I volunteered on my 18th birthday, January 8, 1968. A few weeks later TET happened. I left high school and went to basic in March. Infantry. I hated school. Was in country 14 months. I got home and put Vietnam in my rear view mirror. I gotta be honest, other than flashes of memories or pics, I cannot remember details like these guys can. It wasn’t until about 5-6 years ago watching RUclips that I even really started to try to remember things. There is never a day that goes by that I don’t think of it, but God help me I can’t remember the details some of these guys can. Now that I’m in my 70s, I watch these and little pieces come back. To this day I miss my friends my brothers. I’ve never had any friends in civilian life that even came close. Someday we will all be together again I hope. In my head I’m still 18, but when I look in the mirror there’s an old guy looking back. Where did all the years go
@@harryhalcrow3233 Not being mean here, but how did interfering in the politics of Vietnam affect your freedom in Canada America or anywhere else? I've never heard a adequate explanation of such a thought process, maybe you'll be the first?
My late husband was a Vietnam vet. Army medic. Was 17 when he went to Vietnam. Almost every night he would have nightmares and holler out. He really didn’t open up and talk about his experiences till the last few years of his life. He told me when he first got to nam he tried to get to know the men he was assigned with, he said many didn’t really want to talk very much. He said after the first 6 months of being in combat he learned why. Every new guy that showed up did what he had when he first got there, but the kill rate was so extreme that it was pointless to get to know anyone, even their names because most didn’t live long enough to get to know. He soon stopped talking as well. He had a photograph of himself and four other army buddies sitting on a beach, really dark sand. He told me that he was the only one in that photo that came home alive, he also was sent to Germany to train on tanks. He caused so much hell over there taking off riding around the countryside in that tank, that they sent him home! He did everything he could to piss off the powers that be. Keeping in mind he was a rebel to start out with, a surfer from Miami. When he got home he chose to stay mostly secluded in the woods. He was actually a really tough man. Always taking on the hardest jobs to push himself. Might sound crazy, but I have always been proud of my Rob for being a Vietnam Vet. Those men are cut from a different cloth. He wasn’t going to let anything control his life ever again. Real ass to most people, but he loved me and made sure I knew it every day. God bless each and every Vet, without you we would not be here. Very grateful for these interviews, very important to NEVER forget what Veterans sacrifice for us every day.
I'm so very much in twoo minds. first: thank you for telling your story! Your husband does sound like a good man. secondly :"bless each and every Vet, without you we would not be here" completely had me jumping the rails. Each and every vet? I've had a few friends from Vietnam in college, although they didn't tell me anything that I hadn't learned before - either from books or reports on the landmines which kill civilians to this day, and heard a few stories. Some of the soldiers did horrifiying things over there - oh, and I've seen some images which would probably get a youtube video demonitized. Basically: "this Vet is a good man" and "all Vets are good men" are two very different things. Charles Granger is a Vet. And why the "without them we would not be here" ? The Vietnam war came at a much higher price to the Vietnamese people than to the US, but I still don't see how anybody in the US profited from Vietnam being used as a Cold War arena. Okay, MIC, obviously.
@@dean3434 I would have no freedoms without our Military. Bless each of you for all the sacrifices that you made on my-and our country's- behalf. I can't fully express my gratitude- there are just not enough words.
Barbara Amoroso, your love for your late husband is so beautiful and encouraging. I have PTSD (childhood trauma) and work through it every day. Thank you for sharing your husband's story. And thank you to your husband for his service to our country.
My Dad turn 18 and 21 in combat. I've never known a more shattered man. He battle hand & foot rot, ice pick headaches, horrifying PTS and was our hero. He never complained about his service and he never recovered, we lost him to cancer the end of 2018 me and my siblings were devastated. The time we did have with him was difficult and then he was gone. RIP TMS until we meet again.
@@bullbutter2931 He must have been there in the early years, like mine, also a victim of agent orange and whatever other chemicals used. And now this country supports, protects and serves communist leadership like the CCP. It is despicable to say the least.
This interview with Richard Tangel is, hands down, one of the best narration of his experiences in Vietnam I have ever heard. He speaks truth without exaggeration about his military experience. I was there in 1966/1967 and can relate to everything he talks about. He survived the war because he is a thoughtful, clear-thinking man and tells his personal story with humility. I saved this video because I want to listen to his story again. I recommend anyone interested in knowing what it was like to be an 11B (Rifleman) in Vietnam listen carefully to what he says and how he tells his story without bitterness and with gentle humor. Thankyou my brother and welcome home!
I spent 5 years in Vietnam 65, 70 . I have listened to a lot of soldiers stories from Vietnam . This soldier was telling a very realistic story of his experiences . He never fabricated a anything , like some soldiers did to make themselves look good or make a political statement . Thank you Sgt for your service and for being very honest .
I don’t think I would have gone...somehow, even at 24, I would try to figure out something. Am I showing off or admitting something? I dunno. Just terrible...but what I wonder is, how come nobody objected to Korea? Same deal, northern communist state and southern capitalist state. Nobody likes North Korea now. Are we happy North Vietnam won? I suspect so. Totally different, is it? Barely ten to fifteen years apart. And the Malay 'emergency' from '48 to '60 too!
I was north of Hue/Phu Bai area. Camp Eagle and Camp Evans with the 101st. Spent most of My time on OP Apollo. We got Our artillery support from Birmingham and/or Bastogne. That was '71-'72. No regrets.
As an Afghan vet who had it pretty good, the rocket story was pretty on point. It’s amazing to me, how the military hasn’t changed much. These heroes really went through a lot.
Richard, I'll be 52 years old this year and you might think this generation doesn't care, I'm happy to say we do. Thank You Sir for all you and you're men have done for our Country!
@@sabre22b Yes,the Vietnam vets had to play it by ear on so many levels,made infinitely worse by the theatre in which they operated,very brave men,on whose shoulders todays soldiers stand.
Mosquitoes came in two variety, the ones that eat you on sight or fly away with you and eat you in the bush. Vietnam is either hot and wet or it's wet and hot. Away from the rivers the ground is either dry and is like powder or wet and you sink up to your knees. This guy is for real, he ain't no phoney. He brings up things you want to forget. sorry I got to leave..
As difficult as this was for you to recall, it’s genuinely appreciated. No amount of “thank yous” can be enough to credit you for your service but thank you nonetheless.
I remember reading that Audie Murphy used to sleep with a gun after he came back from Europe. He was affected by his experiences, he gambled and was quite a drinker for many years after the war. It took him a long time to realize that he needed to talk through his experiences in order to get through them. I hope Mr. Tangel finds peace. Talking abut these things may give him that.
From E1 to E5 in one year and never ambushed while he was walking point. He served with true distinction. Amazing to think how much this gentleman must have changed and aged in only 12 months time.
I am here 5 1/2 years after this is published and I hope people see this well after 50 years. Thank you for your story, and above all, thank you for your service.
@@flethacker he was drafted and had no choice, youre soy boy ass should be happy that you didn’t get drafted because you’d shit your diapers, that’s why we thank him
This interview brings back a lot of memories. I was 18-20 yrs old when I served aboard an LST and we serviced many of the river bases, including Dong Tam. Once we had to hurriedly pull off the beach due to a firefight there (I believe it was 69). We were part of the Brownwater Navy and well acquainted with the Mekong Delta action, including rocket fire. After 2 years in country, I was done with Vietnam and the USN. It changed me and I never backed down from any job or challenge for the rest of my working life. Except being exposed to Agent Orange, I left relatively unscathed, but others among us were not so fortunate.
Im a VN era vet who never went. VN vets dont talk much, even to me. Most of them find that stuff hard to remember and harder to talk about. I guess I just want people to understand that this man is doing a great service for us all by telling his story. Welcome home Richard Tangel and thank you.
I had a neighbor who was bothered 20 years later by his experiences, and never said a thing about it until he went to a counselor. Best neighbor I ever had! This was a man who was SO competent in his field.
@MichaelKingsfordGray Who are you referring to? If it's me, you are incorrect. Do you suppose people use WORK COMPUTERS? Oh, and I dont care what you believe keyboard warrior.
Tri, most of us know that the real American heroes have their names engraved on a wall in D.C., but you are the first SVN I have heard say "Thanks". That is very impressive, given the fact that the SVNs continued the fight for freedom some two years after our outrageous politicians broke their promise and did not authorize support for SVN after withdrawing our U.S. troops. And we know that SVN collapsed only because they subsequently ran out of fuel and ammo. You and your people are heroes to those who know the truth. The courage of the SVN people is amazing!
@Red Bull You ARE a vicious, cynical bastard. They were all people, and we people were in their country, supporting a corupt government just because it was non communist. I am NOT a communist, but those who are, are merely beleiving in a political system where the national wealth is shared by everyone (in theory). And THAT is all "communist" is. And the final result? a beautiful country, full of respectful, intelligent people, many of whom now share the American and other western country's dream Tell me mr. dynamic "Red Bull, what on earth made 1.3 million people declared "bastards" by you. Did you know ANY of them? No! You are just spouting off generalized hate, the kind that a__holes vote into power and SEND our troops into these unwinable foreign wars. Richard was/is a hero. It's YOU... is the 'bastard'! 😒
@@loftsatsympaticodotc piss off. The communists slaughter hundreds of thousands of SVNs before during and after the war and put them in concentration camps. They waged war against their southern neighbor to conquer land and force them all under communist control. They are bastards
I just lost a friend of mine who flew a cesna bird dog recon plane in Vietnam which is what brought me to this video.He told me some of what went on in the war for him but I learned a lot more from his family after his death.I knew this guy for over 40 years and he kept so much hidden from everybody.He had a lot of demons from his time in Vietnam and many friends lost.He will be missed.
Sorry for your loss sir. One thing for sure is that most of us vets, whether in combat or peace have endure so much that the outside doesn't know. I had orders to go to Iraq with my unit in 2005 (328th Combat Support Hospital A Company), fortunately and unfortunately our orders were changed from going to a combat zone to staying at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center helping with the mission of receiving casualties from everywhere and anywhere at any given hour......nothing would prepare us for what we would be experiencing....I mean from soldiers, Marines, Airmen to include those journalists who were in the IED explosion ( which Charlie Company, my company, was called to support) I remember unloading that gentleman attached to a ventilator which was heavy.....I mean we had flights come in with casualties, we would get calls at random times ( early morning, midday, afternoon). I was a Pharmacy Technician, but in the military our primary job is being a soldier not your job, I remember seeing a soldier missing half of his butt cheek and being stuffed with gauze in ICU.......most of our staff especially nurses/ medics were on sleeping meds/ anxiety meds, while our scars are still there the smell of burnt skin and the things we experience first hand will never go away to this day I cry and reach out to my battle buddies and check on them because I know I'm not.....God bless everyone.
Deep respect for this man. I was born while my dad was in Vietnam (3rd Division, USMC). The story my mom tells me is he walked in the door and dropped his stuff and then fell asleep on the couch while holding me on his chest. He stayed there for 24 hours. He never talked much about his time in Vietnam except to say he saw horrific things, laughed a lot and made close friends for life. When he passed in 2007, a few guys he served with were pall bearers with me and my brother.
Not surprising that many of them would not want to talk about the atrocities they committed against the Vietnamese people. Who'll want to admit their participation in them.
When he was talking about misquotes. I was doing survival training and went to the base exchange before the field part. My buddy made fun of me for buying this mosquito netting that went over your head as I guess it looked kinda dumb I suppose. I sealed my sleeping bag around this netting as tightly as I could and grinned as I heard the mosquitos buzzing an inch away from my face as well as hearing that same buddy smacking his face as I was dozing off. Undoubtedly one of the better buys in my life.
I am not a veteran, I never went to Vietnam. I was 7 years old in 1969. I remember my parents watching the news every night. Walter Cronkite, Roger Mudd. The graphic news clips of the soldiers. That's what draws me to the veteran stories. We had a neighbor up the road who went to Vietnam, but never came home. I have respect for all who served. In all wars now. Thank you for your service.
What fucking service ??? Can you tell that to a Vietnamese farmer who had his 3 year old daughter and 8 year old son bombarded while they were feeding their pigs and chickens? Fuck that service gratitude!! I respect the soldier and his experience since he didnt knew better he was just a young man not knowing politics but please stop wuth the thank you for the service bullshit
I worked for years with two older guys who were both marines in Vietnam. Two tours each, I think. I was very close friends with one and casual friends with the other as he worked in a different section Neither one hardly said a word about their experience other than just acknowledging they were there. Even when we drank heavily, rarely more than a few words. After listening to this gentleman, and a few others, I can see why they didn't talk much about it. Rough times.
I had two bosses that did a tour in Vietnam, they did tell me about their worst experience. Here's what they told me. Boss #1, he and his buddies were crossing a street somewhere in nam to have a couple of beers in a bar, one buddy decided to buy a newspaper from a young boy my boss hears this huge explosion just before entering the bar, the boy selling the newspapers had a grenade and pulled the pin and killed my bosses friend on purpose. Boss #2, the base in nam he was assigned to was deep into enemy territory as a result they were warned not to wonder off base alone well my boss had the unfortunate experience of finding a soldier strung up in a tree with his genitals cut off and stuffed in his mouth while patrolling the perimeter!
I'm Canadian. About 10 years ago I worked a part-time job with a retired guy who had been a grade-school principal. One day he mentioned in passing that he had flown Hueys for the US in Vietnam. That was the only thing he'd say about it and from the way he said it I knew better than to ask again. I still bump into him occasionally.
God bless these guy's... while listening this I suddenly had a realization, my dad was in WWII & also Korea and I just realized the many many vets who I've thanked for their service in the conflicts that they were in and suddenly it occurred to me that I thanked them and never once thanked my own father...thank you Dad and I hope your at eternal peace 🕊️ love you miss you...
When I watch WWI and WWII videos, and see countless nameless souls marching and fighting, I always try to remember that every soldier I see flash across the screen had a profound, unique experience, as this fine gentleman has shared.
I am A Child War I was born in Tet, SaigLongbinh. My mother is Vietnamese and my father was an American Soldier, I lost him because of war and war was killed my mother and I was an orphan child .......... Vietnam was a Hell war and cold blood. I forget but I never forgive. ....
Mr. Tangel's calm demeanor and interesting words held my interest throughout this entire interview. Wish there were more folks like him. Utmost respect for the man.
Richard Tangel's account tells much about his experiences in Vietnam but much of what he says is actually an unwitting testament to the good and honest man he really is. He reflects the best of Montana men and has my deepest respect for both his service and for doing this interview.
Miss Montana, Wyoming and Northern Idaho. Really I just miss mountain folk. Quality people down here in the south East once you get out of the dumb, echo-chamber big cities. When my daughter is finally off to college I’m going back to Minnesota (my home state) or I’m going to Montana, Wyoming, northern Idaho or western South Dakota.
@@taylorpelletier89 First snow of the year today here in my area of Montana. I often semi-joking call Montana winters the "great ice border" Over the years I've seen far more people come and go than actually stay. Most last a winter or maybe two but the ones that stay tend to be those good mountain folk you miss. I hope you do get back to where ever you feel at home/best. All the best to you.
@@Montana_horseman my contracts never lasted a full winter, so can’t say I know if I’d make it lol but Minnesota winters are brutal, too, and I did many of those. The big sky country is just so damn beautiful and life moves differently there. I appreciate the kind words and wish you well. Stay warm! Ha
I really enjoyed Richard Tangel and his attitude. Loved his demeanor. Somebody commented below that Richard really needs to talk about his experiences with people to get it all out. He clearly thinks about it every day and it never leaves him. Thank you to the Billings Gazette interviewer for caring enough to conduct these interviews in a respectful and curious methodology.
Was in Vietnam 68-69.Sgt. 3rd Combat Support Group USAF. We helped combat troups when they were in trouble.All our missions were nothing short of suicide. In Nov 68 just before xmas we went on a rescue. we split up into 2 groups..I had 25 koreans protecting me.the rest of us went with 50 marines.Me and the Koreans came back. We lost 63 men that day.No bodies were ever recovered.No weapons were found.They just disappearred.I was # 64.They told me I was a lone survivor.The Army searched for weeks.How lucky can you get. Think of them everyday.
@@anthonysaich2057 sometimes that's the worst part. You're a thousand miles from home. From the people you love and who love you. From their comfort. Most days the only thing that gets you through is thinking that one day when whatever bullshit you're doing is done, you'll get to see them again. They're your motivation and then that gets ripped from you in an instant. Break ups are hard but they're a million times harder down range. You're already stressed enough and then that. It's really sad. you can see how bad it impacts people by that soldiers reaction which was just to stand up while people are shooting at you. A normal reaction is to duck and hide.
Loved this interview. So much of his stories and his personality remind me of my late husband, a Vietnam vet ‘68-69. He had country skills too, made it to Sgt E-5 in one tour. He was the most humble man I’ve ever known. He never would talk about his experiences until near his death. They shaped his life; from safety-conscious habits to distrust of government. I remember asking him if he earned any medals while he was there and he just said “yes, of course”, as if everyone got them. I got the VA to reissue them and the medals just kept coming in the mail, even after his death! His bronze star with oak leaf cluster and V-device came in a beautiful presentation box with the story of how it was earned. To him he did nothing heroic to earn it, it was just surviving. He walked point most of the time because he was good at it and willing to take that risk. I heard about the mud, the monsoons, the foxholes, the jungle rot, dry shaving, and so many of these same details from him. It still makes it clearer hearing another viewpoint, especially one so willing to express those experiences with examples and imagery.
I'm listening to Richard again right now. This must be the 12th time. He has got so much to tell, and such high quality content. His natural honesty is admirable. A credit to America.
Very well said. I went through a very similar experience. Was lucky enough to be 24 years old when I got to Nam and thought about the same way Richard did. Shot mortars for 11 months and was lucky enough to get back to the world. Let’s never forget!
I spent 19 months in Vietnam at 18 years old and I got PTSD 2weeks after I got there from an explosion that has followed me ever since. I was exposed to Agent Orange many times. God bless all Vietnam veterans as Agent Orange will follow you forever. He told it like it was
IT Was not a good time to be in uniform. I HAVE DISPLACTED MY RIBBONS. AI WISH i HAD BECOME AN OFFICER AND MADE THE aIR FORCE A CAREER. i BECAME A BUSINESS MANAGER. i MADE GOOD MONEY, BUT DID NOT ENJOY BUT i DID NOT ENJOY LISTENING WHY MY EMPLOYEES COULD NOT COME TO WORK ON TIME IF AT ALL. i GOT GOO AT FIRING THE DEAD BEATS!. gOD BLESS THE MEN AND WOMEN IN COMBACT tHE CHOPPER PILOTS DID NOT LAST LONG!
The people who disrespected them, spat on them and attacked them are the same old Dems and RINO’s we’ve let run our country and control the world while robbing us of billions if not trillions of dollars for the last 40 years. I used to love hippie culture. Thought the beatniks and hippies were truly the brightest, most worldly people in this country… I loved reading about Vietnam and only hated war itself and not the soldiers that fought in it and could never see how anyone could blame these guys for anything. As I’ve gotten older and become more of a libertarian, if I were to identify with any political party, I started learning more about what they went through coming home and it’s absolutely sickening. I can’t stand the jamband/ Americana music scene I was part of back in Minnesota with their falsities and stupid, close-minded thinking, and know some of those idiots are probably with Antifa, but they are nothing compared to the Pelosis, Feinstein’s, McConnels, Trumps, Perry’s, AOC and whatever other big name politician you can list. I rue them all.
I served two tours in Vietnam mainly in the Central Highlands (I Corp) with a short two months in Saigon. My tours were 68,69 71-73. I volunteered and would do the same again. I tell you when I first arrived in country and got off the plane the heat grabbed me like a giant hand and squeezed. Oppressive is to tame a word for it. Then the odors assaulted your sense of smell and I can feel and smell it to this day.
every person I know or knew that was in country for 24h u get a look about u, other warriors ca and tell by that loo lik If u were there, u also become a quiet person, even little sou mb d can bring within seconds very mean women and men wth knives, cam skin u out quick
My dad was in Vietnam 68-69, 1st air cav, 7th division, delta company. He contracted malaria, after 2 tours, and still came down with it occasionally when we went to the tropics. Leeches didn’t bother him either. What bothered him most, besides snakes, was flesh flies. They’d lay maggots in your skin-at least in the mountains. They’d use cigarettes to burn them off their bodies. He also took a lot of speed there. He admitted that. Apparently, it wasn’t hard to get from the pharmacies there at the time. That and Kool cigarettes kept him sharp. When he came home, he never touched a drink or a drug. He came back, became a state trooper and then eventually a lawyer. Great man, I miss him every day. He passed away last July-largely because of agent orange destroying his liver (didn’t drink). He also had 2 Purple Hearts, from a bullet and grenade shrapnel.
Vietnam was most definitely on my radar in 1968! I served with the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970. Spent most of 1969 in 'Nam and was severely wounded on December 14th of that year. I turned 21 on January 17, 1970. I spent December '69 to September '70 in various army hospitals in Vietnam, Japan, Walter Reed, and Fort Devens in Massachusetts, my home state.
What a modest man. Best one of these I’ve seen yet! Thank you for your service Mr Tangel! I know it was hard for you to talk about but your story is truly appreciated.
@@andrewgrandma2816 He brags being a Marine Grunt. He was talking about the M16 and the Choppers but the M14 is what used the 30-30 , but the NATO round was all 3. 30-30, 308 and the 7.62. It was used as a sniper rifle as well. He also dismissed the PRC-25 Radio Phone. The 5th Marines were punks. A group of them stole over a million dollars from veteran's organizations and went to Alb. NM and purchased a horse farm. Most of them were actually thrown out or were never even in the MARINES. Plus, this guy is no intelligence officer, or any sort of Specialist. Officers too their orders from Danang. Captains listened to their Specialists.
I did my time in hell and I knew a lot of very great MEN....REAL MEN...exactly as courteous and wise as this Gentleman 👌...I Love America am honored to be a Vietnam Era Veteran...USARMY ...but am more honored to h ave served with America's Very best men as such...Lord bless us all!
When he talks about the "salad" on his uniform when he returned to Fort Riley, KS, reminds me of a sergeant that we had in the 3rd Infantry Division. We were in Germany for battalion inspection and this sergeant had served in the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam. He had a CIB, combat star on his jump wings, Silver Star, Air Medal and Purple Heart. He was an inspiration to us young soldiers and he was a great leader. Sergeant King, I hope that you have found the peace in this life that you deserve. AATW Sky Soldier!!
I really found this fascinating. My father passed this last year and for the last few years he finally opened up about his time in Korea and Vietnam . He was Air Force and was on one of the first AC-47s. I really miss the times we talked and this brought back good memories, even if out of a horrible time. Thank you ❤
Thanks Tangel, for all you have done for US, even as a vet. I can only imagine what you went through, and continue to remember and rehash. Thanks again!
As a former Octofoil member, and Viet Nam Vet, I can vouch for this gentleman's recollections of his time. I served the 9th as a Combat Engineer and each platoon in my Battalion was assigned to an Infantry unit to clear booby traps and mines. If he can recall where the boats were located on Dong Tam I am sure he knew it was adjacent to the Ammo Dump. In July of 1969 Charlie got lucky and during a mortar attack hit the Dump and blew it up, taking out several boats and men. I was 10 klicks out near a place called Go Kong, and when it blew we felt the shock wave, earth beneath us vibrate and the sky lit up for almost an hour.
@ Steart Fires I don't think he's healed as much as learning to deal with his experience and coming to terms with it. As a young, dumb, 17 year old boot recruit in the Navy in '74 I had the opportunity to talk to a couple of guys a few years older than me who served on swift boats on the Mekong river and were mustering out or being reassigned I don't remember now. I knew by their medals and unit patches that they had seen combat. When I expressed my disappointment at at not having been in combat the reply from one of them was " you didn't miss anything" It was how he said it as they went on their way that I realized what he meant. I think about that sometimes, all these years later. I didn't go to Vietnam.I didn't have to. Everyone was coming back, America had had enough of the waste of blood and treasure after 10 years of that fiasco and the lies perpetuated by McNamara and Westmoreland. I hope they're burning in HELL 💙🇺🇸
My Dad was in the Korean conflict. He got scarlet fever in boot camp and they told him he was goldbricking and made him march in the rain. He lost the hearing in one ear over it then the VA told him his hearing loss wasn't military related.
We spend far and away the most on our military of any nation on the planet, but we pinch pennies when someone who served might need a little bit of medical attention to help them after they get home. Utterly shameful.
@@Snottle1 Australian military is the exact opposite. The minute you're in, they worry A LOT about your teeth. Brother in law was an engineer in the airforce and they blew 5000 bucks giving him gold teeth.
It’s too bad Biden couldn’t have remembered the history of saigon…He should have watched a few of these interviews of the guys that were in Saigon when it fell….
@@Hana666555 Yeah, the deal was conditional. If taliban takes territory, kills Americans, or over steps the Afghan government, Trump would bomb the hell out of them. Mike pompeo is trying to get the transcripts from that deal so they can prove to everyone the deal trump actually made. And he could have changed the date any time he wanted to whenever he wanted as part of that deal, even years if that’s what they had to do to make sure Taliban stuck to their end and to get everyone out that wanted or needed out…. Sucks Biden didn’t follow trumps deal to the letter and instead was just trying to make himself look good by being the president that got the troops out, but fucked up big league.
@@Hana666555 You can’t blame Trump any more. Biden could have made his own deal, that’s what leaders do, but he didn’t. He’s failed at everything he’s been in charge of so far… pos
Thank you, Richard. As a fellow vet, I can appreciate the combat experience you lived, survived, and related in this interview. This would make an excellent training aid for young Infantry AIT Soldiers.
4 months on point! I now understand why you guys dont like talking about this. Richard , thank you for your service and doing what you shouldn't have been forced to do.
I serv e d as a Captain Signal Corps but only stateside. Noth comparable to what this man did.I wonder how I would serve in combat. ,! Serving as Point for 4 months and survived !
When he says that nobody was going home without getting wounded, it strikes home the cost of war - the burden of the fighting was borne by the ordinary Infantry soldier or Marine.
Born in 1956 I was very close to going to Vietnam. From about age 13 I just resigned to the fact that I was going. Wasn't going to college and in some weird way I was looking forward to it. In all honesty I was young and immature and probably would have been scared out of my mind. This guys story is fascinating and fills in a lot of what could have been for me. This guy is a hero.
Amazing how much this man remembers. He really succeeded in putting me there. I felt like I have a very good understanding of what it was like for the average grunt.
Based on his personal experience, you felt you have a very good understanding what it was like? You do realize at some point, he or vets like him can read that bold statement right? Vets like him, if and when they do share these stories, usually deliver them with a calm demeanor. They are able to because they have done, seen, and survived things no human can begin to prepare for. The things civilians consider stressful or difficult, won't even raise their blood pressure. That's what gives the listener (like you) the comforting impression that it's something you could relate to or picture yourself being able to handle. Don't be fooled. These bubbas know a real terror thankfully you'll never know. They have seen hell, real hell. They are forever changed. This country is and forever will be, in their debt. This country will never be able to repay them, any of them. Not ever. Their courage in battle, personal sacrifice, injuries, and the loss of comrades they consider brothers by blood can never be repaid. Never. You'll never, NEVER be able to relate. Honor them. Find a reputable organization that helps these vets and become a part of it. Educate the young people with unfiltered and accurate information about what these warriors endured. Educate them that most of them did this against their will.
@@gfy86 in their debt for what? We lost vietnam and for nothing....the real hero's are the Americans who refused to go. Your attitude will just ensure endless vietnam's. The people who went were just stupid sheep.
@@braininavatnow9197 You literally know nothing. We didn't lose anything. We had to hunt the NVA down when they hid behing women and children. The politicians gave it away later. I was there 68-69
What a story respect to you Richard I was on the edge of my seat.My father in law's Dad would speak to me about his service in Vietnam he returned three times respect to him.He was affected by agent Orange and we lost him to lung cancer last year at 86 his stories would have me on the edge of my seat like yours did.You can see the pain when they speak sometimes and you see when it hurts as they swallow to keep it down inside them . ✌🏻❤️
I'm German, but this man reminds me of my father. He has seen very tough times, very matter of fact, intelligent, and humble. I hope Richard Tangel is happy and well. Thank you for recording his story, it feels like I was there.
Been having these running for the last couple days while working. I'm a millennial and I really appreciate you all putting these together. Its so interesting and pure to see how all these vets have seen their war in their own context
I volunteered for two tours in 65 and after I heard your story and those from other combat soldiers, I almost feel like apologizing for saying I'm a Viet Nam vet. I was in the Navy and never set foot on any battlefield. Looking back I may not ever have had the right stuff to rub elbows with you all. To me, you are the real heroes. The things you had to see and endure are almost beyond comprehension. I wonder if God ever crossed your mind during or after you got out. I was seventeen when I joined and for four years I volunteered for every dangerous assignment that came down the pike and for four years my commanding officer turned me down. Can't tell you how PO'd I was at the time but how relieved I'm today to have been spared both then and now. You are my hero and words seen so hollow and inadequate but soldier, THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE!
A Veteran - whether active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America,” for an amount of “up to and including my life.” That is honor.
@@celeste1092 Thank y ou Celeste. That applies to all people in all countries, patriotism, but that too- is flawed, because Nationalism is tribalism- expaned. and think back, the cause of almost ALL wars. We SHOULD be fighting to have a just, equal, progressive world for all, not just whoever lies inside a certain arbitrary border set up long ago, to divide.
I got drafted when I was 21 years old and decided to enlist in the USN in Oakland California from February 1971 to January 1975 and ended up on a repair ship the USS Jason AR 8 and also never set foot on land in Vietnam but only cruised the shores of Vietnam and I truly respect all who did... Instead after leaving San Diego California and doing some runs to Vietnam my ship was stationed in Sasebo Japan and Olongapo Subic Bay doing ship repairs on USN vessels and some that had been hit by shell bombardment from ashore in Vietnam and had to witness the removal of sailors from those ships being put in body bags to be sent home to the states i was fortunate to have had a eaiser life living aboard ship but have lost a few friends who were in the United States Army at the same time and I would have rather been with them but God had other plans for me is all I can say... And God bless all who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice... And I am proud to be a Vietnam veteran and served my country...
@@chadchivrell2606 Thanks for responding and thank you for your service. My stations were the USS Caliente AO 53 and the USS Sacramento AOE 1 and visited some of the same places. I truly believe that God had a hand in protecting and keeping me from harm's way. I remember falling asleep on pallets of bombs while on fire watches or from aboard ship seeing formations of planes dropping agent orange... but all of it at arm's length. My hope is that in the future we only enter a war to win... none of this one arm tied behind our backs and needless dying.
This, as well as the other interviews in the series, have been more valuable to me than anything else I've seen--movies, documentaries, etc.--in helping me learn about the real Vietnam war.
Richard Tangel is a great American. The reason for such a great interview is the fact that Truth Flows !!! I'm sure that the fact that Richard was 24 is one of the main reasons he made it home alive. I was stationed in Dong Tam also from Dec. 68 to Aug. 69 in the infamous 4/39th. Inf. 9th Inf. Div. My battalion commander was Col. David Hackworth and he is responsible for so many of us making it back home . Thank You Richard for your service !!! . As a 18/19 year old during my tour in Vietnam I would have been up Sgt. Tangel's ass. His calming demeaner alone must have save many of greenhorn fellow soldier's lives . If your Father served during World War ll there is no explanation as to why we answered the call. If you refused to serve as long as you were true to your convictions I also have no problem with that I would have been curious as to what Richard thought of a president who not only dodged the draft but also waiting 45 years to tell us.... " I was not a fan of Vietnam besides it was too far." Bless You Sgt Tangel & Thank You For Your Service.
i have listened to Richard here a dozen times now. In his unique way, i think he is one of USA's greatest Americans. What a life experience he had, and the fact he gives it to us freely is an act of great generosity.
What a great interview. Thank you for your service and your stories Richard. I had a friend that went to Vietnam. He was a point man on a patrol that walked right into an enemy ambush. Tom was killed instantly. I looked him up when the traveling memorial wall was in town. There also is a park in Lakewood, California locally known as airplane park. There is a military airplane on a pedestal there with the names of fallen military personnel from Lakewood. Tom's name is enshrined there with other fallen military folks. Later in life I knew a guy that was a cook on a rear area miltary base over there. He passed away many years later from lymphoma cancer from the agent orange herbicide that ended up in the water systems all over the Vietnam. A friend of mine told me that he knew a guy that was ahipped out to Germany during the Vietnam War. The last month of his tour in Germany he was sent to Vietnam. This guy just sat out his tour in a back area while his paperwork was being processed. Go figure???
Thank you for your service, I cannot imagine what you, and all those you served with went through. You and all the other Solders who served in all the unfortunate wars that our Great Country has been involved in. So many gave their all for our freedom, for many it was their life. Words simply cannot express the gratitude that I hold for our Military. And for those who posted "Thumbs down" for this interview, I can only respond by SMH. Most of the brave men who left their Country, their home and family, to travel half way around the world and fight in a war that they didn't even know what they were fighting for, went because they were drafted to do so. To them, there was no choice, they loved this Country, and answered the call to defend our freedom.
I have nothing but total respect for those that went to Viet Nam. In 71 My draft number was 300. Thank God I didn't have to go. Thank you to those that did!
@@davidwelch5186 I guess its all in perspective. Before I turned 18 I heard many horror stories from returning vets. It was a place I did not want to go to. Hence I said I have nothing but respect for those that did go. They served their country in a war that never should have been fought. Many did not want to be there, some did, yet they did their duty and not run from it. Should I thank all those that ran to Canada for not going?
@@stever4181 it's a weird thing to thank people for, it was one of several wars America should have never had, at that time, the whole American ideology, patriotism and brain washing made Americans think what they were doing was defending their idealized principles. But that blindness, that sense of duty and patriotism fooled them, and they became participants in unjustified slaughter.
Thank you for your service Mr Tangel. I just remember seeing the National news every night. I was a kid and it terrified me. My dad would not talk about WWII at all except for climate and walking miles. He was in France and England. Thank God for brave men like you.
Thank you Richard Tangel for sharing your story. I listened to the whole session and it was so interesting. I am so very sorry of what you went through in Vietnam. God Bless you! You are a hero!
Me Tangel is a very down to earth admirable man. His calm reflection of his Viet Nam experience is amazing. He is a hero that went because he was told to, no questions asked. A great man. He tells it like it is. Thank you for sharing and thank you for your service to our country Mr Tangel.
God bless you! 11B here as well. Served in Afghanistan a long time ago. I was point on every patrol, I was charged with spotting and marking/dealing with IEDS. Was also grenadier, team-leader, rifleman and then unexpectedly squad leader. I commend all my Vietnam SM’s man
I volunteered on my 18th birthday, January 8, 1968. A few weeks later TET happened. I left high school and went to basic in March. Infantry. I hated school. Was in country 14 months. I got home and put Vietnam in my rear view mirror. I gotta be honest, other than flashes of memories or pics, I cannot remember details like these guys can. It wasn’t until about 5-6 years ago watching RUclips that I even really started to try to remember things. There is never a day that goes by that I don’t think of it, but God help me I can’t remember the details some of these guys can. Now that I’m in my 70s, I watch these and little pieces come back. To this day I miss my friends my brothers. I’ve never had any friends in civilian life that even came close. Someday we will all be together again I hope. In my head I’m still 18, but when I look in the mirror there’s an old guy looking back. Where did all the years go
They were well spent honoring duty.
Taken soon as I got out of high school 1969.
Ft. Hood.
Respect !
thank you for your service Sir . i am from Canada and i feel yall fought for our freedoms too . ty very much Sir
@@harryhalcrow3233 Not being mean here, but how did interfering in the politics of Vietnam affect your freedom in Canada America or anywhere else? I've never heard a adequate explanation of such a thought process, maybe you'll be the first?
Sorry to say you gave all your years to America. I love my life too much to give it to the government to do as they please.
My late husband was a Vietnam vet. Army medic. Was 17 when he went to Vietnam. Almost every night he would have nightmares and holler out. He really didn’t open up and talk about his experiences till the last few years of his life. He told me when he first got to nam he tried to get to know the men he was assigned with, he said many didn’t really want to talk very much. He said after the first 6 months of being in combat he learned why. Every new guy that showed up did what he had when he first got there, but the kill rate was so extreme that it was pointless to get to know anyone, even their names because most didn’t live long enough to get to know. He soon stopped talking as well. He had a photograph of himself and four other army buddies sitting on a beach, really dark sand. He told me that he was the only one in that photo that came home alive, he also was sent to Germany to train on tanks. He caused so much hell over there taking off riding around the countryside in that tank, that they sent him home! He did everything he could to piss off the powers that be. Keeping in mind he was a rebel to start out with, a surfer from Miami. When he got home he chose to stay mostly secluded in the woods. He was actually a really tough man. Always taking on the hardest jobs to push himself. Might sound crazy, but I have always been proud of my Rob for being a Vietnam Vet. Those men are cut from a different cloth. He wasn’t going to let anything control his life ever again. Real ass to most people, but he loved me and made sure I knew it every day. God bless each and every Vet, without you we would not be here. Very grateful for these interviews, very important to NEVER forget what Veterans sacrifice for us every day.
I'm so very much in twoo minds.
first: thank you for telling your story! Your husband does sound like a good man.
secondly :"bless each and every Vet, without you we would not be here" completely had me jumping the rails.
Each and every vet?
I've had a few friends from Vietnam in college, although they didn't tell me anything that I hadn't learned before - either from books or reports on the landmines which kill civilians to this day, and heard a few stories. Some of the soldiers did horrifiying things over there - oh, and I've seen some images which would probably get a youtube video demonitized.
Basically: "this Vet is a good man" and "all Vets are good men" are two very different things. Charles Granger is a Vet.
And why the "without them we would not be here" ? The Vietnam war came at a much higher price to the Vietnamese people than to the US, but I still don't see how anybody in the US profited from Vietnam being used as a Cold War arena. Okay, MIC, obviously.
Barbara I thank you much for your words this day. Forever.
Dean
Seattle
@@dean3434 I would have no freedoms without our Military. Bless each of you for all the sacrifices that you made on my-and our country's- behalf. I can't fully express my gratitude- there are just not enough words.
You're one rare woman.... Thats all ill say...
Barbara Amoroso, your love for your late husband is so beautiful and encouraging. I have PTSD (childhood trauma) and work through it every day. Thank you for sharing your husband's story. And thank you to your husband for his service to our country.
Richard used to be my boss in 1980 at the State of Ohio.
A class act, humble and a hero.
What were you doings?
@@manofknowledge1000 Working for the State of Ohio
@@muchosgracias3764 Lol
@@muchosgracias3764 Muchos Gracias for that valuable reply 🙄
That’s awesome thanks for
Sharing mark
My Dad turn 18 and 21 in combat. I've never known a more shattered man. He battle hand & foot rot, ice pick headaches, horrifying PTS and was our hero. He never complained about his service and he never recovered, we lost him to cancer the end of 2018 me and my siblings were devastated. The time we did have with him was difficult and then he was gone. RIP TMS until we meet again.
Bless you and your family.
I'm so sorry for your loss, as a vet I can just imagine the horrors of what my brothers and sisters in arms have experienced. May God bless us all.
@@bullbutter2931 He must have been there in the early years, like mine, also a victim of agent orange and whatever other chemicals used. And now this country supports, protects and serves communist leadership like the CCP. It is despicable to say the least.
Thank you for sharing your story and your father. I'm sorry for your loss, but am glad you understood him.
May your dad rest in peace. He's a lot like my paw paw. My paw paw is basically my dad
This interview with Richard Tangel is, hands down, one of the best narration of his experiences in Vietnam I have ever heard. He speaks truth without exaggeration about his military experience. I was there in 1966/1967 and can relate to everything he talks about. He survived the war because he is a thoughtful, clear-thinking man and tells his personal story with humility. I saved this video because I want to listen to his story again. I recommend anyone interested in knowing what it was like to be an 11B (Rifleman) in Vietnam listen carefully to what he says and how he tells his story without bitterness and with gentle humor. Thankyou my brother and welcome home!
Well said, Sir
Thank you for your service.
This video and Mr. Knutson's ones are the best interviews i've watched in a while. Any suggestions on further ones would be highly welcome.
Welcome home sir.
check Bill Darrow........ruclips.net/video/HfU_BeLXGMw/видео.html
I spent 5 years in Vietnam 65, 70 . I have listened to a lot of soldiers stories from Vietnam . This soldier was telling a very realistic story of his experiences . He never fabricated a anything , like some soldiers did to make themselves look good or make a political statement . Thank you Sgt for your service and for being very honest .
Yeah , me too . Least amount of BS ever .
Yea and you were a Navy Seal too. LOL Probably live in your Grandmothers basement!
I don’t think I would have gone...somehow, even at 24, I would try to figure out something. Am I showing off or admitting something? I dunno. Just terrible...but what I wonder is, how come nobody objected to Korea? Same deal, northern communist state and southern capitalist state. Nobody likes North Korea now. Are we happy North Vietnam won? I suspect so. Totally different, is it? Barely ten to fifteen years apart. And the Malay 'emergency' from '48 to '60 too!
+Pete Dube
What's your problem Pete Dube?
@@olrikparlez3152 what yours?
I am a Vietnam veteran, two tours of duty, 1968-69 and 71-72. I was artillery, 155s ,north of Hue. Did my duty to the best of my ability, no regrets.
I was north of Hue/Phu Bai area. Camp Eagle and Camp Evans with the 101st. Spent most of My time on OP Apollo. We got Our artillery support from Birmingham and/or Bastogne. That was '71-'72. No regrets.
As an Afghan vet who had it pretty good, the rocket story was pretty on point. It’s amazing to me, how the military hasn’t changed much. These heroes really went through a lot.
Richard,
I'll be 52 years old this year and you might think this generation doesn't care,
I'm happy to say we do. Thank You Sir for all you and you're men have done
for our Country!
All us soldiers too. Vietnam was so important for knowledge passed down to us. Trust me, every infantryman I worked with was helped by Vietnam.
@@sabre22b Yes,the Vietnam vets had to play it by ear on so many levels,made infinitely worse by the theatre in which they operated,very brave men,on whose shoulders todays soldiers stand.
@@darkknight1340 Very well put.
Mosquitoes came in two variety, the ones that eat you on sight or fly away with you and eat you in the bush. Vietnam is either hot and wet or it's wet and hot. Away from the rivers the ground is either dry and is like powder or wet and you sink up to your knees.
This guy is for real, he ain't no phoney. He brings up things you want to forget. sorry I got to leave..
Thanks to my father who served 2 tours in Vietnam. You are truly my hero!Tropical lighting....
As difficult as this was for you to recall, it’s genuinely appreciated. No amount of “thank yous” can be enough to credit you for your service but thank you nonetheless.
I'm going to leave also, too many memories.
Thank you for your service.
Thank you for your service.
This is one of the most clear and concise descriptions of what Vietnam was like for an ordinary soldier on the ground.
I remember reading that Audie Murphy used to sleep with a gun after he came back from Europe. He was affected by his experiences, he gambled and was quite a drinker for many years after the war. It took him a long time to realize that he needed to talk through his experiences in order to get through them. I hope Mr. Tangel finds peace. Talking abut these things may give him that.
From E1 to E5 in one year and never ambushed while he was walking point. He served with true distinction. Amazing to think how much this gentleman must have changed and aged in only 12 months time.
A very pragmatic guy who still has a sense of humour. You'd sure want him on your side.
Absolutely.. if you haven’t done the work, why ask?
@@gusgonzalez7117 Why ask what ?
@MichaelKingsfordGray Oh no ! I was desperately hoping that you would approve of me..... Whoever the phuck you are
Humour is a way to avoid conflict
@MichaelKingsfordGray what? Lol I missed this exchange
I am here 5 1/2 years after this is published and I hope people see this well after 50 years. Thank you for your story, and above all, thank you for your service.
Amen!
service? what exactly was accomplished? Who was helped? Who benefited? Who is the villian and who is the hero in the Viet. war?
@@flethacker he was drafted and had no choice, youre soy boy ass should be happy that you didn’t get drafted because you’d shit your diapers, that’s why we thank him
@@flethacker cry about it
This interview brings back a lot of memories. I was 18-20 yrs old when I served aboard an LST and we serviced many of the river bases, including Dong Tam. Once we had to hurriedly pull off the beach due to a firefight there (I believe it was 69). We were part of the Brownwater Navy and well acquainted with the Mekong Delta action, including rocket fire. After 2 years in country, I was done with Vietnam and the USN. It changed me and I never backed down from any job or challenge for the rest of my working life. Except being exposed to Agent Orange, I left relatively unscathed, but others among us were not so fortunate.
AMONG US SUS
Im a VN era vet who never went. VN vets dont talk much, even to me. Most of them find that stuff hard to remember and harder to talk about. I guess I just want people to understand that this man is doing a great service for us all by telling his story. Welcome home Richard Tangel and thank you.
Yeah, I asked my Grandpa years ago what Vietnam was like and he told me to never ask him that again.
I g
I had a neighbor who was bothered 20 years later by his experiences, and never said a thing about it until he went to a counselor. Best neighbor I ever had! This was a man who was SO competent in his field.
@MichaelKingsfordGray Who are you referring to? If it's me, you are incorrect. Do you suppose people use WORK COMPUTERS? Oh, and I dont care what you believe keyboard warrior.
@MichaelKingsfordGray Congrats, thats the stupidest thing ive read all week. You really are spezchul.
All the US vets are heroes in the SVN people perspective .
Thanks for their services.
From a SVN vet.
what about 58000l killed?
Tri, most of us know that the real American heroes have their names engraved on a wall in D.C., but you are the first SVN I have heard say "Thanks". That is very impressive, given the fact that the SVNs continued the fight for freedom some two years after our outrageous politicians broke their promise and did not authorize support for SVN after withdrawing our U.S. troops. And we know that SVN collapsed only because they subsequently ran out of fuel and ammo. You and your people are heroes to those who know the truth. The courage of the SVN people is amazing!
Yes they were and I had the pleasure of working for a couple of them. Great guy's!
@Red Bull You ARE a vicious, cynical bastard. They were all people, and we people were in their country, supporting a corupt government just because it was non communist. I am NOT a communist, but those who are, are merely beleiving in a political system where the national wealth is shared by everyone (in theory). And THAT is all "communist" is. And the final result? a beautiful country, full of respectful, intelligent people, many of whom now share the American and other western country's dream Tell me mr. dynamic "Red Bull, what on earth made 1.3 million people declared "bastards" by you. Did you know ANY of them? No! You are just spouting off generalized hate, the kind that a__holes vote into power and SEND our troops into these unwinable foreign wars. Richard was/is a hero. It's YOU... is the 'bastard'! 😒
@@loftsatsympaticodotc piss off. The communists slaughter hundreds of thousands of SVNs before during and after the war and put them in concentration camps. They waged war against their southern neighbor to conquer land and force them all under communist control. They are bastards
From the bottom of my heart, thank you to all the veterans on this thread! Your sacrifices are beyond appreciate, and welcome home soldiers!!!
I just lost a friend of mine who flew a cesna bird dog recon plane in Vietnam which is what brought me to this video.He told me some of what went on in the war for him but I learned a lot more from his family after his death.I knew this guy for over 40 years and he kept so much hidden from everybody.He had a lot of demons from his time in Vietnam and many friends lost.He will be missed.
Sorry for your loss sir. One thing for sure is that most of us vets, whether in combat or peace have endure so much that the outside doesn't know. I had orders to go to Iraq with my unit in 2005 (328th Combat Support Hospital A Company), fortunately and unfortunately our orders were changed from going to a combat zone to staying at Landstuhl Regional Medical Center helping with the mission of receiving casualties from everywhere and anywhere at any given hour......nothing would prepare us for what we would be experiencing....I mean from soldiers, Marines, Airmen to include those journalists who were in the IED explosion ( which Charlie Company, my company, was called to support) I remember unloading that gentleman attached to a ventilator which was heavy.....I mean we had flights come in with casualties, we would get calls at random times ( early morning, midday, afternoon). I was a Pharmacy Technician, but in the military our primary job is being a soldier not your job, I remember seeing a soldier missing half of his butt cheek and being stuffed with gauze in ICU.......most of our staff especially nurses/ medics were on sleeping meds/ anxiety meds, while our scars are still there the smell of burnt skin and the things we experience first hand will never go away to this day I cry and reach out to my battle buddies and check on them because I know I'm not.....God bless everyone.
Deep respect for this man. I was born while my dad was in Vietnam (3rd Division, USMC).
The story my mom tells me is he walked in the door and dropped his stuff and then fell asleep on the couch while holding me on his chest.
He stayed there for 24 hours. He never talked much about his time in Vietnam except to say he saw horrific things, laughed a lot and made close friends for life. When he passed in 2007, a few guys he served with were pall bearers with me and my brother.
Thanks for his service.
From a SVN soldier.
@@TriNguyen-ug1qv Back at you, sir.
Thank you. Much respect.
I'm sorry for your loss.
Not surprising that many of them would not want to talk about the atrocities they committed against the Vietnamese people. Who'll want to admit their participation in them.
@@stephenlock7236 That is myopic. Atrocities were committed by both sides.
"Things you think about as a young man, and it ain't all food...." Great guy.
When he was talking about misquotes. I was doing survival training and went to the base exchange before the field part. My buddy made fun of me for buying this mosquito netting that went over your head as I guess it looked kinda dumb I suppose. I sealed my sleeping bag around this netting as tightly as I could and grinned as I heard the mosquitos buzzing an inch away from my face as well as hearing that same buddy smacking his face as I was dozing off. Undoubtedly one of the better buys in my life.
My Dad told me a similar story....without the net, sleeping was a miserable experience. They should have become standard equipment!
My brother said the same thing about staying hyper alert! After he got home we soon learned not to attempt to wake him. He would come up fighting.
I am not a veteran, I never went to Vietnam. I was 7 years old in 1969. I remember my parents watching the news every night. Walter Cronkite, Roger Mudd. The graphic news clips of the soldiers. That's what draws me to the veteran stories. We had a neighbor up the road who went to Vietnam, but never came home. I have respect for all who served. In all wars now. Thank you for your service.
What fucking service ??? Can you tell that to a Vietnamese farmer who had his 3 year old daughter and 8 year old son bombarded while they were feeding their pigs and chickens?
Fuck that service gratitude!!
I respect the soldier and his experience since he didnt knew better he was just a young man not knowing politics but please stop wuth the thank you for the service bullshit
I worked for years with two older guys who were both marines in Vietnam. Two tours each, I think. I was very close friends with one and casual friends with the other as he worked in a different section
Neither one hardly said a word about their experience other than just acknowledging they were there. Even when we drank heavily, rarely more than a few words. After listening to this gentleman, and a few others, I can see why they didn't talk much about it. Rough times.
I had two bosses that did a tour in Vietnam, they did tell me about their worst experience. Here's what they told me. Boss #1, he and his buddies were crossing a street somewhere in nam to have a couple of beers in a bar, one buddy decided to buy a newspaper from a young boy my boss hears this huge explosion just before entering the bar, the boy selling the newspapers had a grenade and pulled the pin and killed my bosses friend on purpose. Boss #2, the base in nam he was assigned to was deep into enemy territory as a result they were warned not to wonder off base alone well my boss had the unfortunate experience of finding a soldier strung up in a tree with his genitals cut off and stuffed in his mouth while patrolling the perimeter!
I'm Canadian. About 10 years ago I worked a part-time job with a retired guy who had been a grade-school principal. One day he mentioned in passing that he had flown Hueys for the US in Vietnam. That was the only thing he'd say about it and from the way he said it I knew better than to ask again. I still bump into him occasionally.
People don't talk about what they are ashamed of doing.
@@claudiajuarez5429 You have no comprehension of what you are talking about.
@@jimgore1278 And they were very humble guys as well!
God bless these guy's... while listening this I suddenly had a realization, my dad was in WWII & also Korea and I just realized the many many vets who I've thanked for their service in the conflicts that they were in and suddenly it occurred to me that I thanked them and never once thanked my own father...thank you Dad and I hope your at eternal peace 🕊️ love you miss you...
I've watched this interview two times front to back. This is my favorite in the series. This guy's a badass. PERIOD!
When I watch WWI and WWII videos, and see countless nameless souls marching and fighting, I always try to remember that every soldier I see flash across the screen had a profound, unique experience, as this fine gentleman has shared.
I always think about how they all had hopes and dreams and a lot of them never got to experience them. Makes me try harder in life.
Indeed but a dead man doesn't suffer, the mothers did, I can hardly imagine the pain, alive in the flesh but dead in the heart.
I am A Child War
I was born in Tet, SaigLongbinh.
My mother is Vietnamese and my father was an American Soldier, I lost him because of war and war was killed my mother and I was an orphan child ..........
Vietnam was a Hell war and cold blood.
I forget but I never forgive. ....
Mr. Tangel's calm demeanor and interesting words held my interest throughout this entire interview. Wish there were more folks like him. Utmost respect for the man.
I truly and honestly would absolutely love to buy this man as many beers as he would like. God bless you sir and thank you for your stories.
Richard Tangel's account tells much about his experiences in Vietnam but much of what he says is actually an unwitting testament to the good and honest man he really is. He reflects the best of Montana men and has my deepest respect for both his service and for doing this interview.
T
Miss Montana, Wyoming and Northern Idaho. Really I just miss mountain folk. Quality people down here in the south East once you get out of the dumb, echo-chamber big cities. When my daughter is finally off to college I’m going back to Minnesota (my home state) or I’m going to Montana, Wyoming, northern Idaho or western South Dakota.
@@taylorpelletier89 First snow of the year today here in my area of Montana. I often semi-joking call Montana winters the "great ice border" Over the years I've seen far more people come and go than actually stay. Most last a winter or maybe two but the ones that stay tend to be those good mountain folk you miss. I hope you do get back to where ever you feel at home/best. All the best to you.
@@Montana_horseman my contracts never lasted a full winter, so can’t say I know if I’d make it lol but Minnesota winters are brutal, too, and I did many of those. The big sky country is just so damn beautiful and life moves differently there. I appreciate the kind words and wish you well. Stay warm! Ha
I really enjoyed Richard Tangel and his attitude. Loved his demeanor. Somebody commented below that Richard really needs to talk about his experiences with people to get it all out. He clearly thinks about it every day and it never leaves him. Thank you to the Billings Gazette interviewer for caring enough to conduct these interviews in a respectful and curious methodology.
"your're alert all the time" and 50 yrs later I am still alert all the time.
Was in Vietnam 68-69.Sgt. 3rd Combat Support Group USAF. We helped combat troups when they were in trouble.All our missions were nothing short of suicide. In Nov 68 just before
xmas we went
on a rescue. we split up into 2 groups..I had 25 koreans protecting me.the rest of us went with 50 marines.Me and the Koreans came back. We lost 63 men that day.No bodies were ever recovered.No weapons were found.They just disappearred.I was # 64.They told me I was a lone survivor.The Army searched for weeks.How lucky can you get.
Think of them everyday.
@william keeling, Salute, and all respect to you.
In 1970 I started a succesful security bussiness. It was easy for me because I dont sleep. Guess why ???
He showed that emotion talking about the Dear John letter.
Dear John while on the field, just sad.
I hope this wasn’t all you took away from this
@@anthonysaich2057 -.-
@@anthonysaich2057 sometimes that's the worst part. You're a thousand miles from home. From the people you love and who love you. From their comfort. Most days the only thing that gets you through is thinking that one day when whatever bullshit you're doing is done, you'll get to see them again. They're your motivation and then that gets ripped from you in an instant. Break ups are hard but they're a million times harder down range. You're already stressed enough and then that. It's really sad. you can see how bad it impacts people by that soldiers reaction which was just to stand up while people are shooting at you. A normal reaction is to duck and hide.
People who do that stuff are such pieces of shit
I really love this man.
He wants to talk about it, he just has no one to talk to about it. You need to allow yourself to debrief, Sir.
Why?
@MichaelKingsfordGray damn boi
What a thoroughly calm, decent and brave man! A real hero.
Loved this interview. So much of his stories and his personality remind me of my late husband, a Vietnam vet ‘68-69. He had country skills too, made it to Sgt E-5 in one tour. He was the most humble man I’ve ever known. He never would talk about his experiences until near his death. They shaped his life; from safety-conscious habits to distrust of government. I remember asking him if he earned any medals while he was there and he just said “yes, of course”, as if everyone got them. I got the VA to reissue them and the medals just kept coming in the mail, even after his death! His bronze star with oak leaf cluster and V-device came in a beautiful presentation box with the story of how it was earned. To him he did nothing heroic to earn it, it was just surviving. He walked point most of the time because he was good at it and willing to take that risk. I heard about the mud, the monsoons, the foxholes, the jungle rot, dry shaving, and so many of these same details from him. It still makes it clearer hearing another viewpoint, especially one so willing to express those experiences with examples and imagery.
I'm listening to Richard again right now. This must be the 12th time. He has got so much to tell, and such high quality content. His natural honesty is admirable. A credit to America.
One of the best interviews I've ever seen. Thank you Sgt
Very well said. I went through a very similar experience. Was lucky enough to be 24 years old when I got to Nam and thought about the same way Richard did. Shot mortars for 11 months and was lucky enough to get back to the world. Let’s never forget!
I spent 19 months in Vietnam at 18 years old and I got PTSD 2weeks after I got there from an explosion that has followed me ever since. I was exposed to Agent Orange many times. God bless all Vietnam veterans as Agent Orange will follow you forever. He told it like it was
I really enjoyed this guy’s story. He was very thoughtful and it makes me mad how much disrespect that our soldiers went through when they got back
Very true Indeed. They got no respect. It must have been exhausting to be alert like that, all the time.
@@mr_mack_indenver7807 and its still going on in 2021 from iraq war vets
IT Was not a good time to be in uniform. I HAVE DISPLACTED MY RIBBONS. AI WISH i HAD BECOME AN OFFICER AND MADE THE aIR FORCE A CAREER. i BECAME A BUSINESS MANAGER. i MADE GOOD MONEY, BUT DID NOT ENJOY BUT i DID NOT ENJOY LISTENING WHY MY EMPLOYEES COULD NOT COME TO WORK ON TIME IF AT ALL. i GOT GOO AT FIRING THE DEAD BEATS!. gOD BLESS THE MEN AND WOMEN IN COMBACT tHE CHOPPER PILOTS DID NOT LAST LONG!
@@Johnwilldo xx
The people who disrespected them, spat on them and attacked them are the same old Dems and RINO’s we’ve let run our country and control the world while robbing us of billions if not trillions of dollars for the last 40 years. I used to love hippie culture. Thought the beatniks and hippies were truly the brightest, most worldly people in this country… I loved reading about Vietnam and only hated war itself and not the soldiers that fought in it and could never see how anyone could blame these guys for anything. As I’ve gotten older and become more of a libertarian, if I were to identify with any political party, I started learning more about what they went through coming home and it’s absolutely sickening. I can’t stand the jamband/ Americana music scene I was part of back in Minnesota with their falsities and stupid, close-minded thinking, and know some of those idiots are probably with Antifa, but they are nothing compared to the Pelosis, Feinstein’s, McConnels, Trumps, Perry’s, AOC and whatever other big name politician you can list. I rue them all.
I served two tours in Vietnam mainly in the Central Highlands (I Corp) with a short two months in Saigon. My tours were 68,69 71-73. I volunteered and would do the same again. I tell you when I first arrived in country and got off the plane the heat grabbed me like a giant hand and squeezed. Oppressive is to tame a word for it. Then the odors assaulted your sense of smell and I can feel and smell it to this day.
Where you near Dalat?
Why would you volunteer for an illegal war that was waged based on lies? Have you learned nothing?
We landed at Bien Hoa and there were nine
rotting bodies at the edge of the runway,infiltrators
who had been killed a few days before.
every person I know or knew that was in country for 24h u get a look about u, other warriors ca and tell by that loo lik If u were there, u also become a quiet person, even little sou mb d can bring within seconds very mean women and men wth knives, cam skin u out quick
@@jameshoneycutt9101 You wanna try that again?
My dad was in Vietnam 68-69, 1st air cav, 7th division, delta company.
He contracted malaria, after 2 tours, and still came down with it occasionally when we went to the tropics.
Leeches didn’t bother him either. What bothered him most, besides snakes, was flesh flies. They’d lay maggots in your skin-at least in the mountains. They’d use cigarettes to burn them off their bodies.
He also took a lot of speed there. He admitted that. Apparently, it wasn’t hard to get from the pharmacies there at the time. That and Kool cigarettes kept him sharp. When he came home, he never touched a drink or a drug.
He came back, became a state trooper and then eventually a lawyer. Great man, I miss him every day. He passed away last July-largely because of agent orange destroying his liver (didn’t drink).
He also had 2 Purple Hearts, from a bullet and grenade shrapnel.
Vietnam was most definitely on my radar in 1968! I served with the U.S. Army from 1968 to 1970. Spent most of 1969 in 'Nam and was severely wounded on December 14th of that year. I turned 21 on January 17, 1970. I spent December '69 to September '70 in various army hospitals in Vietnam, Japan, Walter Reed, and Fort Devens in Massachusetts, my home state.
What a modest man. Best one of these I’ve seen yet! Thank you for your service Mr Tangel! I know it was hard for you to talk about but your story is truly appreciated.
MOST AMERICANS HAVE NO IDEA WHAT OUR VETS ENDURED....
@@jessmoran7060 Its up to us to spread it .
your are very welcome tyler wish i could change all i will pray every day for you and parents it hurts me every day bless you
@@jessmoran7060 I do. It was very terrible in nam and the Second World War.
@@bigmoniesponge No you don’t kid, stick to playing Roblox.
This is an amazing interview. We are lucky to be able to hear this man’s stories and insights.
Sounds fake as fuck to me. Look at his weirdo vest.
Th guy yeti
Hi uh
@@andrewgrandma2816 He brags being a Marine Grunt. He was talking about the M16 and the Choppers but the M14 is what used the 30-30 , but the NATO round was all 3. 30-30, 308 and the 7.62. It was used as a sniper rifle as well. He also dismissed the PRC-25 Radio Phone. The 5th Marines were punks.
A group of them stole over a million dollars from veteran's organizations and went to Alb. NM and purchased a horse farm. Most of them were actually thrown out or were never even in the MARINES.
Plus, this guy is no intelligence officer, or any sort of Specialist. Officers too their orders from Danang. Captains listened to their Specialists.
Joseph Mountford m
These are easily some of the best interviews there is out there, the amount of detail, not just the blood and guts but everything else.
Thank you, Mr. Tangel, for all you did. You're a humble Amercian hero. God bless you.
Sergeant Tangel is very self deprecating, but the Silver Star is a very serious award! He is an honest to God hero. Thank God for men like him!
This man is the truest definition of a red, white and blue American. God bless.
I did my time in hell and I knew a lot of very great MEN....REAL MEN...exactly as courteous and wise as this Gentleman 👌...I Love America am honored to be a Vietnam Era Veteran...USARMY ...but am more honored to h ave served with America's Very best men as such...Lord bless us all!
@Stuart Beatty and your point? Not everyone sleeps at night! About as relevant.
One of the best 2 hours I've spent on RUclips. Thanks for your service.
When he talks about the "salad" on his uniform when he returned to Fort Riley, KS, reminds me of a sergeant that we had in the 3rd Infantry Division. We were in Germany for battalion inspection and this sergeant had served in the 173rd Airborne Brigade in Vietnam. He had a CIB, combat star on his jump wings, Silver Star, Air Medal and Purple Heart. He was an inspiration to us young soldiers and he was a great leader. Sergeant King, I hope that you have found the peace in this life that you deserve. AATW Sky Soldier!!
This guy is a smart and great man. For lack of a better phrase, I hope I'm half the man this guy is.
And all of that in the one single year. Fascinating, I really enjoyed listening to this man.
May I wish good health and a peaceful future.
I really found this fascinating. My father passed this last year and for the last few years he finally opened up about his time in Korea and Vietnam . He was Air Force and was on one of the first AC-47s. I really miss the times we talked and this brought back good memories, even if out of a horrible time. Thank you ❤
Thanks Tangel, for all you have done for US, even as a vet. I can only imagine what you went through, and continue to remember and rehash. Thanks again!
As a former Octofoil member, and Viet Nam Vet, I can vouch for this gentleman's recollections of his time. I served the 9th as a Combat Engineer and each platoon in my Battalion was assigned to an Infantry unit to clear booby traps and mines. If he can recall where the boats were located on Dong Tam I am sure he knew it was adjacent to the Ammo Dump. In July of 1969 Charlie got lucky and during a mortar attack hit the Dump and blew it up, taking out several boats and men. I was 10 klicks out near a place called Go Kong, and when it blew we felt the shock wave, earth beneath us vibrate and the sky lit up for almost an hour.
Please record your experiences on video at some point in your life sir, we need to preserve your stories. Thank you.
I've never been more enamored by an interview in my entire life. Wow.
i felt the need to recommend this to folks i know, i feel richard presents his story extremely well. Luc from canada.
The best baseball coach I ever had was a Vietnam vet. He impressed me more than all the other ones combined. He was a good coach.
My wrestling coach was a V Vet. He was a trip, great coach and a great guy.
I love this guy, its an inspiration that he's able to crack jokes about something like this, shows he's found a way to heal. And humble too!
@ Steart Fires
I don't think he's healed as much as learning to deal with his experience and coming to terms with it. As a young, dumb, 17 year old boot recruit in the Navy in '74 I had the opportunity to talk to a couple of guys a few years older than me who served on swift boats on the Mekong river and were mustering out or being reassigned I don't remember now. I knew by their medals and unit patches that they had seen combat.
When I expressed my disappointment at at not having been in combat the reply from one of them was " you didn't miss anything" It was how he said it as they went on their way that I realized what he meant. I think about that sometimes, all these years later. I didn't go to Vietnam.I didn't have to. Everyone was coming back, America had had enough of the waste of blood and treasure after 10 years of that fiasco and the lies perpetuated by McNamara and Westmoreland. I hope they're burning in HELL 💙🇺🇸
My Dad was in the Korean conflict. He got scarlet fever in boot camp and they told him he was goldbricking and made him march in the rain. He lost the hearing in one ear over it then the VA told him his hearing loss wasn't military related.
We spend far and away the most on our military of any nation on the planet, but we pinch pennies when someone who served might need a little bit of medical attention to help them after they get home. Utterly shameful.
My great uncle was MIA in '51 in Korea, then POW , he died in captivity by the Chinese in Pyongyang in '52. He was 22.
@@Snottle1 Australian military is the exact opposite. The minute you're in, they worry A LOT about your teeth. Brother in law was an engineer in the airforce and they blew 5000 bucks giving him gold teeth.
@@OffGridInvestor yeah a mate told about dental he said your teeth are huge and play a big part in your readiness grading for deployment
@@srj607able Wow, so sad.
So glad someone took the time to preserve these guys' stories. It's haunting and disturbing and we can't afford to forget. Thank you.
It’s too bad Biden couldn’t have remembered the history of saigon…He should have watched a few of these interviews of the guys that were in Saigon when it fell….
@@benyoung552 Too bad Trump did a deal with the Taliban before Biden stuffed up the withdrawal.
@@Hana666555 Yeah, the deal was conditional. If taliban takes territory, kills Americans, or over steps the Afghan government, Trump would bomb the hell out of them. Mike pompeo is trying to get the transcripts from that deal so they can prove to everyone the deal trump actually made. And he could have changed the date any time he wanted to whenever he wanted as part of that deal, even years if that’s what they had to do to make sure Taliban stuck to their end and to get everyone out that wanted or needed out…. Sucks Biden didn’t follow trumps deal to the letter and instead was just trying to make himself look good by being the president that got the troops out, but fucked up big league.
@@Hana666555 You can’t blame Trump any more. Biden could have made his own deal, that’s what leaders do, but he didn’t. He’s failed at everything he’s been in charge of so far… pos
C c p.m. n it 410
I appreciate you telling your story sir. Thank you for everything you've sacrificed.
Thank you, Richard. As a fellow vet, I can appreciate the combat experience you lived, survived, and related in this interview. This would make an excellent training aid for young Infantry AIT Soldiers.
4 months on point! I now understand why you guys dont like talking about this. Richard , thank you for your service and doing what you shouldn't have been forced to do.
I serv e d as a Captain Signal Corps but only stateside. Noth comparable to what this man did.I wonder how I would serve in combat. ,! Serving as Point for 4 months and survived !
When he says that nobody was going home without getting wounded, it strikes home the cost of war - the burden of the fighting was borne by the ordinary Infantry soldier or Marine.
Born in 1956 I was very close to going to Vietnam. From about age 13 I just resigned to the fact that I was going. Wasn't going to college and in some weird way I was looking forward to it. In all honesty I was young and immature and probably would have been scared out of my mind. This guys story is fascinating and fills in a lot of what could have been for me. This guy is a hero.
56 HERE I CAME REAL CLOSE TO GOING
Excellent interview. This is a brave man. Thank you, for your service Sir.
All these years later and fort polk’s reputation has remained unchanged more or less
He totally deserves a movie to be made about him .
Watch Platoon Leader, and Apocalypse Now
Amazing how much this man remembers. He really succeeded in putting me there. I felt like I have a very good understanding of what it was like for the average grunt.
Based on his personal experience,
you felt you have a very good understanding what it was like?
You do realize at some point, he or vets like him can read that bold statement right?
Vets like him, if and when they do share these stories, usually deliver them with a calm demeanor. They are able to because they have done, seen, and survived things no human can begin to prepare for. The things civilians consider stressful or difficult, won't even raise their blood pressure.
That's what gives the listener (like you) the comforting impression that it's something you could relate to or picture yourself being able to handle.
Don't be fooled. These bubbas know a real terror thankfully you'll never know. They have seen hell, real hell. They are forever changed.
This country is and forever will be, in their debt. This country will never be able to repay them, any of them. Not ever.
Their courage in battle, personal sacrifice, injuries, and the loss of comrades they consider brothers by blood can never be repaid. Never.
You'll never, NEVER be able to relate.
Honor them.
Find a reputable organization that helps these vets and become a part of it.
Educate the young people with unfiltered and accurate information about what these warriors endured.
Educate them that most of them did this against their will.
@@gfy86 in their debt for what? We lost vietnam and for nothing....the real hero's are the Americans who refused to go. Your attitude will just ensure endless vietnam's. The people who went were just stupid sheep.
Love the videos man, glad to see we watch the same kind of stuff
@@braininavatnow9197 You literally know nothing. We didn't lose anything. We had to hunt the NVA down when they hid behing women and children. The politicians gave it away later. I was there 68-69
@@gfy86 Thanks.
Kudos to the interviewer. He asks great questions and actually listens to the answers.
What a story respect to you Richard I was on the edge of my seat.My father in law's Dad would speak to me about his service in Vietnam he returned three times respect to him.He was affected by agent Orange and we lost him to lung cancer last year at 86 his stories would have me on the edge of my seat like yours did.You can see the pain when they speak sometimes and you see when it hurts as they swallow to keep it down inside them .
✌🏻❤️
Richard Tangel was great! A rivetting interview.
I'm German, but this man reminds me of my father. He has seen very tough times, very matter of fact, intelligent, and humble.
I hope Richard Tangel is happy and well. Thank you for recording his story, it feels like I was there.
Been having these running for the last couple days while working. I'm a millennial and I really appreciate you all putting these together. Its so interesting and pure to see how all these vets have seen their war in their own context
I volunteered for two tours in 65 and after I heard your story and those from other combat soldiers, I almost feel like apologizing for saying I'm a Viet Nam vet. I was in the Navy and never set foot on any battlefield. Looking back I may not ever have had the right stuff to rub elbows with you all. To me, you are the real heroes. The things you had to see and endure are almost beyond comprehension. I wonder if God ever crossed your mind during or after you got out. I was seventeen when I joined and for four years I volunteered for every dangerous assignment that came down the pike and for four years my commanding officer turned me down. Can't tell you how PO'd I was at the time but how relieved I'm today to have been spared both then and now. You are my hero and words seen so hollow and inadequate but soldier, THANKS FOR YOUR SERVICE!
We needed Navy boys too, they gave us a ride over there.
A Veteran - whether active duty, retired, or national guard or reserve - is someone who, at one point in his or her life, wrote a blank check made payable to “The United States of America,” for an amount of “up to and including my life.” That is honor.
@@celeste1092 Thank y ou Celeste. That applies to all people in all countries, patriotism, but that too- is flawed, because Nationalism is tribalism- expaned. and think back, the cause of almost ALL wars. We SHOULD be fighting to have a just, equal, progressive world for all, not just whoever lies inside a certain arbitrary border set up long ago, to divide.
I got drafted when I was 21 years old and decided to enlist in the USN in Oakland California from February 1971 to January 1975 and ended up on a repair ship the USS Jason AR 8 and also never set foot on land in Vietnam but only cruised the shores of Vietnam and I truly respect all who did... Instead after leaving San Diego California and doing some runs to Vietnam my ship was stationed in Sasebo Japan and Olongapo Subic Bay doing ship repairs on USN vessels and some that had been hit by shell bombardment from ashore in Vietnam and had to witness the removal of sailors from those ships being put in body bags to be sent home to the states i was fortunate to have had a eaiser life living aboard ship but have lost a few friends who were in the United States Army at the same time and I would have rather been with them but God had other plans for me is all I can say... And God bless all who served and gave the ultimate sacrifice... And I am proud to be a Vietnam veteran and served my country...
@@chadchivrell2606 Thanks for responding and thank you for your service. My stations were the USS Caliente AO 53 and the USS Sacramento AOE 1 and visited some of the same places. I truly believe that God had a hand in protecting and keeping me from harm's way. I remember falling asleep on pallets of bombs while on fire watches or from aboard ship seeing formations of planes dropping agent orange... but all of it at arm's length. My hope is that in the future we only enter a war to win... none of this one arm tied behind our backs and needless dying.
These interviews are fantastic. Haven't learned this much about the vietnam war since the documentary series from Ken Burns.
This, as well as the other interviews in the series, have been more valuable to me than anything else I've seen--movies, documentaries, etc.--in helping me learn about the real Vietnam war.
Richard Tangel is a great American.
The reason for such a great interview is the fact that Truth Flows !!!
I'm sure that the fact that Richard was 24 is one of the main reasons he made it home alive.
I was stationed in Dong Tam also from Dec. 68 to Aug. 69 in the infamous 4/39th. Inf. 9th Inf. Div. My battalion commander was Col. David Hackworth and he is responsible for so many of us making it back home
.
Thank You Richard for your service !!!
. As a 18/19 year old during my tour in Vietnam I would have been up Sgt. Tangel's ass. His calming demeaner alone must have save many of greenhorn fellow soldier's lives
.
If your Father served during World War ll there is no explanation as to why we answered the call. If you refused to serve as long as you were true to your convictions I also have no problem with that
I would have been curious as to what Richard thought of a president who not only dodged the draft but also waiting 45 years to tell us.... " I was not a fan of Vietnam besides it was too far."
Bless You Sgt Tangel & Thank You For Your Service.
i have listened to Richard here a dozen times now. In his unique way, i think he is one of USA's greatest Americans. What a life experience he had, and the fact he gives it to us freely is an act of great generosity.
What a badass dude. I could listen to him all night.
Park APC at end of the line and mark "Deadline" on it to avoid inspection. Brilliant. Laughed out loud when he said it.
What a great interview. Thank you for your service and your stories Richard.
I had a friend that went to Vietnam. He was a point man on a patrol that walked right into an enemy ambush. Tom was killed instantly. I looked him up when the traveling memorial wall was in town. There also is a park in Lakewood, California locally known as airplane park. There is a military airplane on a pedestal there with the names of fallen military personnel from Lakewood. Tom's name is enshrined there with other fallen military folks.
Later in life I knew a guy that was a cook on a rear area miltary base over there. He passed away many years later from lymphoma cancer from the agent orange herbicide that ended up in the water systems all over the Vietnam. A friend of mine told me that he knew a guy that was ahipped out to Germany during the Vietnam War. The last month of his tour in Germany he was sent to Vietnam. This guy just sat out his tour in a back area while his paperwork was being processed. Go figure???
Thank you for your service, I cannot imagine what you, and all those you served with went through. You and all the other Solders who served in all the unfortunate wars that our Great Country has been involved in. So many gave their all for our freedom, for many it was their life. Words simply cannot express the gratitude that I hold for our Military.
And for those who posted "Thumbs down" for this interview, I can only respond by SMH. Most of the brave men who left their Country, their home and family, to travel half way around the world and fight in a war that they didn't even know what they were fighting for, went because they were drafted to do so.
To them, there was no choice, they loved this Country, and answered the call to defend our freedom.
I have nothing but total respect for those that went to Viet Nam. In 71 My draft number was 300. Thank God I didn't have to go. Thank you to those that did!
Yes, respect and admiration for all who served there.
Why would you thank people for going to viet nam? I thanked people for not going.
@@davidwelch5186 I guess its all in perspective. Before I turned 18 I heard many horror stories from returning vets. It was a place I did not want to go to. Hence I said I have nothing but respect for those that did go. They served their country in a war that never should have been fought. Many did not want to be there, some did, yet they did their duty and not run from it. Should I thank all those that ran to Canada for not going?
@@stever4181 it's a weird thing to thank people for, it was one of several wars America should have never had, at that time, the whole American ideology, patriotism and brain washing made Americans think what they were doing was defending their idealized principles. But that blindness, that sense of duty and patriotism fooled them, and they became participants in unjustified slaughter.
@@keithnicholas I totally agree.
Thank you for your service Mr Tangel. I just remember seeing the National news every night. I was a kid and it terrified me. My dad would not talk about WWII at all except for climate and walking miles. He was in France and England. Thank God for brave men like you.
Thank you Richard Tangel for sharing your story. I listened to the whole session and it was so interesting. I am so very sorry of what you went through in Vietnam. God Bless you! You are a hero!
An amazing and totally engrossing account of this man's experiences. Much respect to you Sir.
What a gentleman. Difficult to find any words to describe this man. Good health to you and God bless you Sir. Regards from Rome.
Deeply humbled by this mans story. A true American patriot. May god bless this man and his family
I appreciate the long interviews. The story should take as long as it takes. Keep doing this
Me Tangel is a very down to earth admirable man. His calm reflection of his Viet Nam experience is amazing. He is a hero that went because he was told to, no questions asked. A great man. He tells it like it is.
Thank you for sharing and thank you for your service to our country Mr Tangel.
I love that more and more Vietnam Veterans are being giving the recognition and welcome home that they never got.
God bless you! 11B here as well. Served in Afghanistan a long time ago. I was point on every patrol, I was charged with spotting and marking/dealing with IEDS. Was also grenadier, team-leader, rifleman and then unexpectedly squad leader. I commend all my Vietnam SM’s man
Remembering this Viet Nam vet right here one year later!!! Thank you Richard Tangel for your service. God Bless you sir.
Not