I will say this though. When Nam fell I was a bitter M.F. There were plenty who were thinking about an overthrow of the government.
A very little known fact was when Nixon was looking like he was going to get impeached an entire battalion of First Cav Armor was loaded on a train in Ft. Hood and was waiting for Nixon to declare martial law. They would have gone to Washington an ringed the White House in Armor, just for starters. The US Airforce and the Navy said they would not back him so that just left the army and maybe some Marines. I was not there and that story was told to me by a company commander in 1980 or 81 ? True or not ? If true and Nixon would have had the backing of all the services all I can say is it would be a different USA today as Kent state was a nothing burger compared to what the military can do when turned loose
I was in a restroom with a 2 Star General after completing one of his jump missions. He had known me for several years and he liked me as I had saved his bacon and kept him from losing face a couple of times. Anyway this was in 77 at Langley Airforce base. He said there was a big RIF (reduction in force) coming down and he wanted to know if I wanted to stay in the service.. I told him is a respectful but assertive way that when Nam fell I hung up my guns for uncle sugar and unless the enemy is landing on our shores or breaking into my house I am finished with letting someone tell me to "go do or die".. He absolutely understood.. As many of us felt Washington was a friggen joke with the exception of Nixon who finally let us go into Cambodia and clean out all the North Vietnamese warehouses. We kicked their butts in Cambodia and 3 core Vietnam was quite for almost 3 months... at least we were not mortared during the night while we tried to sleep..
I missed the invasion of Laos and will forever be grateful I did as Brovo 227 company (our sister company) after two weeks in Laos had only two lift birds left as all the others were lost or damaged and to bad to fly. There were no more flyable Loches OH-6 left in the first Cav as all had been shot down. Hunter killer teams were a snake low and two high and even then the NVA had everything from radar guided 37 MM and 51 Cals. in place looking down and up from mountain ridges.... Either weapon would punch very big holes into anything that got in its' sights.. The NVA had learned very well from Cambodia and they kicked our butts in Laos.
I honestly do not know why I posted this thread other than a friend of mine brought back some memories yesterday..?
I am lucky as I never hated the Vietnamese.... I respected their fighting and supply capabilities and swore I would never be taken alive as both sides could be very mean and not pleasant to a captured enemy..
Those who hated had a hard time adjusting back in the real world IMO.
A very little known fact was when Nixon was looking like he was going to get impeached an entire battalion of First Cav Armor was loaded on a train in Ft. Hood and was waiting for Nixon to declare martial law. They would have gone to Washington an ringed the White House in Armor, just for starters. The US Airforce and the Navy said they would not back him so that just left the army and maybe some Marines. I was not there and that story was told to me by a company commander in 1980 or 81 ? True or not ? If true and Nixon would have had the backing of all the services all I can say is it would be a different USA today as Kent state was a nothing burger compared to what the military can do when turned loose
I was in a restroom with a 2 Star General after completing one of his jump missions. He had known me for several years and he liked me as I had saved his bacon and kept him from losing face a couple of times. Anyway this was in 77 at Langley Airforce base. He said there was a big RIF (reduction in force) coming down and he wanted to know if I wanted to stay in the service.. I told him is a respectful but assertive way that when Nam fell I hung up my guns for uncle sugar and unless the enemy is landing on our shores or breaking into my house I am finished with letting someone tell me to "go do or die".. He absolutely understood.. As many of us felt Washington was a friggen joke with the exception of Nixon who finally let us go into Cambodia and clean out all the North Vietnamese warehouses. We kicked their butts in Cambodia and 3 core Vietnam was quite for almost 3 months... at least we were not mortared during the night while we tried to sleep..
I missed the invasion of Laos and will forever be grateful I did as Brovo 227 company (our sister company) after two weeks in Laos had only two lift birds left as all the others were lost or damaged and to bad to fly. There were no more flyable Loches OH-6 left in the first Cav as all had been shot down. Hunter killer teams were a snake low and two high and even then the NVA had everything from radar guided 37 MM and 51 Cals. in place looking down and up from mountain ridges.... Either weapon would punch very big holes into anything that got in its' sights.. The NVA had learned very well from Cambodia and they kicked our butts in Laos.
I honestly do not know why I posted this thread other than a friend of mine brought back some memories yesterday..?
I am lucky as I never hated the Vietnamese.... I respected their fighting and supply capabilities and swore I would never be taken alive as both sides could be very mean and not pleasant to a captured enemy..
Those who hated had a hard time adjusting back in the real world IMO.