Echo Company 2/7
Vietnam
Veterans Chapter
1ST
Marine
Division
Association
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Two-Seven Tooter
Message Board
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The
FMDA
63rd
Annual
Reunion
Join us at the El Tropicano Hotel on the famous San Antonio River Walk. Everything is ready for a great reunion. All we need is "U".
AUGUST 23-29, 2010
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Echo Company 2/7
Chapter
Pride
Apparel
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USMarine-OnceandAlways.com
provides
pride
apparel and
a growing
catalog of
products for
Marines. Echo
2/7 Vietnam
Veterans can
find their
custom logo
products
here and
support the
group's
fundraising
with your
purchases. Now
is the time
to order
our chapter's custom
logo shirts
and
jackets for the
reunion this
coming August.
usmarine-onceandalways.com Semper
Fidelis!
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Famous Quotes |
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"You'll never get a Purple Heart hiding in a foxhole! Follow me!"
~ Capt. Henry P. Crowe, USMC; Guadalcanal, 13 January, 1943
"They are a damn site better than the U.S. Army, at least we know that they will be there in the morning."
~ Lewis B. "Chesty" Puller, USMC
when a journalist asked him about being surrounded by 22 enemy divisions
"The
original
Echo Company
2/7 Guidon
Tattered
Flag is a
symbol that
we endure
and WILL
continue."
~ Hospitalman
Jeffrey
J. "Doc"
Levine
Vietnam
War
Veteran,
Echo
Company
2/7
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Vietnam Service
Medal |
For those
who served
 The
Vietnam
Service
Medal is a
military
award which
was created
in 1965 by
order of
President
Lyndon B.
Johnson. The
medal is
issued to
recognize
military
service
during the
Vietnam
War. The
Department
of Defense
established
thirty
military
campaigns
during the
Vietnam War.
For a
complete
detailed
reference on
this medal click
here.
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Fake "Decorated"
Marine
Sentenced to
Probation
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A man who
pretended to be
a highly
decorated Marine
will serve three
years of
probation,
including 120
hours of
volunteer work,
probably in the
service of
veterans.
Ocasio-Reyes, of
Tampa, bought a
beribboned
Marine master
gunnery sergeant
uniform at an
Army Navy
surplus store in
New York and
paid a friend
$25 for a DD
Form 214, an
official
military
discharge
document,
showing Navy
service. He
altered the
form, typing in
his address and
a slew of medals
and decorations,
including the
Navy Cross,
making it appear
as though he
served in Iraq
and Afghanistan
and was injured
in combat. Full
Story:
Fake Marine
Sentenced to
Probation
(Military.com)
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Featured
Article |
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USS
Peleliu, AT
SEA
Marines and
Sailors
aboard the
amphibious
assault ship
USS Peleliu
made a
special
transit last
month when
the group
traveled
within one
mile of the
ship's
namesake,
the island
of Peleliu,
to render
honors.
FULL STORY
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The War Within |
The
War Within:
Finding Hope
for
Post-Traumatic
Stress
Thousands
of
courageous
men and
women
risk
their
lives in
combat.
But few
of us
understand
the
private
inner
battle
they
bring
home.
 For
many, it
is an
ongoing
personal
struggle
that
continues
long
after
the war
is over.
In this
Day of
Discovery
documentary,
The War
Within:
Finding
Hope for
Post-Traumatic
Stress
Disorder,
you'll
find
encouragement
for
veterans
and
their
loved
ones
whose
lives
have
been
drastically
changed
by war.
Come along as Vietnam War veterans Mike Wilkins and Phil Downer return to Vietnam for the first time since their tour of duty. Join them on their emotional and spiritual journey of discovering a sense of peace and resolution to The War Within. Finding Hope for Post-Traumatic Stress
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Enter your
email
address
below to
sign up for
our mailing
list.
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We
look forward
to keeping
you
informed.
Semper
Fidelis!
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"Ready for
Anything
Counting on
Nothing"
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15 July 2010
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Weapons
of Mass
Persuasion
AU-10 unloads leaflets that were the most potent weapons in the Vietnam War.
Thousands of American lives were saved by billions of leaflets that convinced enemy fighters to 'Chieu Hoi'.
Created to induce defections of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese fighters and sympathizers, Chieu Hoi was the most productive psychological warfare operation (PSYOP) of the war. The billions of leaflets and "safe conduct passes" that flooded Vietnam as part of the program achieved staggering success. The U.S. Army puts the number of Viet Cong and North Vietnamese Army defections from 1963 to 1974 at over 250,000 - undoubtedly saving the lives of tens of thousands of allied troops.
The number of different Chieu Hoi leaflets produced during the war is unknown, but the Leaflet Catalog, 7th PSYOP Battalion, Da Nang, 1969, lists no less than 65 leaflets in the Chieu Hoi category - just from one battalion in one year. While leaflets and other printed material comprised the bulk of the PSYOP arsenal, virtually all forms of media were used to push the Chieu Hoi message. Posters, calendars, calling cards, even shopping bags were adorned with slogans aimed at potential ralliers.
Marines in Vietnam were instructed about the proper treatment of the defectors, known as Hoi Chanh, and about the Chieu Hoi program. Chieu Hoi means "Open Arms" and that means a chance for enemy forces to rally to the government's side. We were told to make sure to make it as successful as possible. And we had to learn and follow all the rules of the Chieu Hoi program. We were further instructed about the proper treatment of the defectors: Give voluntary defectors Chieu Hoi (not POW) treatment. Segregate Chieu Hoi from POW's. Treat returnee with respect. Give him a receipt for all weapons that he brings in. Deliver him safely to the unit intelligence officer for prompt debriefing and then promptly to the Government of Vietnam Chieu Hoi service at the nearest district or province headquarters.
Click images to enlarge
Many of the Hoi Chanh went on to serve alongside Americans as "Kit Carson" scouts, helping to locate enemy mines and booby traps, or joining armed propaganda teams that talked other Viet Cong into rallying. Some North Vietnamese officers and soldiers who defected took part in clandestine actions against their old comrades.
Ultimately, whether they were delivered from the air or by hand on the ground, leaflets and safe conduct passes proved to be the most powerful and effective weapons of the Vietnam War.
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The Safe Conduct
Pass |
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During the
decade the
United
States was
involved in
the Vietnam
War,
billions of
leaflets
were printed
and
disseminated
over the
Republic of
Vietnam,
Laos,
Cambodia,
the Ho Chi
Minh Trail,
and North
Vietnam.
During the
mid to late
1960's
leaflet
production
and
dissemination
averaged
about 600
million
leaflets
every 30
days.
Click images
to enlarge
The catalyst
for action
was the safe
conduct pass
and various
were
produced by
the
Americans.
One early
type is of
particular
interest
because
every
leaflet
bears a
unique
serial
number. This
unusual ploy
was to
enhance the
status of
the leaflet
as an
official
document
whose
promises
would be
honored. But
there was an
ulterior
motive.
Leaflets
with blocks
of numbers
would be
dropped in
particular
areas. When
presented by
surrendering
Viet Cong,
they would
identify
areas where
the soldiers
had been
located,
perhaps
indicating
centers of
enemy
operations -
useful
intelligence.
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Arsenal:
Vietnam War
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Naming
his invention
after the famous
Scottish
two-handed
Claymore sword,
Norman MacLeod
applied the
German-Hungarian
anti-personnel
mine research of
World War ll to
a mine intended
to counter
Chinese human
wave attacks
during the
Korean war.
Introduced into
service in 1954
as the M-18,
MacLeod's
original model
lacked many of
the famous
features that
made it so
effective in the
Vietnam War.
The M-18, of
which some
10,000 were
produced, a
number was
sent to
Vietnam in
1960. Shortly
after, the
M-18 was
replaced
with the
M-18A1,
which was
much more
powerful and
far less
corrosive in
the Vietnam
jungle. The
M-18A1 front
was curven
in
consonance
with the
explosive,
improving
fragmentation
pattern and
blast
effect. The
firing side
was clearly
labeled, and
it could be
aimed almost
vertically.
Early models
had a simple
peep sight,
but most
used a knife
blade
sight. The
fragmentation
pattern
covered 30
degrees
either side
of the
firing
azimuth.
Maximum effective
range was
about 100
meters, but
50 meters
was optimal.
Besides base
defense,
Claymores
could be
used for a
variety of
purposes,
including
ambushes.
One or more
Claymores
could be
detonated on
"command" by
the
operator,
either
individually
or together;
deployed
individually
as a land
mine
triggered by
a trip wire,
pressure
release
device, or
other sensor
system; or
fired by a
short timed
fuse or
timing
device to
impede
pursuit.
The enemy
captured
many
Claymores
and used
them as
well,
primarily as
booby traps,
even
planting
them in
trees to use
against
troops and
along
landing
zones to use
against
helicopters.
The Claymore
was a
powerful and
effective
tactical
weapon used
in the
Vietnam War.
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Stolen Valor |
It takes the heart of a Warrior to find deception and take it down
Stolen Valor: We must not let the Vietnam War generation be robbed of its heroes and its history. There are "wannabes": People lying about Viet Nam experience, often when they had never been there.
It
starts
off
simple
enough.
A casual
mention
of
military
service.
And, oh
by the
way, a
Purple
Heart
and a
few
other
honors
earned.
How can
you not
trust a
man who
served
his
country
so
gallantly?
From
there,
confidence
builds,
one
story
weaves
into
even
more
glorious
tales
until,
at some
point,
the
fabrication
is woven
so
tightly
you
begin to
suspect...
How can
one
person
achieve
so much
in such
a short
time?
It's
almost
too good
to be
true.
The
Stolen
Valor
Act
of
2005
was signed
into
law
by
President
George
W.
Bush
on
December
20,
2006.
It
is a
U.S.
law
that
broadens
the
provisions
of
previous
U.S.
law
addressing
the
unauthorized
wearing,
manufacture,
sale
or
claim
(either
written
or
oral)
of
any
military
decorations
and
medals.
It
is a
federal
misdemeanor
offense,
which
carries
a
punishment
of
imprisonment
for
no
more
than
1
year
and/or
a
fine;
the
scope
previously
covered
only
the
Medal
of
Honor.
As
Vietnam
Veterans, we
feel
very
keenly
the
damage
done
by
these
fakes. Those
who
falsely
claim
service
or
medals
for
heroism,
cheapen
the
recognition
of
our
true
war
heroes.
The
phony
war
hero
phenomenon tarnishes
the
service
of
thousands
of
Vietnam
veterans
who
have
served
honorably.
It
takes
the
heart
of a
warrior
to
find
deception
and
take
it
down.
Recently
our
own
"Doc
Matt"
Verl
Matthews
worked
relentlessly
tracking
down
one
such
fake
to
the
very
end.
We
can
be
proud
of
him
and
so
many
others
who
"watch
our
six"
and
uphold
our
pride,
values, and
integrity.
Over 40 years ago, a remarkable generation of Americans served in the armed forces to fight an unpopular war in jungles 13,000 miles away. Over 60 thousand never made it back. Our mission was enormous. We did our job. We were valiant. We are proud. We served well. No wonder they want to be like us.
Semper
Fi,
Echo Company 2/7 Vietnam Veterans Chapter
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