Combat Story (Ep 8): Hubert Yoshida Marine Corps Officer | Vietnam Veteran | Operation Utah
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- Опубликовано: 27 июл 2024
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Hubert Yoshida is a Vietnam Veteran who served as a U.S. Marine Corps Platoon Commander from 1965-1966 near Chu Lai in the central part of Vietnam with 2nd Battalion, 7th Marines.
He and his platoon fought in the bloody Operation Utah, a significant battle from March 4-7, 1966, which saw over 700 KIA between the North and South Vietnamese forces and Marines. Hubert has a fascinating story that begins as a child in a Japanese prison camp in the U.S., to leading Marines on the front lines, and then transitioning to an exceptionally successful career in senior executive roles in the private sector.
Today, he’s writing a book about Operation Utah to tell the story of the hundreds of Marines who fought there and is looking for anyone who may have served in that battle.
0:00 Intro.
2:20 - Growing up in a prison camp for US citizens of Japanese ancestry.
7:17 - Family history in both the Japanese and US military.
8:41 - Had to enlist to serve in Vietnam to then earn a commission.
9:15 - Gets put in a data processing unit.
10:56 - Parents were disappointed he joined the Marine Corps after a degree in physics and math from Berkely and not going to grad school.
15:17 - First sighting in Vietnam was an Army Sergeant in underwear drinking a beer on the beach.
18:06 - Gets permission from the CO to go on a mission to a nearby village in first contact.
18:34 - The unit is ambushed on their first mission.
33:17 - Lead up to Operation Utah. Intel on the 21st NVA Regiment moving into Chu Lai.
36:17 - Initial flights into the battle were shot down, including an A-4 Skyhawk and H-34 by fifty caliber machine guns.
39:26 - Call from Battalion Commander to support another company to close a gap in the flank and recover a separated platoon.
41:14 - A suicide mission.
49:57 - Guilt in leaving the dead behind to make sure the wounded were carried out.
50:55 - Secures perimeter one of his men gets killed they call in air strikes.
58:23 - Recognizing the importance of the battle in your life and something you think about almost every night.
58:59 - The story of believing he lost a radio man haunts him to this day and only later found out the radio man lived through the event.
1:05:41 - Returning home from Vietnam and assigned to Camp Pendleton.
1:06:19 - Having to notify a young widow of her husband’s passing in Vietnam.
1:07:52 - Leaves the Marine Corps after the death notification and joins IBM.
1:08:45 - Returning to Vietnam in 2016 to revisit his steps.
1:15:34 - Never provided direction to children in terms of joining the military.
1:17:45 - Would have done it again.
1:18:21 - Really proud to have been in the Marine Corps.
1:20:33 - Carrying a pocket bible through the deployment (one in English, one in Korean).
I worked with Hu for the past several decades leading up to his recent retirement from Hitachi. An absolule gentlemen and a true leader beloved and respected by all who had the fortune to know him.
Couldn't agree more. I would imagine his Marines felt the same way!
Vietnam vets always have the best war stories
Well YAH considering they were there. 😅😅😅
Micheal Herr wrote about his experiences as a combat journalist..."Dispatches"...he wrote the screenplay for Apocalypse Now
I know Hu for a long time, a great professional and a perfect gentleman respected by friends and the competition. Josh
I couldn't agree more. I'm sure his Marines felt the same way.
As a Marine during the 1960's I often heard comments about how Marines were nothing but animals, etc. When people like Captain Yoshida tell of their experiences it often reflects on the humanity of those who served both in times of War and in times of Peace. I have always been proud of having served as a US Marine and hearing Captain Yoshida's recounting of his experiences only serve to reinforce this sense of pride. Thank you Captain Yoshida. Semper Fi.
Marines have profound integrity...proven every generation...Semper Fi...greatest respects from Canada
There's a lot to be critical of, when it comes to tech giants and social media - but you can't beat the fact that podcasts like this are available for anyone to watch.
Hubert comes across as a very serious, sober, and caring individual. All good qualities for an officer. Enjoyed his story very much.
I'm proud to have served with the 7th Marines (Kilo 3/7) knowing that he served.
Was in Kilo 3/9 2nd platoon 80-84 (peace time)
Was in Kilo 3/5 69
Getting Vietnam vet stories is very important for history thanks for the video
Remarkable slice of American history, thank you Marine for answering the call...
You were there a little before me sir. Welcome home brother.
Semper Fi
*SUCH AN UNDERRATED RUclips CHANNEL. LITERALLY HAS THE BEST MILITARY INTERVIEWS AND MISSION STORIES IN DETAIL. NEEDS MORE SUBSCRIBERS, VIEWS, LIKES ETC*
Good point but stop shouting.
@@CorePathway wtf are u talking about. JUST BECAUSE ITS CAPS DONT MEAN SOMEONE IS SHOUTING. NOT TO MENTION ITS LITERALLY WRITING, YOU CAN NOT HEAR AND IM NOT SPEAKING ALOUD ANYWAYS.
May I also recommend ruclips.net/user/JohnvanZyl7 He has a lot of such interviews but of a different theater thats still the same.
This makes me laugh. Are we so programmed by computers that you are actually HEARING someone screaming when you read. Such a sorry world that we now have to be PC about how we text or write 😅
Exceptional interview. Captain Yoshida impresses me with his forthright honesty, particularly where he is critical of some of the decisions he made, such as "holding some water back" for his own use rather than giving all his water to another Marine. I served in the Navy in 1970-1971. I was a hospital corpsman. I have the greatest respect for every Marine I have ever personally known. Captain Yoshida seems to be extra-special, something I suspect he himself would deny. Semper Fidelis to both of you. And keep up the great work. Hopefully Captain Yoshida is and will continue to enjoy his retirement. Andy McKane, Molokai, Hawaii.
Semper Fidelis Skipper. I’m an Island boy from Hawaii and did serve with 4/12 and 3/12 In Okinawa 1974-1975 prior to Japan’s Prefecture agreement. I served through the enlisted ranks from Pvt . to GySgt. I was selected as a Warrant Officer in 1985 when promoted to Warrant Officer 1 as a Data Communications Maintenance Officer 2805. I retired in Hawaii at KMCAS, Kaneohe Hawaii as a Chief Warrant Officer 3 in 1994. I salute you sir. My younger days in the Islands I had many Japanese friends that I grew up with and I known their families. In Hawaii we all Go For Broke. Mahalo nui loa for your service to our Corps and Country. Gunner Kaupe.
What a legacy, thank you Hubert for your service.
Ryan, thank you for interviewing Vietnam Veterans. They deserve our love, respect and thanks!
One of the small peculiarities of Marines. We call our Platoon Leaders, Platoon Commanders. Great interview. I love hearing these stories from the rank and file infantrymen.
Combat story is simply the BEST.
Our Country grateful 🇺🇸
It called Pride American Pride a time when people loved our country and willingly die for our country if need be
Because America is the greatest nation in the world and the true history of our country was taught in school
Schools weren’t full of teachers with agendas Also immigrant families were so thankful for being Americans
They were honored to give service and to prove they also were the best of Americans
Thank you for your service, welcome home! 💯
That segregated Japanese unit was a highly decorated unit that his uncle served in .. It becane known as the purple heart batallion or something like that ..
Only 5 minutes in and this guy has my respect,spent years in those camps because of something he couldn't help and still wanted to serve,some people would come out of that with anger and resentment, respect
I’d be willing to forgive too. But I’d need a big apology and a big fat sack of cash along with it too! Then we can talk service. You don’t give service to someone that fucked you over without some compensation first, or else you’re not a real man.
Wouldn’t you?
Actually not many did..... Its very interesting to see what happened to Japanese Americans, yet they never cry for reparations or cry foul. They just got back up, and became successful Americans.
@@Charles-pf7zy are you trolling? That doesn’t even make sense. Do you have any idea how impossible it would have been to get compensation from the government back then? It’s the 1940s. Everything was still segregated and racism was more open. Surprised they only were sent to camps and not simply wiped out.
What Yoshida did IS WHAT AN HONORABLE MAN WOULD DO.
Despite everything that happened he still put his life on the line, stayed loyal to the flag, and led his FELLOW Americans into battle in the firestorm of HELL that was Vietnam.
Yoshida is everything an American should be.
Don’t you dare denigrate it.
@@enshk79 oh so they were only sent to camps instead of being killed how merciful.
No reparation for being sent into an internment camp, no service to the country lmao how is that not hard to understand? Ok so it would have been impossible to get reparated at the time, fine then, no service for you. That’s how self respect works
@@JosamaBinBiden the idea of being interned based on race as a white American is so alien to them they literally believe you should just get back on your feet and have no ill will to the country that did that to you l-m-fucking-a-o
Thank you Hubert. Thank you Ryan for sharing.
Amazing interview...on both sides. Thank you
Semper Fi Skipper, cant wait to receive your book! 👍🇺🇸👍🇺🇸
Awesome story Hubert. My Dad was a Navy Corpsman in that time frame with 2nd Battalion 7th Marines, 1st MarDiv(?). You didn't happen to know a guy named Mouse did you?
I'm pretty sure he was in the Chu Lai AO. He didn't tell many stories but the ones he did were unreal.
What an awesome interview...the small part about having Pokemon on his phone when he went back recently put a big smile on my face
Japan,,, quality people with real integrity, this guy is an example of Japanese people, they taught me so much.
I was in Vietnam 1950s-72 first with US Air Force and Contract work.
Like you Herbert I see hatred towards others only brings bitterness and self hate and no inner peace I experienced this as a child from a parent Respect like you hatred is a wasted energy.
I've think what you have done for those who died or were injured in Vietnam what a kind thing to do is to write to each ones family and love ones. As I have never been in the military but have learnt from others from reading their stories from WW2 and my exs grandmother living in the blitz in London and the fear, of the bombing raids and the bravery and courage of those who failught lived and died in combat. I listened to a holocaust survivor from New York who told his powerful story about the death camps and death march to Germany, telling his children to educate them but also educating all of us. Thank you for your humility and humanity for your soldiers who fought with you on the battle field you just gave such a view point of what it was like in combat and helping another human being your story is full of humanity. I forgive those who have hurt me accept my ex I'm sorry you've been through so much and suffered with PTSD thank you again Lyn 😀💜🙏
Great great podcast much respect
What an amazing story of a smart and compassionate leader.
Another great interview and another great warrior!
Remember everyone deployed. God bless our military.
Amazing interview !
Excellent, thank you!
Worked with aguy named burnie in wa st. Dust off out of chu li saved marines on a hill top and went back was told not too. Dude has been shot 3 times and many huey crashes ! God bless you guys fn cool heros find burnie tell his storey these guys are the best !!!
So glad I found this channel, amazing Interview's!
Much love and respect from Newcastle Upon Tyne, UK 🇬🇧🇺🇲🇬🇧
I would never suggest that u are wrong about anything sir but you are a American not a Japanese American. Thank you for your service.
Just read the book ,excellent
Thanks for taking out that Machine gun on Operation Utah. You earned that Silver Star
A brilliant man, I adore the Japanese.
Thank you sir for your noble service.
Thanks for your service!
German and Italian American citizens were also interned too, bet you didn't know that. They get no pity press.
“Play animal”, definitely a Marine. From the armpit of Liberalism Berkeley, to being a real American a Marine Grunt. .
If you like this guy, you will LOVE this guy. >> Guy Gabaldon
My old unit
semper fidelis devil dog.
Not your fault brother, our government is to blame for this mess we were in during Vietnam.
Was there with Golf Company carrying a Flame Thrower, I was the Assistant Gunner to Cpl Foster who used the gun to take out an entrenched MG nest, after he crawled in and shot the still alive gunner. The book says that Flames was not present there as a Flames unit. Not True.
WE NEED NICHOLAS IRVING AKA NICK THE REAPER ON HERE!!!
❤
I found it very hard to listen to. My MC Battalion only had three Companies, not four. Many errors like this said, "Did anyone proof this?
USMC 3rd Tank Battalion, Third Mar Div 1964-1965 - 2nd Battalion 8th Marines, Second Mar Div 1965-1966
👍
So strange some of the things Ryan laughs at.... Weird
What an amazing story from an amazing man! You have my respect and admiration, Mr. Yoshida. Especially considering your racial background and growing up in an American internment camp as well as the racism you had to deal with after.
Many lives…. For what??
Cluster phuch rice pattie
He doesn't have a book to sell or product to peddle, so he won't be invited on Jocko's Podcast.
Who cares? 😅😅😅
A great episode with an American hero ruined by anti gun ads . I know its not up to you but what a crock of shit.
He gets treated like shit in encampment born in this us country and serve in combat. I’m Okinawan decent and served in the navy with my two older brothers who also serve together at the time in Iraq and Afghanistan.
His Vietnam "story" is the same as all the others. He did not belong in Vietnam. It was not his fight. It was an Asian civil war for independence after decades of colonialism. His time in Vietnam did absolutely nothing for American safety, security and freedom. He was an invader and aggressor in Vietnam....a country that did nothing to Americans and the US. He was nothing more than a chump & pawn of the US Government and its wrong imperialistic foreign policy. He helped enable that policy to bring pain, loss and waste to the American people for 10 years.
I'm a proud Vietnam/Draft resistor. Prove me wrong
Yeah no. I’m glad you have the opportunity to speak your mind, but the reason you do is because airmen, soldiers, marines & sailors have fought for those rights. Given the situation with communism in Asia in the 60’s we we obligated as a country to resist the attempted communist takeover of South Vietnam. Different Cold War clashes ended differently, Korea was a stalemate, and Vietnam was widely regarded as a loss. What we did accomplish however was make it very expensive and difficult for the NVA and the Chinese to try to take over the south. The Berlin Wall coming down in 1989 and the end of the USSR in 1991 proved that we were right to have opposed communism.
Sorry, no disrespect intended but you're feeding me propaganda and Kool Aid. I cannot....and will not...accept the line that those wars since WW2 have given me an opportunity to "speak my mind". You connecting those "dots" so foolishly is what makes America dangerous. I am 100% in support of having the best nuclear deterrence possible as well as the best military on the planet...and the $$$ cost of maintaining that. After that, I get off the wagon with you. The best offense is having the best defense. All these wars since the end of WW2 didn't do shit for my freedom & security.... or yours. That's not being political...that's being rational, logical and based in reality.
And to top it off...this country doesn't have the common sense of recognizing the REAL threat to American safety and security....our own southern border. That, in itself, illustrates the utter foolishness of what you are propagating. Invading and securing Mexico would have had 10 times more genuine value for American safety and security than ALL the BS wars the US has engaged in... put together... since the end of WW2.
@@thomasfx3190 Yeah no the war wasn't really about communism. They didn't need us to stop communism; they could've done it themselves.
And I can’t help wondering how different Vietnam would be right now if America under Truman had done the morally correct thing!
Again, Vietnam didn't have to be communist. It could've been independent and democratic without a war we had helped them become independent right after WW2 then the whole Vietnam war would've been avoided. You see, at the end of WWII Ho Chi Minh came to Truman and asked for his support in seeking Vietnamese independence from the French, and Truman basically brushed him off to support the French in their occupation! And it’s not like Ho Chi Minh just played Truman one visit and then went to Moscow! No, he really respected America and in fact he modeled the Vietnamese declaration of independence directly on the American one, so he sent Truman numerous letters, which Truman chose to ignore in favor of supporting the French!
Ok, France was our friend and all who backed our bid for independence, I get that, but France was wrong on this! And we as a self-proclaimed champion of freedom and justice were morally obligated to support the Vietnamese in their quest for independence and freedom!
But it gets worse than all that. We turned our backs on the morally correct until Ho Chi Minh got support from the soviets! Then we decided to get involved on the premise that if South Vietnam fell to communism, then all of southeast Asia would follow! But as you can see, after we left and all of Vietnam became communist, that did not happen! So basically 58,000 Americans and several million Vietnamese died for nothing!
To me that makes it the worse war! And I can’t help wondering how different Vietnam would be right now if America under Truman had done the morally correct thing! Also, many South Vietnamese felt they could've fought the war themselves without U.S. interference. Now I'm no fan of communism but it's none of our business whether Vietnam is communist or not. Besides, the South Vietnamese felt that they could fight the war themselves without American interference. All they needed was supplies and moral support, nothing more. As one former South Vietnamese officer stated, " We fought for our country with our best,” Vo said. “We didn’t need the Americans to do our job for us. We didn’t need the American GIs to come and fight for us. We needed money, supplies and international support.”
And here's my source.
www.mercurynews.com/2017/09/29/veterans-angry-disappointed-following-pbs-vietnam-war-documentary/