Important Message
This Website Terms and Condition of Use Agreement
also known as a 'terms of service agreement'
Will be at the bottom of most web pages!
Please read it before using this website.
Thank You
|
Vietnam was a French colony prior to World War II. In 1940, the Japanese wrested control of the country from the French. A man named Ho Chi Minh organized an army of rebels called the Vietminh to resist the Japanese. When the Vietminh finally ousted the Japanese during World War II, the French sought to rule Vietnam as a colony again. When the French returned, the Vietminh turned their efforts to try to drive them out also. In 1954, the Communist Vietminh finally won over the French. At that time, so many countries had fallen under the totalitarianism of Communist rule, the free countries, the United States included, opposed any further expansion of Communism. In addition, communists didn’t believe in God and sought to repress the practice of religion. Since many Vietnamese were Catholics, those people resisted being dominated by the communist Vietminh. For these reasons, the country became divided into North and South Vietnam with the communists under Ho Chi Minh controlling the North and an anti-communist regime under Ngo Dinh Diem in the South.
This division into two Vietnam’s was supposed to be a temporary situation with both sides agreeing to elections to be held at a future date to elect leaders who would reunify the two countries. The elections never took place. Instead, the communists became more aggressive and a group called the National Liberation Front (more commonly called the Viet Cong) formed in the south. The Viet Cong terrorized the rest of the population through murder and torture in an effort to gain control of the south. Not wanting South Vietnam to fall to the communists, the United States decided to support the anti-communist forces in their fight against the Viet Cong and the North Vietnamese Army. At first we only sent advisors to help train the South Vietnamese army. By 1965, however, the Army of the Republic of Vietnam (ARVN) was still too weak to resist the extremely aggressive communist forces. The United States Government decided it would take a major commitment of combat troops to help liberate South Vietnam from the scourge of the communists. In March of 1965 the first Marines arrived in Vietnam. The Marine commander of the III Marine Amphibious Force held the responsibility for the defense of the Republic of Vietnam’s (South Vietnam) five northernmost provinces. By 1969, the number of Marines in Vietnam reached its maximum. The Marine commander of the III Marine Amphibious Force was responsible for the defense of the Republic of Vietnam’s (South Vietnam) five northernmost provinces. This included the 1st and 3rd Marine Divisions, the 1st Marine Aircraft Wing, numerous other smaller Marine combat and support units, and some U.S. Army Units. This area was known as I Corps Tactical Zone, usually just called I Corps. Reconnaissance units provided the information the Marine generals needed to plan successful combat operations against the communist forces in these provinces of I Corps.
|
 |
| First Boots on the Ground by William S. Phillips |
|
|
November 14, 1965, Ia Drang Valley, Vietnam—Amidst the low brush, elephant grass and enormous sun-baked termite mounds, clouds of dust lazily drift away from the clearing nicknamed LZ (Landing Zone) X-Ray. In preparation for an air assault by troops from the 1st Battalion, 7th Cavalry, United States artillery has been relentlessly pounding away at the perimeter of the LZ.
At 10:48 the helicopter touches down, and Lt. Col. Moore, Sgt. Major Plumley, Capt. Metsker, Bob Ouellette, Al Bosse and Vietnamese translator Mr. Nik become the first boots on the ground at Ia Drang.
Helicopter pilots Bruce Crandall and Ed Freeman would go on to receive the Medal of Honor for their actions during the battle of Ia Drang, a battle which would go down in history as one of the most intense of the Vietnam War. This three-day struggle would later be documented in the best-selling book We Were Soldiers Once…and Young by Lt. Gen. Hal Moore (Ret.) and Joseph Galloway.
William S. Phillips compellingly depicts the chaos of LZ X-Ray in First Boots on the Ground. The piece is countersigned by Lt. Gen. Hal Moore, (Ret.), Lt. Col. Bruce Crandall (Ret.), (MOH), Command Master Sgt. Basil Plumley, (Ret.), Bob Ouellette and Al Bosse.
|
This website contains, in various sections, portions of copyrighted material not specifically authorized by the copyright owner. This material is used for educational purposes only and presented to provide understanding or give information for issues concerning the public as a whole. In accordance with U.S. Copyright Law Title 17 U.S.C. Section 107, the material on this site is distributed without profit. More Information
Information presented based on medical, news, government, and/or other web based articles or documents does not represent any medical recommendation or legal advice from myself or West Saint Paul Antiques. For specific information and advice on any condition or issue, you must consult a professional health care provider or legal advisor for direction.
I and West Saint Paul Antiques can not be responsible for information others may post on an external website linked here ~ or for websites which link to West Saint Paul Antiques. I would ask, however, that should you see something which you question or which seems incorrect or inappropriate, that you notify me immediately at floyd@weststpaulantiques.com Also, I would very much appreciate being notified if you find links which do not work or other problems with the website itself. Thank You!
Please know that there is no copyright infringement intended with any part of this website ~ should you find something that belongs to you and proper credit has not been given (or if you simply wish for me to remove it),
just let me know and I will do so right away.
|
Website Terms and Condition of Use Agreement
also known as a 'terms of service agreement'
By using this website, West Saint Paul Antiques . Com, you are agreeing to use the site according to and in agreement with the above and following terms of use without limitation or qualification. If you do not agree, then you must refain from using the site.
The 'Terms of Use' govern your access to and use of this website and facebook pages associated with it. If you do not agree to all of the Terms of Use, do not access or use the website, or the facebook sites. By accessing or using any of them, you and any entity you are authorized to represent signify your agreement to be bound by the Terms of Use.
Said Terms of Use may be revised and/or updated at any time by posting of the changes on this page of the website. Your continued usage of the website, or the facebook site(s) after any changes to the Terms of Use will mean that you have accepted the changes. Also, any these sites themselves may be changed, supplemented, deleted, and/or updated at my sole discretion without notice; this establishes intellectual property rights by owner (myself).
It saddens me to include a Terms of Use for West Saint Paul Antiques . Com, but we all realize it is something that is necessary and must be done these days. By using the website, or facebook for West Saint Paul Antiques, you represent that you are of legal age and that you agree to be bound by the Terms of Use and any subsequent modifications. Your use of the West Saint Paul Antiques sites signify your electronic acceptance of the Terms of Use and constitute your signature to same as if you had actually signed an agreement embodying the terms.
|
|
