Did soldiers collect ears in Vietnam?

Villages were bombed, burned and destroyed. As the ground troops swept through, in many cases they gunned down men, women and children, sometimes mutilating bodies -- cutting off ears to wear on necklaces. They threw hand grenades into dugout shelters, often killing entire families.

Why did soldiers cut off ears in Vietnam?

To verify kills, soldiers cut off ears of the Vietnamese dead. Some wore a necklace of ears. Only the soldier knew whether they came from combatants or villagers of any age or sex, caught up in the war.

What did soldiers carry during the Vietnam War?

US Infantrymen (grunts) carried either a rifle (M-16), or a machine gun (M-60, belt fed), or an M-79 grenade launcher. If the grunt was a radio operator (RTO-Radio Telephone Operator) he also carried a radio ON HIS BACK.

What was the most feared unit in the Vietnam War?

Surprise attacks by elite Communist units known as sappers were one of the most serious—and feared—threats to Americans in Vietnam.

Why did Vietnam soldiers draw on their helmets?

One way they did this was by writing graffiti on their helmets. As one might imagine, it was considered counter to good order and discipline to write on one's helmet cover. The helmet was for the soldier, after all, a uniform item provided by the government.

Why did Vietnam soldiers wear ace of spades?

In Vietnam, the ace of spades (death card) was thought by some to put a scare into the superstitious enemy and were left behind on dead enemy bodies after a firefight. Other soldiers used the card as a morale booster – wearing it proudly on helmets to show they were tough and fearless warriors.

Why don t soldiers buckle their helmets?

Some believed that being close to over-pressure events (artillery, etc) could cause a head injury with the large helmet being force up and the tough leather strap breaking the neck. This was supported by more than one army regiment actually giving written orders to their men to not buckle up.

Who was the most decorated soldier in Vietnam?

His name is Staff Sergeant Joe Ronnie Hooper, and not only was he a hero in the Vietnam War; he is also the most decorated soldier in American international combat, even eclipsing both York and Murphy.

How common was fragging in Vietnam?

Over the course of the entire Vietnam War, there were 800 documented fragging attempts in the Army and Marine Corps. By another account, over 1,000 such incidents were thought to have occurred. Between 1969 and 1970 alone, the U.S. Army reported 305 fraggings.

Who did the Viet Cong fear the most?

TIL That during the Vietnam War, the most feared soldiers by the Vietcong were not US Navy Seals but Australian SASR. The VC referred to SEAL's as "The men with Green faces" whereas SASR known as "The Phantoms of the Jungle. A much more dangerous arena.

How much weight did the average Vietnam soldier carry?

March loads stayed at approximately 80 pounds during Vietnam but grew to 100 pounds afterward, with a maximum march weight over 160 pounds in Grenada in 1983. In Iraq and Afghanistan, march weights have approximated 100 pounds or more. Soldiers would not carry all of the above equipment at once.

How many rounds did a soldier in Vietnam carry?

During the Vietnam War, Soldiers were issued a semiautomatic rifle with automatic capability and up to 20 magazines of 20 rounds each along with fragmentation and colored smoke grenades.

What happened to all the M16 from Vietnam?

The harsh jungle climate corroded the rifle's chamber, exacerbated by the manufacturer's decision against chrome-plating the chamber. The ammunition that accompanied the rifles sent to Vietnam was incompatible with the M16 and was the principal cause of the failure to extract malfunctions.

How traumatizing was the Vietnam War?

In fact, the VA has found 17 percent – or 510,000 – of the three million American service members who served in Vietnam went on to suffer from PTSD. Divorce, suicide, substance abuse and criminal conduct often became collateral damage.

How gruesome was the Vietnam War?

An estimated 500 Vietnamese, mostly women, children, and the elderly, died in the massacre. The brutality has been well documented: American soldiers raped, mutilated, and tortured the villagers before killing them; families were dragged from their homes, thrown into ditches and executed.

Were there tigers in Vietnam during the war?

However soldiers did see tigers, or report being stalked. Some tigers hunted humans, and there are other reports of tigers attacking and killing humans, or people having risky encounters with them!

How many a6 Intruders were lost in Vietnam?

A-6 Intruder - Operational History

During the course of operations over Vietnam, a total of 84 A-6 Intruders were lost with the majority (56) downed by anti-aircraft artillery and other ground fire.

What happens to soldiers who commit friendly fire?

When a troop or unit is found to have committed a friendly fire incident, depending on the severity, the investigators will first look into the type of error committed. The two offenses most likely to be charged in such an incidence are involuntary manslaughter or the lesser charge of negligent homicide.

Does fragging still happen in the military?

The Pentagon releases figures confirming that fragging incidents are on the rise. In 1970, 209 such incidents caused the deaths of 34 men; in 1969, 96 such incidents cost 34 men their lives.

Has anyone won 2 medals of honor?

To date, the maximum number of Medals of Honor earned by any service member has been two. The last living individual to be awarded two Medals of Honor was John J. Kelly October 3, 1918; the last individual to receive two Medals of Honor for two different actions was Smedley Butler, in 1914 and 1915.

Who served the longest in Vietnam?

Larry Spencer, the Iowan who served more time than any other Iowan as a prisoner of war during the Vietnam War, died Saturday. He was 82. An Earlham native and West Des Moines resident, Spencer was a U.S. Navy radar intercept officer when his F-4 Phantom was shot down on Feb. 18, 1966, over North Vietnam.

Is it OK for a civilian to salute a veteran?

TLDR – Civilians should face the flag and place their right hand over their heart during the National Anthem. Saluting the flag is a gesture reserved for the military. While civilians can salute soldiers, many veterans consider it inappropriate or awkward.

Why didn't soldiers wear their chin straps?

A fastened chin strap then has the potential to strangle and possibly damage the neck of the soldier. Experience soon led soldiers to keep their chin straps unbuckled to avoid this, a shell fragment might strike and knock the helmet off but won't result in an injured neck.

Why did US soldiers wear nets on their helmets?

Soldiers devised the helmets themselves, putting net across the exterior surface to stop the shine, as this could have given away their presence outdoors when on manoeuvres. They would insert cloth or leaves under the net, so that when the weather was wet, the shine wasn't visible.

Why do soldiers wear chin straps?

"Normally, Soldiers were advised to strap the helmet down," Smith said. "But they had worried and heard stories through other GI's, that wearing the chin strap, your head would pop back if you get near an explosion or if you were hit by small arms."