Vietnam Statistics

[Grayeagle]

I know it is a 'one sided' post.

As far as I know the VC do not have a memorial with names and dates of who spent their lives.

It is one of the many differences between our cultures.

Personally .. I got my draft notice while I was in USAF Basic training.
Timing *is* Everything.

I enlisted .. then volunteered for Southeast Asia as soon as I made my 5 level.

Ya.

Volunteered.

In my opinion, it was the right thing to do.
Not burn my draft card or weasel out by runnin to Canada or Mexico like people I used to know did.

My dad (who served as forward radio observer for Patton's 3rd ..and was there on D-day and VE Day)
..told me he would kill me himself if I joined the Army and I beleived him.
I literally flipped a coin to decide tween Navy or USAF .. USAF 'won' .. LOL.

It was my honor to be part of the 'Mig Killers' of the 432nd Tac Recon Wing ..
I learned to trust my judgement, that there is no substitute for doing it right the first time.

I also learned there are no easy days on the flightline.. it was where I spent most of my USAF career.

-Frank aka GE

[Carrel]

See Rule #4

[DREDIOCK]

We just lost another one this past Sunday to cancer his doctors believe were the direct but delayed result of exposures he endured while in Nam

Ron Koranivitch 101st airborne 68-69
Bronze star winner

Customer turned friend over the years as I'd done much work for he and his wife.
Gave me his black powder guns I'd always admired a couple months ago

Good a man as one can get. He will be missed

[zippo]

See Rules #4, #14

[Melvin]

Not trying to hijack, but I feel very strongly about this.

http://bbs.hitechcreations.com/smf/index.php/topic,304339.0.html

I remember standing in a crowd of thousands of Nam vets in Chicago. Never seen so many C.I.B.'s in my life.

Many Men wept for the losses.

Many Men wept because they lived.

Vietnam Vets are my principals. I will drink and salute them at any time of the day, any day of the week.

Anybody that doesn't like it can get bent.


EDIT: Sorry GE. I forgot to thank you for the original post. Thank You.

[mthrockmor]

See Rule #14

[bozon]

997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam.

That sucks.

1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnan.

That sucks even harder.

[mthrockmor]

Rule #14...what?! Sheesh! Fine

Boo

[SmokinLoon]

My dad dropped out of college after the spring semester in 1967.  His father (my grandfather), was a "jeep jockey" for an arty unit in the ETO in WWII and strongly suggested dad volunteer for the Air National Guard so he wouldnt get drafted and sent to Vietnam as an infantryman, and hopefully not have to go to Vietnam at all.  So dad went to USAF basic training in the fall of 1967 and in April of 1968 the 185th Fighter Wing of the Iowa ANG was activated.  He set foot in Vietnam at Phu Cat AFB and served for 368 days in a very dreary place as a supply clerk.  He will be the first to admit that he has it easy compared to a lot of people, but his experience was still rather stressful.  His base was sniped at and mortared by the VC 2 out of of 3 nights, and in general things were just "spooky".    

His biggest "survival" story involves him and his captain going to and from the port 30 miles away without escort in a 2 1/2 ton truck over a "highway" built by the French.  They went to the port to retrieve a shipment and arrived back at the airbase without problem, only to find out that a much larger convoy that came after him and his captain was ambushed and a few US soldiers/airmen were killed.  Yeap... my dad was in the sights of the VC as he drove by but they waited for bigger fish.  My dad was 22 years old at the time.  Other than that, during one of the many raid sirens he made it to his "bunker" and was able to fire a mag or 2 of ammo in to the treeline "just for fun", nothing much happened other than his bunker taking some shrapnel from mortar fire.  Or so he says.    

[redcatcherb412]

The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 - 2,415 casualties were incurred.
.
Amen, Tet II when the NVA came south to Saigon where they had left it to the VC Jan 31st 68 to take Saigon, but the Redcatchers were instrumental in kicking the VC heinies out. May 68 found the 273rd NVA regiment dug into Tan Thanth south of Saigon and 4th btn 12th inf. of the Redcatchers 199th Light Infantry 97 men of B company were walked into an ambush of an NVA battalion strength dug in force of the NVA 273rd regiment. We took heavy casualties in the first hour of battle but in the next 36 hours, eliminated almost the entire NVA battalion. A lot of these grunts 'kids' were in their teens, but fought like tigers.
.
note
It was only 8 months since my 18th birthday on May 8 68 and got a million dollar wound taking me out of the battle of Tan Thanth, I was pissed wanting to stay with my 'men' of the Redcatchers. More PO'd since I lived thru the Tet I battles in Bien Hoa/Saigon in February without a scratch.
  to all my Vietnam brothers in arms
.
redctchr

[guncrasher]

my father was in vietnam, he never talks about it.  but if you see him you know he died there many years ago.  I know it's the anger of him surviving while his friends died that killed his spirit.


semp