Vietnam Veterans get Medals for Heroic Actions

Fast Freddy Posts ,

SAN DIEGO (AP) September 20, 2013   — Two Vietnam veterans were awarded the Silver and Bronze Star medals Friday for their courage in a battle on a jungle hillside where more than 75 percent of the troops with them that day were killed or wounded.

Navy Secretary Ray Mabus said in his citation to the president that Joe Cordileone and Robert Moffatt showed extraordinary heroism during the first Battle of Khe Sanh in 1967. Marine Brig. Gen. James Bierman apologized to the veterans for the 46-year-wait, saying “I’m sorry that it took so long for these awards to work their way around to you.” Continue reading →

WWII Airplanes on Iwo Jima

Sniper Ghost Posts ,

*51s On Iwo Jima (These are incredible pictures!!)

Note the many B-29’s as well…

It is worth reading the following before you go to the pictures.

  • Don’t use auto run, or click on Slideshow, take your time and scroll thru each pic.
  • Just put your pointer on the picture to get the dropdown info.
  • Click on the picture to see in full size.

Some WWII Iwo Jima photos not normally found in today’s “quick” history updates.

A tiny Island, apparently some amazing crosswinds and quite possibly the volcanic grit did not make the best surface for runway operations.

Here are some of the best WWII pictures I have seen.

Don’t know where they came from.

http://picasaweb.google.com/7thfighter/IwoJima?authkey=Gv1sRgCIW06db_6oth&fe

Thanks to Charlie for the link.  Hoorah

Battle of Chu Moor

Fred Childs Posts

We Need Your Help

If you are a Vietnam Veteran and participated in the Battle of Chu Moor with the 4th Infantry Division during April 1968 – we need your help.

A book was started during 2008 to document this battle and was not completed or published.  We received the original draft a few weeks ago and will be completing the book.  We need more information and pictures to present the best documentation possible.

If you have some pictures of this battle and could write a few paragraphs and the dates of your experience we would sincerely appreciate it. Please forward any pictures and your written experiences to our webmaster so we can include your information in the book.

Thank you so much.

charlie66-72-webmaster@yahoo.com

Future Infantry BCTs to Stay on Their Feet

Fast Freddy Posts , ,

Army: Future Infantry BCTs to Stay on Their Feet

Sep 12, 2013

Military.com| by Matthew Cox
 

FORT BENNING, Ga. — The U.S. Army is currently developing four new combat vehicles, but maneuver officials here maintain that infantry brigades of 2020 may still traverse the battlefield on foot.

Officials at the Army’s Maneuver Center of Excellence here outlined how tomorrow’s infantry brigade combat teams will likely change during the 2013 Maneuver Warfighter Conference.

In addition to adding a third maneuver battalion, each IBCT will have an additional engineer company, a third cavalry troop and a new artillery battery of six M777 155mm howitzers.

But one weakness of the IBCT formation that infantry officials here continue to wrestle with is the speed small units move round the battlefield. Continue reading →

Vietnam War Commemoration

Fred Childs Posts

Army Launches Vietnam War Commemoration

Aug 30, 2013

American Forces Press Service| by J.D. Leipold
 

083013-VietnamWASHINGTON – The afternoon in the Pentagon auditorium on Aug. 28 was a time for reflection on a war that spanned 10 years and cost the country the lives of more than 58,000 young men and women. It was also an occasion to honor and thank nine Vietnam War veterans who’d served a total of 14 tours in-country and 225 years in uniform.

Kicking off the Pentagon’s first event commemorating the 50th anniversary of the conflict, Army Lt. Gen. Raymond V. Mason, deputy chief of staff for logistics, opened the ceremony recalling personal memories as well as his broader experiences as a young American citizen. Continue reading →

Chemical Defoliation

Fred Childs Posts ,

Chemical Defoliation

Aftermath of Vietnam War: One of the most controversial aspects of the U.S. military effort in Southeast Asia was the widespread use of chemical defoliants between 1961 and 1971. They were used to defoliate large parts of the countryside. These chemicals continue to change the landscape, cause diseases and birth defects, and poison the food chain.

Early in the American military effort it was decided that since the enemy were hiding their activities under triple-canopy jungle, a useful first step might be to defoliate certain areas. This was especially true of growth surrounding bases (both large and small) in what became known as Operation Ranch Hand. Corporations like Dow Chemical Company and Monsanto were given the task of developing herbicides for this purpose. Continue reading →