U.S. Army Command, Intelligence, Signals, Etc:
Those pulling the strings, upfront, were Ho Chi Minh (May 19, 1890 – September 2, 1969) and General Võ Nguyên Giáp (August 25, 1911 – October 4, 2013), Văn Tiến Dũng (May 2, 1917, to March 17, 2002) led the Northern forces, the Viet Minh, and the Main Force (NVA), and controlled the VC Militia / Local Forces in South Vietnam.
Ngô Đình Diệm (January 3, 1901 – November 2, 1963) served as the President of the Republic of Vietnam (RVN) aka South Vietnam, backed by the United States, from 1955 until he died in 1963. For the United States, we went through 3 Presidents, John Fitzgerald Kennedy (May 29, 1917 – November 22, 1963), Lyndon Johnson (August 27, 1908 – January 22, 1973), and Richard Nixon (January 9, 1913 – April 22, 1994).
There was much more behind this, though; we had Robert McNamara, Dean Rusk, and Henry Alfred Kissinger (born May 27, 1923). The French had been there, and the Allies fighting the Japanese Forces, and who had something to gain from it? Like we were there for the Chinese in WWII, even before the Second World War. But things escalated in the name of slowing the spread of Communism around the Globe.
But we jumped in with both feet, and it escalated quickly. The North was backed by Russia and China and they had been fighting for a very long time, and they knew the mission was to hold out as long as they could and to cause as many casualties to their enemy as possible using guerilla tactics, and propaganda in the US.
This would affect Oil companies, Rubber plantations, munitions factories, a lot of people, politics, technology, and medicine, we would be put under rules of fire in this war, the soldiers were undermined by their people, we had boundaries we could not cross but the enemy had free reign, and eve caches of food and weapons, and reserve forces. But even with one hand tied behind or back, and not overwhelming support from the Southern People, They Won, nearly every major battle, but the politics, ah it is about what you do with the power entrusted, and for what purpose. As I said, there are books on this; read them, they can cover the war story much better than I.
4 Star General, Westmorland, RVN:
H. Norman Schwarzkopf. In hindsight, had our President of the time (Kennedy, 1963) listened to his advisers who had been in Vietnam at the time, (in different forms pretty much since WWII), and had been keeping him advised of the situation there, and its said he was thinking he wanted not to get involved in it. And LBJ did want to get involved, seeing the money investments. It may not have ever had to happen, and things might have worked out, just be exactly how things are now! But then, hindsight is 20/20, I suppose.
Without all the loss of life, but those caused by the Communist-cleansing forces, we did not think about that then, the Communist, worldwide threat magnified to its max, China rattling sabers, etc., Kennedy got murdered. LBJ's control trip- doomed the outcome from the start- and the enemy was well-versed on how to outlast the US. at war. It would seem that this Special Forces Officer took notes and later fought some wars quite differently than LBJ and Westmoreland.
Westmoreland takes charge. Did the Vietnam War have to happen? Well, I'll try to tell you how it came to be, and what happened, but no! It did not have to happen, but we tried to help a nation that needed it, asked for it, and helped install one, but it was crooked and was too messed up to accomplish it, and in the end, Failed, and the US bailed out.
South Vietnam was a failure for democracy and a valuable lesson. Vietnam recovered, and we do trade with them, they’re done with the fighting, which started way before our involvement was over, and sometime after we left too. LBJ invested in the Vietnam War: Lyndon Johnson had been the president since Kennedy, who had changed his mind on involvement, was assassinated in 1963, and LBJ chose the politicalized General William Westmoreland to lead the Military Assistance Command - Vietnam in June of 1964. And things soon heated up in the region.
General Westmoreland, to his credit, had distinguished himself in two wars already, so he knew something about war on several different levels, the Second World War, and the Korean Conflict. But throughout the two, it was clear too, that Generals could no longer be Soldiers only, but were forced into being involved with politics as well, as the world itself changed. I don't know if it was really for the better, but it's not for me to say.
The problem was the President wanted to run the show, and because of political demands, put restrictions on our troops, and tied one arm behind his general’s backs, so to speak, though we did win technically about every major battle, certainly not all we had when we needed the firepower to back us up, with artillery and air assault. Many young men saw that as a very deadly place- and they were about to get drafted, the news reporting was as clear and present as they could take it, and we were not ready to see it, it worked great for the enemy- and their propaganda and used it as leverage against the US.
Westmoreland had claimed that they were making progress in Vietnam and that he just needed like 200,000 more men, which did not go over well back home with either a student or parent, The news recognized they could push certain images out at us, and sway the way they wanted them to think, all said-it worked very well...in a backfire kind of way. People doubted his plan of how to win and doubted the presidency, and government, causing LBJ to step down and not run for president again. LBJ took over command and halted the B-52 bombing of Vietnam (A huge mistake), and because of the growing anti-war sentiment, Westmoreland was replaced by him.
He was on talk shows and had documentaries, but would fight off criticisms for the rest of his life. I'd like to think he did his best, as a soldier, stuck under political control. Being a Master Jumper and having earned the CIB boots in mud, just like everyone else who wears them. He supported his troops, "Vietnam Veterans," and fought a few lawsuits. Interestingly, the uniform shows his qualification from a foreign country, the Republic of Vietnam, in this case, above his subdued name title.
(Picture) General Westmoreland: In June of 1964, he received the fourth of his stars, and the ball went into his court, replacing General Harkins. His enemies were from within the south and the northern half of Vietnam-in the north the NVA, the Communists, North Vietnamese Army, in the South, the National Liberation Front aka Viet Cong (VC), and Guerrilla warfare was developed, the NVA would threaten of villages, and control of the area, with their artillery.
Gen. Kulak and Westmoreland. The Viet Cong infiltrated everything- local hamlet attacks, and terror-like attacks, in Southern Vietnam. They largely used the Mekong Delta for moving people, ammunition, and their food supply, and psychological control of the local people, controlled by Ho Chi Minh. For four years, he was running the show, so to speak, in the Republic of Vietnam, as it was known then. Westmoreland didn't have much influence with the Nixon administration, and in 197,2 he resigned, going home to South Carolina. The General Passed Away on July 18, 2005. He was 91, and he had been living in Charleston, South Carolina.
General Westmoreland's uniform represented here would have been one of several hung in his closet and maintained by his aide.
General Berry, 101st Airborne Division:
General Berry, 101st Airborne: Lt. Gen. Sidney Berry was born in the city of Hattiesburg, in Mississippi, on February 10, 1926. He had graduated 160th in his class from West Point in 1948. Then he had been commissioned a second lieutenant in the Infantry Branch of the Army, The Army did well to get him too.
General Berry, 101st Airborne: General Berry's career spanned more than two wars. First seeing duty as a company commander in Korea in the Korean War, where he earned two Silver Stars, a Bronze Star for Valor, the Purple Heart, and his First Combat Infantryman Badge. The man was no slouch, now I agree officers do have the means for the paperwork, someone must recommend, and be a witness to the event that leads up to an endorsement of the awards.
After the War, he went to school and earned a graduate degree from Columbia University. Then he got a job instructing at West Point with the Department of Social Sciences in the mid-'50s. He was an assistant to Secretary of Defense Robert McNamara when traveling in South Vietnam several times. 1964-65, Berry studied at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle Barracks, PA. Then he worked for a while in the Council on Foreign Relations in New York City. Having built a pretty impressive resume already!
He served two and a half years in the Vietnam War. His second combat wound occurred during his first tour when he was serving as senior Military Assistance Command, as a Vietnamese adviser to the 7th Division. His awards for his service in South Vietnam included the Distinguished Service Medal, 2 Silver Stars, two Distinguished Flying Crosses, two Legions of Merit, the Purple Heart, 42 Air Medals, and a second Combat Infantryman Badge.
Berry became the 50th Superintendent of West Point in 1974. His time there would be trying, as he oversaw the integration of women in the summer of 1976 while at the same time dealing with a massive honor scandal involving cheating on an academic test involving the junior class. Following his tour as USMA Superintendent, LTG Berry commanded the V Corps, US Army, Europe, from 1977 to 1980, and retired from active military service on 1 March 198 to _____? A Company 1st Battalion 35th Infantry, Korea 1950-51, 1st Armored Rifle Battalion 54th Inf. 4th Armor Div. 1959-60, 1st Brigade 1st Div. Republic of Viet Nam 1966-67, 101st Airborne Division, Assistant Division Commander, Republic of Viet Nam 1970-1971, 101st Airborne Div 1973-74, Superintendent, United States Military Academy, V Corps, US Army, Europe 1977-80. The General passed away on July 1 in Kennett Square, Pa. He was 87
Young Lions / 525th MI Group:
I’m still researching this, I’ll get a story in here at some point, and it may not have been used in Vietnam, but perhaps in the lead-up to the conflict, and possibly early operations, and training. And I don’t have anywhere else to show it, and the following uniform has a similar story.
Colonel, Military Intelligence Command (USARV), RVN:
U.S. Army Republic of Vietnam (USARV) was a corps-level support command of the U.S. Army in the Vietnam War. USARV was created officially on July 20, 1965, out of the U.S. Army Support Command, Vietnam. By mid-1967, almost all of the U.S. Army Vietnam HQ Command (USARV), 1st Logistics Command, and many other Army units dispersed in Saigon were moved to Long Binh Post to resolve centralization, security, and troop billeting issues. Long Binh Post was a sprawling logistics facility and the largest U.S. Army Base in Vietnam, with over 50,000 women and men just to run it. USARV controlled the activities of all the U.S. Army Service and Logistics units in South Vietnam until May 15, 1972, that is, when its structure was merged in with the Militar Assistance Command Vietnam (MAC-V) to become USARV/MACV Support Command., which was disbanded on March 28, 1973, after completion of withdrawal off all U’S. combat and support units in Vietnam, all U.S. forces left South Vietnam, and they had to take care of the situation themselves. It was a political play to save the face of our politicians, but that failed too. And all the people suffered for their leader’s power plays.
The 525th Military Intelligence Group arrived in South Vietnam after the request by Joseph McChristian, the MACV J-2, for an MI Group to manage and control a wide range of Intelligence assets deploying to Vietnam as a part of the American build-up of military forces throughout 1965-66. In late November 1965, the 525th MI Group assumed the mission and established its Headquarters at Tan Son Nhut in Saigon. Shortly after that, the 525th’s first two battalions, the 1st MI Battalion (Aerial Reconnaissance Support) and the 519th MI Battalion, arrived.
The 1st oversaw the Army’s aerial reconnaissance assets while the 519th MI Battalion provided MI personnel to the various combined South Vietnamese-American Intelligence Centers. By the end of the next year, they were joined by two MI Groups 135th MI Group provided (CI) Counter Intelligence support, and the 149th MI Group, which oversaw HUMINT (Human Intelligence which was gathered from human resources) Collection. In addition to these four major subordinate units, the 525th MI Group also was in control of some 31 intelligence teams, aka detachments, during the war.
The Group provided advisor and intelligence support included; Areal Reconnasace and Surveillance Elements, Counter Intelligence, Inearaigation, Technical Intelligence, Area Intelligence, and, Espionage Elements all in support of USARV.
Following a promotion, the Colonel has moved from Tan Son Nhut in Saigon to the USARV’s Long Binh Base to work in their J-2 Intelligence Command Section. Here, he ensures that the intelligence passed to his office from subordinate intelligence units is compiled and presented in a comprehensive but understandable manner to the commands of both the United States and the Republic of Vietnam. Mustard has moved from a field commander position at the point of the intelligence spear to an office manager, getting well-groomed, he’s well on his way to getting General’s Stars.
Colonel Mustard wears the standard fatigue uniform with pre-subdued style insignia on it. His first combat tour with the 525th MI is shown by the patch on his right shoulder, and his present duty station, serving with the USARV, patch on his left shoulder. The colonel comes to the office wearing highly shined-up black leather Corcoran paratrooper boots. and issue a fatigue cap with a bright rank on it.
Captain, 1 HHC MIBARS / 525th MI, RVN:
The 525th Military Intelligence Brigade lineage goes back to WWII, the 218th Counter-Intelligence Detachment, working with the 525th Interrogation Team. But soon after the war, they were deactivated. On 21 February 1948, the 525th Headquarters Intelligence Detachment was reactivated and assigned to Fort Bragg, NC. It was redesignated the 525th Military Intelligence Service Group in December 1950. The 525th Expeditionary Military Intelligence Brigade specialized in collecting and analyzing military information. They would partisipate in the Korean War, with verious elements seving in seven campaigns, and where they earned a Meritorious Unit Citation for the unit, along with two Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citations. In December 1953, they were redesigned, the 525th Military Intelligence Group they left Fort Bragg and went to Fort Meade, Maryland.
In November 1965, they reported to South Vietnam to work with an assignment to the United States Army, Republic of Vietnam (USARV). With the Group provided advisor and intelligence support, like aerial reconnaissance and surveillance, counterintelligence, interrogation, technical intelligence, and area intelligence (espionage in support of USARV). Some of these fellows analyzed information gathered from electrical surveillance equipment from aircraft, using photographs and electronic sensors placed in various areas of expected enemy infiltration routes. They gathered this up and moved the findings up to the appropriate chains of commands to deal with each development.
After the Vietnam War, the Group moved several times. On 16 September 1978, it returned to Fort Bragg, North Carolina, where it was redesignated as the 525th Military Intelligence Brigade (Airborne). On 28 October 2014, the unit was reflagged from the "525th Battlefield Surveillance Team" to an expeditionary military intelligence brigade, the first of its kind.[
The uniform depicted here shows how one of these troops may have lood in 1968-or 69 maybe, after the use of the fatigus of the early 1960s, but befor the end, where the camouflaged uniforms were issued out.
“New” 25th.ID., 125th.MI.BN. FATIGUE Jacket:
The 125th Military Intelligence Battalion has become the 125th Intelligence and Electronic Warfare Battalion, and still supports the 25th Infantry Division, stationed in Hawaii.
A story is due here as well. I’ll get on this at some point in the future. This would be a Veteran of Vietnam, rather than on deployment, and again needs a home and may be a part of the Military intelligence story.
1st Lieutenant, Observer, 252 Surveillance Company, Attached to 82nd Airborne Division, Element of SAC:
This all comes down to the then-new twin turboprop, Grumman OV-1 (SLAR) Side-Looking Radar (unheard of in the civilian world, until 20 years later), the Mohawk, was originally configured as a lightly armed observation aircraft. The aircraft carried just two crew members in a side-by-side seating arrangement. The idea was to support the United States Army maneuver forces. By mid-1961, they were operating with the 7th Army at Sandhofen Airfield near Mannheim, Germany. The SLAR-equipped aircraft started operations in 1963, patrolling the Korean Demilitarized Zone.
One of the problems with the plane was that it had been designed under a joint Army/Marine program, and that had forced the Grumman aircraft company to make design compromises, like these ejection seats, that were quite expensive and often resisted in the Army’s budget.
The limitations of the Aircraft and politics led to the OV-1 orders being stopped in 1964, and by 1965, the Army was prohibited from operating “Armed” fixed-wing aircraft. But the aircraft’s performance in Vietnam led to additional orders in 1966, so by 1968, there were five surveillance companies in Southeast Asia.
The final Mohawks that came out of the Grumman, the OV-1D, had more powerful T53-701 engines, and improved avionics; they had all the extra hard points to carry a canon on each wing, rockets, etc. They could also be used with infrared and SLAR configurations, and the modification could be done in a matter of just an hour or so. The first four modified prototype OV-1Ds first flew in 1969. By December 1970, 37 more aircraft. They not only flew over South Vietnam during the war, searching for the enemy and working with ground forces, but also over Laos and Cambodia. They were used as ground attack aircraft as well as observation aircraft and shot at by ground fire and SAMs; some sixty-five were lost to accidents and ground fire, and one was shot down by a North Vietnamese fighter. That said, a Mig was also shot down by an Army OV-1.
The Uniform, or “Flight Jacket” and “Helmet,” actually, is all I have that represents the Army. First Leutnant, from the 82nd Airborne Division (for the short time the 82nd ABN elements were there), attached the SAC’s 225th Servailence Company, “Lookie Loo” may have been his call sign, perhaps, or nickname. With orange on the inside, used for instant identification. I think this would be Air Force stock, obtained at the PX and one of the big airbases, and for that matter very well may have had an Air-Force style 1 piece suit, flight-coveralls with Army insignia on them, but the Armies fatigues would have been fine, albeit he may have had a parachute strapped to him too, and all the rest a fixed-wing flyer may have, as a vest, and note keeper stepped to his leg, he was not the pilot but an observer I should think, possibly worked communications with the ground elements of the 82nd Air Borne, and doing reconnaissance for them, and collecting data on different areas, taking area pictures, and a lot of notes, and marks on maps, etc.
This Lieutenant shows his standard flight jacket for SAC, covered with his “Army” insignia. His helmet, much like the prior flye,r carries his 82nd markings.
*Captain Gregg, 55 MID, I Field Force:
I can’t tell you the first thing about Captain Gregg, but he is a Captain, in a powerful spot, and deeply involved with the goings-on of the military machine. Served a first tour as an ifantryman, and his his last tour with Special Forces, I assume he wants to be there now, I would also think he's … well very trained at the least, he’s a Jungle School Expert, an Airborne, and Ranger Qualified, he even has ARVN Jump Wings, He’s assigned to work with the Army’s 1st Field Force, his commision is in intelligence, so that he may have originally done a tour even as an infantryman, then as a Helicopter Crewman, went through the Special Forces training, and into the intelligence program from there, or in some order like that?
This is his Hot weather shirt, likely worn “In Camp” or on Base, and starched from time to time. He’s working with the Regular Army officially I Field Force, but hasn’t given up his Green Beret, the 5th SF Flash on it.
*Another Screw-up, the uniform is missing a set of US Jump Wings, an SF requirement.
Major, MACV, ADVISOR with ARVN Intelligence:
The establishment of MACV, which greatly enlarged the operation, completely reorganized the advisory effort, represented a substantial increase in the U.S. commitment to the war effort in Vietnam, and American assistance to the South Vietnamese doubled between 1961 and 1965. And from thereafter, the war was directed by MACV, and a major build-up of American Advisors, and their Support Personnel, and eventually an escalation of the war itself, that included U.S. commitment of combat troops, began, the face of this war magnified 10-fold.
All aspects of military skills were called upon to strengthen the military forces of South Vietnam, including the use of Paratrooper, Ranger, and Air Assault tactics. Officers with these skills were shipped to the U.S. Army Republic of Vietnam to help train and assist in tactical decisions of the national troop in their battles against the Communists-local Viet Cong, and the North Vietnamese Army (NVA).
This tiger-striped jacket belongs to Major Groszek with MACV. He wears a locally made” ‘Tiger Stripe’ camouflage pattern uniform (like the group he is working with) but with non-subdued insignia. His prior tour was with the 1st Cavalry Division, and proudly, if not brightly, his assignment there. He may have been with the intelligence section of the Cav., but he’s got two tours in with the infantry (2X CIBs), yet his name tape and Army tapes are still the early style. He’s a Master Parachutist and carries his Airborne Tab (the yellow and black imply possibly he served with the 101st ABN as well.
He is now stationed with the Airborne Advisory Team-162 or ‘Red Hats’ (From the wearing of the red berets), assisting the ‘Airborne Division’ from 1962-1973. The largest US Advisory Team in theater, around 1,200 soldiers served in the team. Thirty young officers went on to become General Officers (Pete Dawkins, Norman Schwarzkopf, Barry McCaffrey, James Lindsey, Jim Vaught, Joe Kinzer, John LeMoyne, Guy Meloy, as well as Herb Lloyd, just to name a few), and 78 Sergeant Majors. One Red Hat earned the Medal of Honor (Louis Rocco). Many more received Distinguished Service Crosses, and several Vietnamese Airborne Battalions were awarded Presidential Unit Citations.
This Meeting Never Happened, and I was never here….just kidding, just had to say that, but this represents one of those guys we’ll never know anything about. One must assume the Major would have the matching trousers, and jungle boots, with a hat, and may have served outside the main base like Saigon, more out there, up-country. So, a sidearm and a rifle with him. I should reshoot new pictures of this uniform.
Sergeant First Class, Far-East, Counter-Intelligence Corps, with no specific-unit assignment:
This troop enters into another aspect of intelligence, or, rather, counter-intelligence. That is rather than figuring out the tactics and plans of the US and ARVN forces in the war and watching the enemy forces with observers, his group was to figure out the enemy, themselves get into their heads in the way of interrogating the enemy prisoners and snatching high valued targets from their safe places, working the enemy from with-in.
2nd Leutnant, Counter-Intelligence Corps (441ST Intelligence Corps Detachment, Special Forces (Airborne) MACV:
The 441ST INTELLIGENCE CORPS DETACHMENT (AIRBORNE), as about the elements of the unit sent to OKINAWA & VIETNAM had started their service during World War Two and were then sent into and used during the Korean War of the early 1950s, deactivated, then once again were reactivated and assigned to the United States Army in the Ryukyu Islands, at the island of Okinawa, with further assigned to 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne), 1st Special Forces, Okinawa. Originally, the Detachment was to train and prepare to advise indigenous military personnel, develop the military intelligence capability, and provide military Intelligence support to the counterinsurgency force structure.
Some elements of the 441st Intelligence Corps Detachment were assigned to USARPAC's Special Action Forces (SAF) from 1962 through 1972. The 441st Intel-Corps as a whole was not assigned to the war in Vietnam, but various elements and a number of personnel were attached, in the support of the intelligence activities that were being conducted by the 5th Special Forces Group in Vietnam. And the first five months of 1963, the personnel from the Detachment presented intelligence instruction to the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) “operational detachments” to help prepare them for assignment in the Republic of Vietnam. Near the end of 1963, the detachment began debriefing "A" and "B" detachments of the 1st Special Forces Group (Airborne) as they returned from temporary duty assignments in the Republic of Vietnam. This first-hand, current intelligence gained by the debriefings was analyzed and applied to the 441st Intelligence Corps Detachment before the deployment of operational intelligence teams into the Republic of Vietnam.
"A" and "B" detachments Before deployment trained for various fields, and made up of soldiers taken from other areas, like linguists, interrogation tactics, analysts, communications experts, code experts, and debriefings, were drawn into different sections of the intelligence program, where they fit in, and what they were good at. Likely, there was Weapons training and some form of close combat defense. The unit participated in researching, preparing, and maintaining area studies of Southeast Asian countries with emphasis placed on Special Forces areas of operation in the Republic of Vietnam. From 1962 to 15 May 1972, personnel from the unit also supported the USARPAC Intelligence School on Okinawa by writing and teaching intelligence subjects. On 12 August 1964, under the provisions of General Order 15,0, Headquarters, United States Army, Pacific, personnel in all slots of the 441st Detachment were placed on airborne status.
It was in March 1965, a concentrated effort was made to organize, and place personnel of the 441st Intelligence Corps Detachment into the Republic of Vietnam. integrated intelligence team. It was the first time that any tactical intelligence unit committed to the conflict in Vietnam. The first intelligence team departed Okinawa for a period of 180 days TDY.
When they arrived, they were hooked up with the “5th Special Forces Group” (Airborne, which had been largely broken up into a bunch of small teams (most operating with CIDG forces) at crucial places all over the country. Intelligence operations soon commenced; they focused on quick, accurate, and timely information that came to centralized facilities, manned by trained intelligence personnel who processed, analyzed, and then disseminated vitally needed intelligence. On many occasions, this arrangement resulted in accurate predictions of when, where, and how an attack could be expected to take place.
some served in infantry actions in the Republic of Vietnam and were exposed to hostile fire; all members of the team were awarded the combat infantryman's badge. In addition to being awarded the combat infantryman's badge, some members of the team were awarded one bronze star, there were seven air medals and ten army commendation medals. Other awards for other detachment personnel on different missions in the Republic of Vietnam consisted of one bronze star, two Air Medals, and two Army Commendation Medals.
Some of the personnel would also operate in Thailand. These assignments included specialized intelligence operations as well as mobile training teams (MTTs) and duties as advisors. Typical duties included: counterintelligence officers and advisors; defense against sound equipment (DASE) advisors; defense against methods of entry DAME) advisors, intelligence analysts, order of battle specialists, and security control officers. But the 441st Intelligence Corps Detachment experienced personnel problems in 1965 since it was spread too thin with operations in Okinawa and throughout Southeast Asia. So, a program was started with cross-training the administration and ongoing operations.
On 15 October 196,6, under General Order 244, dated 17 October 1966, the 441st Intelligence Corps Detachment was redesignated as the 441st Military Intelligence Detachment (MID) Airborne. The 441st MID (Abn) had the responsibility of supporting SAF Asia missions by compiling timely information in the areas of strategic and tactical intelligence. And they were broken down into four sections: Administration, Counterintelligence, Military Intelligence Section (tactical intelligence evaluation), and the Area Intelligence Section (Strategic Intelligence Evaluation). Some of their jobs were in imagery interpretation, the order of battle of the enemy, and interrogation of prisoners of war.
This is one of the guys, he was either your best friend or he was your worst enemy. I had trouble getting any information on any of this factually, and I know there were non-military people there too, a number of them at any given time, CIA? ya, most likely, or some other secret agency that was kept secret, some of them wore only his Name tag, ID pin, or pocket hangers for who they assigned with or just none what-so-ever, in civilian clothes, blue-geans, light, short-sleeve shirt or maybe Hawaiian shirt, perhaps a Cowboy type hat, and a revolver on his side in a leather belt, it was a need to know basis then, I suspect if there out with Special Forces Forces, or even American Recon and forward operating unit, they wore what the rest wore, as not to draw attention to themselves.
Civilian Special Contractor, Army Counter-Intelligence Service, Covert Operations Assignment:
OK, you're going to love this, This is my take on a US Army, Contracted Operator with their counterintelligence, operating in-country, or more in the bordering countries, in the Vietnam War era, the exact location is still classified, so we'll have to guess, He-he, ha-ha, ah-hum. Of course, if such actions were conducted, and such operations have happened I would not be able to discuss them without proper authorization, nor if in-fact such an operation or operations did in-fact occur, I would not be in the position, or could I discuss it, write down, or record anything, without proper authorization, or appropriate clearances first.
This is for the Professor, a Man I looked up to, and a great friend and teacher to me, he never mentioned he had been overseas, nor, did he say anything about the CIA, but he fits the part, wise and interesting, yet a mysterious private person, a great author of many books, the rumors were great though, and many of his students, ex-military, or pubic servants like Policemen, SWAT, Firemen, and Nurses, he did mention he never served with the uniformed forces of the military, and my mind went to work from there.
CIA Operative, Vietnam Intelligence Group:
What can I say about the CIA and this operative in Vietnam… I can not tell you anything about this guy, what he went by, where her was, what he did; his files are still classified… wink. But he worked in gathering intelligence, clandestine-type work, often in support of the U.S. and ARVN Army Intelligence Network in the Republic of Vietnam. But I’m just going to say it is from a time before the Americans started their build-up of forces in Vietnam.
Note, the crossed daggers and eye beer-can ID would never be worn, but with others of the same outfit, one should think.
Captain, Army, Security Agency:
This is another uniform I know little about, yet I have to get something in here tough soon. I had to try and represent the pocket hangers.
Note: On this particular uniform (there’s an oddity), the bottom pockets “Flap Closure” are sewn on backward.
Private, Army Base Security Service:
Sorry, this doesn’t have a story yet either.
Spec-5, Signals, Communications Battalion:
If your Duty MOS you were assigned was 01B you were designated - Electrical-Electronic Engineering Assistant, and if you went to more specialized radio communication i/e Helicopter-radios, of field radios, long range-side band etc. and aircraft navigation equipment, this sort of thing, maybe spin-off on diesel-electric, and Generators for operating a whole camp or base. Some of the helicopters got some serious modifications for radio installments (on permanent duty) with various radio antennas sometimes ties are attached to the skids, or antennae out front of the nose area, or for sideband, I think, cable-like strung along the sides of the tail boom, in a straight line or zig-zag assembly to get the right length, some even were provided sniffers under the nose for singing human urine, pretty sure those were drawn into a trap eventually. As all I know of these operations, is word of mouth, and video interviews, some I suppose don't want to say their involvement in secret ops, nor think they are allowed to, some just don't care to, and most is not written down- hidden in secret files till the powder turn I suppose.
Ryan here has a slightly modified fatigue uniform blouse, of the hot weather type, with a modification to the sleeve for pencils, pens, codebooks, and whatnot. He has the standard name tapes and metal Specialist insignia for his pay grade. If this was your field, and going to Vietnam, in the Summer- you may have been issued something like this, I would think much of this kind of work was done on base, in the Como-Bunkers, or Hangars and the like, and in that kind of heat the short sleeve fatigue would be appreciated. 01B ELECTRICAL ELECTRONIC ENGINEERING ASSISTANT of (Engineer Assistant), 05G, COMMUNICATIONS SECURITY ANALYST, or MONITOR SPECIALIST, or SUPERVISOR, 05H, MORSE INTERCEPTOR, 05K, TELETYPE INTERCEPTOR, 11B RADIO TELEPHONE OPERATOR, 93F RADIO DIRECTION FINDER OPER, or as a RADIOSONDE OPERATOR. These guys were much in demand to keep the system up and running, and in communication with all the elements in use. All this equipment had to be repaired, maintained, and charged up, and not everyone can do that.
Just saying there were a lot of people qualified to work with various electronic components, from light switches and the generators that made the power to the radio equipment used by ground, vehicles, and air units of the Army, so general phone and international calls, and secret sensors, etc.
Radio Specialists: The Radio Specialist of the Army, has an important role, while these fellows were behind the lines, they made sure all the needed radios were up and running correctly, batteries charged, and he worked with the infantry platoons-doing their check-ins, and position updates, etc. kept track of anything reported over the airwaves.
Specialist 4, Signals USARV, MARS OPERATOR:
The Regular Army Electrician, and the standard lineman who kept the communication lines (literally), the phone lines strung all over the place. They too were specialists, in these fields, they work on base, much of the time operating the communications equipment, radios, and phones, working, laying cables, fixing radios, all the different aspects of being assigned to Signals. There were also the people who kept the phone lines and short-wave radio back to the United States open and working.
MARS=Military Affiliate Radio System, Civilian Ham-Radio Operators \ worked with the military so soldiers and other military personnel could contact their families and other people through radio to operators in the US.
Calling Home on a Mars Set: Some soldiers were able from time to time, to call home on what was called a MARS Set, for Government Use, many never got close to being out on patrol all the time, but it was a great deal for those that go to use it-I think it was like 7 minutes at a time. The Single-Side-band Radio was used from in-country, and often local citizens would patch them threw to where they wanted to go, ... this was even used for fire support a couple of times.
11th Infantry (RRU) Radio Research Unit:
Radio use in secret operations had become a part of Vietnam, and in wide use at the time, they would follow and triangulate NVA Radio Signals. they can tell approximately where there at and, in real-time, with a translator by his side, some would fly in specially equipped helicopters to get on-site information. 11th RRU worked out of Di A with the 1st Infantry Division.
There was a bunch of different kinds of radio wave technology being developed in the Vietnam Conflict, sensors dropped by aircraft, that stuck in the ground, and they would pick up vibrations and send them to a relay station. I had a hard time finding any info on this, then ran across another patch- here is what they said about the 11th Radio Research Unit. The cover name for Company B, 313th Army Security Agency Battalion.
All the operations of this unit in the Vietnam War have been Highly Classified, and the RRU Units were one of the most heavily protected groups of 'special' units in operation in Vietnam.
They say 250 operatives had been assigned to three companies of the 313th ASA Battalion. The 11th RRU arrived at Vietnam in August of 1965 (Having come from Fort Bragg) and was assigned to the 1st Infantry Division (Big Red One) and was initially located at Di An.
They did radio magic there, it is not clear, it is unclear to me what exactly they did there was some elaborate stuff going on, listening to the enemy, and moving commo between units and command in our forces, they had loudspeakers for propaganda, and sensors that would be dropped by planes, that stuck into the ground, all kinds of stuff going on in Vietnam.
Note the patch has a small 1st infantry patch in the center of Vietnam, and a gloved hand, holding Lightning Bolts.
The 11th RRU remained with the 1st Infantry Division throughout their Vietnam War service. The only other patch I have seen that I think is real was rougher, with a bit different glove, the 1 looks like a 7, and it has a green background; these were in-country made, in small numbers of patches. There was radio signal jamming equipment being developed, and the ability to listen in on the enemy's radio communications. Several new types of radios were tried in the conflict as well.
The was radio relay equipment and personnel sent up in Helicopters and Airplanes- to fly over battle areas, and special operation units, to relay the LRRP, and SF. Operators’ precious information, the AWAC was in its early stages and being developed for long-range communication, and Radar for airborne, control towers.
While these men often sat behind high tech radio, often a-top mountain peaks, or hovering over the treetops, they were doing their part, an important part for the American Forces operations, and made a difference on the outcome of many small and large battles.
The helmet here is a typical reissue, refurbished, and in decent shape. Many I'm having redone again-but this gets somewhat expensive, but this fits the shot.
Note, the rubber band (inner tube) was common, as they were wider and tighter than the issue band, they held spoons and what not tighter to the Hemet itself.
Now, the only thing that might be funny is that the rubber band was generally an infantry thing, but it could be alright; everyone gets a helmet, even on basecamp. The green side of the cover was the norm too, but sometimes brown was used....in defoliated areas, say... Now in WWII, the inner liners were generally glossed polished finish brown resin & cloth, like fiberglass liner inside the shell, rough on the outside of the liner. In Korea, they started to change the pattern, and in Vietnam, they had been refurbished several times and there is light greenish and orangish on the inside.... like this.
Amazingly, I was lucky to find some info on the internet guy wears the patch. http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/176766-pocket-patches-of-the-1st-infantry-division-in-vietnam/
8th RRFS, Gate Guard: These Radio Relay sites, and special commo camps, had to have guards and support to MP's were assigned them if the site big enough, so there were gate guards, and police control, and supply organization-these places needed food and medicine, and radio parts, etc., others were very remote-6-10 man huts on top of mountains too steep to climb and use strictly helicopter support for everything.
8th RRFS Team Member: Most of these soldiers and civilians had few if any pictures with them on their tour, as they were secret operations, many never talked about what they did there-the promised they wouldn't, and even when de-classified- they still don't talk about time in Vietnam, it’s a void in their life, they hid like a criminal-unless you were there too, or very persistent and interested.
I’ve got gobs of these, I was thinking I was the only guy who knew what they were for, we don’t know the half of it still, and I hope I have represented these units respectfully and honorably, and as they may have looked, it’s interesting to me how much of this went on using civilian contractors too, the collection created out of a pile of patches, I’ll just put them all in here, bare with me.
9th Infantry Division’s Long Range Radio Research Team:
As many of the radios of the period were line-of-sight, not satellite, like today. The tops of the hills would often have a small radio team, operators, and repairmen, some guards, guns, and all kinds of radio equipment to try to be inconspicuous with, at least some wore camouflage. So the 9th-as other units Special Forces, and Marines, etc., were working short wave, and single sideband long-range radios, and MARS satellite phone systems, etc., and units used to relay short-range and duplex radio traffic to higher commands and other forms of support as artillery, Bird Dogs and its air support, naval artillery was available by this method as well.
And so special groups were developed and deployed to be used with the assault troops, and in triangulated secret located positions, often with fake names on them, at the top hills and mountains, all these had to be guarded and supported too. Long-range radio relay Teams were put together and located at certain locations to relay information and find solutions to various situations.
The Mekong Delta is drained principally by four channels of the Mekong River as it flows southeastward from Cambodia to the sea. Some 1,000 miles of primary canals crisscross the area, and in between the canals lie thousands of square miles of rich rice lands.
The U.S. Navy complement of the Mobile Riverine Force manned a fleet of assault troop carriers, fire support ships called monitors, command and communications boats, repair and supply ships, medical craft, a barracks barge, and two self-propelled barracks ships. These naval crafts were specially prepared and outfitted in the United States for deployment on the waters of the delta. These vessels receive upgrades, weaponry, and heavier armor plating to ward off, knowing they would be a target for the enemy.
The assault unit of the Mobile Riverine Force was the 2d Brigade of the U.S. Army's 9th Infantry Division, a brigade specially tailored for combat on the rivers and canals. Since the riverine battalions operated from ships and assault craft, the infantrymen's traditional jeeps and trucks were not used. Instead, a small flotilla of boats powered by outboard motors was made available for transportation. The supporting artillery was streamlined for operation aboard towed barges instead of in fixed-fire support bases. The organic communications resources of the riverine brigade were essentially the same used by other infantry, except that man-packed, portable voice radios were substituted for those mounted on jeeps and trucks.
Few roads penetrate the delta. Towns and villages sit on the mud banks of canals and rivers, surrounded by rice paddies. Little of the land is more than ten feet above sea level. Although the Mekong Delta is among the world's richest lands for rice growing, it is a formidable ground for the infantry soldier on foot and his modern, but often heavy, supporting equipment.
Much of the credit for maintaining such extensive communications must go to the communicators of the Mobile Riverine Force, both Army and Navy, who eliminated the interference inherent in having so many radios transmitting and receiving from a floating metal platform. There was Radio Relay, and there were switchboards that needed operators; it was an important, and not really recognized necessity for an Army to function.
With this equipment, the troop commander maintained radio contact with his assault troops, the supporting artillery located nearby on barges, the ever-present helicopter gunships circling overhead, the monitors-fire support boats, tactical fighter bombers of the Air Force, the South Vietnamese Army counterpart commander, higher headquarters, and the medical evacuation helicopters.
The command and communications boat was, as the name suggests, a floating command post, providing radio communications for both the Army troop commander and the Navy boat commander. One of these crafts was usually available for each battalion-sized element in an operation. This communications boat itself took on the appearance of a floating antenna field since nine combat voice radios were installed below the deck, and the topside bristled with nine antennas. 335th Army Security Agency Company (a.k.a. "335th Radio Research Unit"), 12 January 1967 to 5 April 1971, and the 9th Signal Battalion, 19 December 1966 to 19 August 1969. Methods were quickly devised to track, using radio, the USS Benewah while it sailed on the delta's canals and streams, using multichannel radio relaying.
His uniform at this point was the norm of the time, looks much like everyone else's...except for the small details, and insignia. Love his helmet, simply one button on it- says exactly where he stands with the people back home- how left him out to dry.
The operation for this part was a successful radio circuit from the command and communications boats because of the discipline of the operators, the training, and the ability to improvise fixes. Keeping in mind that the enemy was trying to counter this and attempt some of the same, they too found some success in their operations.
Hilltop Communications Stations: These first types of teams had common with higher command as well, and air power, etc., to all kinds of forces located in the cities of Saigon, Hue, and other cities; these fellows were more in class A and starched fatigues mode. Except for the few who worked in civilian clothing, 'Spooks' as they were known, but then who knows who they all worked for?
Radio in Command and Control: There were always radios being used throughout the Vietnam, Cambodia, Laos, and Thailand Areas and it had to be kept under control- so there were major communication facilities set up all over, in the cities and towns, in the remote Delta Region, and at the tops of Mountains and hill....there were antennas all over Vietnam.
OMEGA Radio-Tracer Team Specialist:
I heard of these operations, from a friend of mine- who just opened up t one day in the bar in Dutch Harbor, after buying my local radio-fixer guy who worked for a-electric outfit up there, told me, because of his ability as a teenager-to fix radio, he was sucked up by the CIA-asked to sign a paper, he took some money, and woke up in Saigon, like before he was 18- 20, he had gone to Quantico Virginia and ended up on some hilltop like in Laos or Cambodia or something, mostly remember telling me stories about the guys he worked with there...and had another drink or two more- and we both called it night, he good man.
The 8th RRFS, first organized on 1 November 1964 (8th Radio Research Field Station), was tagged the "Trai Bac Station" (Station of the North). This was no shanty town, but was one of the best-accommodated facilities in Vietnam; it had many permanent structures that were well-made and maintained, as well as a prefabricated operations building with air-conditioned trailers for troop billets and mess.
In 1967, the 8th RRFS of The US. Forces started to focus on the infiltration routes of the Communist Forces into South Vietnam. We called it the "Ho Chi Minh Trail." It was a 1,000-mile journey from the Northern jump-off points to the battlefields of the South. There was a huge number of men and equipment moving on it, skirting through Laos and Cambodia, throwing their sanctuaries that were 'No Fire Zones’ to the US. Forces.
They often traveled in battalion-sized groups, even in convoy fashion. LRRP's and Special Forces personnel were sent in to observe the route, and it was confirmed. Airplanes and Helicopters dropped in sensors that detected vibrations made by Infantry movement and vehicles, and this would give areas of buildup, and information to headquarters.
The 8th RRFS in a tactical support role often found itself having to provide technical and analytical assistance to the US. and ARVN support units. In this way, they were able to directly influence the whole Vietnam War. The impact, though largely unseen, was always in the background, and relaying information from the field to higher, and from their electronic warfare elements in the field, they also relayed valuable information back to the field troops, and command and control.... but still the US. forces had their hands tied, and a lot of the information was coming from neutral countries where the enemy was hiding.
They often listened to the enemy weather forecasts, relaying them to the US. Navy's 7th Fleet is on Yankee-Station, so they could coordinate airstrikes and reconnaissance missions up North. The compound operated day and night and continuously worked with the offshore carrier task group. Not just with the Carrier Aircraft go/no-go decisions, but with the Battleships and gunboats’ fire support mission that could shoot 15-20 miles inland, to support infantrymen and brown water forces on the inland waterways of the Mekong Delta region.
The installation kept expanding, and more and more personnel came in to operate all the Versos electronic listening and communication systems on hand. The 8th RRFS had major construction projects continually going on. By the end of the conflict, the 8th RRFS was by far the largest ASA operating element in the World. These Radio-Relay and Communication Centers had to have tight security measures in place. The 8th
‘RRFS’ defense perimeter was layered, including 2600 meters of trenches, 30 ft high steel watch towers with M-60 machine guns in them, 12-inch cement reinforced star bunkers, rolls and rolls of layered concertina wire, barbed tall wire fences, and 54,000 M-14 antipersonnel mines all surrounding the compound. and likely censors out there and listening posts. Backed by some heavy firepower and mortars.
There was little to no fear of direct attack, as it was so fortified, but the facility did receive occasional rocket fire. There were MPs assigned to all the gates and to control the coming and going of civilian workers; it was a tight community. The uniform would represent the early stages of the operations there, and eventually, the insignia would be subdued, but I think the pocket patches (when used or available) stayed in the colored format.
Now you’re asking why the helmet...If he was stationed on the base camp...Because I took pictures of the uniform before I could research it uniform...but all were issued the things, and there were some rocket attacks and the like, trying to knock down the towers, etc. However, the helmet is made up as it would be in the field, and maybe should have been saved for a battle uniform, and this goes with the previous helmeted RRT uniform.
The Hickory Site (A Fire Support Base): As the Hickory Site here these minuscule outposts played a huge role in the Vietnam War as we know it, and much I think still classified, and somewhat a mystery, it probably was not a new thing may have had them in WWII and Korea and may still do this-we need you here's your options stuff, but most went willingly, I think.
The hilltop posts: The idea was to monitor areas of enemy movement, having 'eyes' (High-power binoculars) and snipers to look down the hill, and have feet on the ground in the area, and centers, etc., and to fight up-hill is a hard thing to do, but they knew exactly where you were much of the time and try to avoid it too. So many were brought in by helicopter for weeks at a time. This is a very scary proposition.
The Black Virgin Mountain Site: The Black Virgin Mountain. It is the "Black Lady Mountain", also known by the Khmer they called it the Phnom Chol Baden, in the Tay Ninh Province of Vietnam. In myth, it is about the local deity of Khmer origin. When the American Forces built atop it an observing post and radio station, it was well known to be a very active place of infiltration. The Ho Chi Minh Trail ends there, but just across the border of Cambodia, and where piles of supplies are being stored in the sanctuaries in the area.
Hill Top Communication Camp: The base and the hill villa’s did exist, and the soldiers and Civilian Operators hired threw the CIA who worked in these units did their best, and were often very effective-information coming through channels-they could not be confirmed or denied can be a problem, but in Vietnam, when they came in-command got what our politicians decided to do-may have been to do nothing-or retaliate, but rarely what the General would do.
Radio-phonics use in Vietnam: Their jobs verified, but basically, they would listen to enemy communications, on Chinese and Russian radio sets, and their secret frequencies relay that info up to higher- for their call-for air-strikes, or adding support of forces, LRRP Teams to go in, etc.
Working with Aircraft: Army was working with the Air Force listening in to the enemy early A-WAC radar systems, all kinds of stuff going on, or trying every way to see, hear, smell out even, side-looking radar, and since you don't hear about it I suspect much of it is still classified.
Spec. 5, 101st Airborne Div., 265th RRC (ABN / DSU):
Working on the story here, about these radio-gurus, military sorted, but also civilian “Volunteers”, specially skilled people found and sent overseas to keep specialized, often secret radio communications going across the Vietnam theator, and across the globe itself, wherever radio wave/signals had to be picked up, and relayed to command, through AM and FM, Duplex, and scrambled lines of comunications, to Short Wave, and Single Side Band Radios. Bein Specialists in their own right, I assume, Specialist, or Warrant Officers, perhaps given to soldiers, civilians would be something equivalent, but more along CIA or some other operations.
There was a lot of watching, listening, and reporting going on:
Army Special Communications Operations RVN:
Military Auxiliary Radio System (MARS) was but one type of radio being used in Vietnam; there were Radio-Research Groups and Radio Shacks, popped up all over. No doubt, the enemy would like to get to. MARS made it able for the soldiers were able to call home a talk to whoever once or twice during their tour, some more from time to time, able to talk to their Mom and Dad or Girl Friend or Wife, threw short-wave, and single-sideband radios they could communicate by skipping along skywave, to civilian operators in the US - this was never possible near a war zone before.
There was a lot to ' Signals Operations in Vietnam, Line-men, Operators, Maintenance/repairmen, Decoders, And other various "Wireless Radio, and Telephone Operators, Air-Ground Communications, all run by Batteries, or Generator and their Operators, and maintenance mechanics, and other Personal assigned to 'Signal's':
The 362nd Signal Company was the main signals unit deployed to Vietnam from March 23, 1962, to March 15, 1973. They were a part of the 39th Signal Battalion. The 362nd served there from top to bottom of South Vietnam. They worked with the Infantry patrols, the long-range reconnaissance troops, and radiotelephone communications throughout South Vietnam; there was also one site located at the Udorn Air Force Base in Thailand.
By early 1964, the Ubon site had been reassigned. Before the acknowledged real involvement in the Vietnam War, in 1964, the 362nd had started operating the Microwave Communications sites in Soc Trang, Vinh Long, Phulan (near Saigon), Nha Trang, Quin Nhon, Danang, Hue, Quang Ngai, Pleiku, Ban Me Thuot, and Gia Nghia.
By July of 1964, the 362nd Signal Company had some 216 Enlisted Men, with 12 Officers. Then commenced Operation Back Porch, which was not a battle but the use of AN/MRC-85 Troposphere Scatter Microwave Communications Systems linking Saigon, Nha Trang, Qui Nhon, and Danang, and linking Nha Trang to Pleiku and Ubon.
There were many other kinds of radio communications being operated by the 362nd Signal Company, one of these was the TRC-90 Microwave link system joining Soc Trang to Vinh Long and Phulan, linking Phu Lam with Gia Nghia, Ban Me Thuot, and, Pleiku, that provided the links to Danang, Hue, and Quang Ngai.
The 362nd Signal Company was one of the first in Vietnam and would be the last out. Their final mission was the handing over of the high-tech communications sites to the International Control Commission following the signing of the Paris Peace Agreement.
The 362nd Signals Company had been from June 1967 to June 1968, under command by the 73rd Signal Battalion. Their motto had been “Hang Loose with the Deuce." Officially, what these fellows’ MOS was, I don't know, where there was - 0505 Radio Systems Officer, 05C Radio Teletype Operator, 05D EW/SIGINT Identifier, 05E Voice-Radio Operator, 05F Radio Teletypewriter Operator,
05G Signal Security Specialist, 05H EW/SIGINT Morse Interceptor, and the 05K EW/SIGINT Non-Morse Interceptors officially.
T-shirts and caps weren’t worn with the early fatigue’s trousers till the later 1960s, this was the norm, while the patches were subdued, they were not, field troops, well not thought-of so, they did get stuck out in some pretty rough parts of the country, the jungle fatigues would come late to many of these soldiers.
MARS operators: Troop standing in a pose outside a MARS building. Probably the guy that would hook you up with an operator back in the States, so you could connect to whoever you were calling back in the world.
Sideband, and high frig. radios: Much of the specialized radio equipment did not jive with other military bases, and there was always phone-line availability. Support vessels and aircraft did not carry those frequencies either, so someone monitored and relayed to the support elements, fire support, ride home, medical evacuations, etc.
Signals Personnel in Vietnam. There was a lot to ' Signals Operations' in Vietnam, Line-men, Operators, Maintenance/repairmen, Decoders, and other various "Wireless” Radio, and “Telephone Operators”, Air-Ground Communications, all run by Batteries, Generator and their Operators, and maintenance mechanics, and other Personal assigned to 'Signal's'.
Specialist, Combat Photographer / ‘Charlie-MOPIC’:
The US. ARMY Media - Specialties: The Combat Cameraman:
This shows that some of the men did go out in the field with the troops on their search missions. I would think he would be holding up a bad of film in the other hand, an officer would get an order to get combat footage, and a platoon going out on patrol, or into an ongoing battle, and the cameraman would be ordered to get the footage, I imagine both platoons led and the cameraman were less than thrilled with the prospect.
MOPIC: The title refers to the U.S. Army's former "MOS" (job code) 84C for a Combat Cameraman; their official job is to take photographs and motion pictures and performs operator maintenance on motion picture sound and magnetic tape-recording equipment.
Most Reporters and their Cameramen, etc., were, well...not too popular people out in the field, because of all the political twisting of the reporting of it and all, and the US. Army's version of them was not all that much better, but that is not just because the editors would twist every little thing, (and Still Do), but they don't belong out there, so you’re paying attention for them and yourself, or surroundings, they hindered the mission, were noisy, un-aware, and out of place, .... and trying to shoot film when they’re supposed to be humping in the jungle, and not get shot, step into punji stakes., or trip a mine. They could put other people’s lives in danger, I'm sure some of the Cameramen would have preferred an M-16 rather than a movie camera sometimes too... They would go to war with their sidearm, I imagine they would add an M-16 at the base camp.
OK, so there is a movie called 84 CHARLIE MOPIC. (Release date was on April 7, 1989, and for a movie that was low budget, and not that famous...had a good plot, with a Cameraman going out with an LRRP Team - (I think a good base) and it's-Hollywood-ed up, the LRRP's were like the guys in Predator (1987) with Arnold Schwarzenegger, anyway-its most of what I find for the 'MOS' so maybe watch the move somewhere.
So then this was before the iPhone or digital cameras and the like, there was film, and it could not see daylight without getting destroyed-it had to be developed in a dark room, which leads to development, most never saw their footage, not unlike WWII, the film canisters changed hands- and important stuff sent further-and the cameraman went back out in the field trying to get good shots without getting sick, shot, or blown-up. Now the bright insignia might be frowned on in the field, too, or covered up with a vest. But Intel 1969 color-pocket patches and even on the sleeves were seen a lot.
The V it thinks is for his section, like in the Roman numeral (5). This is the Armed Forces Camera 'MOPIC' Team with a camera on its tripod with the sword behind it (as if they’re at the tip of the sword, as they say. The Red and Gold have something to do with their colors, I guess.
The thin about the Vietnam War and how it was spun to the public every single day on the news, I remember watching it with my Dad, and the 'Body Count' Spiel to the Americans.....it was an amazingly charged time, total fear of the quagmire there, and my mom’s brothers there, and brother in law's, friends kids being sent, and the ones coming home were still in shock!
The thing is that all that film was getting it somewhere, and personally, the 'Air-Assault' is spectacular no matter how you see it! So, these cameramen teams could go all over-but they had to walk with the troops the get the coolest- most exciting pictures....and it had a profound effect on people here watching the T.V. every night at 6:00 PM....talk about getting the people’s attention, and when you heard things repeatedly over and over-you think that way. Valuable lessons learned-like don't show our people in body bags, don't talk about across-the-fence operations, the restrictions on our troops...anyways, most of the people that get in the mud with the men, behind the sandbagged bunkers and trenched at Khe Sanh, to the Ia Drang Valley, Plain of Jars, the Mekong Delta, and Mountains to Beaches, Jungles, Rice Paddy's, and a lot of deep red dirt.
The soldiers assigned the job of shooting the history of the war must have been conscious of what they were getting on film and getting the right ‘Shot'. They could travel all over, as needed. But may not have realized the powers that be above his pay grade would use it as they see fits.
And then the News would get some footage and throw their spin into it...the Army life, I suppose, the men did their best to show the experience. Note the Navy, Marines, and Air Force also had a similar operation going on-I think the Coast Guard had their cameramen as well.
The tool of the trade... Other categories ran along with the 4C Motion Picture Specialist, such as the 84B Still Photographic Specialist, 8, 84D Audio Specialist, 84E Television Cameraman, 84F Audio/TV Specialist, 84G Photographic Laboratory Specialist
8500 Pictorial Unit Commander, 8510 Pictorial Officer...and others that would work with Aircraft photography, etc. 8511 Motion Picture & TV Director, 8521 Motion Picture or TV Writer, 8530 Audio-Visual Instructional Technology Officer.
Military Artist: Ok...now for something completely different, and a controversial position in the military We know how the News's Reporting wat the first time we had a TV War every night to watch, and how quickly the News threw their spin on the war, rather than the facts, or moral support. But this fellow was 'IN' the Army, and rather than a reporter or and cameraman, he drew the war as he saw it!
Combat Artist:
The Idea of the Combat Art Program had its roots in World War II when the U.S. Congress authorized the Army to use soldier-artists to record military operations in 1944. Before that, it was individual civilians doing the art, often after the fact had played out. So, as the Vietnam situation came to light, early on, the concept came up again, and the use of the artist’s ability to record the war was recognized.
In June of 1966, the US. The Army's Vietnam Combat Artists Program was established. It would be an Art Program, utilizing teams of soldier artists to put together a pictorial record of the U.S. Army, historical events, as well as the daily life ho the soldier life the Vietnam War for the annals of military history.
So, there were Nine 'Combat Artist Teams' (CATs) that were formed and operated in Vietnam. Some of this Art created by military artists has become a part of the official 'U.S. Army Art Collection' that is maintained by the U.S. Army Center of Military History (CMH), Washington, D.C.
We see he wears an in-country-made 1st Infantry patch, with his unique rocker over it. His view of the war was not recorded with a snapshot or articles, but what he saw-and using his eyes to send the message to his hand, he recorded it in a way only he could do. But I imagine his artwork made it into the Stars and Stripes or some other military pamphlet, or maybe some camp signs, I'm not sure where, but they have now found their way into books 48 years after we left the country.
The 'Combat Artist Teams' were made up of five soldier artists who would be assigned 60 days of temporary duty (TDY) in Vietnam. While they were there, they were to do quick and simple sketches of the Base Camp, Soldiers, or any related activities, and gather the information for what they wanted to portray.
These guys went out there armed with pencils and paper! And that is a bit disturbing-but they loved to draw, and I hope they had a weapon, when would you get to draw though while humping through the jungle and up and down slippery hills in the rain. I guess they kept their stuff in a plastic bag- did they have zip locks? And I guess they reported on the soldier’s war.
On 17 March 1969, the ongoing VIETNAM - COMBAT ART PROGRAM was re-named the ARMY ARTIST PROGRAM. And their artwork was used worldwide.
The helmet shell is in the re-issue funky green. These were helmet shells from the '40s and '50s that were refurbished for the Vietnam War and issued to troops, with cleaned-up and repaired liners; they were brought up to snuff.
During the Vietnam Era, the U.S. Army Chief of Military History asked Marian McNaughton, then Curator for the Army Art Collection, to develop a plan for a Vietnam soldier art program. The result was the creation in 1966 of the U. S. Army Vietnam Combat Art Program under the direction of the Office of the Chief of Military History and McNaughton's office. Her plan included involving the U.S. Army Arts and Crafts Program, then headed by Eugenia Nowlin. McNaughton's office relied on Nowlin and her cadre of local Army Arts and Crafts directors to solicit applications from soldiers, which were forwarded to McNaughton's office at the U.S. Army Center of Military History, where selection and team assignments were made.[2] The U.S. Army provided logistics support as the teams of artists were sent to Vietnam and then to Hawaii.
Artists interested in joining the program were asked to submit applications through the Army Arts and Crafts Program facilities nearest their unit. Applications were to contain samples of drawings, photographs of paintings, and a resume. Selections were made by a committee composed of designated representatives from the Office, the Chief of Military History, and the Adjutant General's Office. Supervised by Army Art Curator Marian McNaughton. The program was the joint responsibility of the Office, Chief of Military History and the Adjutant General's Office, with support from the Office, Chief of Information. Still unable to stop a bullet, they received new pattern cloth covers, but some never used them.
James Pollock was one of these soldier artists. In 1967, while assigned to (CAT IV), he wrote an essay called the "US Army Soldier-Artists in Vietnam" for "War, Literature & the Arts: An International Journal of the Humanities", and it was published by the department of English and Fine Arts, United States Air Force Academy. He had depicted a positive experience, that which they had been encouraged to freely express and interpret their individual experiences in their distinct styles. All the different mediums of oil and acrylic paint, ink, chalk, and their particular Styles were as diverse as the artists themselves, some chose detailed literal images while others preferred expressive, almost abstract explosions striving to replicate the horrors of war”. Note here, this is the Top-shell...The Steel Pot (Stamped sheet Metal, actually) has a metal-rolled edge. and sandy ruff dull medium (Vietnam Era) Green color inside and out. It has 2 D-style rings to hold the Chin Strap.
I could not find 'Combat Artist' in the MOS lists, so it is a sub-category, possibly under Military Historical, Reporting Area? During the Vietnam War, the army art program also used civilian artists. The last team of soldier artists in Vietnam was Soldier Art Team 9 (CAT IX).
There was a book put together, in 1991, called the "Portrait of an Army", it was published by the U.S. Army Center of Military History and edited by General Gordon R. Sullivan and Marylou Genres, In it, he mentions that artists wore used to put on paper may aspects of the Army, like the Reserve Officers' Training Corps (ROTC), and West Point cadets, the Army National Guard annual training, even some tank gunnery training in Europe. The Army Art Collection has its depictions of the Panama Operation, Desert Shield, and Desert Storm. I have to assume they have used artists to depict the display up to the present.
Note: The semi-clear green entrails of the liner are an identifier for the rebuilding and reissue of the helmet.
1st Army Combat Artist:
Art of Vietnam: I do not know who the following artists are or if any were done by a combat artist- my perspective is complete here, but it is just that! I love art-no all but some modern or what one might have called 'Hippie Art,' but the thing is, there is a story for all, either the perspective of the soldier, or what we think they saw.
Art of Vietnam: Some people can pop this out quickly, using taught techniques, but most teach themselves, and everyone has their way or ways, and some took some time, but the best you look at the faces, place, and moment, and piece it together yourself.
Art of Vietnam: See a lot of watercolor and acrylic painted like art, maybe some oils, lots of great stuff looking over the internet. I'm not sold that this could be done out in the field! rice paddies and mountains, and triple canopied jungle do not go well with paper products, nor setting up and standing and fiddling with your paint!? What do I know?
Art of Vietnam: I can’t paint on canvas very well, but I really like the watercolor look, and people get detailed with it; some have real skills, too. The other question one might ask is what would the Army allow you to paint-like something that might be antiwar, or controversial, would they not use or censor it? I would think the latter, and that would be a bummer if it were something that took some time and thought to portray. But you're contracted with the Army, so it's the Army's decision whether your message, when working for the painter’s view, likely came out later.
Art of Vietnam: The different mediums one could use, Pen, Pencil, Acrylic and oil paint, and chalk, did not have 3D or a way to computer-generated them, so it was done by hand in-country.
In June 1966, the US. The Army Vietnam Combat Artists Program was established, officially as The US ARMY ART PROGRAM, and it would be made up using Soldiers, Sailors, and Marines who had the artist knack with Pencils and Pens, and some painted later to reflect on the moment. But first, they went through standard training. Their mission was not necessarily to fight the war, but rather to record it, in a different aspect than a camera, which was well established by this point, for recording history. These artist’ work would be retained by the Military and kept in their annals of military history. Its roots of the idea came in WWII when Congress authorized the Army to use soldier artists to record military operations in 1944. Up to this point, Artists were generally used for propaganda agendas, and to get people to join the military service. Artists have portrayed history since man figured out how to draw, but it was to save and record the time, so that piece of time-so others can learn from it.
And War has been a part of human history since we learned how to try and control one another. And during the Vietnam War, some civilian artists were involved in the program.
The idea was to use drawings and paintings that portrayed the war, the way the Army wanted it to be seen, but artists tend to draw the way they do, and they’re all different, and many were not so patriotic or gung-ho per-se’, but reflect their feelings on what the saw and recorded, some deliberately want to portray maybe anti-war statements, while others let you read into it, and merge with your thoughts over the war.
In the 1960s, the US. Army Chief of Military History asked Marian McNaughton, who was the curator for the Army Art Collection, to make a plan to make a soldier-art program. This resulted in the creation (in 1966) of the U. S. Army Vietnam Combat Art Program, directed by the Office of the Chief of Military History and McNaughton's office.
Her plan included involving the U.S. Army Arts and Crafts Program, headed by Eugenia Nowlin. McNaughton's office relied on Nowlin (and her cadre of local Army Arts and Crafts directors) to take applications from soldiers, and search them out; all this went to McNaughton's office located at the US Army Center of Military History, and the teams were selected and put together from there. They were sent to Vietnam, did their tour, and came back to Hawaii. On January 14, 1970, the members of Vietnam Combat Art Team IX (CAT IX), the last U.S. Army art team to set foot in Vietnam, disbanded. While the very last team of soldier-artists still in Vietnam was Soldier Art Team 9 (CAT IX), leaving as Vietnam fell to Northern Forces.
As they came home they were reassigned to various posts, and most just wanted to get back to the Civilian world anyways, through with the Army way of life, they often continued with their art, that was used for this and that, some went to school and got degrees, and able to become art teachers, etc. they worked in many different jobs, tried to raise their families, and tried to put the war behind them.
The uniform depicts no one in particular, but how one of these soldiers may have looked upon deployment to Vietnam during the build-up, having a new type of utility gear and all subdued insignia, he would try to blend in with the grunts, but he had a different MO, and he and everyone else knew it! He is assigned to the 1st Infantry Division, which fought in the Vietnam War from 1965 to 1970. They fought with the Local VC and the NVA main force troops in the jungles northwest of Saigon. They also conducted operations to keep open Highway-13, the corridor to Cambodia, and tried to push out the entrenched enemy in the heavy jungle of the Iron Triangle and in the Michelin Plantation.
