True Heroes are hard to come by – Michael Connelly – The Night Fire
Richard Nixon – 37th President of the United States who was sometimes referred to as ‘Tricky Dick.’ Although hated and despised by many in the United States, he nonetheless brought the American troops home from Vietnam. In 1969, he issued orders to reduce offensive military operations in Vietnam and to adopt defensive postures to help reduce casualties. His authorization to bomb North Vietnam and mine the Haiphong harbor accelerated the Paris Peace Accords agreement in early 1973 effectively ending the Vietnam war. The POWs began returning home.
Nixon instituted the Vietnamization Program shifting more command and control to the ARVN (Army of South Vietnam). The ARVN failed the test.
‘Westy’ – MACV Commander 1964 – 1968. At the ill-fated Battle of the Ia Drang in November 1965 his 1st AirCav combat units experienced a total of 237 KIAs and 258 WIAs over five days from November 14-18. After the ass kicking given to the 1/7 Cav by the PAVN (People’s Army of Vietnam) at LZ X-Ray (79 KIA – 121 WIA), Westy refused the 3rd Air Cav Brigade commander’s request to helicopter extract the exhausted X-Ray survivors to their base camp. Instead, Westy ordered a two mile foot march to LZ Albany through heavily infested enemy territory. Worse than the beating at X-Ray, LZs Albany/Columbus incurred another 155/3 KIA and 124/13 WIA. Not a bad scorecard for the first AirCav assault in Vietnam. Westy would become the Army Chief of Staff in 1968. Mess up and move up – the Army ‘Legion of Loyalty’ award. NO is a very powerful word.
Originally classified as either 1-Y or IV-F draft status in 1964, he was subsequently re-classified 1-A in 1966 to meet the meat grinder for bodies in Vietnam. He claimed, ‘Man, I ain’t got no quarrel with them Viet Cong.’ Neither did LBJ’s draftees have any quarrels with the Viet Cong.
He then claimed and was initially denied Conscientious Objector status. Clay stood his ground on religious belief and the U.S. Supreme Court later reversed his conviction as a ‘draft dodger.’ He unfortunately lost boxing licenses and was stripped of his World Title. Although not monumental, his C.O. objection would have significant influence during the Vietnam era.
America’s blue collar working class mobilized through local parades and other demonstrations to show their support for those fighting in Vietnam. They often clashed with and against the counter war protestors sometimes resulting in violence. Both sides supported the soldiers on the ground. The media however (and always in search of ratings) would portray both sides against each other. Patriots vs. Anti-Americans was often an underlying theme of the manipulative media.
Those opposed to an illegal war. Many considered these protestors as anti-American when in fact they were opposed to a conflict that had no strategic or national security interest of the United States. The protests simply wanted an end to the senseless and endless killings on both sides. Again the media would portray the protestors as anti-American and unsupportive of both corrupt governments of South Vietnam and the LBJ administration.
The leader of North Vietnam whose goal and objective was clearly defined – reunify both North and South Vietnam. He prevailed and outlasted the Americans through patience and perseverance. Probably the one guy in the entire Vietnam era who had his head screwed on right.
(c) Copyright – 2023 Vic Bandini