Vietnam War veteran Thomas Rockroads Jr. talks about his experiences in the Airborne Infantry.

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[–]Brewdabier 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (4 children)

I called and ask but they said it's classified information, I was part of the 4th Armored Division and as with others i suspected we crossed over into Cambodia or did things we were unaware was not legitimate. No idea what it could have been but the lieutenant I talked to would not say much, My worse was the Easter Offensive in 1972 and lost a lot of friends that month. The WTF day was two years ago I had to get a MRI and the nurse ask if I'm a vet, yes and she had me go for a full body x ray. Turns out I had a 3 mm x 2 mm bit of metal in my ass and had Surgery before I could get the MRI. Had no idea it was there but I remember a mortar attack one night and getting hit in the ass but so busy fighting I ignored it

[–]Jesus-Christ[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (3 children)

It's fucked up that they keep everything so hidden. It's pretty crazy you came home with pieces of mortar in your ass lol, it makes for a good story at least. Men being thrown into sweltering hot foreign jungles and being expected to fight with little to no knowledge of what they are actually doing is so fucked up. When fights would break out were you mostly blind firing or could you actually see the enemy? What was training like before you were deployed?

[–]Brewdabier 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (2 children)

Not only came home with pieces of mortar in my ass but no doctor knew of it for 50 years, I never forgot the humid weather and sweating all the time. As for fighting with no knowledge, on our first day we were told if it runs kill it or it kills you. My granddaughter did some research on the war and said viet nam was the most expensive war excluding the middle east, but we did the spray and pray. You open fire and dump as much rounds as you can on your target.

[–]Jesus-Christ[S] 1 insightful - 1 fun1 insightful - 0 fun2 insightful - 1 fun -  (1 child)

Did it smell? A lot of them say the smell was awful.

[–]Brewdabier 2 insightful - 1 fun2 insightful - 0 fun3 insightful - 1 fun -  (0 children)

Only around dead bodies, the first six months was the worse but then you get use to smells and such.