Vietnam 40+ Years Later

by Frank Fox

I find it difficult that some people find it easy to recommend that we forget about the Vietnam Conflict and embrace the new Vietnam.

I am not a rocket scientist, but the country is still in control of its population by the same people who forced the ‘Fall of Saigon’ and who waged war against our young men and women, until we were forced to withdraw from Vietnam all together. 

It appears there was no way for us to win that conflict, playing by the rules. If it had been a declared war, by definition, we would not have been limited to the levels of our aggression which was afforded us by our military technology and the Geneva Convention. 

It mostly was a case of, “We are taking fire!  Do we have permission to fire back?” 

“Wait one minute, and we will get back to you.” 

That lag in time was costly to U.S. troops. We lost 58,000+ Americans.  The Vietnamese lost 3,000,000. 

We were very good at our jobs, but time and space took its toll. There were many front lines, and at times, it was easy to get surrounded.

After a while, we even had enemies back at home, as it became an unpopular war. Young men who avoided the draft, had their own demons as they got older, and were feeling empty about not serving.

There is a gentlemen that is putting out a book on the new Vietnam, titled Vietnam 40 Years Later. I have included a link to his plead for money to help him make a profit off of the country where so many young Americans have lost their dreams and futures.

Vietnam 40 Years Later

I think there is something very wrong with this. He was old enough to have gone, but he avoided having to go. Now it’s okay and safe for him to go and we should embrace Vietnam’s future?

It is not that easy to let these things go and embrace the future, after having your future so painfully changed. 

Veterans from WW2, and Korea still have their scars and bitterness, when it gets quiet enough, cold enough, or dark enough. There are men today that can’t even do sport shooting, because of the smell of fresh fired ammunition.

To embrace their future is almost another slap in the face. So why didn’t we just step aside and let nature take its course? Fewer men, women, and children would have died, and we could be just tickled pink for them. 

We owe respect to those who died for their country, not for the cause, but for the history of defending the Democracy of the free people of the United States. Our troops in all wars have defended an ideal. It shows the world what we are capable of doing to protect this nation.

Polemology pertains to the study of war (we have studied that well). Something new on campuses is Irenology, Peace and Conflict studies. We need to work harder at preventing going to war.

Truman and LBJ committed us to aggression, without the consent of Congress. Then when Nixon stepped up the bombing over North Vietnam, again without permission from Congress, it got us the War Powers Act in 1973. It stated the rules of going to war so as to have the approval of more than one man. It was George W. Bush who made it possible to put us in the Middle East, without notifying Congress.

It is human nature to war from one society to another. In cost of human life, WW2 cost between 85 to 90,000,000 people. The Mongol invasions in Europe, hundreds of years before, without accurate records, took many more lives. They conquered most all of Europe, Asia, and Russia. The only people they let live were slaves, for whatever reason.

The world is shrinking, my friends, with more issues. We have to think smarter -- the oceans are only so wide. If we were sitting in the middle of Europe, things would be a little different.

Frank Fox

Combat Medic
Sea/Air Rescue
US Navy with USMC
August 1964 – August 1970 (6 years 1 month)

More Articles by Frank Fox:

Old School Patriotism is Still Alive
Veterans Sharing Recipes
The White House Christmas Card
War: Some Are Better Prepared
Our Generation
The Marine and the Cure
More Thoughts on War and Youth
Opinions, Thoughts and Feelings
A Different PerspectiveA Worthy Rebuttal to Mr. Garrison

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale


Feel free to comment on this post. You are also invited to write about anything you want to share. Memoirs From Nam is YOUR blog. You are writing America's history.

Send it to me in an e-mail and I will be proud to post it for you.

Fire Base Kathryn: RVN April 1970

Fire Base Kathryn, Vietnam War

by Byron Edgington

I’ll never forget my first girl. I’ll never forget Kathryn, either. Kathryn—the name of a fire base in northern I-Corps in the Republic of Vietnam.

The stated mission that day was to put troops on her mountaintop crag. The real mission was to educate me, a brand new Warrant Officer pilot, on the professionalism and capability of my ‘enemy,’ the North Vietnamese.

April 10th 1970. Chief Warrant Officer Ray Woods was company flight lead that day. I was a new guy, “Still pissing stateside water,” as John Lipski, my left seater, said. 

Our string of Hueys laced across the sky in a circle, like charms on a bracelet. We were waiting for the artillery prep to end, so we could land on LZ Kathryn, dump our grunts, and go home.

In the twenty-four ship formation, I tried to ignore my place in the lineup. I was right-seater in bird number thirteen. Lipski and I followed the twelve Hueys in front of us like so many sheep in a line. Careful to avoid the artillery trajectory, the GT line, Woody kept his flight a mile north of Kathryn.

Round after heavy artillery round pummeled the fire base. Its cratered surface, mangled tree stumps, and arid ground resembled a brown blister festering atop the mountain. Artillery had pounded the fire base all night, before the mission. 

It was nine a.m., and still we circled, twenty-four Hueys cutting holes in the sky, turning jet fuel into noise over northern I-Corps.

We were waiting for Willie Pete, two final rounds of White Phosphorus. When the twin marking rounds of WP popped above the fire base, their presence marked the end of the artillery prep. Only then could we land.

Minutes dragged on. We circled. Radio silence. Watching shell after shell explode atop that ridge, I couldn’t imagine anything alive up there. I almost felt sorry for the bad guys, the ones the intel people told us were there waiting for us to land. Surely, I thought, they’d all be killed, or run off. Nobody could survive that massive bombardment.

But, I was a rookie, about to learn an important lesson. I was about to see how resilient the enemy was ...

At nine-ten a.m., only a few minutes late, two ghostly clouds appeared a hundred feet above LZ Kathryn like twin thought balloons. Willie Pete; the arty prep was done. John slid his visor down and locked his shoulder harness. “Okay, guys,” he said. “Let’s go to work.”

In the rear of the cabin, the crew chief and door gunner sat up, alert. Crew chief on the left, door gunner right, they cinched their monkey straps tight and swiveled the business end of their .30 cals up. 

“Ready in the rear, sir,” they said in unison. 

As the gunners’ weapons came up and their charging rods clattered, the grunts stirred. Five GIs flicked cigarettes out. Their M-16s banged against the floor of the Huey as they adjusted their backpacks. Time for them to go to work, too.

Woody’s ship angled off, aiming toward Kathryn, and lined up for landing. Two Cobra gunships slid into position near the lead Huey, one left; one right. The Cobras would escort Woody, as he neared the LZ, then they’d break off. Together, the three aircraft flew toward Kathryn’s ragged shell-shot surface.

Woody called his approach. “Thirty seconds out,” he said.

I watched from my aircraft, a mile behind, twelve UH-1's ahead of me.

“Short final,” Woody said, the rattle and pop of Cobra suppressive fire and his crew’s sixties barking in his radio call.

Woody’s Huey touched down on Kathryn and men streamed onto the fire base. Then a radio call that chilled my arms. Woody screamed into the ether. “Taking fire,” he yelled. “On the fire base. My gunner’s hit. He may be dead.”

John looked across the cockpit, and shook his head. “Son of a bitch.”

After an all-night bombardment, a pummeling no one could possibly have survived, an enemy soldier had leapt into the open on Kathryn and shot Woody’s door gunner. And the man was indeed dead, killed instantly. 

It’s gonna be a long year, I thought.

Our turn. John steered the Huey toward Kathryn’s landing spot. I watched the gauges, called out readings. “Torque’s good; rpm’s good.” I focused inside the cockpit, from fright, or denial, I’m not sure. 

I’ll never forget my first girl. But I don’t remember landing on Kathryn. Before I knew it, the Huey was empty and John had lifted off. 

We took no fire, no hits. Still, what I’d seen gave me a lot of respect for the enemy. That respect helped keep me alive in Vietnam, that and a simple rule: never underestimate the North Vietnamese.

Byron Edgington

Byron Edgington

The SkyWriter

Website
Blog
Byron's Book

Other Articles by Byron Edgington:

Bob Hope: Christmas 1970, Camp Eagle
History/Archival Sites for Vietnam Vets
Vietnam: Arriving at the Truth
Do Guns Equal Safety?
Laotian Rescue Mission
Ho Chi Minh
Terror and Hilarity
A Return to Vietnam
The War That Will Not Let Us Rest
War: A Waste of Youth
The Right Seat is the Wrong Seat
Jim, Frank, and The Snake
Smokey, The Alcoholic Pup

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale


Feel free to comment on this post. You are also invited to write about anything you feel comfortable sharing. Memoirs From Nam is YOUR blog. You are writing America's history, sharing the truth about the Vietnam veteran, and what it was like in Our War.

The War Within

The War Within

by Robert Cosmar

War places us in contact with our darker nature and the alternate reality of our existence. It goes far beyond religion, morals, training, combat, and what is considered normal to most folks.

Each of us has the capacity for great awareness, great enlightenment, and great love and truth, but we also have the capacity for great destruction, anger, pain, fear, and even madness, if we become lost to our darker nature.

It isn't a matter of right, or wrong in war, only an acceptance of what is and following orders. In combat, almost anything goes and our moral teachings have to be set aside. 

Guilt is the consequence, as well as an underlying fear that we may experience this part of ourselves again, even in less dangerous circumstances.

It's normal to suppress our dark nature and fear its presence, as long as we remember, at the other end of it, is great light, knowledge, and healing.

We are not our darkness.  We are a consciousness that observes the darkness and, at times, for self-preservation, we are forced to identify with it, like in combat.  When we are in darkness, there is a freedom that didn't exist in our normal daily lives.

This same freedom is experienced by those who seek enlightenment. It is a place where we become free of the teachings of mankind, and potentially aware that we and life are much more than we originally thought. 

This freedom can give us the power to choose and create an authentic life built on love, healing, and serving others, or on a life that embraces judgment, guilt, and unbelievable emotional pain.

The warrior can face their pain and break free from the shackles of mankind, or they can give in to their unconscious guilt and shame and be tortured by it.

Acceptance is the key to healing and non-judgment. In reality, no one punishes us but ourselves. We all have the key to acceptance -- but will we open the door and walk inside to go beyond the fear and guilt within us?

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale


Feel free to comment on this post. You are also invited to write about anything you feel comfortable sharing. Memoirs From Nam is YOUR blog. You are writing America's history, sharing the truth about the Vietnam veteran, and what it was like in Our War.

The Smorgasbord Patrol

The Jungle of Vietnam

by Bobby Q

(Bobby Quintana-Sena)

“Older men declare war, but it is the youth that must fight and die." -- Herbert Hoover


The word "tired" didn't do justice to the amount of pain in our bodies, especially our legs, from the constant marching for two days.

We tried to sleep during the day, but the strain of trying to stay awake at night and the constant adrenaline rush awaiting an attack had us on pins and needles.

We had been deep in the jungles, canopied with trees, vines, and other vegetation, making walking an effort in itself. We ran across trails, but did not encounter any VC, however, it was very obvious they had been around. Luckily we weren't engaged and didn't suffer any casualties. That was the only bright spot in the march. 

All we looked forward to was getting back to the base camp in one piece. We knew a shower and fresh food would work wonders in rejuvenating us and making us whole again -- until we had to go out again. It was a vicious circle one could not get used to.

Word came through the line that we were to start walking down the mountainside and find the extraction point a few hours from us. 

As we started off, we were a little upbeat.  Since we were going back to base camp, we could take a break for awhile. One of the guys, Specialist Four Martinez, was talking to a man behind him and he tripped on a vine.  With the slight incline, he almost fell forward, (which would have been a lot less painful), but he tried to use his rifle as a crutch to hold him up. 

Try as he might, he couldn't get his balance and ran smack into a tree with his head. The only reason he didn't get a cracked skull was because he chose to wear a helmet, instead of the boonie hat most of us wore. It was actually quite funny and we all started laughing, which brought the Lieutenant back as the column stopped.  He also laughed, when we told him what happened.

The Lieutenant was just as tired as we were and he said since we had to wait until Martinez got his head cleared, we might as well take some time to eat and relax for the final leg down the hill. 

As Doc was working on Martinez, he found him to be somewhat disorientated, but otherwise in good health. The laughter started again, when Doc showed us the helmet with the dent. 

At this point, Martinez got mad and started cussing.  One of the guys who was eating a pound cake, slung a piece of cake with a bendable spoon at Martinez, hitting him again in the head. Pieces of the dry pound cake were stuck in his hair and the whole gang went wild. 

Before Martinez could get up and retaliate, one of the guys who knew I despised ham and lima beans, hit me square in the chest with a big glob of it. That was the start of one great food fight. 

Beanie weenies, ham and eggs, (you name the food), was slung all over the whole patrol, as we lay on the ground. We had tears in our eyes from the event and all our cares and stress went out the window.

It was like a great wave of relief went through the whole group. We vented our feelings, flushed them out of our system, and enjoyed ourselves without a care in the world. We felt like we could march for another week.

We were all laying around, still laughing occasionally, as we made our preparations to get moving again.  Suddenly, one of the guys jumped up in the air about two feet and commenced to slap himself, making pinching motions all over his body. 

Pretty soon, another guy started and finally, we were all trying to disrobe. It seemed that in our glee of slinging food all over the place, we invited an army of red ants and other creepy-crawly critters to our festival. 

There were some serious ant bites among us and we almost had to undress to get all off them off.  It didn't take us long to gather our belongings and move to a different area so we could clean ourselves us as best we could. The lack of water didn't help the situation and we didn't want to use up all of our drinking water. 

Specialist Martinez's amazing recovery occurred during our hysteria and we were surprised when we noticed he was the first one out of the area.

I couldn't wait to see how this was all fabricated, once we got back to base camp and the drinking started.  I was sure there would be several variations of the tale, none of which anyone would ever believe.

Bobby Q

USAF

Vietnam

Bobby Q

Other Articles by Bobby Q:

Four Months and a Wake Up
That's the Air Force For You ...






“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale


Feel free to comment on this post. You are also invited to write about anything you feel comfortable sharing. Memoirs From Nam is YOUR blog. You are writing America's history, sharing the truth about the Vietnam veteran, and what it was like in Our War.

Recognition Delayed for Many Vietnam Vets

Unofficial Self-Designed Insignia

by Frank Fox

Most military veterans were aware of covert activities of special units of American military, but they never knew the details.

These special units were chosen because of special skills and abilities.

Many veterans of the aggression in South Vietnam (really Laos and Cambodia as well) were servicemen from various U.S. Forces. They unofficially belonged to a group designated MACV-SOG (Military Assistance Command Vietnam-Studies and Observation Group). 

Because we had a Hanoi agreement, we were not supposed to venture into the countries on Vietnam's Western border. The area was sanctuary for PAVN (People’s Army of Vietnam) and NVA (North Vietnamese Army).

It was necessary to keep tabs on the movements of the enemy, and at times bring the wrath of hell deservedly upon them.

The many brave troops could not be recognized, until years after the war, and the truth be known about KIA’s, MIA’s, and WIA’s. Twenty three Veterans had to wait until 2001 to receive the DSC (Distinguished Service Cross, the nation’s second highest award).

Because the details were classified, many families only received generic reports on their KIA’s and MIA’s. Most soldiers were instructed and sworn to secrecy.

Many of these soldiers had special skill sets. Please use the link to see another facet of Vietnam that was ongoing for years, before the start of aggression, until the U.S. pulled out.

Sometimes we forget all those who covertly did tasks and assignments, and lost their lives, to keep American forces as safe as they could.

To the difference they and their comrades made ... hand salute ... two.

Military Assistance Command, Vietnam - Studies and Observations Group

Frank Fox

Combat Medic
Sea/Air Rescue
US Navy with USMC
August 1964 – August 1970 (6 years 1 month)

More Articles by Frank Fox:

Old School Patriotism is Still Alive
Veterans Sharing Recipes
The White House Christmas Card
War: Some Are Better Prepared
Our Generation
The Marine and the Cure
More Thoughts on War and Youth
Opinions, Thoughts and Feelings
A Different PerspectiveA Worthy Rebuttal to Mr. Garrison

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale


Feel free to comment on this post. You are also invited to write about anything you are comfortable with sharing. Memoirs From Nam is YOUR blog. You are writing America's history.

Vietnam Vet Recipes: Eggplant Lasagna

Eggplant Lasagna

by Frank Fox

This is a great dish and made without pasta (those pesky carbs). 

Eggplant is also known as Aubergine, Melongene, Garden Egg, or Guinea Squash.

Go to your market, or grocery, and select two medium-sized eggplants that are smooth to the touch and firm, under a little pressure. 

Also while you're at the grocery make sure you pick up the following ingredients:

What You Will Need:

· Eggplant (2 medium)

· A blister pack of your favorite mushrooms

· Bell Pepper of choice (I like red)

· Jar of minced garlic (or you can cut up your own)

· A sweet yellow onion

· A jar of your choice of seasoned red pasta sauce (I use garlic/basil).  You know, the stuff like Prego.

· Box of yellow corn meal

· Package of shredded Italian cheese, or whatever cheese suits you

· Oil for frying.  I use peanut oil.  It delivers taste and can take the heat (it's best for fish and oysters, too).  Or you can use whatever oil you prefer.

Get home and start cutting things up ...

· Peel the eggplants and trim ends off of both eggplants. Using a large knife, cut each eggplant into ¼ inch thick slices lengthwise.

· Do a coarse dice on half of the onion, also about half of the red bell pepper (again, you can use whatever kind of pepper you prefer).

· Trim off the dry stem parts of five medium-sized mushrooms and then slice the mushroom heads crosswise into about ¼ inch pieces.

Mix together well, about 1-1/2 cups of milk and one large egg to dip the eggplant in.

Dry Ingredients for Coating the Eggplant Slices:

In a large zip lock bag, pour in about half of the box of corn meal.

  

Add about 1 teaspoon of black pepper and any other dry spices, such as salt, basil, oregano, etc., whatever you like is fine. 

If you are a garlic person, add some garlic powder. 

Optional:  add about 1/2 cup of seasoned bread crumbs. 

Zip bag up and shake well.

Step-by-Step Preparation:

Preheat oven to 350 degrees.

Lightly spray a casserole dish (mine is 12 inches x 7 ½ inches) with a product like PAM on the bottom (not yours, the dish). 

Dip each piece of eggplant into the milk and egg mixture.  

Place each piece, one at a time, into the dry mixture in the zip lock bag and shake until the slice is completely covered. 

Place the coated piece of eggplant on a plate, then finish coating the rest of the pieces the same way.

Using a large skillet, pour enough oil into the skillet to just about cover each piece.

When oil is hot enough, (Test it by putting a small piece in.  It should sizzle nicely). Depending on how large each piece is, just fry all of the slices until they're rigid, with a nice browned appearance.  (It goes pretty quick). 

Take each piece out, holding it over the skillet to drain off the excess oil.  Then place it on a double layer of paper towels. 

In another skillet, put your chopped up vegetables, dry (no oil).  After frying the eggplant slices, pour a little of the hot oil from that frying pan into the vegetables over the heat and stir until the vegetables soften. When they're done (not burnt), turn the heat off.

Take a jar of your choice of red pasta sauce and pour some in the bottom of the Pam-sprayed casserole dish and spread it around to coat the dish. 

Now start layering.  First, the fried eggplant slices go in the casserole. It won’t be a perfect fit, but it will be fine. 

Sprinkle some of your shredded cheese on the eggplant layer. 

Then spread some of your vegetables over the cheese layer. 

Then start the layering again in the same order.  Lay the rest of eggplant slices over the previous vegetable layer, then the cheese, followed by the vegetables.  This should be enough. Of course, if you use a larger dish, it will require more of everything. 

Pour the remainder of the red pasta sauce over the top, and spread it evenly.  Then sprinkle more cheese over the top of the red pasta sauce.

The oven should already be preheated by now.  Put the casserole into the oven and let it bake for about 30 minutes. 

You can sprinkle more cheese over the top just before removing it from oven. 

When it's done baking, take it out and let it rest for a couple of minutes, then serve.

Sometimes I will slice up a skinless, boneless chicken breast into ¼ inch pieces, soak in milk, and dip each piece in same corn meal in zip lock, then fry in the Peanut oil, pretty quick. Is optional, but one may want some meat with it.

“I am only one, but I am one. I can't do everything, but I can do something. The something I ought to do, I can do, and by the grace of God, I will.” ~Everett Hale


Feel free to comment on this post. You are also invited to write about anything you feel comfortable sharing. Memoirs From Nam is YOUR blog. You are writing America's history, sharing the truth about the Vietnam veteran, and what it was like in Our War.