50 years ago today, June 24, in sunny Vietnam-land - Where were you?

SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S. — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 08:53:08 -0400

General Westmoreland advised Washington that he needed more American soldiers than those previously approved and proposed that the U.S. bomb the railroad from North Vietnam to China, mine Haiphong harbor, and carry out B-52 strikes.

Hanoi Radio announces that the Vietcong have shot POW and US Army Sergeant Harold G. Bennett.
Harold Bennett and Charles Crafts were MACV advisors to an ARVN unit operating in Phuoc Tuy Province, South Vietnam.
A native of Maine, Crafts had been in country about 1 month. On the afternoon of December 29, 1964, Bennett, Crafts and their ARVN unit made contact with Viet Cong guerrillas and the unit engaged in a firefight.
During the firefight, both were taken prisoner.
By early 1965, Crafts and Bennett joined other prisoners held by the Viet Cong.
Those who returned supplied information on the fates of those who did not.
In late spring, 1965, Bennett began to refuse food.
This was not an uncommon occurrence among prisoners suffering dysentery, malnutrition, malaise, injury and other ills that were common among prisoners of war in the South.
Normally, the other prisoners worked hard to prevent further illness by forcing food on the POW who refused food, provided the sick man was not isolated.
Returned POWs report the death of several men from the cycle of illness-refusal to eat-depression-starvation.
Bennett did not die of starvation, however.
The Vietnamese National Liberation Front (NLF) announced on Radio Hanoi on June 24, 1965 that Bennett had been shot in retaliation for Viet Cong terrorist Tran Van Dong’s execution by South Vietnam.
He was the first POW to be executed in retaliation.
When the war ended in 1973, the Vietnamese listed Bennett as having died in captivity.
They did not return his remains.
He is one of nearly 2400 Americans still missing in Southeast Asia.

Response by SCPO David Lockwood made Jun 24 at 2015 8:58 AM

SCPO David Lockwood — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 08:58:57 -0400

More Soldiers needed in middle east also!

Response by MSgt Private RallyPoint Member made Jun 24 at 2015 9:05 AM

MSgt Private RallyPoint Member — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 09:05:11 -0400

Wow. I never heard of Sgt Harold Benett. Goes to show you how we only concern ourselves with certain parts of our history and the names of heroes get forgotten.

Response by PO1 Mike Edgecomb made Jun 24 at 2015 11:08 AM

PO1 Mike Edgecomb — Wed, 24 Jun 2015 11:08:46 -0400

I was 9 Years old! May Sergeant Harold G. Bennett rest in Peace!

http://www.vietnamgear.com/Article.aspx?Art=65

War Story - BINH GIA – The Battle

This article was originally published in Behind The Lines magazine. VietnamGear.com has reproduced this article with the kind permission of Gary Linderer.

Response by SSgt Boyd Herrst made Mar 11 at 2018 5:51 PM

SSgt Boyd Herrst — Sun, 11 Mar 2018 17:51:34 -0400

Puts me at 15 at that time, 2 days after my birthday ..

Response by Capt James Skaggs made Jul 23 at 2019 12:01 AM

Capt James Skaggs — Tue, 23 Jul 2019 00:01:34 -0400

Udorn, Thailand. Intelligence officer. Flying drones up the Ho chi min trail.

Response by SMSgt Lawrence McCarter made Mar 15 at 2025 11:23 PM

SMSgt Lawrence McCarter — Sat, 15 Mar 2025 23:23:30 -0400

In 1965, 50 years ago, I was still in High School and entered the Air Force in 1966 and 47 years ago most of 1968 into 1969 was in Vietnam Myself.

Response by SSG Dennis R. made Mar 16 at 2025 6:13 AM

SSG Dennis R. — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 06:13:02 -0400

March, 1970? In the midst of a move from Pleiku to An Khe along with the rest of the 4th INF.
March, 1971? In Bear Cat with the 1st Cav.

Response by SFC Jo Ann Klawitter made Mar 16 at 2025 1:32 PM

SFC Jo Ann Klawitter — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 13:32:12 -0400

Thank you so much for that information. I did not know that.
My brother volunteered to go to Vietnam, but he came back

Response by Amn Roger Omberg made Mar 16 at 2025 2:33 PM

Amn Roger Omberg — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 14:33:35 -0400

Under normal circumstances, at the end of the conflict, there are signatures required from all concerned parties. Before the U.S. signature was given is the time to demand all U.S. Armed forces personnel be returned to the USA., or NO signature.

Response by SGT Ruben Lozada made Mar 16 at 2025 4:06 PM

SGT Ruben Lozada — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:06:31 -0400

Good afternoon SPC Jan Allbright, M.Sc., R.S.. Excellent post. Thanks for sharing this Specialist.

Response by SFC Jo Ann Klawitter made Mar 16 at 2025 4:09 PM

SFC Jo Ann Klawitter — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:09:38 -0400

I was state side at Ft Meade MD

Response by SGT Carl Blas made Mar 16 at 2025 4:52 PM

SGT Carl Blas — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 16:52:46 -0400

1965, as a teenager, mostly every day saw the B-52s take off and landing at Andersen AFB Guam.
Still today, I do the same of most aircraft, and sometimes there might be a B-52 seen again. I still live right outside of the base gate, path for landing.

Response by SPC Michael Terrell made Mar 16 at 2025 6:25 PM

SPC Michael Terrell — Sun, 16 Mar 2025 18:25:54 -0400

Back home after serving in the Army. I was assigned to Vietnam in 1973, but was rerouted to the Cold Weather Research base in Alaska. I was a Broadcast Engineer for AFRTS. You couldn't carry arms on base, but there were hungry wild animals in the continuous sub zero weather. Have you ever ad a full grown moose thry to chase you into a building? They didn't need a rifle to be deadly.I spent sen out of 14 days working 50+ hour shifts so that was over 70 hours per week, on average. My duty was miles from the main bbase, with no mess, and it was often near freezing in the control room. I had frostbit so often that I lost count, only to be told, 'You served at a coubtry ckub base' I went through hours of oral surgey without pain killer, and dealy with a steady stream of entitled TDY fficers who demand that run a show they waned, instead of what was scheduked. I had a reputation for upsetting these idiots. Not al officers were lie this, but there were more than enough. The control/transmitte rom was a restricted area, yet they woud demand to enter and threatnen me with Courtmartial when I reffused them entry.

Response by SSG Gordon Holmes made Mar 17 at 2025 1:00 PM

SSG Gordon Holmes — Mon, 17 Mar 2025 13:00:43 -0400

Ft. Bragg

Response by SFC Richard Baerlocher made Apr 5 at 2025 4:49 PM

SFC Richard Baerlocher — Sat, 05 Apr 2025 16:49:12 -0400

That was 1965, and I was still in high school. In 1975, I was in Guam helping with the Vietnamese refugee operation "Operation New Life, Guam" There were others that were in support at many other military installations across the nation. From me to everyone that helped on this operation that has never recieved a thanks, I am personally thanking you!