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Old Salt
Posts: 290
Location: Vista, Ca. | Subject: End of the Viet Nam War
I could be wrong, I often am, but I believe today is the day of the end of the Viet Nam War. I was finishing my quals when we went on patrol. I finished mess cooking and started helm/planes watches as we were steaming toward out patrol area, Haiphong Harbor. Supposed to spen 60 days looking for any that escaped the Hanoi Hilton and gather other intel. We documented the fact that Canada was sending shipping down the coast and into the harbor to supply North Viet Nam. Got seen on our 60th dayy and it took us five days to evade the little buggers and get to open water. Always joked we were sent to rescue John McCain once he became senator. Of course back then we had no idea who Johnn McCain was or was gonna be. Three weeks after finding open water I completed my quals and upon pulling into Subic Bay and mooring, I was promptly thrown over the side. Nothing like taking the first watch only to be drenched. |
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Senior Crew
Posts: 127
| Subject: RE: End of the Viet Nam War
I remember it well. It was the fall of Saigon and evacuation to Navy ships off of the coast. At the time I was on the Saratoga homeported at Mayport. There was a solemn mood that week. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1842
Location: Boydton, Virginia | Subject: RE: End of the Viet Nam War
Was that '65? If so, I had already completed my 5 years in Navy and into first year college. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1661
| Subject: RE: End of the Viet Nam War
No not 1965, in '65 I went under 12 units in junior college and Uncle Sam sent me the draft letter. By July of '68 the Pickerel was at Yankee Station drawing combat pay watching the New Jersey lob 3000 pound shells into Vietnam and conducting wargames with the Kitty Hawk. |
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Old Salt
Posts: 290
Location: Vista, Ca. | Subject: RE: End of the Viet Nam War
The spec op I mentioned was in 71. I believe the end of Viet Nam was 75. By then I was on recruiting duty in El Paso, Texas and hating it. Hated it so bad I'd take any boat just to get out of there. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1842
Location: Boydton, Virginia | Subject: RE: End of the Viet Nam War
75 Aye! I knew that, at my age decades all seem to be a bluer!
Steamboat sends |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1204
Location: NE Florida | Subject: RE: End of the Viet Nam War
1975. My first nuke-boat skipper (Geo P Steele) was VADM and ComSeventhFleet. All he could do was evacuate people as the country tumbled into the dirt.
And I made E9.
Coyote |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1661
| Subject: RE: End of the Viet Nam War
Geno,I was born in El Paso, and I'm so glad my parents moved out of there when I was 3. Thankfully I don't have to visit anymore as all my relatives that stayed there are long gone. |
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Old Salt
Posts: 290
Location: Vista, Ca. | Subject: RE: End of the Viet Nam War
Gil, when I was there in 75 El Paso was a beautiful town. I would have loved to stay there. What was bad was the recruiting command. They were "woke" long before that term enen entered our vocabulary today. Most of the sailors were airdales and they looked down on everyone that wasn't. The were total a**holes. One of my partners had a father in law that passed away. The wife and kids went to Seattle for the funeral and he stayed behind because he was in fear of not making his quota. Sure enough he missed it and had to go to a proffessional development board. Outcome - they put in his record that he was a good sailor and if his wife and he could iron out there differences he would be an asset to the commend. Father in law dies and that is the same as having marital difficulties? Thats bulls**t. As far as El Paso went, I lived in a 75 unit appartment complex. 70 units were either German Air Force or Army. They were at Ft. Bliss learning Nike/ Hercules. They loved to have dinner over in Juarez. That was long before the cartels started hanging people from the bridge. That's my take but I didn't grow up there so I can appreciate your take. |
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Master and Commander
Posts: 1661
| Subject: RE: End of the Viet Nam War
Geno,My cousin just came back from El Paso. Her 75th anniversary graduation from El Paso high. Our friend drove her there and she drove her back that same night. I haven't been back in over 20 years. |
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End of the Viet Nam War
