Canadians in Vietnam

[Black Watch]

I would like to know if annybody has some info on Canadians soldiers that went to Nam during the war?

 

[Walt]

The following is a link to a website which provides various statistics regarding Canadians who served with the US forces in the Vietnam war:

http://www.mystae.com/reflections/vietnam/canada.html

Cheers,

Walt

 

[jmacleod]

One of our associates, a Canadian living in Louisiana, but born in Ontario, served as a Warrant
Officer helicopter pilot in Viet Nam - he indicated that he had never met another Canadian
there during his tour of duty, but had heard about Canadians serving. There is an interesting
Viet Nam veteran story focused on Halifax NS. The Roman Catholic Cemetary operated by the
Irish Benevolent Society, located on the corner of South Street and South Park Street, contains
a grave indicating that it is occupied by a member of the USMC. The grave marker is a standard
US DOD issue unit, but I noticed that in contained the letters "MOH" over the name of the
Marine - I assume that the deceased won the Medal of Honor - he was a casualty of Viet Nam,
perhaps others reading this post are familier with the story. MacLeod

 

[Gramps]

Here are some more links with a bit more info on Canadians in the Vietnam War. The first site is still under construction, the second one has some interesting facts on it. Cheers.

http://www.vvic.org/
http://spidersweb.stormpages.com/history.htm

 

[AmmoTech90]

Book by a Canadian in Vietnam

There It Is, Les Brown

http://www.amazon.ca/exec/obidos/ASIN/0771016921/qid=1116612788/sr=1-21/ref=sr_1_0_21/701-8634223-7441159

 

[Danjanou]

Unknown Warriors Canadians in Vietnam by Fred Gaffen is also worth a look. It's a compilation of stories (oral history) of Canadians who served in the war in the US Army, USMC, USAF, USN etc including reasons they enlisted. Also touches on some of the aftermath, PTSD, how they were treated here when they came back.

 

[Art Johnson]

Fred Gaffen used to work for the CWM, one of the good guys, he lost his job when he stuck to his principles. He kicked up a fuss when the weenies wanted to include a Hallocust Museum as part of the CWM.

 

[NateC]

My uncle who is Canadian served in Vietnam. He was in MACV:SOG, had three tours in Vietnam, and did cross-border operations into Cambodia and Laos.

 

[CH1]

There was some 60,000 Canucks over there.  Some were ICCS, & other agencies. Some were in US forces, Aussie etc. There was even some in Canuck uniform on the line  (The forgotten ones.) The Cdn govt then as now still treats us as third rate.  Until as approx 10 yrs ago, Ottawa explicitly denied we were there, in any fashion.  Then some classified papers suddenly left the politico's with red faces.
Trudea was upset that the beans were spilt about the level of Cdn invovlement from arms & ammo to bodies in the field.
Cheers

 

[Lineman052]

Just a little tid bit, General Dextraze who was a WW2 company and Bn commander and later became the Chief Of Defence Staff early 1970's lost a son in Vietnam.  I personally served with two Canadian Vietnam Vets in the 1970's who came back to the Cdn Army when I was an RCR one in the 2nd Bn and another in the 3rd Bn.    I know of some others through these men, that came back to Canada to share leason's learned from their perspective.

 

[Black Watch]

There was some 60,000 Canucks over there.   Some were ICCS, & other agencies. Some were in US forces, Aussie etc. There was even some in Canuck uniform on the line   (The forgotten ones.) The Cdn govt then as now still treats us as third rate.   Until as approx 10 yrs ago, Ottawa explicitly denied we were there, in any fashion.   Then some classified papers suddenly left the politico's with red faces.
Trudea was upset that the beans were spilt about the level of Cdn invovlement from arms & ammo to bodies in the field.
Cheers

Have you been there?

 

[Mineguy]

http://members.tripod.com/~Canadian_Vietnam_Vet/johnwblake.htm

Here is John Blakes story. Newfoundland Green beret and also of the 173rd AB and 75th Ranger Regt in Vietnam.

Better than the best!!!

 

[CH1]

Response to Black watch.

I' ve been soldiering since 1968, & am on terminal leave.  The jungles over there are dense hot & humid.
The grass is taller than me in places & I'm over 6'.  Just last week in the States, ran into a door gunner, I met 30+ years ago.  We had a chance to salute those that didn't come home, & remember what it was like on the DMZ.  Unfortunately due to my sched, we did not pass the bottle & cigar.

In short yes to your question.  You are a "cherry" with just a year behind your belt. A word of advice, be respectful to whom ever you question.  Even what I call the younger generation, has even more combat time than me & have earned the respect they are due.  Choose your words as carefully as your weapon.

 

[Black Watch]

Response to Black watch.

I' ve been soldiering since 1968, & am on terminal leave.   The jungles over there are dense hot & humid.
The grass is taller than me in places & I'm over 6'.   Just last week in the States, ran into a door gunner, I met 30+ years ago.   We had a chance to salute those that didn't come home, & remember what it was like on the DMZ.   Unfortunately due to my sched, we did not pass the bottle & cigar.

In short yes to your question.   You are a "cherry" with just a year behind your belt. A word of advice, be respectful to whom ever you question.   Even what I call the younger generation, has even more combat time than me & have earned the respect they are due.   Choose your words as carefully as your weapon.

I truly apologize if the vocabulary I used offnedeoffended didn't mean to hurt anyone.

 

[rocky1fac]

My Uncle served in the Nam as he would call it. He went in 63 as support advisor drivr and ended his tour in early 70,s after a single tour in Korea. In toll he racked up about 8 years in the place. Very bent when he came back and ended up dying of a rare brain tumour that we suspect was agent Orange related only a few years after he returned. He has some real good lines and he is a main reason I joined the force.
He had good stories about the early years on jumpimg into Hanoi outskirts (his first combat Jump) and being all concerned about shiting and pissing himself on the way down because he was so scared. You know its true when its that embarasing.
Other didis are how they were so much bigger (he was 6,4) and he said in close combat it was easier to grab the En by the throat and squeez the life out of them. And a good one about blow guns and snakes so big they eat the guard dogs.

 

[the 48th regulator]

CH1,

I too was ready to ask whether you served and where, but I was afraid the post sounded like I was challenging you, so I deleted it and said I would move on.

It is good to hear that you not only made it back but came home to continue to serve, as I am sure it must have took a long time to heal physically, but especially mentally.  I wasn't in Vietnam, heck I was not even born, but I have served overseas.

cheers and thank you for being on board, there are other members of the site that also served in Vietnam, on is a fellow named Jim Steed.  He also hosts a web site.

dileas

tess

 

[Infanteer]

In toll he racked up about 8 years in the place.

8 years in Vietnam; wow, that was quite a long time.  What was he doing?

 

[rocky1fac]

My Uncle served as a driver in the first advisor units to start. Later on due to his knowledge of the high lats of VN as the war pushed the activiites farther south he guided patrols inthe North and ended up near the end as an Armoured engineer bulding defenses. He was a member of the Cav He said that he always re-uped because he couldnt come home broke and evertime he was offered a reup and cash bonus plus R&R in Japan or Hawaii he just kept in the cycle. During the middle of his first 3 tours tours he was posted to Korea after that he volunteered to go back and did the final few tours til just before siagon feel. Best rank was Sgt and it would appear it went up and down alot. Inter mixed in some of theose tours was a brig time but then who hasent been in the s**t. It is a forgoten story our Canadians in VN I remember him leaving and his R&Rs home although few and his few years when he returned. He was never compensated for Agent O and that is what did him in. 

 

[Infanteer]

So what unit did he jump into Hanoi with?

 

[KevinB]

Pardon me but...