Roger, I'm friends with Darryl Whitcomb who not only was a technical adviser to Bat 21 but was one of the lead FACS flying in that days-long rescue effort. One who survived it, obviously. Several FACs, fighter jocks, and numerous helo crews did not. Darryl just shakes his head at how the movie turned out - as do any other actual FACs.
I've said before that Vietnam was not one war; it was half a million wars as seen through the eyes of everyone who went there. There was opportunity for terror even by the 70% or so of people who went to Vietnam and never saw combat first-hand. Rocket and mortar attacks could kill you at any moment; a cute little girl could drop a grenade into your jeep on a routine trip into town; the smiling barber could slit your throat on a whim. Many could and did die of a bug bite.
It was a literally [bleep] war, but it was the only one we had at the time. It changed me forever. In my mission, I was the last molecule on the tip of the spear and flew every day 100 miles into enemy territory - alone - with a $10,000 in gold bounty on my head. I quit counting after half a million rounds fired at me. I often carried so much adrenaline that I'd puke the minute I got out of my plane. That was MY Vietnam, and it was easy in comparison to some others'.
my uncle fought on hamburger hill. he served two tours over there went back for the combat pay, was a gunner on a helicopter, was shot down twice. he died three months before my mom 7 yrs ago. he claimed it was agent orange that gave him cancer.
God bless Texas----------------------- Old 300 I will remain what i am until the day I die- A HUNTER......Sitting Bull Its not how you pick the booger.. but where you put it !! Roger V Hunter
It was fiction based on supposed real events. I read it three times in my 20s and 30s, and a lot of other books on the subject. I always like this one the best and thought it might make a good movie.
My experience with a different conflict was that "war" is roughly 99% boredom and 1% absolute insaneness, once you're over the initial excitement/stress of being in country or outside the wire to begin with.
That doesn't make for good TV or entertainment for the masses. Jarhead had its faults, but it did portray how killing machines are forced to kill time instead.
Served in Bco 3/187th and Bco 1/506th in my time. Between 13 to 20 may the 3 yrs I was in 3/187th here at Ftcky. The whole Battalion would do a 6 mile run on the desiginated thursday in that time line and take the friday as a DONSA tied in with the weekend. Then we would have a Battalion formation at the theater at 9 am. CSM would do a roll call of the KIA from the Battle.... Each name called 3 times. Silence.....
Another movie I thought was interesting was Go Tell The Spartans, with Burt Lancaster. About the early days when some of our soldiers were advisors (not S.F.), before everything blew up in Vietnam.
L.W.
"Always go straight forward, and if you meet the devil, cut him in two and go between the pieces." (William Sturgis, clipper ship captain, 1830s.)
So I've taken it upon myself to learn more about Vietnam and what our guys went through there. Not much into the movies, but I have watched all the above - even did a term paper back in the day on 84Charlie MoPic, which is the MOS for the film guys. My choice is to watch the Vietnam History project which is a narrative from Vets who were there. I've watched the personal stories of at least 200 Vietnam Vets of every MOS imaginable plus some female nurses. They go from enlistment/draft notice all the way to discharge and what happened after their service. Truly awe inspiring.
Some things that are prevalent through out: When they first land in DaNang the smell and humidity hitting them square in the face coming off the plane or first time seeing the buses with chicken wire over the windows or the look in the eyes of the guys in faded, red clay stained uniforms who were departing on the Freedom Bird. All of their stories are very personal and individual. Not all were in combat, but it seemed all were under constant threat of a rocket (120?) attack or the randomness of it. And the fact that they really didn't go over as a group or even a squad, but as individuals - and left in the same manner. There are a number of these different narratives on different platforms out there, you-tube, podcasts, etc. I highly encourage those who want to know more to listen to these guys. They will forever have my respect.
Watch this one. 100% American Bad Ass. RIP Frenchman. "Just another day in SOG".
Gardens of stone , is nam from stateside , good flic imo...cause I'm in it !
No sh*t, that's my brother's favorite, he was there. He was infantry, saw some pretty heavy fighting, went into Cambodia. He didn't like platoon or the other popular ones, didnt think they were realistic. Not that they weren't good flics, he just didn't think it could be portrayed accurately in a Hollywood film.
I don't know if the phrase originated in that movie, but it sure popularized "opinions are like a**holes..."
![[Linked Image from i.pinimg.com]](https://i.pinimg.com/600x315/2b/64/2a/2b642a492f44224e802ee880e2969559.jpg)
