Photos US Forces

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Navy corpsman Steve Vineyard displays the Purple Heart and Navy Commendation Medal he earned on July 30, 1969, while serving with the Marine 1st Reconnaissance Battalion in Quang Nam province. To train for his job in the war zone, Vineyard attended 16 weeks of Hospital Corps School, twice the time Army medics were provided. (Photo by Steve Vineyard)

 

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Operation Homecoming. Sergeant Jose J. Anzaldua, a former POW, is awarded the Fourragere, a French Decoration for Bravery, by the Commanding Officer of the 2nd Battalion, 5th Marine Regiment, 1st Marine Division. Sergeant Anzaldua was captured on 26 January 1970 and was released 27 March 1973. (Photographed by Sergeant Spatafora, 31 March 1973).

Sergeant Anzaldua was also honored with the Navy and Marine Corps Medal. His citation reads as follows:
The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Navy and Marine Corps Medal to Corporal Jose Jesus Anzaldua, Jr. (MCSN: 2468970), United States Marine Corps, for heroism while serving with the Second Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division (Rein.), FMF, in the Republic of Vietnam. On the night of 7 December 1969, Corporal Anzaldua was at his battalion's command post in Quang Nam Province when he observed a helicopter crash near the battalion landing zone. Reacting instantly, he ran to the burning aircraft and began assisting the shocked and injured passengers to safety. Upon being informed by the pilot that the crew chief was missing, he disregarded the explosions from the burning ammunition inside the aircraft and fearlessly entered the flaming wreckage through the rear section. Finding the crew chief pinned under several pieces of heavy debris, and although painfully burned himself, Corporal Anzaldua, with the assistance of two other Marines, freed the injured man and moved him to an area where he could receive proper medical aid. Refusing treatment himself, he reentered the blazing helicopter and freed a Vietnamese civilian who was trapped under some fallen equipment. Corporal Anzaldua's bold and courageous actions in the face of great personal danger were instrumental in saving the lives of at least two men and were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself, the Marine Corps, and the United States Naval Service.
Maj Anzaldua also served as Motor Transport Officer with Headquarters Battalion of the 1st Marine Division at Camp Pendleton from November 1985 to June 1988, followed by service as Motor Transport Officer with the Logistics Department at Camp Lejuene from August 1988 until his retirement from the Marine Corps on October 1, 1992.

 

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S Marine PFC. Jerry D. Goff of St. Louis MO. examines a split barrel of his M-14 rifle which was hit square in the bore by Viet Cong sniper at My Song, south of Da Nang. April 25, 1965

 

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A rifleman of the 101st Airborne scans the tree line ahead while crossing an inundated area in January 1966. He carries a belt of M60 ammunition and an M72 LAW across his back.

 

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LTC Annie Graham, of Efland North Carolina, lost her life due to illness on 14 August 1968 after being evacuated from Vietnam to Japan. At the time of her passing Annie was 51 years old.
She was a career military officer and a three-war veteran, who was assigned as the chief nurse of the 91st Evacuation Hospital in Tuy Hoa. She was excited to be assigned in the chief nurse position for the challenging work in a war zone. Besides running the hospital's nursing department, she volunteered many off-duty hours caring for civilian land mine victims. During her career prior to serving in Vietnam, Lt. Colonel Graham had been assigned in the United States, Europe, Japan, and Ethopia. She had worked in positions of increasing responsibility from staff nurse, head nurse, supervisor, assistant chief and ultimately chief nurse.
Annie had been a veteran of both World War II and Korea. Graham was one of eight American women who died during the Vietnam War. She is buried at Arlington National Cemetery.

 

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Sgt. Sidwell of West Virginia did 2 tours of combat in Vietnam with the 5th Special Forces Green Berets. Sgt. Sidwell was placed in command of the Recon Platoon of Company D 1st Battalion of the 506th infantry regiment 101st Airborne Division in 1972 and 1973. Sgt. He led the Recon Platoon LRRP unit in 1972 and 1973. Sidwell was also considered to be a great combat leader who led many 6 and 8 man patrols deep into North Vietnamese and Vietcong held areas on recon “LRRP” missions.

 

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American women who volunteered to serve during the Vietnam War through the Red Cross as part of a program called Supplemental Recreation Activities Overseas (SRAO), better known by our brave military men as “The Donut Dollies”. Armed with nothing but cookies and home-made entertainment programs, the Donut Dollies risked their lives every day as they tried to fulfill their mission and cheer up the US troops. Despite their service and sacrifice, their stories and contributions in Vietnam have gone largely unnoticed.
Front row, Jane Smith and Jenny Young. Back row, Tara de Arrietta, Linda Bryant and Linda Driscoll. Photo taken 1969.

 

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An A-1H of VA-152 after a wheels-up landing at Da Nang, South Vietnam, December 1965

 

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Resupply bird 25th Infantry Division "Tropic Lightning"

 

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On this day in 1968 the TET offensive began.

 

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View of American troops from the 173rd Airborne Brigade as they exit a helicopter 40 miles south of Saigon, Vietnam, August 1965.

 

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