The+Vietnam+Soldier


 * Notes on the Vietnam Soldier**

//Chasing Charlie// -many acronyms -some ordered to kill as many natives as they could near cities -newbies were ignored by more experienced men -there are snakes and people ready kill anywhere -very hot and dusty -some men were very sick cuz of hydration -really scared -don't feel like they are in the real world

//A Grunt's War// -charlie have tunnels, mines, bombs, booby traps, snakes hidden in weeds or dirt or thick vegetation -foot soldiers on patrol a lot- grunts -average grunts were white and came from small towns in US -21-22 years old -10-12% were black -new recruits and draftees trained in boot camps -spicy unpleasantly cooked foods -natives have no deodorants -Vietnamese spoke in a loud sharp language -airport is super loud and smelly and annoying -at least one grunt in a platoon was medically trained, one or two were radiotelephone operators (RTOs) -RTOs were needed for artillery support or air cover, and risked being cut off and vulnerable to ambush -killing RTOs was Vietnamese goal -grunt's pack weighed 35-70 lbs. full of food, utensils, books, socks, salt tablets, rope, cards, letters, photos, tools, weapons -most had m-16 rifles, some had machine guns, grenades, claymores -platoon- mix of people, blend of veterans, newbys/cherries -gungis wre people who were NOT scared of the enemy