Topic: Vietnam documentaries on PBS

[bwaller]

I can't imagine how long it would take for the time to pass while you were counting down Bob. The whole experience must have been hellishly frustrating once you all knew support from home was waning. Damn bloody politics.

[BobbyR]

I have been working this week with a guy born in Vietnam. His Grandfather was a high ranking Officer in the ARVN.

His Grandfather was angry at the US for not using it's full military might to bring the fight to the North since we owned the air and the Sea.

I explained to him. The locals that worked for us had to be watched since they had performed sabotage and drew maps to guide mortar fire. While we supported their families we were an occupation Army in their country. You could kill as many as you could, blow up everything they had, but you could never win their minds.

Yes, you counted your days.

[Bob Wessner]

The locals that worked for us had to be watched since they had performed sabotage and drew maps to guide mortar fire.

I can vouch for this. After the '68 TET activity was over for our compound (about 3 days) they swept the area outside our wire and found one of our barbers.  Not sure he ever cut my hair, but gives one pause.

[BobbyR]

We had some ROK (Korean) Marines staying with us. They said they could end the nightly mortar attacks. They asked we not just go up and hose down the area since we could hit hem by accident. They went into the bush late in the afternoon.

That night after the first rounds came in. They came back with a collection of heads, 2 of which we recognized. The attacks stopped till the ROKs left. 

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

My dad flew CH34 helicopters in Marine Corps Squadron HMM-163. The tour they were deployed the squadron painted Genie Eyes/Evil Eyes on the front of the helos for good luck. He only talked about it once -- how the SAM missiles would come up at them like telephone poles. I found out after he died (years after) that he was decorated 9 times.  The squadron has since converted to the Osprey, but they are the only squadron allowed to paint their aircraft with the Evil Eyes. 

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/VMM-163





My dad flew this particular helo in Vietnam tail flash YP13


A reproduction of it is on static display at the Smithsonian Museum at Dulles


The CH34 was succeeded by the twin-rotor Phrog CH46


Now, renamed VMM-163, the squadron flies the Osprey

[BobbyR]

That was a great ship and your Dad must have been a great driver. If you look at the movie Full Metal Jacket they used them in that film a lot.

[SOHC4 Cafe Racer Fan]

That was a great ship and your Dad must have been a great driver. If you look at the movie Full Metal Jacket they used them in that film a lot.

Thanks.  My dad was a solidly cool guy -- and he loved motorcycles, too.  FMJ is a pretty intense film.  He also flew fixed wing A4 Skyhawks before helicopters.  He was a lot like The Great Santini until he retired and became a commercial airline pilot.  One of the guys in is helicopter squadron in Vietnam ended up flying for the same airline and owned a house around the corner.  He told me some hairy stories after my dad passed away.

[BobbyR]

No thanks to me. Thanks to your Dad. It seems he had a life well lived and was a Man in full.