Because this video is from the US Army Patton Museum, I am assuming that most of the propaganda spouted by the announcer is slanted in that direction. He does reluctantly admit that the first American armor unit to arrive in-country was the US Marine 3rd Tank Battalion. He did neglect to also mention that the first use of tanks in that war in SE Asia was US Marine "Operation Starlite" from 18 to 24 Aug 1965.
Also, the M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) was NOT a tank. The US Army tried to use it like a tank but many of them were destroyed by mines and RPGs.
Not many can say the following. I met a tanker in Guam. We both were sent back to Nam. One day I was in the rear and three or four tanks at the wire shooting at Charlie Ridge. I saw my friend in the turrent. I went up to say hello and unknown to me he was getting ready to fire. He said something to me that I did not hear. I put my hand on the track and kerfucing boom! The tank rocked up and I staggered backwards. He turned to me when the smoke cleared and told me he had said, get back. It all happened in a split second. Not many can say they had there hand on a tank, other than the tank team, when it fired. I don't recommend it.
That is how Charles Hathcock got hurt. He was in an APC that was hit by an RPG. We won the Viet Nam war. Till Cronkite got paid to throw the game. I was about three years too young to make that war, but I remember it. It was then I started to hate the news reporters. Now I can’t even watch the news it is so slanted.
LOL.. brings back memories. I was the Bde SDO one day, after everyone went home, I did my normal SDO night snooping. I found "The History of Armor in VN" a thick book produced by the DOD, in the Bde. commanders in box. I snatched some stationary off the Col. desk. I wrote "Give me your full assement" I shoved the note and the book in a shotgun envelope. I put a shinny new captains name on the envelope and off it went.
I spent 20 months in VN during the draw down (1970-1972), never saw a tank. The only APC's were the 11th Armored Cav Regiment. No tank or APC went where we went, triple canopy forests and the Mekong Delta. The only mode of transportation was by Huey, CH47 Shithooks, riverboats and mostly hoofin' it The only major fire power was artillery, Naval Gunfire, huey gunships, Cobras and on the rarest of occasions an airstrike. As Bob Hope said, Tanks for the Memories. I have no memory of tanks.
I spent 12 months and 29 days in-country Vietnam (Jan '68 - Feb 69) in a US Marine M-67A2 Flame-thrower tank assigned to the 3rd Tank Battalion. I got to participate in the "celebration" of Tet '68 in Hue City. Our tanks performed spectacularly. The US Marines deployed tanks as a "Tank-Infantry Team" and (again) we performed spectacularly.
Because this video is from the US Army Patton Museum, I am assuming that most of the propaganda spouted by the announcer is slanted in that direction. He does reluctantly admit that the first American armor unit to arrive in-country was the US Marine 3rd Tank Battalion. He did neglect to also mention that the first use of tanks in that war in SE Asia was US Marine "Operation Starlite" from 18 to 24 Aug 1965.
ReplyDeleteAlso, the M-113 Armored Personnel Carrier (APC) was NOT a tank. The US Army tried to use it like a tank but many of them were destroyed by mines and RPGs.
Not many can say the following. I met a tanker in Guam. We both were sent back to Nam. One day I was in the rear and three or four tanks at the wire shooting at Charlie Ridge. I saw my friend in the turrent. I went up to say hello and unknown to me he was getting ready to fire. He said something to me that I did not hear. I put my hand on the track and kerfucing boom! The tank rocked up and I staggered backwards. He turned to me when the smoke cleared and told me he had said, get back. It all happened in a split second. Not many can say they had there hand on a tank, other than the tank team, when it fired. I don't recommend it.
ReplyDeleteThat is how Charles Hathcock got hurt. He was in an APC that was hit by an RPG. We won the Viet Nam war. Till Cronkite got paid to throw the game. I was about three years too young to make that war, but I remember it. It was then I started to hate the news reporters. Now I can’t even watch the news it is so slanted.
ReplyDeleteLOL.. brings back memories. I was the Bde SDO one day, after everyone went home, I did my normal SDO night snooping. I found "The History of Armor in VN" a thick book produced by the DOD, in the Bde. commanders in box. I snatched some stationary off the Col. desk. I wrote "Give me your full assement" I shoved the note and the book in a shotgun envelope. I put a shinny new captains name on the envelope and off it went.
ReplyDeleteI spent 20 months in VN during the draw down (1970-1972), never saw a tank. The only APC's were the 11th Armored Cav Regiment. No tank or APC went where we went, triple canopy forests and the Mekong Delta. The only mode of transportation was by Huey, CH47 Shithooks, riverboats and mostly hoofin' it The only major fire power was artillery, Naval Gunfire, huey gunships, Cobras and on the rarest of occasions an airstrike.
ReplyDeleteAs Bob Hope said, Tanks for the Memories. I have no memory of tanks.
I spent 12 months and 29 days in-country Vietnam (Jan '68 - Feb 69) in a US Marine M-67A2 Flame-thrower tank assigned to the 3rd Tank Battalion. I got to participate in the "celebration" of Tet '68 in Hue City. Our tanks performed spectacularly. The US Marines deployed tanks as a "Tank-Infantry Team" and (again) we performed spectacularly.
ReplyDelete