Vietnam+Soldier

Vietnam soldier

David was in the country when his unit was ordered to shoot Indians near the city of Jue. He is considered a herry, or Newby. The heat was scorching and the conditions were dangerous. Many died from dehydration. He was shot in the soldier and sent to the hospital. Eventually, he was sent home with his million-dollar wound.

The soldiers knew exactly when they would return home, by the day. The average grunt was white from rural America. The average age was 21-22 years old. Grunt's had to carry between 35-70 pounds on their backs. The primary weapon was an M-16 rifle as well as machine guns.

Recruits trained in boot camps such as Fort Benning in Grorgia. There was extreme heat and humidity- the smells were terrible. As the packet states, "The first impression of Vietnam, although not a pleasant one, was certainly a sensory eperience."

Grunts, or soldiers, spent most of their time "in the bush," another name for in camps.

A platoon was "a mixture of personalities, and a ablend of veternas and newly-arrived cherries."

Orders came form headquarters and received by rear echelon officers, also known as pogues.

The country was very dangerous for the grunts. 1 click was 1,000 meters. 3 clicks could take a platoon a full morning. Some common problems from Vietnam were heat, humidity, and tropical rains, as well as dehydration. Other dangers included wild animals such as tigers and elephants, and snakes, cobras, and vipers, who bit with lethal vites. However, the most common animals were rasts, who fed on dead bodies.

The Grunts could barely see where the fire was coming from. The NVA/VC were tunnels that included hospitals and fuel storage tanks. "Tunnel Rats" were South Vietnamese and Hispanic- American soldiers.

VC boody traps were deadly, and contained hidden mines as well as eplosives and poisonous devices.

In Vietnam destroying the enemy was much more vital than the territory. "Body Counts" were used to indicate daily military success

AO- area of operation Charlie- enemy DMZ- demilitarized zone VC- vietnam Cong