He fought in the Tet offensive of 1968. Many young NVA soldiers died along the way before they ever got into the fight because of sickness (malaria). The Nominal Roll of Vietnam Veterans was prepared by the Department of Veterans' Affairs (DVA). In 1969, doctoral student David Stodolsky recognized the problem and sued the government. Even if your knowledge of the Vietnam War comes exclusively from Hollywood films and Texan textbooks that only refer to it as "that one the good guys lost," you've probably heard about the Viet Cong. Marijuana and Heroin Use During the Vietnam War . "The land itself could kill you," remembered Tim O'Brien. "I wanted to go to Vietnam, but for my own reason," he said. "I had seen a documentary about the war in 1983, and a man who was about my age talked about how beautiful Vietnam was, how vivid the colors were, how they seemed to vibrate," he said. The NVVM is exploring an oral history project to record Veteran stories. That morning, as communist troops swept into … But this was the first city we were fighting in. Vietnam War Veterans share a common bond. While drinks and companionship were always a draw, recreational drug use skyrocketed during the Vietnam War. All three were interviewed for Bowden's book. ". In 1982 the Vietnam Veterans Memorial was dedicated in Washington, D.C., inscribed with the names of 57,939 members of U.S. armed forces who had died or were missing as a result of the war. After returning home, Vietnam War veterans experienced PTSD in record numbers. Trish Wood. I wanted to go for the adventure. I survived because I was lucky and because I was not a city boy. The army headquarters at Long Binh boasted such amenities as a go-kart track, swimming pools, weight rooms, mini golf, an archery range, an amphitheater that frequently hosted live shows, and even a brothel — officially unsanctioned but well-trafficked. "War is hell" declares the handwritten slogan on a young GI's helmet in one of many famous photos of the Vietnam War. Places like the Philippines, Hong Kong, and Thailand were popular among the younger crowd who wanted to have less family-friendly fun. When he told his parents, they were livid, not for any ideological reasons, but because of concern that he'd be hurt or lose his life. The draft wasn't the only problem. Reported cases of mental breakdowns among troops dropped to just 1% during the Vietnam War compared to 10% during World War II. "I quit high school at 16, and on my birthday in 1966, I enlisted. There was a glimmer of light on the horizon for bored, anxious, hungry soldiers in the field, and that light was their annual R&R. A FilmReference.com article noted that American filmmakers "appeared more confident to put Vietnam combat on screen for the first time" during that era. Caesar Smith was a career military officer who served two tours in Vietnam. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed. The New York Times described heroin addiction as "the Army's last great tragedy in Vietnam." The New York Times described heroin addiction as "the Army's last great tragedy in Vietnam." Most grunts passed through the rear bases on their way into or out of the field, but they didn't stay long. On a day … "I didn't have any political views either way. In addition to speed, officials also supplied soldiers with painkillers and steroids to increase their stamina, strength, and aggression on long-range missions. Retired Trenton ironworker Carl Dileo, 69, was 18 when he was drafted in 1966. Neas, 68, who lives in Rahway in Union County, recently retired after running his own telecommunications company. I also traveled with a long bamboo pole. But many others were poor or working-class teenagers who enlisted or were drafted into the military right out of high school. Regardless of what you thought about the Vietnam war, the fact is 2,709,918 Americans served in Vietnam, representing almost 10% of their (very large) generation. After the Vietnam War ended in 1975, there was an increase in American films that were more "raw", containing actual battle footage. My brothers were both in college, they were doing their thing, and I felt this was my own thing to do.". The use of pharmaceuticals to artificially suppress combat trauma may have contributed to the explosion of post-traumatic stress disorder cases among Vietnam veterans after the war. While the symptoms of trauma were suppressed in the short term, the effect was something like putting a Band-Aid on a broken leg. Although our military has better military conditions than many other countries, it would be entirely incorrect to say that our soldiers didn't have it … Continue Reading Below. A U.S. Nowhere is the heaviness of the presidency clearer than in Obama's descriptions of deciding to authorize military action. In honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29, signed into law in 2017 by President Donald J. Trump, AARP spoke with six veterans of the war about their most vivid memories — and about what they want Americans today to know or remember. Between the rain and the sweat the grunts were never completely dry. In a war where morale was already weakened by unclear objectives and uncertain outcomes, unfriendly encounters with the Vietnamese civilians they were ostensibly liberating only made matters worse. Shortly before Dave deployed, he … When the grunts weren't walking or being shot at or eyeing the locals with suspicion, they were waiting around for something to happen. ", He met a former North Vietnamese soldier. Ehrhart, left, in October 1967 near Quang Tri, Vietnam, and today. Instead, they waited in the vegetation for nightfall or awful weather or other convenient moments. Troops were supplied with so-called "pep pills," their nickname for Dexedrine, an amphetamine that was double the strength of the stimulants the military had prescribed in previous wars. Although the research from various historians is necessary for Americans to understand the events of the war, we must also take time to appreciate the complicated experiences of those who participated in Vietnam. 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Hawaii was the most popular destination for soldiers who had families, since dependents were allowed to meet them in Honolulu and spend some time with them. Three Vietnam War Veterans Share Their Stories W.D. Veteran Stories . I was 17, so I couldn't go over there for another year.". " he said. They walked without a bath, a hot meal, or a good night's sleep. On the military's dime, soldiers could fly to any number of exotic locales in search of beaches, bars, and a good time. For most this ethos seems not to have changed. It’s an experience that changes soldiers, and those changes last a lifetime. The draft lottery proved to be unfair in another significant way. He said his first return visit in 1985 changed his perspective on Vietnam. The main problem with most of those books is the complete lack of Vietnamese voices. Nominal Rolls. Some of 2020's best military movies are 50% off for the rest of the year from streaming service Vudu. The other agony is much like the 9/11 survivors experience. Medical professionals could also declare someone "unfit for service" for medical conditions ranging from ulcers to anemia. The influx of American tourists was a catalyst for Bangkok's massive growth in the 1960s, as the construction, finance, air, retail, and hotel industries boomed to accommodate the influx of soldiers looking for a good time. They lived when the people they loved and knew did not. Now, 40 years later, we must try to understand. This page contains the first-hand experiences of Vietnam War Veterans Albert French - He joined the U.S. Marine Corps in 1963 after graduating from high school. The American Soldier in VietnamMore than 2.5 million American men served in Vietnam during the war. ‘Last Draftees’ details experiences of Vietnam War veterans Three Vietnam War veterans from Las Vegas say the draft should be abolished. That idealism faded away as the war progressed, as the U.S. sent more troops, more resources, and more money overseas, as more and more young American men failed to come home in one piece. Their goal was to locate and defeat the Viet Cong, but often it felt like there was no real goal except providing human bait to provoke the guerrilla fighters into revealing their positions. Soldiers on both sides faced many difficulties and challenges during the Vietnam War – including climate, terrain, the complex political situation and unclear military objectives. If you have any further questions, please don't hesitate in asking or come over to r/AskHistorians , which is … The ways we remember the Vietnam War concern more than just the past. And you lived through the maybe the closest thing this country had, even if only for a few short years, of being at peace. The Selective Service was organized as a random lottery in which men's birthdays were assigned a lottery number between 1 and 365, one for each day of the year. Distributed by Tribune Content Agency, LLC. The building at 727 Tran Hung Dao in Ho Chi Minh City – also known as Saigon – was a building that housed American service members for much of the Vietnam War. But the success was short-lived. His name is etched on Panel 13E, Line 123 on the Vietnam War Memorial in Washington, D.C. Today, he is surprised at his sophisticated response. The whole city had been leveled [in 1968], and it has been totally rebuilt.". Soldiers knew there would be another surprise attack, they just didn't know when, and the not-knowing could drive them crazy. Civilian casualties were common, and many local villages were disrupted, if not outright destroyed, by the arrival of U.S. soldiers, so it's no surprise that locals often viewed American soldiers with distrust and hostility. Vincent Gabriel, Jr returned from his tour of duty in Vietnam thirty eight years ago. I had only seen the war. Most who join the military and go to war are young—18, 19 years old—and many have never been away from home. ", By the time he arrived at Huế in Feburary 1968, he was "already a seasoned infantryman, having fought for months in the jungle. I had a rude awakening. The form this memory takes is linked to the present and helps frame the boundaries and content of political discourse today. In June 1970, a group of American soldiers stationed in Vietnam huddled together to write a letter to an antiwar newspaper in Berkeley, California, called the Ally. The Vietnam War helped shape a generation of Americans, none more than the 2.7 million who served in Southeast Asia. Their book, “Last Draftees,” was released last month. African American Sergeant Lewis B. Larry … Regarding your father's viewpoint of American soldiers, I have written a post about the truth vs. reality of popular depictions of Vietnam War era American soldiers. But in the meantime, there were hours and even days where there were no Viet Cong to be found, no fights, and nothing to distract them from the monotony. Now I was fighting 24 hours a day, seven days a week.". "It was incredible. Soldiers on leave with their wives and children made up a large chunk of Hawaii's hotel room traffic during the Vietnam War. "I said to my mom, 'Is this the way you raised me, to let other sons' mothers go through this?' According to the U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs, about 30% of soldiers who saw combat in Vietnam experienced PTSD in their lifetime. Upper-class men could afford to stay enrolled in university or get a doctor's note from a hometown physician to obtain a get-out-jail-free card that poorer men couldn't access. Others died of overdoses before they could even make it back. The 1980s was a time to tell the stories of the Vietnam War. Bucks County poet Bill Ehrhart, 68, recounts his experiences in Vietnam in several poems as well as his 1983 memoir, Vietnam Perkasie. But they ultimately couldn't defeat the guerrilla fighters. After returning home, Vietnam War veterans experienced PTSD in record numbers. The American Soldier in VietnamMore than 2.5 million American men served in Vietnam during the war. The rations were commonly compared to wet dog food, and the only way to heat them up in the field was by resorting to potentially dangerous explosives. The Armed Forces during the war and even today is the most successfully integrated institution in our society." Of course, whether they could vote or not, the U.S. government viewed these men as potential soldiers the minute they turned 18 and became eligible for the draft. Via Cat-uxo.com. "Not bad for a 17-year-old," Ehrhart said, laughing. "I spent three weeks in the hospital," he says, "and then went right back.". For "Huế 1968: A Turning Point of the American War In Vietnam," Mark Bowden interviewed more than 100 men and women from both sides of the fighting. They walked with heavy rucksacks, carrying everything they would need to survive in the difficult terrain. The Vietnam War is as remote to them as the War of 1812 or the War of Jenkins’ Ear. ... An Oral History of the Iraq War by the Soldiers Who Fought It Show More Show Less 6 of 7 ONE-TIME USE ONLY ... in Vietnam … Over the course of the Vietnam War, the military prescribed more than 225 million tablets of speed to U.S. soldiers, earning itself the title of American's first "pharmacological war." Instead of being stationed on the front lines, they might be assigned a support detail on one of the rear bases. In contrast to World War II, American soldiers in Vietnam served individualized tours of duty rather than remaining attached to their units throughout the war. Even in the midst of an active, bloody war, downtime was a frequent, if not always welcome, occurrence. We look forward to meeting you. Nov. 12, 2006 Updated: Jan. 11, 2012 3:23 a.m. ... in Vietnam that he got to see in our … One thing soldiers didn't have to take their mind off things — the one thing that was almost impossible to come by — was a good, hot meal. The 1980s was a time to tell the stories of the Vietnam War. NT: You grew up in the shadow of World War II and served in Vietnam. Overview. Nguyen’s book draws on 54 oral history interviews with veterans of the Republic of Vietnam Armed Forces (RVNAF) and their relatives. 2. If they wanted recreational drugs, most Vietnam War soldiers didn't have to go farther than their military doctor. As time went on, civilian casualties continued, American soldiers grew increasingly frustrated with the locals' reluctance to help, and suspicion and mistrust increased on both sides. "It seemed the right thing to do. Usually, it was in the jungle, where you had to look for ambushes. The refugees had reached Australia. But that's the only way you had a hot meal.". But many faced challenges back home, and some still do today. A gay soldier’s story of Vietnam and after Mar 13, 2020 | 0 Larry Sanders writes about serving in the army, where he could have been arrested for being gay during a very unpopular war Australian military history overview: Vietnam War 1962-1975. Call us at . We look forward to meeting you. Most crucially, they carried mosquito repellent and dry socks. At first, there were C-rations, ready-made wet meals served in cans, but those proved to be too heavy for special operations that required long treks on foot. phase of war and young American ales intent on asserting their superiority, their potency, their manhood…raping a woman in a combat zone is something a man has to do, needs to do, has the right to do. Hal Kushner joined the Army and served as a … These Vietnam War photos are a key part of understanding soldiers' experiences during the conflict and provide insight into operational specifics that were unknown to the press. The Americans fought back with bombing campaigns that laid waste to villages, and sprayed napalm that burned the skin off fighters and civilians alike. Instead, the military developed long range patrol rations to take their place. [I saw] people living their lives with no one dropping bombs on them. Contact Us Contact Us And they were young men. The veterans had returned. These Vietnam War photos are a key part of understanding soldiers' experiences during the conflict and provide insight into operational specifics that were unknown to the press. John "Chick" Donohue in 1967, on his way to Vietnam (inset). Black soldiers complained they were unfairly assigned worse details and that they received more frequent punishments and fewer promotions than their white counterparts. On the ground, American soldiers and diplomats confront the same moral quandary: whether to obey White House orders to evacuate U.S. citizens only–or to risk treason and save the lives of as many South Vietnamese citizens … "It was as if I got to see it like a real country, to see the real people. But in Vietnam, it was the most sought-after goal of every soldier, the beacon of light at the Soul Shaking Experience It was August 1968, and I had been in Viet Nam less than 20 days with no idea how quickly my life was going to change. NBC journalist Frank McGee, who spent nearly a month living with soldiers of the 101st Airborne Division recalled that "Nowhere in America have I seen Negroes and whites as free, open and uninhibited with their associations. "When you're 18, you think you'll never die. The Vietnam War helped shape a generation of Americans, none more than the 2.7 million who served in Southeast Asia. We may have been shooting at each other. Morale was understandably low during monsoon season, for example, when heavy rains would drench the soldiers and flood the rice paddies for the better part of six months. The 52-year-old Duckworth will tell of her life from her childhood in Southeast Asia and Hawaii to her 23 years in the Army... © Copyright 2020 Philly.com. "Pieces got stuck in my skull, but they never reached the brain." In honor of National Vietnam War Veterans Day on March 29, signed into law in 2017 by President Donald J. Trump, AARP spoke with six veterans of the war about their most vivid memories — and about what they want Americans today to know or remember. Vietnam War Veterans share a common bond. "And I realized all my memories of Vietnam were in black and white. They had to bear the dual burden of guilt for the brutal atrocities that had been committed and shame for the failure to bring home an American victory after such a drawn-out war. Men like Troyer had to deal with several frustrations particular to the war in Vietnam. Drug use had taken its toll on troops. Home / History / Modern History / Vietnam War / What Was Daily Life Like for Soldiers in the Vietnam War? Military personnel also liberally prescribed antipsychotics such as Thorazine, which numbed the psychologically traumatic effects of combat. And if the land wasn't actively killing them, it was making them miserable. The Vietnam war effected soldiers physically with strain of fighting in the jungle but it also effected soldiers psychological mind set. During the war in Vietnam, soldiers faced intensely extreme conditions, including hunger, disease, and of course, having to see close friends and other soldiers die. Viet Cong were adept at blending in, sometimes taking cover in villages. Soldier's Stories. B: John William Baber War: World War, 1939-1945 Branch: Army Air Forces/Corps Service Location: European Theater Theme: First, Serve: Athletes in Uniform Joe Baca War: Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch: Army Service Location: United States; Vietnam Theme: Patriotism Theme: Voices of War John Philip Baca War: Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch: Army Service Location: Phuoc Long Province, Vietnam SOLDIERS TELL TRUE STORIES OF THEIR WAR. The next year, officials improved the randomization process by drawing birthdays and lottery numbers from different capsules, but men could still get out of serving. They walked for days and weeks at a time, patrolling the land for Viet Cong guerrilla fighters or members of the North Vietnamese Army. Unsurprisingly, this did not sit well with black soldiers, and discord only worsened as the war dragged on. Anyone who experiences trauma, usually life life threatening, can have PTSD. They fought together and returned home to build lives, families, and communities across the country. Both the government that had drafted them and the public that resented their participation in Vietnam abandoned the men who had served their country, leaving them few options to cope with the aftermath of all the trauma they had experienced and caused. During the chaotic final weeks of the Vietnam War, the North Vietnamese Army closes in on Saigon as the panicked South Vietnamese people desperately attempt to escape. The Vietnam War was the first American war in which its troops were fully integrated, a development that was supposed to turn the page on a ghastly history of … 40% to 60% of those were either in combat, provided close support or were regularly exposed to enemy attack. What's New > Overcoming PTSD: 3 Vietnam War Veterans’ Stories. They hid landmines and booby traps to inflict casualties and heighten the fear American GIs felt with every step. I had never really been to Vietnam the country. HANOI, VIETNAM—Forty years ago, on April 30, 1975, Nguyen Dang Phat experienced the happiest day of his life. This article was written by Tirdad Derakhshani from Philly.com and was legally licensed through the NewsCred publisher network. But many others were poor or working-class teenagers who enlisted or were drafted into the military right out of high school. Our focus is on friendly, helpful advice and great service for every customer. Somewhat pejoratively called REMFs ("Rear Echelon Mother F*ckers") these soldiers had a comparatively cushy experience in Vietnam. "To be honest, I wanted to know what it was like to shoot at someone and have someone shoot at you," he said. The veterans had returned. The seemingly endless war, fought by American GIs thousands of miles away, had lost whatever sheen it might have had in 1955, when Americans at the height of the Cold War, committed to the Western ideals of freedom and democracy, were determined to stop the spread of communism in Asia. Some Viet Cong soldiers were uniformed and highly trained, however, most were volunteers and reservist farmers who received only occasional training, if any at all. Heroes of Vietnam: The Stories of Fallen Soldiers. Marijuana was cheap and easy to come by, but commanders were more concerned with the surge of heroin usage among enlisted men, which reached epidemic levels by 1971. American troops didn't know if the villagers were aiding the Viet Cong, harboring enemies, or laying traps that could kill American troops. They were a bunch of jungle-fighting guerrilla warriors who killed American boys via night-time ambushes and terrifying traps. I saw no eyes clouded with resentment." Veterans encountered unprecedented levels of hostility from a public that had long objected to U.S. involvement in Vietnam. All rights reserved. HANOI, VIETNAM—Forty years ago, on April 30, 1975, Nguyen Dang Phat experienced the happiest day of his life. B: John William Baber War: World War, 1939-1945 Branch: Army Air Forces/Corps Service Location: European Theater Theme: First, Serve: Athletes in Uniform Joe Baca War: Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch: Army Service Location: United States; Vietnam Theme: Patriotism Theme: Voices of War John Philip Baca War: Vietnam War, 1961-1975 Branch: Army Service Location: Phuoc Long Province, Vietnam He served as an infantryman with Echo Company, 2nd Battalion, 7th Marine Regiment in Chu Lia, Vietnam in 1965. But mostly what they did was walk. They carried the fear that at any moment, a surprise attack could kill them. On the surface, it appeared to have worked. I stood on the spot where I had been shot, but it's so different now. "I had been accepted to four colleges, but I signed up," he said. Neas went on a recent tour of Vietnam, including a visit to Huế in March as part of an educational trip sponsored by College of the Ozarks in Missouri. Since World War II, little research had determined whether amphetamine had a positive impact on soldiers’ performance, yet the American military readily supplied its troops in Vietnam with speed. Thompson’s Hill (April 9-10, 1968), by Richard Dieterle. Ian McNeill, The Team; Australian Army advisers in Vietnam, Australian War Memorial, Canberra, 1984, p470 'Australian soldiers who fought in Vietnam were imbued with the notion of serving an honourable cause at the nation's behest. The average age of a U.S. soldier dropped from 26 in World War II to just 19, not even old enough to vote at the time. However, because of the way the draft was set up, men assigned the lowest numbers were more likely to be drafted than those with higher numbers. Besides weapons, each of us carried an extra 30kg of personal material and food. That’s a lot of people and a lot of heartache. "It was such a waste of life on both sides, such a waste of youth. By Staff Writer Last Updated Mar 25, 2020 7:28:07 AM ET American soldiers stationed in Vietnam were met with an unexpectedly horrific experience. PTSD was not known until after the Vietnam War; before Vietnam it was known as Shell Shock or Combat Fatigue. “Bill” Ehrhart joined the U.S. Marines when he was 17. “Pep pills” were usually distributed to men leaving … Dileo looks back at the war with some melancholy. Their book, “Last Draftees,” was released last month. "I met him on the street one day, and I spent the night with his family. What Life Was Like As A Soldier In The Vietnam War, paraded around the base at Cam Ranh Bay in KKK robes, deliberately avoided large-scale conflicts, could fly to any number of exotic locales, "the Army's last great tragedy in Vietnam. Please direct all licensing questions to legal@newscred.com. Vietnam veterans were more likely to have begun using heroin during their military service, and they were more likely to say that their service experiences had affected their use of drugs, usually citing relief of fear and tensions of war. If you are a veteran, know a veteran, or are related to a veteran, and would like to place a personal story on the Online Veterans Tribute, please mail it to: American Veterans Center 1100 N. Glebe Rd. The refugees had reached Australia. Soldiers were tasked with the job of winning over the hearts and minds of the local Vietnamese population, convincing them that Western liberation from communist forces would improve their lives. Material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed a real country, to the! Soldiers whose names are inscribed on the street one day, seven days a week. `` America... Across America finally reached Vietnam. so I could n't go over for. Days a week. `` of fighting in Vietnam thirty eight years,! 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