American involvement
in Vietnam began as an advisory role began in the late-1950's and
continued into the early 1960's. US Special Forces "Green
Berets" were sent in to train the indigenous population to defend
themselves. Much of the time, these troops would find themselves
on the front line, fighting for their lives.
In 1964, US presence
in Vietnam would number approximately 20,000. Using as a
provocation alleged North Vietnamese attacks on US Navy vessels in the
Gulf of Tonkin in August 1964, President Johnson authorized limited
bombing raids on North Vietnam and secured a resolution from Congress
allowing him to use military forces in Vietnam. With the
"Gulf of Tonkin" Resolution, on August 7, 1964, Congress
authorized the President "to take all necessary measures to
repel any armed attack against the forces of the United States and to
prevent further aggression." The stated goal by the
government, was to preserve a separate, independent, noncommunist
government in South Vietnam.
The first American
combat troops were landed in March 1965. Originally to protect and
secure American installation. Within months this mission expanded.
This war would not be
like any other we had fought. There were no "front
lines", no "rear areas". This was a guerilla war,
and small unit tactics would play a pivotal role. Special units
were formed and used with great precision during the war. The most
notable examples for the US Army, were the Special Forces, LLRP and
Ranger units. For the US Navy and Marines, there would be the SEAL
and Force Recon units. US Air Force SAR and Para Rescue units
would bring back many downed aviators. Helicopters, artillery and
Close Air Support would be vital to the men on the ground, as tremendous
air bombardment of North Vietnam would surpass the total tonnage dropped
on Germany, Italy, and Japan in World War II.
During the war,
American service men and women fought with heroism and determination
under some of the most difficult circumstances ever encountered by
American military personnel. Vicious battles would be fought in
the air and on the ground during Operations Starlite, Junction City,
Ranchhand, and Rolling Thunder. Names such as "Hamburger
Hill", Hue City, Plei Mei, and Khe Sanh would tell the tale of
heroic actions against the emery. The US, however, would receive a
black eye at the massacre of My Lai. We defeated the Vietcong
during Tet 1968, eventually repulsing the offensive and inflicted heavy
losses on the Vietcong.
During the war, many
of our troops were taken prisoner by the enemy. They endured
unspeakable acts, poor rations, little medical attention and extreme
torture during captivity, with a majority being held in "Hanoi
Hilton". From their experiences a new school would be
created, the Survival Evasion Resistance Escape (SERE) school, to
prepare future warriors in techniques in dealing with the stress
and horror of being held prisoner.
The Vietnam era saw
many changes in the world. Some directly influenced the United
States only, while others, mankind as a whole. It would be an
injustice to not mention some of the events that shaped our world and
nation during the Vietnam era.
The nation would watch
as the youngest, and first Roman-Catholic, President give an impassioned
speech upon his inauguration asking this generation to do its duty
to the country. The nation would also mourn as a whole when
President John F. Kennedy was assassinated in Dallas just a few years
later. The Presidency would change four times during this war: one
was killed, one would not seek a second term, one would resign the
office and the last would pardon Nixon and see the embassy fall.
The world would watch,
with great interest, as the "Space Race" began between
the two super-powers when Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin is the first man
to travel in space. The US would soon follow, through the NASA
space program, by sending up the first American, Alan Shepard.
Marine Corps pilot John Glenn, and many others soon followed. The
US would have set backs for many years, and the most tragic comes when
we lost the three Apollo 1 astronauts on the launch pad at Cape
Canaveral. In the end, the US would complete President Kennedy's
dream when Neil Armstrong becomes the first man to walk on the moon when
he exited the lunar capsule Apollo 11, with the famous words
``One small step for man, one giant leap for mankind.''
Politically the world seemed to be
in upheaval during this time as the Berlin Wall, the Bay of Pigs, Cuban
Missile Crisis, the Six-Day Arab-Israeli War, the downing of the U-2 Spy
plane, the OPEC crisis, Watergate, Warren Commission, and the
"Miranda" rights are introduced.
On the home front, the nation would
see promising leaders gunned down before our very eyes. President
Kennedy, Martin Luther King and Robert Kennedy would all be taken by
assassins. Many young Civil Rights leaders would also be
assassinated during this time. The Civil Rights Act of 1964 and the
Voting Rights Act of 1965 were passed and signed into law.
Abortion would also become legal throughout the US.
In May 1970, Ohio National
Guardsmen killed four Kent State University students during a protest
over U.S. troops invading Cambodia. Many Americans were outraged while
others defended the Ohio authorities.
Tragically, upon their return home
our warriors received virtually no recognition for their service and
sacrifice because of the raging domestic controversy over U.S. policy in
conducting the war. Perhaps it is the most damaging event to the
nation. Unlike other wars, most returning warriors were not greeted by parades and speeches.
Some were even subjected to insults such as "baby-killer" and
spat upon. These warriors
would be shunned by the mainstream, and would withdraw from society to
deal with the horrors of war, many having Post-Traumatic Stress
Syndrome. The ravages of "Agent Orange" on our troops
would be denied for many years following the war.
In 1982 the Vietnam Memorial,
"The Wall", was constructed. Finally our warriors had a
place to grieve and remember. At the Tomb, the Sentinels would see
many Vietnam Veteran shed tears while remembering their buddies.
The memorial is a simple, but moving symbol of a time when many
young Americans were asked to give there best, and in some cases there
lives, for their nation........and they responded!
