Life of a Soldier: A Vietnam War Story

I look upon the base after I stepped off the plane with the other volunteers. The entire base was filled with U.S. Soldiers, ARVN, a couple of Koreans and a lot of fresh face recruits like myself.

The draft came in back in December 1st, 1969 I was still in school at the time so I was born in 1951, Brooklyn, New York once I became of age I enlisted. A lot of my friends either were drafted or volunteered, the Army promise us great pay and opportunities once we pay our deeds to Uncle Sam.

Boot Camp was tough like my Old Man said it would, my Dad served as a Marine during World War 2 and his brother my Uncle served in Korea however he passed during the Battle of Haman.

In my family I am the oldest of two young sisters both born at the same time back in 1953.

When I announced I'm joining the Army my sisters Jenny and Hayley were devasted by my choice ever since Uncle died in Korea.

"I love you Anthony but you should know I..I've heard of what's going on there are you sure?" My Dad asked me which I told him "Yeah I'm sure Dad"

My Mom was crying as I left through the door and got onto the bus, I continue write in my journal to collect my thoughts and I write letters to my family.

December 27, 1971

During Boot Camp I was ridiculed for my height, I was 5'5 so I was nicknamed Mickey Mouse, I try my best for it not to get under my skin. I continue my training and became qualifed, during my training I meet a friend of my mine named Jamie.

Jamie was from California, he was one of three brothers and seven sisters. Jamie always had my back and defended me from the other Cadets during training.

"Don't let em get to ya Tony" Jamie told me, while roughly patting my back. Jamie was 5'9 taller then me but never once did he joke about my height thanks to him I stayed motived.

Jamie went to Vietnam first and before he was sent he jokingly said "See you in the New World Mickey Mouse"

I called out to him that I'll be seeing him very soon.

January 8, 1972

Before being sent to Vietnam I was station in Okinawa for five months, it's almost kinda funny I'm in Okinawa where my Father fought and I'm going to Vietnam.

The island was being used by the military to conduct Operations and train up more soldiers. The people of Okinawa called Okinawans were consider to be apart of Japan, their very nice people.

Thanks to them I learn quite a bit of their history, tho I remember Dad telling me stories about Okinawa and they weren't pleasant stories.

Once I called up with the other recruits we walked onto the plane and flew to Vietnam.

January 10, 1972

I met up with Jamie again, crazy kid was full of energy I swear, Jamie was already put in a group and he's going to be sent to support some of the ARVN.

I was just happy to see him again, while in Vietnam I worked in the Armory. I worked on and fixed a variety of firearms mainly small arms such as pistols and assault rifles.

To be honest working on firearms help me learn a lot of weapons, while I worked I listen to a conversation of some the fellow soldiers.

These guys were dirty and their uniforms were rotting off their bodies. From what I was told soldiers with their Uniforms rotting is a sign of experience.

I listen to talking about on how they cleared out a bunker filled with at least five NVAs. I was working on a M16 rifle til one of them walked up to me and asked if I was new to Vietnam to which I told them yes.

He looked at me and said "Word of advice kid, if it sounds quiet be alert, don't be to friendly with the locals since Charlie can be anyone and finally never separated from the group" His cold gaze stared at me which made me feel smaller then I'm already am.

I thanked him for the advice and went back on working on the weapons.

January 11, 1972

I had the worse stomach pain of my life, luckily I made it to the latrine before I ruined my pants. The pain in my stomach was just awful as I was settling down I listen to some yelling.

Once I finished, I stepped out and saw a helicopter land down. The copter was riddled with bullet holes and some medics ran over carrying out at least three wounded soldiers.

One was holding his hand to his face, I could of sworn I could see his eyeball loosen out of it's socket. Another soldier was screaming and to my horror his legs were missing, I felt sick and wanted to throw up but luckily I held it down.

The last one was being carried as a rag covered his face, the rag was wet and soaked up the blood. I could see him still breathing but he was badly injured for him to be carried.

I muttered to myself 'Dear God..'

I went back to my barracks and lay down on my bunk widen eye, I've never seen anything like this in my life. I closed my eyes but those images were still fresh in my mind.

January 13, 1972

I was called into a room, inside were a couple of other men. A lot of them were baby face like me I sat among them, one of them talked to me and said his name was Marshall, he was transferred from Fort Polk.

I told him my name was Anthony and I work as Small Arms Repairs. Then our C.O walked in he was nearly shorter then me, he had a shaven face with a scar on his nose to his cheek.

The man had the same pair of eyes like the Marine who gave me advice. Our C.O said his name is Sgt. Nolan Aromas, we were selected for our height to become members of MACV-SOG

"Gentlemen" He said, "You'll be made into a special group within MACV-SOG you'll be made to find and destroy anything that belongs to the enemy whether it's weapon cache, supplies or even a shit hole" He walked back and forth as he spoke to us "You'll be Tunnel Rats, you'll be crawling through the dirtiest tunnels to clear out those Commie sons of bitches, I won't lie to you boys your lives are limited between a Tunnel Rat and a Door Gunner you'll live longer then a Door Gunner"

One of the guys raised his hand and said "So Sarge, what's the purpose of a Tunnel Rat?" "Glad you ask, we'll be cleaning out Tunnels, Charlie has been using tunnels to get through our boys and make life easier for them but that's where it stops, at 0900 Hours we'll be clearing out a possible infested tunnel, consider this your rite of passage boys dismissed"

We left and were assigned to a new barracks for us Tunnel Rats, in the barracks we got to know each other.

We had Kyle our Field Medic, Marshall our Radioman, Paul our Machine Gunner, Scully our Pointman, Bucky our Sniper and Me.

Kyle was Italian American, his family came from Sicily after World War 2, he joined the Army with the promise of a better job, Bucky was a Country boy with a chip on his shoulder he was pretty cocky on how he can in his own words "Pop a rat's head off from a hundred meters"

Marshall was half British, and said his only choice was college or join the military, unsure why he decided military.

Scully was rather quiet and said he's from Nevada, he won't say more after that and Paul was from New Zealand, he would crack jokes anytime to lighten the mood.

Honestly I'm kinda nervous but I gotta be prepared, I'll be writing a letter to my family once it's over.