BLACKJACK-33 by James Donahue

[RifleMaster]

Just finished reading BLACKJACK-33 by James Donahue. This book covers the Vietnam BLACKJACK-33 (Mobile Guerrilla Force) operation in the Viet Cong Forbidden Zone within War Zone D. It's just as good as his Mobile Guerrilla Force. I enjoyed both of these books.

[Scout]

Riflemaster,

I just finished BJ-33, and I have to disagree. I honestly think this one was better than MGF. I'm looking forward to getting Blackjack-34: No Greater Love.
Do you know if this is a retitle of his first book, No Greater Love: A Day with the Mobile Guerilla Force in Vietnam?

Scout out

[JL94]

Scout and RifleMaster, hope you don't mind if I jump in...I haven't read "Blackjack 33" yet, but I've read "MGF" and "No Greater Love"...it sounds like it's possible that the "Blackjack 34" book Scout mentioned is in fact a re-release of the "No Greater Love" book, since that was about Blackjack 34...

[RifleMaster]

Scout & JL94,

My guess is that "No Greater Love" is a re-release (2 edition). I really like Donahue's work, i.e., good description and easy read. I'm about three quarters through Steve M. Yedinak's "Hard To Forget". Its mostly about Blackjack-31. After reading Donahue's work, I find Yedinak a little ?? pompous. For example, tonight on page 181 he wrote "Between operations, I spent more time with Ken (Ken Chilton), mostly because we were both officers and we got along so well". During my tours in War Zone C & D, I remember the "tightness" of all the Team members. However, I'm enjoying his book. These books bring back alot of old memories!

I plan to read "No Greater Love" when it becomes available.

Take care!

RifleMaster

[Scout]

Wait till you get to the end of Hard to Forget, he gets pompous and self-righteous beyond belief. I'm interest to hear what you think about this last part.

Scout

[RifleMaster]

Scout,

When I finish "Hard To Forget", I'll let you know what I think.

Take care!

Carl/RifleMaster

[RifleMaster]

I finished reading Steven Yedinak's "Hard To Forget" a few days ago. I said I would comment when I finished it. I found the last part of his book boring. However, I think it was a good attempt at expressing how he dealt with his experiences. I still think he was a little pompous in the beginning.

Carl/RifleMaster

[Scout]

Carl,

I tend to agree. I think he was a bit too preachy at the end. It would be nice if everyone could forgive the cowards and liberals who turned the country against her soldiers, sailors, airmen and marines. I just don't think that's going to happen though

[RifleMaster]

Scout,
I really don't give a shit about the cowards and liberals. They have to live with themselves! I do care what the WWII, Korean, and our current military personnel think of the Vietnam vets. Every chance I get, I do my best to correct the lies of our liberal media.

Take Care!

Carl/RifleMaster

[Mike]

To RifleMAster, not to worry. The folks are http://www.mrc.org are doing your "corrections".

[Scout]

Carl,

I for one, and I believe more current military, rever our Vets, esp. Viet vets.
You guys did a fantastic job despite have your hands tied by political constraints and
unsupportive public. Yeah ,there's a few shitbags who use their time in Vietnam as a crutch, or a weapon against the rest of the world, and they should be acknowledged for what they are. But the vast majority of Viet vets, especially the combat guys, should be respected for their sacrific. More so because of the lack of support show at the time.

Carl, thanks for what you did over there. Welcome home. I hope the current generentaion never has to face what our fathers did, but if we do, I hope we will serve with the same courage, honor and determination you did.

Scout

[pn]

"the vast majority of Viet vets, especially the combat guys, should be respected for their sacrific."

For what did they sacrifice themselves? The Vietnam War sent American kids, willing or not, to die in the jungles of a far-off land for reasons that no one in particular understood.

Sometimes the things I hear make me wonder if people even understand today.

-pn

Oh, and one last thing: "cowards and liberals" make up approximately one-half of American society. It is unproductive, unprofessional, and maybe even insubordinate for a GI to make remarks like that about his *commanders*. Soldier, shut up and soldier!

[Scout]

You're right, pn, after reading upwards of 100 books on Vietnam, talked extensively to vets, writen numerous papers on various aspects of the war, I have absolutely no understand of what Vietnam was about. I'm sitting hear talking out of my ass.

Have you served one day in the military?
"It is unproductive, unprofessional, and maybe even insubordinate for a GI to make
remarks like that about his *commanders*. Soldier, shut up and soldier!"

Obviously you haven't.

[pn]

Yes. But even if I hadn't, that wouldn't change the validity or non-validity of what I said.

You took what I said the wrong way. No need to get defensive; I'm not even sharpshooting you.

-pn

[E19]

Scout,

Given your interest in the subject, pehaps you could help me understand what it was the US government was doing in Vietnam. In my view our involvement (if any) should not have gone beyond an advisory role. Was anyone serving in the US military in Vietnam defending his or her country? Hell no! Were youngmen being drafted...ill trained and a couple of months later...thrust into bloody battle for some God foresaken hill that was abandoned the next day ? Hell yes! Our envolvement was escalated because it was good for the military - industrial complex.
Was it wrong for citizens to protest our envolvement in the war? Hell no! Was it wrong for some people to direct hatred towards our returning veterans? Hell yes!

[This message has been edited by E19 (edited 12-29-1999).]

[This message has been edited by E19 (edited 12-29-1999).]

[Scout]

Believe it or not, I agree. COL Aaron Baknks met and talked with Ho Chi Minh and Ho wanted out support. FDR was anti-colonialism, and said the French wouldn't return to Indochina.
Truman didn't follow FDR's policy and decided to support France's bid, driving Ho to become a hardcore Communist. after that, everything basically went to hell in a handbasket, i think.

LBJ was one of the worst presidents in history, more concerned with public opinion and his legecy than lives of soliders. He wanted to be remembered for the Great Society, not for a war, so he decided on a gradual build up, not to call up the RC, and a sneaky enterance to the war without first gaining public suppot. then he tried to micromanage the war from his toilet.

Yes, the American people had a right to protest the war, it was FUBAR. I honestly can't say if we could have won even with a full committment like the Gulf War. Hell no, the protesters should not have blamed, slit on, harassed and hated the servicemen and women. And they shouldn't have burned their draft cards, even if the system was screwed.

[Mike]

Look like Colombia will be our next Vietnam.

[RifleMaster]

Scout,
Thanks for the kind words! Although I have drifted off to things I'm proud of, my primary purpose in these posts is to inform those that are interested in the advisory effort in Vietnam. Many years ago, I filed away my Vietnam War experiences to get on with life.
I believe alot of the advisory history has been lost. Much has been written about the heroic efforts of US units and special units. So, I'm trying to preserve some of the history of the Vietnam advisory effort.

pn & E19,
Most of the answers to your questions about our involvement in Vietnam can be found on the greenberet.net/gi(statistics) Webpage. However, I would like to pointout that today there are several countries in Southeast Asia that have not fallen to the Communists. That fact has reduced the threat to our democracy and way of life.
I believe a full commitment of our military power in Vietnam would have started a nuclear war with Russia and/or China. Then, the world would have lost!

Carl/RifleMaster


[This message has been edited by RifleMaster (edited 12-31-1999).]

[This message has been edited by RifleMaster (edited 12-31-1999).]