Veteran Appreciation Thread

[jjeff]

Not at all trying to be funny, but what did Navy personnel do in Vietnam jungle? Did you direct fire from Navy ships onto land???
Or did you get put with a Marine Division?

Brown water navy, seabees, corpman, frogmen aka seals. Lots of land based naval occupations.

 

[Hay Dude]

Brown water navy, seabees, corpman, frogmen aka seals. Lots of land based naval occupations.

Yeah true!

 

[dstig1]

Dad and uncle were both drafted in WW2 (both passed years ago). Dad was in Europe including the Battle of the Bulge and Uncle was in the Pacific. Both infantry. Uncle's 2 sons were in Vietnam and survived but one got sick and had a 105 fever over there which apparently caused brain damage and mental issues later and he ended up taking his own life in his late 40's. My parents married quite late so my brother and I were only little kids when Vietnam ended, so missed that adventure. I thought about ROTC for college but just ended up going through on my own so no service on my part. Have several friends that served Army and Marines.

 

[MossRoad]

Not at all trying to be funny, but what did Navy personnel do in Vietnam jungle? Did you direct fire from Navy ships onto land???
Or did you get put with a Marine Division?

I've heard quite a bit about this particular subject over the years. I never realized it was Navy, always thought Army.

Patrol Boat, Riverine (PBR)

To combat the Viet Cong guerillas disrupting communications and supplies in the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War, the U.S. Navy utilized small fiberglass hull boats designated Patrol Boat, Riverine (PBR). The boats had an enlisted crew of four and began operations in March 1966 with...

www.history.navy.mil

 

[deserteagle71]

Not at all trying to be funny, but what did Navy personnel do in Vietnam jungle? Did you direct fire from Navy ships onto land???
Or did you get put with a Marine Division?

Jjeff has it right. Google "Brown Water Navy" to get somewhat of an idea of what the Navy was doing in Vietnam. https://www.amazon.com/Brown-Water-Black-Berets-Bluejacket/dp/1557501963

Closest I ever got to a Navy ship was when one would appear off-shore to drop off supplies for us. Here's a shot I took with a telephoto lens just as the helo was lifting off with a net full of essentials:

Navy boot camp was centered around learning how to live aboard a ship and nothing to do with combat in a jungle. So upon getting orders to Naval Advisory Group Vietnam I first had to undergo combat training in Coronado, California and then at the Marine Base at Camp Pendleton. But no, I never served with a Marine division in Vietnam.

 

[jjeff]

Can't forget the seabees, there's a ship named after this guy and a camp/base in Okinawa also.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvin_Glenn_Shields.

I've heard most were soft spoken somewhat humble hard workers, until liberty lol.

 

[fatjay]

USAF 2003-2005, medically separated after a failed surgery for a torn rotator cuff. Gust of wind on an f15 and fell 15' onto the tarmac. The lamest way possible to get injured.

 

[jjeff]

USAF 2003-2005, medically separated after a failed surgery for a torn rotator cuff. Gust of wind on an f15 and fell 15' onto the tarmac. The lamest way possible to get injured.

You were doing your job. there's plenty less honorable ways imo.

 

[Hay Dude]

I've heard quite a bit about this particular subject over the years. I never realized it was Navy, always thought Army.

Patrol Boat, Riverine (PBR)

To combat the Viet Cong guerillas disrupting communications and supplies in the Mekong Delta during the Vietnam War, the U.S. Navy utilized small fiberglass hull boats designated Patrol Boat, Riverine (PBR). The boats had an enlisted crew of four and began operations in March 1966 with...

www.history.navy.mil

Apocalypse Now!

 

[fatjay]

You were doing your job. there's plenty less honorable ways imo.

Maybe, but any time someone hears about a disabled vet they expect some epic and heroic story. Not I fell off a plane. And then the question always follows up "was it in the air?" Then I have to explain that planes on the ground are about 15' up with landing gear down.