This article gives the thoughts of Command Sergeant Major Ballogg of JTF 6 on
the 25th Anniversary of the end of the Vietnam War.
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There are less than 2000 active duty military with RVN service in
uniform today. All of us are senior enlisted / officers. On the eve of
the anniversary of the fall of Saigon I feel impelled to talk about the
soldiers who served during that conflict.
The barrage of misinformation about the war and who fought it is a
national disgrace. The B.S movies- Rambo, Apocalypse Now, Deerhunter and
Platoon - - Oliver Stone's rendition of guys in the same unit killing each
other, smoking dope on patrol - the sad thing is Oliver knew better but wants to
be one of the Hollywood insiders. Some of the things portrayed in these
movies did happen - as they happen in all wars, but they are portrayed as
everyday occurrences in Vietnam, as every man's experience.
Why? My guess is that those in Hollywood and the media who avoided
service have this need to reinforce their decision not to serve by
vilifying those who did. This continued effort to disgrace those who went
saddens me and makes me furious. I am going to compare two conflicts as a
vehicle to define the RVN combat soldier. My intent is not to denigrate any
other veteran but to shed some light.
"The Greatest Generation" and W.W.II. This was 'The Good War', there was
an evil foe bent on conquest and the destruction of the world as we knew it. Our
whole society was galvanized behind the war effort. Every organization
supported the war and total victory. There was every reason to fight and
no excuse not to.
The 60's generation and Vietnam. The not-so-good war. The American
public initially supported the war - but it was a side bar. The reserves
and National Guard were not mobilized. There was no societal effort. The
goals were ambiguous and the threat undefined. The only reason to fight was
a sense of service to the Nation. And yet:
W.W.II - 33% enlisted 67% drafted - - initially only
21 to 35 year-olds were to be taken but not enough volunteers came forward so
the draft was lowered to 18.
RVN - (65 -73) 67% enlisted 33% drafted - and of the draftees, 10% volunteered
for the draft.
W.W.II - 4 year period- 350,000 draft evaders
RVN - 8 year period- 500,000 draft evaders - developed to a fine art by some we
know well.
W.W.II - Desertion "in the zone" Europe and Pacific theaters: 20,000 convicted
servicemen. Prior to D-DAY the British
jails were full of US deserters that were brought to dockside in handcuffs.
RVN - Desertion in-country: 250.
W.W.II Units surrendered to the Enemy - From Bataan to Europe many units with
the ability to fight surrendered without one. Platoons, Companies, and (in the
case of the Battle of the Bulge) Regiments with the ability to fight chose not
to.
RVN - Not one platoon in 9 years of fighting surrendered. Some were
overrun but chose to fight to the death. LTG H. G. Moore, when revisiting
his battlefield 20 some odd years later, was told by the North
Vietnamese Officers that they were astonished at the American soldiers
"Fanaticism" to fight to the end.
My unit was the 3rd squad C Company 2nd Bn 14th Infantry of the 25th
Inf. Division (Tropic Lightning) or the "Electric
Strawberry" as we called it with pride. The Division fought in RVN from
early 66 to late 71. The Division had a little less than 17,000
assigned. During its tour the 25th had over 5,000 killed in action and just
under 25,000 wounded in action.
That's about twice the Divisions rolls. The 25th ID never lost a position to
the enemy - never had a unit overrun - never had a soldier surrender under fire.
I am proud to have served as a grunt in RVN and have never served with
finer men.
CSMB