What do you think about the Vietnam War should we have been Involved in the War?

MSG Donald Onley — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 22:53:03 -0400

Response by CSM Charles Hayden made Jul 25 at 2015 10:59 PM

CSM Charles Hayden — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 22:59:05 -0400

MSG Donald Onley, I did not think! I just let my kid brother go to Oakland Army Base! When he returned in a casket 26 days later and forever since; I wish I had put him on a Greyhound to Canada! He would be alive w/ a pardon from Jimmy Carter!

Response by SSgt Alex Robinson made Jul 25 at 2015 11:01 PM

SSgt Alex Robinson — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 23:01:03 -0400

Probably not. The French lost before we stepped in. It was a huge loss of life and American prestige.

Response by Capt Seid Waddell made Jul 25 at 2015 11:29 PM

Capt Seid Waddell — Sat, 25 Jul 2015 23:29:44 -0400

The war was worth fighting, but the micro-management of targets and tactics from Washington and the overly restrictive politicized ROE held us back.

If the civilian leadership is afraid to fight the war to win they should not start into it in the first place.

If they want to fight to win they should give the military an objective and then get out of the way.

Talk a little, kill a little, talk a little, kill a little, ... etc. is a recipe for disaster.

We still had it won in the jungles, but lost it on the streets of America. If a substantial number of the people side with our enemy and try to sabotage our efforts it is difficult for the military to succeed.

Response by COL Charles Williams made Jul 26 at 2015 1:16 AM

COL Charles Williams — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 01:16:48 -0400

It is a little too late for that. Like Iraq, and Afghanistan... As Soldiers we don't get to decide when and where, we just do our duty. History is the judge of our actions. For Vietnam, I think our intentions were noble, but we were never fully committed. It we are not committed, we can't win. Lack of clear war aims and the commitment to achieve them, crushed our tactical efforts. When I left Somalia, and Iraq, I believed we had made a difference, and things would be better. History will like tell a different story. I am sure the same will hold true for Afghanistan. What a waste.

Response by PO1 Rick Serviss made Jul 26 at 2015 3:40 AM

PO1 Rick Serviss — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 03:40:55 -0400

You mean policing action without NATO support? j/k. I didn't understand the politics behind it.

Response by Sgt David G Duchesneau made Jul 26 at 2015 3:14 PM

Sgt David G Duchesneau — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 15:14:05 -0400

With all due respect to everyone, I think that it's a little too late to ask this question. Hell, Most of you were not old enough to go anyways. And the ones who did, like myself, we went because we were ordered to. It didn't make a damn bit of difference what the hell we thought about the Vietnam War. We were told that we were fighting Communism. That we were protecting the rights of the Vietnam People to be free from Communism. But I will tell you one thing right here and now, if I had it all over to do again, I wouldn't change a thing. I was not drafted and I signed up knowing that I would be going to Vietnam. It's too bad that they, the powers to be, would not let us fight that damn War the way we were trained to do. I have much more to say, but I'll leave it at that. If any of you are interested, read my book, UNIFORMS.

Response by LTC Bink Romanick made Jul 26 at 2015 4:24 PM

LTC Bink Romanick — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 16:24:25 -0400

Given the times yes. I have 6 friends on the wall. Given what we know today, no. hindsight is 20-20. My generations cross to bear.

Response by SSgt David Swart made Jul 26 at 2015 6:03 PM

SSgt David Swart — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 18:03:14 -0400

In 1970 when I graduated from high school, everyone knew by the late 60's what the Vietnam war was or was not, and with the draft in full effect no one wanted to be drafted and sent to Vietnam! I refused to run to Canada so I beat the draft by enlisting. I was proud to serve my country even though being in the military during this time was less than desirable with the country blaming the war on our servicemen and women. In 1975 when I was discharged I just wanted to get home and blend in and sadly I put my military service on the back burner and never brought it up. So in my opinion Vietnam was a total waste, and when I went to visit the wall it really struck home and brought me to my knees just the overwhelming loss of life still brings tears to my eyes!

Response by CPT Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2015 9:42 PM

CPT Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 21:42:48 -0400

Uncle Sam says go...we go, Not our decision. Unless you were one of "those" that ran crying to Canada. Shoulda...shouldn't...Iraq, shoulda...shouldn't...Afghanistan, shoulda...shouldn't ? Hindsight is like being a Monday quarterback:-) Let's do it again! ROCK n ROLL, i feel luck this time!!!

Response by MSG Donald Onley made Jul 26 at 2015 10:09 PM

MSG Donald Onley — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 22:09:44 -0400

My name is Donald Onley MSG US Army (Retired) I join the Army in 1966 my brother at the time told me that I would have a better choice if joined the army instead of being drafted. So being young and dumb I joined the and ask forGermany and I got I was in Germany for three months and got in to a little trouble and volunteered to go to Vietnam so I came home for 30 days leave and then went to Vietnam. Well still being a young dumb ass, I went to the 90th replacement station in LBJ Long Bin Junction spent two days at good old LBJ from there I went to the 25th Infantry Division in Cu Chi Vietnam this was 8 December 1967 I spent two weeks CU Chi and they sent me to the third Brigade in Dau Tieng, Vietnam I was assigned to the 65th (Combat Engineer) Battalion as a demolition man. On the 28 December 1967 I was attached to the 2nd Battalion 22nd Mechanized Infantry at Fire Support Base Burt near Soui Cut well on – 1 January 1968 - 2 January 1968 all hell broke out if blood was yellow I was bleeding I think I went through three rolls of Toilet paper well I survived that one thank God. After about three months I that I was doing the right thing but after 3 months I was asking myself what the hell I was doing there by that time I had lost a lot of my brothers to the war that we were not meant to win. I kept on going spent my time and did my job well and lost a lot more of my brothers I will never say that they died in vain the thought they were doing the right thing and so did I. Well I came back to the states, they placed me at Fort Hood, TX, and at that time, it was a hellhole spent my time and received an Honorable Discharge. After I came home to Florida, I said to myself what Vietnam well let see I had P.T.S.D., sprayed with Agent Orange, lost many of my brothers, and was a big dam drunk it was nothing for me to go through two pints of booze and at least one case of beer a day I was a real alcoholic I drank like that for over 30 years thank God for my wife she got me off the booze and she got me the help I needed. I have been seeing my Psychologist and my VA Psychiatrist for the past 19 years and it has help a lot but it never goes away. Therefore, the answer to what I think about the Vietnam never fight a war that you are not meant to win.

Response by Cpl Tou Lee Yang made Jul 26 at 2015 10:12 PM

Cpl Tou Lee Yang — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 22:12:06 -0400

If the American's did not get involved in the war in Vietnam, I wouldn't have been able to immigrated to the United States. After all, my people was the foundation of the "Secret War".

Response by SCPO Private RallyPoint Member made Jul 26 at 2015 10:39 PM

SCPO Private RallyPoint Member — Sun, 26 Jul 2015 22:39:58 -0400

First answer: we were winning when I left.

Second answer: just a tad late in asking, don't you think???

Response by CWO2 John Markiewicz made Jul 27 at 2015 12:08 PM

CWO2 John Markiewicz — Mon, 27 Jul 2015 12:08:39 -0400

We needed to be there and we, on the ground, did our duty and complied with our orders. The problems in Vietnam came from the civilian leadership back in Washington, DC and their lack of knowledge and/or commitment to complete the task they had initiated.

Response by 1LT Harvey Hutchinson made Aug 3 at 2015 9:13 PM

1LT Harvey Hutchinson — Mon, 03 Aug 2015 21:13:50 -0400

Hell YES!

Response by SSG Ray Strenkowski made Aug 4 at 2015 1:30 PM

SSG Ray Strenkowski — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 13:30:02 -0400

I can't provide direct input as I was born in '76. However, my .02 cents (which is probably worth half that) is that the military wasn't allowed to really fight it.
...Take a hill, abandon it... over and over.

Admittedly, I don't have any real world situational awareness of the war and all of my information comes from books like 'About Face' and 'A Bright Shining Lie'

The truth is that these vets deserved respect then as much as now for enlisting or being drafted and doing the job asked of them.

It's hard for me to parse the validity of a war which was so poorly executed on a strategic level with my limited knowledge.

Response by MAJ Ken Landgren made Aug 4 at 2015 3:11 PM

MAJ Ken Landgren — Tue, 04 Aug 2015 15:11:07 -0400

I wont answer as hindsight is 20/20.

Response by CW3 Dick McManus made Mar 21 at 2021 4:59 PM

CW3 Dick McManus — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 16:59:34 -0400

Hell no! It was an unjust and undeclared war.

Response by MSG Donald Onley made Mar 21 at 2021 7:07 PM

MSG Donald Onley — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 19:07:27 -0400

I was at Dau Tieng from December 1967 - December 1968 as far as the war I lost 105 Brothers from the battalion I was with they are on the Vietnam Wall I do not talk about the war in Vietnam it was a long war and we lost a lot good men during that war ask if I would do it again yes I would I love my country, and the Constitution, freedom and my Flag of this United States and our First and second Amendment. I was born free, I live free, and I will die free God Bliss the U.S.A
All gave some and some gave all for our Red White and Blue.

Response by Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen made Mar 21 at 2021 7:14 PM

Lt Col John (Jack) Christensen — Sun, 21 Mar 2021 19:14:17 -0400

Different times, even Republicans thought the red menace was worth fighting against.

Response by SFC Melvin Brandenburg made Mar 22 at 2021 9:18 AM

SFC Melvin Brandenburg — Mon, 22 Mar 2021 09:18:19 -0400

I think the granola eaters and sandal wearers were a great asset to our enemy. I will never forgive them for that. I will never forgive Carter for pardoning the cowards who ran off to Canada. While I disagree with Muhammed Ali's decision not to answer the draft call, I can at least respect the fact he stayed and dealt with the consequences like a man.