Military History and Stories

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Red1
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9:48p, 7/23/22
I love military history, but I confess I am only an amateur. I try to dig down into the tactics, operational, and strategic facets of military history. I also dig poignant military stories. I will get the ball rolling.


NETHERLANDS AMERICAN CEMETERIES

We have thousands of US soldiers buried in Netherland's cemeteries. Their sacrifices made in WWII have been institutionalized. It is part of the country's DNA now. Every single grave has been adopted by a Dutch family for flowers, ceremonies, and love. They are now sons of the US and the Netherlands. There is a long waiting list of families wanting to adopt our sons that is far greater than the number of graves. For this I have immense gratitude to the Dutch. Much deeper than my words.



GERMAN SNIPER SURRENDERS AFTER HEARING AMERICAN BUGLER

Sometimes there exists compassion and humanity during war time. 2 weeks after D-Day a lone German Sniper continued to fire at US soldiers in Northern France. CPT Jack Tueller was an avid bugler and played a song late at night despite his superior tell him that was foolish. He played a song called Lili Marlene which I believe was a popular song at the time.

The following day German POWs entered the camp under escort. A 19 year old German soldier who was the sniper asked in broken English, who played the bugle the other night. CPT Tueller replied I played the bugle. The young German soldier started to cry and said the song reminded him of his girlfriend and how they use to sing together to that song. I am sure the young German soldier was scared, confused, to include missing his girlfriend.



VIETNAM WAR WIDOW SEEKS CLOSURE

A grandmotherly American Vietnam War widow walked into the plane that would take her from California to Vietnam. She was lightly packed; her focus was exclusively on a pilgrimage to see the exact location where her young husband died during the war. It was an impossible task, but she was determined, even though the success of the endeavor appeared implausible. She must try.

Dean and Hattie fell in love in high school and were inseparable and married immediately upon graduating from college; there dreams became true as time progressed; but the bells of war were tolling. He was drafted shortly after the marriage. Then he left for training to become a helicopter pilot. He was an affable Texas boy who was well liked.

They delayed the inevitable until it was almost time to say goodbye. She had meticulously packed his luggage and fretted but did not show it. Each item she packed painfully reminded her Dean was leaving to a faraway country few knew of to fight in a war. The morning was still dark when a yellow taxi arrived in the light rain and the cool morning wind filled the air. The windshield wipers were on. They embraced, smiled, kissed, and said they loved each other. He whispered soothing and sweet words in her ear and said he would return to her, but he did not know his fortunes, then he left, gone forever. She watched the taxi until she could not see it anymore. Her eyes watered and a few tears fell upon her cheeks. Her heart was broken.

Flying helicopters in Vietnam was a dangerous vocation. Over 5,000 US helicopters were shot down in the war. Dean was welcomed by his unit. A sponsor showed him around the base and the location of housing and services. He was smart, good looking, and popular. After 3 months he was assigned a mission to delivery soldiers to a landing zone with his Huey. That is when he was shot down and killed.

Many decades later Hattie, in her 70s, decided to embark on an emotional and spiritual trip to Vietnam in her quest to find peace. She sought the hallowed ground where Dean had died. With some assistance she ultimately found it. She asked various Vietnamese villages if they knew of a helicopter crash during the war. She repeated this over and over again with tenacity. By random chance she found an old Vietnamese man who would become her guide who knew of the location of the crash site of the helicopter Dean was piloting. The Vietnamese guide was none other than the NVA soldier who shot down Dean's Huey.

She hired a driver with a car and searched for the site with the assistance of the retired NVA soldier. They arrived at the site. Where she stood the air was hot and stifling as if a knife could cut through the humidity. There was some welcome respite from the hot sun under the canopy of large trees. He described the helicopter crash and her husband's dying moments without going into the minute morbid details.

She had strong ambivalent feelings for the old Vietnamese soldier. He was a former enemy, but yet he would help bring a semblance of understanding and peace to quench her eternally broken heart. Something she sought for such a long time. She did not expect an apology, nor did he give it to her. They were both doing their duties. That is war. Perhaps this would give him closer to closure as well as he looked upon her as not the enemy but a normal person trying to heal her heart.


Over the years Hattie had remarried and started a family, but she wanted closure. Final closure. I suppose she still loved him and got just enough of him in her life that he would always be stored strategically and safely in her heart. She felt some guilt Dean was her true love and it never subsided as time marched on.

However, she wanted what was impossible, more time with him. He was like a beautiful song she heard, but heard just part of it, and no more. She wished and wanted to listen to the rest of the song. Dean would be part of her until she becomes no more. Then perhaps, they can explore the universe together. Young and free, in perpetuity, with no time limits and no constraints. Sometimes it is infinitely difficult to say goodbye or accept it.
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Red1
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9:50p, 7/23/22
The Battle of Cannae. August 2, 216 BC. Hannibal had 50,000 soldiers and the Romans had 86,000 soldiers. The size of Hannibal's cavalry was almost twice the size of the Roman cavalry. Here are crucial tasks that were accomplished by Hannibal' army:

- Hannibal created a plan that anticipated how the Roman would fight. The Romans fought in large formations moving forward with the cavalry protecting the flanks.
- He had a relatively thin line of heavy infantry that had to bow backwards on purpose to give the Romans the impression they were winning, and make the Roman army commit to marching into to the bowing Carthaginian infantry line. The trap was set.
- His cavalry ran off the Roman cavalry which exposed the Roman flanks.
- Hannibal hid a large portion of his infantry behind the heavy infantry and they eventually maneuvered to seal Roman flanks.
- Hannibal's cavalry sealed off the rear. The Roman army was completely surrounded, and chaos ensued as the Roman army tactic was conducting frontal attacks, not defending the flanks and the rear simultaneously.
- The last task was to slaughter the Roman army. Historians say about 14,000 Roman soldiers escaped the battle. I read Hannibal's soldiers often cut the hamstrings of Roman soldiers so they could not run off, and many Roman soldiers committed suicide due to the ferocity of the aftermath of the battle. I will assume they cut the hamstrings.
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Red1
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10:17p, 7/23/22
THE PACIFIC WAR
First the Pacific War was too large to narrate, and I am not a military history scholar. However, I will still make a jab at it. The Japanese did the world a favor by attacking Pearl Harbor as Americans wanted to stay neutral of WWII. FDR was a visionary and true war president. I don't know if anyone in world history can equal FDR's martial accomplishments. Our POTUS who could barely stand was a puppet master and all the world was his stage. He did three critical thing correctly well:
- He assessed the Japanese and German threats in the 1930s.
- He planned and executed a program to give millions of tons of weapons, planes, tanks, and vehicles to Russia and England to keep them in the war.
- When the US entered the war, FDR used all of the national powers to support the war efforts.

Admiral Yamamoto, the top Japanese admiral, lived in the US for a few years and feared the industrial might of the US. His assessment was correct as at conclusion of WWII in the Pacific the US had 27 carriers to Japan's 1.
The Japanese Navy and Army had philosophical differences. The Army won out and got their wish to occupy many countries an islands. They created a huge footprint in the Pacific and the Navy fretted about logistically supporting the Army in such a large area of operations. Events and battles will unfold as proof of the navy's prescient strategic predictions.

The Pacific eventually became Russia for the Japanese military. It was too large to support and the US made them pay for this. Essentially most of the Japanese Army culminated their last actions in various countries and islands by executing banzai charges which we were ready for. I will make the strong assumption that American ground commanders knew about the banzai charges and arrayed defenses to cover most likely enemy avenues of approach with crew serve weapons to mow down the Japanese soldiers with the most hot steel as possible.
What our Soldiers and Marines went though, well all of them tried to forget what they experienced. It was said that in the Battle of Tarawa in approximately a square mile of fighting there were 1000 dead and 2000 injured Marines; and 4690 dead Japanese soldiers. Perhaps there were two dead soldiers from both sides per square foot. It was hell on earth. Body parts littered the ground, there were charred bodies, many bodies with missing limbs, wounded and dead all over the place, and bodies on fire. Often units that experience such hellish fighting would say nothing as they quietly conducted battle handovers with relief units. I am sure those poor Marines spent the rest of their lives trying to forget the Battle of Tarawa.

The US first strategic goal in the East was to protect Australia and her shipping lanes. The US fleet fought the Japanese fleet in the South Coral Sea starting on May 4, 1942. It was a tactical stalemate but a strategic victory for us. It prevented the Japanese influence and support to various islands North of Australia. It shaped operations for retaking the Solomon Islands and Papua New Guinea from the Japanese after hard and brutal fighting.
Sometimes luck plays into the hands of war. The US broke the Japanese code and determined the Japanese Navy would attack Midway starting on June 4, 1942. Breaking the code was auspicious because it gave us the information to ambush and destroy Admiral Yamamoto's plane who was the supreme commander for the Japanese Navy. We also had an idea where the Japanese ships were located.

At the Battle of Midway the US found the Japanese fleet first and commenced to attack Japanese aircraft carriers. The bombings were ineffective because our bombers flew too high. Many Japanese Zeroes shot down our planes. We sent wave after wave of bombers with no impact to the outcome of the battle. However, a Japanese admiral made a fateful decision. He sent planes to attack our fleet which prevented him from sending up fighters to protect the fleet. He could not conduct both operations simultaneously. They could not defend their fleet with fighters planes. Eventually our dive bombers destroyed all four of their carriers and we lost one. The Japanese Navy would never be the same again.

On June 19, 1944 the Battle of the Philippine sea commenced. We had an armada of 600 ships. Hundreds of Zeroes were shot down and the US destroyed 3 carriers. It was a tactical and strategic win for us as it set the conditions to successfully rest the Philippines from the Japanese Army. This is the methodology we used to get closer to Japan in order to attack that nation. At this juncture the Japanese lost its capability to use naval aviation as all her aircraft carriers were destroyed save one which was a training ship.
I will illustrate the importance of aircraft carriers. Once the Japanese lost all her operational aircraft carriers it meant she could not protect her fleets nor attack ours. Then we owned the air which meant we owned the seas. The Japanese Navy logistics capabilities were significantly hampered. A troop carrier and a few supply ships surreptitiously attempted to resupply her soldiers North of Australia but was found by US Naval Aviation and destroyed that small fleet.

The navy does not get enough credit. There is no mention that we lost More sailors than Marines in WWII. I will preview some heroic actions of sailors and captains. On October 23, 1944, the US Army conducted amphibious operations in the Leyte Gulf. It was the first ground operation to take back the Philippines from the Japanese army. Leyte is a large island in the Philippine archipelago, and it marked the incipient operation to take back the Philippines from the Japanese. In response the Japanese Navy dispatched a large fleet compromised of large cruisers and immense battleships to disrupt the amphibious landings.

The only US Naval defense was a screen line of small destroyers. Observing the precarious situation, Commander Ernest Evans of the light destroyer Johnston took the initiative to charge the Japanese fleet. Other light destroyer commanders upon seeing such bravery joined the USS Johnston. Commander Johnston's destroyer was eventually sunk and he ordered his crew to abandon ship, but he was never to be found. For his actions Commander Johnston was awarded the Medal of Honor. It was said that a Japanese Naval Captain saluted the USS Johnston as she went down because he respected the commander and her crew. These actions contributed to the decision for the Japanese Navy to vacate the area and withdraw. My words do not do justice for the Navy's actions at the Battle of Leyte Gulf.
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Red1
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10:08a, 7/24/22
Roman Emperor Vespasian ruled from 69-79 AD. He had an interesting life. He was a horse trader as a young adult, but his family had enough wealth to bribe certain people to allow him into the service of the country. The very wealthy were on the A Team and their political careers were dictated by the wealth of the family. Vespasian was on the B Team. The B Team had to earn their passage into politics the hard way. They had to serve in the Roman Army and progressed only if they were good and competent military leaders. If they had those qualifications they were given access to politics.

Vespasian was a great military leader. He conducted a campaign in Europe and smashed any dissenting people. He was ruthless but rational as well. His reputation gave him the opportunity to govern Africa which was considered the greatest opportunity as a governor. Once again he smashed any dissenters. The Jews revolted and were subsequently holed up on a mountain strong hold. They were essentially defeated, but Vespasian wanted to finish the Jewish rebels for good.

His army built a huge ramp leading to the top of the mountain and used catapults to break down the walls. The Romans attacked but were repulsed. On the second attempt, he and his army breached the walls and slaughtered anyone that was alive. I believe most of the Jews had committed suicide before the attack because they were subject to being killed or sold into slavery.

Vespasian as the governor of Africa had the authority to raise taxes and enrich himself, but he was different. He was honest and his priority was to reinvest money into society. He never did get rich, but he had another thing going for him. His experienced and triumphant army trusted and loved him for his fighting acumen and leadership. They were loyal to him. He sent his army to Rome and seized power. He stayed in Africa for another year, then he took his rightful place as emperor.

I can't remember exactly the circumstances. I think the year he took control of Italy, he would be the fourth emperor. Vespasian was a breath of fresh air. He turned Rome around from the horrible conditions caused by the prior emperors. The years of his rule were golden years for Rome. He was honest and cared about the people, and started many building projects. His coup de grace was building the coliseum. He was a great Emperor for Rome as she flourished under his leadership.
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CanyonAg77
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In reply to Red1 • 10:26a, 7/24/22
AG
Quote:
I believe most of the Jews had committed suicide before the attack because they were subject to being killed or sold into slavery.
Masada.

100% suicide, to avoid being taken into slavery.
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Red1
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5:29p, 7/25/22
THE GENERAL WHO SAVED THE KOREAN WAR

I would like to share this story about the Korean War to provide a broader picture. In 1951 General Matthew Ridgway took command of all the UN forces in Korea. He had a week to survey the UN forces and prepare them for the big offensive conducted by the hundreds and thousands of N Koreans and Chinese soldiers moving South.

He was quite a character and made his first airborne drop into France with no training. He was a soldiers' general as he mingled and talked to soldiers. General Ridgway assumed command of the newly formed 18th Airborne Corps in France and his personality was perfect for the Corps. Some soldiers spotted him peeing in the open in the direction of German forward observers as artillery fell upon his position.

General Ridgeway had attributes that made him a successful combat commander. In the week before the big attack by the enemy he visited the front lines. Divisions and units were often disjointed and not tied together. He had a photographic memory and remembered all the names of soldiers he met in the front. He improved food and issued warmer uniforms. General Ridgway asked his division commanders what their tactical offensive plans were, and if their primary plans were retreating, he fired them on the spot and replaced them with generals who wanted to fight.

The UN forces were in a defensive posture North of Seoul and were eventually pushed South of Seoul. This is the point he used his photographic memory to turn the direction of the war. He went on a reconnaissance of the front and studied many maps and memorized all the key terrain features like roads, creeks, hills, mountains, and rivers. When the UN forces counterattacked, he knew exactly the kind of terrain his divisions would see. He used this method to move the UN forces North in a methodical manner to counterattack the enemy effectively. He was instrumental in saving the Korean War from defeat.

He must have made quite an impression on President Reagan as he talked affectionally about General Ridgway in one of his speeches.
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OldArmyCT
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4:47a, 7/26/22
AG
That Vietnam wife story is probably a bunch of fiction.
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ABATTBQ87
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In reply to Red1 • 11:32a, 7/26/22
AG
Red1 said:
The Battle of Cannae. August 2, 216 BC. Hannibal had 50,000 soldiers and the Romans had 86,000 soldiers. The size of Hannibal's cavalry was almost twice the size of the Roman cavalry. Here are crucial tasks that were accomplished by Hannibal' army:

- Hannibal created a plan that anticipated how the Roman would fight. The Romans fought in large formations moving forward with the cavalry protecting the flanks.
- He had a relatively thin line of heavy infantry that had to bow backwards on purpose to give the Romans the impression they were winning, and make the Roman army commit to marching into to the bowing Carthaginian infantry line. The trap was set.
- His cavalry ran off the Roman cavalry which exposed the Roman flanks.
- Hannibal hid a large portion of his infantry behind the heavy infantry and they eventually maneuvered to seal Roman flanks.
- Hannibal's cavalry sealed off the rear. The Roman army was completely surrounded, and chaos ensued as the Roman army tactic was conducting frontal attacks, not defending the flanks and the rear simultaneously.
- The last task was to slaughter the Roman army. Historians say about 14,000 Roman soldiers escaped the battle. I read Hannibal's soldiers often cut the hamstrings of Roman soldiers so they could not run off, and many Roman soldiers committed suicide due to the ferocity of the aftermath of the battle. I will assume they cut the hamstrings.
Patton probably remembered this tactic when he was surrounding the Germans at Falaise, and if the British would have closed the gap the German Army would have been trapped and eliminated
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Trench55
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3:02p, 7/28/22
AG
Here are the stories of a few of my friends with whom I served in Vietnam.

Fred Chesebrough was a tall, cigar smoking 2nd lieutenant from Rhode Island. Derick, as his family and friends called him, was brash and irreverent. I'll always remember the beat up old black Volvo he drove around Fort Riley. Derick had a disdain those who expected to receive respect solely because of the rank they wore. To Derick, respect was something that had to be earned. And he earned the respect of all who served with him. Derick was the Executive Officer of Battery B. The battery executive officer commanded the firing battery the howitzers and the fire direction center the heart of any artillery battery.

Over the Christmas holidays of 1966, most of the 2nd of the 4th Artillery were sent home on leave. It was time to say goodbye to family and friends before we shipped out to Vietnam. One officer and a handful of enlisted men in each battery had to remain at Fort Riley. I drew the short straw for Battery A. Derick volunteered to stay behind for Battery B. To add insult to injury, I was scheduled to be battalion duty officer on Christmas Day. However, a couple of days before Christmas, Derick offered to take my duty. I was able to make a quick trip home to spend Christmas with my family. That was just the kind of guy Derick was. He always thought of others before himself.

A few weeks after we arrived in Vietnam Derick's battery was in the field. A senior officer from the division flew in for an inspection. As his helicopter landed, it blew up great clouds of red dust over the battery. Seeing this rust colored dust on the guns, this officer angrily reprimanded one of the battery's gun crews for improper maintenance of their equipment. Coming to the defense of his men, Derick tried to explain what had happened. He was promptly relieved from duty as executive officer. He was reassigned to the position I then held as Assistant Fire Direction Officer in Battery A. I was ordered to assume the position of Executive Officer of Battery B.

On March 16, 1967, Derick was acting as artillery forward observer for a South Vietnamese infantry company. As they approached a tree line they came under intense fire by a superior force of Viet Cong. In the face of overwhelming odds, the South Vietnamese were forced to retreat under heavy fire. Derick chose to remain behind and cover their withdrawal with artillery fire. In doing so, Derick sacrificed his life. Derick Chesebrough was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action. He was 24 years old. His name can be found on panel 16E, Row 91 of The Wall.

Mike King was the youngest of the 2nd Lieutenants in Battery A. Mike was a Mormon from California who joined us late in our training cycle at Fort Riley. We were beginning our combat readiness tests when Mike arrived. He was assigned as Assistant Fire Direction Officer. The Assistant Fire Direction Officer was a newly created position that helped supervise the battery fire direction center. Mike was a quiet, easy going young man who never took himself too seriously. He was liked and respected by his fellow officers and the enlisted men with whom he served.

The day that our ship arrived off the coast of Vietnam, our battery commander informed Mike and me that we were being reassigned. Mike was being reassigned to my forward observer position. I was to move to the Assistant Fire Direction Officer's job. We were never told the reason for this change.

Two days after arriving in Vietnam, we went to the field on our first combat operation. Mike was the forward observer for one of the infantry companies we supported. I was sent out as forward observer for an armored cavalry troop. Two weeks into that operation, I was recalled from the field and transferred to executive officer of Battery B. I never saw my friend, Mike, again.

On March 16, 1967 - the same day Derick Chesebrough was killed - Mike was in the field supporting his infantry company. They were working their way through a series of rice paddies on a search and destroy mission. Suddenly, there was an explosion. Mike was seriously wounded by shrapnel from a Viet Cong booby trap. The company medic quickly reached Mike's side and began administering first aid. The company commander called for a medivac helicopter. As the medic worked on Mike a shot rang out. An enemy sniper hiding in a nearby tree line shot Mike in the head, killing him instantly. Mike was 20 years old. His name can be found on Panel 16E, Row 92.

These two men who had replaced me on the battlefield were killed on the same day. Both had died in my place.

Specialist 4th Class John Cushman was a quiet reserved young man. His hometown was Saginaw, Michigan. John was one of the 15,000 draftees who joined the 9th Division in 1966. He was assigned as Reconnaissance Sergeant of a three-man forward observer team. John was an easy going young man. No matter how bad things seemed to be going, he had a ready smile and a quiet sense of humor. He never complained. John also had a deep sense of responsibility - rare for someone barely out of high school. He constantly tried to learn more and do the best job he could.

In March 1967, John and his forward observer team were on a search and destroy operation with an infantry company. During the early morning hours of March 20th, their position was hit by a barrage of mortar and rocket fire. One of the first rounds hit the company command post. All of the officers were either killed or wounded. As the barrage lifted, an overwhelming enemy force attacked their perimeter. Firing his M-16 continuously, John moved quickly to a position behind a low sandbag wall. As the fire fight raged around him, John was killed when rifle bullet hit him in the head. He died alone, defending the men with whom he served. John Cushman was posthumously awarded the Silver Star for gallantry in action. He was 19 years old. His name can be found on Panel 16E, Row 120.

Larry Bonnell was one of my three best friends at Fort Riley. We were both 2nd Lieutenants and forward observers with Battery A. Larry was already there when I arrived. He went out of his way to make me feel welcome and to help me adjust to the routine of Army life. Larry was also a Christian in the finest sense of the word. I don't remember a Sunday that Larry missed going to church. He showed respect and compassion for everyone he met, from the lowest ranking private to the highest ranking officer. He truly lived his faith.

In the fall of 1966, Larry volunteered as one of a handful of air artillery observers assigned to the 9th Division Artillery headquarters. And so, he left the battalion before we deployed to Vietnam. Because of our training schedule usually six or seven days a week I saw little of Larry from then on. He actually left for Vietnam a month before I did. I did not hear of him again until late April 1967. Then I learned that he had been killed in action a few days before.

Larry was assigned to ride with an armored convoy as forward observer. When the convoy was ambushed, Larry left the relative safety of his armored vehicle to adjust supporting artillery. Disregarding the danger, Larry exposed himself to the hostile fire as he adjusted artillery onto the ambushing force. Larry's action helped save the convoy. But it cost him his life. He was killed by machinegun fire as he adjusted artillery onto the enemy. Larry was 23 years old. His name can be found on Panel 18E, Row 83.

George Ficklin was a small man without an ounce of extra weight. He was older than most of the 2nd Lieutenants in the battalion. He had been an enlisted man before going to OCS in 1966. George had a depth of experience that none of the rest of us could match. He also had a quick wit and an ability to see the humor in the most stressful situation. George was a perfectionist. "Good enough" just wasn't in his vocabulary. More importantly, George had a soothing calmness about him. Nothing ruffled him. And no matter how tense the situation, he had the ability to transmit that calmness to the rest of us. Whether it was a maintenance inspection at Fort Riley or combat in Vietnam, George faced life with a calm self-assuredness that few people could match.

Command Maintenance Inspections were the hardest and most dreaded inspections that Army conducted in those days. They were considered worse that Combat Readiness Tests. More than one officer had been relieved of command because of a poor showing in a Command Maintenance Inspection. Just before we packed up all our vehicles, howitzers and other equipment for shipment to Vietnam, we were subjected to a Command Maintenance Inspection. As "maintenance officer" for his battery, it was George's responsibility insure that his battery was ready. As the inspection progressed, George could see his battery commander getting more and more nervous. George calmly went over to him. In a quiet voice, he said, "These Inspectors are NOT REALLY looking for anything to hang on us." George understood the big picture. He knew that nothing was going to delay our departure to Vietnam.

In the early morning hours of May 2, 1967, George was with his infantry company on a search and destroy operation in the rice paddies of the Mekong Delta. George was in the company command post where he would be available in case of enemy attack. Suddenly, the night silence was shattered by the sounds of small arms fire and grenade explosions. The company was under attack from all sides by an overwhelming Viet Cong force. George was killed almost instantly as a bullet struck him in the head. His last words to his radio operator were, "Call the battery and send the fire mission." He died doing his duty. George was 26 years old. His name can be found on Panel 19E, Row 13.

2nd Lieutenant David Gray was a small, slight man with a boyishly youthful face. He looked closer to 16 than he did to his actual age of 23. He joined our battalion as we were packing our equipment for shipment to Vietnam. David was a quiet, modest young man. But when he did speak you were impressed with his maturity and his intelligence. He had a kind word for everyone.

When we arrived in Vietnam, David assumed his duties as forward observer with a quiet competence. He quickly won the respect of all who knew him. The infantry company to which he was attached often pulled some of the most difficult and dangerous missions in their area of operations. David proved himself invaluable in providing artillery support. Many times the artillery fire he provided made the difference between life and death for the men with whom he served.

On April 14, 1967, David's company was engaged in a fierce fire fight with a large Viet Cong force. Despite the noise and confusion of battle, David calmly called in one fire mission after another as he adjusted artillery fire onto the enemy. On his final fire mission, David called in "Danger Close." "Danger Close" meant he was calling fire inside of 50 meters of his own position. Shortly afterward, David's radio went silent. His body was found in the fox hole he shared with the infantry company commander. Both had been killed by a Viet Cong claymore mine. It had been detonated less than 20 feet away. David Gray was 23 years old. His name can be found on Panel 18E, Row 26.
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OldArmyCT
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5:43a, 7/29/22
AG
Story of a Huey mission in the Ashau Valley 1967 told by the crew chief (Ken Embry). The pilot, Robin Hicks, carried his dead co pilot for 28 hours evading the NVA. Received the Silver Star. When the crew chief died years later Hicks laid his SS on Embry's body in the coffin.

When we got back to the AO, the guns set up a pattern and we went in with C & C and kicked off the smoke. By that time the remainder of the flight caught up with us, went into the LZ to drop off the recovery and maintenance people for both 135 and the Marine 46 and to pick up wounded from the ground element. All aircraft including the guns were reporting ground fire. About that time someone decided that the LZ wasn't secure enough to conduct recovery operations on the downed aircraft, so the hole ships were ordered to start picking up the recovery and maintenance crews. Aircraft 127 made it out but Aircraft 228 apparently received fire and returned to the LZ and shut it down. 113 and 129 recovered the crews of 228 and maintenance personnel and some wounded. Then another Marine 46 crashed hard in the LZ. We were then directed to move into the LZ to pick up the crew of the 46. I was on the left side and McCoig had me go hot with my M60 real early in that that was where all the ground fire was coming from. Wesley on the other side of the ship couldn't fire because that was where the friendlies were. I think McCoig flew into the LZ and we quickly loaded the downed crewmembers from the 46, which with Doc who was already on board made 7 or 8 passengers, a full load. I think the crew chief from 46 had made it into the perimeter of the ground element. Upon departure from the LZ we received ground fire and McCoig was hit with the first bullet directly in the forehead. Then all hell broke loose. I was out of M60 ammo by this time and grabbed my M14 and was trying to get a clip into it. Fuel was flying all over my face. In the meanwhile, Hicks jumped on the controls as the aircraft went into a nose high attitude and with a tremendous yaw to the right. He kept screaming for me to come up and get McCoig off the controls but centrifugal force was trying to throw me out and I was holding on to anything I could grab just to stay in the aircraft and could not make it forward no matter how hard I tried. Finally McCoig relaxed enough to allow Hicks to regain control and somehow, got us back into the LZ.

Once on the ground, we continued receiving fire from the tree line but this time I was on the friendly side. Hicks couldn't exit out the right door because they had us zeroed in and every time he moved his armor plate they would hit it. He eventually crawled out over the console and came out the left cargo door. Wesley had made it out somehow and came crawling under the nose cone with both his and my M60 and all the ammo that he had left. There was a bomb crater about 20 feet from where the aircraft landed and using our downed ship to serve as cover, we eventually made it to the bomb crater. After the fire died down a little, due in large part to Air Force fighters working the tree line, we recovered McCoig's body and moved it inside the perimeter of a defensive position that a small Ranger Team had established next to the LZ. By this time darkness and bad weather forced us to remain on the ground that night. We received steady mortar, B40, and small arms fire all night.

Real early the next morning we were told that a large NVA force was headed our way, and that we needed to find an LZ which could be used to recover our dead and wounded. We headed out with first me and Wesley and then Hicks and a Marine LT carrying McCoig's body. There were several dead and wounded in our group. One Ranger had taken a direct hit from a mortar and didn't take a very big poncho to carry his remains. The gunner from the 46 was real unlucky. He had been hit in the left side when we loaded him, then he took another round in his lower gut when we came back in the LZ. He died after we got him in the perimeter. One Special Forces guy had two bullets in the chest and was white as a sheet from the loss of blood but walked out of that mess.

We moved toward the river and with all that water around us, we had nothing to drink. Man I was thirsty. At the time, I was carrying a wounded Special Forces Captain web gear. It had a canteen with some purifying tablets taped to it so I filled it with that nasty river water, threw in a handful of tablets, shook it a couple times and drank it down.

We walked all morning, then all afternoon. The terrain, once we got out of the river, was real dense bush. I can remember seeing aircraft of all makes and services in the air and the artillery from Firebase Bastogne was pounding the mountains surrounding us. The weather had lifted and it was hot and muggy in the jungle and my mouth was dry as a bone. The SF guy with the two holes in his chest gave me some hard candy but I couldn't develop enough spit to swallow it. Sometime in the late afternoon of that day, we located a clearing that could be used as a pickup point. We watched the guns work over the sides of the PZ and between the napalm and other work, the PZ was secure. Just before dusk, we got out of that place. Marine 46's picked up the dead and wounded first and even 281st aircraft were there. Some people were sent to Bastogne (where I heard they got attacked that night) in order to get a shorter turn around time but I was one of the last out and got a ride all the way back to the FOB.
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clarythedrill
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6:48a, 7/29/22
Trench and OldArmy, these stories are outstanding, I have loved reading them. Thank you for posting.
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OldArmy71
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In reply to Trench55 • 10:15a, 7/29/22
AG
I appreciate you memorializing your friends like that.

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Red1
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2:12p, 7/29/22
MEMORIAL DAY 2021
I was not going to write about Memorial Day because I often write about military history where death is inherent in the topic. Then something changed my mind. Perhaps I can give the subject a new perspective or twist. I have always said sacrifices of wars can impact three generations as it hurts grandmas and grandpas, spouses, and children. War causes a lot of hurt for a long time. I will also not pretend to know the feelings of families who lost loved ones due to suicides. It is sad every day 22 veterans commit suicide.

There are many who left home and most returned alive or injured, some were dead; but there is a special group of warriors who are somewhat alone in graves thousands of miles from home. I wonder if their spirit watches over them for safe keeping. Maybe the spirits are chartered to help them into the afterworld. Regardless of the purpose of the spirit, what rings true is many of our men and women are thousands of miles from home. The place that helped define who they were, and where they felt loved.

There is a shallow grave near the Delaware River where a Continental Soldier froze to death in the immensely difficult wintery conditions. There are soldiers buried in the gentle slopes of Gettysburg because the weapons belied the ability to go on the offense with weapons that had superior ranges. There are soldiers buried in the muddy slogs of the Somme as soldiers fought each other from trenches and faced incredible suffering when attacking in the open. They had a no man's land. One of Patton's soldiers is interred in a sandy grave by a date palm in Tunisia, North Africa. Nothing changes except what sandstorms alter.
There are many marines buried in graves in Tarawa waiting to be found. They did not want their bodies mutilated by the Japanese soldiers. The sun and the moon take turns watching over them. Thousands of sailors make the dark depths of the Pacific and Atlantic their graves. Marines and soldiers are buried in the mountains and hills of Korea. Many marines and soldiers are buried in the steaming jungles of Vietnam. They have solitude in a random environment that keeps evolving. Sometimes on cool mornings one could see the fog wafting through the flora, and it is mysterious and somber. These men are so far from home and alone.

I can try to remember you, but I cannot. I do not know you; but I can try recognizing the collective sacrifices that were made for love of your buddies, families, and the country. To you silent warriors, I salute you.


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Red1
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2:21p, 7/29/22
DELTA TROOP, 2/17TH, CAV 101ST VIETNAM VETERANS' REUNION:

Just a little history about the 101st in WWII. I read the training for the 101st in WWII was so tough only the cream of the crop was taken by the division. 90% of the soldiers washed out. Those soldiers were unable to meet the physical and or mental challenges. The training regime was intensely arduous, but those who succeeded trained and pushed each other. They shared stories about themselves, families, and pictures to further cement bonds. In the end, the 101st was filled with soldiers with the mettle to keep fighting despite the broad spectrum of circumstances. It was no ordinary Infantry Division.

My FIL was a 101st Vietnam War veteran and attended an Infantry Troop reunion, and I was graciously invited as well. Little did I know I would witness the extreme spectrum of emotions from elation to grief. The unit sustained a high casualty rate in Vietnam as evidenced in the roll call at the start of the banquet. It was a memorable event and there are reasons for that.

At the banquet I sensed some kind of energy swirling and flittering in the air. I could not see it or hear it, but I definitely sensed it. When I perused the large room, it was like a shotgun blast. Some looked very successful and adjusted, but on the other end some of the veterans looked like they had a tough life. Who knows what demons and battles they keep fighting. I thought about their suffering. What did the war do to them? What did the country do to them? I just felt sad.

After the roll call, I witnessed the dam bursting and the veterans' emotional truths came rushing out like an uncontrollable random force of nature. They laughed about the funny experiences and cried as they talked about Vietnam, and those who did not make it back alive; or those who partially returned. This was the most truthful and honest representation of unbounded grief I had ever witnessed. Crying was allowed. There were thousands of tears. My eyes misted. I will always have a strategic spot in my heart for Vietnam Veterans. For those who did not make it back alive, a chariot waited for them, for one final ride. Crying was permitted.


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Red1
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In reply to OldArmyCT • 2:22p, 7/29/22
OldArmyCT said:
That Vietnam wife story is probably a bunch of fiction.
NO
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OldArmyCT
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In reply to Red1 • 3:30p, 7/29/22
AG
Red1 said:
OldArmyCT said:
That Vietnam wife story is probably a bunch of fiction.
NO
Not the entire story, just the detail. Finding the exact spot where a helicopter was shot down 50 years ago is nigh impossible, my unit lost 54 men and I couldn't take you to a single spot, and I was there for some of them. And finding the exact NVA soldier who shot him down is equally hard. LTG Moore found his counterpart but that was a general. Vets make the trek to Vietnam all the time, some have trouble finding where their barracks were, I've only heard of 2 or 3 who found exactly where they were shot down. My unit still has 10 crew members over there, the US has expended millions in over 50 years, none have been found. But the story of widows grieving, even going to Vietnam for closure, sure, that happened a lot. A wife of one of our KIA's is on my unit's scholarship board. It was a good story though, one that has been told far too many times. Sadly.
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Red1
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In reply to OldArmyCT • 2:07p, 7/30/22
OldArmyCT said:
Red1 said:
OldArmyCT said:
That Vietnam wife story is probably a bunch of fiction.
NO
Not the entire story, just the detail. Finding the exact spot where a helicopter was shot down 50 years ago is nigh impossible, my unit lost 54 men and I couldn't take you to a single spot, and I was there for some of them. And finding the exact NVA soldier who shot him down is equally hard. LTG Moore found his counterpart but that was a general. Vets make the trek to Vietnam all the time, some have trouble finding where their barracks were, I've only heard of 2 or 3 who found exactly where they were shot down. My unit still has 10 crew members over there, the US has expended millions in over 50 years, none have been found. But the story of widows grieving, even going to Vietnam for closure, sure, that happened a lot. A wife of one of our KIA's is on my unit's scholarship board. It was a good story though, one that has been told far too many times. Sadly.
You win. The floor and the thread is all yours now. This is my last post here.
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CanyonAg77
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In reply to Red1 • 4:06p, 7/30/22
AG
Old army is likely correct. If you can't stand being critiqued and challenged, the Internet is probably not for you.
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Red1
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In reply to CanyonAg77 • 3:21p, 8/2/22
CanyonAg77 said:
Old army is likely correct. If you can't stand being critiqued and challenged, the Internet is probably not for you.


Yes the internet is not for me due to ignorant people like you and Old Army. Both of you are dead wrong, I started this thread because I like military affairs, not to debate with people who are ignorant. Google Vietnam War Widow Meets the Man Who Shot Her Husband TaskandPurpose. It's incredible that both of you pontificate on a subject without researching. It is profoundly silly for posters to be adamant about knowing a topic which they really do not. It has ruined a thread that I thought was promising. Assumptions are not facts. Have a great day.
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CanyonAg77
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In reply to Red1 • 3:38p, 8/2/22
AG
Red1 said:
CanyonAg77 said:
Old army is likely correct. If you can't stand being critiqued and challenged, the Internet is probably not for you.


You both are dead wrong, I started this thread because I like military affairs, not to debate with people who are ignorant.

Okay.

This is the Internet. People are going to call you out if they think you are incorrect, or if they simply disagree.

If you can't handle that, this will not be a happy place for you.

Maybe stick to Facebook, if you want to post unconfirmed stories and have people give you likes, uncritically.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/3144808019113299?_rdr
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Red1
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In reply to CanyonAg77 • 4:02p, 8/2/22
CanyonAg77 said:
Red1 said:
CanyonAg77 said:
Old army is likely correct. If you can't stand being critiqued and challenged, the Internet is probably not for you.


You both are dead wrong, I started this thread because I like military affairs, not to debate with people who are ignorant.

Okay.

This is the Internet. People are going to call you out if they think you are incorrect, or if they simply disagree.

If you can't handle that, this will not be a happy place for you.

Maybe stick to Facebook, if you want to post unconfirmed stories and have people give you likes, uncritically.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/3144808019113299?_rdr
You keep extolling your ignorance! Dude the narrative of the widow is true. You pontificate about the internet when it is you who is wrong. You are amazing! lol
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CanyonAg77
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In reply to Red1 • 4:06p, 8/2/22
AG
Red1 said:
CanyonAg77 said:
Red1 said:
CanyonAg77 said:
Old army is likely correct. If you can't stand being critiqued and challenged, the Internet is probably not for you.


You both are dead wrong, I started this thread because I like military affairs, not to debate with people who are ignorant.

Okay.

This is the Internet. People are going to call you out if they think you are incorrect, or if they simply disagree.

If you can't handle that, this will not be a happy place for you.

Maybe stick to Facebook, if you want to post unconfirmed stories and have people give you likes, uncritically.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/3144808019113299?_rdr
You keep extolling your ignorance! lol

Fine, ***. I guess it's just a coincidence that the same stories and PTSD papers show up both places.

Tell you what. Source your Vietnam widow story about Dean and Hattie. Give us some names, or references, and any confirmation, and I will grovel and apologize.
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Red1
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In reply to CanyonAg77 • 5:05p, 8/2/22
CanyonAg77 said:
Red1 said:
CanyonAg77 said:
Red1 said:
CanyonAg77 said:
Old army is likely correct. If you can't stand being critiqued and challenged, the Internet is probably not for you.


You both are dead wrong, I started this thread because I like military affairs, not to debate with people who are ignorant.

Okay.

This is the Internet. People are going to call you out if they think you are incorrect, or if they simply disagree.

If you can't handle that, this will not be a happy place for you.

Maybe stick to Facebook, if you want to post unconfirmed stories and have people give you likes, uncritically.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/3144808019113299?_rdr
You keep extolling your ignorance! lol

Fine, Ken. I guess it's just a coincidence that the same stories and PTSD papers show up both places.

Tell you what. Source your Vietnam widow story about Dean and Hattie. Give us some names, or references, and any confirmation, and I will grovel and apologize.
Mentioning PTSD and my willingness to help others as a dig shows me your general lack of decorum. Dude you are unbelievable. I have helped many veterans with PTSD heal. What have you done to help the community? Have you served in the military? Regardless. You should be ashamed of yourself. Knowing your constitution, I refuse to waste anymore time on you. I appreciate people who have pure intentions and it is apparent it does not describe you.
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CanyonAg77
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In reply to Red1 • 5:29p, 8/2/22
AG
Red1 said:
CanyonAg77 said:
Red1 said:
CanyonAg77 said:
Red1 said:
CanyonAg77 said:
Old army is likely correct. If you can't stand being critiqued and challenged, the Internet is probably not for you.


You both are dead wrong, I started this thread because I like military affairs, not to debate with people who are ignorant.

Okay.

This is the Internet. People are going to call you out if they think you are incorrect, or if they simply disagree.

If you can't handle that, this will not be a happy place for you.

Maybe stick to Facebook, if you want to post unconfirmed stories and have people give you likes, uncritically.


https://www.facebook.com/groups/3144808019113299?_rdr
You keep extolling your ignorance! lol

Fine, ***. I guess it's just a coincidence that the same stories and PTSD papers show up both places.

Tell you what. Source your Vietnam widow story about Dean and Hattie. Give us some names, or references, and any confirmation, and I will grovel and apologize.
Mentioning PTSD and my willingness to help others as a dig shows me your general lack of decorum. Dude you are unbelievable. I have helped many veterans with PTSD heal. What have you done to help the community? Have you served in the military? Regardless. You should be ashamed of yourself. Knowing your constitution, I refuse to waste anymore time on you. I appreciate people who have pure intentions and it is apparent it does not describe you.

Goodness, you fail at reading comprehension. Nowhere did I disparage your PTSD paper, your service, nor your attempts to aid others with PTSD.

I only mentioned the PTSD paper to show that I knew who you are and that you have posted the same thing across multiple platforms. And that was in response to your calling me ignorant, when I simply posted a link to one of the places where you have posted the same things.

Note that I have now removed any mention of your real first name. I suggest you edit your reply to me, to do the same.

If you go back and read dispassionately, you will realize that neither "Old Army" nor I have attacked you. Even better, have a trusted friend read and judge for you. We just expressed doubt about what the Internet calls "glurge", overly sentimental prose that has no basis in fact.

I've even expressed an offer to publicly apologize if you can source the story. Please note that telling me to Google it does not prove your point.

And your earlier post seems to imply that you copied and pasted the entire "widow" story, without attribution. I'm sure you realize that is frowned on.

I'm sorry that you took friendly advice as a personal attack
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clarythedrill
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8:57a, 8/3/22
I will try to get this back on track:

I was the PSG of a mortar platoon in Iraq in 2004-05, although we never hung any rounds and had trucks and went on foot patrols every day. One of my Soldiers, SPC Nilla, was a SAW gunner who stood about five foot tall, but refused to let anybody else carry the SAW.

One day we did a snap checkpoint to check every 8th vehicle and those on the BOLO report. All of a sudden machine gun fire rang out and SPC Nilla was knocked down by it. We quickly drug him behind a truck to cover and started stripping off his gear to get to the wound. Come to find out, all the bullets hit his plate, so he was OK. He got to keep the plate as a souvenir.

About two weeks later we were guarding a benzine station in the trucks again, and SPC Nilla was in the gunners hatch behind a .50 cal. He was a little high in the turret yelling at some kids to go away when his head suddenly snapped back and he fell down into the truck. He had been shot by a sniper, but the bullet hit his kevlar where his rank was sewn on, so it ricocheted off and did not penetrate, but just left a big dent in his kevlar. He got to keep the kevlar as a souvenir also. Two very close calls for him in two weeks. Everyone was kind of leery of standing next to him for a while after that.
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clarythedrill
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9:15a, 8/3/22
Iraq 2004-05, and it was my turn to go on mid-tour leave. My platoon had already headed out on patrol when I was loaded on the truck for a trip to BIOP to catch a flight into Kuwait to fly to the states. On the trip to BIOP we passed where my platoon was set up on Rt. Predators. When we passed by I leaned out and yelled and waved and probably gave them all the bird as a joke.

Two days later when I landed in Killeen, my wife asked me if I had heard what had happened to SGT Bakehouse? I said no, but I saw him two days ago when I passed them. Well, after I passed them they were attacked and SGT Bakehouse was shot through the jaw and was almost killed. He was evacuated and actually beat me home. He was already at BAMC being worked on when I landed. He survived and is doing fine.

During the same deployment, I was able to give each member of the platoon one day off per month. It was SPC Rosales's day to be off, so he stayed back and did not go on patrol. He was in his room in the barracks playing on the playstation when he decided to throw away some trash in his room. Just as he stepped out of his room, a mortar round air burst and a piece of shrapnel went through the window, bounced off of the ceiling and entered his stomach. He threw the trash away and kept walking to the medics where our surgeon was able to remove it. A couple of months later, SPC Rosales was on my truck as the gunner when we were hit by a large VBIED. A piece of metal from the explosion hit him in his temple and he was evacuated back to the states. He lived and last I heard he is doing fine.
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OldArmyCT
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6:56p, 8/3/22
AG
I didn't know I was going to get Red1 all agitated, didn't mean too. But just because something is on the internet doesn't make it so. I'm pretty sure Red1 is on another site I'm on, same response to questions, same focus on PTSD. But that widows story, send it to The Aviator, a magazine published by the Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association. It'll never be published.
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OldArmyCT
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In reply to clarythedrill • 3:57a, 8/5/22
AG
clarythedrill said:
Iraq 2004-05, and it was my turn to go on mid-tour leave. My platoon had already headed out on patrol when I was loaded on the truck for a trip to BIOP to catch a flight into Kuwait to fly to the states. On the trip to BIOP we passed where my platoon was set up on Rt. Predators. When we passed by I leaned out and yelled and waved and probably gave them all the bird as a joke.

Two days later when I landed in Killeen, my wife asked me if I had heard what had happened to SGT Bakehouse? I said no, but I saw him two days ago when I passed them. Well, after I passed them they were attacked and SGT Bakehouse was shot through the jaw and was almost killed. He was evacuated and actually beat me home. He was already at BAMC being worked on when I landed. He survived and is doing fine.

During the same deployment, I was able to give each member of the platoon one day off per month. It was SPC Rosales's day to be off, so he stayed back and did not go on patrol. He was in his room in the barracks playing on the playstation when he decided to throw away some trash in his room. Just as he stepped out of his room, a mortar round air burst and a piece of shrapnel went through the window, bounced off of the ceiling and entered his stomach. He threw the trash away and kept walking to the medics where our surgeon was able to remove it. A couple of months later, SPC Rosales was on my truck as the gunner when we were hit by a large VBIED. A piece of metal from the explosion hit him in his temple and he was evacuated back to the states. He lived and last I heard he is doing fine.
Now this is a good story, good meaning his guys lived. Also verifiable.
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Trench55
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8:42a, 8/5/22
AG
Thought I'd add a personal story to this thread:

Wounded

I was executive officer (1st Lieutenant) of B Battery, 2nd Battalion, 4th Field Artillery, 9th Infantry Division. We were located in a firebase near the village of Binh Phouc, southwest of Saigon, in the Mekong Delta. It was not unusual for the VC to probe our perimeter at night, attacking with a variety of weapons including mortars, rifle grenades, rocket propelled grenades, machine guns and small arms fire. During any enemy attack, my job was to command the battery defense.

On the night of August 5, 1967, I was checking our defensive perimeter when I heard a muffled explosion nearby. Not sure what it was since it didn't sound like incoming, I paused for a moment then heard another explosion a bit farther away. This one was definitely incoming. I began running for the opposite side of the perimeter, toward point of the incoming fire. By this time, we were taking rifle grenades, machine gun and small arms fire from a tree line about 100 meters off our perimeter.

I had gone only a few steps when there was an explosion and a blinding flash next to me. I felt a sharp blow to my thigh and to a lesser extent, my face. I knew I'd been hit. I could feel the blood running down my face. At the moment of the explosion I had instinctively closed my eyes, and when I opened them again I could see nothing but blackness. My first thought was, "Oh God, I'm blind." I tried to wipe the blood from my face with my hand and suddenly I could see again. When I looked at my hand, I saw, not blood, but mud. The grenade had landed in the mud and thrown mud and water into my face and eyes.

My left thigh began to hurt where a rather large fragment had penetrated to the bone. I also had a several superficial wounds in my left arm and side from smaller fragments. I moved on out to the perimeter, and took command of the battery's defense. Once I thought we had the situation under control, I let one of our troops help me to the fire direction center where the medic was stationed. The medic cut the leg off my trousers and applied a temporary bandage.

About that time, more firing erupted on the perimeter. Leaving the Fire Direction Center, I ran back to the perimeter and again took command of the battery's defense. It took another half hour to get the battery position secure. I then moved to the helicopter pad, along with the other wounded and was evacuated by chopper to the field hospital located in Dong Tam, about 30 miles southeast of our fire base.

The next morning, I checked myself out of the hospital and headed to the base airfield. There, I called battalion to send an aircraft to pick me up. After waiting all day, and O-1 finally arrived. I climbed into the rear seat and the pilot told me that we'd need lots of runway to take off because the plane's engine was running a little rough. He used most of the runway before he finally coaxed the aircraft into the air. About the time we were approximately 1,000 feet up the engine just quit. That's when I understood the term "deafening silence." Not the least bit perturbed, the pilot calmly called the control tower. and requested an emergency landing. He glided the plane around and did a dead stick landing back on the runway. About an hour later, battalion sent another plane that took me back to battalion headquarters where I spent the night. The next day I returned to my battery.
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OldArmyCT
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9:53a, 8/5/22
AG
The day after Christmas, 1968, I flew Martha Ray from Nha Trang to Pleiku and back, making a few stops both ways. We ate a C-Ration lunch on the skid of my Huey and she gave me both her address and phone #, told me to stop by when I got home. I should have. Classy lady, LTC in the Reserves, nurse corps. Wore a green beret and they loved her.
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CanyonAg77
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In reply to OldArmyCT • 10:09a, 8/5/22
AG
I've heard stories about her in Vietnam before. Her rank was honorary, by the way. I think you were blessed to have met her. You'll probably enjoy this article:

https://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/martha-raye

Quote:
Around 1966, Dr. Carl Bartecchi was serving as an army flight surgeon in the Mekong Delta in South Vietnam. When units in his area engaged in heavy combat with a Viet Cong force, Bartecchi found himself treating wounded men in rapid succession. In the operating room he heard a woman's voice, "a sound that was somewhat unusual for our area," he recalled. She told him "Don't worry, I know what I am doing," and went along cleaning out wounds for several hours before stepping out to donate blood for a critically wounded man. The same woman, hours later, could be found among the stretchers of wounded soldiers, cracking jokes, teasing, talking, and lifting spirits. That evening, she put on a performance for the base that brought the house down.

"I didn't know then that she was at other locations in the Mekong Delta, in places where you usually didn't go," Bartecchi said. "Yet, these are the places that people like Martha were most needed, and there was nobody who could pick up your spirits like Martha Raye."



Quote:
One final recognition would be bestowed upon Raye. At her death on October 19, 1994, the U.S. Army granted Raye's request to be buried in the military cemetery at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the first civilian woman ever so honored. With an honor guard of Green Berets present, Raye's flag-draped coffin was laid to rest alongside "her boys," forever linked in death as in life.


Much more at link.
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OldArmyCT
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In reply to CanyonAg77 • 12:18p, 8/5/22
AG
CanyonAg77 said:
I've heard stories about her in Vietnam before. Her rank was honorary, by the way. I think you were blessed to have met her. You'll probably enjoy this article:

https://americanhistory.si.edu/blog/martha-raye

Quote:
Around 1966, Dr. Carl Bartecchi was serving as an army flight surgeon in the Mekong Delta in South Vietnam. When units in his area engaged in heavy combat with a Viet Cong force, Bartecchi found himself treating wounded men in rapid succession. In the operating room he heard a woman's voice, "a sound that was somewhat unusual for our area," he recalled. She told him "Don't worry, I know what I am doing," and went along cleaning out wounds for several hours before stepping out to donate blood for a critically wounded man. The same woman, hours later, could be found among the stretchers of wounded soldiers, cracking jokes, teasing, talking, and lifting spirits. That evening, she put on a performance for the base that brought the house down.

"I didn't know then that she was at other locations in the Mekong Delta, in places where you usually didn't go," Bartecchi said. "Yet, these are the places that people like Martha were most needed, and there was nobody who could pick up your spirits like Martha Raye."



Quote:
One final recognition would be bestowed upon Raye. At her death on October 19, 1994, the U.S. Army granted Raye's request to be buried in the military cemetery at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, the first civilian woman ever so honored. With an honor guard of Green Berets present, Raye's flag-draped coffin was laid to rest alongside "her boys," forever linked in death as in life.


Much more at link.
You're right about the honorary rank. She was a cool lady, also the only non-Vietnamese female I conversed with the entire year.
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Trench55
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2:30p, 8/5/22
AG
I served with a captain at Fort Sill who ran into Martha Raye over there. According to him she could play a mean game of poker.
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Red1
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12:08p, 8/6/22
It's nice to see this thread taking off.
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Red1
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1:11p, 8/22/22
GERMAN SNIPER SURRENDERS AFTER HEARING AMERICAN TRUMPETER

Sometimes there exists compassion and humanity during war time. Two weeks after D-Day a lone German Sniper continued to fire at US soldiers in Northern France. CPT Jack Tueller was an avid trumpeter and played a song late at night despite his superior warning him that was foolish. The sniper might follow the music to shoot at CPT Tueller. Undeterred, he played a song called Lili Marlene which I believe was a quite popular song at the time.

The following day a line of German POWs entered the camp under escort. A 19-year-old German soldier who was the sniper asked in broken English who played the trumpet the other night. CPT Tueller replied he played the trumpet. The young German soldier started to cry and said the song reminded him of his girlfriend and how they use to sing together to that song before he was drafted. I am sure the young German soldier was scared, confused, and missed his girlfriend. He would separate himself from the bloody war.

Enclosed is the song. Lili Marlene

Ute Lemper - Lili Marleen (Live - October 2013) - YouTube
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