SwiftVets.com

[four-niner delta]

You must have been in Dong Tam. We had the 15th Combat Engineers go out with us to blow bunkers and rat-holes. My son is showing the "effects" of 14 months in Iraq. But the Army seems to care about PTSD now-they sure didn't care 35+ years ago!
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Gary Armitstead
Burbank, CA
U.S. Army Vietnam 1966-67 Mekong Delta
Mobile Riverine Force
A Co. 3/60 9th INF DIV

[Essayons]

four-niner delta (Gary) - The 15th Engineers were officailly stationed in Dong Tam by 8/68. They built Dong Tam by dredging the silt from the Song My Tho (most northery fork of the Mekong River also known as the 9 headed serpent) beginning in early 1967.

Good to hear from a Brother 9th ID vet.

I can only hope that your son gets the best of care from the VA. We did not. If he will allow you, talk with him - let his anger show and if he is reduced to tears - well you know what to do. You have been there.

I can only offer the following poem to possibly help him. It is my favorite: http://15thengineer.50megs.com/Web-Soldier-Flag-final.jpg

Regards,
Dick
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Essayons - Let us try - the code of the Army Engineer. Sappers First, the code of the Combat Engineer.

[Knighthawk]

[Arty Guy]

While I am a veteran I was not in the infantry and did not see combat the way it is described here. I was in the artillery and that was close enough for me. I was not particularly shocked or surprised by the article. I suppose many readers will be shocked, but I thought it was a fair description of what happens. We should be grateful for men like Sgt Ruiz. I want him with me when I walk through the valley of the shadow of death because he knows how to kick a__. I just hope he stays out of trouble and does not cross the fuzzy moving line of what is acceptable.

[wpage]

Essayons,

Pretty much agree with ya. I had a guy in my squad that had already been shot several times in fights with gangs and police in the Bronx before he was drafted. He was a hell of a fighter. Devlin was very Irish though. Heck, one of my platoon Sgt. was named "Castro" and he had a varied past as well, but he was one hell of a Sgt. I learned much from them when I was but a newbie. Although compassion is to be exercised when dealing with friendlies, it takes a mixture of brutality and extreme violence to survive and win against a determined enemy.

William Page
1st Cav. (AM)
3rd Bde(separate)
B Co, 2/5th Cav 71-72 (MR III)
D Co 1/12th Cav 1972 (MR II) Easter Offensive

[Essayons]

Knighthawk (Brian) – Thanks for the private e-mail it was appreciated very much.

Arty Guy – sometimes the Artillery guys get in the thick of it too. There are two very moving personal stories about Arty guys that can be found on http://15thengineer.50megs.com/personal_stories.htm They are stories of ordinary soldiers in battle but it brings their personal perspective and tells about really what happened that no medal citation ever could. Look for FSB JAEGER and FSB CUDGEL.

As a precaution, have some tissues nearby.

I know two of the guys who were at these FSBs (Fire Support Bases – the term is probably not used today). I was not at either action. Both were wounded and one was the recipient of the Medal of Honor for his actions at FSB Cudgel. To make sure the stories were true, before I posted them, I contacted a small number of guys who had been at the actions by phone and/or e-mail to get verification.

The Infantry always takes the highest casualties. I am uncertain about Artillery casualties but the 15th Combat Engineers lost (KIA) 5 or 6 guys between the two actions.

Regards,
Dick
_________________
Essayons - Let us try - the code of the Army Engineer. Sappers First, the code of the Combat Engineer.

[Arty Guy]

Esssayons,

It is certainly true that the artillery occasionally finds itself in the midst of a desperate infantry combat, but the artillery is not out there looking for trouble in quite the way that Sgt Ruiz and his platoon do every day. There were many instances in both Korea and Viet Nam where artillery units came under direct attack. The unit that I deployed with, 6th bn 77th artillery regiment, did suffer some casualties in Viet Nam, mostly among forward obervers. One of the guys I deployed with stepped on a mine and survived. The second casualty was a fatality where the lieutenant tried to help retrieve some wounded GIs under fire. Every time I go by the memorial in Washington, I stop to pay my respects to him.

[GenrXr]

Ya'll have no clue as to the negative replies to this article...keep waxing on, I will drop a 800lb gorrilla on you once you have dug the dirt deep enough.
_________________
"An activist is the person who cleans up the water, not the one claiming its dirty."
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing." Edmund Burke (1729-1797), Founder of Conservative Philosophy

[Essayons]

GenrXr - Drop that puppy now! Don't hold back if you have the full 800 pounds. I fully understand that there will be those who disagree with my opinion but I cannot respond to threats of:

"Ya'll have no clue as to the negative replies to this article...keep waxing on, I will drop a 800lb gorrilla on you once you have dug the dirt deep enough."

I can only respond to what other peoples' opinions are so please post the information you have gathered now. I would be very interested in that information since I have been following the original article of this thread on other Internet sites and I have not come across much in the way of negative reactions - but it appears that you have.

So go ahead an drop that 800 pound gorrilla but keep the launch altitude low or he gonna go "splat."
_________________
Essayons - Let us try - the code of the Army Engineer. Sappers First, the code of the Combat Engineer.

[Rdtf]

[Essayons]

GenrXr - Post away. Don't hold back!

You posted in your original post:

"I have one thing to say to Ruiz. You might be from New York, but if you went to war with someone from Houston and had to reach into your pockets...before your hand left that pocket you'd be laying on the ground wondering what hit you."

Big talk and no facts - what we called in Brooklyn "pure BS." Born in Brooklyn - "Hell's Kitchen" to be exact - and don't like Houston cowboy wannabees bashing my neighbors from the Bronx.

If you are as tough as your statement above then give us your negative opinions regarding SFC Ruiz that you have gathered or forever embarass yourself by your silence.

Personally, I believe your 800 pound gorrilla is a 1 ounce Barbie Doll - my apology to the fine ladies who post here.

GenrXr: Your call. Put up or shut up!
_________________
Essayons - Let us try - the code of the Army Engineer. Sappers First, the code of the Combat Engineer.

[Tom Poole]

I agree with rdtf, what's up? I read this article and received it in two separate emails. Middle eastern terrorists remind me of what I know about WWII. In the early pacific island fighting, we had to kill virtually everyone in order to win. Their Bushido Code (way of the warrior), followed religiously by the Japanese, inculcated that surrender was unthinkable and shameful, even if the odds were completely insurmountable. For example, it's been a long time since I read the Tarawa history but as I recall we assaulted Betio and the main island with about 12-14,000 Marines while the Japanese defended it with about 1,200. Virtually none surrendered and all were killed. Actually I believe a few did surrender, probably kids.

Middle eastern terrorists practice a different religion but the effect to us is the same. I believe we'll have to kill all of them. With 1.2 billion on the planet and assuming only one-tenth of one percent are fundamentalist radicals, that means we have to kill over a million. That's not as many as died in WWII but you'd think we could work something out. Until then, all that's between us and these screeching maniacs, is Ruiz. Reading that article made me feel a little safer.
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'58 Airedale HMR(L)-261 VMO-2

[GenrXr]

During the early eighties there was this game called dig dug and I would have to say you have 1 quarter score so far. I love ya'll much and wish no harm, but I must drop the gorrilla soon.
_________________
"An activist is the person who cleans up the water, not the one claiming its dirty."
"All that is necessary for evil to triumph is for good men to stand by and do nothing." Edmund Burke (1729-1797), Founder of Conservative Philosophy

[wpage]

GenrXr,

From the article you recently posted on this forum as quoted below and on your website, it appears that you are a feverous advocate of the right to life. Maybe some deep personal experiences to draw from? I would dare say the majority of us here lean in that direction also. Also would venture to say that combat soldiers would much rather settle an issue than fight a war.

However, there are those circumstances when one must stand up to evil aggression. When doing so there can be NO pussyfooting around. In Vietnam we allowed the politicians to limit our forcefulness which in turn drug out the war to the point many became disenchanted. Those very vocal protestors were essently the squeeky wheel. The lack of total committment in the Johnson administration allowed the communist, leftist, socialist, MSM and others to totally undermine our countrys resolve.

Only when Nixon was elected and supported by the "Silent Majority" did things began to change. To win, Nixon had to become brutal. Thats when the large bombing campaigns (800 lb gorilla?) began and forced North Vietnam to the table. He understood what it would take.

I must say that the combatants who preceeded me in the years 1964 to about 1971 had totally eliminated the threats from the Viet Cong and had actually won the TET 68 offensive. By the time I was fighting in 1972 North Viet Nam had to use virtually every one (except one) of their main force NVA divisions in their failed Easter Offensive of 1972. We and the South Vietnamese soundly defeated the NVA.

I hold extreme prejudice against those liberals/communist who undermined our sacrifices. (Fonda, Kerry & ilk) They essentially set up the defeat of South Vietnam by lobbying for removal of any support. The SVN essentially ran out of bullets. Maybe a better analogy would be that the leftist pulled the feeding tube.

Your analogy of Pol Pot to the Terri Schaivo case is a good one. Had the leftist not pulled the plug on South Viet Nam, it very possibly would have survived and more than kikely the "Killing Fields" of Cambodia would never have occurred.

Have also noticed that you may be a gamer? Sure hope that you are not just playing.

[wpage]

A review of this short video may remind some personnel why we need men like Ruiz.

http://www.endglobalterror.org/media/patton/patton.htm

Where is that the 800lb Gorilla?