I need to Interview someone about the Vietnam War.

[Guest]

So for my American History class we are supposed to interview someone that fought/ remembers the Vietnam War.

1. What did you do during the war?
2. Where did you live?
3. What memories of specific events do you have of the war?
4. What memories of you own thoughts about the war? Did your attitude toward the war change over there. Were your own thoughts or opinions different from those of family or fiends? How?
5. Did you know anyone in the war? Did that person influence there views of the war?
6. Looking back, how do you feel about it.
7. Do you see any similarities to the Afghanistan war?

[Jim]

So for my American History class we are supposed to interview someone that fought/ remembers the Vietnam War.

1. What did you do during the war?
2. Where did you live?
3. What memories of specific events do you have of the war?
4. What memories of you own thoughts about the war? Did your attitude toward the war change over there. Were your own thoughts or opinions different from those of family or fiends? How?
5. Did you know anyone in the war? Did that person influence there views of the war?
6. Looking back, how do you feel about it.
7. Do you see any similarities to the Afghanistan war?

1. I went to Vietnam as an 11B20 infantryman. Eventually I became an 11F40 Infantry and Operations Specialist. I worked in the DTOC (Division Tactical Operations Center) in rotary wing (helicopter) aircraft control for the 1st ID (First Infantry Division). We directed all helicopters (except medivac & command and control) within the division AO (area of operation). I served in Vietnam in 1968 and 1969.
2. In bunkers and hooches when we were not regularly under attack. Simply put, if it was likely we would be attacked, we slept underground as much as possible. If not, we slept above ground. The rest of the time we were almost always on duty.
3. Many but essentially hating the army but attaining a high degree of job satisfaction by getting helicopters (especially gunships) where they were needed in life critical situations.
4. The Vietnam War generally appeared necessary to retard the violent global exansion of Communism. Opponents seemed somewhat foolish because they had no answer to the question of how to deal with an violent aggressor that wouldn't stop. Once there, the military tactics seemed somewhat foolish as they consisted largely of finding and killing the enemy and then abandoning the territory only to revisit it later and repeat the process. With the exception of one aunt who didn't press me on it, my family was generally supportive of my military service. However, the younger segment of the public was generally not.
5. Yes. Everyone I served with and all my civilian roommates after graduating from college and a handful of fraternity brothers.
6. It was a very miserable experience which caused me to strive to never again to be under the absolute control of others. I succeeded.
7. Yes. Our success in Afganistan depends upon the locals rejecting and holding off the enemy. That was also the case in Vietnam.

[Guest]

Thank you Jim for replying, I sent you a email, please let me know if you get it.

[bill]

1. i was a patrol leader/platoon leader, and later company xo and company commander in alpha, echo, and delta companies of 3rd recon bn. the first six months were mostly in the field, the last seven months mostly in the rear.

2. in the rear, we lived in strongback tents (plywood floors), in the bush we usually slept on a poncho with a poncho liner as a blanket. when i joined my unit, they were stationed at phu bai. we later moved up to quang tri and dong ha. these bases were in the extreme northern part of south vietnam.

3. my memories are mostly of time in the bush. most of the time we didn't see much action. when we did see action, it was very vivid and intense at the time, but the memories have faded. the memories of going on r and r in australia and the flight out of the country are still with me. most of the memories are of the marines i served with...some of whom didn't make it home. hard to explain to those who were not there.

4. at the time i thought we were doing the right thing and buying time for the south vietnamese to be able to stand on their own. over the years i learned how we were fighting for a lot of other political agenda that had nothing to do with noble goals. i learned not to trust government and military leaders. i think most of the marines i served with probably felt "used" in a sense. we went where we were told and did what we were trained to do. you can't ask much more of the common infantryman.

5. i don't understand your question. i knew a lot of marines who served, as well as friends who protested the war.

6. there were some very good times and some very bad times. i cherish the friendships and camaraderie. i admired the vietnamese people and their country...even in the throes of war. i have been back once and had a very nice visit. i think we very much need to question our leaders before entering into conflict with another nation. the price of war is much higher than most of them understand and should not be entered into lightly.

7. some similarities, but it is an entirely different country and culture. i think the dangers of choosing the "wrong" side are high, and i believe that we may not be looked upon as saviors in the long term. we tend to rely too much on technology and not enough on the people to people aspects.

[Guest]

Thanks Bill, the assignment was actually due today, so I used what Jim gave me. But thanks i still read it for more knowledge and a different perspective.

[Dave]

1. I was in the Army infantry. About every third day we were out in the field, I would lead the company through the jungles and rice paddies searching for the enemy.

2. Before the war I lived in the Sacramento area in northern California. Basic Training was in Ft. Lewis, Wa. Our base camp in Vietnam was in Lia Kha. When I came home I spent the last six months of my military obligation at Ft. Hood, Texas.

3. Most of the specific events I remember involved the loss of those around me. On my first day in the field another new kid walked point and was killed, a short round hit ten feet behind me and wounded three more kids who where trying to carry one of the casualties back to a medivac, I recieved a piece if sharpnel that pierced two canteens on the back of my webbelt. I still had more the 350 days to go and didn't know how I could ever make it. My entire squad became casualities on two seperate occations, 50% of our company where medivaced after one particularly bad ambush that I led then into. At least five other point men were casualties during my tour.

4. The Cold War had been going on for years. There was alarm and fear about the rapid expansion of Communism. South Vietnam was being taken over by force and we thought we could stop the red tide. I felt obligated to serve my country rather than move to Canada, go to jail or go underground with the hippies. After coming home I was bitter that mankind couldn't find another way to resolve their disputes.

5. I knew lots of kids during the war. Some made it back home while others didn't.

6. All the wrong and injustices of war drove me to find all that is truly good and right. I found that God let mankind do their worst to one another but He can use everything for our good. My relationship with jesus Christ is stronger than it would have been if Vietnam was not a huge part of my life.

7. Politics are again unclear, we don't understand the enemy, and the enemy is willing to sacrifice more people than we are.

[Jim]

Dave -

Was your base camp Lai Khe - pronounced "lie kay"?

Were you in the 1st Infantry Division or a unit attached to it?

If so, with what unit and when?

Jim

[Jim]

Dave

If this was from you, it came to me as an email from Bill.
++++++++++++++++++
Jim, just looked at your question. our division base camp was in Kai Khe
for my tour between Nov. '68 - Nov. '69. I was in the 1/26th, Co. "A" for
my first 6 months and then Recon for my last 6 months. We spent most of
the time out in the jungle and fire bases.
+++++++++++++++++++++++++

I think these guys were in Dobol. You may know a fellow named Richard Slaten (LA) or Mike Mackey (FLA). I think Mackey was in recon (don't know which company) but may have been out of Dobol by 11/68. After a bad ambush, Mackey was selected soldier of the month and became a personal assistant to MGen Orwin Talbott. He said they had walked into a horseshoe ambush which closed behind them for several hours trapping a good portion of recon in the lead. I think he came out of Dobol in October or November but I can't specifically remember. Slaten stayed in Dobol and came out of Vietnam with me in 1/69. I think he ended up being a driver. I thought he was in A Company.

By 11/68, Lai Khe was fairly quiet with respect to rockets with only occasional hits. Obviously that was not the case in the field. My guess is your hooch was in the rubber trees on the east side of Hwy 13 somewhere around the airstrip. I was in the rubber on the west side of Hwy 13 just south of the airstrip from 5/68 to 1/69. I worked in the division TOC.

Jim

[dave]

Jim, I heard about the recon ambush when I arrived in Alpha Company. Regiment disbanded recon until June/July '69 when I was "volunteered" to join. Most of us were eight balls form other companies of the 1/26th. I don't recall the names you mentioned, I pretty much stuck with my platoon members. You"re right, we were in the rubber pretty close to the airfield. Thanks for the contact.

Dave Wright

[itsbrandondblahh]

Hello, I need to interview a person that was in War or affected at the time of the Vietnam War.
Please Email Me,
Familyalwaysfirst1@yahoo.com
Thanks,
Brandon