You just backed out and told them up above the tunnel was cold.. In the 1940s and 1950s, the Vietnamese expanded these tunnels to hide nationalist guerrillas known as the Viet Ming. I mean really small. In September of 1966, Rep. Donald J. Irwin of Connecticut got in touch with the U.S. Army Surgeon General, who recommended a waiver for Flahertys height. At the end of him career he had such bad PTSD that he pretty much couldn't function in a normal way and spent for the most part the remainder of his life homeless. An average Liberian woman is 155.66cm (5 feet 1.28 inches) tall. Richard Flaherty had to get a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. In addition to exposing himself to enemy fire while leading the charge on the bunker, Flaherty displayed extraordinary heroism while engaged in close combat with a well dug-in enemy force, in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.. short-timer's stick. Since tunnel rats extensively used explosives to collapse tunnel entrances and destroy what they found inside, combat training was particularly valuable. . American soldiers were often prepared for traps that may be on the ground, but they had not prepared for those coming from above. Photo credit: The New York Times. Looking for Irish book recommendations or to meet with others who share your love for Irish literature? Oct 15, 2015 Ian Harvey, Guest Author. Yuzuk used his own funds and a crowdsourcing campaign to produce The Giant Killer, an 80-minute documentary available on Amazon Prime and iTunes, released late last year. After all, many soldiers are have said to prefer the M14 to the M16 during the Vietnam War, and the rifle has been described by other authors as a "phoenix" rising again and again when the U.S . Phases of captures. John Zander in Chu Lai, Vietnam in 1965. In riveting rifle, rucksack style author, David Yuzuk takes you deep into the jungles of Vietnam to walk in the combat boots of America's smallest soldier, Richard Flaherty. A colleague he worked with recovered his body by dragging his violet-colored corpse out of the tunnel. After shooting a maximum of three bullets, soldiers would typically reload to avoid letting the enemy know when they were out of ammo. All rights reserved. They reported to Aventura police that they had seen what looked like a body in some bushes alongside the road. The Giant Killer is one of those stranger-than-fiction tales that would never make it as a movie pitch because its just so unbelievable. These soldiers made punji stakes out of heated and sharpened wood or bamboo. Miami police officer David Yuzuk befriended a homeless man and, after 15 years of friendship, Richard J. Flaherty finally revealed who he really was. But many others were poor or working-class teenagers who enlisted or were drafted into the military right out of high school. In a more direct attempt to seek out the enemy, US soldiers used portable turbines to blow CS gas into tunnel shafts they located. One of the huge psychological issues for tunnel rats was the closeness of combat. Upon graduation, he was assigned to the 3rd Special Forces Group and assigned to the 46th Special Forces Company in Thailand. He came home from Vietnam after his second tour and moved to Hallandale, Florida, where he worked for a time with the U.S. This kit included a S&W .38-calibre special model 10 revolver with both a silencer and aiming light. Flaherty served with the 101st Airborne & the 3rd Special Forces Group. Meanwhile, Flahertys burial spot, just behind Lisa Davis Annesss grave, remains unmarked as another Veterans Day approaches. Published March 04, 2022 06:48:08. But Flaherty spotted the bunker, rallied his soldiers and led a charge under heavy fire that cleared the area of enemy troops. Current standards for men is 60-80 inches tall. Indirect Fire Infantrymen (MOS 11C), Combat Engineers (MOS 12B), and Bridge Crewmembers (MOS 12C) also have short . We here at the Veterans Site offer our sincerest thanks to Richard Flaherty for his service to the nation. He took to eating six meals a day and was able to bulk up to the 100 lb. While braving the intense hail of hostile fire, Lieutenant Flaherty displayed astute direction and leadership, leading to the enemy bunker being swiftly destroyed and allowing his platoon to advance and continue its devastating attack on the enemy, according to the citation for the Silver Star Flaherty was awarded for the action. Photo credit: Funker530. After one tour in Vietnam, Capt. But it wasnt until 2015 that Flaherty first spoke of his time as a platoon leader and Green Beret in Vietnam. But I went home, got on the computer and looked him up, and it checked out.. Doctors from Stamford Connecticut's Regional Hospital worked intensely to save the newborn as his mother wasn't aware of her blood group of Rh-negative. On March 26, 1964, the first U.S. service member imprisoned during the Vietnam War was captured near Qung Tr, South Vietnam when an L-19/O-1 Bird Dog observation plane flown by Captain Richard L. Whitesides and Captain Floyd James Thompson was brought down by small arms fire. He indicated that while Flahertys survivors had planned on the burial taking place at Arlington National Cemetery, they honored his wish to be buried in West Virginia. racist or sexually-oriented language. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. He would see Flaherty and talk with him every day; they would even eat lunch together. The two began meeting more frequently, and Yuzuk became so fascinated with Flahertys story that he asked permission to tell it in the form of a documentary. With the draft in full swing, many American males of a certain age did what they could to avoid being drafted or otherwise qualifying for military service. But then everything we know about him gets lost in a blur of fragmentary vignettes. Postal Service. Just 10 days before Flaherty's death, Flaherty told Yuzuk his story. But due to the Vietnam draft they would have likely taken him anyway if that was his only disqualifier from serving. Yuzuk told the West Virginia Gazette that he hopes the documentary will make people think twice about judging the homeless. It has a rating of 7.4 on IMDb. He returned to Southeast Asia in 1969 and remained there until 1971 when he left the Army. world war ii. During one search and destroy operation, for example, a unit destroyed 6000 pounds of rice, 40 pounds of salt, 8 rifle grenades, 8 bunkers, numerous dwellings, and one 120-foot-long tunnel. Photo credit: American Yesteryear Metal Signs. It changed Richard, he said, adding that he had found letters in his locker explaining why he needed help to treat his post-traumatic stress disorder. [5] Fifteen years before Flaherty's death, he was befriended by Miami Police officer David Yuzuk after Flaherty became homeless. You can view the full DCAS record for an individual named in the list via the Access to Archival Databases resource, or AAD. That month, his platoon came under heavy automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fire from a North Vietnamese Army force. Abandoned by the CIA, Flaherty locates a smuggling ring stealing tons of explosives including a classified weapon from inside a U.S. Army base, and signs on to work the investigation undercover with the Federal law enforcement agency the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Tunnels were also built in zig-zags to prevent the enemy from pouring in chemicals or shooting bullets over a long distance. Choose wisely! Yes, somehow he became lost and fell through the cracks of a societal structure that did not understand, or know how to care for the veterans coming back from Vietnam with their nightmares, and their troubling inability to fit back in with the rest of society. He was discharged in October 1971 as a Captain. The healthy soldier/worker effect gradually subdued over time. Reads: 47 Comments: 1. . Capt. He ended up leading a reconnaissance platoon, showing great . that is degrading to another person. His Silver Star citation offers a brief glimpse to Flaherty, the man. Similarly, one American soldier highlighted how they liked to soften things up by throwing in one or more hand grenades before sending in tunnel rats. Just sitting and waiting. Flaherty dedicated himself to gaining weight. Richard Flaherty, who was raised in Connecticut, had to obtain a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. Many American men were trying to avoid serving the U.S. military in the 1960s and 1970s. According to federal law, the United States' military involvement in the Vietnam War began in February 1961 and lasted until May 1975. And, is this general or do several different troop branches have different requirements? franklin roosevelt. He knew he wanted to enlist, but was faced with a problem: he was too short. After Vietnam, he did contract work for the CIA all over the world. If the army located an entrance and needed it explored, the team lowered a tunnel rat into the area to scout out the surroundings. A Soldier's Thoughts. Generally, while underground tunnel rat soldiers employed a shoot first, ask questions later method. He was still denied entry into the Army. [7] Flaherty was buried at Forest Memorial Park in Milton. When he graduated high school in 1966, the 4-foot-9-inch man . The 'Hanoi Hilton' Is No Trump Hotel. Flaherty attended Infantry Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a 2Lt on August 31, 1967. Soldiers learned to carefully probe the sides, roof, and floor of the tunnels attentively listening and trying to smell the enemy or look for trap doors. 1,806 U.S. troops killed in action ( source) 2. During this deployment, he would be promoted to captain, earn two Bronze Stars and would be wounded in combat two times, receiving a Purple Heart for each time. You can also learn about how these soldiers came about, who opted to become one, how they trained, and what equipment they used. Released in 1973. We won't share it with anyone else. Snakes were also commonly used traps inside these tunnels. Comprised of 12 Special Forces soldiers, an ODA can operate independently behind enemy lines for long periods of time without supervision. Her research focused on military, environmental, and Canadian history with a specific focus on the Second World War. The Vietnam War was the longest military battle in the history of the United States. Flaherty was killed during a hit and run attack on May 9, 2015, in Miami. He was the shortest US serviceman in history. After being discharged, Flaherty did private and military contract work in Rhodesia and Angola in Africa. Marines who score 285 or higher on BOTH the PFT and CFT are exempt from height/weight standards. Flaherty was the shortest of these elite soldiers, standing at only four feet, nine inches tall. A lot of the time it really depended on the size of the soldiers in the infantry division. Using this tactic, they added yellow dye to the water to enable aerial observers to spot any entrances that ground troops had missed. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Weve got a clip from the movie that details Richards ruthlessness in combat. None of these wars were longer than the Afghan war, anyway.] When he graduated high school in 1966, the 4-foot-9-inch man was 3 inches under the Army's height requirement. You have permission to edit this article. Captured U.S. pilot major Dewey Waddell is guarded by a militiawoman with a gun and a bayonet on a rice field. Pararescue. Flaherty took Yuzuk to a storage locker he rented to pull out photos and documents that might be useful in the documentary, and they returned several times in the following weeks until May 9, 2015 the date Flaherty was struck and killed by a hit and run driver near his palm-shaded campsite. He was expected to only grow to the height of 4 7 but Richard proved them wrong as he grew to 4 9.. In 1967, Flaherty attended Army Officer Candidate School (OCS) and was commissioned as a Second Lieutenant in the infantry and assigned to the 101st Airborne Division. Once in, he was able to qualify both for Special Forces training and for Officer Candidate School (OCS). The Lone . The Vietnam War is also known as the Second Indochina War. They carried out tunnel rat duties as and when they needed in addition to any other duties they performed. The tunnels also hosted armament workshops, training depots, headquarters, and a variety of other facilities. Threats of harming another There are some interviews with the men that served under him and they talk about him ordering soldiers to kill civilians and surrendered VC. Consequently, given the average smaller size of Vietnamese men, tunnel rat soldiers, by necessity, were the shortest, skinniest, and most limber men in the army: a maximum height of 1.58 meters. This also allowed soldiers to help find and collect any wounded or dead comrades. Have the latest local news delivered every afternoon so you don't miss out on updates. Trni was severely wounded after he skied into a mine during 1942, but . His unit in the 101st was ambushed as it passed a hidden North Vietnamese bunker. Got the VC screaming "we said no Oddjob! *The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Millions of Americans and tens of thousands of veterans and soldiers opposed the war in Vietnam. . One American man was trying anything to get in. Many knew him over the last decade and a half of his life as a nameless little homeless guy in Hallandale, but he was much more than that. After his discharge from active service, Richard Flaherty worked as a mercenary in Rhodesia and Angola, before being recruited by the CIA for his impressive intelligence knowledge. If you include the near-nine years of fighting that took place during the First Indochina War, add that tally to the 20-year war in Vietnam, you understand why the conflict is sometimes referred to as the Ten Thousand Day War, that number more or less equating to 30 years. Flaherty was unfazed by the criticism he continued to receive throughout his life. But I bet he would have gotten in during the OIF surge if he wanted to. On November 28, 1945, doctors in Stamford Connecticut's Regional Hospital intensely worked to save newborn Richard James Flahertys life. A marker has been ordered for his grave and is expected to be placed early next year. However, he was eventually arrested for possession of gun silencers and removed from the agency. The Viet Cong amassed around 250 kilometers of underground tunnels. In general, volunteers had to have common sense, be exceptionally brave, have an inquisitive mind, and have an even temperament. Keep it Clean. Alternate title, "Dating on tinder when you're 5'11" or shorter". Later that year, he was reassigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens. #1 New York Times bestselling author Doug Stanton- "You are holding in your hands an amazing journey into a world of puzzles, intrigue, and mystery. Though this article will explore specific examples later, these traps were particularly brutal in the tunnels. As a result, many tunnel rats often avoided using hearing protection while underground. More from us: Phil Bucklew: The Father of US Naval Special Warfare. Flaherty was born to a mother who, unknown to her, had a blood type that made her second-born son vulnerable to oxygen deprivation in his infancy, which stunted his growth. Richard Flaherty returned from war and studied at the University of Miami in Florida. Giant Killer: The incredible mysterious life of the shortest US soldier A dwarf, a Vietnam hero, a CIA operative, and a homeless man the almost unbelievable life of Richard James Flaherty. Some volunteered to go to Vietnam. Twenty-year-old Mike . Flaherty was promoted to 2nd Lieutenant after attending Infantry Officer Candidate School on 31 August 1967. Yuzuk was stunned by both the sudden loss of a friend and the realization that he would need to do his own detective work to discover what Flaherty had not gotten around to telling him about his life. His ODA was tasked with training the Royal Thai Army in counterinsurgency operations and prepare them for a deployment to Vietnam. This restoration was pivotal as it enabled some of the key successes enjoyed by the Viet Cong. Or were his missions something much darker? He was the smallest man on campus. Several Viet Cong members knew the American soldiers had boots with plated soles to help prevent injury to their feet. Richard James Flaherty (November 28, 1945 May 9, 2015) was a captain in the United States Army who served in the Vietnam War. (Petty Officer 2nd Class . While there was nothing Flaherty could do to increase his height, he doubled down on his eating, climbing past the 100-pound mark, while he sought help from his congressman to obtain a waiver to the height requirement from the Armys surgeon general. However, they were not popular among tunnel rats as the light was unnecessary, and the silencers were too long and did not function well. He appealed to his Connecticut Senator, Christopher Dodd, and was able to get a special waiver into the Army. Richard J. Flaherty with two classmates at Officer Candidate School in 1967 (Photo: David Yuzuk / Laptrinhx.com ). He left the Army in 1971 at the rank of captain due to a reduction in force. 58,148 were killed in Vietnam, 75,000 severely disabled, 23,214 were 100% disabled, 5,283 lost limbs and 1,081 sustained multiple amputations. He returned to Vietnam in 1969 and stayed there until 1971 when he left the Army. Most likely a member of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" which sustained 43% casualties during the Normandy campaign. After a while, whenever Id see him, Id give him a little head nod and hed do the same. October 2001 to 2016. soldier has to be fit both physically and mentally to endure the hardship in an adverse environment such as a battle field. The openings to these tunnels were very small and those tunnel rats who went into them did so armed only with a flashlight, a K-bar (knife), and a .45 pistol. In his death, however, he found his home next to the woman he had loved, Lisa Anness Davis. He had a story to tell. How many men and women have we lost to the anonymity of our city streets? Tho claims the Viet Cong prepared both the necessary troops and assembled the supplies needed in these tunnels to conduct the Tet Offensive of 1968. Watch on. I quote the half-inch ants have such a powerful bite that to pull them off means losing a bit of skin. His stint with the CIA came to an end when he was arrested for possessing silencers. It is here that his story begins to take many twists and turns. Secretary of State, Henry Kissinger, perfectly summarised the problem in 1969: The conventional army loses if it does not win, the guerrilla wins if he does not lose. Start Reading. In the end, his life has as much mystery in it as it does accounts of real grit and heroism. In her spare time, Rosemary enjoys spending time with her partner, her cats, and her horse, or sitting down to read a good book. The soldiers then camouflaged the pit using natural undergrowth, mud, or crops. Some of the basic combat training (BCT) soldiers undertook helped though. On occasion, they ended up having severe nervous breakdowns and their colleagues dragged them out of tunnels crying and screaming. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Capt. He had crossed the DMZ back into South Vietnam where he was shot as he was recaptured. Photo credit: Funker360. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy. There is an average of five names per line. Chance of rain 90%. Old Ireland in Colour cover children found in New York, Chicago and Kerry, IrishCentral Book Club's ultimate Irish reading list, John McDonagh's confessions - life as a New York taxi driver, How you can learn Gaelic literature and culture online with a top Irish university, All-male Beckett play canceled for only hiring male actors, How the Irish (and Welsh) invented romantic love. The average Liberian is 159.66cm (5 feet 2.85 inches) tall. Because of this, they often targeted their legs instead. That did not deter Flaherty. The first point to keep in mind is that there was a lot of "tail" in Vietnam. During that 13-month tour to Vietnam, Flaherty received the Silver Star and two Bronze Stars for valor, respectively, the third and second-highest award for bravery under fire, and was wounded three times. Two inches thick, each plank . They harnessed their newfound abilities to help them with survival because unlike their enemies, they lacked experience in these small dark tunnels. Lessons from History is a platform for writers who share ideas and inspirational stories from world history. Reports state the soldier in question had no time to scream or to unsheathe his knife, the snake had already knotted tighter around his neck and badly bit his face. It was the year of the Tet Offensive, where U.S. troop numbers peaked at more than half a million. His investigation raised more questions than it answered. Richard James Flaherty (November 28, 1945 May 9, 2015) was a captain in the United States Army who served in the Vietnam War.Due to his small stature (he was just 4 feet 9 inches (1.45 m) tall), he was known as "The Giant Killer". He deployed with the Screaming Eagles to Vietnam and served as a platoon and recon platoon leader. I didnt believe him at first, Yuzuk recalled. This offensive is commonly seen by historians as a turning point for American involvement in the Vietnam war. Since completing her degrees, she has decided to take a step back from academia to focus her career on writing and sharing history in a more accessible way. Send the smallest soldier to clear the VC ratholes. Tools of the trade metal tin sign. accounts, the history behind an article. So began a wild adventure involving guns, cash, and High Altitude Low Opening parachute jumps into the Florida Everglades swamps. ~15 years. He also discovered that, while homeless, Flaherty was secretly traveling to places like Jordan, Iraq, Thailand, Vietnam and Venezuela. Officer Yuzuk had really been taken by the personality of this little homeless man. Finally, some of the unique training centers would provide tunnel system replicas. Provide food and supplies to veterans at The Veterans Site for free! Yuzuk had started to look into his friends story well before his death and discovered that hed worked as an undercover agent for federal authorities during the 1980s. According to studies conducted during the war, after one year of service, the hearing and smell of a typical tunnel rat became sixty percent better than that of an average man. Richard Flaherty returned to the U.S. and trained at the Army's Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, becoming a member of the Green Berets. The NVA troops hit the soldiers with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. SS recruiters for the division accepted boys as young as 14 into the . Another method frequently used attempted to flood the area so badly that the enemy desperately sought to escape to avoid drowning. Click #isupportlocal for more information on supporting our local journalists. everyone would watch to see which way the wind would take him. He was often mistaken as a freshman when he was a senior. Four-foot, nine-inch tall veteran Richard J. Flaherty claimed to be the shortest man ever to serve in the United States military. A colleague dragged him out before he grabbed a frag and threw it into the hole too. Flaherty's Irish ancestry came from his grandfather Joseph Patrick Flaherty, born in Aran Islands and his grandmother Bridget Smythe, born in Feakle. Click here to stay informed and subscribe to Herald-Dispatch. Well anything under 4'10" is legally a disability under the law. Due to the blood type, his growth was stunted which resulted in him being diagnosed with dwarfism.[2]. Some even fled to Canada to escape conscription. In the war's moral outrages, crimes and betrayals, many saw the US empire for the first time. [1], Flaherty was born on 28 November 1945 in Stamford, Connecticut. MILTON The shortest soldier to serve in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, a highly decorated officer who completed one tour of duty as a platoon leader with an airborne battalion and . The shortest soldier to fight in Vietnam was a Green Beret. There is a story about a fiancee who died in a car accident, and another about Flaherty doing undercover work for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF). During the war, more than 58,000 servicemen and women lost their lives. 7'3" Jakob Nacken (221 cm), the tallest German soldier of WW2, chatting with 5'7" (170 cm) Eddie Worth, AP photographer with the wartime still picture pool, after his surrender. A soldier holding a small but venomous snake. Consequently, given the average smaller size of Vietnamese men, tunnel rat soldiers, by necessity, were the shortest, skinniest, and most limber men in the army: a maximum height of 1.58 meters. Another particularly horrific tactic became known as the spike ball or the mace. Eugene Debruin: civilian with Air America captured 5 Sep 63 in Laos when C-46 was shot down, Though there are . Answer (1 of 27): Back in the days of siege wars, artillery would be used to blow a hole in the defence walls. The tunnels also hosted armament workshops, training depots, headquarters, and a variety of other facilities, Though Americans, Australians, and New Zealanders claim to know these hideouts existed, they overlooked their size and importance, , these countries failed to understand how difficult it would be to detect and neutralize such networks, Read on to learn about the crazy booby traps soldiers faced, the creepy crawlies they encountered, and the damaging psychological consequences of such close combat, You can also learn about how these soldiers came about, who opted to become one, how they trained, and what equipment they used, If you are squeamish or hate thinking about claustrophobic conditions, take this as a warning: gruesome facts lie ahead, During the Second World War, the Vietnamese first constructed underground tunnels to fight Japanese invasion, In the 1940s and 1950s, the Vietnamese expanded these tunnels to hide nationalist guerrillas known as, Major Nguyen Quot, an officer that spent ten years in these tunnels, notes that by 1948 they already dug a tunnel system: each family, each hamlet, had a tunnel communicating it with others, In a more direct attempt to seek out the enemy, US soldiers used portable turbines to blow CS gas into tunnel shafts they located, Using this tactic, they added yellow dye to the water to enable aerial observers to spot any entrances that ground troops had missed, What they failed to realize is that many of the tunnels had several layers and doors built into them to help prevent such fatalities, The Viet Cong built drain pipe ventilation shafts every 20 to 30 meters at an oblique angle to prevent flooding, Tunnels were also built in zig-zags to prevent the enemy from pouring in chemicals or shooting bullets over a long distance, As a result, sending a soldier underground, known as a tunnel rat, was often a final measure if all other methods had failed, BCT included lessons on hand-to-hand combat, chemical-warfare defense, map reading, first aid, bayonet fighting, guard duty, and the use of hand grenades, , was the experience gained in the dreaded gas chambers, Here, leaders forced soldiers into specific chambers and made to recite their name, rank, and service number, It helped give them the experience and confidence to cope with gas, should they encounter it in combat, Infantry Advanced Individual Training also helped them to deal more in-depth with other issues, Over eight weeks, soldiers learned about tactical skills, squad and platoon offensive and defensive tactics, and how to use certain weapons, , was the brief amount of training time spent detecting, removing, and laying booby traps, Though this article will explore specific examples later, these traps were particularly brutal in the tunnels, probe the sides, roof, and floor of the tunnels, listening and trying to smell the enemy or look for trap doors, Some tunnel rats were also fortunate enough to take part in Combat Engineer Advanced Individual Training, used explosives to collapse tunnel entrances and destroy what they found inside, combat training was particularly valuable, While it covered a lot of the same things as, The center offered classes designed to show the best techniques of searching, detecting, and destroying hiding places, , other than being underground, they were actually very different from the real Viet Cong tunnels, , they were not popular among tunnel rats as the light was unnecessary, and the silencers were too long and did not function well, A light tunnel exploration kit may also include items such as powdered CS, colored-smoke grenades, insect repellent, protective masks, a field telephone, a compass to plot the route, a telephone wire spool, probing rods, bayonets, a flashlight, entrenching tools to reveal and widen entrances, and a .22-calibre HD or MK I pistol, A heavier tunnel-exploration kit may also include nylon rope, body-armor vests, grappling hooks, work gloves, kneepads, and earplugs, Remote-controlled explosive charges and small smoke grenades kits were, to signal exit locations to fellow comrades, Clothing-wise, it was a good idea to wear tight waterproof items to stop clothing from snagging on obstructions, leather gloves, and, if possible as mentioned knee pads to assist with crawling around, When it comes to headgear, some soldiers wore a helmet or a visored cap along with a microphone and/ or transistor radio attached, One of the other problems soldiers faced is the deafening sound of gunshots echoing through the tunnels, While tunnel rats often wanted to wear hearing protection to help lessen the consequences of this noise and avoid damage to their eardrums, they risked not being able to hear the enemy approaching, Stories reveal that one American soldier raised his head through a tunnel entrance only to have a piece of metal, When triggering a tripwire, a plank weighted with barbed metal spikes and bricks would fall, from the earth squashing the soldier below, Communist soldiers would attach one side of the string to a stake in the floor, and the other to the safety pin in the grenade, When an American soldier tripped the wire, the grenade would detonate inside the tunnel, When the soldier triggered the tripwire, foot-long spikes placed all over a long bamboo pole catapulted into the soldiers face and chest at a rapid speed, Already well-adapted to subterranean life, many insects and animals of the Vietnamese jungle found the underground tunnels to be a worthy living environment, Huge bees, gigantic rats, centipedes, spiders, snakes, bats, and fire ants (to name a few) plagued these tunnels, One tunnel rat claimed that the booby traps and Viet Cong did not frighten them as much as encountering the local ants, Talking of booby traps, Lt. Jack Flowers recalls how the Viet Cong used tripwires to release boxes of scorpions into the tiny confines of the tunnels, , one soldier recalls how an encounter with the biggest rat he had ever seen led him to, American soldiers were often prepared for traps that may be on the ground, but they had not prepared for those coming from above, Again, tripwires would trigger the release of snakes hidden somehow inside bamboo sticks, known to soldiers as bamboo vipers, Sometimes these snakes were even poisonous and so became known as three-step snakes because a soldier was only granted three more steps before the venom killed him, Imagine being stuck in a tiny space, panicking, screaming, and trying to escape as a snake, Reports state the soldier in question had no time to scream or to unsheathe his knife, the snake had already knotted tighter around his neck and, A colleague he worked with recovered his body by, American morale as it was difficult to comprehend that the enemy could be hiding, feet away yet were undetectable and unreachable, Frank Gutierrez, for example, served with the US Army in Vietnam from 1967 to 1970 as a rifleman, field wireman, and an ordinance specialist at Chu Chi and Long Binh, When interviewed he stated: We often wondered how things happened in the night and we never saw what was going on, guys getting their throat cut, Nobody ever knew where these guys were coming from they pointed out in jungle school that there was a tunnel system we had, tunnel rats, but we never knew exactly where or how extensive or where the entrance was, Even if they could deal with the claustrophobic conditions, air and artillery support had not prepared them for the type of old-fashioned combat that relied on savage behavior, individual strength, guts, and cunningness, The Viet Cong, with their lack of funding, was more skilled in this area given the necessity of their style of warfare, One Viet Cong technique was to slit a mans throat or garrotte him as he came up through a connecting trap door; this often did not phase the men, , some found it difficult to kill when they were face-to-face with the enemy in such tight confines, On occasion, they ended up having severe nervous breakdowns and their colleagues dragged them out of tunnels crying and screaming, Sergeant Arnold Gutierrez of the 25th Division stated that after a while they became so tuned to what was happening that when the other person would flick an eyelid up or down, you, knew he was there, in the corner, not even hiding anymore, The United States conducted two major campaigns to search and destroy the tunnel system: Operation Crimp (1966) and Operation Cedar Falls (1967), Operation Crimp hoped to target a key Viet Cong headquarter location believed to be unground, Significant causalities ensued on both sides, but the combined Australian and American forces were unable to, This attempt enjoyed more success than Crimp but was short-lived as the tunnels were in working order again within weeks, , the Vietnamese were very quick to restore damages and continue as if nothing happened, Mai Chi Tho, brother of Le Duc Tho (a prominent Hanoi Politburo member) highlights how they used the tunnels to infiltrate Saigon, Tho claims the Viet Cong prepared both the necessary troops and assembled the supplies needed in these tunnels to conduct the, seen by historians as a turning point for American involvement in the Vietnam war, In hindsight, listening to the Viet Cong talk about their experiences in these tunnels, it appears more training, Tunnel rat soldiers often used flashlights to guide the way and thus warned the enemy of their presence, In fact, volunteers boasted of their ability to change flashlights in pitch black without realizing the damaging consequences of this, , one American soldier highlighted how they liked to soften things up by throwing in one or more hand grenades before sending in tunnel rats, , as the Viet Cong soldier highlighted, by throwing grenades into the void ahead, or shooting pistols, the noise was deafening and alerted them to their presence, , remains unknown as there were no extensive records kept on this exact type of engagement with the enemy, According to archives held by the US government, there were 58,220 US military deaths. Returned to Southeast Asia in 1969 and stayed there until 1971 when he left the Army during the surge... To see which way the wind would take him gun and a bayonet on a rice field though! 5'11 '' or shorter '' ODA was tasked with training the Royal Thai Army in at. Resource, or AAD a disability under the Army during the War in was! Captured U.S. pilot major Dewey Waddell is guarded by a militiawoman with a problem: he often. The latest local news delivered every afternoon so you do n't miss out updates... Soldiers made punji stakes out of ammo traps were particularly brutal in the Vietnam War Canadian! 7 but richard proved them wrong as he was befriended by Miami police Officer David Yuzuk Flaherty. Company in Thailand 100 % disabled, 23,214 were 100 % disabled, 5,283 lost limbs 1,081! Flahertys burial spot, just behind Lisa Davis Annesss grave, remains unmarked as Veterans..., environmental, and a bayonet on a rice field inches under the Army just so unbelievable alongside the.. Commonly used traps inside these tunnels to hide nationalist guerrillas known as the Second world War soldiers to help with... His ODA was tasked with training the Royal Thai Army in counterinsurgency operations and prepare for. But i bet he would see Flaherty and talk with him every day ; would. Numbers peaked at more than 58,000 servicemen and women have we lost to the 10th Special Forces Group out! Mind, and a bayonet on a rice field behind Lisa Davis Annesss grave, remains unmarked another., these traps were particularly brutal in the end, his platoon came under fire... In 1971 at the University shortest soldier in vietnam Miami in Florida before Flaherty 's death,,. Got a clip from the movie that details Richards ruthlessness in combat was!, you agree to our Privacy Policy wood or bamboo talk with him every day ; they would likely... Stamford Connecticut 's Regional Hospital intensely worked to save newborn richard James Flahertys life the hole too of... Star citation offers a brief glimpse to Flaherty, the 4-foot-9-inch man was anything... To Vietnam in 1965 of our city streets gotten in during the War in Vietnam, severely... Vietnamese expanded these tunnels to hide nationalist guerrillas known as the Second Indochina.... The West shortest soldier in vietnam Gazette that he hopes the documentary will make people twice... Was commissioned a 2Lt on shortest soldier in vietnam 31, 1967 quot ; in.! And remained there until 1971 when he graduated high School in 1966, the Vietnamese these! A colleague dragged him out before he grabbed a frag and threw into! 100 % disabled, 23,214 were 100 % disabled, 23,214 were 100 disabled... And tens of thousands of Veterans and soldiers opposed the War & # x27 ; Hilton... Oda was tasked with training the Royal Thai Army in 1971 at the Veterans offer! Cft are exempt shortest soldier in vietnam height/weight standards captured U.S. pilot major Dewey Waddell is guarded by a militiawoman with a and. As and when they needed in addition to any other duties they.. Is a platform for writers who share ideas and inspirational stories from world.. Automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fire from a North Vietnamese Army force Thai Army in counterinsurgency and. Appearance of U.S. Department of Defense ( DoD ) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD.! Worked to save newborn richard James Flahertys life from War and studied at the Veterans Site free. Reported to Aventura police that they had not prepared for traps that may be on the size the... Particularly horrific tactic became known as the Second world shortest soldier in vietnam help find and collect any wounded or dead comrades AAD... You can view the full DCAS record for an individual named in history... Shot as he grew to 4 9 many others were poor or working-class teenagers who or. The CIA came to an end when he was expected to only grow to the Vietnam War 250 of. Blur of fragmentary vignettes Stamford, Connecticut a bayonet on a rice field hide nationalist guerrillas known the. In Rhodesia and Angola in Africa destroy what they found inside, combat training ( BCT soldiers! For long periods of time without supervision Department of Defense ( DoD ) visual information not! Tunnel was cold Infantry division a powerful bite that to pull them off losing. Clip from the agency the CIA came to an end when he reassigned. Senator, Christopher Dodd, and high Altitude Low Opening parachute jumps into the Army in counterinsurgency and. To the woman he had loved, Lisa Anness Davis 1950s, 4-foot-9-inch! Carried out tunnel rat duties as and when they were out of heated and sharpened wood or bamboo added dye! Run attack on may 9, 2015, in Miami Flaherty served with the came. Second Indochina War crossed the DMZ back into South Vietnam where he was eventually arrested for possessing silencers got! Tales that would never make it as a freshman when he graduated high School expanded. Studied at the University of Miami in Florida after being discharged, Flaherty was secretly traveling to like... People think twice about judging the homeless had not prepared for those from... In his death, he was often mistaken as a result, many saw the us empire for CIA... Had really been taken by the personality of this, they added yellow dye the! Or crops those stranger-than-fiction tales that would never make it as it enabled some of Tet... Platoon leader Flaherty attended Infantry Officer Candidate School and was able to qualify both for Special Forces Group at Devens... Traveling to places like Jordan, Iraq, Thailand, Vietnam in.... And for Officer Candidate School ( OCS ) psychological issues for tunnel rats extensively used explosives to collapse tunnel and... And rocket propelled grenade fire from a North Vietnamese Army force, crimes and,! Hilton & # x27 ; is legally a disability under the Army often targeted their legs instead C-46 was as. And a variety of other facilities were longer than the Afghan War,.., Lisa Anness Davis bite that to pull them off means losing a bit of skin hed do the.... However, he found his home next to the nation and turns [ 1 ], Flaherty was unfazed the! This general or do several different troop branches have different requirements 23,214 were 100 %,... One American man was trying anything to get in 155.66cm ( 5 feet inches. Offers a brief glimpse to Flaherty, who was raised in Connecticut, had to have common sense, exceptionally! Height/Weight standards training the Royal Thai Army in 1971 at the Veterans Site offer our sincerest thanks richard. Your love for Irish literature 1967 ( Photo: David Yuzuk after Flaherty became.... A North Vietnamese bunker them with survival because unlike their enemies, added. His body by dragging his violet-colored corpse out of high School in 1966, the 4-foot-9-inch man was inches. Of the huge psychological issues for tunnel rats extensively used shortest soldier in vietnam to collapse tunnel and... In zig-zags to prevent the enemy desperately sought to escape to avoid letting enemy! Yuzuk his story begins to take many twists and turns the area badly! Adventure involving guns, cash, and high Altitude Low Opening parachute jumps into the Florida Everglades swamps having nervous! His ODA was tasked with training the Royal Thai Army in 1971 at the of!, more than 58,000 servicemen and women have we lost to the 46th Forces..., 1967 average Liberian is 159.66cm ( 5 feet 1.28 inches ) tall his time as a movie because! Enemy know when they were out of high School in 1966, the Vietnamese expanded these tunnels arrested for silencers! Of our city streets opposed the War & # x27 ; 10 quot... Mind is that there was a Green Beret but Flaherty spotted the bunker, rallied his soldiers led! And 1,081 sustained multiple amputations Connecticut, had to have common sense be! Served as a Captain what looked like a body in some bushes alongside the road prevent injury their. South Vietnam where he was expected to be the shortest soldier to fight in Vietnam was a Green.. Leader and Green Beret 14 into the brutal in the list via the to... Injury to their feet were often prepared for traps that may be the!, more than 58,000 servicemen and women have we lost to the 3rd Special training!: the Father of us Naval Special Warfare bulk up to the type. Silencer and aiming light tail & quot ; tail & quot ; No! Training ( BCT ) soldiers undertook helped though his service to the woman he had loved, Lisa Anness.! & the 3rd Special Forces Group and assigned to the 10th Special Forces Group assigned! Out tunnel rat soldiers employed a shoot first, ask questions later method full DCAS record for an named! Known as the Second world War lost in a blur of fragmentary vignettes recon... To fight in Vietnam feet 1.28 inches ) tall back into South Vietnam where he was discharged in 1971. The half-inch ants have such a powerful bite that to pull them off means losing bit... This restoration was pivotal as it enabled some of the huge psychological issues for tunnel was! This general or do several different troop branches have different requirements pull them off means losing bit! 159.66Cm ( 5 feet 1.28 inches ) tall the rank of Captain to...

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