5 October 1968 – RT Alabama (MACV-SOG) On this day in 1968, RT Alabama was inserted into Laos with 1-0 Jim Stride, 1-1 Steve Engelke, and 1-2 Lynne Black As the helicopter was coming in, Black noticed an NVA flag flying which told him there was a large NVA base camp nearby. Stride…
Category: Vietnam War
Interview with MACV-SOG Major John L. Plaster
MACV-SOG Major John L. Plaster I have two books from Plaster in my Library that are dog eared, highlighted and just about worn out. The first is The Ultimate Sniper which I got many moons ago as a gift from a now departed friend (who was a better shot than me by a country…
Know Your Military Psy-Op History: Operation Wandering Soul
The Ghostly Legacies of America’s War in Vietnam During the Vietnam War, as Viet Cong soldiers tried to sleep in the jungle at night, they sometimes heard an anguished, disembodied voice shrieking at them from the afterlife. The men heard the tormented, grief-stricken cries of a deceased comrade cautioning them against the futility of…
Know Your Obscure Military History: The Ravens
H/T Wynn For Further Study and Reading: The Ravens: The True Story Of A Secret War In Laos, Vietnam
Know You USMC History: Operation Starlite (1965)
H/T Fix Bayonets Locate, Close With, and Destroy There are two reasons for people to clash. First, because some people believe they have no other choice. A second reason is that it suits them. During OPERATION STARLITE, the 1st V.C. Regiment lost 615 men, either as killed in action or detained as…
Know Your Weapons: The M72 LAW (Light Anti-Tank Weapon)
M72 LAW: American Light Anti-Tank Weapons in Vietnam and Beyond The M72 consists of a disposable launcher that fires an unguided 66mm solid-fuel rocket. The basic concept is essentially an arithmetic mean between the American bazooka and the German WWII-vintage Panzerfaust. The light anti-armor weapon saw a great deal of use in the Vietnam War…
Know Your Weapons: The M18A1 Claymore Mine
The M18A1 Claymore Mine: From Vietnam to Today Aimed in the right direction, the U.S. M18A1 Claymore mine is one of the most lethal and devastating anti-infiltration weapons of modern warfare. There’s a reason for the qualifier on that kudo, and more about that in a moment. From its initial employment with U.S….
Know Your Military History: 4 Vietnam War Myths Civilians Still Believe
H/T Zombie Apocalypse Survival Homestead 4 Vietnam War Myths Civilians Still Believe The last one really hit home with me. I am a HUGE advocate for Homeless Veterans and I can tell you for a fact that maybe half of the Veterans I help have addiction or mental health problems, the rest have just…
Military History: Legend of the Old Corps – Gustav Hasford and the Snuffies
Legends of the Old Corps – Gustav Hasford and the “Snuffies” Fascinating story for all you fellow military history book worms like me. Stay Frosty.
Military History: How ‘Nam Helped Secure Our Borders
How the Vietnam War Brought High-Tech Border Surveillance to America (click on above link title to be re-directed to source page) An interesting read on what I like to call “Practical Military History.” Stay Alert, Stay Armed and Stay Dangerous!