How Many Viet Nam Vets Here?

[bongobobny]

Hmmmm, that is a very interesting question and I would love to hear some of the responses! As far as setting foot in country no, you just had to participate. If you had to set foot on the soil it would eliminate the Air Force and the Navy from the honor when we know their service was definately an important part of the effort. In your particular case,it may or may not be the thin line between Viet Nam Vet and Viet Nam ERA Vet. In either case, thank you for your service!!!

[rhino 2]

Hmmmm, that is a very interesting question and I would love to hear some of the responses! As far as setting foot in country no, you just had to participate. If you had to set foot on the soil it would eliminate the Air Force and the Navy from the honor when we know their service was definately an important part of the effort. In your particular case,it may or may not be the thin line between Viet Nam Vet and Viet Nam ERA Vet. In either case, thank you for your service!!!

There were Air Force on the ground, Air Base's, Navy did have Swift boats in country also. For a short time i had an Air Force FO, With me They [Air Force] wanted credit for the KIA's, Didn't want the Army to get all the credit.
As far as the original question

[bongobobny]

Yes I know they had forces on the ground but not all of them! Good point though! The point I was trying to make was that the Government recognises many as veterans even if they never set foot on the soil...

[Ret1SG]

Just joined the Forum and found this post. Let me first start by saying
"Welcome Home" to all the posters. I was in country 70-71 1/30 FA, 1st Cav. I retired from the Army in 1990. Now work at Range Operations on a National Guard Training Center, I see many of our young men and women trainup for their deployment and get to watch them return. Was asked by a LTC one day if I resented them for the send off they were getting or for the welcome home they received. I replied that it did not bother me , but was funny that the same people that hated me and my brothers in arms are now cheering these young soldiers.

[chuck43]

I was there 68 to69 7/17 air cav

[lboos]

I flew cargo missions into Vietnam from late 64 until my last one in 72, I was a flt. engineer from 1964 until 1973 on a large cargo acft. I remember earley on, 64 to 66 their was little acft. traffic at most bases, in 66 it was diff....from 66 to 71 the acft. traffic was bumper to bumper [radome to tail nav. lite] from every base from Danang to Saigon [Tan son nhut AB]. We never stayed in Vietnam very long, only if we had problems with the acft. a week was the longest I stayed [at Danang].
I never had to put up with all the bad times that's the Grunts did, and they are my Heros still today, I did get to see part the war from early on until near the end, and Vietnam was a beautiful country, at least from the air at 3000 ft. but it had a smell about it that no other place had.
Most of our fit's went into Danang and stopped at every base that had a hard runway until Saigon [Tan son nhut AB,] and then back to Clark,
I hate to say it, but I had a blast, most of the time, and most of the time with a hang over.
The real Heros are the Grunts, God bless them all.

[UncleBob]

In country boots on the ground 69-70. 1st Battalion 30th Artillery 1st Air Cavalry Division 155 mm howitzers.
Welcome Home My Brothers and Never Forget The MIA/POW.

[lboos]

In country boots on the ground 69-70. 1st Battalion 30th Artillery 1st Air Cavalry Division 155 mm howitzers.
Welcome Home My Brothers and Never Forget The MIA/POW.

War story,
One time in 1969 while landing at Danang we were told that we were in the area where friendly fire was being used [out going howitzers] and that we should make an imed. turn to the right [forget the heading] that we were in an area we were not supposed to be, but our dumb a$$ aircraft commander thought the controller said left turn, everyone on the acft. said the controller said right not left, the AC told all crew members to keep quiet, that he knew what he was doing, after he pulled his head out of his a$$ and turned right and we left the area, he apol. to all.
That was the 1st time I heard such foul mouth from a controller to an AC, but it worked, The aircraft commander said very little for the rest of the trip.

[bongobobny]

Couple of comments. Yes, the country smelled like a urinal when I first set foot on it in Saigon. I'll never forget the pilot of the jet bringing us in country telling us he was circling the airport to draw any enemy fire! Say WHAT?!!? He then explained about the gunships escorting us as we landed...

[gwnut]

USAF 1965/88. Tuy Hoa AB. 69/70. A special thanks to all who served, both in-country and distant support..We had no choice where to serve, just did our job and hopefully made it home.

[Greydog]

I am a vet of the 1963-66 vintage. I have a question to the group...Do you have to be on Viet soil to be a Viet Vet? Or in my case does working a com center is Europe as a primary link qualifiy a vet as a Viet vet?
A

I know that to qualify as a Vietnam Vet for the VFW your DD-214 must indicate service "in country" by virtue of the Vietnam Service Medal. If you were awarded the medal you're a Vietnam Vet. I'm fairly certain that Aircraft Carrier Crews and Air Wings operating off Yankee station qualify as do Air Force and Coast Guard operating in and out of the country. I am a Navy Vietnam Vet.....'67-'68 with a SeaBee Battalion, CBMU-302 operating out of a Market Time Base in I Corps. Was there for the Tet Offensive. 302 was the last Battalion size Navy unit to leave Vietnam soil after the war. I guess I'm neither proud of, nor disappointed in, my Vietnam service. It's just something I did as part of a 22 year Navy career.

[rhino 2]

USAF 1965/88. Tuy Hoa AB. 69/70. A special thanks to all who served, both in-country and distant support..We had no choice where to serve, just did our job and hopefully made it home.

Tuy Hoa, I was there in 66, 4Th inf.
Also Rock Soldiers were stationed at Tuy Hoa.

[Doug D.]

Thanks, Bustedwing! Again, the honor would be mine!

[napper39]

1968 the whole year army boats and yes i heated my soup with c 4.

[eagle1]

12 SOS, '69-70, DaNang Bien wah, gals i forgot how to spell it, HA!!

[rhino 2]

1968 the whole year army boats and yes i heated my soup with c 4.

Peanut butter and Mosquito repellent also... But the C4 and Comp B Worked faster, And hotter....

[2006gold]

Vietnam ERA vet. Air Navy '67 - '71. Tracked Soviet boomers around the Pacific. Made one mission out of Vietnam so I have the service ribbon, but would never, ever consider myself a Vietnam Vet in the same sense as those who were stationed there.

[bobknife]

in country july 1969 to nov 1970 ,3 years ago got colon cancer I'm drawing 60% due to ptsd what a hell hole nam was what the hell were we even there for? Still believe the cancer is from agent orange. ride safe my brothers

[John Luciano]

In country 67 /68 Sun Cau ..Army Signal corp. on the ground. ..I very rarely mention war or army. Many of my co workers and friends do not know I am VET. Yes you are a Viet Nam Vet even if you served stateside .But no you are not allowed to be a member of the VFW unless you leave the US shore. You can join the American Legion.cooled are beer with fire extinguishers.

[ktnhog]

1968. Can Tho. 271st Assault Support Helicopter Company, Chinooks. Welcome Home!!!