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CU Medallion [50704]
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50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 1, 2020, 8:17 PM
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During the early summer of 1970, the Pentagon decided that there were too many Non-commissioned officers in the lower ranks and put a freeze on promotions which lasted the rest of my time in the Army. I would have been promoted to Staff Sergeant in June but never reached that level. They were correct about the fact that there were too many sergeants in Vietnam as my platoon had so many that we took turns serving as squad leaders as each platoon had 2 squads of 10 to 15 men. That suited me as I had a fear of giving orders that might result in someone getting killed or seriously injured. Luckily, it somehow worked out that my fear was not realized and nobody was injured in my squad when I was the designated leader. My only casualty was the "druggie" who I turned into the company commander before he decided to commit suicide by pulling the "Geronimo" leap from the chopper taking him to the rear.I have never felt that I was the cause of that since his behavior required him to be removed from the field.
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Oculus Spirit [76900]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 1, 2020, 8:22 PM
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Love it brother. Keep Um coming.
Do you write these down? I think you should, seriously.
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CU Guru [1041]
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A sincere thank you for your service.***
Sep 1, 2020, 8:22 PM
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CU Guru [1692]
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Wow, someone TDed a "sincere thank you"??? What a #####.***
Sep 2, 2020, 8:47 AM
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All-In [46565]
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Re: Wow, someone TDed a "sincere thank you"??? What a #####.***
Sep 2, 2020, 12:32 PM
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2nd that, Thank you......????
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Orange Blooded [3466]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 1, 2020, 8:30 PM
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Oh, those memories - '68-'69 - Pleiku
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CU Medallion [50704]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 1, 2020, 8:32 PM
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You were there in some tough times.
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CU Guru [1670]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 2, 2020, 7:01 AM
[ in reply to Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants ] |
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If you have any photos of the area around Pleiku, I would love to see them. That’s where my father was stationed in ‘66. I always wondered what the terrain, etc looked like.
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Orange Blooded [3466]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 2, 2020, 5:48 PM
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I don't have any pictures except for three framed ones on my wall - one of a artillery fire base, one of a B-52 strike nearby, and one of a helicopter re-supply to the fire base. Sorry, didn't have a camera or the time/thought to take pictures. Too busy trying to kill the enemy.
However, Pleiku was in the "central highlands" (II Corps) and was beautiful country - rolling with mountains to the north. Temp never got over around 84 in summer and nights were cool. But it rained for 3 months during the summer! Would like to see it today.
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CU Guru [1692]
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Hall of Famer [22127]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 1, 2020, 8:33 PM
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OK, Clover. More of us are jumping on your case. File these stories you are posting. You can edit and add as you see fit later on. Don't wait too long like I have done. There are stories that will be difficult to describe and probably some you will never write.
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CU Medallion [50704]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 1, 2020, 8:39 PM
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For every comment of encouragement , there probably 20 times as many who wish I would stop posting these stories. Just happy they aren't hitting the TD clicker.
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Standout [304]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 1, 2020, 8:52 PM
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I wouldn’t mind you stopping the posts...they ain’t got nothing to do with Clemson ball
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110%er [9903]
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Appears that
Sep 1, 2020, 9:11 PM
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A lot of folks wouldn’t mind you stopping period. Notice Clover posts on the Amphitheatre bored. Keep em coming Clover. I was fortunate in that when I joined the Marines most of my SNCOs were Vietnam vets.
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Oculus Spirit [76900]
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Re: Appears that
Sep 1, 2020, 9:28 PM
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Don’t mind him, he didn’t get his prunes this morning...
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CU Medallion [50704]
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All-In [32644]
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110%er [5623]
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Orange Blooded [3311]
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Heisman Winner [134203]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 1, 2020, 9:07 PM
[ in reply to Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants ] |
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Clover, I appreciate your stories. As someone who missed the draft for that war by just a year or so, I understand what y'all went through. I knew a guy that lived up the street from us (about 4 yrs older than me) that went and didn't make it back home. That war (as are all wars) was hail and the environment back in the U.S. wasn't any better at the time. Thank you for your service and keep the stories coming.
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Oculus Spirit [76900]
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CU Guru [1273]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 1, 2020, 10:37 PM
[ in reply to Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants ] |
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Clover65, just as Joe21 has said, this is history that has never been written - your history - and it's worth preserving. And just like poetry and all human experience, memory changes things, and the very expression of that memory puts it all in a context of understanding unique to every individual... such is art on all levels. Memory and art are each painful exercise, but please keep it up, the writing and the recalls, it touches so many lives in so many meaningful ways. God bless!
and Go Tigers!!!
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CU Guru [1670]
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Orange Blooded [2680]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 2, 2020, 8:14 AM
[ in reply to Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants ] |
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Don't ever worry about folks that TD your stories. I love them. I served two tours (101 missions) in B-52s and still enjoy conversing with my fellow Air Force buddies about those times. I just wish the politicians had let the military folks run the show back then. Thanks for your service, clover65.
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110%er [6096]
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I enjoy both you and Joe's stories.
Sep 2, 2020, 6:05 PM
[ in reply to Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants ] |
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both of you should print the posts and responses and bind them up in a book for your children / family / friends that might enjoy them in the future
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CU Guru [1692]
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Orange Blooded [4193]
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Re: 50 years ago -Vietnam -Too many sergeants
Sep 1, 2020, 9:13 PM
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I missed that war by a couple of years but i did serve in the Navy beginning in 1975...thank you for shearing and your service. I always felt that i was just lucky by demographics to have not serviced in that war. Again thank you I did have a family member that didn't come back. God Bless
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CU Guru [1692]
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Thank you for your service, sir!***
Sep 2, 2020, 8:29 AM
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Orange Blooded [3043]
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Clover, thank you for sharing these stories - your stories -
Sep 1, 2020, 9:39 PM
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it means a lot, to a lot of us. I am in the military. I mentioned before that my father was in career Army, two full tours in Vietnam. My father passed away in 1999 (hard to believe it has been that long, doesn't feel that long ago).
I never got to talk to him about his experiences in Vietnam, not as an adult anyway, I was still in high school when he passed away.
I really appreciate you sharing your story with us. My father was a First Sergeant, coxswain of amphibious vehicles (Army transportation).
Thank you again Clover!
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CU Medallion [50704]
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So sorry for the loss of your
Sep 1, 2020, 9:46 PM
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father - can’t imagine how hard that would be while still in high school- my father made it to 88 years of age- I was 65 and it was still hard
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All-TigerNet [10631]
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Re: Clover, thank you for sharing these stories - your stories -
Sep 1, 2020, 11:09 PM
[ in reply to Clover, thank you for sharing these stories - your stories - ] |
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My dad passed away when I was 15 and a WW II veteran. I never asked and he never talked about his service. I knew he was an officer in the Merchant Marines, but did not know until a few years ago that they were the most hazardous branch of service during the war. I guess he was especially susceptible as he was a radio officer on tankers ..... that I presume were refueling war ships all over the Atlantic and Pacific.
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110%er [9903]
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Re: Clover, thank you for sharing these stories - your stories -
Sep 1, 2020, 11:48 PM
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Anyone on a tanker was highly susceptible, as well as cargo ships hauling ammo. If a sub or plane hit them while they had even a partial load the survival rate was not good. They were absolutely essential though riding around on a floating bomb! I imagine their pucker factor was extreme. Prayers always for your father and those that served with him.
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All-TigerNet [10631]
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Re: Clover, thank you for sharing these stories - your stories -
Sep 2, 2020, 12:12 PM
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Thank you JS. In addition to him, his two brothers were career Navy Chiefs. In 1937, his older brother who was stationed near Washington, DC took the oath of office for president of the United States, as a stand-in for FDR as a rehearsal for the real thing the following day. It's a;ways fun reminding friends that my uncle was almost president of the US.
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CU Guru [1692]
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110%er [9949]
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I salute y’all***
Sep 1, 2020, 9:41 PM
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Orange Blooded [2537]
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Thank you for your service!
Sep 2, 2020, 7:18 AM
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Like poster above said, keep 'em coming.
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CU Guru [1692]
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Thank you for your service, sir!***
Sep 2, 2020, 8:24 AM
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Orange Blooded [2659]
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thank you for your service. Ignore the negative posters.
Sep 2, 2020, 9:34 AM
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they are probably out of Hot Pockets and grumpy for it
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CU Medallion [65370]
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Every time I hear a chopper story from Viet Nam, it reminds
Sep 2, 2020, 12:26 PM
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me of these lines from the Billy Joel song "Goodnight, Saigon".
"They heard the hum of our motors, They counted the rotors, And waited for us to arrive. And we would all go down together."
Not the kind of warm welcome anyone would want, for sure.
Thank you once again for your service.
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Oculus Spirit [76900]
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Re: Every time I hear a chopper story from Viet Nam, it reminds
Sep 2, 2020, 5:38 PM
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Nice song reference. A good one!
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