Jack Broughton graduated from West Point in 1945. For the next 33 years, he was a fighter pilot. He flew 114 missions in the Korean War. He commanded the Thunderbirds. Later, he was deputy commander of the 355th Tactical Fighter Wing in the Vietnam War. The wing flew F-105 Read more…
In 1966, the US began a bombing campaign in the Vietnam War called Operation Rolling Thunder. Most of the bombs were dropped by F-105 Thunderchiefs (called Thuds) fighter-bombers. The pilots faced some of the best air defenses in history. By late 1967, over 325 had been shot down by Read more…
Dogs have been used in war since ancient times, but only recently by the US. In WWII, the Army recruited dogs that were donated by families. It was in Vietnam that the war dogs played a significant role. In 1965, Project Top Dog sent 40 teams to South Vietnam. Read more…
In 1951, Republic Aviation began a project to replace its F-84. The prototype flew on Oct. 22, 1955. The F-105 was delivered to the USAF in 1958. Staying with its “Thunder” names (the P-47 Thunderbolt and the F-84 Thunderjet), the plane was called the Thunderchief. It was the largest Read more…
In WWII, the Vietnamese resistance dug tunnels to hide from the Japanese. After the war, the Viet Minh continued the tradition and passed it on to the Viet Cong. By the time the American army arrived, there were 250 kilometers of tunnels in South Vietnam. Besides hiding places, the tunnels Read more…
Jane Fonda was probably the most famous (or infamous, if you will) Vietnam War protester. In 1970, she and Donald Sutherland and others toured West Coast military bases with a show entitled “Free the Army” (which was take-off on the slogan “Fuck the Army!”). It was peaceniks’ answer to Bob Read more…
William Pitsenbarger was 21 when he sacrificed his life for others. He was born in Ohio on July 8, 1944. As a high school junior, he tried to enlist in the Marines, but his parents refused to sign off. After graduating, he enlisted in the Air Force and volunteered Read more…
One of the most remarkable small unit actions in American History occurred on the night of June 15, 1966. In the Vietnam War, small units of soldiers or Marines would sometimes be dropped off in the jungle to scout for enemy formations. This could be dangerous if the unit Read more…
The Democratic Convention of 1968 took place in Chicago. It took place in a year when the anti-Vietnam War movement and the counterculture were peaking. The event attracted 10,000 anti-war protesters. Chaos ensued as police clashed with demonstrators. Mayor Daley was determined to crush the demonstrators. On August 25, Read more…
The Battle of Ia Drang was the first battle of the Vietnam War for America. It took place from Nov. 14-15, 1965. Although Lt. Col. Harold Moore’s 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry was surprised when it landed at Landing Zone X-Ray and had to survive attacks from more numerous North Read more…