General Discussion
Related: Editorials & Other Articles, Issue Forums, Alliance Forums, Region ForumsMost Americans Do Not Know About The Last 41 Names On The Vietnam Memorial…
X post in Veteran's
http://blog.theveteranssite.com/mayaguez-operation
Most Americans do not know that the last 41 names on the Vietnam Memorial, The Wall, are from a battle that took place barely two weeks after the fall of Saigon to the North Vietnamese in 1975. It is called the Mayaguez Operation and is often a forgotten part of the Vietnam War. But we will do what we can here to keep the memory of this event and those who took part in it alive.
This takes courage.
It was May of 1975. The last Americans, including the U.S. Ambassador, had left in the chaotic evacuation from Saigon only a few days before, bringing an end to the Vietnam war for American troops.
But it was not over yet.
A rogue element of the Khmer Rouge, Cambodian Navy boarded an American Merchant Vessel, the Mayaguez, and took it and everyone aboard hostage. It was an act of high seas piracy. The boat was seized in international waters and was taken to a small Cambodian island called Koh Tang. There was fear that the ship and its crew would be taken to mainland Cambodia. A poorly planned rescue operation was hastily put together by the U.S.
The only ground forces that were available at the time were United States Marines stationed in Okinawa, Japan. Those Marines were part of the 2nd Battalion, 9th Marines, an infantry battalion which had distinguished itself earlier in the Vietnam War in the defense of Khe Sanh during the 1968 Tet Offensive. They were flown immediately from their base in Okinawa to the American air base at Utapao, Thailand. Because of the chaos of U.S. forces leaving Vietnam only two weeks earlier, the only helicopters that were available for inserting and extracting these Marines were Air Force HH53s, otherwise known as,Jolly Green Giants. This combined effort of the U.S. Marines and the U.S. Air Force took place long before we began the modern habit of joint military training.
FULL story at link.
philosslayer
(3,076 posts)n/t
Auggie
(31,173 posts)oneshooter
(8,614 posts)pinboy3niner
(53,339 posts)You are incredibly clueless and insensitive.
Glassunion
(10,201 posts)Crabby Appleton
(5,231 posts)flying rabbit
(4,635 posts)well put.
7962
(11,841 posts)Response to philosslayer (Reply #1)
Post removed
IVoteDFL
(417 posts)I never alert and I vote to leave posts 99% of the time, but this shit is just plain disrespectful for NO reason whatsoever.
YOUR COMMENTS
This is extremely rude to the OP and to those who lost family and loved ones. You can be anti-war while still respecting Veterans.
JURY RESULTS
A randomly-selected Jury of DU members completed their review of this alert at Wed Jul 8, 2015, 05:35 PM, and voted 3-4 to LEAVE IT ALONE.
Juror #1 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: This was a close call for me; I am not sure what the pist meant. But since neaning alludes me, and many people have lost friends, family, and love ones doing their dury in that senseless war, I vote to hide. We need to honor our war dead not make fun of them. If that was not the intent, I ask the poster to be more coear hext time,
Juror #2 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: The comment is uncalled for, but I don't think it's ott.
Juror #3 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #4 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Juror #5 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: It's a disgusting comment IMO. But it should stand and the poster should get slammed for it.
Juror #6 voted to HIDE IT
Explanation: Don't like it? Don't read it. Alert porn.
Juror #7 voted to LEAVE IT ALONE
Explanation: No explanation given
Uncle Joe
(58,365 posts)Thanks for the thread, Omaha Steve.
bluedigger
(17,086 posts)The crew of the Mayaguez had already been released. A fitting end to a futile war.
slumcamper
(1,606 posts)Sick. Sick. Sickness!