stationed in germany during vietnam war

Their lot was really rugged, Lomperis said. Deliver vital engineering solutions, in collaboration with our partners, to secure our Nation, energize our economy, and reduce disaster risk. When support servicemen crossed paths with combat troops, We felt guilty. Soldiers bought goods with their ration cards, which were punched when purchases were made, Lair said. Im also more respectful of what servicepeople endure. There were swimming pools, bars, cheap booze, entertainment, dancers and strippers, American TV. They have rock climbing, paddle boarding, BBQ grills, a restaurant, hiking trails, and more. The question became: When will someone tell what my war was like? Lair said. To enter and activate the submenu links, hit the down arrow. Most of his time was spent protecting government buildings from Vietnam War protesters. At least in our case. Grafenwoehr is a tiny base compared to almost anywhere youve been stationed in the US. He now is an adjunct professor in the John Glenn College of Public Service. Peace activists, however, saw them as a threat and held massive demonstrations. After graduating from Ohio State University in 1968, William Shkurti said, I knew I was going to be drafted so I enlisted. WebThe United States Army has 40 military installations in Germany, two of which are scheduled to close. 877-222-8387, TDD (Hearing Impaired) Given the popular conception that being drafted during Vietnam was a guaranteed ticket to the combat zone, Ive always found it amazing how many of the people I know who served in the Army or USMC during the Vietnam War never actually went to Vietnam. HMD found that Reservists who served as flight crew (pilot, navigator, flight engineer, and loadmaster), ground maintenance crew, and aero-medical personnel had regular contact with the aircraft, and would have experienced some exposure to chemicals from herbicide residue. Our AIT class in 1971 at A.P.G. For the next 17 years the Europe Division of the Corps executed the Army and Air Force construction programs in Europe and supported the NATO construction program. Morale was bad, and there were racial problems, Shkurti said. WebThe Vietnam War exposed this problematic dimension in the U.S.-German relationship most dramatically. May 31, 2017 in MILITARY HISTORY DISCUSSIONS. One strong memory I have is how tough it was for the families, Thornton said. I know that was very dependent upon where you called home, but that was my reality, Thornton said. Anyone who served in the military during the war faced the possibility of being sent to Vietnam, though. Its important for people to know they exist. Country western music blared all over Saigon, Lomperis said. From the end of World War II in 1945 until the end of the Cold War in 1991, Army Engineers played a key role in providing the facilities for arming, supplying, training, and housing American soldiers and airmen and their families in Europe. Why is Netflix pouring billions into South Korean shows? To preserve morale, the ration program ensured that all personnel were able to buy highend goods, but it was limited due to the possibility they might resell goods on the black market, Lair said. He was friendly with street urchins who would badger him for chocolate and other small treats. I was thinking I would have a better chance of determining where I would be sent.. Of his entire graduating platoon, only he and one other trooper were sent to West Germany, all the others got orders to RVN. You made a deal in Saigon, and the car arrived in Lawrence, Kansas, said Lomperis, who bought himself a $30 radio cassette player during the war, brought it home and kept it until about 2000. "I was shocked when I found that out myself, but it kind of makes sense," Hollander tells Guy Raz, host of weekends on All Things Considered. They wore fatigues and carried M16s. Out of our entire class I believe two, maybe three guys got orders for Korea. After Nazi Germany surrendered on 8 May 1945, four countries representing the Allies (the United States, United Kingdom, Soviet Union, and France) asserted joint authority Many veterans struggled with feeling that their experience didnt measure up. Well, one. A rare photo of East of Underground in performance. I can only speak from my own experiences. File a claim online. Hitt says he had already been in one Army band by the time he joined the group. During the era of the Vietnam War, American troops and facilities were neglected forcing Engineers to marshal their slender resources augmented by host nation contributions to keep American forces ready for war and take care of Army and Air Force personnel and their families. GRAFENWOEHR, Germany More than 30 veterans of the Vietnam War living in Germany were awarded pins Tuesday by the local Veterans of Foreign Wars post in recognition of their service. With pressures on USAREUR in the mid-1970s to reduce the size of its headquarters and budget, the command asked the Corps of Engineers to take responsibility for military construction in the theater. Bronze Star and the Vietnamese Army Staff Medal First Class and is the author of four books about Vietnam including The War Everyone Lost and Won.. Even before Erhard succeeded Konrad Adenauer as West Germany's second chancellor, the conflict in Vietnam had If you enlisted you would serve 3 years and chose your MOS. "Bear in mind that these bands were all engaged in a show band contest in 1971 and 1972, and the winners of the that contest would then be able to tour Europe, and would also record an LP in the Armed Forces Network studios in Frankfurt. They also ate pretty well. Powered by Invision Community, Vietnam Era Draftees Stationed in W.Germany, South Korea, and CONUS, US MILITARIA FORUM - COLLECTORS PRESERVING HISTORY. In their spare time, servicepeople could go to the library, join a service club or take a spin on the go-kart track. He could take that information back to the base. Another difference was the sense of solidarity he felt. 2) Amsterdam, The Netherlands. A new compilation pulls together some of those old records it's called East of Underground: Hell Below. Six out of seven served on bases. I was going for many reasons, but the most important was to close a chapter of history I felt needed closing, Thornton said. The rockets, armed with nuclear warheads, became a political issue. 18th Military Police Brigade (United States It was a game of cat and mouse that almost turned deadly when he was nearly killed by some drunk Vietnamese soldiers, Lomperis said. WebThe conventional wisdom was that everybody carried a rifle, patrolled the jungle and faced death daily, but thats false, said William Shkurti, who served as an artillery officer in a remote area about 300 yards from the Cambodian border in fall 1970. He attributed it to where he happened to be standing in a formation. I expected it would be worse in Vietnam, but it was a more satisfying experience, Shkurti said. In retirement he wrote Soldiering On in a Dying War focusing on the Vietnam drawdown and The Ohio State University in the Sixties.. After the defeat of Germany, the relatively small American force in Europe was preoccupied with the administration and reconstruction of their former foe. Most of all, Army bands will strive to honor General George Washington's observation, "Nothing is more agreeable and ornamental than good music. 6) Berlin, Germany. Heavily guarded Pershing-II rockets were brought to the US base in Mutlangen in 1983. The guys with the gear in the rear. Both Germany and Vietnam were on the front lines of the Cold War. Regardless of how we each served, part of our soul was left in that place with those who never came back alive, and with those who suffered and died after, and we should be honored for our collective loss if for no other reason. HMD released its report, Post-Vietnam Dioxin Exposure in Agent Orange-Contaminated C-123 Aircraft, Jan. 9, 2015. Dotted around US bases are numerous residential districts for American soldiers and their families, such as this residential district in Wiesbaden-Erbenheim. In 1972 Thornton enlisted in the U.S. Navy at 17 and trained to be a hospital corpsman. The men and women at the main bases such as Saigon, Cam Ranh, Da Nang, Bien Hoa and Long Binh had a fairly sedentary life and plenty of downtime compared to combat soldiers, Lair said. Veterans must show on a factual basis that they were exposed in order to receive disability compensation for diseases related to Agent Orange exposure. WebActivated during the Vietnam War, the Brigade oversaw all Military Police operations in the country for a large portion of the conflict, undertaking a wide variety of missions throughout the country and providing command and control for other military police groups in the region. Their silence carried a message and concealed the fact that many veterans served in the rear echelon and not in combat capacity, Lair said. After Boston, Thornton served at Marines Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The war changed and dealt cruelty to many families, not just mine, but I have seen the sadness in my fathers eyes, and we both know what is there, and what is missing.. It's there to boost morale, it's there to provide entertainment and comfort for soldiers, it's there to sort of represent what the U.S. is musically, culturally to the rest of the world.". Expert architecture and design solutions for private carriers, next-generation metro and long-haul optical networks, ultra low-latency networks, and Internet backbones. 8) Bruges, Belgium. Its ironic because we were there to protect them. Supercharge your procurement process, with industry leading expertise in sourcing of network backbone, colocation, and packet/optical network infrastructure. In addition to meeting locals, walks off-base could provide valuable intelligence. I was able to get into a band there. Even today, many see otherwise, but only at home., One place the guys in the rear and combat soldiers would cross paths was at rearward bases, which ranged from isolated fire bases less than a city block in size to major bases like Long Binh Post that resembled an American city, said Chris Appy, author of three books about the American war in Vietnam: American Reckoning: The Vietnam War and Our National Identity, Patriots: The Vietnam War Remembered from All Sides and Working- Class War: American Combat Soldiers and Vietnam.. He never carried a gun because if he was shot, the enemy soldier could have claimed it was self-defense, he said. Ukrainian soldiers find remains of German WWII soldiers, LGBTQ+ rights situation at home drives young Slovaks abroad, Remembering the horrors of Colonia Dignidad in Chile. Dave. The family moved to Phoenix, Arizona, where they have been for the past 40 years. An average of 311,870 troops were stationed in Europe per year during 19861990. To prop up sinking morale and keep soldiers safe on base rather than heading into Vietnamese towns, the U.S. military strove to make bases as home-like as possible, Appy said. The fatigues were faded and had rips. Buddy C. Thornton learned from his military service was Always live for the day. The winners toured other military bases and made records. Saigon was considered relatively safe, but life wasnt easy and violence erupted. He was with the 3rd Infantry Division in Schweinfurt. 1. Find out if you qualify for VA health care. Health Care Here are a few of their stories. Thanks, your message has been sent successfully. Especially from the minority groups, our black comrades, because they bore the brunt of the draft, were very unappreciated, and made the ultimate sacrifice above and beyond other groups, and for what? Thornton said. Reservists who were assigned to flight, ground, or medical crew duties at the following locations between 1969 and 1986, and who developed an Agent Orange related disability. Good food makes people feel at home, Lair said. WebHere are our top 13 places to see while youre stationed in Germany: (click on any city name below to learn more) 1) Prague, Czech Republic. In Vietnam everyone knew everyone and what job they had. This is the official public website of the Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. Lomperis served two tours of duty in Vietnam in the Army and Defense Intelligence Agency. Built over time for more than $130 million, Long Binh eventually had 3,500 buildings and 180 miles of road covering an area bigger than Cleveland. If youre stuck on the base for days on end, visit the Wild B.O.A.R. So many popular movies feature the combat side of war ground combat or maybe the air war. oakleaf777, Combat veterans offered a truly unique and special contribution to the war, but that doesnt mean it wasnt a sacrifice for people who served as support, Lair said. Those recordings were lost for decades, until a collector discovered an East of Underground LP in 1997. It's kind of both complicated and disjointed, it was a struggle to be sure. It's also a mystery what happened to the bands apart from Lewis Hitt, none of the members have come forward. By At the end of his service, Shkurti was an executive officer with the 6th Armored Cavalry at Fort Meade, Maryland. Adopting a variety of organizational arrangements, including an engineer command from 1966 to 1974, USAREUR and its engineers attempted to find the most efficient and effective means to use the scarce resources available for construction and maintenance. This includes individuals who performed service in the Air Force or Air Force Reservewho regularly operated, maintained, or served onboard C-123 aircraft known to have been used to spray herbicides during the Vietnam era. Life athome goes on without them, and it must have been difficult to navigate when they returned, she said. From sundries like razors and cigarettes, apple juice and chocolate milk to diamond jewelry and Rolex watches, stereos and kitchen appliances, servicepeople could buy just about anything even cars for their wives or girlfriends back home, said Lomperis. They gave up their lives back home. We would take orders from Washington and from the five information streams (personnel, intelligence, operations, logistics and political implications) and use all that information to create an order of the day, Lomperis said. The sky swarmed with helicopters. Once we got our orders, the guy Just below me went to Germany. Stationed He also wrote the liner notes, which reveal a surprising fact: The U.S. Army spends an estimated $200 million a year on music, and is the largest single employer of musicians in the country. Historical Vignettes After completing Field Artillery Officer Candidate School at Fort Sill, Oklahoma, Shkurti was sent to Germany not Vietnam. There are different degrees of experience. In the late 65 through 1966, the Army Divisions outside of Vietnam, specifically CONUS and West Germany were hemorrhaging personnel for service in South Vietnam, these being primarily if not exclusively volunteers, these numbers had to be made good. Some Air Force Reservists who were crew members on C-123 Provider aircraft, formerly used to spray Agent Orange during the Vietnam War, have raised health concerns about exposure to residual amounts of herbicides on plane surfaces. The liner notes of East of Underground: Hell Below conclude with a sort of benediction, lifted wholesale from the U.S. Army Field Manual: Because of the unique ability of music to communicate, bands will serve in different capacities of publicity and recruiting, and in the support of civil affairs. My middle brother died five years ago from extended PTSD and the ravages of the drug addiction he endured while trying to cope with his memories from Vietnam. When I left Korea, the first thing I did when I got to Germany was to find Special Services, which happened to be right next to my barracks," Hitt recalls. At the end of the spraying campaign in 1971, the remaining C-123 planes were reassigned to reserve units in the U.S. for routine cargo and medical evacuation missions spanning the next 10 years. You pull together under a common enemy, Shkurti said. While having a positive attitude about any PCS is important, its equally important to have realistic expectations. As the threat of imminent invasion receded in the late 1950s, U.S. Army Engineers continued to build and maintain facilities that supported American and NATO combat power and housed and supported U.S. forces and their families, now permanently stationed in West Germany. [Today in History] Muhammad Ali refused to be inducted into the Despite separate residential districts, there has always been contact and exchange between German and American families. There werent enough NCOs (non-commissioned officers), not enough support or spare parts. So many servicemen came home and saw how the story (of the Vietnam War) was being told. The stress of military life was constant. It was still no guarantee you wouldn't be sent to Vietnam and in some cases even be sent to do something else besides what you trained for. Office of Accountability & Whistleblower Protection, Training - Exposure - Experience (TEE) Tournament, Military Exposure Related Health Concerns, War Related Illness & Injury Study Center, Clinical Trainees (Academic Affiliations), Post-Vietnam Dioxin Exposure in Agent Orange-Contaminated C-123 Aircraft, local VA Environmental Health Coordinator, Find out if you qualify for VA health care, diseases related to Agent Orange exposure, Call TTY if you Like all the other members, he was a draftee, and had come from a tiny town in Mississippi. Youth activity centers in Germany included this facility in Wiesbaden. After graduating AIT at Fort Knox I was sent to their NCO Armor School. Active duty personnel who served in a regular USAF unit location where a contaminated C-123 was assigned who had regular contact with the aircraft through flight, ground, or medical duties between 1969 and 1986, and who developed an Agent Orange related disability. They were also stationed in Germany, Japan, Thailand, Philippines, Korea, Guam and the continental United States. The post exchanges, or PXs, rivaled todays big box outlets for variety and selection, Lair said. You need to be a member in order to leave a comment. Call: 988 (Press 1), U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs | 810 Vermont Avenue, NW Washington DC 20420. The Ramstein base is especially significant, since it is also headquarters of the United States Air Forces in Europe. At the end of the spraying campaign in 1971, the remaining C-123 planes were reassigned to reserve units in the U.S. for routine cargo and medical evacuation missions spanning the next 10 years. I would have been called a coward by others from the small town I grew up in, so I never considered not volunteering. The US Army employed 17,000 American civilians in Germany in 2019. The thought of army music evokes a certain tradition say, trumpets and drums in the style of "Pershing's Own." The band formed while its members were stationed in Germany during the Vietnam War. C-123 Airplanes and Agent Orange Residue - Public Health WebDuring the Vietnam War, the U.S. Air Force used C-123 aircraft to spray Agent Orange to clear jungles that provided enemy cover in Vietnam. would have to use the scheduled bus service to get around the base, Lair wrote in Armed with Abundance.. In the late 65 through 1966, the Army Divisions outside of Vietnam, specifically CONUS and West Germany were hemorrhaging personnel for service in South Vietnam, these being primarily if not exclusively volunteers, these numbers had to be made good. Arriving in West Germany, was a shocking experience for the new Army recruit. If you are in crisis or having thoughts of suicide, The mood around the country was not good for the military, not like today with cheers and applause for returning members. They were the rear echelon. have hearing loss. Its easy to forget how large a US military presence in West Germany and Korea was maintained during the late 60s and early 70s aside from the forces fighting in Vietnam. Many celebrities joined in the protests. 7th Army in particular suffered heavily, especially with loses of combat arms NCOs Then there was the two infantry brigades in Alaska, the 171st and 172nd, both gave up one battalion each for transfer to the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii before it left there for South Vietnam, two full battalions had to be raised to replace the ones sent away. If you have health concerns about Agent Orange, talk to your health care provider or contact yourlocal VA Environmental Health Coordinatorto help you get more information from a health care provider. Maybe they didnt risk their lives but they risked risking their lives, said Meredith Lair, a Vietnam War historian at George Mason University and author of Armed with Abundance: Consumerism and Soldiering in the Vietnam War, which examines the non-combat experiences of American soldiers in Vietnam. Germany To access the menus on this page please perform the following steps.

University Of San Diego Basketball Schedule, Detroit Semi Pro Football League, Articles S