"Did You Serve in the Vietnam War?" Topic

Did you serve in the armed forces in the Vietnam War, and if so, in what capacity?

65-69: 66-67, Crash Crew at Miramar Naval Air Station, 67-69 USS Coral Sea, Aviation Boatswain's Mate, pushed aircraft around on the flight and hanger decks.

No. Went in a few years later. Was too young.

Appreciate all those who did.

Nope I was 12 when it ended in 75, I remember seeing stuff for years on TV and 2 of my uncles coming home from it in 69 and 72 one from the USMC and the other from the USAF. Both thought it was the dumbest thing the government ever got them into and were glad they got out in one piece. Some times when they are in their cups they tell stories about things there and about missing friends.

The world was so different back then.

I entered the Navy at the end of the vietnam war.
After my schooling was completed, I was detached from the Navy and served in the DoD.

Yes, interdiction patrol off the DMZ. US Naval officer small combatant 1967-8.

Too young, and my brother missed the draft by a year.

Tried to enlist in The Corps in '72 but was refused on medical grounds.

Missed it. Classified 4-A after trying to enlist.

USAF Security Police 70-74, 71-72 NKP RTAF

Commissioned in '75, so just qualify as a "Vietnam era" vet, but thankfully never headed in that direction.

Allen

Tried to enlist in '68(my older brother was at Quang Tri), draft number was 36, rejected due to eyesight.

Draft lottery nhumber 349.

Was an Army Security Agency Morse Code Direction Finder in Thialand from '71 to '72. Helped sic B-52s on the NVA Easter offensive in the spring 1972. Ended up being one of the greatest victories for air power in military history. Few people know about it. Very few US ground troops were involved.
Got a Vietnam service ribbbon and Meritorius(I think that's what it was) Unit Citation. Not combat but still involed in the fight somewhat.

Nope missed it. Was born in 1969

Formerly Cpt, USAF, HQ 7th AF Tan Son Nhut AB, Republic of Vietnam. Essentially I ran an all source Intel comm center.
Was there from 11 Jun 71 to 29 March 72. They were winding down the war.
For the 15 months from 10 March70 to 10 Jun 71, I was in Security Service with the Air Force at the 6922d Scty GP, Clark AB, Pampanga, Luzon, Republic of the Philippines. I was the commander of Charlie Flight.

I was in high school Junior ROTC from 1970 to 1973 and expected to join the service. The troops were withdrawn as I was graduating, went on to college ROTC.

Mike "Bunkermeister" Creek
bunkermeister.blogspot.com

Deferment on the basis of a pilonidal cyst anyone?

Missed it all by a year, and still have my draft card.

My father was there, and lost my uncle in the war. My wife's uncle also died there.

Nope, but most of they guys who taught me at Boat School had been.

541st military intell det., 11th armored cavalry. April of 70 til mid may of 71.

No. Too British.

USNA Class of '71. Rebuilt USS Skipjack, overhauled USS Henry L. Stimsonfish. Cruised on USS Holder, USS Roosevelt, USS LaSalle. Saw 1st Harrier land on LaSalle. Saw 1/2 of class of '72 awarded Vietnam campaign ribbon for playing Bball on beach liberty 'cause DaNang had a single rocket fired into it that day. Nobody knew it happened. Rest is hush hush.

No, just a small child while the war was being fought. Named after an uncle who was serving there with the Marines when I was born, he came back but doesn't talk too much about it.

Had two other reletives, one Army / one USAF who served over there.

Too British and too young.

All the best,

John.

Too young, born in '68. my father was a carreer Marine. he did three tours.

I was way too young. My older brother missed it by about a year, but he was in Thailand when we were pulling the last guys out of Vietnam and there was apparently still some shooting on the border with Laos.

Draft Lottery Number 99 as Nixon made a statement they would pull to 125, never called though.

No, too young.

Doc here: commissioned USAR in 1968, got deferred for grad school until 1971, got the chance after the big Nixon cutback to opt for six years of reserve duty instead of 2 years active, so did that. So I was in the Army Reserves from 1966 through mid-70's, got all the VietNam era training, but never had to go.

My best friend Robson Wills was killed there, an infantry platoon leader.

Yes. 1969-70
Arty in the Ashau Valley. Attached to the 101st

No, too young. Did have an uncle serve there 70-71 near or in Cambodia.

Navy, USS Oriskany CVA-34 from 1965-68. We made three cruises to Yankee Station. I was in air intelligence.

Draft lottery number 257, however, my father served. He was a B-52 pilot.

I was born after the war winded down, so no. But my dad was there late '60s US Army Mil Intel. He occasionally tells me some crazy stories…

He was also stationed before this in Berlin. Another, different set of crazy stories…

Damon.

I was active duty USAF officer. Served at a missile base in Wyoming, as the Billeting officer (motel manager), so Vietnam-era, not Vietnam. Had a cousin in the 101st in country, another cousin was an SR-71 backseater, and my dad was an ops officer for a B-52 wing (Okinawa IIRC).

Cannoneer in the Big Red One July 68 to July 69. I served in D 1/5 Arty, probably the first US artillery unit to fire on German soldiers (Trenton 1776).

Thanks to Harold Wilson, no.Matt.

Drafted and pre-induction physical 1971. Were originally drafting to lottery number 175. Draft suspended that summer while Congress and President Nixon considered changes. When reinstated did not get to my number 155.

Nope, too young.
Even my eldest brother was very slightly too young, and my Dad was a WW2 vet.
-Kle.

No. Never served.

No, they weren't drafting toddlers yet so I was exempt, thank God. But my dad flew medivac helicopters there in 1968 and 69, and was shot doing so. I just saw him a couple of weeks ago, so I know he's ok now.

No Too Canadian and too young.

One of our group did, Platoon leader in the 1st Infantry.
Hit by mortar fragments and never went back. Purple Heart.

Too young, and far too little USAnian.

Hereabouts (in Sweden) I've met more american draft dodgers than vets.

Nov '67-Feb '68…9th Engineer Bn, Chu Lai
Feb '68-July '69 1st CAG- India,Kilo,Lima (later 1,2,3) companies, Chu Lai and Language school in Danang.

Too young

Too young.

Dad was active duty then reserves but never sent over. Mom lost a cousin in the 101st.

Nope. Met my dad in 73 when returned from over there. I was 5 or 6.

Well the hobby can't be getting that gray if there are so few of us, unless of course the number of Korean War vets is huge but shy about posting.

31st Engr Bn (attached to HQ 1st Cavalry Division), Phuoc Vinh 1969
26th Engr Bn, 23rd Infantry Division (Americal), Chu Lai 1971
Provisional Engr Co, 196th Infantry Brigade, Danang 1972

MOS: 12B3C – Combat Demolition Specialist cross-trained in chemical, biological, and radiological warfare.

LT