Vietnam '67: Black and White

HuckleberryFun · Jul 18, 2017

Guest column, part of a series on the Vietnam War. This one is about black troops. On the one hand the front lines were "the one place where everyone was equal," on the other hand there were cross burnings in Vietnam (?!?).

Opinion | Black and White in Vietnam

Reminds me of what my senior drill sergeant said to a young dumb Arkansas cracker:
Sergeant: "You don't like n___ers, do you boy?"
Recruit: "Sergeant, no Sergeant!"
Sergeant: "Well, son, you are in the wrong business"

Andy54Hawken · Jul 18, 2017

Being forced to work , train , eat , sleep , trust , etc ... among many different folks of different races , ideas and backgrounds etc ... can really open your eyes about what you thought you knew about someone who is different than you.

I understand that I was in the Army at a different time .. but many of my senior NCO's and Officers were of the VietNam vintage and I learned a lot from them.
I do know that much of what they showed and taught me is still with me today.
Andy

Stomper · Jul 18, 2017

AndyinEverson said:
Being forced to work , train , eat , sleep , trust , etc ... among many different folks of different races , ideas and backgrounds etc ... can really open your eyes about what you thought you knew about someone who is different than you.

I understand that I was in the Army at a different time .. but many of my senior NCO's and Officers were of the VietNam vintage and I learned a lot from them.
I do know that much of what they showed and taught me is still with me today.
Andy

Ditto, and I did my best to pass that down (with my own flair, too) to a lot of young soldiers when I was on the trail as a Drill Sergeant... and my own kids.

Although, sometimes it DID come down to this.... :s0037:

Andy54Hawken · Jul 18, 2017

Well sometimes the only thing to do .... is to repeatedly slap someone in the head with actual reality and show them the error of their perception of reality....

All joking aside if you have lousy NCO's... Then you will have a lousy unit.
Andy

Stomper · Jul 18, 2017

AndyinEverson said:
Well sometimes the only thing to do .... is to repeatedly slap someone in the head with actual reality and show them the error of their perception of reality....

All joking aside if you have lousy NCO's... Then you will have a lousy unit.
Andy

NCO's ARE the backbone of any unit.

Andy54Hawken · Jul 18, 2017

Stomper said:
NCO's ARE the backbone of any unit.

True... But then I did make E-5 so .... Someone had a sense of humor...

Andy

Stomper · Jul 18, 2017

AndyinEverson said:
True... But then I did make E-5 so .... Someone had a sense of humor...
Andy

..... or MAYBE you bribed them, or dated their ugly sister.

Andy54Hawken · Jul 18, 2017

In all honesty then and now I was humbled and honored to placed in such a position of trust.
To teach and lead men ... is a awesome responsibility and not one to be taken lightly.
For you as a Sergeant are all things to the men under your command.
Andy

Mephistopheles · Jul 18, 2017

I was with B2/327 101st in 67 when the NBC crew was filming another company in our battalion for the "SAME MUD, SAME BLOOD" documentary. We would go out for 60+ days at a time loaded down with equipment, rations and water. We were always told we would be resupplied in 7 days, sometimes 10. It always stretched out to 11 to 15 days instead of when we were told before the choppers would come out to resupply us. The NBC team was as loaded down with cameras and such and had to be in great condition to keep up with young GI's used to humping the boonies. My best friend there was a black guy from Oklahoma. There was never any thought of sharing anything. Canteen, spoon, the guy next to you was not only your friend, but one more guy in the same hellhole as you were in and you needed each other to stay alive. Back in the States it was different. Extreme racism by both white and black soldiers was epidemic. Some post were better then others. Ft Lewis, WA not so bad while Ft Bragg, NC was a war zone. On the subject of NCO's. There were some extremely good NCO's and some very bad NCO's. Race was not the determining factor. It was the content of the character. Officers were the same, some were exceptional, some had no business being there. I could go on a long rant about the war, GI's NVA, RVN, medals, and basic politics of the military at that time, but it would only bore and possibly alienate more of you then I have in past.