VIETNAM REMEMBERED, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN TET[1968] WENT DOWN??? - Page 2

[ARCHIVED THREAD] - VIETNAM REMEMBERED, WHERE WERE YOU WHEN TET[1968] WENT DOWN??? (Page 2 of 3)

Posted: 9/24/2005 6:55:43 PM EDT

[#1]

I wasnt born yet in 68,
However I travel to Hue Vietnam
every year to visit the in-laws.
Damage can still be seen on
the surviving buildings on Le Loi
and Hung Vuong.

regards,
myit

Posted: 9/24/2005 7:00:04 PM EDT

[#2]

I was in Kindergarten in LA.

LOVE what the Marines did with the Ontos though

Posted: 9/24/2005 7:10:51 PM EDT

[#3]

I was 12 and watching news reports on TV

Posted: 9/24/2005 7:11:26 PM EDT

[#4]

Quoted:
I was learning how to make paragraphs.

::snicker::

Posted: 9/24/2005 7:20:33 PM EDT

[#5]

I wasn't even thought of.

My stepfather, on the other hand, was on a FOB outside Pleiku when Tet kicked off....

Posted: 9/24/2005 7:21:03 PM EDT

[#6]

I wasn't even a gleam in the condensation of a six pack that created me 11 years later.

Posted: 9/24/2005 7:27:57 PM EDT

[#7]

I was 11 with my dad at my grandparents' house watching the news every evening hoping my 3 uncles were safe.

Posted: 9/24/2005 7:46:44 PM EDT

[#8]

I was 9 and remember watching reports of it on the 6:00pm news.

I was pretty shocked by it all as up to that point "we" were winning the war over there. After Tet, public opinion started to shift.

Posted: 9/24/2005 7:52:03 PM EDT

[#9]

I was in the Republic of VietNam, I Corps, in the An Hoa area. This was also known as the 'Arizona Territory' due to the large number of bad guys and the high frequency of enemy contacts. I had already been in RVN for 2+ years asa M60 gunner. Ended up in Hue about 2 to 3 weeks later. Bad times and bad memories....Charles the Gunsmith CWO-3 USMC (ret).

Posted: 9/24/2005 8:04:30 PM EDT

[#10]

It's always been about containing communism. It's just that the Big picture for Viet Nam was to make it last long enough to break the internal struggle within China. The Sino -Militarists if not occupied with support of N.Vam, may have spent thier energy within China, and siezed control of that nation, a nuclear power with huge Uranium reserves, counting Tibet.
In the olden days:
The Europeans sent Crusaders to the M.E., it was mostly beause the French King and the Pope, really needed to export these hotheads call Normans, who were upsetting thier idea of stabilty, so the got sent offshore on a mission-to get rid of them. -still paying for that one-

China had the same problem with the"Red Guard", best to focus thier martial energy toward the U.S., and free internal politics to grow toward a more survivable model.
The West could not influence China toward this end except from the outside.
Note, right after the end, Mr Nixon goes to China.
During Tet I thought that many Brave men were engaged in a struggle they did not understand, and what a pity that the various leaders could not reason together,avoiding such horror.

Today the defeat of the Taliban in Afganistan was fought in some measure to prevent the taking of Pakistan-A Nuclear power-, as China had become in 1963.

I suppose It is not possible for Nations to always announce the Big Picture, kinda like showing your hold cards in poker.

"Ours is not to reason why, ours is but to do and die" Horrible truth. was it necessary? Absolutely.

I do always feel better, if our leaders have large families spread around the nation, if that is the case it is more likely they will guard our nations interests.
The Clintons were scary because they lied with such ease even over trivialities and their family would rather be in France.
Thanks to all who served, either side for your sufferring dedication to be honorable and serve in the role you chose, or were born into.
The Earth is a friggin mess, but one can work and hope.

Posted: 9/24/2005 8:13:25 PM EDT

[#11]

I was a sophmore in high school

M

Posted: 9/24/2005 8:17:33 PM EDT

[#12]

I was still a lusty gleam in my pop's bloodshot eye.

In any case, I know that McNamara and Johnson should have been imprisoned for pissing all over our guys and micromanaging the whole goddamn war.

Posted: 9/24/2005 8:28:43 PM EDT

[#13]

Keith Nolan has a book called Battle for Saigon: Tet 1968. I'm reading it at work on breaks. Got it from the Military Book Club. He's a vivid and clear writer, and I plan to read other books he's written. He has several others, including Battle for Hue: Tet 1968.

I was born in 1957. The war was over before I turned 18 in 1975.

Military Book Club

GL

Posted: 9/24/2005 8:39:19 PM EDT

[#14]

I wasn't born yet, but my dad was there. Right there. He was an MP in the 716th, on duty at the BFQ in the north(?) or west(?) end of Saigon. He had only been in country three weeks at the time. In case you don't know, the 716th MP batallion were just about the only U.S. Army soldiers on duty when Tet started in Saigon. They were also the ones that defended the U.S. Embassy when the VC drove the tank through the wall. Thank god may dad wasn't there at the embassy then, or else I might not be here now. Nonethless, he said it was the scariest night of his life. He heard a few of his friends getting killed over the radio. My mom saw all of it on the news, knowing my dad was in the 716th, and thought he might have been killed. He has told me the story of that night a few times, but now I am trying to convince him to write it down so my daughters will always know what their grandpa did back then.

Posted: 9/24/2005 8:45:29 PM EDT

[#15]

I wasn't born until 1973. My father was 16 and attending St. Albans High School in St. Albans WV. My father in law was in a place called Pleiku. It was his second 18 month tour. He was assigned to the 405TC at the time. He retired in 91, two months after returning from the Gulf War. He retired as a CW-5 (Aviation Maintanence Officer) with 28 years TIS.

Posted: 9/24/2005 9:19:26 PM EDT

[#16]

Thank you to each and every one of you who served.

And I mean that from the bottom of my heart!

But, in 1968 I was only 8 years old riding my bicycle around town in SoCal chasing the little girls, playing army and making fireballs by burning the little plastic green army men...

All I remember is our next door neighbor's son was serving and he got shot. Got his Purple Heart, came home for about 6 months and then went back... Never saw him again, but his name isn't on the wall.. Right after he left the 2nd time, his parents put their home up for sale and the realtor found his mother dead in the bathroom. His father was a cop and gave me a live .38spl LRN round. I WAS COOL!

I'll never forget the song that was playing when the realtor came banging on our door telling us the neighbor was dead... "People Got To Be Free" by The Rascals

All the world over, so easy to see
People everywhere just wanna be free
Listen, please listen, that's the way it should be
Peace in the valley, people got to be free

You should see what a lovely, lovely world this'd be
Everyone learns to live together
Seems to me such an easy, easy thing should be
Why can't you and me learn to love one another

All the world over, so easy to see
People everywhere just wanna be free (wanna be free)
I can't understand it, so simple to me (it is)
People everywhere just got to be free

If there's a man who is down and needs a helping hand
All it takes is you to understand and to pull him through
Seems to me we got to solve it individually
And I'll do unto you what you do to me

There'll be shoutin' from the mountains on out to sea (out to sea)
No two ways about it, people have to be free (they got to be free)
Ask me my opinion, my opinion will be (ah-ha)
It's a natural situation for a man to be free

Oh, what a feelin's just come over me
It's enough to move a mountain, make a blind man see
Everybody's dancin' [unintelligible]
Peace in the valley, now they want to be free

See that train over there
Now that's the train of freedom
It's about to arrive any minute, now
You know, it's been long, long overdue
Look out 'cause it's comin' right on through [fade]

Posted: 9/24/2005 9:24:38 PM EDT

[#17]

Quoted:
I was 3, I think I was out in the sandbox in the backyard

+1

Posted: 9/24/2005 9:32:25 PM EDT

[#18]

I was no were to be found until a decade later when I was born

Posted: 9/24/2005 9:56:00 PM EDT

[#19]

I was in officer basic........12 months later I was there.....Vietnam that is........RTAVF, SLS, Second Field Force, RVN. 1969 was a more peaceful Tet...........only 30 or 40 guys getting killed per day. It was only yesterday. Today is Iraq. Won't be long and somone will be posing this same question about Fallujah.

Posted: 9/24/2005 11:22:02 PM EDT

[#20]

I was old enough to understand the significance of the event, but not yet wise enough to discard Cronkite's version of it.

Posted: 9/24/2005 11:25:10 PM EDT

[#21]

My parents were entering puberty, so about 19 years away from breathing.

Posted: 9/24/2005 11:49:08 PM EDT

[#22]

I was 2yrs. old. My grandmother told me about my uncle who was there. Never seen him but once.
He sent us C- rats when I was really young. Thats about all I remember about him. He died from
cancer some time back. Looked like a pissed off bull dog. He went to Korea and Vietnam.

Posted: 9/24/2005 11:49:45 PM EDT

[#23]

Damn not a whole lot of 'Nam vets, huh?

My grandfather was a senior NCO (SGM) for an Army detachment of cannon cockers in Viet Nam, can't remember which. He and his men GOT SOME!

Posted: 9/25/2005 12:13:40 AM EDT

[#24]

WHERE WERE YOU WHEN TET[1968] WENT DOWN???

Getting ready – should the need have arrived – to set off thermite grenades on top of my unit’s safes.

Posted: 9/25/2005 12:17:22 AM EDT

[#25]

I wasn't alive.

Posted: 9/25/2005 12:25:39 AM EDT

[#26]

My Mom was -1....

Posted: 9/25/2005 12:50:08 AM EDT

[#27]

I was in basic training, B-2-1, Ft. Lewis, WA. Enlisted in June 67 and went to basic on Nov. 20, 67. Went to Ft. Monmouth, NJ for AIT, Satellite Ground Station Repair (MOS 26Y20). Was stationed at a research facility at Lake Hearst Naval Air Station, NJ for 2 years. I was gung ho in those days and believed in what we were doing. Hoped that our guys could get some pay back at the NVA for TET.

Now I'm old, broke down, and not so gung ho. Still a Patriot, just not so eager to see our young men go to battle. (Son-In-Law is an E7 on active reserve at Ft. Lewis and will probably be going to Iraq by next spring.) But there are times and things worth fighting for, just hard to decide when and for what. History and hindsight are always 20 - 20. The picture is not so clear at the time the decisions need to be made. And the general public never knows all the reasons that the decisions to go fight are made. For many reasons, so good some bad we will never know the whole truth. That's just the way politics and national security work in our country. But we still live in the best country on earth, that I know for a FACT.

Posted: 9/25/2005 1:46:36 AM EDT

[#28]

I was 17 and lived in Gia Dinh, a Saigon suburb.
I recall watching Cobra rocket attacks on VC positions not far from my home.
One day a Cobra overshot and a rocket landed in a buddhist temple full of refugees.
There were plenty of casualties among the civilians.
An AC 47 showed up one evening and opened up with it's miniguns, it was the most beautiful show I ever watched during this war.
There were also Skyraiders and VNAF F5s bombing and straffing the VCs.
One night I saw a VC in black pijamas and Ho chi Minh sandals sneaking past an ARVN platoon stationed in a house across the street.
Another night my parents and I were woken up by the sound of gunfire, We immediately laid down under the beds and waited until things settle down.
Without warning a bullet smashed through a wooden window and hit the wall on the opposite side next to my bed with a big thud sending scores of plaster pieces all other the place.
In the morning I assessed the damage caused by the shooting and found a hole in the wall near the entrance door and a bent .30 caliber bullet (M60?) on the floor.
There were also small fragments from what seems to be an M79 round as there were tiny yellow paints on one of the fragments.
The hole where the bullet entered the wooden window was tiny, so I presumed it came from an M16 rifle.
One day I saw a dead ARVN soldier on a stretcher with a small pool of blood in the chest right at my front door.
He was taken away an hour later.
Dead VCs are not treated the same way by the ARVN, a dead VC wearing only a short was displayed on the street 25 yards from my house.
They left him there for something like a month or two to rot under a baking sun.
When the smell became too strong, they poured quicklime on the body.
On one occasion we cried a lot because an dumbass in a US ARMY Huey chopper that circled around my area dropped a pack of CS gas canisters that landed on the street right where the dead VC was a week earlier.
Only a couple of the CS grenades ignited, the rest were taken away by ARVN soldiers.

A year later, I joined the south vietnamese Navy and served until the tragic end of the war

Posted: 9/25/2005 5:17:00 AM EDT

[#29]

Special Agent Johnson: “Yeahhhhhhhh! Just like fucking Saigon! Eh, Slick?!”
Agent Johnson (no relation): “I was in junior high, dickhead!”

www.wavsite.com/sounds/13546/diehard19.wav

Posted: 9/25/2005 5:30:35 AM EDT

[#30]

Funny you should ask........4th Inf, BMT,Central Highlands,II corps. Target rich environment.

Posted: 9/25/2005 6:53:30 AM EDT

[#31]

I remember the night well. I was with the 509th RRG and I was stationed just outside of Bien Hoa. On one side was Bien Hoa. Nearby was the 90th Replacement Battalion and the rest of the Long Bien complex. Just across an open field was the largest ammo dump in the world. The little shits had to come by our compound in order to get into place to attack Long Bien, Bien Hoa and the ammo dump. I had a M-14 that night and I must have fired 500-600 rounds. Every time a flair went off we could see dozens of the little bastards. We had three KIA's and a dozen wounded that night. They destroyed our ops center with mortars, however, they were never able to breach the perimeter. A few nights later they snuck back in and blew up the ammo dump.

Posted: 9/25/2005 7:14:52 AM EDT

[#32]

Quoted:
I remember the night well. I was with the 509th RRG and I was stationed just outside of Bien Hoa. On one side was Bien Hoa. Nearby was the 90th Replacement Battalion and the rest of the Long Bien complex. Just across an open field was the largest ammo dump in the world. The little shits had to come by our compound in order to get into place to attack Long Bien, Bien Hoa and the ammo dump. I had a M-14 that night and I must have fired 500-600 rounds. Every time a flair went off we could see dozens of the little bastards. We had three KIA's and a dozen wounded that night. They destroyed our ops center with mortars, however, they were never able to breach the perimeter. A few nights later they snuck back in and blew up the ammo dump.

Now that you mentioned it, I remember the ammo dump incident.
As far as I remember, it blew up for days and once in a while a bigger explosion shook the glasses at my home in Saigon. There was a huge colum of black smoke that looked like a nuclear explosion.

Posted: 9/25/2005 7:25:33 AM EDT

[#33]

.
Without warning a bullet smashed through a wooden window

No offense, LRRPS, but I thought this is funny. Wonder how the bullet could have warned you.

Posted: 9/25/2005 7:30:34 AM EDT

[#34]

Swimming around in my old mans left nut waiting for an egg to dive into.

Posted: 9/25/2005 7:56:01 AM EDT

[#35]

First off, I was 2 at the time.

Secondly, let me thank each and every VN vet that reads this, your service to our country will not be forgotten.

3rd, Why do you have to crap in this thread AirCommando? Cant people just read a post sometime and not open their stupid yap with a slam attack?

FYI, pal, a warning could have been any type of activity that would presage a bullet buzzing through the window frame... could have been running troops, heavy gunfire, bullets hitting the wall ... etc etc. THAT is what a warning is.

Man, everyone here has just got to be a smartmouth

Dram out

Posted: 9/25/2005 8:06:21 AM EDT

[#36]

I was guarding the sand dunes on Cape Cod Ma. against a sneak
Viet Cong invasion at Otis AFB awaiting my discharge date June 11, 1968.

By all accounts we kicked butt yet Walter Conk-shit said we lost and the
American people believed him.

Posted: 9/25/2005 8:13:49 AM EDT

[#37]

Quoted:
I was learning how to make paragraphs.

No sh*t!!! My eyes started hurting after the third line, sorta like trying to view bead being laid down by Pangea, only without the benefit of eye protection.

Posted: 9/25/2005 8:27:31 AM EDT

[#38]

Quoted:
First off, I was 2 at the time.

Secondly, let me thank each and every VN vet that reads this, your service to our country will not be forgotten.

3rd, Why do you have to crap in this thread AirCommando? Cant people just read a post sometime and not open their stupid yap with a slam attack?

FYI, pal, a warning could have been any type of activity that would presage a bullet buzzing through the window frame... could have been running troops, heavy gunfire, bullets hitting the wall ... etc etc. THAT is what a warning is.

Man, everyone here has just got to be a smartmouth

Dram out

Yes, you're right that there could have been some clue from activity, but I enjoy a lot of odd observations, and have a sense of humor that not everybody appreciates (as well as being a speeling/punctuationEnglish fanatic). It wasn't a slam attack IMHO; smartass? Well..........

Posted: 9/25/2005 8:31:19 AM EDT

[#39]

To actually answer the question, I was recuperating (non-combat injury) after going off active duty from a G of T carrier, hoping to see some of the protestors get their asses kicked by the police.

Now I believe the US should be a lot more selective about acting as world police, and at the same time, when we do engage in war, I still think the left-wing politicians and media oughta be put in internment camps.

Posted: 9/25/2005 8:55:28 AM EDT

[#40]

Was 5 or 6 y/o. Was evacuate into the city and stay with relatives. ~~Damn~~ f#cking commie...

Posted: 9/25/2005 8:58:29 AM EDT

[#41]

I wasn't born yet, but Dad was there.

Front row, 4th from left.

Following the Tet Offensive, he was moved up near the DMZ, to a place called Wonder Beach, where they suppored the 1st CAV. He was responsible for getting resupplies out to the field via helicopter.

Dad in his "office."

Pics of the area:

Dad on one of his many "rides."

(This guy is nearly 6' tall)

Church services

Wonder Beach landing & resupply area

Former HQ

A familiar bird at one of the airbases that Dad sometimes traveled to.

Front and back of Dad's Zippo.

I scanned in about a hundred or so of his pictures, and eventually hope to have them all done and put up on a website for others to see.

-Troy

Posted: 9/25/2005 9:09:10 AM EDT

[#42]

I was in Ft. Huachuca AZ, just having returned from SEA and about a year from my separation date.

Posted: 9/25/2005 9:33:39 AM EDT

[#43]

Quoted:
I wasn't born yet, but Dad was there.

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2913
Front row, 4th from left.

Following the Tet Offensive, he was moved up near the DMZ, to a place called Wonder Beach, where they suppored the 1st CAV. He was responsible for getting resupplies out to the field via helicopter.

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2890
Dad in his "office."

Pics of the area:

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2915

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2914

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2926
Dad on one of his many "rides."

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2917
(This guy is nearly 6' tall)

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2918
Church services

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2919
Wonder Beach landing & resupply area

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2920

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2921

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2922

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2923
Former HQ

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2925
A familiar bird at one of the airbases that Dad sometimes traveled to.

photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2927 photos.ar15.com/ImageGallery/Attachments/DownloadAttach.asp?iImageUnq=2928
Front and back of Dad's Zippo.

I scanned in about a hundred or so of his pictures, and eventually hope to have them all done and put up on a website for others to see.

-Troy

Great pictures. The web site is something to look forward to.

Posted: 9/25/2005 9:44:25 AM EDT

[#44]

I was a 16 year old Junior in high school in Arizona, watching the news every night and worrying about my older friends who were in Nam and whether I would eventually go.

I was really torn between supporting the troops (remember SAVE, Students Approve Vietnam Effort), and realizing that the reasons we were there had little to do with making the world safe for democracy and more to do with Big Business Corporate interests. Saw my older friends come and go, most made it back OK. I talked with them every chance I had as we tried to sort out what was going on.

Experienced how much that war split and polarized people here in the States, at this point I am just glad that we made it through those times. Although I did not serve, it was the major influence in my life and deeply affects the way I approach life.

To LWilde, anothergene, draver, AirCommando, 1911builder, LTVN68, 199, dinkydow, Diamondback, Flash66, MikeDFW, Troy's dad (great pics!), and whoever I missed:

Thank You for your service, and Welcome Home!

Rick

Good story: I met a dead man at my HS reunion.

I had heard in '70 that Ray C, a good HS friend, had been shot and killed in Nam. I filed that away and went on. At my 20th HS reunion a guy walked up and said, "Hi, I'm Ray." It turned out that he had been shot up " a little bit," (really bad shot up) but survived. We had a great time. I didn't tell him that I had thought him dead for almost 20 years.

Posted: 9/25/2005 9:52:49 AM EDT

[#45]

I was Stationed at Camp Vayama, Thailand. Serving in the US Army with the 596th QM.
Found out about what was happening in the Stars&Stripes. I was a US and thinking what next.
Later I found out, while sitting at Clark AFB on my way to Travis, RFK was next.

Posted: 9/25/2005 10:41:55 AM EDT

[#46]

I was a HS senior. Arrived "in country" in '69.

I see a few vets have posted and a lot of others have talked about fathers/other relatives. I encourage ALL vets to check out, and participate in, the Library of Congress Veterans History Project. One my Senators has really gotten behind the project and has a staff member whose sole job is to promote the project and collect the stories. All veterans organizations should be promoting this project.

Posted: 9/25/2005 11:17:45 AM EDT

[#47]

On a related note, CMB69, here is a link where one can listen to stories online in my university's Vietnam Project. Click on "Oral History."

www.vietnam.ttu.edu/