Vietnam 2016-04 (Vol.28, No.06)

Dien Bien Phu: The French Battle That Led to America’s War

CALIFORNIA DREAMIN’

The Mamas & the Papas score a hit in ’66

The Madman Theory Nixon’s plan to scare the Soviets

Before the Huey The Flying Banana lands in Vietnam APRIL 2016

HistoryNet.com

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American GIs bring smiles to Vietnamese children

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CHRONO-VTN-0416

April 2016

On the Cover: Men of the 9th Marine Expeditionary Force scramble out of a landing barge onto the beach at Da Nang, March 8, 1965. Photo: AP PHOTO; Inset: HENRY DILTZ/ CORBIS

On May 12, 1966, a 14-man squad from 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, went missing while patrolling a Viet Cong area in “Dodge City.” By Jack Wells

PHOTO CREDIT

24

THE LOST PATROL

2

VIETNAM

6 8 14 16 18

Feedback Today In the news Then & Now Voices James Jackson Homefront March-April 1966

20 23 58 64

Arsenal .51-Caliber Copter Killer Editor’s Notebook Media Digest Rewind Bobby Colomby, Blood, Sweat & Tears

32

38

THE FLYING BANANA Piasecki Helicopter Corp. developed the H-21 as an arctic YLZJ\LOLSPJVW[LYHUKPU=PL[UHTP[ÅL^\UKLYSLZZ[OHU perfect conditions. By Thomas R. Messick

46

52

NIXON: GLASSHOUSE IMAGES/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

NIGHT JUMP INTO DIEN BIEN PHU

(-YLUJOTHU^OV fought the Viet Minh in 1954 recounts the events leading up to the famous battle, Z[HY[PUN^P[OHUHPYKYVW of 4,825 troops. By Pierre Fauroux

THE GI AND THE KID Curious and fun-loving, Vietnamese JOPSKYLU^LYLX\PJR[VTHRLMYPLUKZ^P[O (TLYPJHUZVSKPLYZ^OVZWVPSLK[OLT^P[O candy, basketball, money and other treats.

‘MADMAN’ DIPLOMACY AND THE VIETNAM WAR A president and his national security adviser’s secret plan to mine Haiphong Harbor. By William Burr HUK1LɈYL`7 Kimball

JOIN THE DISCUSSION AT VIETNAM MAG.COM

MICHAEL A. REINSTEIN CHAIRMAN & PUBLISHER DIONISIO LUCCHESI PRESIDENT WILLIAM KONEVAL ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER DAVID STEINHAFEL ASSOCIATE PUBLISHER EDITOR IN CHIEF ROGER L. VANCE

APRIL 2016 VOL. 28, NO. 6 CHUCK SPRINGSTON EDITOR STEPHEN KAMIFUJI ART DIRECTOR BRIAN WALKER ART DIRECTOR DEBRA NEWBOLD MANAGING EDITOR LORI FLEMMING PHOTO EDITOR DIT RUTLAND DESIGNER SARAH RICHARDSON SENIOR EDITOR JERRY MORELOCK SENIOR EDITOR ELIZABETH HOWARD COPY EDITOR JON GUTTMAN RESEARCH DIRECTOR DAVID T. ZABECKI EDITOR EMERITUS HARRY SUMMERS JR. FOUNDING EDITOR ADVISORY BOARD ROBERT H. LARSON, JAMES R. RECKNER, CARL O. SCHUSTER, EARL H. TILFORD JR., SPENCER C. TUCKER, ERIK VILLARD, JAMES H. WILLBANKS CORPORATE STEPHEN KAMIFUJI Creative Director KAREN G. JOHNSON Business Director ROB WILKINS Director of Partnership Marketing MICHAEL ZATULOV Finance

President Richard Nixon was one WN\PMUW[\LQ^Q[Q^MÅO]ZM[WN\PM >QM\VIU?IZQM\VIUº QM\VIUUIOIbQVM Follow us (>QM\VIU5IO Go digital >QM\VIU5IOIbQVM Q[I^IQTIJTM\PZW]OP Q<]VM[WZI\BQVQWKWU 4

VIETNAM

ADVERTISING BARBARA JUSTICE Senior Graphic Designer/Advertising Services [email protected] RICHARD E. VINCENT National Sales Manager [email protected] KIM GODDARD National Sales Manager [email protected] RICK GOWER Georgia [email protected] TERRY JENKINS Tenn., Ky., Miss., Ala., Fla., Mass. [email protected] DIRECT RESPONSE ADVERTISING RUSSELL JOHNS ASSOCIATES 800-649-9800 [email protected] SUBSCRIPTION INFORMATION 800-435-0715 or www.HistoryNet.com/Vietnam. Yearly subscriptions in U.S.: $39.95. List Rental Inquiries: Belkys Reyes, Lake Group Media, Inc. 914-925-2406; [email protected] Vietnam (ISSN 1046-2902) is published bimonthly by HistoryNet, LLC. 1600 Tysons Blvd., Suite 1140, Tysons, VA 22102-4883; 703-771-9400 Periodical postage paid at Leesburg, VA, and additional mailing offices. Postmaster, send address changes to Vietnam, P.O. Box 422224, Palm Coast, FL 32142-2224 Canada Publications Mail Agreement No. 41342519 Canadian GST No. 821371408RT0001 © 2016 HistoryNet, LLC The contents of this magazine may not be reproduced in whole or in part without the written consent of HistoryNet LLC. PROUDLY MADE IN THE USA

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NIXON AT WAR

DIGITAL JOSH SCIORTINO Associate Editor BRIDGETT HENWOOD Web Editor

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FEEDBACK Chinook pilots would like to recognize the work of the Air Force in reducing our haul distances. That’s what RWQV\_IZÅOP\QVO[PW]TLJMTQSM Lt. Col. Patrick R. Glass, U.S. Army (ret.) Westminster, Md.

Petersen’s Squadron

At the movies: The 1st Squadron of the 9th Cavalry was made famous in Apocalypse Now, with Robert Duvall playing Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore.

1PI^MMVRWaMLaW]ZX]JTQKI\QWVNWZaMIZ[IVLTWWS forward to many more. I am writing to inform you that Lt. Col. Frank E. Petersen Jr. (whose death was noted in Farewell, December 2015) was never commanding WЅKMZWN>5.̆\PM*TIKS;PMMX;Y]ILZWVWN?WZTL War II. He commanded VMFA-314, the Black Knights of Marine Air Group 13, based at Chu Lai in 1968 and 1969, when I proudly served under him in Air 7XMZI\QWV[0M_I[\PMÅVM[\+71M^MZSVM_0M followed to the letter the U.S. Marine Corps doctrine of leadership by example but also of the entire Marine Air Group 13, and the entire 1st Marine Air Wing. Knowing him has XW[Q\Q^MTaIЄMK\MLUM my whole life, especially my 33 years as a XWTQKMWЅKMZ Lawrence M. Brazie U.S. Marine Corps Chesterland, Ohio

“A Valley Soaked in Rain and Blood,” by Mike D. Shepherd (December 2015), was well written and gave credit to the soldiers and airmen who performed so heroically in the A Shau Valley campaign, but one key unit was left out of the article. It was the 1st Squadron, 9th Cavalry—the reconnaissance element, otherwise known as “the eyes and ears” of the division. The 1st of the 9th was made famous in the ÅTUApocalypse Now, with actor Robert Duvall as Lt. Col. Bill Kilgore (Lt. Col. John B. Stockton). Master Sgt. Mike Kelley, U.S. Army (ret.) Tewksbury, Mass. 5QSM;PMXPMZLLWM[IÅVMRWJWNXWQV\QVOW]\\PM criticality of logistics in the Vietnam War. The C-130 certainly proved itself in that war and is doing so still. But the Air Force could only get the bullets and butter so far forward. After the C-130s put supplies on the ground at the forward airstrips, they still had many a mile to travel. That’s where those guys pictured on pg. 33 came in. The photo is of a Boeing Vertol CH-47A. The author mentioned that two Chinooks were shot down L]ZQVO\PMWXMZI\QWV7VM_I[ÆW_VJaUaQV[\Z]K\WZ pilot at Fort Rucker. As a proud veteran of the 228th Aviation Battalion, I and my fellow 1st Cavalry Division 6

VIETNAM

As an Air Force VI^QOI\WZ_PWÆM_QV the back seat of the F-4 8PIV\WURM\QV!!̆ I appreciated your story on the Wild Weasel program (August 2015). I was not a Weasel type, but I knew several who were. I was with the 12th Tactical Fighter Wing at Cam Ranh Bay in 1969-70. Your articles bring to light things I never knew about what went on over there. That is why your publication is always read promptly when it arrives! W. David Herbert Billings, Mont. Correction: )VQVKWZZMK\ÅO]ZM_I[OQ^MVNWZ\PM maximum load of a B-52D bomber in a graphic accompanying the article “Nightmare Up North” (February 2016). The correct number is 488,000 pounds. Send letters and email: Vietnam Editor, 1600 Tysons Blvd., Suite 1140 Tysons, VA 22102-4833; or [email protected]

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On paper Vietnam could be a big winner ]VLMZ\PMQM\VIU\PM=VQ\ML;\I\M[IVL other countries on both sides of the 8IKQÅK7KMIVQM\VIU_W]TLJMMTQUQVI\MLIVL\I`M[ on Vietnamese goods exported to the =VQ\ML;\I\M[_W]TLJMK]\*aWVM estimate Vietnam’s exports could increase VMIZTaXMZKMV\W^MZ\PMVM`\aMIZ[ *]\[WUMWJ[MZ^MZ[KI]\QWV\PI\\PM PQOPTa\W]\MLJMVMÅ\[\W>QM\VIUUQOP\ JMW^MZ[\I\ML[IaQVO\PI\>QM\VIULWM[ not have conditions in place to attract [QOVQÅKIV\TaPQOPMZQV^M[\UMV\7^MZ[MI[ investors are concerned about Vietnam’s KWZZ]X\QWVOW^MZVUMV\ZML\IXM infrastructure problems and lack of skilled workers. -^MV[W>QM\VIUM[MWЅKQIT[[Ia \PMa_QTTJMVMÅ\OZMI\TaNZWUIVa\PQVO\PI\LMKZMI[M[\PMQZKW]V\Za¼[ LMXMVLMVKMWV+PQVI_PQKPPI[ JMMVX]\\QVOLW_V[\ISM[QV;W]\P +PQVI;MI\MZZQ\WZa\PI\>QM\VIU claims as its own. “The TPP is not just economic. It Q[IT[WIXWTQ\QKITIVL[MK]ZQ\aLMITº 4M>IV+]WVOINWZUMZWЅKQITI\\PM 5QVQ[\ZaWN8]JTQK;MK]ZQ\a\WTL\PM Washington Post. “It has more ^IT]MNWZ>QM\VIU\PIVJ]aQVO []JUIZQVM[º

VIETNAM

WAR ADOPTIONS HIGHLIGHTED Photographs of Vietnamese children adopted near the close WN\PM>QM\VIU?IZ_MZMWVLQ[XTIaI\\PM:][[MTT;MVI\M7ЅKM *]QTLQVOQV?I[PQVO\WVWV6W^QVIVM`PQJQ\\Q\TML ¹+PQTLZMVWN>QM\VIU¸).WZ\aAMIZ:M\ZW[XMK\Q^Mº QM\VIU¼[+WUU]VQ[\\ISMW^MZQV! ,]ZQVO\PM_IZ¼[ÅVITaMIZ[[WUM KPQTLZMV_MZMILWX\ML IVLUWZM\PIVKIUM\W\PM=VQ\ML;\I\M[5IVa_MZM\PM KPQTLZMVWN>QM\VIUM[M_WUMVIVL)UMZQKIV[MZ^QKMUMUJMZ[ 0WT\1V\MZVI\QWVIT+PQTLZMV¼[;MZ^QKM[_PW[MXZWOZIU[QVKT]LM ILWX\QWVI[[Q[\IVKM[XWV[WZML\PMM`PQJQ\ Scenes from 1975: Top: A boy says goodbye as he leaves a Vietnamese orphanage. Left: Two Amerasian children in Saigon. Bottom: A New York woman brings her adopted daughter home.

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Agent Orange Focus of Oral Histories ;\WZa+WZX[IVWVXZWÅ\WZITPQ[\WZaWZOIVQbI\QWV\PI\ZMKWZL[IVLIZKPQ^M[\PM [\WZQM[WN)UMZQKIV[NZWUITT_ITS[WNTQNMQ[[MMSQVO^M\MZIV[WZ\PMQZNIUQTa UMUJMZ[_PW_W]TLTQSM\W\ITSIJW]\\PMQUXIK\WN)OMV\7ZIVOMWV\PMQZTQ^M[ 5IVaPMIT\PXZWJTMU[IІQK\QVO>QM\VIU?IZ^M\MZIV[PI^MJMMVJTIUMLWV M`XW[]ZM\W\PMPMZJQKQLM[XZIaMLJaIQZKZIN\\WLM[\ZWa^MOM\I\QWV\PI\PQL>QM\+WVO \ZWWX[XZMXIZQVONWZIUJ][PM[>M\MZIV[OZW]X[PI^MJMMVZMUMUJMZQVO)OMV\ 7ZIVOM^QK\QU[_Q\PM^MV\[[]KPI[IJITTWWVZMTMI[MQV.TWZQLI[PW_VIJW^M 8MWXTMQV\MZM[\MLQVIV)OMV\7ZIVOMWZITPQ[\WZaKIVLW_VTWIL\PM;\WZa+WZX[IXX I\\PMWZOIVQbI\QWV¼[_MJ[Q\MIVLZMKWZLIVQV\MZ^QM_
California Cows Head to Vietnam

10

VIETNAM

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT: JOE SKIPPER/REUTERS/CORBIS; TATTOO: PHOTO BY SEAN MIO, SAIGONINK.NET; DESIGN PICS INC/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

QM\VIUIKKWZLQVO\W \PM*MTTQVOPIU0MZITL QM\VIUM[M OW^MZVUMV\_IV\[ M^MZaKPQTL\WLZQVSI\ TMI[\WVMOTI[[WNUQTSI LIaJ]\LWM[V¼\PI^M\PM LWUM[\QKKIXIKQ\a\WUMM\\PI\OWIT IKKWZLQVO\W+TIa\WV)OZQ̆5IZSM\QVO1VK \PMKWUXIVa\PI\LMTQ^MZML\PMKW_[ _PQKPKIUMNZWU+ITQNWZVQINIZU[ 5QTSKWV[]UX\QWVPI[JMMVZQ[QVO LZIUI\QKITTaQV>QM\VIUW^MZ\PMXI[\ LMKILMIVLQV>QM\VIUUM\WVTa  XMZKMV\WN\PMLMUIVL_Q\PLWUM[\QKLIQZa XZWL]K\[
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Videos For Vietnam Veterans SCENES FROM IN-COUNTRY BASES: ‡ Dong Ha Base & $LU¿HOG 1966-68, 50 min. ‡ Assault on Long Binh Tet 1969, 60 min. ‡ Takhli AB 1964-1970, 110 min. ‡ Bien Hoa AB 1964-69, 80 min. ‡ Tuy Hoa AB 1966-1968, 75 min. ‡ Phan Rang AB 1965-70, 60 min. ‡ Cu Chi 1967-70, 50 min. ‡ Phu Bai 1968-71, 60 min. ‡ Tan Son Nhut AB 1965-1968, 60 min. ‡ An Khe, 1965-67, 75 min. ‡ Long Binh 1967-72, 60 min. ‡ Chu Lai AB 1965-68, 75 min. To Talk To A Live Person, ‡ Camp Eagle 1971, 35 min. Or Order Online At ‡ Phu Cat AB 1966-68, 70 min. ‡ Cam Ranh Bay AB 1966-68, 70 min. . ‡ Dong Tam Base 1967-1969, 45 min. ‡ Nakhon Phanom AB 1966-70, 60 min. com

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NSA Da Nang, Camp Tien Sha 1966-71, 60 min.

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Hard To Find Video Titles!

‡ 101st Airborne Div: Search/Destroy Missions, 50 min. ‡ 173rd Airborne Div: Search/Destroy Missions, 55 min. ‡ Bangkok, Thailand R&R In The 1960s, 50 min. ‡ National Route 9, A Journey along Route 9 near the DMZ., 60 min. ‡ “Rocket City”: Attacks On Da Nang AB, 70 min. ‡ 1st Aviation Brigade In Vietnam, 60 min. ‡ Op. Pershing, 1st Air Cav., May 1967, 60 min. ‡ Destroyers In The Vietnam War, 65 min. ‡ 3rd Brigade 82nd Airborne In Vietnam, 60 min. ‡ 5th Special Forces Group Vietnam, 55 min. ‡ African Americans In Vietnam, 60 min. ‡ Op. MacArthur, 4th Inf. Div. in the Battle Of Dak To 1967, 60 min. ‡ 1st Air Cavalry, 1965-1967, 60 min. ‡ Southern Man: The Road To Vietnam Training at Forts Jackson, Campbell, & Gordon in the 1960s, 70 min.

‡ Marine Tankers In Vietnam, 60 min. ‡ Road Warriors: Truckers Vietnam, 60 min. ‡ American POWs in Vietnam, 60 min. ‡ USMC Camp Reasoner, Hill 510, 3rd MAF, 45 min. ‡ Da Nang Outer Limits: Dog Patch, Danang 500, 60 min. ‡ 1st Air Cav. Div. Battle For Ia Drang Valley, 70 min. ‡ 25th Inf. Div. Search & Destroy Missions, 45 min. ‡ 4th Infantry Division Search & Destroy Missions, 45 min. ‡ 11th Armored Cavalry, Black Horse Regiment, 80 min. ‡ Army Engineers In Vietnam, 110 min. ‡ Operation Pegasus: Khe Sanh Rescue 1968, 45 min. ‡ Andersen AFB, Guam 1965-75, 70 min. ‡ 9th Inf. Division Search & Destroy Missions, 50 min. ‡ 11th Light Infantry Brigade Vietnam, 60 min. ‡ Combat Trackers & Their Dogs 45 min. ‡ Combat Inf. Soldier: Life In Field, 60 min. ‡ Dogs of the Vietnam War: Scout, Sentry, Patrol, 100 min. ‡ 23rd Infantry Div. “Americal” In Vietnam, 80 min. ‡ NVA Easter Offensive Of 1972, 60 min. ‡ Special Forces With Montagnard Training, 100 min. ‡ Special Forces in Vietnam: Early Years, 60 min.

Navy In Vietnam ‡ Small Boat Warfare, 90 minutes ‡ USS Oriskany Fire Off Vietnam 1966, 60 min. ‡ USS Oriskany Off Coast of Vietnam, 40 min. ‡ USS Forrestal 1967 Fire Off Vietnam, 70 min. ‡ USS Forrestal (CV-59) 1950s-60s, 90 min. ‡ USS Enterprise Fire Off Hawaii, 1969, 45 min. ‡ USS Enterprise (CVAN-65) 1960-70, 90 min. ‡ USS America (CVA-66) 1965-68, 60 min. ‡ USS Midway (CVA-41) 1945-70, 60 min. ‡ USS Kitty Hawk (CV-63) 1961-79, 75 min. ‡ USS Constellation (CVA-64) 1964-70, 45 min. ‡ USS Independence (CVA-62) 1960s, 90 min. ‡ USS Princeton (CV-37) 1950s-60s, 80 min. ‡ USS Shangri-La (CV-38) 1944-1968, 45 min. ‡ USS Coral Sea (CVA-43) 1965-70, 50 min. ‡ USS Intrepid (CV-11) Off Vietnam, 60 min. ‡ USS Yorktown (CV-10) Vietnam, 45 min. ‡ USS Bon Homme Richard 1950s-60s, 45 min. ‡ USS Franklin D. Roosevelt 1960s, 85 min. ‡ USS Repose & Corpsmen, 60 min. ‡ USS Ticonderoga, 60 min.

‡ Camp Evans & Op. Delaware 1968, 60 min. ‡ Nha Trang/Camp McDermott 1965-69, 60 min. ‡ U-Tapao, Thailand 1967-72, 60 min. ‡ Korat AB, Thailand 1965-1970, 70 min. ‡ Camp Carroll & Rock Pile 1967-1970, 30 min.‡ Binh Thuy Naval Base 1968-69, 50 min. ‡ Lai Khe, Di An & Phu Loi 1966-1970, 80 min. ‡ Da Nang AB/USMC 1965-1970, 100 min. ‡ Camp Enari (Dragon Mtn) 1968-1969, 30 min. ‡ Ubon & Udorn, Thailand 1966-69, 60 min. ‡ Dau Tieng Base & $LU¿HOG 1965-70, 45 min.

Marines In Vietnam

‡ Marines 1965/ Ops Starlite/Harvest Moon, 90 min. ‡ Marines 1966, Ops Macon/Hastings/Prairie, 70 min. ‡ Marines 1967 with Op Independence, 90 min. ‡ Marines 1968, Op. Baxter Gardens, 80 min. ‡ San Diego Boot Camp ‘69 & 73, 45 min. ‡ Parris Island Boot Camp 1960s, 45 min. ‡ Marine Staging Battalion, Camp Pendleton, 30 min. ‡ Khe Sanh Base with 1st Marines, 45 min. ‡ Con Thien & Op. Buffalo, 60 min. ‡ Battle for Hue City, 45 min. ‡ Marine Aviation: 1st MAW, 90 min. ‡ Siege Khe Sanh & USAF, 45 min.

Sammy Davis Jr. Were you at: ٟ/RQJ%LQK ٟ&DQ7KR ٟ)6%%DVH or aboard ٟ866+DQFRFN when the entertainer visited in 1972? See it all again in the original documentary plus outtakes and photos!

7KLV'9'EULQJVEDFNWKHÀOPWKDWQHYHU saw wide release and faded into obscurity. Bonus: You’ll also experience a behindthe-scenes perspective from a combat cameraman who accompanied Sammy Davis from Los Angeles to Vietnam to Hawaii. 60 Minutes. Color. Air Force In Vietnam

‡ F-4 Phantom In Combat, 60 min. ‡ B-57 Canberra at Phan Rang, Bien Hoa, Danang, 60 min. ‡ C-130 Operations In Vietnam, 81 min. ‡ C-7 Caribou In Vietnam, 70 min. ‡ Jolly & Super Jolly Green Giants, 85 min. ‡ Tactical Air Recon With RF-4, RF-101, 90 min.

‡ Tet: Attack on Tan Son Nhut AB, 60 min. ‡ C-47, EC-47 & AC-47 Vietnam, 80 min. ‡ Close Air Support & Forward Air Controllers, 100 min. ‡ F-105 Wild Weasel at Korat AB 1966, 20 min. ‡ F-105 Thunderchief In Combat, 75 min. ‡ AC-119 Gunships, 100 min.

‡ 101st Airborne A Shau Valley 1969-71, 60 min. ‡ 101st Airborne Div. In Vietnam, 90 min. Army ‡ 5th Infantry Div. Vietnam 1968-70, 45 min. ‡ 1st Inf. Div: Vietnam & Germany, 102 min. In ‡ 196th Light Infantry Brigade, 52 min. Vietnam ‡ 198th Light Infantry Brigade, 60 min. ‡ 173rd Airborne Battle for Dak To, 50 min. ‡ Military Police (MPs) Vietnam, 70 min. ‡ 9th Infantry Division In Vietnam, 60 min. ‡ Huey UH-1: Training to Vietnam, 115 min. ‡ Army Helicopter Units Vietnam, 90 min. ‡ 1st Div. Search/Destroy Missions, 60 min. ‡ 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam, 60 min. ‡ Army Artillerymen in Vietnam: Fire Support & Fire Support Bases, 80 min. ‡ Army Basic at Fort Ord & Advanced Training 1960s, 90 minutes ‡ 199th Light Inf. Bde 1967-70, 60 min. Questions? Call Us Because All Sales Are Final

First DVD $29.95 Additional DVDs In The Same Order Are $19.95 ea. FREE SHIPPING USA Call

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TODAY

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CLOCKWISE FROM TOP: OLIVIER WULLEN/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; STOCKTREK IMAGES INC/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; STANFORD UNIVERSITY

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With the Dragon’s Children “A lanky, idealistic Minnesota farm boy and ex-Peace Corps olunteer, Dave Garms joined the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) in 1967. He soon found himself immersed in a nasty rural insurgency in Vietnam. Read With the Dragon’s Children, and be proud of your country again.” - Bruce Kinsey, Former Foreign Service Officer With the Dragon’s Children is a second edition non fiction account of the author’s experience in Go Cong province, Vietnam. The assignment was with the amnesty program for the Vietcong. The book is seamless, fascinating, informative and entertaining. Further, the book draws on declassified information that was not available when the book was first published. The book is about the Vietnamese with whom the author connected and the stories beneath the stories. The book offers a reliable retrospective on the Vietnam War – understanding and appreciating Vietnam’s rich culture, traditions and history. With the Dragon’s Children is a gentle and fascinating book that provides insight into a time and place that is far too often overlooked and clichéd. Available in Hardback, Paperback, and E-book.

www.DavidGarms.com

VIEP-160400-018.indd 1

12/28/15 1:57 PM

THEN & NOW

FRENCH BATTLE TRENCHES

KEYSTONE PICTURES USA/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; INSET: ICONOTEC/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO

French soldiers man the trenches at Dien Bien Phu on May 7, 1954, not long before the humiliating surrender of their base of operations to the Viet Minh rebels they failed to defeat. Given the battle’s pivotal role in Vietnamese— IVL_WZTL¸PQ[\WZa\PMNWZ\QÅKI\QWV[ at Dien Bien Phu are preserved by Vietnam today. V

14

VIETNAM

AMERICA REMEMBERS

®

PRESENTS

The Mort Künstler Vietnam War Tribute Pistol Honoring All Those Who Served in Vietnam

T

hey came from all over the country, from all walks of life, to answer the call of duty. They left home and fought for freedom in an unknown country, on the other side of the world. They served with courage, honor and commitment against an elusive enemy. In the dense jungles, rice paddies, and acres of swampy grasslands, danger lurked with every step, on every patrol, within cities and inside every remote village. Few generations have faced a more daunting challenge. Few are more deserving of our gratitude and respect. America’s involvement in Vietnam spanned three decades. It’s estimated that more than 2,500,000 Americans served.More than 58,000 lost their lives, and another 365,000 were wounded. All those who served with valor and bravery in Vietnam deserve their honored place in American history. From the Mekong Delta to the bustling capital of Saigon, from the Central Highlands to the DMZ, America’s rank and file service members fought with courage and loyalty. Now, it’s time to salute them.

Honoring All Those Who Served in Vietnam America Remembers is proud to announce the Mort Künstler Vietnam War Tribute Pistol. This historic Tribute is issued on a working Colt® Government Model® .45 pistol, featuring artwork based on six Vietnam War paintings by acclaimed American artist, Mort Künstler. No firearm in history can boast a more impressive record of American military service than the Colt .45. It was a trusted firearm for those who served in Vietnam, especially with the unpredictable terrain in an unknown country divided by decades of bitter history. The jungles were brutally hot and humid, the days long and tedious and filled with uncertainty and danger. This stunning presentation firearm is a lasting tribute to those who served bravely in Vietnam. Each pistol is decorated by craftsmen commissioned specifically for this edition by America Remembers. Both sides of the slide are polished and decorated in lustrous 24-karat gold and gleaming nickel with blackened patinaed highlights to accentuate the details of the artwork. The hammer, slide stop, thumb safety, barrel bushing, grip screws, and magazine release are all also decorated in 24-karat gold.

An Exclusive Offer The Mort Künstler Vietnam War Tribute Pistol is issued in a limited edition of only 500 Tributes, and is available exclusively from America Remembers. With millions of Americans so personally connected to the Vietnam War, we expect demand for this Tribute to be strong. We will arrange delivery of your working Colt .45 pistol through a licensed firearms dealer of your choice. And, as always, your Tribute will come with our 30-day guarantee of satisfaction. If you are not fully satisfied with your purchase, you may return it in original unfired condition within thirty days for a complete and courteous refund. Reserve yours today to ensure that you are among the limited number of collectors who will be able to welcome this exclusive issue into their collection. Nothing was easy about the Vietnam War. Even if you weren’t there, you remember the constant coverage on the nightly news, and you remember the sacrifice of those brave Americans who served. Perhaps your brother or father served. Or maybe another family member, friend, neighbor, or co-worker is your connection to Vietnam. You may know someone who lost their life in Vietnam serving our country. Let us never forget their sacrifice. Reserve your Mort Künstler Vietnam War Tribute Pistol today, and pass down this Tribute in remembrance for generations to come.

Display Case Available An optional luxuriously-lined, custom-built, wooden display case is available for purchase.

The left side of the pistol features American ground forces firing into the chaotic blaze of battle, causing enemy forces to flee. To the right of the center image, you’ll find a combat scene depicting a battle in the thick elephant grass, which can grow as tall as seven feet in Vietnam. To the far left, three Americans fire from—and jump from— a helicopter flying close to a swampy marsh, capturing a tense moment in battle. At the muzzle end, you’ll find the banner, HONORING ALL THOSE WHO SERVED IN VIETNAM. In front of the hammer is a map of Vietnam with bamboo in the background. The right side of the pistol features Americans in a patrol boat guarding and defending against an attack from the shore. To the right of the center image, you’ll find a marshy bank of high grass where heroic medics attend to wounded men injured during combat. Next, you’ll find LEST WE FORGET, NONE COULD HAVE DONE IT BETTER scrolled inside a banner. Behind this background is the bamboo and elephant grass that were part of the everyday landscape for soldiers. To the far left is the painting Indiana Rangers, which represents members of the Company D, 151st Infantry division, one of the Guard units deployed to Vietnam, on duty in the jungle. Mort Künstler’s signature symbolizes his approval of this honorable Tribute to our veterans.

I wish to reserve ___ of the “The Mort Künstler Vietnam War Tribute Pistol”, a working Colt .45 pistol, at the current issue price of $1,995.* My deposit of $195 per pistol is enclosed. I wish to pay the balance at the rate of $100 per month, no interest or carrying charges. Certificate of Authenticity included. Thirty-day *All orders are subject to acceptance and credit verification prior to return privilege. shipment.Shipping and handling will be added to each order. Virginia residents please add sales tax. TCheck enclosed for $___________ . TCharge payment of $ ___________ to: T VISA T MasterCard T AMEX T Discover No. __________________________________ Exp. ________ Display Case TI wish to reserve the optional, luxuriously lined, custom-made display case with locking glass lid. My payment of $149* is enclosed or add to credit card.

Name ____________________________________________________________ Address __________________________________________________________ City/State/Zip _____________________________________________________ Daytime Telephone No. ( _____________ ) _______________________________________

America Remembers® 10226 Timber Ridge Drive + Ashland, Virginia 23005 www.americaremembers.com To place your reservation toll-free call 1-800-682-2291

VOICES

In May 2015 Jackson was named director of the Defense Department’s Vietnam War Commemoration, which began in 2012 and ends in 2025. The main mission for Jackson’s organization, \PMNWZUMZ)ZUa:IVOMZ[Ia[Q[\W¹ÅVL_Ia[\WWЄMZ thanks and appreciation” for the service of the surviving veterans and the families of all those who were on active duty from Nov. 1, 1955, when Military Assistance Advisory Group, Vietnam, was formed, to May 15, 1975, when the war’s last battle took place in Cambodia. What role does your organization play in the commemoration? We’ve been recruiting commemorative partners across the country. We have about 9,000. Almost any organization can sign up. We ask them to conduct events twice a year to recognize the veterans. We can put teams on the ground to make their events better. We make it easier to thank veterans, and we do that with lapel pins and materials about the commemoration. Some critics say the commemoration is overlookQVO\PM[QOVQÅKIVKMWN\PMIV\Q_IZUW^MUMV\IVL\PM UQ[\ISM[WNUQTQ\IZaIVLOW^MZVUMV\TMILMZ[We’re VW\QV\WZMÅOP\QVO\PM_IZ?M¼ZMVW\QV\WXWTQ\QKQbI\QWVWN the war, and we’re not into rewriting history. We’re into recognition of those who served at the nation’s request and the families that supported them. AW]_MZMIR]VQWZI\3MV\;\I\ML]ZQVO\PM5Ia ![PWW\QVO[WNXZW\M[\MZ[Ja6I\QWVIT/]IZL[UMVIVL\PMJ]ZVQVOWN\PM:7<+J]QTLQVO\_WLIa[ earlier. Your thoughts on those events? It was a real tragedy. There was really no reason for it. Kent State was not a radical campus. There was a series of bad decisions on both sides, and it led to a confrontation. A change in any one of those things might have prevented it. We don’t know. ?PI\Q[\PMTMOIKaWN\PM>QM\VIU?IZ'If you’re going to commit the nation’s young people to an event overseas, the country must get past the decisions made [by leaders] and support them. The country asked them to do this. Some were drafted and had no choice. When they came home, the country basically said: “We’re not interested in what you did. We don’t like what you did.” That’s what _M¼ZM\ZaQVO\WÅ`)T[W\PMNIUQTQM[\PI\ZMUIQVMLJMhind had to deal with the loss of a spouse, for a time or potentially forever, and we had not built the structures to support those families. From a legacy perspective, that’s one thing that has been pretty well addressed. 16

VIETNAM

Any other positive outKWUM[WN\PM_IZ' One is the National League of POW/MIA Families [formed in Washington on May 28, 1970], _PQKPOZM_W]\WN\PM>QM\VIUM`XMZQMVKM_Q\P\PM missing in action and POW families. These people, with sheer collective horsepower, were able to change a govMZVUMV\¼[XWTQKQM[IVL]T\QUI\MTaIЄMK\PW_W]ZXMWXTM were treated in POW compounds. Additionally, their actions prompted legislation dealing with the recovery of those missing in action. ?PI\QUXIK\LQL\PM>QM\VIU?IZM`XMZQMVKMPI^M on the military? When the military came out of Vietnam, there was a clear indication it needed to change, adapt, reformat, reorganize and readdress its problems. The people who built the plans for this change _MZM>QM\VIU^M\MZIV[QM\VIUM`XMZQMVKM]VLMZ the French in Indochina and the transition into a U.S. KWVÆQK\1\¼[I^MZaQV[QOP\N]TJWWSQM\VIUI[IaW]VO5IZQVM+WZX[WЅKMZ1NW]VLQ\M`tremely poignant and interesting from a small-unit action perspective. ?PI\KIVQVLQ^QL]ITKQ\QbMV[LW\WPWVWZ>QM\VIU vets during the commemoration? We want American citizens to thank veterans where they live and work— Hometown USA. We want them thanked by people who TQ^MVM`\LWWZ_WZS_Q\P\PMU[PWX_Q\P\PMUIVL know them. We encourage people to sit down and say, “Tell me about your time.” Help get the message out that there is a national commemoration. If they are interested in participating, they can go to our website, www. vietnamwar50th.com. V

During the Vietnam War’s 50th anniversary, Vietnam is interviewing people whose lives are inter\_QVML_Q\P\PM_IZIVLI[SQVONWZ\PMQZZMÆMK\QWV[ on that era in American history. You can read more of this interview at www.historynet.com/Vietnam.

ILLUSTRATION DAN WILLIAMS

Out of 9 million U.S. veterans who served worldwide during the Vietnam War, 7 million are still living. It’s retired Maj. Gen. James Jackson’s job to make sure the country honors them during the war’s 50th anniversary.

Born March 4, 1949, Fort Knox, Kentucky Residence Arlington, Virginia Education Bachelor’s degree in aerospace technology, Kent State University, ROTC graduate,1971 Military service Major assignments include battalion commander, 82nd Airborne Division; regiment commander, 75th Ranger Regiment; commanding general, Military District of Washington Retired 2003

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HOMEFRONT

March 28 The Mamas and the Papas ZMTMI[M1NAW]+IV*MTQM^MAW]Z -aM[IVL-IZ[\PMQZÅZ[\ITJ]U

MARCH-APRIL

1966 April 18 Bill Russell is named head coach of the Boston Celtics—the ÅZ[\JTIKS NBA coach. March 3 An F5 tornado destroys the Candlestick Park shopping center in Jackson, Miss., on its 200mile track through Mississipi and Alabama. The storm killed 58 people and caused nearly $18 billion in damages. 18

VIETNAM

March 25 The ;]XZMUM+W]Z\ LMKTIZM[]Vconstitutional the “poll tax,” a payment some ;W]\PMZV[\I\M[ ZMY]QZMLJMNWZM ZMOQ[\MZQVO\W ^W\M1\_I[ KZMI\ML\WTQUQ\ ^W\QVOJaJTIKS[ IVLIЄMK\ML XWWZ_PQ\M[ too). The 1966 Z]TQVOQ[WVMWN \PM;]XZMUM +W]Z\¼[UIRWZ ^W\QVOZQOP\[ decisions. March 16 Gemini 8,with Neil Armstrong the command pilot, completes \PMÅZ[\LWKSQVO of two spacecraft.

April 19 *WJJQ/QJJQ[ \PMÅZ[\_WUIV \WZ]V\PM MV\QZM*W[\WV 5IZI\PWV MARCH 28: PICTORIAL PRESS LTD/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; MARCH 25: FLIP SCHULKE/CORBIS; APRIL 18: EVERETT COLLECTION HISTORICAL/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; APRIL 19: PHOTO BY FRED KAPLAN/SPORTS ILLUSTRATED/GETTY IMAGES; MARCH 3: THINKSTOCK; MARCH 16: (ARMSTRONG) NASA PHOTO/ ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, (GEMINI 8) RGB VENTURES/SUPERSTOCK/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; APRIL 18: (MOVIE STILL) ZUMA PRESS INC/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO, (POSTER) HERITAGE AUCTIONS, DALLAS; MARCH 5: PICTORIAL PRESS LTD/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; APRIL 21 AND MARCH 22: BETTMANN/CORBIS

BATTLEFRONT

March 4-7 1V\PMÅZ[\MVOIOMUMV\ JM\_MMV=;5IZQVM[IVLZMO]TIZ 6WZ\P>QM\VIUM[M)ZUaNWZKM[ JI\\ITQWV[NZWU\PM[\\PIVL\P 5IZQVMZMOQUMV\[LMNMI\\PM6>)¼[ [\:MOQUMV\[W]\PWN+P]4IQQV \PM,I6IVOIZMIL]ZQVO7XMZI\QWV =\IP)SQTTML

April 18 At the 38th Academy Awards, The Sound of Music wins best picture. Best actor was Lee Marvin in Cat Ballou. Best actress was Julie Christie in Darling. March 5 Barry Sadler’s “The Ballad of the Green Berets,” rises to No. 1 on the Billboard charts and then becomes the No. 1 song for all of 1966.

April 21 ,Z5QKPIMT ,M*ISMaQV[\ITT[ IXIZ\QITIZ\QÅKQIT PMIZ\QV5IZKMT ,M:]LLMZI\I 0W][\WVPW[XQ\IT 
March 22 At a Senate hearing, Ralph Nader receives an apology from General Motors President James M. Roche, for the company’s harassment campaign against the author of Unsafe at Any Speed.

March 26 =;6I^aIVL5IZQVM ]VQ\[RWQV_Q\P;W]\P>QM\VIUM[M NWZKM[QV\PMÅZ[\ITTQMLIUXPQJQW][ I[[I]T\KTMIZQVO_I\MZ_Ia[QV\PM :]VO;I\;XMKQITBWVMUQTM[ [W]\PWN;IQOWVQM\+WVOIVL ZM[\ZQK\[>+UW^MUMV\QV\PMIZMI April 1 =;6I^IT.WZKM[>QM\VIU Q[M[\IJTQ[PML]VLMZ\PMKWUUIVL WN:MIZ)LU6WZ^MTT/?IZL6)>̆ .7:>Q[ZM[XWV[QJTMNWZITT6I^a XMZ[WVVMTIVL]VQ\[QV;W]\P>QM\̆ VIUI[_MTTI[[WUMWЄ[PWZM]VQ\[ April 12 1V7XMZI\QWV:WTTQVO QM\VIUNWZ\PM ÅZ[\\QUMPQ\\QVOIVMVMUa[]XXTa ZW]\MQV\PM5]/QI8I[[VWZ\PWN \PM,MUQTQ\IZQbMLBWVM[MXIZI\QVO 6WZ\PIVL;W]\P>QM\VIU April 26 .TaQVOW^MZ6WZ\P >QM\VIUQVIV)QZ.WZKM.̆ 8PIV\WU11IZUML_Q\P;QLM_QVLMZ UQ[[QTM[5IRWZ8I]T/QTUWZMIVL [\4\?QTTQIU;UQ\PIZM\PMÅZ[\ \W[PWW\LW_VI5Q/̆ÅOP\MZ ZMKMV\TaXZW^QLMLJa\PM;W^QM\[ \WMVPIVKM6WZ\P>QM\VIU¼[IQZ LMNMV[M[ April 29 QM\VIU
APRIL 2016

19

ARSENAL

In sight: The standard sight was gradated up to 3,500 meters in 100-meter increments with allowances for wind effects but could be replaced by specialized anti-aircraft sights.

Not-so-jolly green: Using the potent 12.7-by-108mm round with a rimless cartridge case developed in 1934, the DShKM could fire armor-piercing incendiary bullets, tracer rounds or AP-incendiary tracers from a belt box on the left. The tracers burned a telltale green, in contrast to the red American tracer rounds.

Piston power: The gun was operated by a longstroke gas piston under the finned barrel, attached to the bolt carrier.

DSHKM 38/46 12.7MM MACHINE GUN Weight with wheeled mount: 350 lbs. Overall length: 64 in. Barrel length: 42.1 in. Rate of fire: 600 rounds per minute Empty weight: 74.96 lbs.

Multimounts: In infantry use, the DShKM was fired from a wheeled generalpurpose mount designed by Ivan N. Kolesnikov. The wheels could be removed to convert the mount into a low tripod for troop support or a standing one for anti-aircraft defense. An optional shield was usually discarded to save weight and lower the gun’s profile.

Get a grip: The weapon was fired by dual-spade grips with dual triggers behind the receiver. The charging handle was below and between the grips.

THE .51-CALIBER COPTER KILLER Operation Lamar Plain from May 15 to Aug. 14, 1969, a follow-up to the Battle of Hamburger Hill in the A Shau Valley, annihilated the North Vietnamese 2nd Regiment. In the end, 497 enemy soldiers were dead, including the regiment’s commander, and 21 were prisoners. The Americans reported 126 dead and 404 wounded. Added to the human toll were three Hughes OA-6A light observation helicopters destroyed, four brought down but recoverable, three Bell UH-1Hs downed and so many other PMTW[LIUIOML\PI\Ja\PMMVLWN\PMÅZ[\_MMS\PM[\ Airborne Division reported only one OA-6 and two Bell )0̆+WJZI[ÆaIJTM
VIETNAM

MIZVML\PMVQKSVIUM ,][PSI (“Dear”) from its crews. 5WLQÅKI\QWV[NWTTW_ML[]KPI[ZMXTIKQVO\PM]V[I\Q[NIKtory 30-round drum with a shuttle-feed mechanism for a 50-round nondisintegrating steel belt. The improved ,;P35 _PQKP_MV\QV\WXZWL]K\QWVQV.MJZ]IZa 1945, was used widely by Soviet and Warsaw Pact forces and Third World allies, including North Vietnam.
ILLUSTRATION GREGORY PROCH

By Jon Guttman

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EDITOR’S NOTEBOOK

AP PHOTO

Little Known but Very Important When asked to name the most famous battles in U.S. history, many Americans would likely mention engagements such as Yorktown, the Battle of New Orleans, the Alamo, Gettysburg, the Little Bighorn, Pearl Harbor and Normandy. But there was another battle, of even greater consequence than some of those, which is little noted or remembered by Americans today. Yet it set the U.S. government on a path that led to the loss of tens of thousands of American troops. That battle didn’t occur in the United States; it didn’t even directly involve Americans. It was the Battle of Dien Bien Phu in French Indochina, fought in MarchMay 1954, when Communist-controlled Viet Minh nationalists were trying to throw out their colonial rulers. The insurgents were stunningly successful. After nearly two UWV\P[WNÅOP\QVOI\,QMV*QMV8P]\PMaPILSQTTMLW^MZ .ZMVKP\ZWWX[_W]VLMLIJW]\IVL\ISMVUWZM\PIV XZQ[WVMZ[IN\MZIKMI[M̆ÅZMQM\VIU\WÅOP\\PMU 1V!=;WЅKQIT[LMKQLML\W[\MXQV\W\PM^IK]]UQM\VIUM[M[WTLQMZ[\WÅOP\IVQV^I[QWVNZWU\PM6WZ\P<_MV\a aMIZ[TI\MZ\PM)UMZQKIV[\WW_MZMOWVMIN\MZ[]ЄMZQVOUWZM\PIV  LMI\P[IVL\PM+WUU]VQ[\NWZKM[UW^MLQV\W;IQOWV\W complete their takeover. While the big battles get the most attention from the public and historians, the stories of small-unit engagements can be just as dramatic. In May 1966 a 14-man squad from the 9th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division, was on patrol in an area south of Da Nang that the Marines had dubbed “Dodge City” because of all the shootouts there. In the midst of the patrol, all radio communications from the squad stopped. What had happened? Had the radio conked out? Been shot out? Had the squad been ambushed? Was everyone dead?
38

APRIL 2016

23

The Walking Dead’s Lost Patrol Outnumbered and outgunned, Marines courageously fought for their lives on a killing ground near Da Nang By Jack Wells

On land: After arriving in Da Nang on March 8,1965, the 9th Marine Expeditionary Brigade takes up defensive positions. The next year some of their comrades would be in the “lost patrol.”

AP PHOTO

At 6:30 in the morning on May 12, 1966, a 14-man reinforced squad from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, left the company perimeter near the village of Bao Tran, about 15 miles southwest of Da Nang, on a routine security patrol in a broad valley east of the Vu Gia River. A May 11 intelligence report stated that a company from a Viet Cong battalion had moved into Do Nam, IPIUTM\VMIZI[UITTÅVOMZTISMIJW]\I mile northeast of Bravo Company’s position. About an hour later, the Marine squad, designated BP10, approached a village and KIUM]VLMZ[UITT̆IZU[ÅZMNZWU\PMMI[\ The squad, led by Sergeant Dallas Young, responded with 20 rounds of small-arms ÅZMIVLÅ^MZW]VL[NZWUIV5!OZMVILM launcher. It then advanced toward the enemy. Later, Young radioed Bravo commander Captain Norman Henry and told him the squad had apprehended a suspected Viet Cong. Young added that his men were UW^QVO\W_IZLI\ZMMTQVM\WKPMKSW]\I small group of VC they had spotted. At 8:30 \PMXI\ZWT_I[VMIZ\PMJIVSWN\PM>]/QI IVLZMXWZ\MLI_I\MZJ]ЄITWJTWKSQVO\PM path. Henry ordered the men to avoid the IVQUITQNXW[[QJTMJ]\[PWW\Q\QNI\\IKSML)\ 9 a.m. the Marines reported that they had SQTTML\PM_I\MZJ]ЄITW The patrol came under harassing fire I\!"+_MZMÆMMQVO,]ZQVO\PM X]Z[]Q\AW]VOZMY]M[\MLÅZM[]XXWZ\IVL Bravo’s mortar section shot an 81mm spotting round. The patrol could not see where Q\NMTT[W+IX\IQV0MVZaWZLMZMLIKMI[M̆ÅZM to be sure the rounds didn’t hit his own men. About that time, radio communications with BP10 ended. When the transmissions stopped, the Bravo patrol had been moving through rice paddies northeast of where the Vu Gia and
APRIL 2016

25

The Batle of the Lost Patrol May 12, 1966 KILOMETER

1

N

«

0

In sight: A squad from Bravo Company of the 1st Battalion, 9th Marine Regiment, battled the Viet Cong in the Dodge City area during May 1966. The circled area in this 1968 photo shows the battle site.

QV\PM [QM\VIUM[MIVL=;IQZNWZKM[ had been using to launch attacks on North Vietnam since Operation Rolling Thunder began on March 2, and the air base needed added security. Initially, defense of Da Nang outside the air base was primarily in the hands of South Vietnamese troops, who also served as the UIQVNWZKMÅOP\QVO\PM>QM\+WVO·TMLQV[]ZOMVKa
VIETNAM

rected that the Marines “will not, repeat will not, engage in day-to-day actions against the >QM\+WVOº )[=;WЅKQIT[JMKIUMQVKZMI[QVOTaKWVcerned about the stability of South VietVIU¼[OW^MZVUMV\IVL\PMMЄMK\Q^MVM[[WN Q\[UQTQ\IZa8ZM[QLMV\4aVLWV*2WPV[WV on April 1, permitted the Marines to become ¹UWZMIK\Q^Mº]VLMZKWVLQ\QWV[IXXZW^MLJa the secretary of defense. The Marines started aggressively pa\ZWTTQVO>+[\ZWVOPWTL[IZW]VL,I6IVO)QZ *I[MQM\+WVOKWV\ZWTTMLIVM[\QUI\ML one-third of the villages and hamlets outside \PMKQ\a
AP PHOTO; BELOW: AP PHOTO/EDDIE ADAMS; OPPOSITE: COURTESY JACK WELLS; MAPS: GREGORY PROCH

All ashore: Troops from the 3rd Marine Division step out of their landing craft at Red Beach in Da Nang Bay on March 8,1965.

Ready to fight: After a helicopter KYVWVɈ4HYPULZ head toward a Viet Cong village near Da Nang on April 28, 1965. Many of the villages in that area were under Viet Cong control.

Into the brush: Marines cross through enemy territory near Binh Thai, about 9 miles from the Da Nang air base on April 22,1965.

When radio communications with BP10 stopped on May 12, Captain Henry, the Bravo Company commander, sent a reaction squad from 1st Platoon to locate the lost patrol. Moving quickly east, the reaction force tried to follow BP10’s route. )ZW]VLIU\PMZMIK\QWV[Y]ILTMLJa;\IЄ;O\-IZT,I^Q[ was moving through a small village “trying to regain radio contact I[_M_MV\ITWVOºZMKITTML4IVKM+XT+:¹:Iaº5I]ZMZIUMUber of the squad. “We came into a large open graveyard. Almost immediately we were brought under heavy small-arms and mortar ÅZMº,I^Q[ZMY]M[\MLUWZ\IZÅZMNZWU*ZI^WIVL\PM[Y]ILUW^ML NWZ_IZL¹)[W]ZZMY]M[\MLUWZ\IZÅZMKIUMQV\PMMVMUaUWZ\IZ[ ceased,” Maurer said. At 10:30 the reaction squad heard a heavy volume of small-arms ÅZM5!ZW]VL[IVLPIVLOZMVILMM`XTW[QWV[MI[\WNQ\[XW[Q\QWV VMIZ,W6IU¹?M_MZMWVTaZMKMQ^QVO[XWZILQK[VQXMZÅZM_PQKP TMLUM\WJMTQM^M\PMPMI^aÅZM_I[KWUQVONZWU;MZOMIV\AW]VO¼[ squad,” Maurer said. Thinking the reaction squad had found the missing patrol, Henry ZMY]M[\MLIVIMZQITWJ[MZ^MZ*aKPIVKMI=;)ZUa)7_I[ÆaQVO nearby and spotted the reaction squad moving toward Do Nam. The XQTW\UILMITW_XI[[W^MZ\PM[Y]ILIVLÅZMLNW]ZZWKSM\[QV\WI

AP PHOTO/EDDIE ADAMS; OPPOSITE FROM TOP,COURTESY RAY MAUER; COURTESY EARL DAVIS

for the defense of the Da Nang Air Base from the 1st Battalion, 3rd Marines. On July 1 an 85-man Viet Cong force breached the base’s southeastern defensive wire. The attackers destroyed three U.S. Air Force aircraft and severely damaged three others. While patrolling about 9 miles southwest of the air base on July 12, two teams from Alpha Company, 3rd Reconnaissance Battalion, 3rd Marine Division, were ambushed by 50 to 100 Viet Cong at An 5a)TXPI¼[KWUUIVLQVOWЅKMZ[\4\.ZIVS:MI[WVMZ_I[SQTTML while running to help a wounded Marine. He became the Marine +WZX[¼ÅZ[\5MLITWN0WVWZZMKQXQMV\QV>QM\VIU Another Viet Cong attack hit the Marble Mountain Air Facility, south of Da Nang, on October 28, when an estimated 90 Viet Cong penetrated the northwest perimeter wire. The intruders destroyed 19 helicopters, damaged 35 other aircraft and a section of a U.S. Navy Hospital being constructed at Marble Mountain. Viet Cong forces in the Da Nang area had now been joined by North Vietnamese Army units arriving via the Ho Chi Minh Trail. In September 1965 elements of the NVA 308th Division came out of the mountains southwest of Da Nang to join the 1st VC Regiment. By the end of 1965 the intelligence section of Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, estimated that more than 26,000 NVA soldiers had arrived in South Vietnam. 4MOMVLPI[Q\\PI\QVMIZTa[XZQVO!I\IKMZMUWVaQV0IVWQ General Vo Nguyen Giap promised President Ho Chi Minh he would wipe out the 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, as a present for the leader’s birthday (May 19). In describing the fate that awaited the Marines in Arizona Territory and Dodge City, Giap allegedly used the term di bo chet, translated as the “walking dead”: The Marines should be considered already dead, just not buried yet. The 1st Battalion, !\P5IZQVM[XZW]LTaIVLLMÅIV\TaILWX\ML¹
trench line in front of the Davis’ unit. On another pass the AO dropped a smoke grenade to the Marines. Written on it in grease pencil _I[IUM[[IOM"¹>+QV\ZMVKPº,I^Q[ÅOured his men could handle 10 VC and continued toward the village. A few minutes later the AO dropped a second smoke-grenade message: “10-20 VC in tree line, I’m calling )Z\aº¸IZ\QTTMZaÅZM,I^Q[WZLMZMLPQ[UMV into trenches next to a nearby road and advised Henry of the warnings. Bravo made contact with the AO, and Maurer heard him say, “Your point is catching hell, you’d better get up here fast.” “We guessed that the AO had seen Sergeant Young’s squad forward of our position,” Maurer said. “Davis contacted the AO and was told that a trench line by Loc Thuan village, to our front, was swarming with VC.” Around 11:45 Henry sent the rest of Bravo Company to rescue the embattled Marines, with 1st Platoon commander 2nd Lt. Bruce Capel and his remaining squad as the point element. Meanwhile, Davis’ reaction squad was unable to reach Young’s BP10 because it ran into another Viet Cong force and was pinned down. “The rest of the day was chaotic, with airstrikes, artillery and gunfire going on all around us,” Davis said. “Luckily, we found shelter in another trench line. The rest of Bravo came up from our rear, and we were able to pull back into their lines.” By 12:30 p.m. all of Bravo was heavily engaged, but the company’s 81mm and 60mm mortars failed to silence the enemy’s weapons. Henry asked for additional artillery and air support. After an artillery barrage from 2nd Battalion, 12th Marine Regiment, the action died down for about 20 minutes, and then the enemy opened up again with small arms and mortars. By this time, however, McDonnell F-4B Phantom IIs from Marine ÅOP\MZ̆JWUJMZ[Y]ILZWV>5.)_MZM overhead. The jets’ first runs on the entrenched VC in Do Nam temporarily silenced the enemy guns. “At that time we reorganized and went back out to locate BP10,” Davis said. At about 1:20 p.m. Maurer, in the reaction squad, spotted two members of BP10, Pfc. James Binkley and Pfc. Reuben Morales, crossing an open field about 150 yards in front of him. Maurer, Pfc. Robert Mettert and Lance Cpl. Bernard Triano ran toward the two men, who were severely wounded, and helped them back to the safety of the Bravo perimeter, while other Marines pro^QLMLKW^MZQVOÅZM ¹?PMV_MÅVITTaOW\QV[QLM\PMXMZQUM\MZº

Morales said, “the ÅZ[\\PQVO_MI[SML for was water.” Morales and Binkley were also given ÅZ[\IQL*QVSTMaPIL been shot through both arms and could not move either of them. Captain Henry asked the two men, before they went under sedation, where the rest of the squad was. Morales and Binkley pointed to the northeast and said they were all dead. Binkley and Morales later recounted the tragic story of the lost patrol. BP10 had been lured into an ambush by two or three Viet Cong companies, estimated at 250 soldiers, from the R-20 Main Force Battalion, who were equipped with machine guns and IUUZMKWQTTM[[ZQÆM,]ZQVO\PMJI\\TM “the radio was hit and we couldn’t call the company,” Morales said. BP10 was crossing a rice paddy when its point man was shot, followed by the Navy UMLQKIVLI5IZQVMWV\PMZQOP\ÆIVS)[ bullets poured into the patrol, one struck Morales in the head, and he went down. The Marines’ only shelter was a small paddy dike. “When someone tried to run, he was hit,” Morales said. One who tried to make a run for it was Lance Cpl. Edgardo Caceres, the machine gunner, who had only two days left to serve in Vietnam. Caceres was hit in the back, got up and started running, only to be hit again. “I knew he was running for help,” Morales said. “He fell three different times. After being shot, I stood up. I was dizzy but could see the Viet Cong coming toward us. The W\PMZO]a[_PWKW]TL[\IVL[\WWL]XÅZQVO away. The wounded were shooting too.” By the time the VC reached the dike, a low mound of dirt in front of the Marines, Morales was out of ammunition. “I was ready to [\IZ\[_QVOQVOUaZQÆM_PMV1OW\PQ\QV\PM neck,” he said. “I fell on my back, but I was not unconscious. I heard all the noises—the mortars and grenades. A few seconds later, it stopped. Then the shooting started again. I opened my eyes and saw the Viet Cong shoot two other guys out in front of me on the second paddy dike. I heard them coming toward me and closed my eyes. ¹
First warning: An Army pilot acting as an observer for Marines searching for the lost patrol spotted trouble in a trench and dropped a smoke grenade canister alerting the ground troops to the presence of Viet Cong.

Second warning: The Army pilot saw more Viet Cong in the tree line and dropped another smoke canister to let the Marines know that he was calling in HY[PSSLY`ÄYL

APRIL 2016

29

On the move: 4HYPULZHZZH\S[ Viet Cong positions in the dense vegetation near Binh Thai K\YPUN(WYPS 

was waiting, thinking, When will he pull the trigger? More shooting started, and the two VC near me started UW^QVOI_Ia_PMVW]ZUWZ\IZ[[\IZ\MLÅZQVO1TWWSML IVL[I_\PMUZ]VVQVOJIKSQV\W\PM\ZMMTQVM1PMIZL IVW\PMZ5IZQVMKITTQVO»+WZX[UIV7^MZPMZM ¼º 6I^a+WZX[UIV¹,WKº8MLZW5]}Wb\PMUMLQK_I[ constantly moving up and down the perimeter during \PMJI\\TM?W]VLMLUWZM\PIVWVKMPMKWV\QV]ML\W \ZMI\\PMUMV]V\QTPM_I[SQTTML ¹1PMIZLW]Z\ZWWX[CUMVNZWU\PMZMIK\QWV[Y]ILE\ZaQVO\WOM\\W][J]\\PMaKW]TLV¼\º5WZITM[[IQL¹)N\MZI _PQTM\PMW\PMZ5IZQVM[[\WXXMLPWTTMZQVO1_I[[KIZML 1\PW]OP\_MPILJMMVIJIVLWVMLº Binkley, like Morales, had NMQOVML LMI\P _PMV \PM >QM\ +WVOW^MZZIV\PM5IZQVM[)[ the sun got higher, temperatures Pressuring the enemy: rose above 100 degrees that day, A South Vietnamese interrogator presses his and the two men lay in the blisknee against the throat \MZQVOPMI\NWZUWZM\PIV\PZMM of a captured Viet Cong PW]Z[ ÄNO[LYPU4HYJO  When the Marine artillery and HIV\[TPSLZZV\[OVM UWZ\IZ[NWZKML\PM>+JIKSQV\W Da Nang. the tree line, Morales saw Bravo in the distance and decided \W \ISM I KPIVKM 0M KZI_TML IZW]VL \PM XILLa TWWSQVO NWZ W\PMZ[]Z^Q^WZ[¹)[1[\IZ\ML \WKZI_TºPM[IQL¹1M`XMK\ML \PM>+\W[PWW\UMQV\PMJIKS There was a Marine with his legs W^MZ\PMXILLa_ITT0M[IQLPM KW]TLV¼\UW^MIVL1\WTLPQU1¼L JMJIKS1KW]TL[MMW]Z\ZWWX[ across the rice paddies, but they 30

VIETNAM

_MZMUW^QVO^MZa[TW_º5WZITM[[I_\PZMMW\PMZ[TaQVO NIKMLW_V0MÅO]ZML\PMa_MZMLMIL 0M\PMVKZI_TMLW^MZ\W*QVSTMa+ WXMVMLÅZM_Q\PUWZ\IZ[IVL[UITTIZU[º4QM]\MVIV\ +IXMT_I[UIVM]^MZQVO[\8TI\WWV_PMVPM¹_I[PQ\ JW\PNZWU\PM[QLMIVL\PMNZWV\º,I^Q[[IQL?PMV+IXMT NMTTNI\ITTa_W]VLML,I^Q[I[[]UMLKWUUIVLWN[\ 8TI\WWVIVLZITTQMLPQ[UMVI[\PMaKZW[[MLUWZM\PIV aIZL[WNWXMVXILLa]VLMZQV\MV[MI]\WUI\QK_MIXWV[IVLUWZ\IZÅZM W]OP\.̆ +Z][ILMZ[IVL,W]OTI[)̆;SaPI_S[RWQVML *MTT=0̆1ZWY]WQ[¹0]MaºO]V[PQX[QVKTW[M̆IQZ̆[]XXWZ\ UQ[[QWV[6QVMIQZ[\ZQSM[_MZMZ]VI\PITN̆PW]ZQV\MZ-

Captain Henry asked the two men, before they went under sedation, where the rest of the squad was. Morales and Binkley pointed to the north-

MARINE CORPS PHOTO A187064; OPPOSITE LEFT AND TOP: AP PHOTO/EDDIE ADAMS

east and said they were all dead

^IT[5IZQVMIZ\QTTMZaÅZML[]XXWZ\QVO ZW]VL[+_MZM SQTTMLIVLITIZOMV]UJMZ_W]VLMLº,I^Q[ ZMKITTML¹?MNW]VLW]\\PZW]OPW]ZQV\MZXZM\MZ\PMVM`\LIa\PI\\PM>+NWZKMLXMWXTMNZWU\PZMM^QTTIOM[\WPMTX\PMUKIZZa I_Ia\PMJWLQM[º QM\VIU¼[VWZ\PMZVUW[\XZW^QVKM
VW\IK\]ITTaIVQ[TIVLWV\PM[W]\P[QLMWN \PMQM\ +WVOIVL6>)NZWU)ZQbWVI,WLOM+Q\aIVL /W6WQ\PMXI\QMVKMWN[\5IZQVM,Q^Q[QWV ZIVW]\7V2]VM! INTQOP\WNVQVM +̆0MZK]TM[IQZKZIN\WV_PI\_I[KITTML IV ¹QVNMZVW UQ[[QWVº LZWXXML ̆OITTWV LZ]U[KWV\IQVQVOI\W\ITWNOITTWV[WN N]MT_PQKP_I[\PMVQOVQ\MLQVIVI\\MUX\\W J]ZVLW_V\PM\PQKSNWTQIOM\PI\\PMMVMUa ][ML\WQ\[IL^IV\IOM)PMI^a\P]VLMZ[\WZUPW_M^MZUILM\PMMЄWZ\QVMЄMK\Q^M 5IZQVM[NZWU\PM[\-VOQVMMZ*I\\ITQWV IZZQ^MLI\/W6WQWV2]VM_Q\PJ]TTLWbMZ[ \WKTMIZITTNWTQIOMIVL[\Z]K\]ZM[
Patrol found: The bodies of lost patrol BP10 are recovered by men from Bravo Company, 1st Battalion, 9th Marines, on May 13, 1966.

2IKS?MTT[[MZ^MLQV>QM\VIUL]ZQVO ! ̆!I[IÅZ[\TQM]\MVIV\IVLIZ\QTTMZa NWZ_IZLWJ[MZ^MZ_Q\P)TXPIIVL*ZI^W KWUXIVQM[[\*I\\ITQWV\P5IZQVM :MOQUMV\[\5IZQVM,Q^Q[QWVIVLTI\MZ I[M`MK]\Q^MWЅKMZWN0*I\\MZaZL*I\\ITQWV\P5IZQVM:MOQUMV\[\5IZQVM ,Q^Q[QWVI\.QZM;]XXWZ\*I[M;Q`̆;PWW\MZ VWZ\PWN,I6IVO APRIL 2016

31

The Flying Banana Before the ubiquitous ‘Huey,’ an unsung hero brought mobility to Vietnam’s battlefields By Thomas R. Messick When John F. Kennedy was elected president in 1960, he was faced with a multitude of problems concerning Vietnam. His military advisers in Saigon were asking for American combat troops and large increases in aviation support. While the president was reluctant to commit combat troops, he did authorize teams of U.S. Special Forces to be strategically placed throughout South Vietnam. But it was not until mid-1961 that Kennedy approved any increases in aviation forces. These came in the form of one Marine Corps helicopter squadron ÆaQVO\PM;QSWZ[Sa0̆IVLÅ^M)ZUa\ZIV[XWZ\I\QWV KWUXIVQM[\PI\ÆM_\PM8QI[MKSQ0̆;QVKM)ZUaPMTQcopters are named after Indian tribes, the aircraft was WЅKQITTaKITTML\PM0̆;PI_VMMJ]\JMKI][MWNQ\[N]selage shape it was more commonly referred to as the “Flying Banana.” 32

VIETNAM


AP PHOTO/HORST FAAS

Takeoff time: A row of Piasecki H-21 helicopters, nicknamed “Flying Bananas,” are ready to be loaded up with South Vietnamese troops in March 1963.

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Important missions: An H-21 Shawnee leaves [OL7LU[HNVUVU5V] ^P[OVɉJPHSZ heading to Camp David in Maryland for a meeting with President Dwight D. Eisenhower. At left, the pilot of a Cessna L-19 Bird Dog VIZLY]H[PVUWSHULIYPLMZ/JYL^TLTILYZHM[LY OPZYLJVUUHPZZHUJLÅPNO[V]LYHSHUKPUNaVUL

Corps copter: The Marines’ Sikorsky H-34, with the same engine HZ[OL:OH^ULLJHYYPLK a heavier sling load but fewer troops.

Firepower: As the Flying Banana neared a landing aVUL[OLJYL^JOPLM and door gunner ^V\SKVWLUÄYL^P[O [OLPYJHSPILY THJOPULN\UZ

On the way: During ÅPNO[Z[VHSHUKPUN aVUL[OL/ JOVWWLYZÅL^ feet above the ground until they were about 20 kilometers from their destination and [OLUKLZJLUKLK[V treetop level.

TOP RIGHT: BETTMANN/CORBIS; ALL OTHERS: COURTESY THOMAS R. MESSICK

QM\VIU.WZM`IUXTM\PM [\WXMZI\QVOQV\PM+MV\ZIT0QOPTIVL[LQLUWZMUW]V\IQVÆaQVO \PIVLQL]VQ\[QV\PM5MSWVO:Q^MZLMT\IQM\VIUQV\PMLMT\ILQL[QOVQÅKIV\UWZM TQN\[I^MZIOQVO\_WWZ\PZMM_MMSTa\ZIV[XWZ\QVO):>6 \ZWWX[)TTÅ^MKWUXIVQM[_MZMÆaQVOKTW[M\WWZM`KMMLQVOPW]Z[XMZUWV\P+WV[QLMZQVO\PMTM[[\PIV XMZNMK\KWVLQ\QWV[NWZUIQV\MVIVKM_WZSIKPQM^QVO \PI\UIVaÆQOP\PW]Z[UWV\PIN\MZUWV\P_I[\Z]TaI ZMUIZSIJTMIKKWUXTQ[PUMV\5IVaXQTW\[PILJMMVÆaQVO\PM*IVIVINWZaMIZ[IVLUW[\KZM_KPQMN[_MZM [MI[WVML0̆^M\MZIV[NZWU\PM[\IZ\
.TaQVO_Q\PaW]ZOMIZQVWZVMIZ\PM\ZMM[_I[¹67-º VIX̆WN̆\PM̆MIZ\P.IVKaVIUM[NWZLWQVOXZM\\aU]KP \PM[IUM\PQVO *]\\PMTI\MZaMIZ[LQL[MMI[]J[\IV\QITLQЄMZMVKM QV\PM\aXM[WN\ZWWX[\ZIV[XWZ\ML\WJI\\TMÅMTLTIVLQVObWVM[IVL\PMV]UJMZWNPMTQKWX\MZ[QV^WT^ML1V MIZTaWXMZI\QWV[\PM0̆KWUXIVQM[UIQVTaKIZZQML ):>6[WTLQMZ[IVLWZ[WPMTQKWX\MZ[XIZ\QKQXI\MLQV ITIVLQVO.WTTW_QVO\PMUI[[Q^MJ]QTL]XWN=;NWZKM[ JMOQVVQVOQV!\PMPMTQKWX\MZ[IQZTQN\MLXZQUIZQTa )UMZQKIV[WTLQMZ[IVL\PMV]UJMZWN0]Ma[KW]TLM`KMML ;M^MZITKWV[QLMZI\QWV[LM\MZUQVML\PMV]UJMZWN \ZWWX[KIZZQMLXMZIQZKZIN\=VLMZOWWL_MI\PMZ\PM 0̆WVQVQ\QITTQN\[UQOP\KIZZa\W):>6[WTLQMZ[ 7V []J[MY]MV\ TQN\[ UWZM KW]TL JM ILLML I[ \PMPMTQKWX\MZ[¼N]MT_MQOP\_I[ZML]KML.TQOP\KZM_[ IT_Ia[XZMNMZZML\W[\IZ\_Q\PWZNM_MZ\ZWWX[JMKI][MITIZOMZV]UJMZ_W]TLZMY]QZMUWZM\QUMQV\PM TIVLQVO bWVM M`XW[QVO \PM IQZKZIN\ \W UWZM MVMUa NQZM;\IaQVO\WWTWVO_I[PIbIZLW][IVLUWZM\PIV [MKWVL[_I[\WWTWVO1VI¹PW\ºTIVLQVObWVM>QM\VIUM[M\ZWWX[_MZM[WUM\QUM[[TW_OM\\QVOWNN\PM IQZKZIN\JMKI][M\PMa_MZM[KIZMLIVLWKKI[QWVITTa Q\ _I[ VMKM[[IZa \W \PZW_ WVM WZ \_W W]\ \PM LWWZ 
35

KZIN\QV\PMÆQOP\IVVW]VKML¹QM\VIUM[M XQTW\[_MZM][MLNWZIQZ[\ZQSM[L]ZQVO\PM0̆XMZQWLQV \PM_IZIVL\PMaOMVMZITTaLQLI^MZaOWWLRWJ*]\[WUM WЅKQIT[I\5)+>JMTQM^ML\PI\IQZ[\ZQSM[I\\PMTIVLQVO bWVMTW[\\PMMTMUMV\WN[]ZXZQ[MOQ^QVO\PM>QM\+WVO \QUM\WM[KIXM+PILTMN\\PMIZMIIVL\PMTIVLQVObWVM[ _MZMY]QM\ 6M^MZIV\Q̆KTQUI\QK_I[KZW[[QVO\PM\ZMMTQVMNWZ ITIVLQVO_PMVJW\P\PMKZM_KPQMNIVLLWWZO]VVMZ WXMVMLÅZM_Q\P\PMQZUIKPQVMO]V[QM\+WVO[aUXI\PQbMZ[_PWPILQVÅT\ZI\ML \PM):>6]VQ\[1\_I[MI[aNWZ\PMQVÅT\ZI\WZ[\W[PWW\ I\\PMIQZKZIN\_Q\PW]\JMQVOVW\QKMLJMKI][MITT\ZWWX[ QV\PMIZMI_MZMÅZQVOIN\MZ\PMTIVLQVO -^MV\PW]OP5)+>WЅKQIT[_MZMKWVKMZVML\PI\IQZ̆ [\ZQSM[ITMZ\MLMVMUaNWZKM[\WPMTQKWX\MZIZZQ^IT[ÆQOP\ KZM_[KWV[QLMZML\PM[\ZQSM[M[[MV\QIT[]XXWZ\NWZIVa \ZWWXTIVLQVOQM\+WVO _MZMVWTWVOMZOWQVO\W[KI\\MZ_PMV):>6\ZWWX[IZ̆ ZQ^MLJ]\QV[\MIL_W]TL[\IaIVLÅOP\ QM\VIU -IKPKWUXIVa_I[\WXZW^QLMIQZKZIN\\W\ZIV[XWZ\ 36

VIETNAM

COURTESY THOMAS R. MESSICK; OPPOSITE: TOP, GREGORY PROCH; RIGHT, WILLIAM JAMES WARREN/SCIENCE FACTION/CORBIS

Supplies for allies: Flying Bananas delivered food to Montagnard tribesmen who fought the Viet Cong.

\PZMM):>6JI\\ITQWV[QV\W\PMUW]V\IQV̆ W][IZMI[VWZ\PWN<]a0WI)\\PMUQ[[QWV JZQMÅVOPMTL\PZMMLIa[MIZTQMZ5)+>IV̆ VW]VKML\PI\\PMZM_W]TLJMVWIQZ[\ZQSM[ JMNWZM\PMTIVLQVO[QM\ +WVOWXMVMLÅZM5IVaIQZKZIN\QUUMLQ̆ I\MTaZMKMQ^MLU]T\QXTMPQ\[;WUM):>6 [WTLQMZ[_MZMSQTTMLITUW[\I[[WWVI[\PMa M`Q\ML\PMPMTQKWX\MZ¸JMNWZM\PMaKW]TLM^MVOM\W]\WN \PMTIVLQVObWVM.WZ\PMPMTQKWX\MZKZM_[[MKWVL[ WV\PMOZW]VL[MMUMLTQSMIVM\MZVQ\aQ[[]MLILQZMK\Q^M\PI\VW\ZWWX TQN\[_W]TLJMKWVL]K\ML_Q\PW]\XZQWZIQZ[\ZQSM[)TQ\\TM TI\MJ]\I\TMI[\ITM[[WVTMIZVML -^MV\PW]OPIVIQZ[\ZQSMIVLIPMTQKWX\MZO]V[PQXIK̆ KWUXIVQMLITIVLQVOI\)X*IKIJW]\UQTM[[W]\P̆ _M[\WN;IQOWVWV2IV!\PM>QM\+WVO[\IaML\W ÅOP\6[WTLQMZ[_MZMSQTTMLJ]\UW[\PQLJMPQVL ZQKMXILLaLQSM[LWQVOVW\PQVO\W[]XXZM[[\PM>+ÅZM )ZUWZMLXMZ[WVVMTKIZZQMZ[_Q\P̆KITQJMZUIKPQVM O]V[_MZMKTW[MJaIVLI^IQTIJTMJ]\\PM):>6KWŬ UIVLMZZMN][ML\WKITTQV\PW[MNWZKM[M^MV\W[I^MPQ[ W_VKW]V\ZaUMV 2][\I[JILIQZ[]XXWZ\_I[VW\ZMILQTaI^IQTIJTMJM̆ KI][MWNXWWZKWUU]VQKI\QWVIVLTIKSWNKWWZLQVI\QWV QM\+WVOM`XMZQMVKQVOTQ\\TMWZVWZM[Q[\IVKMUIQV̆ \IQVML\PMQZXW[Q\QWV]V\QTLIZSVM[[IVL\PMV[QUXTaLQ[̆ IXXMIZML1NVW\PQVOMT[M)X*IKLQ[KTW[ML[WUM[MZQW][ TMILMZ[PQX_MISVM[[M[QV[MVQWZ):>6WЅKMZ[4I\MZ )X*IK_I[IUIRWZNIK\WZQV\PMLMKQ[QWV\WKWUUQ\ )UMZQKIVKWUJI\\ZWWX[ )N\MZ)X*IK\PMZM[MMUML\WJMNM_MZ\ZWWXTQN\[IVL

UW[\ÆaQVO_I[NWZ[]XXWZ\IVL[]XXTa[MZ^QKM[1V\PM +MV\ZIT0QOPTIVL[NWZM`IUXTM\PM [\PILNW]Z;XMKQIT.WZKM[\MIU[\W[]XXWZ\QM\+WVO 1V!\PM;W]\P>QM\VIUM[MOW^MZVUMV\QV[\Q\]\ML \PM;\ZI\MOQK0IUTM\8ZWOZIU\WKWV[WTQLI\MQVLQ^QL]IT 5WV\IOVIZL[QV\WNWZ\QÅMLPIUTM\[\WXZW\MK\\PMUNZWU I\\IKS[IVLLMVa\PM>QM\+WVOIKKM[[\WUIVXW_MZ NWWL[W]ZKM[IVLXTIKM[\WTQ^MWZPQLM.ZWU\PM[\IZ\ \PMXZWOZIUM`XMZQMVKML[QOVQÅKIV\XZWJTMU[UIQVTa JMKI][MQ\_I[XWWZTaKWVKMQ^MLIVLJILTaUIVIOML1\ NWZKMLQVKWUXI\QJTM\ZQJM[\WTQ^M\WOM\PMZ\WWSI_Ia \PMQZXZMKQW][QVLMXMVLMVKMIVL_WZ[\WNITT\PMKWUXW]VL[_MZMKWV\ZWTTMLIVLO]IZLMLJa>QM\VIUM[M _PWU\PM5WV\IOVIZL[LM[XQ[ML
PIASECKI H-21 SHAWNEE, THE FLYING BANANA +ZM_" 4 (pilot, co-pilot, chief crew and door gunner)

-VOQVM"Wright R-1820 radial engine, 1,425 hp 4MVO\P"52 ft. 6 in. :W\WZLQIUM\MZ"44 ft. 0MQOP\" 15 ft. 9 in. -UX\a_MQOP\"8,950 lbs.
*]\\PMM`KQ\MUMV\NWZ\PMVM_IQZKZIN\[WWV\]ZVML \WLQ[IXXWQV\UMV\QM\VIU¸[MZ^QKM\PI\_I[M`KMX\QWVITKWV[QLMZQVO\PMa_MZMWTL_PMV\PMaIZZQ^MLLQЅK]T\\W UIQV\IQVPIZL\WNTaIVLQTT̆[]Q\MLNWZ\PMMV^QZWVUMV\_PMZM\PMaWXMZI\ML;\QTT\PMaXZW]LTaTML\PM _Ia]V\QT\PW][IVL[WNPQOP̆\MKPPMTQKWX\MZ[IZZQ^ML\W KPIVOMIQZUWJQTQ\aNWZM^MZV

QM\VIU4I\MZPMZM\QZMLI[UIVIOMZWNÆQOP\WXMZI\QWV[IVLKPQMNPMTQKWX\MZXQTW\NWZ/MVMZIT-TMK\ZQK+W

Replacements: New Bell UH-1 Huey helicopters, like these shown in 1965, took on the functions of the Flying Bananas.

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Night Jump Into Dien Bien Phu A firsthand account of the landmark battle that, as much as any single event, led to American involvement in Vietnam

By Captain Pierre Fauroux, French army

AP PHOTO; TOP RIGHT, COURTESY STEPHEN SMITH

Jumping into action: French airborne troops drop near a blockhouse on March 23, 1954, as France tries to defend its Indochina colony from Viet Minh rebels during the March 13-May 7 siege of Dien Bien Phu. Opposite, Pierre Fauroux receives the Silver Star in 1993 for his service to the U.S. Army in World War II.

Pierre Fauroux was born in 1921. He graduated from the French Military Academy at St. Cyr in 1942, when France’s Vichy government was dominated by Germany. In 1943 he escaped from France via Spain and joined the Free French movement based in Britain. Trained by the British in special operations, he parachuted into France in June 1944 during the D-Day invasion. At the end of 1944 the restored French government sent Fauroux to Indochina to prepare for the return of French forces at the end of the war. He participated in many clandestine reconnaissance missions until he returned to France in late 1946. Fauroux returned to Indochina in 1952 as the executive officer of a parachute battalion and fought at Dien Bien Phu, a French defeat that set in motion a series of political and military decisions in the United States that would send U.S. ground combat troops to Vietnam in March 1965. Fauroux was captured by the Viet Minh, a Communist-controlled organization fighting for independence from colonial rule. He was repatriated in September 1954 and later served in Algeria. During his military career Fauroux was awarded the French Legion of Honor and the American Silver Star. Fauroux died in 2010. His memoir written six years earlier includes the following account of the Battle of Dien Bien Phu, translated by retired U.S. Army Colonel Stephen Smith.

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40

VIETNAM

operations in the Red River delta and other places in Tonkin. I still have bitter memoZQM[WN\_WIЄIQZ[_M_MZMQV^WT^MLQVQM\5QVPÅOP\MZ[WVI[\ZM\KP of Highway 1 that ran through the area.] QM\[ZMN][ML\WÅOP\J]\_M\WWSITIZOM number of prisoners, whom we brought back to Tourane and turned over to the navy for evacuation. In the spring of 1953 the French government decided to look for an honorable way out of the war that was bogging down. Unable to achieve victory over the Viet Minh, who were supported by Soviet Russia and Communist China, the government designated a new commander in chief and gave him the task of reinforcing the FrancoVietnamese troops. It also undertook a series of diplomatic initiatives aimed at achieving a negotiated solution to the war. The new commanding general, General Henri Navarre, was given a mission that included countering the threat while holding the Viet Minh divisions in the Red River delta, mounting precision operations in the

The defenders: In the aerial photo above left, French tanks and infantry leave their besieged fortress on April 4,1954, for an attack on Communist forces. Above right, after surviving a night VMPU[LUZLÄNO[PUNVU April 3, a French patrol tries to determine the enemy’s position.

LEFT: KEYSTONE PICTURES USA/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; RIGHT: BETTMANN/CORBIS

In 1952 I received orders to report to Quimper, in France’s Brittany region, where paratroop battalions were trained, on May 2 before heading back to Indochina. Major Marcel Bigeard was at Saint-Brieuc [a town in Brittany] in command of the 6th Battalion of Colonial Paratroops. My battalion was the 10th Colonial Paratroops, commanded by Major Jean Bréchignac. In November 1952 we went to Marseilles to embark for Saigon. While in Marseilles we received WZLMZ[ZMÆIOOQVO][I[\PMVL*I\\ITQWV 1st Regiment of Paratroop Chasseurs. Shortly after our arrival in Hanoi around Christmas 1952, we were transported to Na San in Tai territory [a section of northern Vietnam inhabited by people of the Tai culture], where an important strongpoint had been organized over the previous several months. Two Viet Minh divisions had knocked themselves out trying to attack it. The French Foreign Legion paratroops distinguished themselves there. Na San was without question a French victory that cost the Viet Minh very dearly. By the time we IZZQ^ML\PM_WZ[\WN\PMÅOP\QVO_I[W^MZ We assumed responsibility for conducting all the patrols within a 30-kilometer radius around Na San. The objective was to make contact with the Viets there, who at that \QUMZMN][ML\WÅOP\][ That, however, did not prevent us from PI^QVOW]ZÅZ[\UIRWZMVOIOMUMV\WV)XZQT 1953. We fell upon a large enemy battalion IVL\PMÅOP\QVO_I[^QWTMV\?M[]ЄMZML killed, including one officer, 70 wounded IVLÅ^MWZ[Q`UQ[[QVOQM\5QVPJI\\ITQWV_I[XZIK\QKITTaIVVQPQTI\MLÅZ[\NZWU W]ZÅZMIVL\PMVNZWUÅOP\MZIQZKZIN\\PI\ machine-gunned the entire area. We remained in Tai territory until Easter, )XZQT!IVL\PMV_MV\JIKS\W0IVWQ to rest and reorganize for one week. For the VM`\[M^MZITUWV\P[_M\WWSXIZ\QV^IZQW][

FROM TOP: INTERFOTO/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; KEYSTONE PICTURES USA/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; BETTMANN CORBIS

heart of their supply zone and against Communist-infested areas in the center of Annam [a region in the central portion of what is now >QM\VIUEIVLWZOIVQbQVOITIZOMWЄMV[Q^M[]XXWZ\MLJaTIVLQVO[ along the coast. 6I^IZZMZMXTIKML/MVMZIT:IW]T;ITIV_PWPILJMMVQV1VLWKPQVI since 1948. The senior commander in northern Vietnam was Lt. /MV.ZIVtWQ[LM4QVIZv[[KPML]TML\WZW\I\MJIKS\W.ZIVKM0Q[ LM[QOVI\MLZMXTIKMUMV\_I[5IR/MV:MVu+WOVaITZMILaQV1VLWKPQVIIVLWVMWN\PM^MZaNM_[MVQWZWЅKMZ[QV\MZM[\MLQV\PMRWJ *MNWZMLMXIZ\QVO4QVIZv[I6I^IZZMKTI[[UI\MI\;\+aZIVLI\\PM jKWTM5QTQ\IQZM_IZVML\PMVM_KWUUIVLMZQVKPQMN\PI\+WOVa_I[ VW\IOWWLÅ\NWZ\PMRWJIVLVW\ZMILaNWZ[MVQWZKWUUIVL1\_I[ +WOVa_PWIL^Q[ML6I^IZZMWV\PMKPWQKMWN,QMV*QMV8P]\PW]OP PMTI\MZLQ[I^W_MLPI^QVOLWVM[WIVLZM[Q[\ML[MVLQVOZMQVNWZKMUMV\[NZWU\PM:ML:Q^MZLMT\I )[[WWVI[6I^IZZMI[[]UMLKWUUIVLPQ[UW[\QUUMLQI\MXZWJTMU_I[VWZ\PMZV4IW[1N\PM>QM\5QVPQVÅT\ZI\ML\PI\IZMINZWU \PM5MSWVO>ITTMaIVLNZWUUQLLTM4IW[\PMa_W]TL\PZMI\MVITT WN[W]\PMZV1VLWKPQVI6W\LMNMVLQVOVWZ\PMZV4IW[_W]TLIUW]V\ \WIKKMX\QVOIOMVMZITKI\I[\ZWXPM_Q\PQVINM_UWV\P[QM\5QVPIZUaIVL_M_MZM KWVÅLMV\_M_W]TLLMTQ^MZISVWKSW]\JTW_ QM\VIUM[M8IZI\ZWWX[#IVL\PM \P *I\\ITQWV+WTWVQIT8IZI\ZWWX[
The commanders: Top: Henri Navarre became commanding general of French forces in Indochina in spring 1953. He decided to occupy Dien Bien Phu to defend northern Laos from Viet Minh PUÄS[YH[PVU*LU[LY! )YPN.LU*OYPZ[PHUKL *HZ[YPLZJVTTHUKLK the garrison at Dien Bien Phu. Bottom: Lt. *VS7PLYYL3HUNSHPZ commanded the 2nd Airborne Task Force, which parachuted into Dien Bien Phu in November 1953.

From Nov. 26, 1953, to March 13, 1954, the base at Dien Bien Phu was continually improved and reinforced [primarily by setting up eight defensive positions, or strongpoints, each with a female name]. By December the garrison totaled some 12,000. A general sense of optimism reigned at the headquarters in Hanoi and ;IQOWVQM\5QVP Drawing the Viets into the valley was the dream of the MV\QZM[\IЄ?M_W]TLÅVITTaPI^M_PI\_M_IV\ML¸I concentrated target that we could hammer. The entrenched camp appeared impregnable, and none of the civil and military dignitaries who visited it raised any concerns. And yet toward the end of December General Navarre realized the risks we were running at Dien Bien Phu. Very reliable military intelligence reports indicated the enemy was bringing in heavy artillery. All too late he understood that the coming battle required support from a much more powerful air force. Even worse, the entrenched camp could only receive aerial support from distant bases in the Red River delta, which would mean delays in getting assistance. While we waited for the Viet Minh to attack Dien Bien Phu, an event of great importance changed everything. We learned on February 18 that our national leaders had decided to meet to discuss the Indochina issue in Geneva at the end of April. General Navarre had not been forewarned. He later placed much of the blame for the failure at Dien Bien Phu on that conference: The news encouraged the Viet Minh to pull out all the stops so they could go to the conference carrying a big military victory to bolster their position in the negotiations.

By the beginning of March the Viet Minh had encircled Dien Bien Phu with 60,000 to 80,000 troops from 28 infantry battalions, three artillery regiments, an antiaircraft regiment and an engineer regiment. They had enormous stockpiles that were being augmented at the rate of 50 tons a day by an interminable supply chain that included coolies, heavily loaded bicycles and 700 Molotova trucks provided by Soviet Russia. In addition to our infantry forces, we had two battalions of 105mm artillery and one battery of 155mm artillery, two 120mm mortar companies, 10 M24 light tanks and two engineer companies. We had nine days of ZI\QWV[MQOP\WNN]MTIVLÅ^MWNIZ\QTTMZaIUU]VQ\QWV Colonel Christian de Castries commanded the garrison, and Langlais, the 2nd Airborne commander, led the paratroops. As the battle unfolded, however, it became XZQUIZQTaIÅOP\KWVL]K\MLJaTQM]\MVIV\[IVLKIX\IQV[ On March 11 the Viet Minh artillery began harassQVOÅZMIVL[]KKMMLMLQVLM[\ZWaQVO[Q`/Z]UUIV. . *MIZKI\ÅOP\MZ[WV\PMOZW]VL?M_MZMZMITTa[]ZXZQ[ML to see that the Viet Minh had such artillery, which were sheltered in practically invulnerable tunnels hollowed W]\WN\PM[]ZZW]VLQVOUW]V\IQV[-^MZa\QUM\PMaÅZML they managed to hit something, and the French artillery at Dien Bien Phu was neutralized quickly. Faced with this failure, the French artillery commander, Colonel Charles Piroth, committed suicide in his bunker. The first assault, on the evening of March 13, was directed against the strongpoint designated Béatrice, defended by 450 troops of the 13th Foreign Legion Demi-Brigade. The position fell just after midnight. On March 14 the 5th Battalion, Vietnamese Paratroops, dropped back in as reinforcements. Two days later Major Bigeard and the 6th Battalion, Colonial Paratroops, dropped back in. But strongpoint after strongpoint fell as the fighting continued without interruption through the rest of March. When the battle started on March 13, the 2nd Battalion, 1st Paratroop Chasseurs, was in southern Laos at Savannakhet, where we had taken part in clean-up operations in that region. We quickly headed back to Hanoi and immediately prepared to jump into Dien *QMV8P]1V0IVWQ_MNW]VLXMWXTM¼[I\\Q\]LM[LM\M[\able. The news correspondents acted like the paparazzi do today, trying to interview every man in the street. +WTWVMTLM+I[\ZQM[¼_QNM_I[M[XMKQITTaPIZI[[ML-LQtions of the news magazine 4¼-`XZM[[with anti-military editorials appeared on the stands. We felt betrayed. We LQLV¼\]VLMZ[\IVL_Pa\PM.ZMVKPOW^MZVUMV\_I[V¼\ doing more to support us. In that atmosphere we took WЄNWZ,QMV*QMV8P]

We repulsed the attacks, often inflicting considerable losses, but enemy artillery fire was incessant 42

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OPPOSITE, FROM TOP LEFT: MAP BY DIT RUTLAND; DIEN BIEN PHU MUSEUM/REUTERS/CORBIS; KEYSTONE PICTURES USA/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO


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The Battle of Dien Bien Phu

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DEFENSIVE POSITIONS 1. Gabrielle 2. Anne-Marie 3. Béatrice 4. Huguette 5. Dominique 6. Claudine 7. Eliane 8. Isabelle 0

MILE

1

The beginning and the end: Below: French paratroops land in Dien Bien Phu in November 1953 as part of Operation Castor to secure the area from Communist Viet Minh forces. Above right: Viet Minh soldiers assault a French position in May 1954, shortly before taking complete JVU[YVSVM+PLU)PLU7O\»ZMVY[PÄJH[PVUZ

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IVL[]XXTQM[PIL\WJMLZWXXMLNZWUPQOPMZ and higher altitudes. Large amounts fell on MVMUaXW[Q\QWV[,]ZQVO\PMTI\MZLIa[WN \PMJI\\TM_MJMVMÅ\MLNZWU\PMQV\MZ^MV\QWVWNTIZOM)UMZQKIVKIZOWXTIVM[ÆW_V Ja\PMXQTW\[WN5IR/MV+TIQZM+PMVVI]T\¼[ +Q^QT)QZQM\[ÅZML the longest artillery concentration of the JI\\TM1\TI[\ML\PZMMPW]Z[IVL_I[XZQVKQXITTaLQZMK\MLI\\PM-TQIVMXW[Q\QWV[7]Z JI\\ITQWV[]ЄMZMLOZMI\TW[[M[QVKT]LQVOWVM KWUXIVaKWUUIVLMZIVLWVMTQM]\MVIV\ SQTTML\_WKWUXIVaKWUUIVLMZ[[MZQW][Ta _W]VLMLIVL[WUM[WTLQMZ[SQTTML7VTa \PZMMLIa[JMNWZM\PMMVLWN\PMÅOP\QVO\PM [\*I\\ITQWV+WTWVQIT8IZI\ZWWX[JMOIV\W LZWXQV On May 4 and 5 the assaults on Eliane 2 IVLU]T\QXTQML:IQVQV\MZNMZML_Q\P\PM IQZLZWX[7VTaPITNIKWUXIVaNZWU\PM+WTWVQIT8IZI\ZWWX[¼[\*I\\ITQWVIZZQ^MLWV May 5. On the afternoon of May 6 BréchiOVIKI[SMLUM\WOW_Q\PIZILQWWXMZI\WZ \W_IZL\PMKMV\MZWN\PMÅOP\QVO\WTWWSNWZ ITM[[X]T^MZQbMLXTIKM_PMZM_MKW]TLZMI[semble the surviving elements of the battalion. I advanced through the trenches in mud ]X\WUaKPM[\
Failed effort: French forces try to drive the Viet Minh out of the Communist trenches with napalm bombs on March 28, 1954. Covered French trenches are in the foreground. Above: French and Vietnamese prisoners of war, watched by Viet Minh guards, are marched out of Dien Bien Phu.

AP PHOTO; TOP: BETTMANN/CORBIS

We knew that the battle was already lost. Colonel Henri Sauvagnac, one of the founders of the French Airborne, came to see us WЄ0MLM[XIQZML\W[MM\PW[M_PW[M\ZIQVQVO PILJMMVPQ[MV\QZMTQNMLMXTWa]VLMZ[]KP conditions. I remember that as we were PMILQVO \W_IZL \PM IQZKZIN\ _M XI[[ML ]VLMZITIZOMXPW\WOZIXPWN\PM)UMZQKIV ÅTU[\IZ)^I/IZLVMZPIVOQVOWV\PM_ITT of the embarkation hall. Bréchignac said to me, “She really is a beautiful woman!” as if to say, “This is the world we are about to abandon!” And there we were, like others JMNWZM][IVLW\PMZ[IN\MZ][IXIZIKP]\MWV W]ZJIKSIVW\PMZWVW]ZJMTTaIR]UXJIOWV I[TQVOKWV\IQVQVO[WUMXWWZTQ\\TMXMZ[WVIT items, leaving for a lost battle, looking like [WUIVaXMVO]QV[ 7]ZLZWX[\IZ\MLWV\PMVQOP\WN)XZQT ̆
ÆIO)TT\PM]VQ\[_MZMKWV\IK\ML#ITT\PMIZU[IVL\PMZILQW[_MZM LM[\ZWaML
;\MXPMV;UQ\PIZM\QZML)ZUaWЅKMZQV\PM2]LOM)L^WKI\M /MVMZIT¼[+WZX[Q[IKQ^QTQIVI\\WZVMaNWZ\PM)ZUa¼[[\MZa;UITT8TIKMIVL5IZ\QV?QVLZW_¼[ ITTMa APRIL 2016

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PORTFOLIO

ALL IMAGES: BETTMAN/CORBIS

THE GI AND THE KID

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NEED A LIGHT TOO? )[WTLQMZ[PIZM[KQOIZM\\M[_Q\PKPQTLZMVWN5WV\IOVIZLÅOP\MZ[ tribal people of the Central Highlands area who were recruited Ja\PM=;UQTQ\IZaXIZ\QK]TIZTa\PM)ZUa¼[;XMKQIT.WZKM[IVL frequently brought their families with them to the base camps. HOP ON POP Two kids of Le My enjoy a ride on the shoulders of a U.S. Marine in 1965. During a lull in \PMÅOP\QVO Leathernecks in the village made new friends.

HOW TO PUMP A SWING A Vietnamese child and a lieutenant in the U.S. 25th Infantry Division test a swing set in a new playground at the American base in Cu Chi in 1966. The XTIaOZW]VLXIZ\WNIVQUXZW^MUMV\ XZWRMK\_I[J]QT\JaUMUJMZ[WN\PM\P APRIL 2016

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A SHOT FOR A SHOT While waiting to see a doctor from the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing’s medical team, a Vietnamese boy takes a shot on the shoulders of 1st Lt. William Space in 1965.

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NATIONAL ARCHIVES

PORTFOLIO

TOP: LAWRENCE STEPANOWICZ/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; RIGHT: DPA PICTURE ALLIANCE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; FAR RIGHT: MARINE CORPS PHOTO A369675

SMILES ALL AROUND Children at the Hoa Binh orphanage near Saigon horse around with an American [WTLQMZQV!

SOME LIGHT READING Vietnamese children in Saigon barter with and sell a magazine to Pfc. Mark W. 0W_IZLIZQÆMUIV_Q\P\PM!!\P4QOP\ 1VNIV\Za*ZQOILMQV! 

CANDY CRUSH A U.S. Marine hands out candy for the >QM\VIUM[M6M_AMIZQV!
APRIL 2016

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PORTFOLIO

I DO, I DO Marine Sergeant Jim Colton plays with a group of children at the University of Hue, which had been turned into a refugee center to handle persons displaced by ÅOP\QVOQV0]M in 1968.

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THIS IMAGE AND OPPOSITE: BETTMANN/CORBIS; TOP: AP PHOTO

YARDS TO THE FRONT A Navy corpsman treats children of 5WV\IOVIZLÅOP\MZ[I\IVW]\XW[\QV 1966. Family members often accompanied the “Yards” to American base camps.

THINGS GO BETTER WITH COKE )N\MZIOZW]XWNJWa[PMTXML\PM5IZQVM[ J]QTLJ]VSMZ[4IVKM+XT:QKPIZL) Morgan shares some light refreshments with them.

‘Madman’ Diplomacy and the Vietnam War Nixon and Kissinger hoped a bombing and interdiction campaign against Haiphong would worry the Soviets and convince them that the U.S. was losing patience and might get ‘out of control’ =VKMZ\IQVIJW]\\PMQUXIK\WNJWUJQVO+IUJWLQIQV 7XMZI\QWV*ZMISNI[\TI]VKPML5IZKP!!8ZM[QLMV\:QKPIZL6Q`WVIVLPQ[VI\QWVIT[MK]ZQ\aIL^Q[MZ 0MVZa3Q[[QVOMZM^IT]I\MLI\\IKSWX\QWV[IOIQV[\6WZ\P >QM\VIU Q\[MTN
\PMT]VIZVM_aMIZEMIOMZ\W[MQbM\PM[\ZI\MOQKQVQ\QI\Q^MQV\MV\WVQV\QUQLI\QVO0IVWQIVLKWV^QVKMLWN \PMXW[[QJQTQ\aWNXMZ[]ILQVO5W[KW_\WKWWXMZI\MCQV XZM[[]ZQVO6WZ\P>QM\VIU\WVMOW\QI\MIXMIKMIOZMMUMV\EQM\VIUQV5IZKPIVLQV\W)XZQT XTIVVQVO_MV\IPMILNWZXW[[QJTMM[KITI\WZaUMI[]ZM[ QV\PMVMIZN]\]ZM
Excerpted from Nixon’s Nuclear Specter: The Secret Alert of 1969, Madman Diplomacy, and the Vietnam War,Ja?QTTQIU*]ZZIVL2MЄZMa83QUJITT=VQ^MZ[Q\a8ZM[[WN3IV[I[=[ML_Q\P XMZUQ[[QWVWN\PM=VQ^MZ[Q\a8ZM[[WN3IV[I[

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WALLY MCNAMEE/CORBIS

War review: In White House communications with the Pentagon about blockading and mining Haiphong in 1969, President Richard Nixon and his national security adviser Henry Kissinger wanted the planning to be kept secret even from the departments and agencies of the national security apparatus.

mining ruse—or feint—against Haiphong in conjunction with a diplomatic maneuver aimed at Moscow. On the coast of the Gulf of Tonkin 70 miles east of Hanoi and just south of the 21st parallel, Haiphong was, as it is now, North Vietnam’s major seaport and transshipment center, with road, rail, air and water connections to the interior and other points along the coast. In 1968 about 90 percent of North Vietnam’s ocean-borne imports had passed through the city—most from the So^QM\=VQWVIVL+PQVI
*a?QTTQIU*]ZZIVL2MЄZMa83QUJITT

and the curtailment of foreign aid to allies supplying North Vietnam. The Johnson administration had investigated the pros and cons of a bombing-and-mining interdiction campaign against Haiphong and its lines of communication after the president had imposed restrictions upon Operation Rolling Thunder on March 31, 1968. A May 1968 CIA study of the advisability of such a campaign was largely negative, citing its likely adverse impact on negotiations; potential international and domestic objections; strong defenses in the area; and North Vietnam’s ability, with its allies, to compensate over a relatively short period of time for the closure of the port. Nonetheless, there were those within the national security bureaucracy, including the Joint Chiefs, who strongly favored mining and blockading Haiphong. Nixon’s National Security Study Memorandum of Jan. 21, 1969, his directive to the Joint Chiefs on January 27 to develop indicator actions [military actions to “create

APRIL 2016

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3Q[[QVOMZQVIKWV^MZ[I\QWV_Q\P)LUQZIT
CLOCKWISE FROM TOP LEFT; WHITE HOUSE PHOTO/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; RON SACHS/CORBIS; WORLD HISTORY ARCHIVE/ALAMY STOCK PHOTO; JOHN ROUS/AP PHOTO

fear in the Hanoi leadership” that the United States was preparing “new highly damaging” attacks] and the White House’s desire to launch retaliatory measures in ZM[XWV[M\W\PM8W[\̆QM\VIUE)V)QZ.WZKMOMVMZIT IVL[\ZWVOIL^WKI\MWNIQZXW_MZ_PWQV4IQZL¼[^QM_ ¹KW]TLVW\KWVKMQ^MWNÅOP\QVOI_IZQV_PQKP^QK\WZa _I[VW\\PMOWITº5K+WVVMTT[]JUQ\\ML[Q`WN\PMKPQMN[¼ ZMKWUUMVLMLWX\QWV[\W8IKSIZLNQ^MLIa[TI\MZWV 5IZKP\PMLIaJMNWZM4IQZLIVL?PMMTMZZM\]ZVML from South Vietnam. All six called for air attacks on selected military and logistics targets in North Vietnam: [\ZQSM[QVIVLIZW]VL\PM,MUQTQ\IZQbMLBWVMC\PM\P XIZITTMTE]X\W\PM!\PWZ\PXIZITTMTWZ\PZW]OPW]\ North Vietnam. 4IQZL;\MILUIVIVL3Q[[QVOMZLQLVW\NI^WZ[]KPLZIUI\QKIVLX]JTQK[\MX[IOIQV[\6WZ\P>QM\VIUI\\PQ[ \QUM4IQZLIVL;\MILUIV\PW]OP\IQZ[\ZQSM[IOIQV[\\PM 6WZ\P_W]TLJMLQ[XZWXWZ\QWVI\MIVL]VVMKM[[IZaZM\ITQI\WZaZM[XWV[M[\PI\IT[WZQ[SML[QOVQÅKIV\=;TW[[M[ 7V5IZKP\PMLIaJMNWZMTMI^QVONWZ>QM\VIU4IQZL PILZMKWUUMVLMLIVI^IT[PW_WNNWZKMQV\PMQM\VIUM[MKWI[\IT\IZOM\VWZ\PWN\PM,5BJ]\ south of the 19th parallel. If Communist attacks continued, the United States should respond with a “propor\QWVITº\_W̆PW]ZVI^ITJWUJIZLUMV\IVLIT[W¹OW\W \PM:][[QIV[IVL\MTT\PMU\PI\C_MEUMIVJ][QVM[[º 3Q[[QVOMZIVL8IKSIZLNI^WZML7XMZI\QWV*ZMISNI[\ I[IKTIVLM[\QVMIT\MZVI\Q^M\W[\ZQSQVO\PM6WZ\PIVLI[ IVIXXZWXZQI\MIVLMЄMK\Q^MZM\ITQI\WZaIVLQVQ\QI\Q^M̆ taking operation. Nixon wanted to retaliate for Post-Tet J]\_I[ZMT]K\IV\\WOWIPMIL_Q\P*ZMISNI[\QV\PMNIKMWN ;\I\M,MXIZ\UMV\WXXW[Q\QWV¹6Q`WV¼[ZM[MV\UMV\[IVL impatience increased,” Kissinger recalled. The president wanted to do “something.”

off and updated several 1967–68 plans for impeding North Vietnam’s imports. On March 13 General Wheeler sent Kissinger two plans: one to block a main channel to the harbor by sinking a submarine, the other to mine deepwater and close-in approaches to the harbor. The blocking plan required U.S. Navy SEALs to perform a secret hydrographic survey of the Nam Trieu Channel, a major approach to the Maritime Canal, to determine the worth of a blocking operation. Then, a submarine could be covertly “scuttled athwart the channel,” with another submarine waiting nearby to collect the crew. )VIMZQITUQVM̆TIaQVOWXMZI\QWVKW]TLN]VVMT¹ITT\ZIЅK into the main ship channel” while foreign governments were warned about the blockage and hazard. Harassing airstrikes would prevent dredging operations to open a new channel. The Joint Chiefs deemed this plan feasible. The mining plan was based on concepts developed when Admiral Moorer had been commander in chief of \PM8IKQÅK.TMM\IVL]V[]KKM[[N]TTaTWJJQML\PM2WPV[WV administration to mine the harbor. It called for 22 carrierbased A-6 Intruder aircraft to lay four minefields in three deepwater areas and a narrow close-in passage_Ia\PZW]OP\PM5IZQ\QUM+IVIT
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ward the war, Hanoi could use alternate PIZJWZ[IVL[UITTKZIN\NWZWІWILQVO[PQX[ anchored outside minefields—“unless the plan is carried out in concert with an intensive air campaign.” Kissinger asked Wheeler for additional analyses of the plans’ pros and cons, for suggestions and analysis of other options to limit North Vietnam’s imports and for the Joint Chiefs’ assessments of their comXIZI\Q^MMЄMK\Q^MVM[[7VWZJMNWZM5IZKP 19 Kissinger also created a task force to review contingency operations in Haiphong. It included representatives from the Joint +PQMN[\PM7ЅKMWN\PM)[[Q[\IV\;MKZM\IZa WN,MNMV[MNWZ1V\MZVI\QWVIT;MK]ZQ\a)ЄIQZ[ and the CIA. The members were “directed to hold the matter closely to avoid any implication within the departments that such studies are underway.” This heightened interest in Haiphong mining options was fundamentally the product of Nixon’s and Kissinger’s staunch faith in military escalation as a means to advance their Vietnam strategy. But the multiple players—the secretary of defense; the Joint Chiefs; Military Assistance Command, Vietnam; the State Department; the CIA and the Paris negotiating delegation—continued \WWЄMZKWVÆQK\QVOIL^QKM;WUM_IV\MLLZIUI\QKIVL sustained escalation, and others wanted none; they also disagreed about how to handle the negotiations in Paris. Laird and Wheeler returned from South Vietnam and submitted their reports to the president on March 13. Laird opposed military escalations generally and advocated U.S. troop withdrawals and strengthening the Army of the Republic of Vietnam—otherwise known as Vietnamization. Wheeler recommended major military escalations across the board: preemptive ground and air raids against enemy base areas in Laos as well as in Cambodia; naval and/or air attacks against targets in North Vietnam; and air and ground attacks in the southern DMZ. Wheeler and the chiefs thought that escalation should be aimed at achieving concrete military objectives, not political, diplomatic and psychological results. In par\QK]TIZ\PMa_MZMVW\WX\QUQ[\QKIJW]\\PMTW_MZ̆XZWÅTM indicator actions the chiefs had assembled in mid-March. The chiefs concluded that “it is unlikely that any one of the ‘indicator’ actions alone would cause a reduction of [North Vietnamese] combat activity in South Vietnam or produce a more forthcoming attitude at the Paris negotiations…even in combinations.” Laird agreed. Kissinger later wrote, in White House Years, that

AP PHOTO

Attack feint: Haiphong, on the Gulf of Tonkin’s coast, was North Vietnam’s major seaport and a transportation center. In 1968 about 90 percent of the country’s imports passed through the city.

during March and April he had “concluded that time was _WZSQVOIOIQV[\][IVL\PI\_M[PW]TLÅVL[WUMUMIV[ of bringing matters to a head. “I sought to involve the USSR in a complex maneuver and recommended Cyrus Vance as the ideal man for the mission.” Vance was a corporate lawyer who had served Presidents John F. Kennedy and Johnson in high-level defense positions and had recently been co-chairman of the U.S. delegation in Paris.
[M\\TMUMV\J]QTL]X\PMKWVÅLMVKMIVLIZUMLNWZKM[WN Saigon, pace and delay the negotiations to suit their own timetable, focus on military and not political issues in the talks (even though, he said, “we must at some point be prepared to discuss a political settlement”) and escalate militarily for the purposes “we are trying to achieve.” These purposes, Kissinger emphasized, were mainly political vis-à-vis the U.S. citizenry, the North Vietnamese and especially the Soviets, whom Nixon and Kissinger regarded as central to progress in the negotiations. “Our escalatory moves,” Kissinger wrote, “would not have primarily a military objective. Our concern _W]TLJM\PMXWTQ\QKITMЄMK\WNW]ZIK\QWV[º The Soviets “would like the war to end,” Kissinger afÅZUMLIVL¹KW]TLXTIaIUIRWZZWTMQVJZQVOQVO\PM_IZ to an end if they decided to put pressure on Hanoi.” But he added, “We have not yet found the leverage to get them to act on that desire.” Though some in the administration argued that a show of good faith would yield Soviet assistance, Kissinger thought otherwise, arguing that “the Soviets will put pressure on Hanoi only [when] they [have] decided that it is in their interest to do so,” a conviction often voiced by Nixon. Kissinger declared that “we must find a way either within the Vietnam context or beyond it to change the current Soviet calculation of gains and risks.” In that connection, “possible escalatory steps” were relevant. “We must worry the Soviets about the possibility that we are losing our patience and may get out of control,” Kissinger said. “We have just begun to give imaginative thought to this problem.” In the memo, Kissinger recommended, “We should begin immediately to develop alternate plans for possible escalatory military actions with the motive of convincing the Soviets that the war might get out of hand. (At your direction, work is underway on this question.)” This was most probably a reference to the mining plans Kissinger had requested from the Joint Chiefs. Out of control and out of hand were phrases that both Kissinger and Nixon had used in the past and would again in connection with their Vietnam strategy—phrases whose meaning in this context was consistent with the Madman Theory. [Nixon coined the name Madman Theory for his version of the principle of threatening and signaling the use of force.] Their aim was to alarm the Soviets, worrying them that U.S. escalation against North Vietnam would not only expand the war but endanger the North’s survival as a nation, perhaps requiring the Soviets to step up their support of Hanoi. At a minimum, U.S. escalation could undermine hopes for détente. At a maximum, American escalation in the form of a mining operation, for example, could cause the destruction of a Soviet ship with loss of life, creating the risk of political if not military confrontation. V

William Burr is senior analyst at the National Security )ZKPQ^M/MWZOM?I[PQVO\WV=VQ^MZ[Q\a2MЄZMa8 Kimball is professor emeritus of history at Miami (Ohio) University. He is the author of The Vietnam War Files and Nixon’s Vietnam War. APRIL 2016

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A Failure of Leadership in South Vietnam =XPQTT*I\\TM":MÆMK\QWV[WV >QM\6IU+W]V\MZQV[]ZOMVKa by Frank Scotton, Texas Tech University Press, 2014 Was the Vietnam War essentially “unwinnable” because of the incorrigibly venal, consistently corrupt and—worst of all—egregiously incompetent South Vietnamese OW^MZVUMV\WЅKQIT[IVL[MVQWZ military commanders? Frank Scot\WVINWZUMZNWZMQOV[MZ^QKMWЅKMZ who spent at least part of every year from 1962 to 1975 in Vietnam working for the United States Information Agency, thinks so. In his extensive and detailed memoir, =XPQTT*I\\TM":MÆMK\QWV[ on Viet Nam Counterinsurgency, Scotton looks back on the 1975 NITTWN;IQOWVIVL\PMÅVIT6WZ\P >QM\VIUM[MWЄMV[Q^M\PI\Y]QKSTa overwhelmed the U.S.-trained and ̆MY]QXXML)ZUaWN\PM:MX]JTQKWN Vietnam. He concludes: “There really never had been anything 58

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wrong with the courage and endurance of the [ARVN’s] basic soldiers, experienced noncommissioned WЅKMZ[IVLR]VQWZWЅKMZ[
support the Saigon government. Over the years, he worked closely with a cast of South Vietnamese IVL)UMZQKIVWЅKQIT[KQ^QTQIVIVL military, that reads like a “Who’s Who” of counterinsurgency, notably including John Paul Vann, Robert Komer and William Colby. Uphill Battle seems a particularly apt title for this memoir. Scotton LM[KZQJM[PQ[MЄWZ\[\WJ]QTL MЄMK\Q^MKW]V\MZQV[]ZOMVKa programs at the local level against dedicated and experienced Communist operatives, South Vietnamese government corruption IVLNZMY]MV\WXXW[Q\QWVWZI\JM[\ QVLQЄMZMVKMNZWU[MVQWZ=; WЅKQIT[QV?I[PQVO\WVIVL;IQOWV Considering that Scotton wrote this book four decades after the events he describes, it is a remarkably detailed account of his experiences. He explains that “stored boxes of maps, correspondence, books and other research material” helped him reconstruct his experiences so thoroughly. Although ZMILMZ[UIaÅVL;KW\\WV¼[NZMY]MV\ barrage of unfamiliar Vietnamese VIUM[WNQVLQ^QL]IT[IVLXTIKM[ tough going, those who persevere _QTTJMZM_IZLML_Q\PI\Z]TaÅZ[\̆

AP PHOTO/RICK MERRON

In the same boat: An American adviser, center, crosses a river near Saigon with South Vietnamese infantrymen in 1966.

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The Pillow Was the Problem I bought every pillow on the market that promised to give me a better night’s sleep. No matter how many pillows I used, I couldn’t find one that worked and finally I decided to invent one myself. I began asking everyone I knew what qualities they’d like to see in their “perfect pillow”, and got many responses: “I’d like a pillow that never goes flat”, “I’d like my pillow to stay cool” and “I’d like a pillow that adjusts to me regardless of my sleep position.” After hearing everyone had the same problems that I did, I spent the next two years of my life inventing MyPillow.

MyPillow® to the Rescue Flash forward ten years and MyPillow, Mike Lindell’s revolutionary pillow design, has helped 5 million people improve the quality of their sleep. MyPillow has received thousands of testimonials about the relief MyPillow has brought to people who sufered from migraines, snoring, fibromyalgia, neck pain and many other common issues. Lindell has been featured on numerous talk shows, including Fox Business News and Imus in the Morning. Lindell and MyPillow have also appeared in feature stories in The New York Times and the Minneapolis Star Tribune. MyPillow has received the coveted “Q Star Award” for Product Concept of the Year from QVC, and has been selected as the Official Pillow of the National Sleep Foundation. MyPillow’s patented technology can help with all of the most common causes of sleep loss and allows you to adjust it to any sleeping position. You can even wash and dry MyPillow as easily as your favorite pair of blue jeans!

“With my neck and back issues (I had surgery) proper body alignment is important. Since I received my MyPillow, I have had significant improvement in my sleep, allowing me less pain. I wake up refreshed and ready for the day. I love that the pillows come in variety of sizes to meet needs of all. The pillow stays cool which allows for good sleeping temperature. MyPillow, thank you for giving me the gift of sleep!” - Todd Westerbeck U.S. Navy

Unprecedented Guarantee and Warranty I do all of my own manufacturing in my home state of Minnesota and all materials are 100% made in the U.S.A. I’m so confident MyPillow will help you, I’m ofering an unprecedented 60-day money back guarantee and a 10-year warranty not to go flat! I truly believe MyPillow is the best pillow in the world and that if everyone had one, they would get better Michael J. Lindell CEO, MyPillow, Inc. sleep and the world would be a much happier place.

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BOBBY COLOMBY OF THE HIT BAND BLOOD, SWEAT & TEARS Drummer Bobby Colomby is one of the founders of Blood, Sweat & Tears, a groundbreaking band whose sound combines jazz with rock. BS&T was formed in 1967 with Al Kooper as lead singer. The next year its second album, with Canadian David ClaytonThomas the lead singer, rose to No. 1 and won the Grammy for Album of the Year, beating The Beatles’ Abbey Road. The album included megahits “Spinning Wheel” and “You’ve Made Me So Very Happy.” Blood Sweat & Tears is still performing with a new generation of musicians—more than 175 have played with the band over four decades. Colomby, who now owns the Blood, Sweat & Tears franchise, reminisced about the band’s early years.

The 1969 Woodstock Festival, where BS&T got a top slot: At [OL[PTLP[Q\Z[ZLLTLKSPRLH]LY`JYV^KLKMLZ[P]HS>LJLY[HPUS` KPKU»[[OPURP[^V\SKILJVTLHUPJVUPJL]LU[>L^LYLU»[[OLYL MVYHSSVMP[6U[OLSHZ[UPNO[^LKYV]LPU^LU[Z[YHPNO[[V[OL IHJRZ[HNLHYLH0[OHKHSYLHK`YHPULK[OLYL^HZT\KTHU`^LYL walking around smoking joints and the police were lined up with [OLPYWHSTZ\WZH`PUN¸>OH[KV`V\L_WLJ[\Z[VKV&(YYLZ[OHSM HTPSSPVUWLVWSL&¹>L^LYLPU[YVK\JLKWSH`LKHUKSLM[ BS&T and the antiwar movement: Our singer was against the ^HYHZTVZ[VM\Z^LYLH[[OL[PTLI\[+H]PK*SH`[VU;OVTHZ ^HZ]VJHSHIV\[P[HUKL_WYLZZLKOPZILSPLMZW\ISPJS`VUTHU` VJJHZPVUZ6ULWHY[PJ\SHYJVUNYLZZTHU^OVZLUHTL0JHU»[ YLTLTILYZHPK!¸>O`HYL^LSL[[PUN[OPZ*HUHKPHUPU[OLJV\U[Y` THRPUNTVUL`PMOL»ZV\[[OLYLZH`PUN[OVZL[OPUNZ&¹(SSVMH Z\KKLUV\Y*HUHKPHUZPUNLYOHKHUPTTPNYH[PVUWYVISLTHUK [OL`^LYLU»[NVPUN[VSL[OPTIHJRPU[OLJV\U[Y`;OL:[H[L +LWHY[TLU[BPU D^HU[LKHU(TLYPJHUIHUK[VWSH`ILOPUK [OL0YVU*\Y[HPUHUKUVVULBHTVUN[OL¸HU[PLZ[HISPZOTLU[¹ IHUKZD^HZKLHSPUN^P[O[OL:[H[L+LWHY[TLU[)\[V\YTHUHNLY RUL^ZVTLVULHUKTHKLHKLHS!>L»SSWSH`ILOPUK[OL0YVU *\Y[HPUPM`V\SL[V\YN\`IHJRPU[OLJV\U[Y`:VHZP[[\YUZV\[ ^L^LYL[OLÄYZ[(TLYPJHUIHUK[VWSH` ILOPUK[OL0YVU*\Y[HPU>LWLYMVYTLKPU 7VSHUK9VTHUPHHUK@\NVZSH]PH>L^P[ ULZZLKÄYZ[OHUK[OLVWWYLZZPVUVMJVT munism. It was frightening. After I was PU[LY]PL^LKHIV\[[OL:[H[L+LWHY[TLU[ tour, an article in the New York Post said [OH[0HUKT`IHUK^LYLYPNO[^PUNLYZ and that we should cut our hair shorter. Strangest thing that happened on a tour: On that State Department tour we ^LYLPU3Q\ISQHUH@\NVZSH]PH>LWSH`LK V\YVWLUPUNZVUN¸4VYLHUK4VYL¹ ;OLYL^LYLHIV\[WLVWSLPUH

64

VIETNAM

ÄLSKOV\ZL;LYYPISLJH]LYUV\ZZV\UK0[^HZQ\Z[HIPNYL]LYI JOHTILYVMH]LU\L>LLUK[OLZVUN·IPNLUKPUN(UK[OLYL ^LYLQ\Z[HJV\WSLVMOHUKZJSHWWPUNSPRL[OLLUKVM[OL[LSL]PZPVU show 3H\NOPU. We look at the audience and the expressions VU[OLPYMHJLZ[LSS\Z[OH[[OL`[OPUR^L»YLH^M\S(Z[OLZOV^ WYVJLLKZ[OLH\KPLUJLILNPUZ[VNYHK\HSS`KPZHWWLHY([[OLLUK VM[OLZOV^[OLZWHJL^HZMHPYS`LTW[`(Z0^HSRVɈ[OLZ[HNL 0ZLLHMLSSV^H*OHYSLZ4HUZVUSVVRHSPRL\WPU[OLISLHJOLYZ /LY\UZKV^U[VZH`ZVTL[OPUN[VTL0[OPUR[OH[[OPZN\`SV]LK the show so much that, at least for him, it was all worthwhile. I wait for him to come as close as he can, and I greet him with a MYPLUKS`¸/LSSV¹/LYL[VY[ZSV\KS`¸@V\Z[PUR¹0[T\Z[OH]LILLU the sound. It was just a mush of audio. Either that, or we really Z\JRLK[OH[UPNO[0[KPKU»[OHWWLUHU`^OLYLLSZL0U9VTHUPH [OLMHUZH[HJVUJLY[JOHU[LKPU\UPZVU!¸<:(<:(¹;OLWVSPJL attacked the crowd with dogs to stop them. A serviceman in the band: 6\YSLHK[Y\TWL[WSH`LY3L^:VSVɈ ^HZPU[OL(YT`9LZLY]L,]LY`Z\TTLYOL^V\SKWSH`PU[OL (YT`IHUKMVY[^V^LLRZ0U[`WPJHS3L^:VSVɈMHZOPVUOL^LU[ from his apartment in Manhattan to this camp in New Jersey, or 7OPSHKLSWOPHPUH5L^@VYR[H_P/PZ(YT`IHUKTH[LZ^V\SKZLL [OPZ5L^@VYR*P[`[H_PZOV^\WHUK3L^^V\SKNL[V\[UL]LY YLHSPaPUN[OLHIZ\YKP[` Best things about being in a popular band: Meeting people. :LLPUN[OL^VYSK(SZV[OLYL^HZZVTL[OPUNHIV\[[OLMLLSPUNVM RUV^PUN[OH[^OLU^LOP[[OLZ[HNL[OLYL^HZHOPNOWYVIHIPSP[` [OH[^L^LYLNVPUN[VRUVJR[OH[H\KPLUJLÅH[ZVY[VMSPRLNVPUN [V[OLYHJL[YHJRRUV^PUN^OV[OL^PUULYZ^V\SKILPUHK]HUJL Favorite BS&T song: ;OLYL^HZHOP[^YP[[LUI`+H]PK*SH`[VU ;OVTHZJHSSLK¸.V+V^U.HTISPU»¹(SZV0SPRLKHZVUNMYVTV\Y MV\Y[OHSI\TJHSSLK¸/VS`1VOU1VOU[OL )HW[PZ[¹0[^HZ^YP[[LUI`(S2VVWLY How Blood, Sweat & Tears should be remembered: >L^LYLKLÄUP[LS`HU PUUV]H[P]LIHUK>L[YPLK[OPUNZ[OH[ OHKU»[ILLUKVULPUWVWT\ZPJILMVYL I`OH]PUNHOVYUZLJ[PVU^P[OYPJO OHYTVUPJHYYHUNLTLU[ZHUKI`OH]PUN HZPUNLYB+H]PK*SH`[VU;OVTHZD^OV sang in tune and clear enough so you could actually hear the lyrics. I would SPRL[V[OPUR[OH[V\YIHUKJVU[YPI\[LK to raising the standards of musicianship in pop music. V

PORTRAIT BY DONNA ABBOTT

The band’s name: I am playing in Washington, D.C., with Odetta, and someone phoned Al [Kooper] and said the opening act for the James Cotton Blues Band [in New York] canceled. “Can you ÄSSPU&+V`V\OH]LHIHUK&¹(SZHPK¸6O`LHO0»]LNV[HIHUK¹ (UK[OLN\`HZRLK¸+V`V\OH]LHUHTL&¹0U[OVZLKH`Z^OLU `V\JVSSLJ[LKHSI\TZ[OL`»KWPSL\WVU[OLÅVVYPU`V\YYVVT @V\JV\SKIHYLS`NL[PUP[ILJH\ZL[OLYL^LYLZVTHU`HSI\TZ 6U[OLÅVVYH[(S»ZMLL[^HZ[OL1VOUU`*HZOHSI\T¸)SVVK :^LH[HUK;LHYZ¹/LSVVRLKKV^UHUKZHPK¸:\YL^LOH]LH UHTL!)SVVK:^LH[HUK;LHYZ¹

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