Grafenwoehr is a tiny base compared to almost anywhere youve been stationed in the US. There are different degrees of experience. But in Vietnam, the Cold War became an inferno. After that, the search was on for as many of these Army bands as they could find. One would fly overhead about every 60 seconds, remembers the professor emeritus of political science at Saint Louis University. After completing his enlistment, Shkurti returned to Ohio State University to earn a masters degree in public administration. After Boston, Thornton served at Marines Corps Base Camp Lejeune, North Carolina. The Federal Republic of Germany became an important strategic location during the Cold War. Anyone who served in the military during the war faced the possibility of being sent to Vietnam, though. Home was tough because my parents did not agree with my volunteering. Sign up for a new account in our community. I say 16 months because his orders were involuntarily extended because he was in the ROK when the USS Pueblo was taken. In the late 65 through 1966, the Army Divisions outside of Vietnam, specifically CONUS and West Germany were hemorrhaging personnel for service in South Vietnam, these being primarily if not exclusively volunteers, these numbers had to be made good. One of the biggest lessons Dr. 4) The Alps Swiss, German or French. If youre stuck on the base for days on end, visit the Wild B.O.A.R. Along with its allies, the US had liberated Germany from the Nazis. You would think (serving in Germany) would be a great duty, but it wasnt.. This massive program to improve American weaponry and conditions for troops and their families, supported by the commitment of huge resources to building the facilities required, was one factor in shaking the resolve of Soviet leaders and exposing the hidden weaknesses of the Soviet military and political systems. So many servicemen came home and saw how the story (of the Vietnam War) was being told. Hitt says he had already been in one Army band by the time he joined the group. The U.S. military presence in Germany peaked at 274,119 in 1962, nearly eight times its level last year. The big problem was that Saigon was Sodom and Gomorrah. To preserve morale, the ration program ensured that all personnel were able to buy highend goods, but it was limited due to the possibility they might resell goods on the black market, Lair said. Well, one. It's from here that controversial drone missions are flown against targets in Africa and Asia. My middle brother died five years ago from extended PTSD and the ravages of the drug addiction he endured while trying to cope with his memories from Vietnam. He is seen here waving to his fans at Bremerhaven train station. I was thinking I would have a better chance of determining where I would be sent.. You made a deal in Saigon, and the car arrived in Lawrence, Kansas, said Lomperis, who bought himself a $30 radio cassette player during the war, brought it home and kept it until about 2000. Expert architecture and design solutions for private carriers, next-generation metro and long-haul optical networks, ultra low-latency networks, and Internet backbones. WebIn An Army in Crisis Alexander Vazansky analyzes the social crisis that developed among the U.S. Army forces stationed in Germany between 1968 and 1975. WebThe entirety of Germany was occupied and administered by the Allies of World War II from the Berlin Declaration on 5 June 1945 to the establishment of West Germany on 23 May 1949. For website corrections, write to hqwebmaster@usace.army.mil. The US Army employed 17,000 American civilians in Germany in 2019. They were selected during something called "The U.S. Army's Original Magnificent Special Services Entertainment Showband Contest" let's just call it a battle of the bands. You guessed it, my last name started with a T. Got a question 11Cav, during the Vietnam era/60s early 70s period, was there a difference between volunteering for the draft and outright enlisting? 2) Amsterdam, The Netherlands. In their spare time, servicepeople could go to the library, join a service club or take a spin on the go-kart track. I talked to many men who felt sheepish that they didnt have those (combat) stories to share, Lair said. 6) Berlin, Germany. We had an Infantry MOS Soldiers on one of our Sheridan Tanks. Situated in a remote area with the enemy about 300 yards away over the border, Shkurtis unit was constantly in harms way. I was going for many reasons, but the most important was to close a chapter of history I felt needed closing, Thornton said. They proudly served their country, but were derided by combat troops as REMFs or rear echelon mother (insert expletive here), Appy said. During World War 2 Volunteering for the draft was a common term, that is that after a point enlistment in the Army was halted for the duration, only draftees where accepted (This is for the Army only, the Navy and Marine Corps still took enlistees), and if a 18 year old or in many cases older guys in their 20s/30s who have not yet received a notice, or had a deferment, and gave up their deferment could "Volunteer for the Draft", this also applied (within the Army) for those 17 year old's who wanted to go into the Army. With pressures on USAREUR in the mid-1970s to reduce the size of its headquarters and budget, the command asked the Corps of Engineers to take responsibility for military construction in the theater. You pull together under a common enemy, Shkurti said. Upon graduating, I was the only one in our Company sent to Ft. Knox Ky.. All of the other Draftees in our class stayed at Ft Lewis in Infantry. Soldiers bought goods with their ration cards, which were punched when purchases were made, Lair said. The experience that most people likely associate with Vietnam is the horror and deprivation of war, so its ironic that that wasnt the real experience of most Vietnam veterans, Lair said. Saigon was considered relatively safe, but life wasnt easy and violence erupted. East of Underground was one such band a multiracial, seven-piece group stationed in Germany at the tail end of the Vietnam War. If you call it wrong, thousands of people could end up being killed, he said. Youre in the hot seat. In Germany the U.S. military was protecting West Germany against the threat of Russian invasion, but it wasnt imminent, Shkurti said. The guys with the beer with hot food and hot showers, Appy said. This is the official public website of the Headquarters U.S. Army Corps of Engineers. I thought it would be easy, but it was actually tough, said Shkurti, who served as a fire direction officer and supervised a six-person team. 7th Army in particular suffered heavily, especially with loses of combat arms NCOs Then there was the two infantry brigades in Alaska, the 171st and 172nd, both gave up one battalion each for transfer to the 25th Infantry Division in Hawaii before it left there for South Vietnam, two full battalions had to be raised to replace the ones sent away. The US soldiers also brought American culture to Germany. 5) Venice, Italy. Some 20 years later, US President George W. Bush went to war with Iraq over its alleged program to develop weapons of mass destruction. He served as budget director for the state of Ohio from 1985 to 1987. Dotted around US bases are numerous residential districts for American soldiers and their families, such as this residential district in Wiesbaden-Erbenheim. Given the popular conception that being drafted during Vietnam was a guaranteed ticket to the combat zone, Ive always found it amazing how many of the people I know who served in the Army or USMC during the Vietnam War never actually went to Vietnam. I am focused on peace and conflict reduction on a global and local scale, he said. "I met the singers and the other players and we got together and played, and it just kind of all meshed together.". I ask this because many guys of draft age enlisted, enlisted specifically for three years to chose their MOS, and in a great many cases avoid serving in South Vietnam. During the war, in-country combat and support troops could be identified on sight, said author Timothy Lomperis, who served two tours of duty in Vietnam in the Army and Defense Intelligence Agency. To enter and activate the submenu links, hit the down arrow. Good food makes people feel at home, Lair said. Their silence carried a message and concealed the fact that many veterans served in the rear echelon and not in combat capacity, Lair said. I know that was very dependent upon where you called home, but that was my reality, Thornton said. Our AIT class in 1971 at A.P.G. Right, I got you, very interested to know that fine point. East of Underground was one such band a multiracial, seven-piece group stationed in Germany at the tail end of the Vietnam War. WebThe United States Army has 40 military installations in Germany, two of which are scheduled to close. Is it just the guy with the gun? Long Binh was not a standard base, but it was home to the Armys Vietnam headquarters and showed the abundance and consumerism that was possible to create. Lockbourne/Rickenbacker Air Force Base in Ohio (906th and 907th Tactical Air Groups or 355th and 356th Tactical Airlift Squadron), Westover Air Force Base in Massachusetts (731st Tactical Air Squadron and 74th Aeromedical Evacuation Squadron), Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, International Airport (758th Airlift Squadron). Upon graduating they lined us and announced that if your last name started with A through J your orders were Germany and K through Z your orders were Vietnam. US MILITARIA FORUM - COLLECTORS PRESERVING HISTORY For military intelligence officer Timothy Lomperis, the constant whup, whup, whup of helicopters flying overhead is one of many things that stand out in his mind about the time he spent helping make critical war decisions in Saigon serving under Gen. Creighton Abrams, commander of U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam, from 1968 to 1972. The liner notes of East of Underground: Hell Below conclude with a sort of benediction, lifted wholesale from the U.S. Army Field Manual: Because of the unique ability of music to communicate, bands will serve in different capacities of publicity and recruiting, and in the support of civil affairs. The fatigues were faded and had rips. The war changed and dealt cruelty to many families, not just mine, but I have seen the sadness in my fathers eyes, and we both know what is there, and what is missing.. Hit enter to expand a main menu option (Health, Benefits, etc). Engineers and USACE remained in Europe, still proud of their contribution to defending Western Europe and ending the Cold War. The book became the first volume in aCenter of Military History series, U.S. Army in the Cold War. His unit lost more men to overdose and traffic accidents in Germany than to combat in Vietnam. The following individuals may qualify for benefits related to Agent Orange exposure: Veterans may file a claim for disability compensation for health problems they believe are related to exposure to Agent Orange residue on post-Vietnam C-123 airplanes. We wore different uniforms. Ask me or any other serviceperson and they will tell you they are proud of their service, Shkurti said. Based on the HMD report, VA has decided to acknowledge exposure to Agent Orange for personnel whose military service involved regular contact with the contaminated C-123 aircraft. Office of Accountability & Whistleblower Protection, Training - Exposure - Experience (TEE) Tournament, Military Exposure Related Health Concerns, War Related Illness & Injury Study Center, Clinical Trainees (Academic Affiliations), Post-Vietnam Dioxin Exposure in Agent Orange-Contaminated C-123 Aircraft, local VA Environmental Health Coordinator, Find out if you qualify for VA health care, diseases related to Agent Orange exposure, Call TTY if you The mood around the country was not good for the military, not like today with cheers and applause for returning members.
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