I was starting my second tour in Viet Nam at Dong Tam, a river boat repair base. Lots of Tango, Monitor, Zippo boats in the Harbor. I was walking the road above the piers when a mortar round exploded on the hello pad. It severally wounded a crewman on the boat. It was a sad time for the Sailors. His body was placed on a YARBM to be transported that day back to the World. I think about that crewman often, God rest his soul. JT Wendel
When I got to Nam the Marines were going through a so called white mans war.What was scary is depending on the Lt. & Sgt. when they were only two who knew how to read a map and knew where we were.It was just great if you liked sleeping on dirt and sometimes water and mud.And at night getting a mouth full of mosquitoes,during a pouring down rain.Semper Fi. RIP My fellow Marines who had fallen for nothing.
My father was with the 1st Marines in Nam 67 through 68. Finished up as an NSA guard and got out in 1970. He never spoke openly about the war except from us kids hearing them from his nightmares. He passed away in 2010. He was my hero.
Lord.. the reality of shit this guy experienced in that God awful war. Rock solid individual, tough as nails. Seems he’s doing all he can to hold it together during certain parts of this interview. I wish I could shake his hand and thank him for his service and sacrifice. Americans owe him and all of our military personnel a huge debt of gratitude. I hope he has a great life. He certainly has earned that
This entire series is phenomenal. Thanks so much for it! I'm learning much more than in most of the documentaries. One thing I'd very much enjoy is seeing photos of the men at the age of their service.
Good to hear an old boy from Lincoln, Nebraska. I am from UK and 20+ years ago had a work stint in Lincoln. It is kind of an offbeat location. Will never forget a barman asking ‘so what are you guys doing here for work, I mean nobody comes here on vacation’. We were in his bar for a marguerita before watching Black Hawk Down over the road. God Bless the Cornhusker State.
My brother served in Vietnam. He never spoke a word about it to us. He passed away at 53. I have watched 10 of these so far and plan on watching all of them. Think there are over 50 interviews. This gives me a picture into what my brother experienced and witnessed. He was Air Force and all I know he loaded weapons on the F4's.
My late brother was drafted into the US Army in 1966 he was sent to boot camp at Fort Jackson SC then from there he was shipped out to Viet Nam, he was only a year out of HS, his rank was SP-4, he ended up being a physical fitness trainer and a mechanic fixing jeeps in his divison, he served from 1966-68, he suffered a little shell shock but later on he recovered from it, in 1987 he became ill and passed away, he was my big brother had me by 10 years, i miss him God bless him and all that served in the military.
Would be nice to know how to access those after-action reports. Reading just a couple of them might not add much to overall understanding of Vietnam War, but bound & organized copies of them are something those of us with more than passing interest would read. Thoughtful, valuable testimony by Mr. Tomek. Thank you!
“ You need to go take this hill”. … “ oh now we don’t need this hill anymore”….. “ You need to go take this hill again “! That part REALLY got me. What a waste
When I went into the service in 1968, my letter from Uncle Sam told me I was going to be drafted by either the U.S. Army or the Marine Corp. That meant basic at Fort Dix, N.J., or Camp Lejeune, N.C. I chose to wait for the draft, (which came exactly one year after high school graduation) because there was no way I wanted to spend four years in the military. I was young and wanted to get on with my life, and if going to Vietnam was a way to do that, then so be it. So I ended up going to 'Nam in summer of 1969 at age 20. I ended up getting wounded by shrapnel from a rocket or mortar attack on December 14, 1969. After several operations, I was finally released from army hospital and the army on September of 1970. So I spent most of my 21st year in the planet in army hospitals. I'm 73 years-old now and still hanging in there. I have to disagree a little bit with what this fellow vet said. Maybe he was only kidding, but during the Vietnam era the Marine Corp was no tougher than the United States Army. We went though same basic training, fired the same weapons and had some pretty damned hard DIs. Most of 'em were veterans of WWII, Vietnam, or Korea. They always told us they were going to train us right because they didn't want our sorry asses snuffed out in Vietnam because we didn't know what we were doing.
I experienced a similar experience as, i suppose most of Viet Nam Vets did, that first firefight. I was a 60 gunner on my first trip out. I was 118 pounds soaking wet and the weapon weighed 23 lbs unloaded......Why me....lol
By the time I became a Navy Corpsman in 1971, the auto assignments to field med school with the Marines, ie. Vietnam, were history. Thanks to the Billings Gazette and all those participating for giving me this view into a world of brave soldiers I would luckily never experience directly but feel is important for us all to know about..
This series is great......these well spoken and thoughtful men possess hard-earned wisdom. They elevate one's image of the "Vietnam Vet." Being of draft age in 1970..... put one in the draft pool and lottery, I was relieved. to be exempted....as a "sole surviving son." Father died in uniform on a secret mission in the early 1950s. I was a "patriot" (ie, would love to go to war for my country) in my teens. Then I saw....on TV....... napalm.....frying humans from the sky. I couldn't see doing that....(unless they did it to us first!) I know that my high mindedness would have been modified if I were there...... and was being overrun by the enemy. Our latest 20 years war went as long as it did ......because the media did not display the carnage. During Vietnam....they did. Mr. Tomek's takeaway comments are simple but profound "Maybe other people love their countries as much as we love ours." I would like to see a government where war veterans had the power to veto, or endorse, any future wars. Thank you for your efforts Mr. Ehrlich. Sincerely, John Davis
This is amazing. Charlie Conlin left his hometown Hyannis ma and served in Vietnam...he never recovered. He used to get drunk and tell horrific stories. Rest in peace charlie.
How many combat veterans who go on with their lives-as best they can-never talk about it with their families...or anyone else? Their experiences are sometimes so incomparable relative to our normal experience that perhaps many neither find the words nor the audience to elaborate. Many WW2 vets deeply affected by what they saw, heard, smelled, did, felt never spoke more than a few words about their experiences. Once vets speak, it’s hard to get them to elaborate; you feel like they think you really aren’t capable of understanding, which may well be the case.
Navy vet 61 - 65, with riverine combat experience. You are right - I seldom talk about what I experienced - only with my dad who was in Merrills Marauders in WW2 - he and I talked and cried. He also never talked about his ezperiences except that one time with me. I came out and went to nursing school and did that for 46 years, retiring at 70. It was my way of giving back, a way to heal myself. STill do not like fireworks or taps - the nightmares lessened over the decades, now at 80 they are rare. But the memories and the horrors are always there, always there. Tried to drink them away for 10 years, quit for good in '75 - instead of helping, the alcohol made it worse.
Great interview just laying back relaxed listening to some one who has been there and walked the walk so I am listening to him talk the talk no b.s. he's not making himself out to be some war hero but he is
we captured a few, I only had close contact with two of them. One was an NVA officer (Captain I think) I was an E3 at the time so did not do anything but transport to the intel guys. The other one was a VC who was severely wounded. I stood guard over him while our medic worked on him. He was then taken to dust off and away he went. Do not know what happened to the guy, lived or died, and at that time I was hoping for his demise......Crazy is as crazy does I guess. Still crazy my wife says.
He said he was with Fox Co. But didn't mention what Battalion or which Marine group. I was in Golf Co. 2nd Battalion 9th Marines 3rd Marine Division 68-69.
every one had 2 hours guard an night starting 10.00 m60 tank crew of 5 Pleiku --ankhe daytime crush rice pots, and vc base camps, LZ oasis, lz blackhawk, lz action, dak tko 69th armor u.s. 1969
Sir, Mr. John Tomek....I spent 6 years in warzones across iraq and afghanistan. Freaking THANK YOU, for everything you did. Nothing but massive respect for you and your time in Vietnam. America owe's you more than it could ever repay.
This guy really didn't have it bad. Kayson(spelling wrong) they had three mess halls.He says we went outside the wire.The base camps and fire bases had wire around them.Buffalo grass grows in flat land and rise patties. The real fighting was done in the Central High Lands or Dak to area.It consist of all mountain's.The Viet Nam people called it.The home of evil.A day of a Grunt up before light.You gathered your equipment in the dark.You lined up in the dark at an angel going up the mountain in the jungle.You carried your M-16 and a hundred pound's on your back.In the line you stand leaning forward,cause of the weight in the dark. Soldier's shifted their weight and in the dark it sounded like saddles shifting on the horse.At day break the word came down,saddle up,then the word at the first rey's of light move out.You were always moving up the mountain.Water was precious(no water) on top of the mountains)We were resupply with meal's and water.When the copper didn't come,you went hungry and thirsty. Your lip's grew to the size of your thumb with cut's from one end to the other.You couldn't open your mouth.You did not stop humping the mountains,so the sweet hit your lip's you curse God and the colonel.The people in your squad were all angry so no word's were exchange. At the end of the day you stopped and made a perimeter each squad was assign to a particular spot.You dug a fox hole 6 by 6 by 5.You went 30 to 40 feet fron the perimeter and cut four log's and carried them to the fox hole. You dresses the fox hole,by filling 300 hundred sand bag's.YOU put 9 at end of the fox hole.You put the four log's on top of the fox hole and the rest of the sandbags Afterwards you put out trip flares and Claymore mines.Guard duty is given to every soldier and you go to sleep,at this time the night has pushed day light away and you can't write home. The next day the same thing seven day's a week and no day's off. Equipment is another thing.I can tell you from the can opener to the smoked grenades . Must remember Viet Nam was a hell hole,it also had worst hell holes in the hell hole.
You would think they’d tell the wounded to contact their family. Because there was a lot going on and those young men were in a different frame of mind. I just want to say thank you for serving our country, my father was a Marine (Devil Dog) in Korea and I have some pictures from out on the field.
I had no idea of the gravity of this war. I was an infant in the sixties, my dad was stationed in alaska. But i never could imagine it was what these great guys were saying. Holy shit!
Sounds like my story with the exception we walked through the jungle for days. Was on listening post 100 yards outside the perimeter every night. More numb than scared.
The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor has no listing of any Tomek, John as a Purple Heart recipient. If you were awarded the Medal ... why would you not register?
i couldn't imagine my job being, "go take a walk in the jungle and if someone tries to kill ya, try to let us know before it happens. Now go git em cowboy!" and off ya go.
Anyone else feel like these war stories have gotten plaid down over the years, they use to be brutal people hungry starving living off canned beans and fruit rationing it. Now days they make it seem like it wasn’t so bad. Which is real offensive. This guy makes it sound like it was a picnic
One comment - I’ll make is this, growing up at the same time and place as this guy I’m struck by one thing, “was i ever this stupid?” I’ll have to get back to you on this.
The more i see of these interviews. The more i realise that the Vietnam war was fought by working-class Americans. People like the Clintons, Trumps and Bush's got out if it. The middle class white Americans got out of it. Love these interviews, respect from the U.K.
as a canuk we have had some of the most incompetent , ignorant and ugly politicians in history . ( though none as bad as joe and kammala ) . but i have never been sent off to a stupid useless war and for that i am grateful . my cousin died in the nam .
the guy probably has his cell phone on him. when held close to an amped audio source, it causes that interference. They should have had him turn his phone off.
![FendiDa Rappa - Clock Dat ft. Shamar Marco [Official Music Video]](http://i.ytimg.com/vi/3NBU8KHdxYY/mqdefault.jpg)
I was starting my second tour in Viet Nam at Dong Tam, a river boat repair base. Lots of Tango, Monitor, Zippo boats in the Harbor. I was walking the road above the piers when a mortar round exploded on the hello pad. It severally wounded a crewman on the boat. It was a sad time for the Sailors. His body was placed on a YARBM to be transported that day back to the World. I think about that crewman often, God rest his soul. JT Wendel
This man is one level headed Marine. Loved his calmness. Liked the stories he told. Semper Fi!
You’re not stupid sir, you are a badass. 😄 Thanks for your service
When I got to Nam the Marines were going through a so called white mans war.What was scary is depending on the Lt. & Sgt. when they were only two who knew how to read a map and knew where we were.It was just great if you liked sleeping on dirt and sometimes water and mud.And at night getting a mouth full of mosquitoes,during a pouring down rain.Semper Fi. RIP My fellow Marines who had fallen for nothing.
What an extraordinarily EARNEST account by this Marine. Incredible recall and even sense of humor. One of the best - in this amazing series.
I was at PhuBai the same time. Tet was a butt kicker. Welcome home bro!
If you can't sleep because of lights being on, noise or whatever you aren't that tired. You learn that right quick in the military.
My father was with the 1st Marines in Nam 67 through 68. Finished up as an NSA guard and got out in 1970. He never spoke openly about the war except from us kids hearing them from his nightmares. He passed away in 2010. He was my hero.
Sorry for your loss Bred...I know it hurts. You are his hero to carry on bravely...
I am sorry for your terrible loss I was also with 1st Marines in Nam during 68. Sempre Fi young man!
@@virgildoc Thank you, and Welcome home.
@@virgildoc thanks Virgil! What state are you in
@@jamalydude You are very welcome we live in Florida
Lord.. the reality of shit this guy experienced in that God awful war. Rock solid individual, tough as nails. Seems he’s doing all he can to hold it together during certain parts of this interview. I wish I could shake his hand and thank him for his service and sacrifice. Americans owe him and all of our military personnel a huge debt of gratitude. I hope he has a great life. He certainly has earned that
I came across a vietnam vet today. Told him thank you for your service sir. He said I did it for people like you. Legendary group of men.
Welcome home brother. US Army USARV Special Troops, Long Binh 68/69
"No grizzly bears ?" Just tigers and deadly snakes and bugs. WOW ! NUFF SAID...JUST another True Humble Ametican Hero. Thank You, Jesus
This entire series is phenomenal. Thanks so much for it! I'm learning much more than in most of the documentaries. One thing I'd very much enjoy is seeing photos of the men at the age of their service.
Good to hear an old boy from Lincoln, Nebraska. I am from UK and 20+ years ago had a work stint in Lincoln. It is kind of an offbeat location. Will never forget a barman asking ‘so what are you guys doing here for work, I mean nobody comes here on vacation’. We were in his bar for a marguerita before watching Black Hawk Down over the road. God Bless the Cornhusker State.
Cigar bar, by chance?
I was 2nd brigade 4th infantry division, Afghanistan 2011-2012. Some things never change.
1-32, 3rd brigade, 10th mountain. Was there 2013-2014. Glad you made it back 💪
You too bro!
1-32 Cav?
As a Vietnam veteran I very much enjoyed this!!
Married with children
Marine friend of mine was one of the first to land in Vietnam... Was from Lincoln Nebraska... Still alive... lucky to have left Vietnam in Nov 65...
good interview ....
both the Marine & the guy asking the questions are fun guys....good attitudes
“Just wanted to see if i could tough it out” man oh man. Did he ever tough it out.
“Downtown by the railroad station”
I love this guy
I was Air Force 438th MAC Clark AFB I didn’t envy any of those kids.
@@ltlwayh1 Especially the ones who didn't duck.
My brother served in Vietnam. He never spoke a word about it to us. He passed away at 53. I have watched 10 of these so far and plan on watching all of them. Think there are over 50 interviews. This gives me a picture into what my brother experienced and witnessed. He was Air Force and all I know he loaded weapons on the F4's.
We are thankful for his service.
My late brother was drafted into the US Army in 1966 he was sent to boot camp at Fort Jackson SC then from there he was shipped out to Viet Nam, he was only a year out of HS, his rank was SP-4, he ended up being a physical fitness trainer and a mechanic fixing jeeps in his divison, he served from 1966-68, he suffered a little shell shock but later on he recovered from it, in 1987 he became ill and passed away, he was my big brother had me by 10 years, i miss him God bless him and all that served in the military.
Sorry for your loss. Your brother was a real-life hero
1st battalion 6th marines 0311. Love you brother. Thanks for your story. We all appreciate it.
Interviewer interrupts too often - too many leading questions - just let him talk...
Just let him tell his story
Would be nice to know how to access those after-action reports. Reading just a couple of them might not add much to overall understanding of Vietnam War, but bound & organized copies of them are something those of us with more than passing interest would read. Thoughtful, valuable testimony by Mr. Tomek. Thank you!
Only 5 mins in and already like this guy.
I like them all
Totally solid guy, respect from the U.K. (again)
Imagine all vets had stories to tell throughout history. Civil war, Revolutionary war, so many young men marched to their deaths.
So many fascinating stories and perspectives
Glad you made it home safely brother !
“ You need to go take this hill”. … “ oh now we don’t need this hill anymore”….. “ You need to go take this hill again “! That part REALLY got me. What a waste
Thank you sir for your service and my freedom.
I am very grateful to have discovered this series.... 6 years later... These veteran stories are so compelling. Thank you.
Thank you for your service God Bless the USA 🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸
Very good discussion. I remember when you and Eddie Sanchez got there to our platoon and that Christmas eve party we had.
When I went into the service in 1968, my letter from Uncle Sam told me I was going to be drafted by either the U.S. Army or the Marine Corp. That meant basic at Fort Dix, N.J., or Camp Lejeune, N.C. I chose to wait for the draft, (which came exactly one year after high school graduation) because there was no way I wanted to spend four years in the military. I was young and wanted to get on with my life, and if going to Vietnam was a way to do that, then so be it. So I ended up going to 'Nam in summer of 1969 at age 20. I ended up getting wounded by shrapnel from a rocket or mortar attack on December 14, 1969. After several operations, I was finally released from army hospital and the army on September of 1970. So I spent most of my 21st year in the planet in army hospitals. I'm 73 years-old now and still hanging in there. I have to disagree a little bit with what this fellow vet said. Maybe he was only kidding, but during the Vietnam era the Marine Corp was no tougher than the United States Army. We went though same basic training, fired the same weapons and had some pretty damned hard DIs. Most of 'em were veterans of WWII, Vietnam, or Korea. They always told us they were going to train us right because they didn't want our sorry asses snuffed out in Vietnam because we didn't know what we were doing.
I experienced a similar experience as, i suppose most of Viet Nam Vets did, that first firefight. I was a 60 gunner on my first trip out. I was 118 pounds soaking wet and the weapon weighed 23 lbs unloaded......Why me....lol
By the time I became a Navy Corpsman in 1971, the auto assignments to field med school with the Marines, ie. Vietnam, were history. Thanks to the Billings Gazette and all those participating for giving me this view into a world of brave soldiers I would luckily never experience directly but feel is important for us all to know about..
This series is great......these well spoken and thoughtful men possess hard-earned wisdom.
They elevate one's image of the "Vietnam Vet."
Being of draft age in 1970..... put one in the draft pool and lottery,
I was relieved. to be exempted....as a "sole surviving son." Father died in uniform on a secret mission in the early 1950s. I was a "patriot" (ie, would love to go to war for my country) in my teens.
Then I saw....on TV....... napalm.....frying humans from the sky. I couldn't see doing that....(unless they did it to us first!)
I know that my high mindedness would have been modified if I were there...... and was being overrun by the enemy.
Our latest 20 years war went as long as it did ......because the media did not display the carnage. During Vietnam....they did.
Mr. Tomek's takeaway comments are simple but profound "Maybe other people love their countries as much as we love ours."
I would like to see a government where war veterans had the power to veto, or endorse, any future wars.
Thank you for your efforts Mr. Ehrlich.
Sincerely, John Davis
I like the wildlife comment. There aren’t any Grizzly Bears
Welcome home Mr. Tomek, welcome home.
Thanks for your service.
This is amazing. Charlie Conlin left his hometown Hyannis ma and served in Vietnam...he never recovered. He used to get drunk and tell horrific stories. Rest in peace charlie.
Thank you, John Tomek and the production team; that was a great piece of work and really edifying. (David - Bristol, UK).
Ha, I'm also David from Bristol.
Thank you John for your service! Semper FI!
How many combat veterans who go on with their lives-as best they can-never talk about it with their families...or anyone else? Their experiences are sometimes so incomparable relative to our normal experience that perhaps many neither find the words nor the audience to elaborate. Many WW2 vets deeply affected by what they saw, heard, smelled, did, felt never spoke more than a few words about their experiences. Once vets speak, it’s hard to get them to elaborate; you feel like they think you really aren’t capable of understanding, which may well be the case.
Navy vet 61 - 65, with riverine combat experience. You are right - I seldom talk about what I experienced - only with my dad who was in Merrills Marauders in WW2 - he and I talked and cried. He also never talked about his ezperiences except that one time with me. I came out and went to nursing school and did that for 46 years, retiring at 70. It was my way of giving back, a way to heal myself. STill do not like fireworks or taps - the nightmares lessened over the decades, now at 80 they are rare. But the memories and the horrors are always there, always there. Tried to drink them away for 10 years, quit for good in '75 - instead of helping, the alcohol made it worse.
Be cool to see a picture of these guys during the interview. To put it in perspective how young these guys were..welcome home
This man seen way more than most it's crazy he was supposed to be a mechanic and then ends up in infantry hard core 👍🇺🇸
Weird how the day this was filmed is filmed on the date I go to recruit training for the Marine Corps🤣10/5/2020!
I hope you weren’t dumb enough to pick infantry too. That shit definitely sucks
Thank you sir
Get em. Times ticking now. Best of luck
Justin Akers ddddddwawwwwwwwwwwwwwwwdddddwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwdddddzdzzapqwwwwwwwwwwwwdddwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwwadsddddddddddweaßßa
How’s it going now man? Surviving?
Someone in the background is doing their taxes on a watch calculator.
That beeping ?
Bleed over picked up by their equipment.
2 seconds - honest man
Great interview just laying back relaxed listening to some one who has been there and walked the walk so I am listening to him talk the talk no b.s. he's not making himself out to be some war hero but he is
we captured a few, I only had close contact with two of them. One was an NVA officer (Captain I think) I was an E3 at the time so did not do anything but transport to the intel guys. The other one was a VC who was severely wounded. I stood guard over him while our medic worked on him. He was then taken to dust off and away he went. Do not know what happened to the guy, lived or died, and at that time I was hoping for his demise......Crazy is as crazy does I guess. Still crazy my wife says.
There's a special place in Hell for lying recruiters.
OPUS BUDDLY..... There's a NO VACANCY SIGN OUT FRONT NOW.
and lying draft boards
Wish there was a hell place sometimes!!! Fiction!
Great interview by a GREAT Patriot.
THANK YOU FOR YOUR SERVICE SIR. Welcome home.
In the 60’s partying on college could put you in the nam.
Tell me about it
Thank you for sharing your story
He said he was with Fox Co. But didn't mention what Battalion or which Marine group. I was in Golf Co. 2nd Battalion 9th Marines 3rd Marine Division 68-69.
He was with Fox 2/26 3rd Mar Div.
THANK YOU JOHN !
“2 warms beers per day- Carling Black Label” That’s a British drink made just down road from me in Staffordshire- Thank you for your service
Carling Black Label made in Baltimore MD
What a humble warrior god bless him.. Thank you for your service sir!!
every one had 2 hours guard an night starting 10.00 m60 tank crew of 5 Pleiku --ankhe daytime crush rice pots, and vc base camps, LZ oasis, lz blackhawk, lz action, dak tko 69th armor u.s. 1969
Damn good Marine.🤜🤜🤜🇱🇷
Very proud and thankful for this man. God bless him. Not surprised though…I am also from Lincoln, NE and Cornhuskers are a tough breed! Go Big Red!
John is awesome ; humble and cool.
Hey I tested "well" on all kinds of stuff too. Greetings from a fellow 0311! LOL 2/7, 74-76.
No hate but I would have liked to hear about his life after returning - wife, family, job etc. Other than that it was a good interview.
What a legend. Love this guy
Sir, Mr. John Tomek....I spent 6 years in warzones across iraq and afghanistan. Freaking THANK YOU, for everything you did. Nothing but massive respect for you and your time in Vietnam. America owe's you more than it could ever repay.
Thank you Mr. Tomek
This guy really didn't have it bad.
Kayson(spelling wrong) they had three
mess halls.He says we went outside the
wire.The base camps and fire bases
had wire around them.Buffalo grass
grows in flat land and rise patties.
The real fighting was done in the Central
High Lands or Dak to area.It consist of
all mountain's.The Viet Nam people
called it.The home of evil.A day of a
Grunt up before light.You gathered your
equipment in the dark.You lined up in
the dark at an angel going up the
mountain in the jungle.You carried your
M-16 and a hundred pound's on your
back.In the line you stand leaning forward,cause of the weight in the dark.
Soldier's shifted their weight and in the dark it sounded like saddles shifting on
the horse.At day break the word came
down,saddle up,then the word at the first
rey's of light move out.You were always
moving up the mountain.Water was
precious(no water) on top of the mountains)We were resupply with
meal's and water.When the copper
didn't come,you went hungry and thirsty.
Your lip's grew to the size of your thumb
with cut's from one end to the other.You
couldn't open your mouth.You did not
stop humping the mountains,so the
sweet hit your lip's you curse God and
the colonel.The people in your squad
were all angry so no word's were exchange.
At the end of the day you stopped and
made a perimeter each squad was assign to a particular spot.You dug a
fox hole 6 by 6 by 5.You went 30 to 40 feet fron the perimeter and cut four
log's and carried them to the fox hole.
You dresses the fox hole,by filling 300
hundred sand bag's.YOU put 9 at end
of the fox hole.You put the four log's on
top of the fox hole and the rest of the sandbags Afterwards you put out trip
flares and Claymore mines.Guard duty
is given to every soldier and you go to
sleep,at this time the night has pushed
day light away and you can't write home.
The next day the same thing seven day's a week and no day's off.
Equipment is another thing.I can tell you
from the can opener to the smoked
grenades .
Must remember Viet Nam was a hell hole,it also had worst hell holes in the
hell hole.
You would think they’d tell the wounded to contact their family. Because there was a lot going on and those young men were in a different frame of mind. I just want to say thank you for serving our country, my father was a Marine (Devil Dog) in Korea and I have some pictures from out on the field.
Nice guy
A very interesting perspective on John's war story and his thoughts on wars since. A very good series.
Very good interview! Thanks!
Are all these brought to us by... "master lube"?
Great interview and story.
All these guys are all American heroes
What’s that high frequency in the background? Got my tinnitus all riled up.
Christmas eve: "There's supposed to be a cease fire... so we went out and set up a little ambush" 12:40.
The spiteful process unexpectedly laugh because married universally wail unto a spotty drum. mundane, tasteless married
I had no idea of the gravity of this war. I was an infant in the sixties, my dad was stationed in alaska.
But i never could imagine it was what these great guys were saying. Holy shit!
Sounds like my story with the exception we walked through the jungle for days. Was on listening post 100 yards outside the perimeter every night. More numb than scared.
The National Purple Heart Hall of Honor has no listing of any Tomek, John as a Purple Heart recipient. If you were awarded the Medal ... why would you not register?
Look at the men today in the US.
Great story thanks for schare it .👍👍👍👍
i couldn't imagine my job being, "go take a walk in the jungle and if someone tries to kill ya, try to let us know before it happens. Now go git em cowboy!" and off ya go.
Anyone else feel like these war stories have gotten plaid down over the years, they use to be brutal people hungry starving living off canned beans and fruit rationing it. Now days they make it seem like it wasn’t so bad. Which is real offensive. This guy makes it sound like it was a picnic
One comment - I’ll make is this, growing up at the same time and place as this guy I’m struck by one thing, “was i ever this stupid?” I’ll have to get back to you on this.
You can see in this guy's eyes he feels uncomfortable talking about the war.
Yes, he witness lot's of dirt perhaps......also he had to catch himself saying the Vietcongs.......instead of using the Asian slang!
RIP Joe Rogan
Thanks John.
Too bad we didn't have these kind of personal recounts like these from the WWII guys
It’s not too late. There’s a lot of WW2 vets at my local VA.
These interviews are Gold. Get as much on video or paper before it's gone.
Sure the ladies liked that scar.
This interview would’ve flowed a lot better if you weren’t cutting off his thoughts/answers.
The more i see of these interviews. The more i realise that the Vietnam war was fought by working-class Americans. People like the Clintons, Trumps and Bush's got out if it. The middle class white Americans got out of it. Love these interviews, respect from the U.K.
More middle class white men died in Vietnam versus any other race , quit lying dipshit , racist! Racist!
All American wars are fought by poor and working class kids.
@@darylhoskins5696 Trump lost. Haha!
@@schrisdellopoulos9244 was stolen,nobody voted for Brain dead Hiden !!!
A common saying during American Civil War.... "Rich man's war and a poor man's fight."
as a canuk we have had some of the most incompetent , ignorant and ugly politicians in history . ( though none as bad as joe and kammala ) . but i have never been sent off to a stupid useless war and for that i am grateful . my cousin died in the nam .
Ty for your service! 🇨🇦🇺🇸
Job well done John......Thank You for your service and dedication......Welcome Home !!
What the Hell is the DAMM BACKGROUND SQUEAK ???? ANNOYING.
It's the VC
the guy probably has his cell phone on him. when held close to an amped audio source, it causes that interference. They should have had him turn his phone off.
Ever notice that most of these bad ass vets come from middle America??
Entertainment? Must have been Olongapo or Angeles City.
I'm halfway through listening and he and the interviewer still haven't mentioned what Battalion and Regiment he was with.