2015 marks the 50th anniversary of the US direct involvement of the Vietnam war. It was 1965, President Johnson orders troops to the jungle. The Operation Rolling Thunder bombing campaign began on March 2, 1965, partly in response to a Viet Cong attack on a U.S. air base at Pleiku. Shortly after the operation began in 1965, Johnson committed the first U.S. ground troops to the Vietnam War.
This page is dedicated to those men [women] of the Vietnam war who bravely went forth and answered the clarion call, they went where no one wanted to go. This page includes images, poems, songs of the era, links to related sites etc. I’ll be adding and/or rotating material from time to time so be sure to visit often! You can also check posts by using keyword #Vietnam50Years. I will be adding to this every week to include interviews I’ll conduct with V. vets, ‘conversations with a vet’ a collection of conversations between veterans of the same war, and so much more. If you have comments, concerns, suggestions, or would like to take part in an interview I’ve left a contact form below you can contact me privately there. I have full permissions for everything I share under these circumstances. All names are withheld by default. Any and all feedback is welcome. If you’re a veteran of this war, please let me know if you’d like anything added here, after all it’s your page. 😉 Thanks!
…they were injured from bombs and combat loss they never processed….couple that with the shock of coming home to their home soil and being spit on and called murderers and shunned from society— it forever damaged men who truly wanted to be good people.Source
Sgt Ken Ball July 67 Operation Fremont
SOLDIER’S ROLE
The sun burns down with scorching breath
As trudging men seek out their death
Which lies ahead. In single file
They hump the jungle, mile on mile
In halting, cautious tread.
The fuzz-cheeked leader up ahead
Guides them on.
The heavy packs]
Rub and chafe their aching backs
The wet boots suck from clinging mud
And rub great blisters full of blood
On swollen feet. The thrill is gone!
Click Image to see the Vietnam War Hall of HeroesHospital Corpsman David R. Ray Congressional Medal of Honor recipient for gallantry and intrepidity in Vietnam. Photo # USN 1143378
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May 3 1967 U.S. Marines stand on Hill 881 North after a fierce nine near KheSanh
A Corpsmen’s Anguish 1967
Photo taken by Catherine Leroy portraying U.S. Marine corpsman Vernon Wike during the battle for Hill 881 near Khe Sanh while he is cradling his comrade who has been shot while smoke from the battle rises into the air behind them. From the set of pictures, in “Corpsman In Anguish” he has just realised the man is dead.
Cathy Leroy, Photographer. Won Pulitzer for this image “A Corpsman’s Anguish.”
Corpsmen and his fallen buddy
Cathy Leroy Photographer
Private First Class Clark Richie sniffs the scent of a letter from a girl back home in Jay, Oklahoma. April 1966.
Special warfare combatant craft crewmen read names on the Vietnam traveling memorial wall during the annual trail of honor
May 5 1967 A U.S. Marine of the 2nd Battalion, 3rd Marine Regiment, pistol in one hand and an active grenade in the other, inches his way forward to Hilltop 881 North.
It came in low and hot, close to the trees…
Robin Williams, ‘Good Morning, Vietnam’ Robin was an avid supporter of our military, with special attention to our troops. He will be greatly missed. Rest easy, Robin
Maiden on the Midway 