I knew what life in-store for me in my recovery had- years of pain and disabilities while I waited for my next adventure. (LogOut/ I know the difference, do you ? The other number of significance is the number of Viet Nam veterans killed by Dow chemical. According to DCAS Vietnam casualty files, the following casualty were sustained outside of S. Vietnam: 728 in Laos, 523 in Cambodia, 1,120 in N. Vietnam and 10 in China. Since you were with an aviation Battalion do you remember our flight pay as Army Aircrew ? we had a crew of about 42, spent weeks at anchor in vung tau or da nang. I remember lots of the names Evana, Eagle, Bastone, Granite, Ripcord, Maryanne. stay safe. Age: 77. My performance as Dante Michael Anthony Puccetti was at its close, and resembling the theater, I was ready to take my curtain call. But the 23 months I spent doing my duty as outlined our government to assure you had a way to be resupplied means I, and those like me, am a Vietnam Veteran. I think I know the answer but like youjust being picky. They are paying on Melathion settlements (Watch TV, and it as on 2 to 3% purity, used inside US) There are no living Veterans that I know of. It could be a Yard, Don Porier, or a sapper. I went into shock and lost conscienceless. I have spoken at many VETS EVENTS, and done interviews with the media .. Never get tired of people telling me Thank You for your service, and absolutely love hearing WELCOME HOME !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Still, the American War Library continues to verify their accounts and come to more concrete conclusions. OUR COMPANY STARTED LONG BINH COMPOUND IN SEPT OF 1965, DALLAS WATERFILL EMAIL dallaswaterfill@yahoo.com, Was in Vietnam Dec. 1968 to Dec. 1969, Phan Rang AFB, RVN. Smokey Platoon. . I served a second tour and know quite a few Marines that did also. YSC cookie is set by Youtube and is used to track the views of embedded videos on Youtube pages. . I WAS IN THE 85TH ORD COMPANY . It served my pain well as a lifeless, mean spirited dark soul destroying everything in front of me. I left this Sunday, as other mornings, to make a supply run and a code book and frequency transfer to Headquarters and Headquarters Battery (HHB); to gather C-Rations, mail, and most importantly to acquire our new radio codes of the confidential frequencies for this period. I was hoping for more accurate numbers. Vietnam War veterans can suffer from a variety of physical and mental health conditions, including post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD), drug and/or alcohol problems, and hearing loss. IF you didnt get any extra pay better have a good excuse .like to hear it. And just as the bell rang he got out of the ring , technically I won the fight. The only good thing was 22 days off my tour. What Major Is Kent State University Known For? The cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional". Well again, nothing that you have posted tells the story that you were in Vietnam. I can tell you that those who served in Thailand should definitely be considered Vietnam Vets. We hauled cargo to the bases and for a few months I hauled hitest gas to the airbase at DongHa. Every veteran has his/her duty station recorded on the individual DD214 or 201 personal military forms. remember) there will likely be a debate as to how Was back at LZ Bayonet the last part of my tour after being medevaced off of Professional and in the hospital at Chu Lai. when we carried peaches and beer, no problem. We got a personal visit from 10 Generals (no joke). I was on a boat floating up and down rivers for 19 months. We had a 10,000 gal balloon full of gas while we watched for someone shooting at us or placing a bomb on the bottom of our boat. Perhaps the reason for guys is that there were times we had to drink out of bomb craters that were in areas sprayed with Agent Orange. I knew I had to stand up again, even though I made a better target; my staying in the open road would be a death sentence. That means bullets where flying at me and I killed people in combat. I know I was there and have several cancers! I asked him to give me his number, he did not put a number on it just that he was Not. Does receiving a few mortar rounds inside the wire of our compound count? What is the average age of Vietnam veteran in 2021? About 15 out of every 100 Vietnam veterans (15%) were currently diagnosed with PTSD when the most recent study of . I always ask if they know what a fuck you lizard was. Regardless of their MOS or the details of their service, veterans have more in common with each other than they have differences, and ALL deserve to be honored. Phu Loi Nov 66 to Dec 67 HHD 11th Cbt Avn Bn. As Ive mentioned before, I dont think posing this question was intended to be divisive among veterans, but it has turned out to be. Canandaigua, NY next with 1st of 12th cav. There are questions like this that are hard to answere as being true boots on ground. As a child I knew several WWII veterans. Heres a fact: Jeffery Lynn Scheller, USN, born July 31, 1954 was Killed In Action on October 1, 1972. The fear returned, as I knew he was of small stature. If my math is correct, are you going on 68 years old ? If we arent able to determine WHO is a Vietnam Vet, then how can one determine how many of us are still alive today? (1st time to operate a river boat 2nd time to evacuate injured Marines. He was carrying a BAR, killed fighting an infantry action, and the desk jockeys decided he did not meet requirements for a CIB. Im a 1967-68 Vietnam combat veteran. Without a doubt Helicopter Crews are COMBAT VETS, to fly so low & slow over the most hidden turf below.. On landing at LZ Gold March 19, 1967 we lost 6 Hueys and 7 pilots. Pop, POP POP. A Vietnam era veteran is certainly not a Veteran of the Vietnam War. There were an estimated 58,318 U.S. soldier casualties alone. I used this experience and we cut down the Helicopter replacement time from about 2 1/2 weeks to 2 to 4 days. He was drafted and qualified for Helicopter pilot school. No two people standing side by side performed the same duties. Base was 1st MAW Danang AB which got hit early Tet with rockets, mortars and sappers. Awakening, I was the only person there, so the enemy was concentrated on me. As I started to slowly stagger upright towards the opposite side of the road, trying with all my might to gain my balance, I went down hard. What do you think? In my Book if you didnt step foot in Nam Your sure not a Vietnam Vet, Period. I know . Stolen Valor the American Way! 997 soldiers997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam . This cookie, set by YouTube, registers a unique ID to store data on what videos from YouTube the user has seen. So do Vietnam Veterans have twenty-three more years or only ten until the last man falls? 610,000 figure is more accurate., NYT was referring to VN Era Veterans. That number was reasonable: About 9.2 million Americans served in the military during the Vietnam era . I was on merchant ships for three years in viet nam. Deaths per day . Their is a new book about to be released by Bill Comeau that tells a similar story of the 3rd Brigade of the 4th Infantry Duel with the Dragon about the Battle of Soui Tre that I fought in. YouTube sets this cookie to store the video preferences of the user using embedded YouTube video. Active Duty: 473,000 Jul 1971-19 Dec 1971) 29th CA Co, XXIV Corps (Danang). The exact percentage of surviving Vietnam War veterans is not known, but it is estimated to be around 25% of the total number of veterans who served during the war. I remember that the minute we came around the coast and headed up for Vung Tau, as merchantmen on American Export LInes ships, we got a sizeable war zone increase in our pay. Considering the number of troops deployed at different times, the build up and the draw down, its inconceivable that there could have been 9m serving in country. Pleiku, Dak To, An Khe. I have VSM on my DD215 which deleted the AFEM on my DD214. no problem with the spell checking. They term era should be shit canned. Nebraska Farm Boy, that had to go to County Agent Classes before buying any chemicals. Anyone suggesting that only a CIB award means you were a combat veteran is very uninformed The Battle of Soui Tre March 21, 1967 the men of the 2/77 Artillery were every bit infantry as well as Arty that day and many many other FSB battles. I served until April 28, 1969 !!!!!!!!!!!! While there troops from our unit were deployed to Vietnam as replacements yet some people dont consider us as support for troops in Vietnam. On Sat, Jun 19, 2021 at 4:22 PM CherriesWriter Vietnam War website wrote: > pdoggbiker posted: This is a controversial post. I struck a tree and rebounded into the open again still a sitting duck. The average age of our Vietnam veterans is now over 70. Suddenly, I was in front of the truck near the grill. It was apparently based on an estimate that 800,000 Vietnam-era veterans had died by 2000. My body was throne backwards into the seat and rebounded forwards; bent over at a 90-degree angle from my waist. am i two Vietnam veterans or one. Luck of the draw my twin that received a silver star got the luck of the draw made it home. Christmas Night, Midnight, a guy in the next Bunker committed suicide. I served in the 101st airborne infantry battalion in 1968, the time of the Tet Offensive. SP5 Mark Kuzinski 86.6K 296 151 53 53 0 Vietnam veterans are dying at the rate of 390 deaths each day. Im now 74. Should you have a question or comment about this article, then scroll down to the comment section below to leave your response. waited and waited for our slot in port. I dont have a CIB to show for it, but I most certainly was in combat. Editorial comment by website administrator: Personally, Im going with the 610,000 estimate of 2 yrs. I was at 6 different LZs from Aug 67-Aug 68, with a 4th Medical Battalion aid station (D Company), and I never heard of a fuck you lizard. I do not like pretenders but do not want to take on the duty of Valor Police. The disparity seems to be In Theatre veterans between the years 1954-1975, and veterans in the Military at that time that were not deployed, or NOT In Theatre! to 1984 approx. We all served the same, but different. I saw the truck bounce towards the trees. We are working on a feature article How Many Of Us Are Still Alive: that will show a complete Actuarial Model that shows the likely number of us still alive (725,000 to 750,000 out of 2.4 million) and the likely progression of our deaths. But that number will probably go down by at least 50,000 to 75,000 per year. I only spent one overnighter. So, here well dive a little bit deeper into how many Vietnam veterans are estimated to still be alive based on various approximations and predictions. The definition of Combat Veteran is NOT if you have a CIB. Dave V. 1st Battalion, 14 th FA, Americal Division, VN, I Corps. Aint this fun? According to the American War Library, as of February 28, 2019, it is estimated that approximately 610,000 Americans who served in land forces during the Vietnam War or in air missions over Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 are still alive to this day. Serious danger along those river banks. Everyone that served and was in combat which means they were in the line of fire (received it and returned it in some form or fashion) deal with their dark side in various ways. This part of Pleiku Province is a combination of mountains, triple to single canopy jungle and/or open valleys. the draft board made that very clear. Finally figured out what was wrong with me, received help but refuse to dwell on the dark demons that quite frankly just did not give a dam for humanity. How Many Vietnam Veterans Are Still Alive In 2022? i spent three years to and fro, with about 2-3 months in vietnam on every trip. Im sure that you all know that claiming to be a VFWar when you are not is a federal crime with severe legal penalties. If we dont include forces in Thailand or Guam why are we including anyone except Navy pilots, because I dont remember any deep water people who were subjected to enemy hostilities. by your definition, cia personal in civilian clothes were not veterans. I read a statistic somewhere that one in seven where in actual combat. The _ga cookie, installed by Google Analytics, calculates visitor, session and campaign data and also keeps track of site usage for the site's analytics report. My question, How many guys are I still alive refers to the ones who were in direct combat action? Of the nearly 3Mil that served, only one in twelve were in fire fights. FEAR Part of the SOP on the Plei Do Lim (PDL) Flash Outpost (OP) was to make a supply run every four days back to the survey section at HHB. It would cause great pain to them; reminiscent of what occurred to the family of my namesake, my first cousin Dante Michael Puccetti. Hell no. Why cant you be just a proud Veteran. They used the same aircraft, and there was anything left in the aircraft, whatever the spray for the day was added, so you got both. I spent 3 separate tours in Vietnam. i think the definition should not be restricted by whether you wore khakis or como. Those who do not remember where in country they were, WHERE NOT THERE.. Or suffering from a complete mental memory disorder. More than 300,000 Veterans were wounded during the Vietnam War. With the Americal after I got back I had maps. I certainly dont agree on the 9 million in country. Then we went back to the Boonies. Though Thailand was not designated a combat zone. How about disabled numbers? But having a CIB does not exclude or diminish in any way the experiences or accomplishments of others, like you, and the wearer of the badge has no right to judge what any other man faced. Educate your self and search the web for the last battle of the Vietnam war. ago. we had a building where the company stored our property. question. i went to dong ha several times. Hunter killer division. It took about 30 years for the government to acknowledge we were even there. I went on about 500 missions. Most of the time as a grunt without a map. Tell it like it is. His wife and family should be very proud of him. According to the American War Library, as of February 28, 2019, it is estimated that approximately 610,000 Americans who served in land forces during the Vietnam War or in air missions over Vietnam between 1954 and 1975 are still alive to this day. Current Status of Unaccounted-for Americans Lost in the Vietnam War. Some where along the way after returning home & towards, if not after the end of involvement, the number Id heard/read was 5 million US military served. That's 390 per day. Les, in IMHO being a Vietnam Veteran has nothing to do with combat. If one in ten saw sustained combat, then there may be as little as 60,000 of us left! TRUE, yes more may have had a mortar or rocket land in the vicinity, or heard a sniper round shot, but the manpower rule is 1 out of 7 10 is an actual seek out and engage the enemy, tip of the spear veteran. Has every CIB wearer actually done that? https://www.americanwarlibrary.com/personnel/vietvet.htm I was thinking that in 10 days I would be on R&R in Taipei, Formosa. My number one issue is running into a FAKE. Are we counted as two people or have they accounted for us already. A total of 9,087,000 military personnel served on active duty during the Vietnam era, with over 2,709,000 Americans serving in Vietnam, about 9.7% of the generation. Using the 2.7 million and assuming one hundred thousand did two tours, I would use the six hundred thousand as the amount still living, due mainly to the delays in Agent Orange treatments and PTSD delays with the sucides from 1970 approx. i thank every soldier for their service, i do not exaggerate my actions. Thousands of sorties departed from Thailand, Guam, and from aircraft carriers at sea to kill MIGS, bomb factories and bridges, and generally create havoc. a few years ago i was flying from rome to possibly germany or holland on the way back to montreal. We need a better more definitive for VIETNAM Vet. they did not get metals. The insistence to include Vietnam-ErA vets with those who served in-country results in a ridiculous skew to any meaningful stats. just an aside.I was at dinner the other night with my wife and at the next table was an honest Veteran. Then upon returning I would be stationed in Camp Enari, away from most of the intense fighting, and protected by the whole 4th. yep I wonder also. The 25th Infantry Division, in III Corps, issue two different Malaria Pills. The site is owned and run by a crook and charlatan named (?) So, where is the discrepancy in these numbers? Records the default button state of the corresponding category & the status of CCPA. These numbers do not include the Americans who served in Vietnam during World War II. I was in Vinh Long in 1965, Mekong delta area. Floyd James ThompsonHe was one of the longest-held American prisoner of war in U.S. history that was returned or captured by troops, spending nearly nine years in captivity in the forests and mountains of South Vietnam and Laos, and in North Vietnam during the Vietnam War. John, These numbers have come about due to the extensive research of various mortality indexes and sources by the American War Library which concluded that about one-third of those who served in the Vietnam War are still alive today. Age: 84. We all served in our assigned duties, some bled, and some died. Fact: Everyone who served during the Vietnam War are classified as Vietnam Era Vets. My sister found enough info to get my brother in laws ship re-classified as a brown water ship and proved he was sent in country by the ships commander (Newport News). I flew with the 220th Aviation Company (Cat Killers) in 1968. Isolated atrocities committed by American Soldiers produced torrents Was in 82nd and served from a firebase up North to near South China Sea down South, remember some names but 53 years. Overall, the death rate of Vietnam veterans seems to be rather consistent if not better than other people their same age, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. The 30 September 2007 Veterans Administration estimate places the daily deaths of WWII US veterans at 1,000 per day. In the article, the writer quotes Patrick S. Brady of Vietnam Veterans of Americas magazine. We certainly were in close combat often during my tour in 69-70. I am not sure how it can be calculated, how to distinguish actual combat veterans, as that reality is a risk factor for contact with an enemy force. 101st Airborne Division, 1969-70 Combat Vet, Vet on ships that never touched country, military who were passing through and were on airport tarmac? It makes a big difference because stating that only one-third of Vietnam veterans are still alive today is much harsher than stating that three-quarters of Vietnam veterans are still alive and well. Nha Trang (TET 68), I,m getting older bot I remember combat pay and jump pay were both $55 dollars. Our Honor and Integrity are important to each of us. 101st Airborne Division 69-70 and i remember that we talked about how much we would make if we lost a finger or an arm. C 3/17 Air Cav. While every GI serving around the world was important to securing our Cold War victory over Communism just as the Vietnam conflict was also, those who served in uniform in the SEA War Theater are the true veterans of the Vietnam War. Forget 1954, let use a true date of 1962 (first advisors) Funny, none of them were called WWII Era Veterans. Question One: Are we talking Vietnam Veterans or Vietnam Era Veterans. I was with the 1st Inf Division from July 67 to June 68 and we received $15 overseas pay and $65 combat pay a month. I dont remember the exact number but remember it was over 500,000 in country and the number was the most ever at one time as the article was about Nixon beginning troop withdrawals that would continue until 1975. 2.8 million tour because some guys just couldnt get enough! RVN. How Many Vietnam War Veterans Are Still Alive? 240,000 survivingAbout 70 million people fought in World War II and, as of 2021, there are still approximately 240,000 surviving veterans in the United States alone. He was killed in action just a few months later. I can smell a fake and phony 10 seconds after we meet !!!!! may we all be the last man standing. When we DEROSed we were given 6-8 pills to continue taking them every week. No, Wildaboro was gone, and AK-47s and B-40 rockets were sapper armaments Later, I read in a letter that Sp.4 Donnon F. Porier grabbed the M-60 machinegun, risking his life, and ran down the hillside rushing to the ambush site. When you spend most of the time out in the Bad Lands, bad things happen. In addition 18 US AF Security Police personnel and their 5 person aircrew were killed responding to the incident (the seizure of the USS Mayaquez), some do not recognize them as combat related deaths either. Likewise, drafted Sep 66, Vietnam Aug 67-Aug 68, and Im 75. Aside from that, I have always doubted any fact stated by the NY Times; although the federal government is no better. I was C 3/17 Air Cav. Well, the government 20 or 25 years later sent us, if asked, a ribbon, card, and metal saying we did. Air medals say combat support flying night spook missions around Haiphong from 68 -71. It is difficult to say how many Vietnam veterans have been affected by Agent Orange. The New York Times estimated that, of the 8.4 million Vietnam veterans who were still alive in 2000, 1.1 million had died. He was shot nine times, while I received the tenth bullet from the ten holes in the windshield. March 29, 1973Part of what was called Operation Homecoming, the first 20 POWs arrived to a heros welcome at Travis Air Force Base in California on February 14. Alternatively, to transfigure my destiny. https://www.americanwarlibrary.com/personnel/vietvet.htm, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War. A cookie set by YouTube to measure bandwidth that determines whether the user gets the new or old player interface. Welcome home! But as to how many of us have died since then, I havent a clue. That is exactly what I was going to post. According to the Pentagons Defense Prisoner of War/Missing Personnel Office, there are currently 83,204 unaccounted for U.S. personnel, including 73,547 from World War II, 7,883 from the Korean War, 126 from the Cold War, 1,642 from the Vietnam War, and six from Iraq and other recent conflicts, including three Defense. Who really cares who stepped foot on land. i am not better, but i am not worse. The U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs estimates that 530 Vietnam veterans die every day. Mark Stanley was gone. Approximately 7,500 women were stationed in Vietnam during the war. My government murdered me. If you assumed that 500,000 new troops served there every year from 1962-1975, you still couldnt get to 9,000,000 serving there, so using the peak number is not realistic. Bob ONeal, Lt.Col. More than 8 million people served in uniform during Vietnam and those who are alive are typically in their 60s and 70s. The stroke wasnt assumed until after 2000 & heart not until 2010. if you were effected by the first or second tour, or as i did, three years back and forth , then you were , are are a veteran. After 20 some years of filing claims and multiple appeals (DAV advocate,) have given up on the VA. Do I count as a real Vietnam vet? I do not know where that number 1 in 14 came from, but in my time in the Army 1962-1970 it was in the range of 1 in 8 to 10 using the total manpower % . i do not remember the moss but the went on quite a while. There are no foolproof questions. The oldest living Vietnam War veteran is believed to be a man named Larrivee Ronald A , who was born in Feb, 24, 1935. I got angry at him even saying that he was a vet of the war. However, you may visit "Cookie Settings" to provide a controlled consent. Korea had 2 divisions in Vietnam The White Horse & Tiger Divisions The Australian Military was also present but I do not know the numbers There could be others. Dec 1967 Dec 1968 & Jan 1969 Nov 1969. If you have any doubts, take a closer look at your DD-214. that conversation has stayed with me. They lost about 20 men KIA in late January, many captured. Since the fall of Saigon and Operation Baby Lift occurred in 1975, wouldnt an 18 year old at that time be 64 or 65 today ? the average combat vet in Nam was 240 days. Id like to ask a question. David, please do not compare this to Merchant Seaman in WWII who braved the many packs of Submarines etc as thgatr uis hgow many died in WWIU, Sorry my spell check went nuts My husband was awarded several (door gunner w/191st AHC Bounty Hunters). If you served anywhere at all, anywherre during WWI, you are a WWI vet. We are not ashamed of our service or the fact we killed and had friends die, far more than we care to remember. You can sleep in it. Past history shows ALL Veterans of previous Wars were classified as Vets of those wars regardless of where they served. I rode river patrol boats from 1968-9 we were on the rivers but we were there 24hours a day days a week. I know full well it takes many, many hands to make the infantry function but like you saidclaim your time. eventually i commented that i had flown into dong ha on resupply missions , having become bored with my mates work on merchant ships that spent long weeks at da nang. It should be duly noted that these numbers do not include the 2500 to 3000 US Air Force troops stationed in Guam, Thailand, and other countries that were involved in the Vietnam War effort. My 2.6 million figure refers to American vets. The roar was deafening; through the shattered windshield, I saw the truck go out of control. I managed to stand again, stepped, and hurled myself into the jungle. Unless they kept track by service or SSN, how many Vietnam Veterans are there ? one of the ships i sailed on had a captain that was drunk for 5 months. Ah. We, the U.S. have lost over 158,000 American lives to the Vietnam war and that count is still rising. I was a REMF but was on my 4th pair of boots. According to Department of Veterans Affairs' projections, Vietnam Veteran deaths will hit 103,890 this year, about 285 a day. for the sake being more realistic, I served from June 1962 to April 20 1970, and was always told it will vary from 1 in 7 to 1 in 10. Rear echelon? Interestingly, the research concludes that Vietnam veterans seem to be dying at a similar rate to World War II veterans. REAL Vietnam War veterans are all those who are officially authorized the Vietnam Service medal and possess official military-issued documentation to confirm their medal authorization. All the millions of other Vietnam Era Veterans are Cold War Veterans. David, please do not compare this to Merchant Seaman in WWII who braved the many packs of Submarines etc as that is how so many died in WWII. Other than guard duty i was not in combat but the perimeter at Long Binh was regular defoliated and we experienced rocket and mortar attacks. Good disxussiin. Yes, there are fuckyou lizards. Even in this age of computers and accountability just goes to show ya ,people still cant Add or do Math . at DaNang If we came in they set up tents to sleep in and had a big blivet bag for a shower. It was what it was. References:https://www.americanwarlibrary.com/personnel/vietvet.htmhttps://www.nytimes.com/2013/03/26/science/how-many-vietnam-veterans-are-still-alive.htmlhttps://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vietnam_War, The Armys FY 2023 budget request is ~$177.5 Billion. According to the American War Library website, it was concluded by the Department of Defense that their best estimate is that between 2,709,918 and 3,173,845 GIs served in Vietnam and its surrounding waters between the years 1954 and 1975. . to most of them, it was another port and another war. I made a mistake !!!!! War is Heck!!! However, any veteran who served in Vietnam between January 9, 1962, and May 7, 1975, is presumed by the VA to have been exposed to Agent Orange. 58,184 died in the combat zone or from combat wounds. Interesting, no way is 75 percent f real vets are alive today? Florida Agricultural And Mechanical University, Indiana University Purdue University Indianapolis, Massachusetts Institute Of Technology (Mit), Missouri University Of Science And Technology, State University Of New York Health Science Center At Brooklyn, Suny College Of Environmental Science And Forestry, The University Of North Carolina At Charlotte, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At Houston, The University Of Texas Health Science Center At San Antonio, The University Of Texas M. D. Anderson Cancer Center, The University Of Texas Medical Branch At Galveston, The University Of Texas Rio Grande Valley, Uniformed Services University Of The Health Sciences, University At Buffalo Suny School Of Engineering And Applied Sciences, University Of California, Los Angeles (Ucla), University Of Illinois At Urbana Champaign, University Of Maryland Baltimore County (Umbc), University Of Massachusetts Medical School Worcester, University Of Tennessee Health Science Center, University Of Texas Southwestern Medical Center. I am a Viet Nam combat veteran. Been there, seen it, did it. To say that the Air Force in Thailand and Guam was too far away to be in harms way shows you have no idea what Navy and Air Force aircrews do.