and could not tell who it was specificially.

Maybe they could and just felt like being able to kill some muslims scott-free. Who knows.

"Had to." Sounds like in a situation like that you'd normally take cover.

 

[norseamd]

News flash, all war is messed up. I met a guy a few years ago who served in Iraq circa 2004. He said he and his crew had to mow down entire crowds of people with their machine gun because they were being shot at from within the crowd and could not tell who it was specificially. Maybe they could and just felt like being able to kill some muslims scott-free. Who knows.

possible

that is also the plot for a samuel l jackson and tommy lee jones movie

 

[CPA]

Took my father and wife to Finger Lakes region on Saturday and Sunday. Food was great. Wine was great, too. The wine opened him up and he told me some of the fucked up things that happened to soldiers during the Vietnam War. Apparently, he and his friend were drafted and the Army wanted them to go to Officer's School. But that meant committing at least 5 or 6 years of their life to the military when they just wanted to do their time. Both declined. As punishment, they put his friend in the tunnel-sweeping canine unit. He was dead within 2 weeks. He said he was spat on upon returning to America at Atlanta's airport. I've heard about soldiers being spat on before but it never registered to me that these boys were drafted so it's not like they had a choice in going to war. What a fucked up time.

I'm reading "The Boys of '67" by Andrew Wiest, and he mentioned the same thing: Active soldiers were offered to be removed from fighting if they re-upped for 4 more years. Some took the offer, most did not. Wiest does not mention, though, any sort of punishment that I recall. Not saying that it didn't happen, we was just quiet on the subject.

One thing he did mention that happened very often was soldiers who trained for specific duties, artillery, mortar units, etc, but when arriving at Vietnam were assigned to infantry.

 

[norseamd]

One thing he did mention that happened very often was soldiers who trained for specific duties, artillery, mortar units, etc, but when arriving at Vietnam were assigned to infantry.

probably the other types of army mos soldiers

artillery was very valueable in the vietnam war

much more than you would think so in mountainous rainforest

on the same level as air support and infantry

 

[Dari]

I'm reading "The Boys of '67" by Andrew Wiest, and he mentioned the same thing: Active soldiers were offered to be removed from fighting if they re-upped for 4 more years. Some took the offer, most did not. Wiest does not mention, though, any sort of punishment that I recall. Not saying that it didn't happen, we was just quiet on the subject.

One thing he did mention that happened very often was soldiers who trained for specific duties, artillery, mortar units, etc, but when arriving at Vietnam were assigned to infantry.

Not sure how long these guys usually stayed but, in the end, he ended up staying for like 6 years anyway so, to me, in hindsight, the offer seemed like it was a good deal (for his friend, anyway). I wonder how long they really would've been forced to stay in the army had they taken the offer.

 

[z1ggy]

"Had to." Sounds like in a situation like that you'd normally take cover.

In a Humvee, in a town square, surrounded on all sides by people. Where you going to go?

 

[Linflas]

In a Humvee, in a town square, surrounded on all sides by people. Where you going to go?

Don't worry I'm sure all the armchair Generals here know everything there is to know about combat.