Vietnam was a country torn by war long before Americans became involved in the fighting. French domination was interrupted by the Japanese occupation in World War II, during which Communist leader Ho Chi Minh formed his Viet Minh organization and began guerrilla operations against both occupying powers. The Viet Minh came to power when Japan fell, and the French Indochina War began in 1946 as France attempted to regain control over its colony. The war ended in May 1954 when the Viet Minh mauled the French in the Battle of Dien Bien Phu. The Geneva Accords then divided the country into North and South Vietnam.
U.S. Enters the Conflict – Summary of Vietnam War
Ho Chi Minh took power in North Vietnam and one million refugees fled south. The United States became involved in the defense of South Vietnam as the guerrilla activity by Communist-led insurgents intensified. The first Americans were killed in 1959. There were 342 advisers in Vietnam in January 1960, but after John F. Kennedy’s inauguration as president in 1961, the number rose rapidly to 11,000. Lyndon B. Johnson made president upon Kennedy’s assassination in November 1963, ordered the first airstrikes against North Vietnam the following August. Escalation was rapid once the 1964 elections were over. General William C. Westmoreland assumed command of the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), as well as of the U.S. Army, Vietnam (USARV), formed in 1964.
Johnson ordered a major troop buildup in 1965, and on May 5, the 173d Airborne Brigade redeployed from Okinawa as the first Army combat unit in Vietnam. By the end of the year, there were 154,000 military personnel in Vietnam, and over sixteen hundred combat deaths had already been recorded. American troop strength reached 536,000 in December 1968. By that time South Vietnamese armed forces totaled 826,500, and allied forces included 50,000 troops from South Korea, over 7,500 from Australia, and smaller groups from the Philippines, Thailand, and New Zealand.
Turning Points in the Summary of Vietnam War
The Communists lost an estimated forty-five thousand killed in a militarily disastrous Tet (lunar new year) offensive in January 1968; the allies lost about fifty-five hundred. However, Tet turned American opinion against the war; peace talks began in Paris, and General Creighton W. Abrams replaced Westmoreland.
President Richard M. Nixon was inaugurated in 1969 with pledges to end the war with honor. Although American forces reached their peak of 543,482 in April, reductions began almost immediately thereafter. Nevertheless, domestic U.S. opposition to the war continued as 500,000 protesters marched in Washington on April 4, 1970.
A cease-fire was signed in January 1973, and the final pullout occurred on May 7, 1975. In all, 8,744,000 Americans served in Vietnam, and 47,312 died in combat.”
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At the conclusion of the Tet Offensive it was estimated that the combination of the North Vietnam Army and Viet Cong – 84,000 compliment suffered over 39000 casualties and over 33,000 KIA. They were decimated.
Where was the intelligence on this??
It was a pivotal time to increase the pressure not reduce man power. Johnson was on the way out anyway, his legacy wouldn’t be damaged anymore than it already was….and it would have given the men who died and were wounded a purpose for their sacrifice….
Total incompetence as displayed in Iraq & Afghanistan.
I, Charles Wayne Peterson, graduated from Liberty Union High School back in June 1960. What my school did was to notify all of the Military Recruiters and gave them all the information on us Senior Boys. Sometime in July/August 1960, a US Army Recruiter showed up at my residence. We talked about the military and then asked if he could give me a short test. Next, he asked me if I would like to drive to Oakland and have a physical just to see if I was OK to be in the Service. Well, my dad drove me to Oakland for this physical. Next, I was loaded on a bus for Fort Ord. The later part of August 1960, I started Basic Training (C-4-1) and enjoyed all the training. After Basic Training I was sent down the Street, to (C-14-4) (Engineering Training). In fact, most of my friends from Basic Training was sent to Engineering Training. At the end of December 1960, I received Orders to Okinawa and to report to the Oakland Army Terminal. I was at the Army Base at or
about two Weeks and I was called to board a blue bus to be taken to Travis AFB. Then I was flown to Okinawa. I was then placed in the 809th Engineers Battalion. Our main job at that time was to build a runway at the Hamby Air Station. Next, the Battalion had Orders for Thailand. In Thailand we started the Friend-ship Freedom Highway. We worked around the clock on this road. By this time, I was just under two Years in the Service and was already a SP/5. I was given additional Orders to report to the 815th Engineers located in Fort Bliss, (El Paso.) First thing, I was asked where I came from and what was going on in Thailand. At about the same time I picked up an APO Number where I had just come from. During my meeting with the Capt. I was told he wanted me to take my Pro Pay Test for E-5s and attend the 3rd Army NCO Academy. After attending those Classes I began hearing more about this APO. So, I began opening up my photo albums of Thailand and this was when I got in trouble. I was called to the Battalion Commander’s Office and was asked what I knew about a certain APO Number. This was when I told the Battalion Commander I had just come from Thailand. At this time, I was handed a paper to sign and was told I was going back to Thailand and to keep my trap shut. I told him what was going on with this HWY and our living conditions. Our plane flew all of us to Korat, Thailand, in July 1962. At the same time the 815th arrived in Korat. A bunch of planes with CBs also arrived. All I found out was they were headed in two different directions. My job with the 815th was working as a SP-5 (62E20) on the Korat Air Base and starting the work on the Friend-Ship HWY working South. We worked around the clock when we could due to the rains. In June 1963, I received Orders to report to Oakland Army Base. Once I arrived in Oakland. I was asked in I wanted to reenlist or get out. I chose to get out and got a job in Antioch, CA with Crown-Zee Paper Company. At this time my neighbor was just laid off from his job and his wife’s father told them he had a job for them in Florida. My neighbor told me about this Engineering job was waiting for him in Florida and asked me if I wanted to see Florida.
Well, I just his job. My neighbor was being paid unemployment being in California. His unemployment check was more than what I was making with this Construction Company. My dad sent me a bunch of letters, and I found one from the military. This letter wanted to know if I would think about what I was doing while I was in the Army. So, in April 1965, I walked into a Recruiter’s Office and was told my MOS (62E20) was needed in the Army. I would be given my (SP-5) rank back and was bussed to the 169th Engineers Battalion located in Fort Stewart, GA. At the same time, I picked up information about Okinawa. Then a few months later our Battalion was sent to Oakland Army Terminal. Once we arrived back in Oakland. We all were boarded on a ship for Okinawa. Once we arrived and was staying the Marines Area. We did not get along. However, our job was to build Open Storage Yards at Naha Port. This took at or about six months to complete. Then we received Orders for Vietnam. At that time, we were all wearing white underwear. We all died our underwear green in color. We were boarded C-130s and were sent to the Saigon Air Base. Once in Saigon, we convoyed to Long Binh. This was in April 1966. Once I found out what was going on in Vietnam. I was assigned the very first DW-20 earthmover, then D 7E Dozer. My Unit started building Long Binh. Then I was ordered to go another twenty miles North of Long Binh to help out the 32 Arty Company. My job there was to doze about two hundred Yards clearing space all this whole base. This outfit only had ten APC’s and four 2-1/2 ton trucks with quad-50s on them.
Once this job was over with. In April 1966, I was ordered to Bear Cat and help out the 1st Inf Division out. In the Book,
Brutal Battles of Vietnam. There was a Chapter about the 1st Inf. Company. On (page 62) this Company had 134 men. Three days later they had 28 men left. I watched them leave the Bear Cat Area. When I finally arrived in Bear Cat. I was told to build this Base for the 9th Inf. Division. I was at this Base until June 1967 and was assigned to the 7th Arty Training Base, Fort Bliss, TX until April 1968. My job was to baby sit a bunch of E-2s. Their job was to keep 45KWs working.
This was my story. Being in the Army for six Years, five Years was in South/East Asia and two tours in Vietnam.
I enjoyed Basic Training (C-4-1) then Engineering School (C-14-4). Then my first Engineerinng Battalion. I learned real quick. We had to work. If not, that person was shipped out. In Thailand we worked around the clock when we could due to the rains. In my second tour in the Army, Vietnam. My job was to build fire bases and base camps for two tours. I did not tell you about one item. Our job was to clean a bunch of land. We were at this location at or about one Week. We ran out of water. One day a chopper was carrying in a small Jeep Trailer full of water. Since, my dozer was closer to this chopper than the others. I got off to help this chopper land and my assistant gets on my D-7E and gets shot by a sniper.
This small story has been kept to myself. I do know about your program and documenting a nice story. I never had to shoot anyone. My main job was to support the other guys.
This was why I have not submitted an article.
One other item. In 1962, all E-5s who were in Okinawa had to attend door gunner school training.
Amazung story and first time reading early beginnings of war.
I was there with VA164 in 1962, when military bombing actions by CAG16 in Laos and Vietnam where classified. Had to write Bupers to get my Defense and Vietnam service metals and they included a DD215 indicating my participation. If I hadn’t asked I wouldn’t have gotten them. Also little to none written about early 60’s involvement of USS Oriskany and CAG16 in Vietnam coastal waters or Cuban Missile Crisis so challenges with VA on Agent Orange and radiation from nuclear bombs we had loaded on CAG16 A4Ds for about a week to launch against Russia during Cuban Missile Crisis.