"Operation Massachusetts Striker" Topic

Hi all, I am currently reading "Hamburger Hill" by Samuel Zaffiri as we approach the anniversary of the battle. As the backstory he covers Operation Massachusetts Striker, and On page 52 he highlights that the 1/502nd captures an enemy hospital finding supplies that actually were sent to the enemy from UC Berkeley. Looked around a little on the internet and was not sure if this was ever proven to be the case, so thought I'd ask the experts here, as well as where else this incident is cited in other publications. Thank you for any assistance.

Don't have any details on that, but it wouldn't surprise me one bit, since there were a lot of communist sympathizers back in the day, and there still are, including Hanoi Jane, AKA Jane Fonda.

A pity she wasn't tried and executed for treason back then.

Berkeley is a hotbed of leftists still, to this day.

Reminds me of a recurring image from watching an episode of Ken Burns' Vietnam War each night recently. Every time we see a "pacifist" antiwar demonstration, the marches are packed with individuals carrying the VC flag. Now be anti-war all you want, or anti this particular war because you think you cannot win (or because you might suddenly be drafted from College after all)………….you may well be right.

But flying an enemy combatant's flag makes you no better than the govt supporters you despise.

The story of medical kit travelling all the way from Berkeley to VN, after donation, sounds a bit far fetched. A PAVN hospital using US issue medical kit……surely!

I agree with deadhead on this. Probably captured US. But … who knows ?

And yes in any other war, Fonda would have been charged with treason. And at least imprisoned …

As Thresher pointed out even today Berkeley is very "left" …

It's all kind of relative to where you are. Here in Scotland I'm a radical right wing conservative, but in a lot of the US I would be a liberal lefty. I can't imagine any university sending anything to anyone; they are incredibly miserly and greedy organisations except when looking after themselves.

Thanks all, I figured as much. Deadhead, I have also been watching the Burns doc every night on Legions recommendation. I was laid off recently so finding some reasonable time to paint, game, goof off and ask a bunch of questions on here, that I must say, Legion has given me a basic Vietnam intro course so far:)

Glad to help ! There a lot of Vietnam Vets here that have given me some good intel too.

"And yes in any other war, Fonda would have been charged with treason. And at least imprisoned"

The problem with that statement is that the USA was not at war with anyone. The refusal of the US government to face up to the reality of the situation, i.e. that the invasion of South Vietnam by regular troops of North Vietnam was a blatant act of war and should be treated as such, led to a "conflict", an amorphous non-term that doesn't have much strength in law.

LT

Yes you are correct about that. Regardless she would have gotten away with her actions in either case. With all the things going on at that time in the USA.