U.S. sends first combat troops to South Vietnam
February 9, 1965
A U.S. Marine Corps Hawk air defense missile battalion is deployed to Da Nang. President Johnson had ordered this deployment to provide protection for the key U.S. airbase there.
This was the first commitment of American combat troops in South Vietnam and there was considerable reaction around the world to the new stage of U.S. involvement in the war. Predictably, both communist China and the Soviet Union threatened to intervene if the United States continued to apply its military might on behalf of the South Vietnamese. In Moscow, some 2,000 demonstrators, led by Vietnamese and Chinese students and clearly supported by the authorities, attacked the U.S. Embassy. Britain and Australia supported the U.S. action, but France called for negotiations.
Many years later, the United States would pull out of Vietnam after a stalemate. The South Vietnamese lost the Vietnam War, not the United States. On March 27, 1973, American troops departed Vietnam and on April 30, 1975 Saigon fell.
- 58,315 KIA
- 153,303 WIA
- 1,618 MIA
- 766–778 POW
The average age of those KIA was 23.1 years. I was playing with building blocks and watching Sesame Street when these men were being killed in Vietnam. At 23, I was still deciding what to do when I grew up. These heroes never had that opportunity and for that, I am forever grateful.
There is not a week that goes by that I do not pause and think about the sacrifice our nations fallen heroes have made for me. We need to purposefully honor our fallen heroes and make their sacrifice personal.
Where were you on February 9, 1965?
What were you doing when you were 23 years old?
U.S. sends first combat troops to South Vietnam
Category: Historical
At 23 I was at sea, having already done one deployment and working up for the next.
Nothing to do with SEA’s comment, but wanted to get this into the lead area:
according to the paper, this is also the anniversary of the official end to the battle of Guadalcanal.
Feb 9 1965 attending kindergarten in Muskegon MI. At 23 was USAF SSgt stationed at Ramstein AB, Germany. Many thanks to all Viet Nam vets.
Where were you on February 9, 1965?
BCT Fort Jackson, S.C.
At 23 was a carpenter apprentice and attending Wentworth Inst., Boston.
I completed my 4 years in the Navy and was a Police Officer….(on a different kind of front!)
Let’s see. February 6, 1965 I was still in high school, applying to colleges. At age 23, I was career building, having accidentally fallen onto an excellent career path while working multiple part time jobs to pay for college.
At 23 I was leading a rifle platoon in Hawaii.
What were you doing when you were 23 years old?
I ETSd before I was 20; I don’t remember much from the next 3 years
In February ’65 I was in collage. By age 23 in ’69 l was in school for computer programming as a SGT. USMC, having reenlisted that summer. I had been to NAM from September of ’66 to October ’67 as a Marine musician with the both Divisions.
Since February 9th, 1965, fell on a Tuesday, I was probably struggling through waist deep snow, uphill both ways, with a 50 mile per hour wind in my face, to make to the high school in West Hog Flats, Indiana for a day of classes.
But by the time my 23rd birthday rolled around, I already had four years active duty in the Army, had leaped up the ranks to Spec5/E-5, had been to Viet of the Nam and returned with most of my body and mind intact, had spent subsequent stateside assignments at Ft Bliss, Ft Campbell and Ft Benning, and was in Germany for a three year tour at Bitburg Air Base doing my duties as the motor pool parts man for an Air Defense Artillery Battery and harassing the shit out of the Zoomies by calling cadence and waking them up during our PT runs.
Was ’65 when the West Hog Flats basketball team lost the final game in a 116-12 cliffhanger to wrap a stellar 0-19 season?
LOL. Nope, Perry, actually the WHF boys had a pretty good 64-65 season going 15-8 overall.
Our top four starters (three seniors and a junior) averaged 14.0, 14.2, 13.9 and 11.8 PPG and won the first game of the Sectionals before bowing in the second game to the eventual Sectional winner.
All in all, not too bad for a team whose tallest kid was 6’3″.
I was at Fortress Bragg with the 82nd at age 23. The next year in Apr ’65 I was on a all expense paid vaca assault of the Dominican Republic. Didn’t get to the Viet of the Nam until a few weeks before Tet ’68 withe the 1/101.
This is why I lose it when a mommy friend of ours says her poor 23 year old needs her help so she feeds him and pays all his bills.
And here, after me thinking I was the old guy here at TAH, it appears we’re the same age, SJ. We served in the same units as well, except in reverse.
In February 1965 I was a 23 year old buck sergeant, TDY From the 506th Airborne Infantry at Fort Campbell to the U.S.Army Exhibit Unit, traveling the country with a Civil War commemorative exhibit. That particular week I believe we were in New Orleans for the Mardi Gras with our truck set up in Jackson Square. It was the best duty a young randy single NCO could ever have.
One year later, I was a much skinnier fire team leader with Bravo Company, 2d Battalion, 327th Airborne Infantry with the 1st Brigade, 101st Airborne Division operating out of Camp Gray Eagle near Phan Rang, South Vietnam.
A year after that I was a SSGT brigade CBR NCO for the 2d Brigade, 82d Airborne Division. I remember running the slide projector for the brigade commander when he gave a secret briefing on the DomRep operation at JFK Special Warfare Center for a team of civilians from Washington, D.C.
And a year after that, I was married to a beautiful West Texas blonde (who is still my lovely bride) and working my way through college as a grocery clerk with minimal assistance from my grateful government in the form of a monthly G.I. Bill assistance check.
And everything since has passed far too swiftly as I’m sure you’ll agree, SJ.
Dang…wrote a lot and it got erased. Been a good ride and hope to continue. Heavy drop now.
I was in the 82nd Signal Bn ’63-65. 2nd Jump echelon for DOMREP but air landed. In 1/101 (ABN)(SEP) in late 67-Tet. Moved to BDE SigO for 3/82nd (ABN)(SEP) when they came in after Tet.
Did you serve with the late CPT Luther Woods CO Charlie, 2/327 in the same era as you? DSC awardee. See you were in Bravo. http://valor.militarytimes.com/recipient.php?recipientid=4712. Best friend. Named son after him.
Us geezers will keep an eye on things here.
While I didn’t know CPT Woods personally, we crossed paths when he came to the battalion TOC for meetings. It’s a certainty I spoke with him on the radio in the course of the Battle of Trung Luong. As I have written here before, by the time of that battle I was the battalion CBR NCO but functioning as an assistant S2/S3 NCO.
During that battle, COL Hal Moore (he of Hollywood fame)had choppered in from An Khe with reinforcements from the the 1st Cav and taken command from LTC Wasco, our battalion commander.
Upon entering the forward TOC, COL Moore said he wanted our sharpest operator manning the tactical net and a couple of fingers pointed at me (I had several years experience as a line company RTO). For the next 36 hours I was Moore’s ears and mouth with those rifle companies whenever he was in the TOC so I had to have talked with your friend extensively.
Trung Luong was a major battle that received virtually no coverage from the media or the historians although SLA Marshall did include it one of his books.
Here’s a summary description of that battle for others. It’s from the Presidential Unit Citation issued as a result.
http://www.presidency.ucsb.edu/ws/?pid=29187
Thanks Cav, I’ve never seen that. because I ETS’d in 1967 I didn’t learn of that PUC until almost 40 years later.
An interesting historical footnote to that citation is that after the battle I was the NCO who gathered the reports from the individual companies to compile the enemy KIA report. I was instructed by a senior officer to tell the company commanders to instruct their men that if they saw an NVA and fired their weapon at him it was to count as a KIA/BCC, in other words, killed in action, body count confirmed.
When I balked, I was told in no uncertain terms to follow orders. We were all so exhausted we were about to drop but it was still clear to me that the officer didn’t like the order either but was following orders himself.
Of course that greatly inflated the enemy casualty report and by the time it got to the media it was almost 450 enemy killed in the battle. While we did kill a lot of them it was closer to half that figure.
That moment was when Ol’ Poe began to consider the fact that our government might be inflating all the enemy casualty numbers being reported to the American people. It was a bit of an epiphany, helping to hasten my exit from the military to further my education. I’ve not trusted such official casualty reports since.
Luke’s other tour was as an ARVN advisor. Certainly wan’t a REMF. He told me that he never fired his weapon in anger on either tour because that wasn’t his job…he told the Troopers where to fire. He was also proud (and happy) to not have a Purple Heart. I was amazed at that before he was awarded the DSC and then was stunned when I read the citation.
In one firefight he said he dove for cover and cut himself on something…very minor. His RTO saw it and started screaming that the Old Man had been hit. Took Luke a second to get that shut off. Maybe you were on the other end of that.
He died in about ’84 from cancer, probably agent orange or maybe the Red Man that he always had. We’re still good friends with his widow.
Were you classmates?
Nah, I paid for my education and abuse at Citadel. Met him in Germany.
Old man here? Poe..you are a “whippersnapper!” lol
February 6, 1965 I wasn’t even a thought in my Parent’s eyes.
But at age 23 I was just over two years after ETS with honorable discharge (1989 – 1992). I was half way through college on the GI Bill & Army College Fund and still considering re-enlisting. Never did.
Going to see the Vietnam Wall replica this afternoon with my wife and kids while it is in my area for a few days.
My parents and in-laws are going also. Father in law is Vietnam Veteran (Navy Destroyer) and Father is post Korea Army Veteran.
Welcome Home to any Vietnam Veteran’s reading this.
“Many years later, the United States would pull out of Vietnam after a stalemate.” Well, if by stalemate you mean a tie, that may be the only characterization of the war that is indefensible. Those who maintain that the war was lost or won by one side or the other can point to the comparative number of dead or the demise of the South Vietnamese government in support of their position. I commend you for being willing to open this can of worms but I don’t envy you the likely consequence of it. In both Vietnam and in Iraq/Afghanistan, the US provided training, equipment, and money for the decent people of those countries to fight and to defeat those who would subjugate and kill them. In doing so, we spent many lives and much blood. I do not dwell on the politics of these things. It serves no useful purpose to do so. And I find it quite unhealthy. What I do join you and the rest of TAH in doing is appreciating the great sacrifices made by those in service and, most especially, those who made the supreme sacrifice doing what our nation asked of them. To them and their families, our utmost respect, gratitude, and admiration.
“What I do join you and the rest of TAH in doing is appreciating the great sacrifices made by those in service and, most especially, those who made the supreme sacrifice doing what our nation asked of them. To them and their families, our utmost respect, gratitude, and admiration.”
Well put 2/17 Air Cav, I concur.
Well, I am surprised. No one has gone where I thought quite a few would. Instead, everyone is answering the question posed. Me? I was advised at 22 that 23 would be a bad year so I skipped it and went straight to 24.
Well, I think for those of us who were there, it’s a matter of not wanting to be perceived as patting ourselves on the back. It goes without saying that we appreciate the sacrifices of our brothers who fell. Hardly a day passes that I don’t reflect momentarily on the good fortune that let me come this far when so many of my brothers did not.
PT. I was originally referring to the business about losing the war. I thought that line would trigger a few strong reactions but it didn’t. Instead, folks went to the question posed. I know that TAH never forgets the sacrifices.
AMEN!
“Where were you on February 9, 1965?”
High School sophomore that never heard of Vietnam.
“What were you doing when you were 23 years old?”
Working for a defense contractor after having survived a tour in Vietnam two years past.
1965 I was not a alive yet but by age 23 I was on my second ship on my way to 22 years and 3 months of service.
I am new to the blog but want to say Thanks to all that keep it running.
One of my fondest memory’s is doing colors at the moving wall in my choker whites with (3) brothers in arms from the Army and Marine Corps. It was a truly moving experience and appreciated by all who viewed it that day. I ended up doing the ceremony a second time the next day on a Sunday because it meant so much to those in attendance.
In February 1965 I would have been 4 years old and living in a small town in Oklahoma. It would be a year later in 1966 that my dad would get recalled to active duty and deploy to Vietnam with the 11th ACR.
At 23 I was working as a security guard for Johns-Manville in Denver, had just finished a year of college and was a SP/4 in the Colorado National Guard’s 220th MP Company.
9 February 1965: I was a little kid, but I have very vivid memories of that time. My father was on active duty in the Navy serving as an enlisted Naval Aircrewman, and my cousin was serving on a Navy destroyer off the coast of Vietnam. Another cousin was serving as an Army nurse in CONUS; she would later deploy into Vietnam.
23 years old: I was a Marine Corps Second Lieutenant in flight school in Pensacola, FL.
We lived out the back gate of NAS Pensacola off Gulf Beach Highway from 1975-88 in a place called Grande Lagoon. Many of our neighbors were naval and Marine Corps aviators or RIO’s, most of them instructors.
You were probably there during that time.
Yes, indeed I was.
Aviation Indoctrination (AI) at NAS Pensacola, then up to NAS Whiting Field in Milton for flight training.
It was a lot of hard work, but also good times and good memories.
I still remember that beautiful old, white HQ building at the entrance to Whiting.
That brings back a memory of how young Navy docs stuck in places like Whiting, Meridian, Memphis, Beeville, Philly, Great Lakes, etc., knew I called on bases from Portsmouth, NH to Hawaii and used to ask me for advice on good places to list on their dream sheets.
My first recommendation was always the clinic at MCAS Kaneohe Bay, Second recommendation was NAS Key West or the naval hospital there. My personal favorite was almost any facility in San Diego.
In February 1965, I was in the eighth grade. At age 23 I was jumping out of airplanes in Northern Italy.
Where were you on February 9, 1965?
In the fourth grade, living on a Naval Air Station.
What were you doing when you were 23 years old?
Working in the engineering spaces of the first ship off the coast of Iran after the invasion of our embassy, waiting for the others to show up.
I would have been 5 years old in Feb of 65. In kindergarten at Melody Hill Elementary School in Edmonds, WA.
At 23, I was back at the University of Montana, taking another swing at a degree that Id ignored the first time around (Montana’s drinking age was 18 when I started at UM in 1977). By 23 I had enlisted in the cavalry troop of the WA Nat’l Guard, been to basic/AIT (19E)at Ft Knox, back home to WA, shoveled ash from Mt St Helens, then back to MT, a transfer to the 2/163rd ACR and ROTC.
To all of you who have served welcome home and thank you from the Dinotanker family.
In 1965 I was 2 years away from being born but at age 23 I was a U.S. Army Combat Engineer in 2ID Western Corridor where we heard the Commie propaganda loudspeakers 24/7 every time we went to the field.
Essayons!
February 1965 – I was in the 7th grade.
When I was 23 I was in Navy Basic Jet training at NAS Kingsville, TX, learning the ropes in the mighty T-2C Buckeye.
Oh yeah; ‘The Guppy’!
Did you fly T-28s or T-34s in Primary?
All of the T-28s were gone by the time that I got down to Pensacola; we flew T-34Cs in Primary up at NAS Whiting Field, FL.
George, was NALF Orange Grove, north of Alice, still being used for touch and go’s?
I was stationed there for the last 11 months of my service. Great duty!!!
Hmmmm…. in 1965, I wasn’t even a twinkle in my father’s eyes. But, when in was 23, I was in college, finally, and had six years of total service under my belt. I joined at 17. My father was all to happy to sign.
February 1965, I was not even born yet. By 23, I had completed 4 years in the Navy and enlisted in the ARNG while I decided what to do with the rest of my life.
February 1965, I was doing medical photography. At 23, I had been in the Navy for two years and had made PH2/E-5.
How on earth did you make E-5 in 2 years? I left after 4 years an E-5 and I goofed off (dumb 17 yr old) the first year and a half! Altho, I could have made E-6 if I would have had one more month of service..I take back my question…not a great mathimatian LOL
February 1965 – I was a Junior in High School. Young,
dumb and full of c_m. Now approaching 69, I’m just full of it.
When I was 23, I had just ETS’ed after three years in the Army, one tour as a grunt in RVN with the 4th ID, and served one year with the 82nd Abn.
Swore I would never have anything to do with the military again…..retired from the Army later with 21 yrs. Go figure.
Feb 1965 – probably like you ex-OS2… playing with building blocks and watching Captain Kangaroo in the AM
Age 23 – Service my first overseas tour at NRMC Subic Bay as a HM3
’65- 13 and thought I knew it all. 23 – working 2X full time running my own shop and working another friend’s job while he was laid up so he could keep his job. When I went into Basic at age 24 I was pleased at how short the working hours were in comparison with that earlier time.
Feb. 65…….I was in the middle of my junior year of high school.
Age 23……..I was in Vietnam, flying on Huey’s out of Phu Loi
Feb. ’65 I was in 8th grade.
At 23 I was one year married.
In betwixt, had a high draft number, enlisted in the Army for two years. Uncle Sam sent me to S. Korea rather than Nam.
Never thought of being a “lifer”, but I admire those of you that did.
Oh yes, 65, I was in high school trying my best to get laid as often as possible! By the time I was 23, I was still in school at Ft. Monmouth in beautiful downtown New Jersey! The school was for MOS31S30 58 long weeks! I was really happy to get out of there and go back home to Colorado!
Ft. Monmouth.
We could not walk alone. Had to form up and march everywhere. Had to salute any vehicle bearing an officer decal even if the wife or kid was driving it. First two weeks were KP duty. Yeah, I was also happy to leave.
Feb. ’65 I was sleeping my way through high school classes.
At 23 I was starting my first attempt at college after 4 yrs. in the “New, Action Army!”. Or was it “Fun, Travel, Adventure” (FTA)?
Tim, thanks for the laugh! Id put FTA into the back of my mind…I remember finding those initials EVERYWHERE; forts, armories, reserve centers, even in tanks.
When I came to work for the state, my office buddy had the initials: FTA, he finally asked me why I always chuckled when I he returned a document he had peer reviewed and initialed for me. He had no clue as he hadn’t been in the military at all. He laughed his ass off when I told him. Good guy.
Let us see… Graduated HS in ’64 while already in the USNR so in ’65 I was somewhere in uniform transitioning(or in training) from Reserve to full Regular service.
By the end of ’65 I was aboard USS England DLG-22 heading for me first visit to The Tonkin Gulf.
I was only 7 in 65 but I full well understood what war meant. I played army and all that but I understood at a very young age that real war was dangerous and that death could happen. When I was 10, my oldest brother was drafted and I was terrified. I remember him coming upstairs to tell me goodbye and I lept on him with everything I had. I never cried so hard in my young life. I am kind of ashamed when he was assigned as a MP here in the states, I was so happy. I knew that there were lots of young men headed to Vietnam and I was joyful that my brother wasn’t. I just felt shameful because I was happy and there were all these families worried because their loved ones were heading there. I remember when the war ended, I think I was a sophomore in high school, it seemed like it lasted for 50 years. I never served myself but I am friends with many that have, Vietnam to present. I am forever grateful to all who have served, are serving and will serve in the future. My home is your home. I have a wonderful family and life and it has been paid for by all of you. Thank You!
No shame in feeling the way that you did. Had you felt any other way at that age, that would be shameful.
Thanks OWB. I’m very glad to say my brother still tries to tell me what to do and I’m 58 now. I’m very proud of his service, he never tried to dodge the draft and he showed as soon as he was drafted. He knew it was his duty as a citizen and he did it. As so many have. That’s what makes our servicemen and women so great, courage and honor.
FEB 65 I was 2. At 23 I was building furniture and basically taking the easy way through life and pondering the Army life.
9 Feb 1965, I was 12 yo and in grade school.
At age 23 I was in the middle of, or finishing trade college for a 2 yr AAS Electronics.
I joined Uncle Sam Ain’t Released Me Yet two years later, 1978, at age 25.
“Uncle Sam Ain’t Released Me Yet”
Good stuff. . .
Born in ’72 so as for questions 2. . . In Feb 1995 I went to boot camp in San Diego. On my 23rd birthday, I was in Ft McClellan (3rd day there) and would start NBC school in about 3 weeks. I had to call my folks to let them wish me a happy birthday since I didn’t have a phone they could call. Didn’t see a combat zone until 2004.
9FEB65, I was in 9th grade.
At the age of 23, I was stationed at NH Bethesda.
I think of these guys/gals who gave so much more than I ever did, and it reinforces my disdain for posers.
At age 23 I starting my sixth year of 23 years of active duty service.
I was in my last months of High School. July 1st 65 found me at MCRD San Diego. At 23 I was strationed at NAS Dallas on the F-8 line On The Job training for CH 53 school. Joe
9 Feb 1965- just a couple days away from birth…
23 year old me was in my second year at Ft Bragg, finally got to jump out of “Perfectly Good Airplanes”…and then I went to 41st FA Bde, Babenhausen, Germany.
Okay, okay, you have all twisted my arm to present my bio:
– Age 16,’65, HS: what’s a Viet Nam?
– Age 21: These Que San mountain overnight hikes are cool, especially seeing the kraits*, tigers and guys with guns!
– Age 23: Honey, can you quiet the baby? I’ve got to study for the final.
* Stretching it a bit: Never saw a krait, but did see a tiger, the biggest spider I’ve ever seen, and a few other interesting critters. I wanted to capture the spider, but my team leader gave me that look of ‘we love you Doc, but you’re a dumb shit squid’.
“and a few other interesting critters”
You mean like the fuck you lizards?
They made for some FNG gold.
Don’t forget those giant RATS,the size of small dogs. Forgot to say in my reply that in June of 66. I joined HMM-362 at Key Ha, RV.
9 Feb 1965 – Pooping in my diapers
23 years old – USAF SSgt workin’ on jets
lol and still pooping in your diapers huh? ha ha
9 Feb, 1965 I was 1 yr 8 mos old and a PITA already to my Air Force father staioned at Walker AFB Roswell N.M. My sister was born there Oct 64.
At 23 I was a Sous Chef at the Hyatt Regency Chicago. Much water under the bridge since those daze….
humm…your sister was born at Roswell? Have you ever looked at her close? she isn’t an alien is she? 😉
9 Feb 1965: I was a senior in Poitiers American High in Poitiers, France, with my SFC father and finishing wrestling season. Vietnam was to influence my return to Conus when the troop ships were pulled from the Atlantic to support the troop build-up in RVN. At age 23, I was at Ft Bliss as a 2LT in ADA.
Like the other boomers here Feb 65 I was almost 2.
At 23, I was a A1C/E-3 Driving Forklifts and moving freight thru the TMO warehouse at Kadena AB Okinawa Japan. I’d also survived a typhoon or two.
Or three. Too many Typhoon alerts and recalls to count, come months later, I was PCSing to Space Command at Peterson AFB, Colorado Springs Colorado.
In Feb. 65 I was three months away from graduation of high school.
When I was 23, I was a Corpsman with Lima 1 of 3rd Battalion 26th Marines on Operation Bold Mariner and several other until getting medevaced out to Danang.
February ’65, high school junior at Oakland Tech. At age 23, a couple of years out of baggy green skin, workin’ a municipal job 40 hours a week and goin’ to school 4 nights a week on the GI Bill. Had a semester where the local community college certified me to the VA as bein’ enrolled for the requisite number of units, then at the end of the term reversed that and said I didn’t qualify for the units I’d signed up to take.
Bet you guys didn’t know that your VA disability check can’t be taken by anybody but the VA. Didn’t get a payment for 7 months. Back then, IIRC, it was a whoppin’ 70 some bucks for a 20% rating.