In the early 1980s I worked on a PhD about the Vietnam War. I read many novels as part of the research, including one which featured a renegade American soldier nicknamed "the Phantom Blooker" by troops. It ISN'T Gustav Hasford's novel "The Phantom Blooper" which I just heard of, but it dates from 1990 - too late, I wasn't doing that any longer by then. I am mildly certain the term "blooker" not blooper was used to describe the M79. Anyone come across it? I read it in hardcover. I assume it was written by a veteran.

MIÈN NAM VIỆT-NAM ĐÁT NƯỚC CON NGƯỜI TÂP I NHÀ XUẤT BÁN GIÃI PHÓNG
17 NO DU KÍCH CỦ-CHI Bát chi (18,5X24cm)
1964
HUỲNH PHƯƠNG ĐÔNG
SOUTH VIETNAM LAND AND PEOPLE SKETCHES PART II LIBERATION PUBLISHING HOUSE
17. A WOMAN GUERRILLA OF CU-CHI Crayon (18.5 x24cm.) 1964
HUYNH PHUONG DONG

Anyone have more info about this sketch?

It’s not in the photo but I’m also talking about the Nco and officer stripes on the back of the helmet

To start I suppose it would help to explain my dad's story. My dad enlisted in 1969 right after high school graduation. He deployed to a naval base and worked as a jet engine mechanic. He was there about a year or so and initially he decided to leave the military, but later returned.

When he made his return he joined a ship and a couple years later he started to get sick from mental illness. It came out of nowhere and it hit hard. He reported his symptoms to his superior and was taken in for help immediately. He tried to stay in the service but was eventually placed on leave. Which led to an honorable discharge later.

He continued to get worse throughout the years and was in and out of facilities. Until the VA told him and my mom he needed to be placed in long-term care, but they thought with time he could get better and get out with some support. My parents were also told if he didn't voluntarily go they had to report my parents to child services. My dad refused to allow that and voluntarily signed himself in.

Unfortunately, the facility he was placed in was over 2 hours away. We visited as much as possible and he called, sent letters and even was allowed some home visits. However, he began to worsenwhich was the opposite of what was intended. He stopped calling home, writing, no home visits, our on site visits were few and short due to distance.

Years later the VA decided to close the inpatient hospitals and release patients to outpatient group homes that were private from the government. Events he did end up a little closer but by that time a lot of damage was done and I was an adult by then. My dad was diagnosed with a service connected cancer and passed away about 12 years ago.

It has haunted me since as to what happened. I've gone through his military records and things seem to be missing or private? He earned a combat action ribbon but I have no idea how he earned it. All I can see in the record is the request for it by his supervisor. Other than that there's nothing significant in his records. He was well liked by his superiors and did his job well.

It all just doesn't make sense. The only things I remember that could suggest some explanations are one before he entered the VA hospital there was a doctor that increased his antipsychotic injection dose before he was going to be away from his office. Also, there was an incident at the VA hospital where we were told he accidentally walked in the middle of a physical altercation between other patients. As a result of that he broke his arm, and when I say broke I mean had to be put back together surgically with plates and screws broken. That always stuck out to me as not right.

I'm sure as you can tell my dad went through a lot when he'd already been through hell in Vietnam. I just feel like I was left out in the cold for answers. I've tried writing congressman and house representatives on VA and they don't seem to care. I just get a letter back apologizing for my experiences and that they will keep it on file.

If anyone has any other suggestions for me let me know. The not knowing kills me. I often have flashbacks of things some good moments and some not so good. Thanks for taking the time to read.

He doesn't talk about it too much, but he always does bring it up. Saying how he went as a teen-ager and saw horrific things. He has schizophrenia and he has no proof, so I can't help but wonder if it's one of his delusions or not. I hear tooo many stories about people saying they went to war when they didn't, and the way he talks about it just seems a little bit braggy to me. It makes me uncomfortable. If there is a way to verify if he went or not, I would really appreciate it.

I recently went down the rabbit hole of Sogcast on YouTube with John Stryker Meyer. Great stories. I’ve noticed most of the interviews are with guys that were there 68-71’.

I did some research and Macv SOG started up in 64’. I’m curious if there are any books, interviews, etc. detailing the early days of SOG? It would be interesting to hear the stories of guys using Swedish Ks and still trying to figure out tactics and procedures.

Hello, I'm organizing an Vietnam war themed airsoft event and I wanna know how were the squads or fireteams called. Was it like Alpha, Bravo, Charlie on the squad level or the FT level? Or how was the fonetic alphabet used regarding callsigns. Happy to get some suggestions, thanks.

Does anyone know if the U.S dropped fake Vietnamese currency in North Vietnam like they did in ww2 Germany as a way of destabilising?

Sorry for bad quality.

Hey Reddit! I am looking for information on Lance Corporal Michael Paul Finley. He is my great uncle and I really want to write a book about him but am struggling to find info about his time in the war. He unfortunately died early in the war.

Hope everyone is well. I know we have all heard about the rejection US veterans faced after returning, the abandonment by society during so many years. We also know how bad veterans services can be even to the current day. I was wondering though, what services and benefits were available, whether institutional, legal, social, or otherwise were available inside of the United States for veterans after the war (and at what point these services and benefits came into effect).

I was wondering in general, but in specific, I am interested in psychological and psychiatric help.

Thanks again for all the answers on this subreddit, all the questions I have asked so far have gotten excellent responses.

A bit of context/storytime. I'll keep it brief

Way back in my 11th grade American history class, we read this short story and did some assignments on it. It was from the perspective of a soldier during the Vietnam war and the plot basically was about how one of their men stepped on a landmine and died of shock, but the medic said he died of a heart attack. And according to this story, they would say they died of a heart attack so the other men weren't as afraid of dying due to the land mines or something of the sort.

The protagonist is thinking about this as they are patrolling along, and at some point they all have to get down and hide out and be as quiet as possible to avoid being spotted I think. And the protagonist has some kind of stress meltdown where he begins to laugh uncontrollably, and another soldier has to basically choke/smother him to get him to shut up. It had a lot of like feelings of absurdity about the brutality of war, at least from what I could remember

I specifically remember this story because of its writing style, as it inspired my style of writing even to this day. With a mix of short/long sentences to create dramatic effect and really encapsulate the disjointed state of mind of the protagonist. I wasn't sure what to even look up to find this, but I'm wondering if anyone here knows anything about it.

Not personnel whose aircraft were shot down and not SF. Were any US regular infantry troops ever captured in combat? I have never found any accounts of it.

Last board cast from the CIA Siagon Station by Thomas Polgar.

"This will be final message from Saigon station. It has been a long and hard fight and we have lost. This experience, unique in the history of the United States, does not signal necessarily the demise of the United States as a world power. The severity of the defeat and the circumstances of it, however, would seem to call for a reassessment of the policies of niggardly half-measures which have characterized much of our participation here despite the commitment of manpower and resources, which were certainly generous. Those who fail to learn from history are forced to repeat it. Let us hope that we will not have another Vietnam experience and that we have learned our lesson. Saigon signing off."

What are your guys thoughts on the parallels in regards to Afghanistan when reading this?

Looks to be a memoir

I've been going through some of my grandfather things from his service in Vietnam he died about 12 years before I was born so I never got the chance to ask what some of these mean and all I know is that he was a tunnel rat so if any of you know what some of these mean tell me

I was reading and I noticed that the 1st Marine Regiment 3rd Battalion India Company, my Grandfather’s unit, came under an ambush on the afternoon of January 26, 1968 in the hamlet of Lam Xuan during Operation Napoleon/Saline. They lost 8 marines and killed 17 PAVN. Only thing I can find is on wikipedia and it’s very brief. Does anybody have anymore information on that event?

Hello, knowlegeable folks! I'm working on a novel about a young man enlisting in the Navy during the Vietnam War, and I want to make sure I'm getting it right. For some reason, I'm not finding a lot about enlistments for the Navy in that era, though I may be searching for them poorly.

Can any of you help with a few questions or refer me to a good book or memoir that may cover them?

1. When someone enlisted the Navy in 1968-69, what was their induction/training experience like? How long did it take? How long was the gap between enlistment and deployment to VN?
2. Did all enlisted men take the AFQT?
3. What "choices" did they have for their job specialties? How much did the AFQT matter for those choices?

Thank you so much for your help (and service, if you've served then or now)!

This was done so well. It puts a face to the name, which means a heck a lot more

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JB3Lh1CMNY4&t=70s

A looming encounter with the NVA on May 1st begins to take shape. As Alpha & Bravo companies move into the mountains west of Jackson Hole, a large NVA force prepares for their arrival. The mountains are filled with dense, thick triple canopy jungle, which hide hundreds of NVA soldiers in entrenched positions, underground bunkers and massive cave complexes. US intelligence reports indicate the presence of this large NVA force, but Alpha & Bravo are unaware of their precise location. Alpha's latest recorded strength is just over 105 enlisted soldiers and five officers. Bravo Company's usual strength of around 110 soldiers has been reduced by one platoon, or approximately 25 soldiers, who are performing security duty at nearby Artillery Hill.

https://preview.redd.it/eiswf6xjg7vd1.png?width=1280&format=png&auto=webp&s=a1ce711409082a492dab19e5d62059447cac77b9

As Alpha Company settles in to its night defensive position (NDP) high atop a large flat mountain top, two patrols are sent out to the south. One traverses down a steep gulley and up the other side to a position roughly one kilometer southwest of the NDP. The other splits off from the first patrol at the bottom of the gulley, and positions itself in a ambush position overwatching a thin stream running east and out of the mountains. Bravo Company, having moved into a second set of high mountains to the east on April 28th, moves down slope and west towards Alpha Company, establishing an NDP in a relatively clear area near the same stream as the Alpha Company patrol, but four kilometers downstream.

The stage is set, and May 1st, 1967 will begin one of the bloodiest months on record for the 3rd Battalion, 12th Infantry Regiment.

https://preview.redd.it/em8141c2h7vd1.jpg?width=1307&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=2c5e8a24da8c709fc666bf183cb87a1e20171862

Was there a significant loss of wildlife?

She worked at beer stand near Bien Hoa Air Base PX 1965-68. Was a good friend. She knew me as Bobby or Bob. Her home was in Saigon.

Looking for any/all details regarding the experience of GI’s flying home from Vietnam.

What was the route? Was air travel commercial or military? Was travel done solo or in groups? What kind of snacks/beverages did they serve?

Seriously any/all information could be helpful.

For context, I’m writing a book on the subject and my character is returning to Washington D.C. right around the time of the Nov. 15, 1969: Second Anti-War Moratorium. I want to make it as realistic as possible! So please don’t hold back.