Buckshot Bear Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 Vietnam - Tunnel Rats I can't imagine for a second going into a Vietcong tunnel. https://www.slq.qld.gov.au/blog/tunnel-rats-and-flame-throwers-joe-cazey-vietnam-war-digital-story-and-oral-history https://anzacportal.dva.gov.au/resources/30-viet-cong-tunnels https://allthatsinteresting.com/tunnel-rats Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 2 hours ago, Buckshot Bear said: Vietnam - Tunnel Rats I can't imagine for a second going into a Vietcong tunnel. Nor I ! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Wallaby Jack, SASS #44062 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 2 hours ago, Buckshot Bear said: Vietnam - Tunnel Rats I can't imagine for a second going into a Vietcong tunnel. 19 minutes ago, Cold Lake Kid, SASS # 51474 said: Nor I ! ........... I can't imagine for a first going into ........... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 Don’t know if any of these were the authorized, but I don’t imagine anybody in country argued. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Pat Riot Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 My Uncle Tom served in Vietnam. He was a sniper in the Army. I recall that he said the company he was attached to had an officer that insisted that everyone experience clearing tunnels. I do not recall any details as I was probably 6 or 7 years old but I recall my uncle said he went into one tunnel. He had a .45 and a flashlight and he was scared out of his wits. Apparently he didn’t mind being sent off with his spotter to shoot at the enemy with little or no backup but clearing a tunnel was petrifying to him. I know it would be for me. I am claustrophobic. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 I have a cousin who says he was a tunnel rat, possible, he was about 5’4. I will reserve judgement. Had a neighbor, license plate TNLRAT, likely, his place was sold quite a while after he went into the VA hospital. There was a magazine article about him. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 I have been around , some whom , I belive were them guys were flat out CRAZY , yet , I would trust em the have my back in a fight CB Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Forty Rod SASS 3935 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 5 hours ago, Pat Riot, SASS #13748 said: My Uncle Tom served in Vietnam. He was a sniper in the Army. I recall that he said the company he was attached to had an officer that insisted that everyone experience clearing tunnels. I do not recall any details as I was probably 6 or 7 years old but I recall my uncle said he went into one tunnel. He had a .45 and a flashlight and he was scared out of his wits. Apparently he didn’t mind being sent off with his spotter to shoot at the enemy with little or no backup but clearing a tunnel was petrifying to him. I know it would be for me. I am claustrophobic. I'm not claustrophobic, but dark, closed in spaces just scare me into a catatonic state. I wouldn't even go into a glassed in phone booth after sunset. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish ike, SASS #43615 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 53 minutes ago, Forty Rod SASS 3935 said: I'm not claustrophobic, but dark, closed in spaces just scare me into a catatonic state. Try going into a MRI with a bucket locking your head in place for 30 minutes, while remaining perfectly still. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 8 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said: Don’t know if any of these were the authorized, but I don’t imagine anybody in country argued. Those are basically post war creations. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Utah Bob #35998 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 1 hour ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said: I have a cousin who says he was a tunnel rat, possible, he was about 5’4. I will reserve judgement. Had a neighbor, license plate TNLRAT, likely, his place was sold quite a while after he went into the VA hospital. There was a magazine article about him. The smallest guys weRE best suited for the job as the tunnels were very tight. Average Vietnamese male was 5’4’ to 5’7”. A 6’ American would find it nearly impossile. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Capt. James H. Callahan Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 I can't imagine hitting the beach at Normandy or Iwo Jima either. My dad fought in the South Pacific in WWII. He said when they'd invade an island the Navy would come in and blow the living Hell out of the place for 2 or 3 days, when our boys hit the beach it was still crawling with Japanese. Nasty business. Glad I was a kid during Nam. I topped out at about 5'7" so I might have been a tunnel rat! JHC Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
The Shoer 27979 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 3 hours ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said: Try going into a MRI with a bucket locking your head in place for 30 minutes, while remaining perfectly still. They tried to put me in head first in one of those things. My wife said she never seen me freak out like I did. I can go in feet first don't bother me, head first no frucken way Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
irish ike, SASS #43615 Posted February 19, 2023 Share Posted February 19, 2023 Just now, The Shoer 27979 said: I can go in feet first don't bother me, head first no frucken way I ended up having to be put out.I needed a 2 hour scan of my spine. Can you do that Mr. Eich? NOPE! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bear Posted February 19, 2023 Author Share Posted February 19, 2023 I'm halfway through this book - The thrilling story of the young Australian Army engineers of 3 Field Troop who were the first allied soldiers to risk their lives in the darkness of the Vietcong tunnels of South Vietnam.'All I could do was prod the earth with my bayonet and shine the light to see if I could find anything. It doesn't matter how small the tunnel is you never know what's around the bend ... You don't know if it's abandoned, you don't know if it's booby trapped and you don't know why the tunnel is there in the first place.'They were young, they were Australian, they were Army engineers and they were the first allied soldiers to risk their lives in the darkness of the Vietcong tunnels of South Vietnam. Staring death squarely in the face every day, not only did they follow their enemy down into these unknown underground labyrinths, but matched the Vietcong's jungle warfare skills and defused thousands of their clever booby traps.Off duty, it was a different story. The bad boys of 3 Field Troop were a boozing, brawling, bonking bunch of larrikins, who cut a swathe through the bars and brothels of Saigon, fought American Military Police to a standstill, built a secret casino and booby-trapped their own HQ to teach their officers a lesson.Thrilling, inspiring and action packed, this is the true story of the unsung heroes of Australia's war in Vietnam. Living up to their motto of 'We Make and We Break', they created the legend of the Tunnel Rats. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Red Gauntlet , SASS 60619 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 6 hours ago, irish ike, SASS #43615 said: Try going into a MRI with a bucket locking your head in place for 30 minutes, while remaining perfectly still. I was never claustrophobic, and had several MRIs without incident, until I was put in one of those with the frame headlock. At 40 minutes I began to lose it, to my surprise and chagrin. I held on for 5 more minutes and fortunately it ended. Since then I have become really wary of MRIs, which I never had been before. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bear Posted February 20, 2023 Author Share Posted February 20, 2023 16 hours ago, Marshal Mo Hare, SASS #45984 said: Don’t know if any of these were the authorized, but I don’t imagine anybody in country argued. That one was supposedly worn by Aussie Tunnel Rats and translates to "Not worth a rat's arse" Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bear Posted February 20, 2023 Author Share Posted February 20, 2023 https://www.tunnelrats.com.au/aboutus.php Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bear Posted February 20, 2023 Author Share Posted February 20, 2023 https://cove.army.gov.au/article/fresh-plane-and-straight-it-learning-job-australian-tunnel-rats-vietnam Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Hashknife Cowboy Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 A close Cowboy Pard of mine was a tunnel rat. He is a small man, he shared that when he did this he was about 5-5 and about 120 lbs. He is now in his late 70's with dementia. We have spent many a hours and days on horseback moving cattle and having very open discussions on what he did during those years. I admire his courage and strength in some unbelievable encounters while under ground. I promised him to not share his stories but these individuals were a rare breed of dedicated soldiers. God Bless all of them, those who are still with us and those who have left us. We take our freedoms too lightly and too many just take it all for granted. Lastly to those who have served and continue to serve, God Bless and thank you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Painted Mohawk SASS 77785 Posted February 20, 2023 Share Posted February 20, 2023 All I can say is those that were Tunnel Rats had the biggest balls of all...scarey shit what they did !! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bear Posted February 21, 2023 Author Share Posted February 21, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bear Posted February 21, 2023 Author Share Posted February 21, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Buckshot Bear Posted February 21, 2023 Author Share Posted February 21, 2023 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Charlie T Waite Posted February 21, 2023 Share Posted February 21, 2023 22 hours ago, Hashknife Cowboy said: God Bless all of them, those who are still with us and those who have left us. We take our freedoms too lightly and too many just take it all for granted. Lastly to those who have served and continue to serve, God Bless and thank you. Many a Nam Vet thank you for that ... BTW I was 5'6" 130 Lbs I stuck my head in and said oh hell no - it put me on point and cost me an extra patrol. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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