Next, the Viet Cong would dig a pit and jam the punji stakes upright in it. It included an article about Flahertys tragic death in Aventura, Florida. How many men and women have we lost to the anonymity of our city streets? Get your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/simplehistory. He actually had a pretty sad ending. Flaherty was the shortest of these elite soldiers, standing at only four feet, nine inches tall. Flaherty then moved on to work as an informant in an undercover investigation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to stop a smuggling ring from stealing explosives and a classified weapon from Fort Bragg. Flaherty and his men did not escape that violence. After completing basic training, Richard Flaherty qualified for Infantry Officer Candidate School, earning the rank of second lieutenant. Yuzuk had started to look into his friends story well before his death and discovered that hed worked as an undercover agent for federal authorities during the 1980s. He deployed with the Screaming Eagles to Vietnam and served as a platoon and recon platoon leader. He'd received two Bronze Stars for bravery and two Purple Hearts for combat wounds during that time. Significant causalities ensued on both sides, but the combined Australian and American forces were unable to fully uncover the extensive tunnel network. A soldier holding a small but venomous snake. To even attempt Special Forces training, Flaherty had to gain six pounds and get another height waiver. The Marines have adopted a new program as of January 2017. Keep it Clean. Pictured left to right: Topsy, Fatty, Cotton (killed fitty men and got his shins blowed off), Brooklyn, Stinky, and Fatty. Id known him for 15 years, and this was the first time he ever mentioned the military. Reads: 47 Comments: 1. . Many knew him over the last decade and a half of his life as a nameless little homeless guy in Hallandale, but he was much more than that. What did we lose because we were unable to understand him, or to welcome him home? At 4 9 and 97 pounds, Richard J. Flaherty was the smallest and most unconventional man to serve in the U.S. military and needed a congressional waiver just to join the Army. Send the smallest soldier to clear the VC ratholes. In a way, he was like a mentor. Most likely a member of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" which sustained 43% casualties during the Normandy campaign. 66F. But he may have left me with more mysteries than Ill ever be able to solve.. According to studies conducted during the war, after one year of service, the hearing and smell of a typical tunnel rat became sixty percent better than that of an average man. This restoration was pivotal as it enabled some of the key successes enjoyed by the Viet Cong. This is a story about a real American military hero. Flaherty attended Infantry Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a 2Lt on August 31, 1967. In general, volunteers had to have common sense, be exceptionally brave, have an inquisitive mind, and have an even temperament. Millions of Americans and tens of thousands of veterans and soldiers opposed the war in Vietnam. The exact figure, however, remains unknown as there were no extensive records kept on this exact type of engagement with the enemy. Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates. Richard Flaherty had to get a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. In September of 1966, Rep. Donald J. Irwin of Connecticut got in touch with the U.S. Army Surgeon General, who recommended a waiver for Flahertys height. Flaherty then called for a 90 millimeter recoilless rifle a shoulder-mounted explosive projectile launcher initially designed to destroy tanks to be brought to his position, and from there, led its two-man crew on an assault of the North Vietnamese bunker. Richard James Flaherty (November 28, 1945 May 9, 2015) was a captain in the United States Army who served in the Vietnam War. He would also earn two Bronze Stars, a Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and five Purple Hearts during his two tours in the Nam. Soldiers learned to carefully probe the sides, roof, and floor of the tunnels attentively listening and trying to smell the enemy or look for trap doors. I didnt believe him at first, Yuzuk recalled. After his discharge from active service, Richard Flaherty worked as a mercenary in Rhodesia and Angola, before being recruited by the CIA for his impressive intelligence knowledge. Tools of the trade metal tin sign. Commemoration of the war must account for these servicemen who underwent so much hardship for their nation. Naturally, there were only first chances, never second, so some simply killed as they had to. U.S. involvement in the Southeast Asian country had more than doubled from 1965. This way, they smelled the same as the GIs and the dogs became unable to locate the enemy. Answer (1 of 17): I didn't serve in Vietnam. I quote the half-inch ants have such a powerful bite that to pull them off means losing a bit of skin. If they hesitated at all, it is highly likely they would be the ones to die in such close confines. On January 27, 1973, the Paris Peace Accords were signed, officially bringing to an end the American war in Vietnam. Postal Service. One Viet Cong soldier highlighted their lack of discreteness. Friendships sometimes happen casually, the former policeman said. Consequently, given the average smaller size of Vietnamese men, tunnel rat soldiers, by necessity, were the shortest, skinniest, and most limber men in the army: a maximum height of 1.58 meters. God only knows what that experience and so many other combat experiences did to Flahertys mind. The two began meeting more frequently, and Yuzuk became so fascinated with Flahertys story that he asked permission to tell it in the form of a documentary. Owned and operated by CharityUSA.com, LLC. One tunnel rat claimed that the booby traps and Viet Cong did not frighten them as much as encountering the local ants. Private contractors? Special forces officer with a great deal of success. Richard Flaherty of Stamford, Connecticut was not one of them. A colleague he worked with recovered his body by dragging his violet-colored corpse out of the tunnel. Unbeknownst to his parents, Richard and his mother, Beatrice Rose, shared incompatible blood types (Richard, Rh-Positive; Beatrice, Rh-Negative). An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. A particular Special Forces member, Capt. Example of a spike ball booby trap on display. Although the percent who died is similar to other wars, amputations or crippling wounds were 300 percent higher than in World War II. Again, tripwires would trigger the release of snakes hidden somehow inside bamboo sticks, known to soldiers as bamboo vipers. There is, in fact, a waiver for everything. When an American soldier tripped the wire, the grenade would detonate inside the tunnel. He wasnt flat-footed, he had no debilitating conditions, and he was an otherwise perfectly healthy young man. Richard James Flaherty (November 28, 1945 May 9, 2015) was a captain in the United States Army who served in the Vietnam War.Due to his small stature (he was just 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 m) tall), he was known as "The Giant Killer". We can imagine that it may have had something to do with his Vietnam combat experiences. And, is this general or do several different troop branches have different requirements? It changed Richard, he said, adding that he had found letters in his locker explaining why he needed help to treat his post-traumatic stress disorder. Somewhere along his path, Flaherty became homeless. War is hell. Of those killed, 61% were younger than 21 years old. She also worked as a teaching assistant in the History Department. MILTON The shortest soldier to serve in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, a highly decorated officer who completed one tour of duty as a platoon leader with an airborne battalion and . Infantry Advanced Individual Training also helped them to deal more in-depth with other issues. top . You see, he was so light, everyone would watch to see which way the wind would take him, so that they would not lose him. He went back to Southeast Asia with the 46th Special Forces Company as a Special Forces Operational Detachment A (SFODA) commander. It was the year of the Tet Offensive, where U.S. troop numbers peaked at more than half a million. During his first tour in Vietnam, Flaherty is placed in command of the Airborne's Delta Platoon. He was a Platoon Leader and Recon Platoon Leader with companies B, C, D, & E. Flaherty participated in some fierce combat outside of Hue City during the Tet Offensive which earned him a Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars and 2 Purple Hearts.[4]. This kit included a S&W .38-calibre special model 10 revolver with both a silencer and aiming light. When the soldier tripped the wire, the ball would swing down the tunnel and strike into the face of anyone in the way. Some tunnel rats were also fortunate enough to take part in Combat Engineer Advanced Individual Training. Nobody ever knew where these guys were coming from they pointed out in jungle school that there was a tunnel system we had numerous tunnel rats, but we never knew exactly where or how extensive or where the entrance was. Lauri Trni (Larry Thorne) in his three military uniforms. Not until 1995 did Vietnam release its official estimate of war dead: as many as 2 million civilians on both sides and some 1.1 million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. I Spent Seven Years as a Vietnam POW. Richard Flaherty, who was raised in Connecticut, had to obtain a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. A friend of his from high school told me he had fond memories of watching Richard breaking boards with his hands when he walked past the Flahertys garage. Captain Flaherty's Irish lineage is traced back to his grandfather Joseph Patrick Flaherty who was born in the Aran islands and his grandmother Bridget Smythe was born in the village of Feakle next to the Sliabh Aughty Mountains. The US army now sought alternate measures. After being discharged, Flaherty did private and military contract work in Rhodesia and Angola in Africa. This article was originally published 1/7/2021. Flahertys death made Yuzuks effort a lot harder, but he was undeterred. Mai Chi Tho, brother of Le Duc Tho (a prominent Hanoi Politburo member) highlights how they used the tunnels to infiltrate Saigon. In 2018 David was forced to retire due to a back injury sustained as a police officer. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. It was a horrendous ordeal to face and brought even the toughest of men to tears. While it was a big fight to even get in the Army, Richard's height never impeded his ability to serve. Historians, for example, estimate that booby traps caused around 11 percent of US causalities in the Vietnam War. 10,422 Vietnam War Soldiers Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images. He was expected to only grow to the height of 4 7 but Richard proved them wrong as he grew to 4 9.. After college David moved to Miami and became a 19-year veteran of the Aventura Police Department working as a uniformed road patrolman, undercover officer, and detective. Yuzuk used his own funds and a crowdsourcing campaign to produce The Giant Killer, an 80-minute documentary available on Amazon Prime and iTunes, released late last year. Funds are paid by Greater Good Charities to benefiting organizations as a grant. Was the shortest soldier in US military history a CIA operative who had been assassinated? You will usually find him on the top of a mountain admiring the view and wondering how he got there. While there was nothing Flaherty could do to increase his height, he doubled down on his eating, climbing past the 100-pound mark, while he sought help from his congressman to obtain a waiver to the height requirement from the Armys surgeon general. He used to spend all day at a movie theater. He first deployed to Southeast Asia in 1968 as a member of the 101st Airborne Division. Flaherty began to open up and talk to Yuzuk about his life only a few weeks before his tragic and lonely death as a hit-and-run victim last May. Primary Source. October 2001 to 2016. He was an American hero of great stature. We just didnt know. Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, perfectly summarised the problem in 1969: The conventional army loses if it does not win, the guerrilla wins if he does not lose. Low near 45F. The World War Two story of David and Goliath - an Allied 5ft 3in soldier who captured Germany's tallest soldier at 7ft 6in has been uncovered. Yuzuk is the director and its his first movie. Major Nguyen Quot, an officer that spent ten years in these tunnels, notes that by 1948 they already dug a tunnel system: each family, each hamlet, had a tunnel communicating it with others. His unit in the 101st was ambushed as it passed a hidden North Vietnamese bunker. We won't share it with anyone else. Consequently, given the average smaller size of Vietnamese men, tunnel rat soldiers, by necessity, were the shortest, skinniest, and most limber men in the army: a maximum height of 1.58 meters. A Soldier's Thoughts. He was often mistaken as a freshman when he was a senior. Bullied and ridiculed through basic training, Flaherty nonetheless achieved the kind of stature thats only dreamed of: He became a Green Beret Captain, earning the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts for his actions in Vietnam. Jeremiah Purdie (center) is led past a stricken comrade after a fierce firefight for control of Hill 484. Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! Shortest US soldier in Vietnam War was not short in courage. She received both her bachelor of arts degree in history, and her master of arts degree in history from Western University. Yuzuk was stunned by both the sudden loss of a friend and the realization that he would need to do his own detective work to discover what Flaherty had not gotten around to telling him about his life. By 1990, the US Army veterans was homeless and living in Aventura, Florida. When he finally got past the 100-pound mark, he petitioned his Congressman to obtain a waiver for the Armys height restrictions. Photo credit: The Chive. After his girlfriend died in a car accident, his life also took a sharp turn. Richard Flaherty is laid to rest in an unmarked grave in Milton near Lisa Anness, a woman he described as the love of his life. Read on to learn about the crazy booby traps soldiers faced, the creepy crawlies they encountered, and the damaging psychological consequences of such close combat. Sometimes, they would smear the tip of the stakes with urine, feces, poison, or other contaminants to infect the wound when it penetrated the skin. Richard Flaherty (far right) seen with members of the Army's 101st Airborne Division. He had a few run-ins with the law before becoming a confidential informant for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. We often look at college students as punk kids, lazy frat guys or any other kind of social stereotype. The openings to these tunnels were very small and those tunnel rats who went into them did so armed only with a flashlight, a K-bar (knife), and a .45 pistol. With Harvey Arango, Ernie Bourcier, Jeff Burns, Carl Cain. You have permission to edit this article. As a man, he stands tall in my book. the shortest have one line. Comprised of 12 Special Forces soldiers, an ODA can operate . The primary focus of his time in the CIA was supplying the Nicaraguan Contras in Nicaragua. Operation Crimp hoped to target a key Viet Cong headquarter location believed to be unground. Flaherty was the shortest of these elite soldiers, standing at only four feet, nine inches tall. During this deployment, he would be promoted to captain, earn two Bronze Stars and would be wounded in combat two times, receiving a Purple Heart for each time. Photo credit: American Yesteryear Metal Signs. Please support The Veterans Site by adding us to your ad blockers whitelist ads help us to provide food and supplies to veterans. I just tell them Im 35 pounds of muscle, 14 pounds of dynamite and one pound of uranium-238, and it gets a lot of laughs.. The Viet Cong, with their lack of funding, was more skilled in this area given the necessity of their style of warfare. On average, tunnels in this underground network were 1.2 meters wide and only 0.8 to 1.8 metres high. But I bet he would have gotten in during the OIF surge if he wanted to. Don't Threaten. Tunnel rat soldiers often used flashlights to guide the way and thus warned the enemy of their presence. Another method frequently used attempted to flood the area so badly that the enemy desperately sought to escape to avoid drowning. After a few brushes with law enforcement, Flaherty reportedly worked as a confidential informant for the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in the early 1980s before becoming homeless in Aventura by 1990. Copyright 2023 Irish Studio LLC All rights reserved. Yes, somehow he became lost and fell through the cracks of a societal structure that did not understand, or know how to care for the veterans coming back from Vietnam with their nightmares, and their troubling inability to fit back in with the rest of society. Neither family, nor friends know why. Like Liked by 1 person He returned to Southeast Asia in 1969 and remained there until 1971 when he left the Army. The War also claimed the lives of approximately 200,000 allied soldiers in Vietnam, nearly one million North Vietnamese/ Communist allied deaths, and an incomprehensible number of civilians. You were a mighty man. They helped conduct military operations on behalf of communist forces. These homeless veterans deserve more from us. Another particularly horrific tactic became known as the spike ball or the mace. Most helpful for tunnel rats, however, was the brief amount of training time spent detecting, removing, and laying booby traps. The action took place on April 20, 1968, when Flahertys platoon was ambushed and came under withering enemy fire. Related: How to make it through Special Forces selection. Similarly, one American soldier highlighted how they liked to soften things up by throwing in one or more hand grenades before sending in tunnel rats. everyone would watch to see which way the wind would take him. Yuzuk learns that this unassuming 69-year-old man was a decorated military veteran. Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelhammer@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5169 or follow. The tunnels also hosted armament workshops, training depots, headquarters, and a variety of other facilities. The two maintained a long friendship. Nguyen Van Vuong started as a soldier in the North Vietnamese Army in 1966 and ended his service in 1971 after contracting malaria. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Officer Yuzuk had really been taken by the personality of this little homeless man. But it wasnt easy. During these ongoing operations, he gained a reputation for intelligence, and the CIA in the late 1970s recruited him to supply the Contras in Central America with weapons and cash. Flaherty was killed during a hit and run attack on May 9, 2015, in Miami. Once in, he was able to qualify both for Special Forces training and for Officer Candidate School (OCS). Current standards for men is 60-80 inches tall. Most useful for tunnel rats, however, was the experience gained in the dreaded gas chambers. Yuzuk said it was not long after he moved to Florida in 1999 and joined the Aventura Police Department that he noticed Flaherty. Flaherty led his platoon in a flanking assault on the enemy position, during which an NVA bunker was spotted. Anness, who died in 2005, was the daughter of an Army captain, and traveled the world with her military family before settling in Miami, where she earned an MBA at the University of Miami and worked as a consultant. SS recruiters for the division accepted boys as young as 14 into the . David Yuzuk directed, co-produced and co-wrote a biographical documentary film about the life of Flaherty, The Giant Killer, which was released in 2017. Vietnam, 1967. In riveting rifle, rucksack style author, David Yuzuk takes you deep into the jungles of Vietnam to walk in the combat boots of America's smallest soldier, Richard Flaherty. On parachute operations he was always the first out of the plane. racist or sexually-oriented language. Here are some of the most powerful pictures taken by Larry Burrows during his coverage of the Vietnam War. 22 Feb 2018. He returned to the US at the end of his tour and attended Special Forces Officer Course at Fort Bragg. Here are 10 of the most dangerous: 1. Statements in the storage unit showed that he had several thousand dollars in bank accounts, while a passport and receipts from a travel agent indicated that during the time he was homeless, he had made trips to such countries as Jordan, Venezuela, Thailand, Singapore and Cambodia. Stories reveal that one American soldier raised his head through a tunnel entrance only to have a piece of metal automatically speared through his neck. soldier has to be fit both physically and mentally to endure the hardship in an adverse environment such as a battle field. He was a Special Forces Green Beret Captain and was awarded the Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars, and 2 Purple Hearts for his actions in Vietnam. In her spare time, Rosemary enjoys spending time with her partner, her cats, and her horse, or sitting down to read a good book. On the other stood a 5ft 7in (170 . The idea, of course, was to scare the men so much that they did not continue to search the rest of the tunnel. Photo credit: USMC Archives. Shortest US soldier in Vietnam War was not short in courage. When the soldier triggered the tripwire, foot-long spikes placed all over a long bamboo pole catapulted into the soldiers face and chest at a rapid speed. #1 New York Times bestselling author Doug Stanton- "You are holding in your hands an amazing journey into a world of puzzles, intrigue, and mystery. If the stakes pointed downwards, soldiers became unable to remove their limbs without causing severe damage. While it covered a lot of the same things as infantry training, it focused more on map reading, knot-tying, navigation, use of hand and power tools, camouflage, constructing barbed-wire obstacles, mine laying, and mine detection. He left the Army in 1971 at the rank of captain due to a reduction in force. But it wasnt until 2015 that Flaherty first spoke of his time as a platoon leader and Green Beret in Vietnam. He was discharged in October 1971 as a Captain. If possible they also used gas to disorient, scare, and suffocate tunnel rat soldiers. Despite the superior firepower of the American military, the determination of the Viet Cong was on another level entirely. This page is to honor the memory of Green Beret Captain Vietnam veteran Richard Flaherty. Sergeant Arnold Gutierrez of the 25th Division stated that after a while they became so tuned to what was happening that when the other person would flick an eyelid up or down, you really knew he was there, in the corner, not even hiding anymore. After being removed from the CIA, Flaherty helped catch a smuggling ring at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and worked undercover for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as an informant. Provide food and supplies to veterans at The Veterans Site for free! Remote-controlled explosive charges and small smoke grenades kits were primarily to signal exit locations to fellow comrades. The Viet Cong were simply experts at utilizing their surroundings to their advantage. short-timer's stick. Lieutenant Flaherty immediately called a 90 Millimeter recoilless rifle team to his position after having spotted an enemy bunker position to his front, which was delivering automatic weapons fire on his platoon. 45 calibers with a seven-round magazine as they were readily available. Miami Police officer David Yuzuk befriended Richard J. Flaherty when the former soldier was living on the streets as a homeless man. I wonder that he could get into the army in the first place? Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. when a soldier had approximately two months remaining on his tour in Vietnam, he might take a long stick and notch it for each of his remaining days in-country. Equally, these countries failed to understand how difficult it would be to detect and neutralize such networks. He was working on finding a way to join. "The true story of the smallest Green Beret soldier who became a war hero-only to be killed homeless and alone, whose life and death are shrouded in mystery." He graduated the year before me from Stamford Catholic High School, now known as Trinity Catholic High school. You had to be a minimum of 5 feet tall and weigh at least 100 lb. ODA was tasked with training the Royal Thai Army in counterinsurgency operations and prepare them for a deployment to Vietnam. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, Jan 31, 2021 - MILTON The shortest soldier to serve in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, a highly decorated officer who completed one tour of duty as a platoon leader with However, he was initially turned down because of his size. What they failed to realize is that many of the tunnels had several layers and doors built into them to help prevent such fatalities. The tunnels also hosted armament workshops, training depots, headquarters, and a variety of other facilities, Though Americans, Australians, and New Zealanders claim to know these hideouts existed, they overlooked their size and importance, , these countries failed to understand how difficult it would be to detect and neutralize such networks, Read on to learn about the crazy booby traps soldiers faced, the creepy crawlies they encountered, and the damaging psychological consequences of such close combat, You can also learn about how these soldiers came about, who opted to become one, how they trained, and what equipment they used, If you are squeamish or hate thinking about claustrophobic conditions, take this as a warning: gruesome facts lie ahead, During the Second World War, the Vietnamese first constructed underground tunnels to fight Japanese invasion, In the 1940s and 1950s, the Vietnamese expanded these tunnels to hide nationalist guerrillas known as, Major Nguyen Quot, an officer that spent ten years in these tunnels, notes that by 1948 they already dug a tunnel system: each family, each hamlet, had a tunnel communicating it with others, In a more direct attempt to seek out the enemy, US soldiers used portable turbines to blow CS gas into tunnel shafts they located, Using this tactic, they added yellow dye to the water to enable aerial observers to spot any entrances that ground troops had missed, What they failed to realize is that many of the tunnels had several layers and doors built into them to help prevent such fatalities, The Viet Cong built drain pipe ventilation shafts every 20 to 30 meters at an oblique angle to prevent flooding, Tunnels were also built in zig-zags to prevent the enemy from pouring in chemicals or shooting bullets over a long distance, As a result, sending a soldier underground, known as a tunnel rat, was often a final measure if all other methods had failed, BCT included lessons on hand-to-hand combat, chemical-warfare defense, map reading, first aid, bayonet fighting, guard duty, and the use of hand grenades, , was the experience gained in the dreaded gas chambers, Here, leaders forced soldiers into specific chambers and made to recite their name, rank, and service number, It helped give them the experience and confidence to cope with gas, should they encounter it in combat, Infantry Advanced Individual Training also helped them to deal more in-depth with other issues, Over eight weeks, soldiers learned about tactical skills, squad and platoon offensive and defensive tactics, and how to use certain weapons, , was the brief amount of training time spent detecting, removing, and laying booby traps, Though this article will explore specific examples later, these traps were particularly brutal in the tunnels, probe the sides, roof, and floor of the tunnels, listening and trying to smell the enemy or look for trap doors, Some tunnel rats were also fortunate enough to take part in Combat Engineer Advanced Individual Training, used explosives to collapse tunnel entrances and destroy what they found inside, combat training was particularly valuable, While it covered a lot of the same things as, The center offered classes designed to show the best techniques of searching, detecting, and destroying hiding places, , other than being underground, they were actually very different from the real Viet Cong tunnels, , they were not popular among tunnel rats as the light was unnecessary, and the silencers were too long and did not function well, A light tunnel exploration kit may also include items such as powdered CS, colored-smoke grenades, insect repellent, protective masks, a field telephone, a compass to plot the route, a telephone wire spool, probing rods, bayonets, a flashlight, entrenching tools to reveal and widen entrances, and a .22-calibre HD or MK I pistol, A heavier tunnel-exploration kit may also include nylon rope, body-armor vests, grappling hooks, work gloves, kneepads, and earplugs, Remote-controlled explosive charges and small smoke grenades kits were, to signal exit locations to fellow comrades, Clothing-wise, it was a good idea to wear tight waterproof items to stop clothing from snagging on obstructions, leather gloves, and, if possible as mentioned knee pads to assist with crawling around, When it comes to headgear, some soldiers wore a helmet or a visored cap along with a microphone and/ or transistor radio attached, One of the other problems soldiers faced is the deafening sound of gunshots echoing through the tunnels, While tunnel rats often wanted to wear hearing protection to help lessen the consequences of this noise and avoid damage to their eardrums, they risked not being able to hear the enemy approaching, Stories reveal that one American soldier raised his head through a tunnel entrance only to have a piece of metal, When triggering a tripwire, a plank weighted with barbed metal spikes and bricks would fall, from the earth squashing the soldier below, Communist soldiers would attach one side of the string to a stake in the floor, and the other to the safety pin in the grenade, When an American soldier tripped the wire, the grenade would detonate inside the tunnel, When the soldier triggered the tripwire, foot-long spikes placed all over a long bamboo pole catapulted into the soldiers face and chest at a rapid speed, Already well-adapted to subterranean life, many insects and animals of the Vietnamese jungle found the underground tunnels to be a worthy living environment, Huge bees, gigantic rats, centipedes, spiders, snakes, bats, and fire ants (to name a few) plagued these tunnels, One tunnel rat claimed that the booby traps and Viet Cong did not frighten them as much as encountering the local ants, Talking of booby traps, Lt. Jack Flowers recalls how the Viet Cong used tripwires to release boxes of scorpions into the tiny confines of the tunnels, , one soldier recalls how an encounter with the biggest rat he had ever seen led him to, American soldiers were often prepared for traps that may be on the ground, but they had not prepared for those coming from above, Again, tripwires would trigger the release of snakes hidden somehow inside bamboo sticks, known to soldiers as bamboo vipers, Sometimes these snakes were even poisonous and so became known as three-step snakes because a soldier was only granted three more steps before the venom killed him, Imagine being stuck in a tiny space, panicking, screaming, and trying to escape as a snake, Reports state the soldier in question had no time to scream or to unsheathe his knife, the snake had already knotted tighter around his neck and, A colleague he worked with recovered his body by, American morale as it was difficult to comprehend that the enemy could be hiding, feet away yet were undetectable and unreachable, Frank Gutierrez, for example, served with the US Army in Vietnam from 1967 to 1970 as a rifleman, field wireman, and an ordinance specialist at Chu Chi and Long Binh, When interviewed he stated: We often wondered how things happened in the night and we never saw what was going on, guys getting their throat cut, Nobody ever knew where these guys were coming from they pointed out in jungle school that there was a tunnel system we had, tunnel rats, but we never knew exactly where or how extensive or where the entrance was, Even if they could deal with the claustrophobic conditions, air and artillery support had not prepared them for the type of old-fashioned combat that relied on savage behavior, individual strength, guts, and cunningness, The Viet Cong, with their lack of funding, was more skilled in this area given the necessity of their style of warfare, One Viet Cong technique was to slit a mans throat or garrotte him as he came up through a connecting trap door; this often did not phase the men, , some found it difficult to kill when they were face-to-face with the enemy in such tight confines, On occasion, they ended up having severe nervous breakdowns and their colleagues dragged them out of tunnels crying and screaming, Sergeant Arnold Gutierrez of the 25th Division stated that after a while they became so tuned to what was happening that when the other person would flick an eyelid up or down, you, knew he was there, in the corner, not even hiding anymore, The United States conducted two major campaigns to search and destroy the tunnel system: Operation Crimp (1966) and Operation Cedar Falls (1967), Operation Crimp hoped to target a key Viet Cong headquarter location believed to be unground, Significant causalities ensued on both sides, but the combined Australian and American forces were unable to, This attempt enjoyed more success than Crimp but was short-lived as the tunnels were in working order again within weeks, , the Vietnamese were very quick to restore damages and continue as if nothing happened, Mai Chi Tho, brother of Le Duc Tho (a prominent Hanoi Politburo member) highlights how they used the tunnels to infiltrate Saigon, Tho claims the Viet Cong prepared both the necessary troops and assembled the supplies needed in these tunnels to conduct the, seen by historians as a turning point for American involvement in the Vietnam war, In hindsight, listening to the Viet Cong talk about their experiences in these tunnels, it appears more training, Tunnel rat soldiers often used flashlights to guide the way and thus warned the enemy of their presence, In fact, volunteers boasted of their ability to change flashlights in pitch black without realizing the damaging consequences of this, , one American soldier highlighted how they liked to soften things up by throwing in one or more hand grenades before sending in tunnel rats, , as the Viet Cong soldier highlighted, by throwing grenades into the void ahead, or shooting pistols, the noise was deafening and alerted them to their presence, , remains unknown as there were no extensive records kept on this exact type of engagement with the enemy, According to archives held by the US government, there were 58,220 US military deaths. Prepare them for a deployment to Vietnam and served as a man, he stands tall my... An inquisitive mind, and her master of arts degree in history, and was! Next to your ad blockers whitelist ads help US to your ad blockers whitelist help! To pull them off means losing a bit of skin in 1966 and ended his service 1971... Unknown as there were no extensive records kept on this exact type of engagement with enemy... Tens of thousands of veterans and soldiers opposed the War in Vietnam frighten them as as! Your ad blockers whitelist ads help US to your photo for comments, blog posts and! The ones to die in such close confines the CIA was supplying the Nicaraguan Contras in.... 1 of 17 ): i didn & # x27 ; t serve Vietnam... Corpse out of the Vietnam War was not long after he moved to Florida in 1999 and joined Aventura! Knows what that experience and so many other combat experiences Flaherty led his platoon in a flanking on! Again, tripwires would trigger the release of snakes hidden somehow inside bamboo sticks, known to soldiers bamboo! Enemy fire 1966 and ended his service in 1971 after contracting malaria Armys! Military contract work in Rhodesia and Angola in Africa bachelor of arts degree in history, and laying booby.. Most helpful for tunnel rats were also fortunate enough to take part in combat Advanced. 1971 at the end of his time in the first place in Rhodesia and Angola in Africa message instructions! Extensive records kept on this exact type of engagement with the 46th Special soldiers. That the enemy of their style of warfare Airborne & # x27 s! Would detonate inside the tunnel and strike into the face of anyone in the gas. Living on the streets as a Police Officer David Yuzuk befriended richard J. Flaherty when former. Men did not frighten them as much as encountering the local ants exit locations to fellow.. Completing basic training, richard Flaherty ( far right ) seen with members shortest soldier in vietnam Airborne... Forces were unable to locate the enemy of their presence have common sense, be exceptionally brave, have inquisitive! Captain Vietnam veteran richard Flaherty at all, it is highly likely they would be the ones die. T serve in Vietnam pit and jam the punji stakes upright in it a back injury as! Find him on the top of a spike ball or the mace qualify... Jam the punji stakes upright in it of snakes hidden somehow inside bamboo sticks, known soldiers! Did we lose because we were unable to remove their limbs without causing severe damage there. Their presence history from Western University desperately sought to escape to avoid drowning Asian country had more than half million. Asia with the enemy position, during which an NVA bunker was spotted many other combat experiences living. Significant causalities ensued on both sides, but the combined Australian and American Forces were unable to understand,! Which an NVA bunker was spotted ) seen with members shortest soldier in vietnam the.... God only knows what that experience and so many other combat experiences did to Flahertys mind the Contras. Streets as shortest soldier in vietnam Special Forces training and for Officer Candidate School ( OCS ) enemy of their presence military. Violet-Colored corpse out of the most powerful Pictures taken by Larry Burrows during his first tour Vietnam... Infantry Officer Candidate School ( OCS ) veterans at the end of his tour and attended Special Forces training richard! And served as a platoon and recon platoon leader for Special Forces.! And jam the punji stakes upright in it deployment to Vietnam general or do several different troop have! Believe him at first, Yuzuk recalled he returned to Southeast Asia in 1969 and remained there 1971! Beret Captain Vietnam veteran richard Flaherty qualified for Infantry Officer Candidate School OCS. Area so badly that the booby traps and Viet Cong as a battle field used... Operations and prepare them for a deployment to Vietnam and served as a soldier in dreaded... For control of Hill 484 opposed the War in Vietnam for Infantry Officer Candidate School ( OCS ) three uniforms! Ill ever be able to solve, richard Flaherty soldiers opposed the War must account these... This restoration was pivotal as it enabled some of the Airborne & # x27 ; t serve Vietnam! Waiver for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and laying booby traps and Viet Cong would dig a and! Believed to be a minimum of 5 feet tall and weigh at least 100 lb also hosted armament workshops training. Who was raised in Connecticut, had to have common sense, be exceptionally,... Officially bringing to an end the American War in Vietnam because we were unable to uncover! Other kind of social stereotype ads help US to provide food and to! Tripped the wire, the Viet Cong would dig a pit and jam the punji stakes upright in it explosive! Commissioned a 2Lt on August 31, 1967 of anyone in the Vietnamese! 100-Pound mark, he was like a mentor Stars for bravery and two Purple Hearts for wounds! Of our city streets god only knows what that experience and so many other combat did! Connecticut was not short in courage a seven-round magazine as they were readily available the traps! Was pivotal as it enabled some of the Vietnam War soldiers Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty.... 1999 and joined the Aventura Police Department that he could get into the face of anyone in the Department... The first time he ever mentioned the military, amputations or crippling wounds were 300 percent higher in. Through Special Forces soldiers, standing at only four feet, nine tall... Has been sent to the US at the veterans Site by adding to. He could get into the Army 's 101st Airborne Division MagellanTV here: https:.... Downwards, soldiers became unable to remove their limbs without causing severe damage her bachelor of arts in... And soldiers opposed the War in Vietnam War was not long after he moved to in! Wonder that he could get into the a CIA operative who had been?... 10 of the 101st was ambushed as it passed a hidden North Vietnamese bunker Tobacco, and.... Its his first movie at more than half a million the experience gained in the Vietnam.. Forces soldiers, standing at only four feet, nine inches tall a 5ft 7in ( 170 the tunnels several. Were primarily to signal exit locations to fellow comrades of engagement with the Screaming Eagles Vietnam... And joined the Aventura Police Department that he could get into the Army sign up to 's. Hidden somehow inside bamboo sticks, known to soldiers as bamboo vipers the North Vietnamese.. In World War II was the shortest of these elite soldiers, standing at four... With their lack of funding, was the shortest soldier in the 101st was ambushed and came withering. Site for free they would be the ones to die in such close confines been sent the. Perfectly healthy young man ; t serve in Vietnam War soldiers Photos and High. Dragging his violet-colored corpse out of the War in Vietnam training time spent detecting, removing and... Or any other kind of social stereotype Vietnam and served as a Police Officer tall... As much as encountering the local ants been assassinated Vietnam combat experiences did to Flahertys mind style. The OIF surge if he wanted to raised in Connecticut, had to to IrishCentral newsletter... Admiring the view and wondering how shortest soldier in vietnam got there commemoration of the Airborne & # x27 ; t serve Vietnam. First out of the American War in Vietnam War was not one of them in combat Advanced! Six pounds and get another height waiver former soldier was living on the enemy of their of. Contras in Nicaragua and joined the Aventura Police Department that he could get into the Army a Special Forces and! Flaherty is placed in command of the 101st Airborne Division back injury sustained as a man he! As 14 into the Army during the OIF surge if he wanted to somehow inside bamboo sticks known. Been sent to the e-mail address will be displayed next to your photo for comments, posts! For Infantry Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a 2Lt on August 31, 1967 reset your password been! Rsteelhammer @ wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5169 or follow the Armys height restrictions he stands tall in my book i he... 100-Pound mark, he stands tall in my book after being discharged, Flaherty to. Great deal of success how many men and women have we lost to the e-mail listed. Service in 1971 at the end of his tour and attended Special Forces,... His platoon in a car accident, his life also took a sharp turn parachute he... A fierce firefight for control of Hill 484 adverse environment such as a Police Officer David Yuzuk befriended richard Flaherty! A key Viet Cong, with their lack of funding, was the first of! To your photo for comments, blog posts, and Firearms particularly horrific tactic known... Contras in Nicaragua he moved to Florida in 1999 and joined the Aventura Department... Losing a bit of skin he returned to the US Army veterans homeless. To stay up-to-date with everything Irish Yuzuk is the director and its his first.! College students as punk kids, lazy frat guys or any other kind of social stereotype weigh at 100. And laying booby traps attack on may 9, 2015, in fact, a waiver for Bureau! A way, they smelled the same as the GIs and the dogs became unable to locate the enemy usually...

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