View Full Version : Tet offensive
The 40th anniversary of the 1968 Tet offensive is approaching. I'm pretty sure that nobody gives a rat's @$$ about it except those of us who participated, but as the decades click off, one of these days we won't be around to remember. Maybe that's good.
In any case, I wrote my local paper, The Tulsa World, to suggest that they run a series of articles to begin next January. The response was very negative. They are either from the draft-dodger, chicken hawk crowd, or too young to remember.
MY POINT is, if you agree that this is a significant anniversary, please encourage the news media to acknowledge the 1968 Tet offensive, which many feel represents a turning point in a war that we decided not to win and where Marines in some arenas faced an enemy that was better supplied and had superior numbers.
Semper Fi,
sparkie
10-07-07, 06:59 PM
The war was wont at Tet, Problem was, Not enough Dems were shot. Since Dems are running the paper, I'm sure they don't want to hear about it,,,,to their shame.
jinelson
10-07-07, 07:22 PM
RVHall thats an outstanding idea. I will do some research and see if I can somehow recreate what was happening each day for the 3 months here on Leatherneck.com. It is indeed something that should be remembered.
Jim
Zulu 36
10-07-07, 08:02 PM
Tet was a campaign more than a single battle.
Hue, on the other hand was a battle, and it displayed the flexibility of the American fighting man, most specifically that of the US Marine. Considering MOUT was not taught at all at the time because Marines were in jungle, rice paddies, mountains, and rivers, not cities.
Marines had to re-learn urban fighting on the job. It still amazes me (as a student of history) that we didn't lose more Marines killed in action than we did.
Fallujah was a tough fight, no question. But the Marines there had rested and drilled MOUT heavily before entering. The 1st and 5th Marines battalions in Hue went straight from jungle to street, no rest, no training, no replacements, no nothing except a chance to fix and fight the NVA. And what a fight it was.
My hat is off to all who fought in Hue for the good guys.
I will do some research and see if I can somehow recreate what was happening......
Jim
That would be fantastic, Jim. Thank you very much for your kind offer to revisit Tet. If you do so, please do not neglect our brother Marines from Korea.
The 2nd ROK Marine Brigade (Blue Dragons) were around Hoi An during Tet. Their experience was not as desperate as farther north, but there were relatively heavy casualties at times. For example, I consider losing a platoon in a couple of hours fairly heavy. The cumulative casualties over those months was heavy indeed for some units.
They went without any kind of resupply for weeks. When the rations were gone, they improvised with the local water buffalo, pig and chicken. We were second priority, I feel, because we weren't up north, and we couldn't get much needed ammo or medivacs at several points.
I trained with US Marines, but I fought with Korean Marines. They were coming along pretty well back then, and today only 1 in 100 make the grade. They supported us significantly in Vietnam, and I understand they have a presence in Afghanistan and Iraq. They are our brothers and should be remembered for their contributions.
SlingerDun
10-07-07, 09:01 PM
The 40th anniversary of the 1968 Tet offensive is approaching. I'm pretty sure that nobody gives a rat's @$$ about it except those of us who participatedIf non-peers exist that give a damn about your battles, i've met few. Even with clear winners and enthusiastic jingoism, non participants are a majority of spectators detached from the event who may even get close enough to be sprayed with players sweat and catch dropplets of blood but they get to drive home clean without cuts and bruises and experience neither the extreme high or low of victory or defeat. I felt these emotions at a recent shoeing contest with a bad draw and a green crowd. I hold field Marines from any conflict in high regard.
--->Dave
hrscowboy
10-07-07, 09:47 PM
Yes at least we didnt have rules of engagement and embedded media back in those days.. We had body counts each day on the enemy..
ggyoung
10-08-07, 11:23 AM
Anything that has to do with tet 68 should also have "The Hill Fights" of 67.
killerinstinct
10-08-07, 11:46 AM
Getting off of the thread subject. But I was wondering if any of you guys knew of any battles of the Korean warother than Chosin or if theres a good read about them? This is the one my grandfather fought in 1st MarDiv
Anything that has to do with tet 68 should also have "The Hill Fights" of 67.
February '67 - ROKMC 11th Co. Tra Binh Dong
I started a thread to honor those Marines just today. There's a link there if you are interested.
OFF-THE-THREAD FOR GGYOUNG:
ggyoung, I see that you are a coal miner from central Utah. Ever work at the SUFCO No. 1 near Salina or the Skyline near Scofield? I worked for Coastal, managing the geology dept. in Houston, and visited the Utah mines every month or two. Coastal years were 1975-82.
capmarine
10-08-07, 08:39 PM
worked with former Marine at the P.O.,was at Hue.i want to say 2/5 if i remember correctly;he died a few years ago.ed newsome
yellowwing
10-09-07, 12:42 AM
General Pace was there wasn't he?
ggyoung
10-09-07, 10:20 AM
RVHall. The answer to your queston is no. I worked at Deercreck Hunnington canyon. UMWA. My oldst son worked at Skyline and also SUFCO. He is making custom knifes fulltime now.
jinelson
10-09-07, 10:43 AM
Wing indeed General Pete Pace was there as a split tail butter bar leading his Marines to victory in Hue. Damn fine Marine and man.
Jim
The 40th anniversary of the 1968 Tet offensive is approaching.
Posting on several USMC related websites has produced comments but little good advice regarding how to interest the media in remembering the upcoming 40th anniversary of the defeat of the tremendous NVA/VC surge that Marines and others turned back. With only a few months remaining, I plan to keep on writing editors with the hope that I will find one who is not quite so anti-military as those I've encountered to date.
Any constructive ideas would be appreciated. The bravery and the military victory should be remembered.
Vance Hall
Tulsa, OK
Gary Hall
10-21-07, 11:28 AM
However I was not there. I was 37 years old and out of the Corps some 16 years. I wondered what the Hell was going on, much as we did in North Korea during 1950 - 51. (Intelligence & leadership have long since given way to managerial efforts, conducted and promulgated from behind the lines, by credentialed whiz kids, sporting long resumes). It was years later that I discovered how sorry was LBJ and Robert McNamara. Robert McNamara never had a good day in his worthless life. During his 1 year tenure as Ford President he is primarily remembered for being the Father of the Edsel (the wonder car). From Ford he went to Sec Def; until McNamara got the job it was agreed that Louis Johnson was the worst SEC DEF., then RM went to the World Bank. Can anybody tell us what he did there? I remember it was reported that one thing he did was betray his friend Tom Braden by having an affair with Tom's wife. And this country is run by civilian SOB's such as these. RV, thanks for the good work. Gary Hall, 633178, W-3-1, 1950 - 51 and I don't hesitate to report that I worked for Col. Chesty Puller, not some worthless civilian.
FistFu68
10-21-07, 01:02 PM
:evilgrin: THE MINI-TET,SUMMER OFFENSIVE OF '68,FOUR TIMES AS MANY MARINE KIA'S BUT THE NVA. & THE V.C. PAID A VERY VERY HEAVY PRICE.!!!:evilgrin:
Scottyva
10-21-07, 02:34 PM
I was a toddler back then. But after joining the Corps i heard often about Cronkite saying that the war is lost.
Maybe the Marine Corps Musuem in Quantico can help Vance with his project??
OLE SARG
10-21-07, 06:48 PM
The media has a very short memory but if you wait a little bit they will make something up!!!!!
SEMPER FI,
sparkie
10-21-07, 06:52 PM
News media don't make cr^p up,,, It's where they live......Citys in the clouds. Whatever fits their moment.
Maybe the Marine Corps Musuem in Quantico can help Vance with his project??
Thanks, Scotty. I emailed them this morning. That's exactly the kind of idea I needed.
Any more constructive suggestions out there?
Semper Fi