My high school football coach was a marine in Vietnam. If you don’t have ability to read people then you didn’t catch it, he was deeply injured in his memories. I always showed him the utmost respect, not because he served but because he was a brave human being. I respect you for being a brave human too
My father was a .30 cal machine gunner with the 84th infantry division in Europe and was in continuous action from Sep 1944 until April 1945. He was up front in the American lines when the Germans broke through on Dec 16th, "battle of the bulge". He and his buddies faced German Panther and Tiger tanks, the best in the world at that time, firing ineffective American bazookas, which bounced off their armor.. He was messed up BAD when he came back. My brother and i were scared to death of him. Always angry, violent, crazy, dangerous temper. Luckily, for me, he took his wrath out on my older, not so bright brother. I deal with the effects to this day. and I'm 68. Not a very good childhood.
thank you, Mr. Bount. My dad was sent to Vietnam twice as a USMC, and was never ok again. It was a scary childhood as a result. Thank you for being honest and straight-forward to the whole world.
So true, mine also. A scary childhood indeed. I remember my usmc career vet dad made us kids very often on edge wondering what we'd do to set him off next. He had a friend also the same rank in the marines, we'd go to visit their family now and then and i'll never forget us boys were shocked that dad's ex marine friend was worse than him, i saw his boys twitch intensely with fear at times just hearing their dad's loud voice call for them from another part of their house. Imagine back then 6 young boys (3 sons from each dad) and both dad's were vietnam vet Gunnery Sergeants. Just thinking about it i can still feel the tension , also makes me chuckle a bit , - so i don't think about it too much .
My dad didn't have to go because my uncle went twice. My dad went from marines to army and became a drill Sargeant. Sadly he deployed to Korea and cheated on my mom when I was 5 and my mom took me back to Germany. All I got from my dad was a handful of memories and my citizenship. I came back to look for him only to find out he had passed from pancreatic cancer at 51. My cousins were not so fortunate with my uncle. They suffered a lot with his alcoholism and abuse as did their mom. Yay he got a purple heart tho...my cousins said he was a sadistic a hole. He always planned people putting his obituary in the paper on April fools. He died march 31st 1997 and his obituary actually ended up in the paper April 1st.
I was a Marine in Nam 1968 Charlie company got shot through and through by an AK I can relate and confirm that this Marine is not exaggerating, He was brutally honest and he is a true hero.
My uncle was in Vietnam , he acted a bit like this. I think it’s a mix of the drugs they did and of course the stuff they seen. Almost like a man that understands what it is to be insane but still function.
@@KyloBetoI think it’s the right in your face confrontation with the Reality of your imminent death. No 17/18/19 etc. year old kid should ever confront their mortality at such a young age. Yeah, they were truly old men in young men’s bodies. They were this paradox of waaaayyyyy too old, wwwaaayyy too young. If the reality of the Trauma of War as you experienced would be accepted as the normal response to the craziness of War we could acknowledge the *FULL COST OF WAR.* It’s unlike any other human endeavor.
I don't know about all the post service counseling or medication that he has been thru, but Tony does seem to still experience PTSD to this day ... IMHO.
@@zivaradlovacki2666agree. They were cannon fodder. I wonder how many people understand the context? From the French, to Ho Chi Min getting arms off the U.S. and seeing off the Japanese. Then Vietnam still not getting independence. Vietnam now hailed as an economic success story. I keep seeing thank you for serving your country. Those young men weren’t serving anyone, they were dying unnecessarily leaving the effects of agent orange in their wake. Sorry for having a rant 🙈. It would seem by your comment that you would be aware of this. I’m not from the U.S. but when I see those comments it seems to me that the people of the U.S. are as brain washed as the accuse people in communist countries as being. Still sticking their nose in the Middle East and Eastern Europe and meanwhile the Asian economies are still building. They’ll probably bring this world to the point of Armageddon, meanwhile US citizens having cognitive dissonance.
My dad was a WWII Marine. He survived the Pacific theater including Okinawa. In 2 days it will be a year since he left us at 99 years and 4 months old. I just want you to know that my dad always thought you grunts got fucked over in the worst way by the country you so proudly served. So "Semper Fi" from my deceased father and Thank You for telling your experience!!! Bryan Lee
Same here, my father made 4 landings with the 4th Marine Div. Roi Namur, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. My Uncle was an Engineer in the 1st Mar Div from Guadalcanal (he got there a little late) through all of the 1st Mar Divs landings through Okinawa. Both were taking replacements and training to land on Kyushu. After that they were supposed to assault the main island Honshu opposite Tokyo Bay. I only learned of the operational plans years laters. They never knew of them. Anyway the A-Bombs were dropped and the invasions became unnecessary. Those guys woulnd't have understood being thanked for their service as is so common today. To those guys they were just "doing their duty" like everybody else was. I personally have no idea how they survived that slaughter.
@@karlheinzvonkroemann2217 There's a couple really good books about the planned invasion of Japan (Operation Downfall) and also if you haven't already you should read "With The Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa" (written by Corporal Eugene Sledge) and the HBO miniseries "The Pacific" (which is centered around Corporal Sledge). Your Uncle trod the same ground as Corporal Sledge and all those other Devil Dogs. Semper Fi to your Dad and Uncle and to all of them.
My dad was a gunner's mate (Navy) on the USS Enterprise in WWII. Do you know how many on that boat believed that Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack? ZERO
@Slater Novick we went from the "greatest generation" to the worse emasculation in 70 short years. Amerika is an evil empire today. The slaves "think" they are free, because their masters in gov't. told them so...
My brother Joe was in Vietnam in 1970. When he came home in 1971 he had these huge bug bites on his face and was very dark on his skin complexion. Joe came back person .In 1977 he committed suicide and his last words to me were VA couldn't make opening to help him. Joe had 3 children and to this day they are still sad there dad committed suicide I told them his mind was broken from Vietnam. Please don't be mad at him
My dad served two tours and served for years beyond. He dealt with nightmares and stress for the rest of his life. When he passed the VA did nothing his country did nothing for him as a veteran. His father served as well and was shit on because he was black. No GI Bill no housing no nothing. I'd never join the military arm of that machine. Whatever enough about me and mine this man is a reluctant hero. Yes an AK will make your skull rattle from 20 yards. It's no joke.
@Gary Luck thank you and all those who sacrificed their time and life. My husband got out of Marine boot camp in 72 didn’t go to Nam. But served for 8 yrs.
My pediatrician was a combat medic in Vietnam. He was also a close family friend who would always come to our christmas eve parties when i was a kid. He was also the best story teller I've ever heard. He helped me more than anyone I've ever met. He was and is my hero, even though hes been gone 4 years now.
The PTSD this Marine suffers from is all over his face. God help him. This broke my heart. I thank each and everyone of our Veterans for your service who is on here. Every time I see a Vet I thank them no matter where we are. God bless .
@@namvet1968 I'm British, but am fascinated by your country's history, particularly postwar. I may be speaking out of turn, but your country seems to have been savagely unkind to you on your return, for no reason other than that they had a problem with the government. That saddens me, hugely, and I hope that despite it, you're doing well.
To Martin I am Tony Blount Younger Brother Andrew F. Blount. and I thank You for your kind words, and just seeing that U-are in the U.K. Heads Up some how A larger Co. in the U.K. will be coming to the U.S.A.to even tell more of the story. share and tell your friends. It is time for all are Great Vets to now seen WE-Care Viral
considering how sudden most combat situations happened in the vietnam war, I'd say it's on par with most vietnam war movies, it's pure horror...unimaginable shit you could never dream of.
Who are you to decide who gets a disability pension. People volunteered so they didn’t have to hang around and get drafted. You pog…in fact you’re not even a pog. Look it up then apologize to every name on the wall.
America doesn't care about any of us. I'm not a vet and I still see it. They don't care about you they don't care about me. You can't vote for a single soul that cares.
Tony, I am lucky I happened across your video. I went from DaNang to AnHoa, then to Delta 1/5 at the Horshoe on 2/19/69. I immediately heard about “Dying Delta”(and “Cryin ‘ Charlie”). After a patrol where a couple of our Marines were wounded by a booby trap, the enemy followed us back to our base camp, at the horseshoe. After some chow, we began readying the perimeter. Everything seemed normal, like a day at work. Suddenly they opened up on us with AKs, and an RPG exploded off to my left. I was certain I was dying. What heroism looks like to me was a Corpsman reaching me under fire and treating me. My marines rolled me into a poncho and carried me to a medivac Chinook, which took me to triage in DaNang. Then I went to Yokohama, Yakuska, then to the USA, finally to Oakland Naval Hospital. I eventually go a medical discharge. I always wished I could have let you all that I made it and express my thanks. I have carried guilt and shame about leaving my unit behind to this day. Seeing you talk on the video gave me a good feeling. I feel like I know you, but we might not have met since I was was new. Nice to se another survivor back in the world. SemperFi, brother. Bill
No shame sir, you did what so many ducked out on. You are a model of American hero like everyone else served. You vets are respected by many, YOU guys deserved and still deserve more. The Government failed you all and it is a God damn shame. God Bless you all.
I only had 6 months over there as a Marine infantry,and Recon,at marble mountain and cam reasoner.my hart go's out to all our comrades in arms who payed the alternate sacrifice. SEMPER FI MARINES
I'm a Brit so no axe to grind over this war but this guy's experiences had me spellbound. I guess it something you can never get out of your head and to pick up and continue with everyday life must take some courage. I admire you greatly!
RIP Marine Sgt. Otto Gsell. One of my gym teachers in high school and a man of character. As well as a wonderful sense of humor. As I understand, he didn’t lose one single Marine under his command. Thank you for your service Mr. Gsell. And thank you Marines and Servicemen for all you did and continue to do. God Bless
@@Rovingdog628 Maybe he was in command for just 1 mission. You were in Vietnam... at all the places? Your health will suffer because of your negative cynicism. A chip on a shoulder can harm more than shrapnel.
I work as a nurse in mental health services for veterans (UK). It never ceases to amaze me the strength and courage these people show, despite the trauma. It's also a stain on our nation how they are neglected
@@dragonmartijn but we keep allowing it. Everyone knows war is a barbaric way to settle anything and its only a way for rich people to get richer yet we keep allowing it. Calling it fighting for freedom. Freedom, biggest propaganda helper ever spoken.
Thank you for recording this man’s story. So many of them were lost after they came home. I’m very glad Tony is at peace after reflecting on his experiences.
He reminds me of my best friend. Herbie was SF during the end of the war. We were friends for about 5 years before he told me what he did. I knew he served, but the night he decided to share some of his experiences....I have never felt so honored. I didn't serve in the military, but I've got quite a few years as a first responder. I've seen plenty that hurt my heart, and I wasn't even getting shot at. To have someone like this share their story is a huge deal. Thank you for your service Sir.
Thank you for being there for others as a first responder! That's not just nothing after all is said and done. What a world this would be if there were no first responders there. Portland Maine says "hello".
This is one of the most compelling stories I've heard a Nam Vet share. Literally thousands of Nam Vets don't talk about what they went through and for good reasons. They carry everything deep within them because they know, for the most part, that if they told you, it would most likely scare the hell out of you at the least. They really don't want you to feel their pain. What I really respect in his story is that he remembered the names of his Brothers and some of those he came into contact with and it is this that gives the deepest meaning to "We Will Not Forget". Tony Blount, I stand and salute you my Brother. Peace
Even fewer are prepared to admit - or talk about - the war crimes and assorted atrocities committed BY Americans. "Scalping the enemy"!! It was the early American settlers who taught the native Americans that little 'nicety'. How moronic and psychologically deranged does a 20th century 'trained and disciplined' military person need to be to do such a thing?! US military - "the best of the best of the best ... with honours ... sir" with sincere apologies to 'Men in Black'.
Most of the guy simply don't know where to start to share that kind of horror. It twists the mind so irreparably, that the words simply can't be found to begin to deal with all of that obsenity.
THANK YOU 4-SAYING-So. There is so much more to the story for I am Tony Blount Brother. I have not seen him and or not spoken in 54 years. He just could not come out of that Dark Place until now. It is so Great in Hearing his Voice now this Interview has put him in the Great State of Mine and Happiness. Thank all for your kind words. I can assure there is more coming stay close and share. The Day of the Vet. Will return. Andrew Blount, The Little Brother...
I don't know if it's that they think their stories will scare people, but I imagine they probably spend most of their time trying not to think about their trauma, let alone talk about it out loud.
How times have changed. I was in college from 1965 -1968. Everyone I knew hated the war and didn't want to go. As a college student, if you didn't make your grades or got in trouble and left college, you were drafted within a month or so. I graduated in June 1968 and was called up to the draft in August, 1968. Many of my high school and college friends were drafted and some never came home. That is a level of pressure today's kids can't even imagine.
@@namvet1968 I read a book about a serial killer who served in nam before he came back to the states and became a killer. He claims to have eaten human flesh of dead enemy. What does vietcong meat taste like? Did you get hungry again about a hour after eating it?
@@007ndc Myth: The US military routinely used inhumane tactics on the people, while the VC were benefactors Fact: This is one of the most scurrilous accusations of the war. It is completely and provably false. No one has ever found a single document stating that it was US policy to commit atrocities. Numerous documents exist proving that it was official policy of the North Vietnamese government to commit atrocities. The worst known incident from the Vietnam War of atrocities committed by American troops was the My Lai massacre - 504 were murdered. The worst known incident from the Vietnam War of atrocities committed by the communists was the Tet massacre in Hue - more than 5000 were murdered. Critics point to US bombing as evidence of atrocities, however, the location and impact of those bombs is never discussed. The rules of engagement for Vietnam were so crazy that President Johnson once boasted that the Air Force "couldn't hit an outhouse without [his] permission".
@@007ndc Myth: Ho Chi Minh was a nationalist and a benevolent leader of his people Fact: Ho Chi Minh was a dedicated communist and slaughtered hundreds of thousands of his fellow countrymen. Ho Chi Minh was a founding member of the French Communist Party in 1920 and founded the IndoChinese Communist Party in 1930. He spent four years training in Russia and became a member of the Comintern. He was not just a member of the Comintern. He was the protege of Dmitry Manuilsky, right hand man to both Stalin and Lenin. He was a dedicated Stalinist who never swayed from his desire to forward the cause of international communism. He turned his fellow countrymen over to the French for money and to eliminate his rivals while consolidating his power. He "purged" the North Vietnamese landowner class, killing at least 50,000 (some estimates are as high as 900,000!) of them for the "crime" of being financially independent. He slaughtered and imprisoned hundreds of thousands of his own countrymen in the South in an effort to rid himself of all opposition.
@@Rovingdog628 No it isn't. Ho Chi Minh killed hundreds of thousands of people in North Vietnam in the 1950s and million people fled to South Vietnam to escape.
My older brother came home missing a bunch of his face from Dak to 67..But mentally intact..some of his buddies on the other hand came back physically intact but whacked out of their minds..He always said those were the real casualties of that war..RIP big brother..A hero then and always my hero.
My stepbrother's story is exactly the opposite. He was a teen gang member in L.A., and he was gut shot right in front our house. In my recollection, he was always a little crazy, a little violent, but he had a sense of humor and always looked out for the little kids. After he recovered my stepmother convinced him to enlist; thinking it could save his life. He joined... became an army ranger. My stepmom said he was highly decorated. He stayed there for 4 tours of duty. When he came back he was always angry and didn't like anyone asking him about the war; he refused to talk about it with me, but there was talk in the family that he enjoyed killing people. He got married and beat his wife and kids. His wife left him when the kids moved out. He alienated everyone one in the family. My stepsister, before she died, went to visit him in Seattle and they got into a big blowout; he threatened to kill her. She was scared of him. Everyone, including his children no longer see him. He's retired and lives alone in a nice suburb. And while he worked hard his entire life, owns his own home, and has done well, it seems like his life, in terms of interpersonal relationships, is a mess. I don't know if Vietnam turned him into the brutal and angry man he became or just made him worse. But I have to wonder if any part of him that was good and decent died in the 60s. I remember as a kid worrying about being drafted, so I have only respect for the young people that gave up so much their lives in that senseless war.
One of the most sobering descriptive account of a vietnam combat. Grunt I've seen on here. His eloquence is without bravado, almost polite, this grunt is the real deal. 🦅🇺🇸👌
Everytime I watch one of these podcast I think about how trump talks about those vets who served in the military. I could list them but it would take all day I have I have all respect for those soldiers.and absolutely know respect for trump after all said and did too those soldiers and his bonespurs, coward
@@liangjiang3122 it was the government and the pilots that did that not the soldiers on the ground most of them didn't want to be in that shit hole country they were drafted and they got that shit spray on them too a lot of them died from that shit your just like the rest of those assholes who blame the grunts for that war when they had to go or go to jail or try to get into canada and it was over 25 years before the gov said they could come back most of them never want back they said canada was their country now so you can kiss my a**
Tony in 1969 I was a freshman in high school. I’m forever grateful to men like you. Because of your service there was no draft in Spring of 1973 when I graduated. Thank you for sharing your experiences in that hell on earth. May we never forget what all of you who served in Vietnam sacrificed for all of us back home.
I graduated in ‘75. I grew up on Air Force bases, as my dad was career USAF. My dad was stationed at Anderson Air Base, on Guam, from 1966-1968, so my family lived there. My school wake up call was B-52’s arriving at 0600 every morning on their way to Vietnam. Since 1970, I was mentally and emotionally preparing, in my own way, to go. I can say I was GLAD it was over before I graduated. I joined the Army later anyway. Thank you sir, for your service and sacrifice. -An Army Veteran and proud Teacher ❤️🇺🇸
The killing of over 1,460,000 children under age 9 the past few decades is a WAR CRIME! Participating in these UNCONSTITUTIONAL undeclared invasions and baby killing makes them oath violating traitors NOT heroes. Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Bosnia, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria were "nation building" misadventures with NO existential national security interest based on LIES. Stealing $13,900,000,000,000 in 2020 USD to pay for these crimes is itself a crime. What Exactly IS this service? ua-cam.com/video/N6uVV2Dcqt0/v-deo.html
Forget the past they are doing it again they make no effort to end the war in Ukraine they only escalate it what can we do to prevent them turning this into a global conflict?
They've been doing that for a long time. Rarely are their wars anything but for corporations to make money on. There's no such thing as a good war. My father was a combat Marine in WW2, made 4 landings on Roi Namur, Saipan, Tinian and finally Iwo Jima. Too many good Americans lost their lives for very little. I remember he wasn't happy when the government gave Iwo Jima back to the Japanese in 1968. He said to me that they should've waited until all the Marines from that generation had died off before doing that.
@@karlheinzvonkroemann2217 my grandfather landed on Omaha and kicked ass through the battle of the bulge our grandfathers where some bad asses thats for sure.
All for nothing? Do you have any idea how disrespectful a statement like that is to man like Tony? Did it sound like he was fighting for nothing? He, like everyone who has served in our military, fought for his country and the men next to him in battle. That may be nothing to you but it sure as hell means a lot to them.
Any individual that has been in war has also visited hell. By some accounts the Russians have lost close to three times the men over the past year in Ukraine than the US did in the entire Vietnam War. The father of a Vietnamese friend was drafted into the NVA and also fought in this war. To this day he still wakes with troubling nightmares. The story is the same world over, young men getting killed, maimed and traumatised at the behest of the elites.
Was in the Army in Cu Chi in '67 - '68. Can relate to so much of his story. And he's right. You see guys go down all around you and wonder how the hell you're still here. The luck of the draw. Weighs heavily on you. Glad he was able to survive.
Ive been researching Vietnam vet stories because i just seen a video of a cop getting ruthlessly shot to death by a Vietnam vet in a shootout. I pray to God that a vet doesn't fly off the handle and try to gun me or my family down.
@@oldboyxanliquidrage I'd say the odds are better that you or your family would be gunned down by someone who never came anywhere near the armed forces.
@@bobjohnson7441 that's also true I'd just be more intimidated if it was a vet because they move around alot, duck bullets and make themselves very hard to hit with a bullet
Paternal great grandfather served in WWI (France), Maternal great grandfather served in WWII (European theatre), grandfather served in Korea, my dad was spared from Vietnam by 4 years, the men of my generation went to Afghanistan/Iraq. Generations of brave American patriots who answered the call of duty. Kids today can never fill those shoes. Our vets deserve MUCH more than they receive. Bless them all. 🇺🇸
“Kids today can never fill those shoes” ah yes because the kids of today must suffer greatly as well because they’re too ungrateful… Our United States government loves people with your mindset. I imagine that same mindset was used by older generations after WWII towards Vietnam draftees as well with every war after. Our vets could be treated better if we didn’t constantly fund wars.
I joined the Army in Jan 1973, 4 days after Nixon signed the armistice that no more troops were going to Nam, I was 21. All my drill sergeants were Nam vets. I remember sitting with some of them telling stories about their experiences over there just like this man, most of them were only 22-24, totally changed my perspective about the war and what being a soldier was all about. Viet Nam vets are my heroes!!!
I left in Dec1972, they couldn't win the war without me. For those who don't have what it takes to become a Marine there is always the Army; they'll take anyone.
This guy's amazing... been on the ground floor, as they say. He's completely authentic about his struggle in combat, & the aftermath, while full of hope & joy for himself & his fellow man. Semper Fi, Tony. Thank you for your story.
Very intensel fella - but who can blame him . As only a 6- year - old , in 1973, I greeted my uncle at the door as he made it back , alive from Vietnam . He was a gunner in the helicopter. I have his helmet and his belt and there are so many scrapes on that belt and I just can't imagine the that has befallen him , Micheal Tully .
The Marine has to live through the war, then he has to live with it the rest if his life. Thank you Marine for keeping the Communists in Viet Nam when I was three years old.
As a child I watched as our troops returned home from that hellish war. It sickened me to see them cursed at and spat on & physically accosted and called names. I couldn't believe treatment they received. To all who served are serving or plan to serve please know you are appreciated & respected & you deserve a true C-I-C who'll have your back. Thank you for your service & I wish nothing but the very best for you & your families & friends. YOU AREN'T FORGOTTEN.
Vets being spat on is an ugly myth. See The Spitting Image: Myth, Memory and the Legacy of Vietnam by Jerry Lembcke. Also see the excellent Education of Corporal John Musgrave about a Vietnam vet who joined the antiwar movement. The people protesting the war were protesting the lying government not the poor guys who got drafted.
Never happened! You as a child saw something that no adult at that time has ever corroborated. It was a hate field fantasy which stated that 'vietnam soldiers coming home were spat upon after disembarking from their airplanes'. It was a lie. And there are reasons that, that narrative was physically impossible. The airplanes returned to military bases at night. No protesters were there, only family members and girlfriends which ran and jumped into their soldiers arms. The military was embarrassed and kept on telling them to stop that.
@@Jack02517 No. I especially despise the ones in government, Democrats and Republicans, who lied to the American people and sent so many young men to a pointless death or a life of trauma -- not to mention the devastation wreaked on that country.
My best to Tony. I hope no one ever has to endure what Tony and many others had to. We must remember what happened in Vietnam and all other wars and really learn from it. Simple aggression driving your vehicle in your day to day life should make you all realize what humans are capable of.
I agree that this war was is funded by, and was started by people living along way away from Ukraine, but many people of all stripes and religious backgrounds are victims of the war.@@Scotty2hottyYurrrrt
Thank you Tony, and welcome home Marine. My Dad, John E. Currin was in country with 3rd Battalion 26th Marines 68-69. He was a Grunt, just like you. Wounded, 3 purple hearts. I never really got to talk with him about being over there, he understandably never wanted to talk about it except with his fellow Veteran Brothers. I lost my dad in 2016, he died doing what he loved most in life, riding his Harley. Thank you to all who served.
I'm so sorry you lost your Dad. I lost my Dad, also a Vietnam Vet, in 2015 due to an overworked kid falling asleep at the wheel; hitting my dad first, then my stepmom, while they were riding street bikes on Gulf Shores State Park Road. Still miss him every day.
everytime they talk about it they retraumatize themselves, they relive it again and it digs deeper, talking is not healing unless you can put things to rest and for some that can never be done
This man is intense! You can hear the disgust of everything he witnessed and experienced over there in his storytelling. A hard man that lived a hard life
We should not forget about the young Vietnamese men and women that died defending their country ( more than a million ) We ( the U S ) should NEVER have been there The war was initiated by a false flag event of an attack on the USS Pueblo The Vietnamese with Ho Chi Ming fought on OUR side against the Japanese in WWll and the French came back after the war and tried to take their colony ( Vietnam) back BUT this time the Vietnamese were armed and experienced fighters and defeated the French and a peace treaty was established but the U S ignored the treaty and invaded and our good young men were turned into animals seeking revenge for the loss of their fellow soldiers This happens in every war It is happening again in Ukraine good young men sent to be slaughtered on both sides Civilization does no longer exist here or there Political war 😢
@@thuddreau5444 I have a tendency to agree with you for the most part. Don't try to look for any heroes in the NVA or VC they were every bit of an animal as anyone else.
Vietnam was a political war. The men and women who served bravely were Patrots. When their nation called they answered. Nobody should ever downplay the bravery of those people who lived and died under the flag of the United States or America. The politicians well there is a special place in he'll for them. Same for the people who profited from that war.
Hey Tony, thank you for your service, we might have bumped into each other over there, I also was in Delta 1/5, 3 platoon ( third herd ) arrived in country January 1969 Lieutenant Jim Webb was our platoon leader, I remember Liberty bridge, Quang Nam Province, “ Arizona Valley “ thank God we made it back to the “ The World “ Semper Fi Marine
Hi Mike. I'm a former Marine who served in Iraq. I read Jim Webb's "Fields of Fire," and found it to be one of the most influential books I have ever read. What was it like serving under him?
Explain to the people that 1/5 means First Regiment, 5th Battalion (then "company", such as "A" or "B" company). I had a neighbor who was in the "jarheads" (peace time, early 80s) and when I asked him what unit he was in, he would say, "Lima, 3/8", and I had to ask him what that meant.
@@57highland 1/5 means 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment. There are no 5 Battalions in a Marine Regiment only 3. So it would be 1/5, 2/5, 3/5. Then within the Battalion there are companies, typically 4. So something like F 2/5 is Foxtrot Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Regiment. Further detail would be platoons, which are 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th platoon within a company. Hope that straightens it out.
The horrors the survivors endured just very young men. I heart aches for all who gave their life and the struggles the surviving have had to go through returning back to their country and still do. I for one have the utmost respect for our veterans dead or alive. But I can't stop listening to their stories and my respect grows with each. God bless you and thank you
Thanks for telling your story. As a Marine vet, I have a massive amount of respect for the men that came before my time. And to those that never did come home physically and mentally.
I liked this man instantly. His vivid descriptions made me cry but his sense of humor is a balance to it. Thank you for your service and for sharing your story.❤️🙏
Interesting and informative. Special thanks to the veteran soldier. Sharing personal information/combat experiences. Making this interview session more authentic and possible. Excellent photography pictures 📷 enabling viewers to better understand what the guest speaker was describing.
I very much appreciate that you aired this episode, it shows the true side to peoples thinking and the effect it may have had on them as they remember. It's not something that is shown that I have seen. No one should judge unless they were there, everyone has a different take on their experience, we all think differently. I'm having to take these episodes a little at a time because they affect me too, I was a Marine trained to do what they did in the mid to late eighties, I was serving under many Marines that had spent time in Viet Nam. Some that must have done something over the top that they couldn't be recognized for that they were allowed to remain in so they could retire. I wouldn't trade that time for anything, it molded me into a person that I'm not embarrassed to be. I see things differently than most people I know. I'll leave it at that.
Thank you. My Dad was infantry was there in 65-66 as an Advisor. Went back in 69 for 14 days and was badly injured by a booby trap. Still has a piece of shrapnel 1/2 inch from his heart. 20’yrs in the Army. I don’t trust our government in any war ( I can’t help it), love the sacrifice and service of all military folks and their families.
As an Air Force Nurse caring for our men in Japan 2 1/2 years & again as Flight Nurse helping them on their last leg home to Dover AFB, I am most certain we should not have been in Viet Nam. I got angry & never set foot in Nam., & don't know how any Nam vets came home in a peaceful state. Sec. Defense McNamara stated before he died ( in 80s), he & Pres. Johnson knew 3 years before we pulled out that all was lost. Then Nixon used it to get re-elected, I'll bring the boys home". He could have done that within 1st year of office. Those evil politicians wasted so many of my generation.
@@carolecarr5210 As a Vietnam vet (drafted), you are spot on. McNamara and Nixon have blood on their hands. Ruthless exploitation to maintain power. "Hey, hey, hey LBJ. How many kids did you kill today". So many died needlessly. I managed to survive but will never escape PTSD. Life was so cheap. Absolutely incredible.
@@arthurbrumagem3844 Yep, politicians who support a war that requires their fellow countrymen to fight should be required by law to send at least one of their kids (male, female, whatever gender) into combat. If none of their kids are adults at that time then the requirement should be that their kid gets sent into combat as soon as they turn 18 - especially pertinent for wars like Afghanistan that went on for 20 goddamn years. They need to have skin in the game. They need to be made to directly feel the impact of their decisions.
Thank you so much for your service, sir. As senseless as the Vietnam War was, you did your duty as a U.S. citizen and answered the call. The ones responsible are the ones who will face eternal justice and a legacy of ignorance, unjustified zeal, and complete disregard for human life (Kissinger, POS that he was, may he burn in hell forever).
@@gregtennessee8249 Yup, so many more you can include how,' War is a Racket,'' the US Deep State, etc... PS Just watch, America's Untold Stories,' on who their game is played....
@@gregtennessee8249 Harry Truman (Democrat) - re-established French rule in Vietnam, fighting begins in Vietnam. The US funded most of France's war cost. Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican) - refused to involve the US in another conflict right after the Korean war. The US continued to send aid to S. Vietnam. By the end of his term, North and South were officially at war. John F. Kennedy (Democrat) - Was initially against supporting the French. Once he was elected, he sent fighters, helicopters, river boats, etc., authorized the use of napalm and agent orange. Lyndon B. Johnson (Democrat) - first president to put ground troops in Vietnam. Military draft skyrocketed - 500,000 US troops were now in Vietnam. Johnson was so unpopular that he decided against running for a 2nd term. Richard Nixon (Republican) - gradually withdrew troops from Vietnam, also escalated bombing raids, including secret bombing of Cambodia. Ended US involvement in Vietnam in 1973, although actual fighting continued until '75.
Welcome home brother👏 Vietnam 70-71 you got your Woking when you arrived. My worst days were the last 2 weeks. We were overran three times during that period and short firefights every day. I just knew I wasn’t going to make it back to the world, but I’m still here raising as much hell as my old can.
My dad said very little about what he experienced. He was a patriot and proud of his service. He was buried with military honors, but he didn’t tell me much. What he did tell me was pretty rough. He drank literally until the day he died. He was a quiet man but a good man. Best man I ever met and I miss him every day. Vietnam always reminds me of him. 1st infantry “Big Red One”
How exactly did he serve your country? Your country had no business in Vietnam, why don't you make a trip there and see the ongoing results of the war. Severely deformed people from the chemicals dumped on the forests. Go through their war museum and see our photos of the horrors. Face up to what you have done. Absolutely defend your country but leave others alone, they were just defending theirs.
@Bob Meraw. I understand the trauma of war and what America did to decimate South Vietnam and her people. I also have the right to thank veterans that served based upon their beliefs that they were fighting against communism. We didn’t win, of course.
@@KohalaLover The only problem is that the people in Vietnam voted for communism. The U.S. didn't approve, they wanted the extremely wealthy running the country and a peasant class to do the work. The veterans you speak of were cannon fodder, most didn't want to go. The U.S. want's strong leaders so Kennedy in order to be reelected had to beat up on someone, same as Nixon.
@@KohalaLover We were lied too by our press and our government. South Vietnam governments were all corrupt. Saigon was full of rich Vietnamese kids who never worried about being drafted. Kind of like in the U.S. back then.
Thank you for sharing that. I know it still isn't easy for you. I am the widow of a Vietnam Vet.He died 20 yrs ago this May 3rd. He definitely suffered from PTSD .Thanking you for your service really isn't enough .Just God Bless You.❤
I've recently befriended a Marine Vietnam veteran in our town. He owns a record store and is quite a character. Enlisted ans served 31 years in the Marine Corps, he volunteered for Vietnam. I make it a point to go visit him in his basement record store once or twice a week, always shaking his hand when I arrive and bring friends, often teenagers, whenever possible. The way he talks, his mannerisms and upbeat attitude very closely remind me of Mr Blount here.
Tony, God Bless you man. I was born July, 1953 with a lottery number 39. Got my draft notice in October, 1972 while I was a student at Ole Miss. I road a bus from Oxford, Mississippi to Memphis on a freezing day in November for my physical. I remember walking in to that big room you talked about - no smiling faces there. Long story short - my red green color deficiency may have saved my life - I did not have to serve. I can only barely imagine the horror that you and other young American men went through. What courage Sir. MG
Same here. Vietnam is the first news event I remember. My neighbor was killed overthere. His mom was inconsolable. I’m 60 & I remember it like it was yesterday.
My father, a WWII veteran, signed my oldest brother out of school in 1967 at 17 to join the Corps. Three tours, 23yrs, retired 1St Sgt. He is an American hero.
@Rovingdog628 obviously, you have nothing better to do with your time than to nit-pick how someone refers to a country. I guess that me and countless others who have referred to Vietnam as "Nam" are wrong. Thank you so much for pointing that out. The world is safe now. Are there some kids on your lawn at the moment? You'd better go yell at them. Be sure to tell them that it's a "lawn" and not a "yard" when you do. Prick.
A lot of combat soldiers either cannot or won’t talk about what they went through. At least when they’re sober. I give this guy a lot of credit for putting some reality into what you really think and do in such situations. And he apparently didn’t even shoot anyone that he can confirm. A lot of guys had much more horrible experiences than he did, but those are the ones who don’t talk about it. It seems like the biggest psychological issue they deal with is why they are still alive when so many people they knew died.
The little surviving footage of infantry engagements in Vietnam mostly shows people firing at foliage. I mean obviously they are trying to hit the enemy, but the jungle is so dense it just looks like they're shooting at trees. I can imagine that might mess you up worse because you wouldn't know how many people you actually killed. You see the bodies after a firefight, but who in your unit fired the round that killed them? No way to know and that must be an unsettling feeling
@@jakeg3733 that and the tunnels that the VC's could get into but most others can't, or that a child could walk up to you and throw a grenade at you or that those who are selling things in the street are those hunting you in the night, it wasn't like two armies each in their uniforms fighting, anyone could be on any side but the soldiers stuck out like beacons.
@@lhl9010 Exactly. They were at a tremendous disadvantage and I can't imagine a year of that life. Our military is paradoxical in that it loves using absurd amounts of firepower, yet hamstrings itself with ROE that many other nations, especially our enemies, don't follow or give a shit about. All the weapons tech means nothing if our guys aren't allowed to use their weapons
@@fredmonahan3627 The Air Force and Navy pilots suffered many casualties during the Vietnam war and this was kept low profile. I knew a woman who's first husband was a Navy pilot and was shot down. He was in the unit that Senator McCain was in and they were running seriously low on pilots. I was going to tell her that, but he probably wrote letters to her reassuring her that he was safe.
My father was a tail gunner on a B-24, in the 8th. He ALSO told me that he served under Jimmy. My dad was in late '44 til the end. I don't think that my dad would have lied about it, but when I researched it, the time lines don't seem to add up. Can you shed any light? (PS-Dallas coach Tom Landry was in the 8th too. I'm not a cowboy fan, but, props!)
Thank You for your service, I am a Jr ...dad was there in 68, came home met, married mom adopted my 2 yr old sister and I was born in 71..lost my dad to alcohol in 84 ..he was 38...mom says he came home with Vietnam in tow..Always hoped to maybe meet someone that knew my dad over there..To all that served I thank you
@@jimbob465 I can tell you that the majority of guys in my platoon were 18 -20 years old. We did have one or 2 that were 21, 22 , 23 or so. We asked them why they had been sent to Vietnam. We thought they were too old. We even gave them nicknames. "Pops", "old man" ( to a teenager, anyone over 19 was "OLD"), "grandpa", "Gramps"
My Uncle Tommy fought in Burma during WW2 . He admitted the first time he was shot at in anger he hit the ground and tried digging into the dirt with his nose.. He got shouted at by a more experienced soldier and started fighting back. By the three years he was a grizzled old soldier of 22 years old with a fanatical hatred of the Japanese and no fear of anything. My family said he was a carefree young man at 18 and came back like 40 year old with a terrifying stare and no time for fools.
My great uncle was a chin dit , I was told that he launched himself across my nan's dining table when she had some Thai friends visit . He wanted to kill them this was in the 60s , many years after the war .
"...and as I sat there looking at this mangled corpse, of someone that wanted to kill me...and I don't blame him..." Powerful words! The voices of veterans need to be listened to so much more than voices of politicians.
Thank you for your service Sir. I too am a veteran but I'm in Australia, Middle East, first ashore in Timor 99, a couple other conflicts. I hear you in regards to your experiences my friend. Please know your service and you as a person is so valued my friend
One of the hardest things to learn to do after spending a tour in Vietnam in the jungles was to come back home and put a false smile on your face. The pain of that conflict runs deep to the bone for Vets who came under fire.
Thank you for your service Tony, your faith, and sharing. My son is a Marine. One of my best friends saw heavy action in Vietnam, he suffers from agent orange now. Destroyed his heart.
My dad was there then also, as a marine sergeant . he got back and told us almost nothing, we were way too young. for all i know he was at times right next to this guy, our house was a partial nightmare because of it all , way too much ptsd. my brothers and sister would would shudder if we accidently let a door swing open or closed and make contact that made noise, waiting for dad's frightening loud reaction we walked on so many eggshells. life was so different back then, these war trauma's destroy normal connections with their kids - my mom saved us from the insanity by being the stable one with so much love in her heart that it even calmed him - at times
Thank You for Your service---Thank You for sharing your experiences Most think war only happens to other people who are brave-And fear will not overtake them or their lives! Listening to stories you tell with exactness and honestly humanly possible brings truth to the horrors one experiences during "War".
i was da nang 70-71 and have the highest respect for the Marines and all the grunts in the bush. I think it was MAG 11 and MAG 17 that were billeted around our comm. center. Glad to see you are at peace with the war. Thank you one and all for your service.
My husband was drafted into the army at 18, landed in country April 15th of ‘68… he told me comparable stories. Horrific things. Atrocious things. He was an RTO, bounced all over the place. Saw lots of action, lots of death, but I don't think he was as traumatized as this fellow; he knew it was going to be ghastly. He had already lived a violently ghastly life full of trauma for 18 years. I guess it hits some harder than others. I hope this man finds some peace🙁
Yeah it hits harder for some. My brother grew up in the hood of Los Angeles and lived through the LA riots. He served in Operations Iraqi freedom and was in Fallujah too and Kandahar in Afghanistan. He still pretty normal but changed a bit after the deployments, he doesn't feel comfortable around crowds of people and has the sleepless nights but that's it. He has friends that are more f'd up than him. My brother can still function in everyday life.
From My Heart To You Sir, I Thank You For Your Testimonial, As A Non Service Person Something's Said Go Overhead, Still There's Enough To See A Picture Of Trauma In Mindview, My Condolences For Your Losses, My Prayer For God's Mercy and Grace Over All Vets and Service Personnel Conscripted Or Volunteer, We Salute You All, And Continue To Pray For The Day When War Becomes Obsolete And Men Can Rise Above This Primate Attribute Retained Avarice! Salute! Peace! 🙏🏾🔥🙏
Listen to our podcast 🎤: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vietnam-experience/id1732962685
Spotify: open.spotify.com/show/4eqfizVsgTbhLgeSepUelV?si=iitSaosmSFObXr7jfCG0Pg
My high school football coach was a marine in Vietnam. If you don’t have ability to read people then you didn’t catch it, he was deeply injured in his memories. I always showed him the utmost respect, not because he served but because he was a brave human being. I respect you for being a brave human too
My father was a .30 cal machine gunner with the 84th infantry division in Europe and was in continuous action from Sep 1944 until April 1945. He was up front in the American lines when the Germans broke through on Dec 16th, "battle of the bulge". He and his buddies faced German Panther and Tiger tanks, the best in the world at that time, firing ineffective American bazookas, which bounced off their armor.. He was messed up BAD when he came back. My brother and i were scared to death of him. Always angry, violent, crazy, dangerous temper. Luckily, for me, he took his wrath out on my older, not so bright brother. I deal with the effects to this day. and I'm 68. Not a very good childhood.
@@Gallagherfreak100 sincerely sorry for your past
@@Mattnoble80 Thanks for your concern. My brother did not fare well. He went off the rails about 10 years ago. I hold it in the road, mostly.
thank you, Mr. Bount. My dad was sent to Vietnam twice as a USMC, and was never ok again. It was a scary childhood as a result. Thank you for being honest and straight-forward to the whole world.
So true, mine also. A scary childhood indeed. I remember my usmc career vet dad made us kids very often on edge wondering what we'd do to set him off next.
He had a friend also the same rank in the marines, we'd go to visit their family now and then and i'll never forget us boys were shocked that dad's ex marine friend was worse than him, i saw his boys twitch intensely with fear at times just hearing their dad's loud voice call for them from another part of their house. Imagine back then 6 young boys (3 sons from each dad) and both dad's were vietnam vet Gunnery Sergeants. Just thinking about it i can still feel the tension , also makes me chuckle a bit , - so i don't think about it too much .
@@rob-robiThe further you can locate yourself as far away as possible from your abuser, the better.
Same here. PTSD child abuse
Big issue to me is: I didn’t pass it on to my kids, broke the curse.
@@tundrawomansays694 my father died years ago. and i did move away long ago when i was 18
My dad didn't have to go because my uncle went twice. My dad went from marines to army and became a drill Sargeant. Sadly he deployed to Korea and cheated on my mom when I was 5 and my mom took me back to Germany. All I got from my dad was a handful of memories and my citizenship. I came back to look for him only to find out he had passed from pancreatic cancer at 51.
My cousins were not so fortunate with my uncle. They suffered a lot with his alcoholism and abuse as did their mom. Yay he got a purple heart tho...my cousins said he was a sadistic a hole. He always planned people putting his obituary in the paper on April fools.
He died march 31st 1997 and his obituary actually ended up in the paper April 1st.
You can see the anger, sadness and compassion in this man. Best to you Mr. Blount sir
Can’t help speculating that he has a brain injury as well as the shrapnel injury he described.
@@earthshinerush3842drugs also cause brain damage. Even traumatic experiences can cause it.
he has lived a rough life . that's for sure . i wish him the best also
I was a Marine in Nam 1968 Charlie company got shot through and through by an AK I can relate and confirm that this Marine is not exaggerating, He was brutally honest and he is a true hero.
You are too sir 🙂
Just Charlie Company, eh? No further unit identification?
I guess there was only one charlie company in the entire Marine Corps. 🤦♂️
I decided that I'd be better off in my father's branch...glad of it.
did you know Lance Crpl Robert Holland ,KIA 6/5/68 .
Welcome home, brother. Peace-time Marine '80-'84 3rd Btln, 5th Div MOS 1812 Semper Fi, OooRahh!!
Tony is about as animated as they come. You can tell his experience in Vietnam was extreme and life altering. Thank you for your service Mr. Blount!
My uncle was in Vietnam , he acted a bit like this. I think it’s a mix of the drugs they did and of course the stuff they seen. Almost like a man that understands what it is to be insane but still function.
@@KyloBetoI think it’s the right in your face confrontation with the Reality of your imminent death. No 17/18/19 etc. year old kid should ever confront their mortality at such a young age. Yeah, they were truly old men in young men’s bodies. They were this paradox of waaaayyyyy too old, wwwaaayyy too young. If the reality of the Trauma of War as you experienced would be accepted as the normal response to the craziness of War we could acknowledge the *FULL COST OF WAR.* It’s unlike any other human endeavor.
I don't know about all the post service counseling or medication that he has been thru, but Tony does seem to still experience PTSD to this day ... IMHO.
Dont thank him for his service. This was not his war and he shouldn't have been there, nor any other American.
@@zivaradlovacki2666agree. They were cannon fodder. I wonder how many people understand the context? From the French, to Ho Chi Min getting arms off the U.S. and seeing off the Japanese. Then Vietnam still not getting independence. Vietnam now hailed as an economic success story. I keep seeing thank you for serving your country. Those young men weren’t serving anyone, they were dying unnecessarily leaving the effects of agent orange in their wake. Sorry for having a rant 🙈. It would seem by your comment that you would be aware of this. I’m not from the U.S. but when I see those comments it seems to me that the people of the U.S. are as brain washed as the accuse people in communist countries as being. Still sticking their nose in the Middle East and Eastern Europe and meanwhile the Asian economies are still building. They’ll probably bring this world to the point of Armageddon, meanwhile US citizens having cognitive dissonance.
My dad was a WWII Marine. He survived the Pacific theater including Okinawa. In 2 days it will be a year since he left us at 99 years and 4 months old. I just want you to know that my dad always thought you grunts got fucked over in the worst way by the country you so proudly served. So "Semper Fi" from my deceased father and Thank You for telling your experience!!! Bryan Lee
My pops was a medic with the marines on Guadalcanal. B Blessed
Same here, my father made 4 landings with the 4th Marine Div. Roi Namur, Saipan, Tinian and Iwo Jima. My Uncle was an Engineer in the 1st Mar Div from Guadalcanal (he got there a little late) through all of the 1st Mar Divs landings through Okinawa. Both were taking replacements and training to land on Kyushu. After that they were supposed to assault the main island Honshu opposite Tokyo Bay. I only learned of the operational plans years laters. They never knew of them. Anyway the A-Bombs were dropped and the invasions became unnecessary. Those guys woulnd't have understood being thanked for their service as is so common today. To those guys they were just "doing their duty" like everybody else was. I personally have no idea how they survived that slaughter.
@@karlheinzvonkroemann2217 There's a couple really good books about the planned invasion of Japan (Operation Downfall) and also if you haven't already you should read "With The Old Breed: At Peleliu and Okinawa" (written by Corporal Eugene Sledge) and the HBO miniseries "The Pacific" (which is centered around Corporal Sledge). Your Uncle trod the same ground as Corporal Sledge and all those other Devil Dogs. Semper Fi to your Dad and Uncle and to all of them.
My dad was a gunner's mate (Navy) on the USS Enterprise in WWII. Do you know how many on that boat believed that Pearl Harbor was a surprise attack? ZERO
@Slater Novick we went from the "greatest generation" to the worse emasculation in 70 short years. Amerika is an evil empire today. The slaves "think" they are free, because their masters in gov't. told them so...
shock and awe is etched over this man's face. His eyes look hollow and shaken to the core. He does indeed deserve respect. God bless!
What I see in his eyes is anger. I don’t blame him.
This man deserves to have all the medical attention we can give and a lot more. He needs our respect and to have a very good life now. God bless him.
Amen
But...but...but that would be COMMUNISM!!!
He deserves to live in a country with leaders who respect the Constitution. We don't have that now.
🙏 Amen!!
#WelfareJunkie
My brother Joe was in Vietnam in 1970. When he came home in 1971 he had these huge bug bites on his face and was very dark on his skin complexion. Joe came back person .In 1977 he committed suicide and his last words to me were VA couldn't make opening to help him. Joe had 3 children and to this day they are still sad there dad committed suicide I told them his mind was broken from Vietnam. Please don't be mad at him
My dad served two tours and served for years beyond. He dealt with nightmares and stress for the rest of his life. When he passed the VA did nothing his country did nothing for him as a veteran. His father served as well and was shit on because he was black. No GI Bill no housing no nothing. I'd never join the military arm of that machine. Whatever enough about me and mine this man is a reluctant hero. Yes an AK will make your skull rattle from 20 yards. It's no joke.
I'm sorry you lost your brother. And I'm sorry his kids lost their father
Sorry about your brother. God be with him.
My brother, I am so sorry. I remember.
"Not all who died in Vietnam...died in VN". Unknown Author
God Bless you
✌️❤️
I was there all of 67 . Thanks for your service and to everyone please remember the ones that didn’t come home!!!!
@Gary Luck thank you and all those who sacrificed their time and life. My husband got out of Marine boot camp in 72 didn’t go to Nam. But served for 8 yrs.
@@imeldaaleman1498 My uncle kia , mid 3/68 , tail end of bloody TET, Central Highlands , 10 days b-4 my 11tth bday .
@@imeldaaleman1498 Thank God it was over mid1/73.
Yes, we will remember. But also remember that they are in a much better place now. God took them home.
@@johnceglick8714 so sorry for your loss.
You don’t often see intensity like that from a guy that age. That in itself is a testament to what he went through at the other end of his life.
My pediatrician was a combat medic in Vietnam. He was also a close family friend who would always come to our christmas eve parties when i was a kid. He was also the best story teller I've ever heard. He helped me more than anyone I've ever met. He was and is my hero, even though hes been gone 4 years now.
The PTSD this Marine suffers from is all over his face. God help him. This broke my heart. I thank each and everyone of our Veterans for your service who is on here. Every time I see a Vet I thank them no matter where we are. God bless .
Drafted '67, 14 months in Vietnam. Thanks for your kind words.
*ALL US Marines are BabyKiLLers!!!*
@@ronaldtartaglia4459 Spot on 100%!
SATANS SERVICE! ON HIS PAYROL! HYPOCRITE !
@@namvet1968 I'm British, but am fascinated by your country's history, particularly postwar. I may be speaking out of turn, but your country seems to have been savagely unkind to you on your return, for no reason other than that they had a problem with the government. That saddens me, hugely, and I hope that despite it, you're doing well.
Considering what this man has been through his humanity and bravery shines through like a bright beacon. What a humble man. 100% respect from the UK.
Hear, hear. Drafted '67, 14 months in Vietnam. I survived. Many didn't. Damn shame.
To Martin I am Tony Blount Younger Brother Andrew F. Blount. and I thank You for your kind words, and just seeing that U-are in the U.K. Heads Up some how A larger Co. in the U.K. will be coming to the U.S.A.to even tell more of the story. share and tell your friends. It is time for all are Great Vets to now seen WE-Care Viral
M
Thanks 😮😢
Tony thank you so very much for your service !
This man is SUPER intense. I genuinely can't imagine what he's been through.
considering how sudden most combat situations happened in the vietnam war, I'd say it's on par with most vietnam war movies, it's pure horror...unimaginable shit you could never dream of.
Every single conscript who comes home from a war should have a pension for life from the government who sent them there.
Agree. Along with basic health insurance at least.
However, if you are a volunteer, voluntarily fighting for the country you are born and living in...,.
You should not get a pention
Who are you to decide who gets a disability pension. People volunteered so they didn’t have to hang around and get drafted. You pog…in fact you’re not even a pog. Look it up then apologize to every name on the wall.
@@donandjanejohnson218 Apparently it took two people to write that little screed. Nice work! Look up conscript and then apologize.
America doesn't care about any of us. I'm not a vet and I still see it. They don't care about you they don't care about me. You can't vote for a single soul that cares.
Tony is a member of VFW 11326, thank you for allowing our comrade to share his story.
Buy them all beers!!!
@@danodonnell7218 we don't have a bar at this particular VFW but I think I can take care of that 😉
Tony, I am lucky I happened across your video. I went from DaNang to AnHoa, then to Delta 1/5 at the Horshoe on 2/19/69. I immediately heard about “Dying Delta”(and “Cryin ‘
Charlie”). After a patrol where a couple of our Marines were wounded by a booby trap, the enemy followed us back to our base camp, at the horseshoe. After some chow, we began readying the perimeter. Everything seemed normal, like a day at work. Suddenly they opened up on us with AKs, and an
RPG exploded off to my left. I was certain I was dying. What heroism looks like to me was a Corpsman reaching me under fire and treating me. My marines rolled me into a poncho and carried me to a medivac Chinook, which took me to triage in DaNang. Then I went to Yokohama, Yakuska, then to the USA,
finally to Oakland Naval Hospital. I eventually go a medical discharge.
I always wished I could have let you all that I made it and express my thanks. I have carried guilt and shame about leaving my unit behind to this day.
Seeing you talk on the video gave me a good feeling. I feel like I know you, but we might not have met since I was was new. Nice to se another survivor back in the world. SemperFi, brother. Bill
No shame sir, you did what so many ducked out on. You are a model of American hero like everyone else served. You vets are respected by many, YOU guys deserved and still deserve more. The Government failed you all and it is a God damn shame. God Bless you all.
❤@@CRClouse513
I only had 6 months over there as a Marine infantry,and Recon,at marble mountain and cam reasoner.my hart go's out to all our comrades in arms who payed the alternate sacrifice. SEMPER FI MARINES
@@gloydmckay9477 semper fi brother
I'm a Brit so no axe to grind over this war but this guy's experiences had me spellbound. I guess it something you can never get out of your head and to pick up and continue with everyday life must take some courage. I admire you greatly!
RIP Marine Sgt. Otto Gsell. One of my gym teachers in high school and a man of character. As well as a wonderful sense of humor. As I understand, he didn’t lose one single Marine under his command. Thank you for your service Mr. Gsell. And thank you Marines and Servicemen for all you did and continue to do. God Bless
@@Rovingdog628 Maybe he was in command for just 1 mission. You were in Vietnam... at all the places? Your health will suffer because of your negative cynicism. A chip on a shoulder can harm more than shrapnel.
I work as a nurse in mental health services for veterans (UK). It never ceases to amaze me the strength and courage these people show, despite the trauma. It's also a stain on our nation how they are neglected
Neglecting them is a part of the joke these wars are, done by the clowns who ordered them.
Welcome Home.
@@dragonmartijn but we keep allowing it. Everyone knows war is a barbaric way to settle anything and its only a way for rich people to get richer yet we keep allowing it. Calling it fighting for freedom. Freedom, biggest propaganda helper ever spoken.
No government treats its citizens as dismissively as they do the hero's of war.
@@bgs792 Democrats got us into Vietnam.
Despite all the things he went through, he still has a sense of humor. Here, we can't even take a joke. Thanks for your service.
or tell a joke. Amerika has become a joke. socialism is the punch line.... OBEY !
Loll
Stay alive
Nelson you were as against Russia
I'm from America dude americ
Thank you for recording this man’s story. So many of them were lost after they came home. I’m very glad Tony is at peace after reflecting on his experiences.
He reminds me of my best friend. Herbie was SF during the end of the war. We were friends for about 5 years before he told me what he did. I knew he served, but the night he decided to share some of his experiences....I have never felt so honored. I didn't serve in the military, but I've got quite a few years as a first responder. I've seen plenty that hurt my heart, and I wasn't even getting shot at. To have someone like this share their story is a huge deal. Thank you for your service Sir.
Thank you for being there for others as a first responder! That's not just nothing after all is said and done. What a world this would be if there were no first responders there. Portland Maine says "hello".
This is one of the most compelling stories I've heard a Nam Vet share. Literally thousands of Nam Vets don't talk about what they went through and for good reasons. They carry everything deep within them because they know, for the most part, that if they told you, it would most likely scare the hell out of you at the least. They really don't want you to feel their pain. What I really respect in his story is that he remembered the names of his Brothers and some of those he came into contact with and it is this that gives the deepest meaning to "We Will Not Forget". Tony Blount, I stand and salute you my Brother. Peace
Even fewer are prepared to admit - or talk about - the war crimes and assorted atrocities committed BY Americans.
"Scalping the enemy"!!
It was the early American settlers who taught the native Americans that little 'nicety'.
How moronic and psychologically deranged does a 20th century 'trained and disciplined' military person need to be to do such a thing?!
US military - "the best of the best of the best ... with honours ... sir" with sincere apologies to 'Men in Black'.
*ALL US Marines are Baby KiLLers!!!*
Most of the guy simply don't know where to start to share that kind of horror. It twists the mind so irreparably, that the words simply can't be found to begin to deal with all of that obsenity.
THANK YOU 4-SAYING-So. There is so much more to the story for I am Tony Blount Brother. I have not seen him and or not spoken in 54 years. He just could not come out of that Dark Place until now. It is so Great in Hearing his Voice now this Interview has put him in the Great State of Mine and Happiness. Thank all for your kind words. I can assure there is more coming stay close and share. The Day of the Vet. Will return. Andrew Blount, The Little Brother...
I don't know if it's that they think their stories will scare people, but I imagine they probably spend most of their time trying not to think about their trauma, let alone talk about it out loud.
How times have changed. I was in college from 1965 -1968. Everyone I knew hated the war and didn't want to go. As a college student, if you didn't make your grades or got in trouble and left college, you were drafted within a month or so. I graduated in June 1968 and was called up to the draft in August, 1968. Many of my high school and college friends were drafted and some never came home. That is a level of pressure today's kids can't even imagine.
Yep. Drafted in '67. 14 months in Vietnam. Extremely stressful. Kids today have no idea.
Yeah well, kids today are 28 +years old.......and yeah, they have no idea!
@@namvet1968 I read a book about a serial killer who served in nam before he came back to the states and became a killer. He claims to have eaten human flesh of dead enemy. What does vietcong meat taste like? Did you get hungry again about a hour after eating it?
don, I was in the Republic of Vietnam '68, the meat didn't last long due to the heat. Join the armed service and get sent to Ukraine to find out.
Freedom.FFs
I hear you brother. We fellow grunts fully understand you.Thanks for your service. I sincerely mean it.
The horror these poor young men endured is so heartbreaking 😢
True and about a million dead Vietnamese
@@007ndcbut they were communists devil's from hell
@@007ndc
Myth: The US military routinely used inhumane tactics on the people, while the VC were benefactors
Fact: This is one of the most scurrilous accusations of the war. It is completely and provably false.
No one has ever found a single document stating that it was US policy to commit atrocities.
Numerous documents exist proving that it was official policy of the North Vietnamese government to commit atrocities.
The worst known incident from the Vietnam War of atrocities committed by American troops was the My Lai massacre - 504 were murdered.
The worst known incident from the Vietnam War of atrocities committed by the communists was the Tet massacre in Hue - more than 5000 were murdered.
Critics point to US bombing as evidence of atrocities, however, the location and impact of those bombs is never discussed.
The rules of engagement for Vietnam were so crazy that President Johnson once boasted that the Air Force "couldn't hit an outhouse without [his] permission".
@@007ndc
Myth: Ho Chi Minh was a nationalist and a benevolent leader of his people
Fact: Ho Chi Minh was a dedicated communist and slaughtered hundreds of thousands of his fellow countrymen.
Ho Chi Minh was a founding member of the French Communist Party in 1920 and founded the IndoChinese Communist Party in 1930.
He spent four years training in Russia and became a member of the Comintern.
He was not just a member of the Comintern. He was the protege of Dmitry Manuilsky, right hand man to both Stalin and Lenin.
He was a dedicated Stalinist who never swayed from his desire to forward the cause of international communism.
He turned his fellow countrymen over to the French for money and to eliminate his rivals while consolidating his power.
He "purged" the North Vietnamese landowner class, killing at least 50,000 (some estimates are as high as 900,000!) of them for the "crime" of being financially independent.
He slaughtered and imprisoned hundreds of thousands of his own countrymen in the South in an effort to rid himself of all opposition.
@@Rovingdog628 No it isn't.
Ho Chi Minh killed hundreds of thousands of people in North Vietnam in the 1950s and million people fled to South Vietnam to escape.
My older brother came home missing a bunch of his face from Dak to 67..But mentally intact..some of his buddies on the other hand came back physically intact but whacked out of their minds..He always said those were the real casualties of that war..RIP big brother..A hero then and always my hero.
My stepbrother's story is exactly the opposite. He was a teen gang member in L.A., and he was gut shot right in front our house. In my recollection, he was always a little crazy, a little violent, but he had a sense of humor and always looked out for the little kids. After he recovered my stepmother convinced him to enlist; thinking it could save his life. He joined... became an army ranger. My stepmom said he was highly decorated. He stayed there for 4 tours of duty. When he came back he was always angry and didn't like anyone asking him about the war; he refused to talk about it with me, but there was talk in the family that he enjoyed killing people. He got married and beat his wife and kids. His wife left him when the kids moved out. He alienated everyone one in the family. My stepsister, before she died, went to visit him in Seattle and they got into a big blowout; he threatened to kill her. She was scared of him. Everyone, including his children no longer see him. He's retired and lives alone in a nice suburb. And while he worked hard his entire life, owns his own home, and has done well, it seems like his life, in terms of interpersonal relationships, is a mess.
I don't know if Vietnam turned him into the brutal and angry man he became or just made him worse. But I have to wonder if any part of him that was good and decent died in the 60s. I remember as a kid worrying about being drafted, so I have only respect for the young people that gave up so much their lives in that senseless war.
God bless him he's with God now
@@commodoor6549yea cause n Vietnam were communist bastard killers. AMERICA TRUED TO SAVE A COUNTRY and would of if the shit govt would of let them
@@maximustrump Sounds like you're working through a lot of trauma in your past. Godspeed on that personal journey!
@@commodoor6549 30 yrs in ghetto as a cop I'm trying it haunts Mr til this day baby's getting raped women attacked left and right go on forever
Mr. Tony Blount, a very intense man. Created from an extremely intense situation.
A soldier's story. Thanks for speaking to us Sir.
Marine
One of the most sobering descriptive account of a vietnam combat. Grunt I've seen on here. His eloquence is without bravado, almost polite, this grunt is the real deal. 🦅🇺🇸👌
Best wishes to you Tony . Thank you for stepping up and serving your country
He didn’t serve us, he was enslaved by our draft to fight a stupid war and kill millions.
there you go, an American war hero serve his country by spraying agent orange on top of Vietnam babies.
It's a shame a lot of these vet's are still fighting for their benefits
Everytime I watch one of these podcast I think about how trump talks about those vets who served in the military. I could list them but it would take all day I have I have all respect for those soldiers.and absolutely know respect for trump after all said and did too those soldiers and his bonespurs, coward
@@liangjiang3122 it was the government and the pilots that did that not the soldiers on the ground most of them didn't want to be in that shit hole country they were drafted and they got that shit spray on them too a lot of them died from that shit your just like the rest of those assholes who blame the grunts for that war when they had to go or go to jail or try to get into canada and it was over 25 years before the gov said they could come back most of them never want back they said canada was their country now so you can kiss my a**
Tony in 1969 I was a freshman in high school. I’m forever grateful to men like you. Because of your service there was no draft in Spring of 1973 when I graduated. Thank you for sharing your experiences in that hell on earth. May we never forget what all of you who served in Vietnam sacrificed for all of us back home.
Same -- 1973 graduate.
I graduated in ‘75. I grew up on Air Force bases, as my dad was career USAF. My dad was stationed at Anderson Air Base, on Guam, from 1966-1968, so my family lived there. My school wake up call was B-52’s arriving at 0600 every morning on their way to Vietnam.
Since 1970, I was mentally and emotionally preparing, in my own way, to go. I can say I was GLAD it was over before I graduated.
I joined the Army later anyway.
Thank you sir, for your service and sacrifice.
-An Army Veteran and proud Teacher ❤️🇺🇸
I was in the 6th grade in 73. But I understand what you are saying. Best wishes to you.
Had my PIP in early '73, just weeks before the draft ended! I had no idea then just how fortunate I was!
The killing of over 1,460,000 children under age 9 the past few decades is a WAR CRIME! Participating in these UNCONSTITUTIONAL undeclared invasions and baby killing makes them oath violating traitors NOT heroes. Korea, Vietnam, Panama, Bosnia, Somalia, Iraq, Afghanistan, Syria were "nation building" misadventures with NO existential national security interest based on LIES. Stealing $13,900,000,000,000 in 2020 USD to pay for these crimes is itself a crime. What Exactly IS this service? ua-cam.com/video/N6uVV2Dcqt0/v-deo.html
All that pain, all that suffering, all for nothing. God damn the politicians who put all of those young men in that hell.
Forget the past they are doing it again they make no effort to end the war in Ukraine they only escalate it what can we do to prevent them turning this into a global conflict?
They've been doing that for a long time. Rarely are their wars anything but for corporations to make money on. There's no such thing as a good war. My father was a combat Marine in WW2, made 4 landings on Roi Namur, Saipan, Tinian and finally Iwo Jima. Too many good Americans lost their lives for very little. I remember he wasn't happy when the government gave Iwo Jima back to the Japanese in 1968. He said to me that they should've waited until all the Marines from that generation had died off before doing that.
@@karlheinzvonkroemann2217 my grandfather landed on Omaha and kicked ass through the battle of the bulge our grandfathers where some bad asses thats for sure.
All for nothing? Do you have any idea how disrespectful a statement like that is to man like Tony? Did it sound like he was fighting for nothing? He, like everyone who has served in our military, fought for his country and the men next to him in battle. That may be nothing to you but it sure as hell means a lot to them.
The politics of the era are the precursor of our current situation. Political correctness dictated that conflict.
Was für ein Mann, was für ein Leben, was für ein Krieg! 🙄
Ich hoffe er hat noch ein langes und glücklicheres Leben vor sich! 🙏
Greetings from Germany
I'm so glad this hero was able to make peace with himself, bless him❤.
This man has the eyes of someone that's seen hell on earth.
God bless our Vietnam Vets they had it rough man.
Lost my uncle mid3/68 , tail end of bloody TET , in Central Highlands of SouthVietnam ,10 days b-4 my 11th bday .
@@johnceglick8714 Your uncle was a real hero may his soul rest in peace 🙏🏾
@@saiyanninjawarriorz Thanx , and GOD BLESS ALL VETS !
Any individual that has been in war has also visited hell. By some accounts the Russians have lost close to three times the men over the past year in Ukraine than the US did in the entire Vietnam War.
The father of a Vietnamese friend was drafted into the NVA and also fought in this war. To this day he still wakes with troubling nightmares.
The story is the same world over, young men getting killed, maimed and traumatised at the behest of the elites.
I bet the Vietnamese saw more he’ll than him.
Was in the Army in Cu Chi in '67 - '68. Can relate to so much of his story. And he's right. You see guys go down all around you and wonder how the hell you're still here. The luck of the draw. Weighs heavily on you. Glad he was able to survive.
My brother was in Bien Hoa and Long Bien 67-68
Drafted in '67, in Cu Chi in '68-'69. I survived by "the luck of the draw". Had no idea about the tunnels of Cu Chi.
Ive been researching Vietnam vet stories because i just seen a video of a cop getting ruthlessly shot to death by a Vietnam vet in a shootout. I pray to God that a vet doesn't fly off the handle and try to gun me or my family down.
@@oldboyxanliquidrage I'd say the odds are better that you or your family would be gunned down by someone who never came anywhere near the armed forces.
@@bobjohnson7441 that's also true I'd just be more intimidated if it was a vet because they move around alot, duck bullets and make themselves very hard to hit with a bullet
Paternal great grandfather served in WWI (France), Maternal great grandfather served in WWII (European theatre), grandfather served in Korea, my dad was spared from Vietnam by 4 years, the men of my generation went to Afghanistan/Iraq. Generations of brave American patriots who answered the call of duty. Kids today can never fill those shoes. Our vets deserve MUCH more than they receive. Bless them all. 🇺🇸
“Kids today can never fill those shoes” ah yes because the kids of today must suffer greatly as well because they’re too ungrateful… Our United States government loves people with your mindset. I imagine that same mindset was used by older generations after WWII towards Vietnam draftees as well with every war after. Our vets could be treated better if we didn’t constantly fund wars.
Thank you for your service Tony Blount! You're one incredible man!
I joined the Army in Jan 1973, 4 days after Nixon signed the armistice that no more troops were going to Nam, I was 21. All my drill sergeants were Nam vets. I remember sitting with some of them telling stories about their experiences over there just like this man, most of them were only 22-24, totally changed my perspective about the war and what being a soldier was all about. Viet Nam vets are my heroes!!!
I am the same age as you. We had the lottery in 1970. I had a high number. Did you have a low number, or did you enlist?
I left in Dec1972, they couldn't win the war without me. For those who don't have what it takes to become a Marine there is always the Army; they'll take anyone.
@@shimshonbendan8730 my number was 328, but when he signed the Armistice I enlisted.
@@hml3672 sure thing , jarhead😡
@@hml3672don't belittle people just because you're a Marine
This guy's amazing... been on the ground floor, as they say. He's completely authentic about his struggle in combat, & the aftermath, while full of hope & joy for himself & his fellow man. Semper Fi, Tony. Thank you for your story.
@Hello there, how are you doing this blessed day?
What a great interview with this Vietnam Veteran.Thank You for your service.I wish the interview could have lasted longer.Bright Moments Sir.
Very intensel fella - but who can blame him .
As only a 6- year - old , in 1973, I greeted my uncle at the door as he made it back , alive from Vietnam .
He was a gunner in the helicopter.
I have his helmet and his belt and there are so many scrapes on that belt and I just can't imagine the that has befallen him , Micheal Tully .
The trauma, the pain this man has been carrying his whole life.. Good Lord…😢
thank u for ur service,,,, ur a very very brave warrior.
The Marine has to live through the war, then he has to live with it the rest if his life. Thank you Marine for keeping the Communists in Viet Nam when I was three years old.
and he can't kill the communist that live down the street from him today? so sad
All too common
@@mikegleason3754 Say Mike. Did you know that General Electric makes bombs? How come they were eager to send jobs to China? Aren't THEY Communst?
Welcome home sir. Few truly know your story but those who have lived it. You are not alone ,
Semper Fi.
As a child I watched as our troops returned home from that hellish war. It sickened me to see them cursed at and spat on & physically accosted and called names. I couldn't believe treatment they received. To all who served are serving or plan to serve please know you are appreciated & respected & you deserve a true C-I-C who'll have your back. Thank you for your service & I wish nothing but the very best for you & your families & friends. YOU AREN'T FORGOTTEN.
Vets being spat on is an ugly myth. See The Spitting Image: Myth, Memory and the Legacy of Vietnam by Jerry Lembcke. Also see the excellent Education of Corporal John Musgrave about a Vietnam vet who joined the antiwar movement. The people protesting the war were protesting the lying government not the poor guys who got drafted.
Never happened! You as a child saw something that no adult at that time has ever corroborated. It was a hate field fantasy which stated that 'vietnam soldiers coming home were spat upon after disembarking from their airplanes'. It was a lie. And there are reasons that, that narrative was physically impossible. The airplanes returned to military bases at night. No protesters were there, only family members and girlfriends which ran and jumped into their soldiers arms. The military was embarrassed and kept on telling them to stop that.
You read that. You didn’t see it.
@@Jack02517 No. I especially despise the ones in government, Democrats and Republicans, who lied to the American people and sent so many young men to a pointless death or a life of trauma -- not to mention the devastation wreaked on that country.
@@peterpiperthefirst9791 TRUTH
My best to Tony. I hope no one ever has to endure what Tony and many others had to. We must remember what happened in Vietnam and all other wars and really learn from it. Simple aggression driving your vehicle in your day to day life should make you all realize what humans are capable of.
It's happening in Ukraine right now.
@@tonybamber1137yes, a war started by Ukraine and funded by other countries. Ukraine are not the victims.
I agree that this war was is funded by, and was started by people living along way away from Ukraine, but many people of all stripes and religious backgrounds are victims of the war.@@Scotty2hottyYurrrrt
Thank you Tony, and welcome home Marine. My Dad, John E. Currin was in country with 3rd Battalion 26th Marines 68-69. He was a Grunt, just like you. Wounded, 3 purple hearts. I never really got to talk with him about being over there, he understandably never wanted to talk about it except with his fellow Veteran Brothers. I lost my dad in 2016, he died doing what he loved most in life, riding his Harley. Thank you to all who served.
My friend i have had to learn to walk 3 times. I promise for your Dad to take my chopper and remember him for you as I ride to Cape Kennedy.
I'm so sorry you lost your Dad. I lost my Dad, also a Vietnam Vet, in 2015 due to an overworked kid falling asleep at the wheel; hitting my dad first, then my stepmom, while they were riding street bikes on Gulf Shores State Park Road. Still miss him every day.
Respect my friend. Sorry for your loss. Cheers
This man is a fantastic story-teller. The National Archives should interview him for several hours and keep it as part of our national history.
I agree! This man is a treasure.
everytime they talk about it they retraumatize themselves, they relive it again and it digs deeper, talking is not healing unless you can put things to rest and for some that can never be done
Thank you for your service, sir. Your courage is much appreciated.
Thank you for your service, sharing your story and welcome home sir!
This man is intense! You can hear the disgust of everything he witnessed and experienced over there in his storytelling. A hard man that lived a hard life
Yes I can't imagine what he went through over there, I have so much respect for all those guys who sacrificed everything. 🙏🇺🇸
We should not forget about the young Vietnamese
men and women that died defending their country ( more than a million )
We ( the U S ) should NEVER have been there
The war was initiated by a false flag event of an attack on the USS Pueblo The Vietnamese with Ho Chi Ming fought on OUR side against the Japanese in WWll
and the French came back after the war and tried to take their colony ( Vietnam)
back BUT this time the Vietnamese were armed and experienced fighters and defeated the French and a peace treaty was established but the U S ignored the treaty and invaded and our good young men were turned into animals seeking revenge for the loss of their fellow soldiers This happens in every war It is happening again in Ukraine good young men sent to be slaughtered on both sides Civilization does no longer exist here or there Political war 😢
@@thuddreau5444 I have a tendency to agree with you for the most part. Don't try to look for any heroes in the NVA or VC they were every bit of an animal as anyone else.
Vietnam was a political war.
The men and women who served bravely were Patrots. When their nation called they answered. Nobody should ever downplay the bravery of those people who lived and died under the flag of the United States or America. The politicians well there is a special place in he'll for them. Same for the people who profited from that war.
@@thuddreau5444Did you serve in Viet Nam or just read about it?
Hey Tony, thank you for your service, we might have bumped into each other over there, I also was in Delta 1/5, 3 platoon ( third herd ) arrived in country January 1969 Lieutenant Jim Webb was our platoon leader, I remember Liberty bridge, Quang Nam Province, “ Arizona Valley “ thank God we made it back to the “ The World “ Semper Fi Marine
Hotel 2/5 did my time on Liberty bridge, and the road from An Hoa... Semper Fi back at ya
Hi Mike. I'm a former Marine who served in Iraq. I read Jim Webb's "Fields of Fire," and found it to be one of the most influential books I have ever read. What was it like serving under him?
RVN, '66-'67, E/2/1, Every day is a holiday, and every meal is a banquet, back in the "World".
Explain to the people that 1/5 means First Regiment, 5th Battalion (then "company", such as "A" or "B" company). I had a neighbor who was in the "jarheads" (peace time, early 80s) and when I asked him what unit he was in, he would say, "Lima, 3/8", and I had to ask him what that meant.
@@57highland 1/5 means 1st Battalion, 5th Regiment. There are no 5 Battalions in a Marine Regiment only 3. So it would be 1/5, 2/5, 3/5. Then within the Battalion there are companies, typically 4. So something like F 2/5 is Foxtrot Company, 2nd Battalion, 5th Regiment. Further detail would be platoons, which are 1st, 2nd, 3rd or 4th platoon within a company. Hope that straightens it out.
The horrors the survivors endured just very young men. I heart aches for all who gave their life and the struggles the surviving have had to go through returning back to their country and still do.
I for one have the utmost respect for our veterans dead or alive.
But I can't stop listening to their stories and my respect grows with each. God bless you and thank you
Welcome home Sir, and all the rest. RIP for those that ‘Gave It All’, during and after their Service to our Country.
The other people did nothing to your country!? And didn't you watch this???
@@dondamon4669 - Your comment is confusing…to say the least.
Thanks for telling your story. As a Marine vet, I have a massive amount of respect for the men that came before my time. And to those that never did come home physically and mentally.
I liked this man instantly. His vivid descriptions made me cry but his sense of humor is a balance to it. Thank you for your service and for sharing your story.❤️🙏
Interesting and informative. Special thanks to the veteran soldier. Sharing personal information/combat experiences. Making this interview session more authentic and possible. Excellent photography pictures 📷 enabling viewers to better understand what the guest speaker was describing.
I very much appreciate that you aired this episode, it shows the true side to peoples thinking and the effect it may have had on them as they remember. It's not something that is shown that I have seen. No one should judge unless they were there, everyone has a different take on their experience, we all think differently. I'm having to take these episodes a little at a time because they affect me too, I was a Marine trained to do what they did in the mid to late eighties, I was serving under many Marines that had spent time in Viet Nam. Some that must have done something over the top that they couldn't be recognized for that they were allowed to remain in so they could retire. I wouldn't trade that time for anything, it molded me into a person that I'm not embarrassed to be. I see things differently than most people I know. I'll leave it at that.
Thank you. My Dad was infantry was there in 65-66 as an Advisor. Went back in 69 for 14 days and was badly injured by a booby trap. Still has a piece of shrapnel 1/2 inch from his heart. 20’yrs in the Army. I don’t trust our government in any war ( I can’t help it), love the sacrifice and service of all military folks and their families.
I agrre
Cant trust any government
Drafted '67, 14 months in Vietnam. The MIC is alive and well. Pentagon is a business.
As an Air Force Nurse caring for our men in Japan 2 1/2 years & again as Flight Nurse helping them on their last leg home to Dover AFB, I am most certain we should not have been in Viet Nam. I got angry & never set foot in Nam., & don't know how any Nam vets came home in a peaceful state. Sec. Defense McNamara stated before he died ( in 80s), he & Pres. Johnson knew 3 years before we pulled out that all was lost. Then Nixon used it to get re-elected, I'll bring the boys home". He could have done that within 1st year of office. Those evil politicians wasted so many of my generation.
@@carolecarr5210 As a Vietnam vet (drafted), you are spot on. McNamara and Nixon have blood on their hands. Ruthless exploitation to maintain power. "Hey, hey, hey LBJ. How many kids did you kill today". So many died needlessly. I managed to survive but will never escape PTSD. Life was so cheap. Absolutely incredible.
One of the most compelling war experience interviews I've ever heard. Before any politicians start a war they need to watch this man's story.
Politicians should be the first to serve or NO ONE goes.
It's what they get off on.
@@goatface6602 been saying politicians should have to send their kids first.
@@arthurbrumagem3844
Yep, politicians who support a war that requires their fellow countrymen to fight should be required by law to send at least one of their kids (male, female, whatever gender) into combat. If none of their kids are adults at that time then the requirement should be that their kid gets sent into combat as soon as they turn 18 - especially pertinent for wars like Afghanistan that went on for 20 goddamn years.
They need to have skin in the game. They need to be made to directly feel the impact of their decisions.
@@argh2945 👍🇺🇸
Thank you so much for your service, sir.
As senseless as the Vietnam War was, you did your duty as a U.S. citizen and answered the call.
The ones responsible are the ones who will face eternal justice and a legacy of ignorance, unjustified zeal, and complete disregard for human life (Kissinger, POS that he was, may he burn in hell forever).
Henry Kissinger is still alive fyi (he turned 100 in May). I think he should still be arrested for war crimes
@@jakes2872 he did die recently.
Nixon dragged out the war for over 4 years
@jakes2872 Knowing things like that makes me doubt if karma is actually real.
Awesome interview sir,and thank you for service served. God bless you and yours.
The currupt greedy political Hierarchy completely failed the vets serving in Vietnam . Thank you for your service to those who served
Right. Republicans at work...
@@gregtennessee8249 Yup, so many more you can include how,' War is a Racket,'' the US Deep State, etc... PS Just watch, America's Untold Stories,' on who their game is played....
@@gregtennessee8249 What?
@@gregtennessee8249 Harry Truman (Democrat) - re-established French rule in Vietnam, fighting begins in Vietnam. The US funded most of France's war cost.
Dwight D. Eisenhower (Republican) - refused to involve the US in another conflict right after the Korean war. The US continued to send aid to S. Vietnam. By the end of his term, North and South were officially at war.
John F. Kennedy (Democrat) - Was initially against supporting the French. Once he was elected, he sent fighters, helicopters, river boats, etc., authorized the use of napalm and agent orange.
Lyndon B. Johnson (Democrat) - first president to put ground troops in Vietnam. Military draft skyrocketed - 500,000 US troops were now in Vietnam. Johnson was so unpopular that he decided against running for a 2nd term.
Richard Nixon (Republican) - gradually withdrew troops from Vietnam, also escalated bombing raids, including secret bombing of Cambodia. Ended US involvement in Vietnam in 1973, although actual fighting continued until '75.
@@gregtennessee8249
You are showing your character, lying like that.
Welcome home brother👏 Vietnam 70-71 you got your Woking when you arrived. My worst days were the last 2 weeks. We were overran three times during that period and short firefights every day. I just knew I wasn’t going to make it back to the world, but I’m still here raising as much hell as my old can.
Thank you for the amazing interview.
God bless you Tony and all our brave veterans that had endured the horrors of war through the ages.
My dad said very little about what he experienced. He was a patriot and proud of his service. He was buried with military honors, but he didn’t tell me much. What he did tell me was pretty rough. He drank literally until the day he died. He was a quiet man but a good man. Best man I ever met and I miss him every day. Vietnam always reminds me of him. 1st infantry “Big Red One”
Bless your Pops.
This veteran's story is so poingnant and jarring. Thank you sir for your service to this country.
Thank you for all you great Hero have done for me and this great country. RIP TO ALL ALMOST 58,000 SOLDIERS LOST. ❤
I want to invite Mr. Blount to the Marine Corps Birthday as a guest speaker. We'll fly him out to Austin Texas.
Tony is quite a storyteller. He carries immense pain, of course. Thank you to Tony and all veterans that served our country. 🇺🇸
How exactly did he serve your country? Your country had no business in Vietnam, why don't you make a trip there and see the ongoing results of the war. Severely deformed people from the chemicals dumped on the forests. Go through their war museum and see our photos of the horrors. Face up to what you have done. Absolutely defend your country but leave others alone, they were just defending theirs.
@@bobm3477 You should realize how lucky you are that you may never have to be forced to serve in your nation's military against your will.
@Bob Meraw. I understand the trauma of war and what America did to decimate South Vietnam and her people. I also have the right to thank veterans that served based upon their beliefs that they were fighting against communism. We didn’t win, of course.
@@KohalaLover The only problem is that the people in Vietnam voted for communism. The U.S. didn't approve, they wanted the extremely wealthy running the country and a peasant class to do the work. The veterans you speak of were cannon fodder, most didn't want to go. The U.S. want's strong leaders so Kennedy in order to be reelected had to beat up on someone, same as Nixon.
@@KohalaLover We were lied too by our press and our government. South Vietnam governments were all corrupt. Saigon was full of rich Vietnamese kids who never worried about being drafted. Kind of like in the U.S. back then.
Thank you for sharing that. I know it still isn't easy for you. I am the widow of a Vietnam Vet.He died 20 yrs ago this May 3rd. He definitely suffered from PTSD .Thanking you for your service really isn't enough .Just God Bless You.❤
This gentleman is a fantastic story teller and his recollection of detail is amazing. Thank you for sharing
I've recently befriended a Marine Vietnam veteran in our town. He owns a record store and is quite a character. Enlisted ans served 31 years in the Marine Corps, he volunteered for Vietnam. I make it a point to go visit him in his basement record store once or twice a week, always shaking his hand when I arrive and bring friends, often teenagers, whenever possible. The way he talks, his mannerisms and upbeat attitude very closely remind me of Mr Blount here.
Tony, God Bless you man. I was born July, 1953 with a lottery number 39. Got my draft notice in October, 1972 while I was a student at Ole Miss. I road a bus from Oxford, Mississippi to Memphis on a freezing day in November for my physical. I remember walking in to that big room you talked about - no smiling faces there. Long story short - my red green color deficiency may have saved my life - I did not have to serve. I can only barely imagine the horror that you and other young American men went through. What courage Sir. MG
Born in 1963. Watching t.v. and Seeing the silver caskets being unloaded from the planes are some early memories for me. Thanks to all that served!!
Same here. Vietnam is the first news event I remember. My neighbor was killed overthere. His mom was inconsolable. I’m 60 & I remember it like it was yesterday.
My gran father who was a green beret in Vietnam said he seen them load up bricks of heroin in those caskets.
@@oldboyxanliquidrage I've read some of those same stories. It's really disgusting when we think about people profiting from war....
@@rob924egan2 all wars in history have been profited on. The us profits off of all wars.
My father, a WWII veteran, signed my oldest brother out of school in 1967 at 17 to join the Corps. Three tours, 23yrs, retired 1St Sgt. He is an American hero.
Please thank them both (for me) for their service. My father served aboard the U.S.S. Enterprise during Nam.
@Rovingdog628 obviously, you have nothing better to do with your time than to nit-pick how someone refers to a country. I guess that me and countless others who have referred to Vietnam as "Nam" are wrong. Thank you so much for pointing that out. The world is safe now. Are there some kids on your lawn at the moment? You'd better go yell at them. Be sure to tell them that it's a "lawn" and not a "yard" when you do. Prick.
A lot of combat soldiers either cannot or won’t talk about what they went through. At least when they’re sober. I give this guy a lot of credit for putting some reality into what you really think and do in such situations. And he apparently didn’t even shoot anyone that he can confirm. A lot of guys had much more horrible experiences than he did, but those are the ones who don’t talk about it. It seems like the biggest psychological issue they deal with is why they are still alive when so many people they knew died.
The little surviving footage of infantry engagements in Vietnam mostly shows people firing at foliage. I mean obviously they are trying to hit the enemy, but the jungle is so dense it just looks like they're shooting at trees. I can imagine that might mess you up worse because you wouldn't know how many people you actually killed. You see the bodies after a firefight, but who in your unit fired the round that killed them? No way to know and that must be an unsettling feeling
there is no wonder why they are alive and others aren't, their number just wasn't up yet
@@jakeg3733 that and the tunnels that the VC's could get into but most others can't, or that a child could walk up to you and throw a grenade at you or that those who are selling things in the street are those hunting you in the night, it wasn't like two armies each in their uniforms fighting, anyone could be on any side but the soldiers stuck out like beacons.
@@lhl9010 Exactly. They were at a tremendous disadvantage and I can't imagine a year of that life. Our military is paradoxical in that it loves using absurd amounts of firepower, yet hamstrings itself with ROE that many other nations, especially our enemies, don't follow or give a shit about. All the weapons tech means nothing if our guys aren't allowed to use their weapons
Thank you for your service. My dad served with Jimmy Stewart in the 8th AF during WW2....in a B-24 bomb group. Had a lot of praise for him.
He probably avoided the black grunts that were lying on hospital beds with their gut hanging out. Jimmy was a notorious racist.
@@cornpopper4921 He was a highly rated pilot.
Jimmy Stewart's step son, a 2nd Lt. was KIA in Viet Nam. His last name was McClean and was the son of Jimmy's wife from her first marriage.
@@fredmonahan3627 The Air Force and Navy pilots suffered many casualties during the Vietnam war and this was kept low profile. I knew a woman who's first husband was a Navy pilot and was shot down. He was in the unit that Senator McCain was in and they were running seriously low on pilots. I was going to tell her that, but he probably wrote letters to her reassuring her that he was safe.
My father was a tail gunner on a B-24, in the 8th. He ALSO told me that he served under Jimmy. My dad was in late '44 til the end. I don't think that my dad would have lied about it, but when I researched it, the time lines don't seem to add up. Can you shed any light? (PS-Dallas coach Tom Landry was in the 8th too. I'm not a cowboy fan, but, props!)
Thank You for your service, I am a Jr ...dad was there in 68, came home met, married mom adopted my 2 yr old sister and I was born in 71..lost my dad to alcohol in 84 ..he was 38...mom says he came home with Vietnam in tow..Always hoped to maybe meet someone that knew my dad over there..To all that served I thank you
yeah, it is like your shadow, always with you.......forever
I hope Toney reads the comments. God bless him. I glad he could share stories. Man he went through a lot.
So much respect to this channel for letting the Vietnam vets talk and explain themselves, thank you all for your service 🙏🏻🙏🏻🙏🏻
Most people don’t know most of us we’re only 19 when we got to Vietnam!!!!
That's an old myth based on a song.
The average us soldier was 23 years old.
Most casualties were 20 or older.
Served a year in 1965 in country 20 years old. Came home wasn't old enough to buy a beer legally.
@@jimbob465 I can tell you that the majority of guys in my platoon were 18 -20 years old. We did have one or 2 that were 21, 22 , 23 or so. We asked them why they had been sent to Vietnam. We thought they were too old. We even gave them nicknames. "Pops", "old man" ( to a teenager, anyone over 19 was "OLD"), "grandpa", "Gramps"
@@jimbob465 I was 18!!!!!
@@richarddegen6184 So was I for 4 months, till Nov. '66.
My Uncle Tommy fought in Burma during WW2 . He admitted the first time he was shot at in anger he hit the ground and tried digging into the dirt with his nose..
He got shouted at by a more experienced soldier and started fighting back.
By the three years he was a grizzled old soldier of 22 years old with a fanatical hatred of the Japanese and no fear of anything.
My family said he was a carefree young man at 18 and came back like 40 year old with a terrifying stare and no time for fools.
My great uncle was a chin dit , I was told that he launched himself across my nan's dining table when she had some Thai friends visit . He wanted to kill them this was in the 60s , many years after the war .
A juvenile 18 got tough at 22, through the war? Those who were sent at 18 on the frontline were few.
@@truthadvocacyPeople lied about there age,I don't know about American servicemen,but lots of Australian/NZL were way younger than they said...
Thanks for sharing your story and from the bottom of my heart thank you for your service. God bless
What a great narrator this veteran is. Thank you for your bravery and service sir!
Thank you to all who served in Vietnam. You will have my respect as long as I am able.
"...and as I sat there looking at this mangled corpse, of someone that wanted to kill me...and I don't blame him..." Powerful words! The voices of veterans need to be listened to so much more than voices of politicians.
Well done. And well done Tony and his friends and fellow soldiers. He still has so much pain. Yet he has hope and gratitude coming from his words.
Thank you for your service Sir. I too am a veteran but I'm in Australia, Middle East, first ashore in Timor 99, a couple other conflicts. I hear you in regards to your experiences my friend. Please know your service and you as a person is so valued my friend
One of the hardest things to learn to do after spending a tour in Vietnam in the jungles was to come back home and put a false smile on your face. The pain of that conflict runs deep to the bone for Vets who came under fire.
No one said you had to smile.
It’s good they shot JFK he started that hell
Thank you for your service Tony, your faith, and sharing. My son is a Marine. One of my best friends saw heavy action in Vietnam, he suffers from agent orange now. Destroyed his heart.
Agent orange? Water at Camp Lejeune? Our government is INCOMPETENT and should not be leading.
I am following Jesus. To hell with this government
My dad was there then also, as a marine sergeant . he got back and told us almost nothing, we were way too young.
for all i know he was at times right next to this guy, our house was a partial nightmare because of it all , way too much ptsd. my brothers and sister would would shudder if we accidently let a door swing open or closed and make contact that made noise, waiting for dad's frightening loud reaction we walked on so many eggshells. life was so different back then, these war trauma's destroy normal connections with their kids - my mom saved us from the insanity by being the stable one with so much love in her heart that it even calmed him - at times
Thank You for Your service---Thank You for sharing your experiences Most think war only happens to other people who are brave-And fear will not overtake them or their lives! Listening to stories you tell with exactness and honestly humanly possible brings truth to the horrors one experiences during "War".
i was da nang 70-71 and have the highest respect for the Marines and all the grunts in the bush. I think it was MAG 11 and MAG 17 that were billeted around our comm. center. Glad to see you are at peace with the war. Thank you one and all for your service.
he is more than likely not at peace with the war
My husband was drafted into the army at 18, landed in country April 15th of ‘68… he told me comparable stories. Horrific things. Atrocious things. He was an RTO, bounced all over the place. Saw lots of action, lots of death, but I don't think he was as traumatized as this fellow; he knew it was going to be ghastly. He had already lived a violently ghastly life full of trauma for 18 years. I guess it hits some harder than others. I hope this man finds some peace🙁
Yeah it hits harder for some. My brother grew up in the hood of Los Angeles and lived through the LA riots. He served in Operations Iraqi freedom and was in Fallujah too and Kandahar in Afghanistan. He still pretty normal but changed a bit after the deployments, he doesn't feel comfortable around crowds of people and has the sleepless nights but that's it. He has friends that are more f'd up than him. My brother can still function in everyday life.
From My Heart To You Sir, I Thank You For Your Testimonial, As A Non Service Person Something's Said Go Overhead, Still There's Enough To See A Picture Of Trauma In Mindview, My Condolences For Your Losses, My Prayer For God's Mercy and Grace Over All Vets and Service Personnel Conscripted Or Volunteer, We Salute You All, And Continue To Pray For The Day When War Becomes Obsolete And Men Can Rise Above This Primate Attribute Retained Avarice! Salute! Peace! 🙏🏾🔥🙏