50 years ago today, June 4, in sunny Vietnam-land - Where were you?

2015-06-04T09:52:58-04:00

Maj. Gen. Lewis Walt takes command of the 3rd Marine Division from Maj. Gen. William Collins. Walt was concurrently named Commander of the III Amphibious Force (III MAF), the first corps-level Marine Corps headquarters in history. As such, Walt was in command of two Marine divisions and responsible for I Corps Tactical Zone, the northernmost region of South Vietnam, which bordered the Demilitarized Zone. His command also included serving as Chief of Naval Forces Vietnam, as well as being Senior Adviser to the commander of South Vietnam’s I Corps, who was responsible for the security of the northern portion of South Vietnam. After supervising the U.S. and South Vietnamese build up in that region from 1965 to 1967, General Walt returned to the United States and later served as Assistant Commandant of the Marine Corps. He retired from active service on February 1, 1971.

Response by LTC Stephen F. made Jun 4 at 2015 9:55 AM

2015-06-04T09:55:20-04:00

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. 50 years ago I was 8 years old and getting interested in joining the military - Army was my first choice.

Response by LTC Gavin Heater made Jun 4 at 2015 10:24 AM

2015-06-04T10:24:20-04:00

I thank all who went before me for serving in harm's way to protect and defend our freedom and way of life. I was 15 months old back in June of 1965.

Response by SFC William Farrell made Jun 4 at 2015 10:28 AM

2015-06-04T10:28:25-04:00

I was 12 years old and also thinking about the military, playing Army with my twin brother and collecting medals! Six year later shortly after my 18th birthday I was in Nam along with my brother.

Response by SSG Gerhard S. made Jun 4 at 2015 10:35 AM

2015-06-04T10:35:58-04:00

I was 2 1/2 years old.

Response by SSgt Thomas A Tullis Jr made Jun 4 at 2015 11:19 AM

2015-06-04T11:19:31-04:00

I was seven and watched my father depart for Vietnam during 1965.

Response by MSG Brad Sand made Jun 4 at 2015 11:34 AM

2015-06-04T11:34:12-04:00

I was one and was think I would grow up to be a cowboy...it was only later that I decided on being an Army man.

Response by SGM Erik Marquez made Jun 4 at 2015 11:55 AM

2015-06-04T11:55:15-04:00

"50 years ago today, June 4, in sunny Vietnam-land - Where were you?"

13 days from being born

Response by CWO2 John Markiewicz made Jun 4 at 2015 1:24 PM

2015-06-04T13:24:30-04:00

I was in the Mediterranean on the USS America - later went to Bainbridge MD for Radioman B School in 1966 and then, after a couple of factory schools and SERE Training on the Danang/Dong Ha in March of 1967 as a Radioman 1st Class (E6).

Response by MSG Donald Onley made Jun 5 at 2015 9:53 PM

2015-06-05T21:53:04-04:00

I was in Nam from 1967 - 1968 I was a demo man with the 65th Combat Engineer Battalion 25th Infantry Division I was attached out to the infantry my whole time in country I was in the first big TET offenses 1968.

Response by SPC William Weedman made Jun 6 at 2015 12:06 AM

2015-06-06T00:06:21-04:00

My parents were still working on conceiving me; I was born in December 1967. Dad had ended his required inactive service at this point so I would guess Vietnam was just a news headline or newspaper article at that point.

Response by SGT Graham "Tom" Town made Jun 6 at 2015 12:09 AM

2015-06-06T00:09:13-04:00

Let's see, I graduated from High School in June 1965! It was two years later (July 1967) that I reported for active duty in the US Army, and another year (June 1968) that I reported for duty as a shiny new Sergeant E5 (via Instant NCO School at Fort Benning) Fire Team Leader with A CO, 1/50th INF (Mech) 173rd Airborne Brigade at An Khe.
Scared Shitless is all I remember!

Response by SFC Jim Selden made Jun 6 at 2015 8:12 AM

2015-06-06T08:12:34-04:00

I had already served my tour in Vietnam and was at Fort Meade, MD. We were sent to Indian Town Gap, PA. to remodel the old two story barracks for project relocation.

Response by PO2 John Musson made Jun 6 at 2015 10:40 PM

2015-06-06T22:40:20-04:00

June 1965 I was a junior at Bemidji State College, Minnesota