Receiving the Medal of Honor for valor in combat puts one in the hallowed company of but a few thousand individuals to ever grace the earth. But by the time you earn two Medals of Honor, you are one of 19 persons to have ever done so.
Perhaps it is because the Medal of Honor is quite often awarded posthumously but receiving two and living to talk about it is a rare feat in the world. Frank Baldwin would do just that in the 1800s and live to become a General by World War 1. His first would come during the American Civil War in an era where men lined up in neat rows and took turns shooting at each other.
The next would be on the American frontier as the rapidly expanding America put itself in increasing conflict with the Native Americans pushed west. And while each conflict is the subject of intense historical debate, the gallantry of a man on either side when the bullets start to fly is often the least controversial part of it all.
A native of Michigan, Frank Baldwin was born in Manchester Michigan in 1842. As fate would have it, he came of age just as America was embarking on a costly Civil War that few could have predicted would take the toll on the nation that it did. Over 600,000 would die in this conflict, but Frank Baldwin would not be one despite his conspicuous gallantry in the face of heavy enemy fire.
He initially joined the US Volunteer Army as a 2nd Lieutenant for the Michigan Horse Guards in 1861 before eventually making his way to the 19th Michigan Volunteers in 1862.
By early 1863, he would find himself fighting in Tennessee against the Confederate Army. In March, he found himself a POW after being captured near Brentwood, TN by General Nathan Bedford Forrest's Confederates.
However, a prisoner exchange in August allowed him to return to the fight. Fighting his way with the Union Army through Chattanooga, he would eventually find himself under the command of General William Tecumseh Sherman during his infamous march to Atlanta.
At Peachtree Creek, Georgia on July 12th, 1864 his actions as a Captain with Company D 19th Michigan Infantry would earn him his first Medal of Honor. When his unit came under an intense Confederate attack, Captain Baldwin led a countercharge that would find him well ahead of his men.
It is reported in this citation that he singly entered the enemy's lines due to being so far ahead and when it was all said and done, he brought back two fully armed Confederate officers as well as the guidon of a Georgia regiment as if just to rub it in that the Confederates could not stop him. He was awarded the Medal of Honor for his actions at Peachtree Creek.
As the war ended, he returned to Detroit and was discharged as a Captain on June 10th, 1865.
Like most good things in life, why to have one when you can have two seemed to be the mantra of Frank Baldwin. After the war, he was commissioned in the 19th United States Infantry in 1866 and served in a variety of duty stations that took him everywhere from being a quartermaster to recruiting duty over the next eight years.
In 1874, he was assigned to join the Indian Territory expedition under the leadership of General Nelson A. Miles of the Fifth Infantry. Setting out from Fort Dodge, Kansas, he participated in the campaigns against the warriors of the Cheyenne, Kiowa, Arapahoe, and Comanche, who were resisting American westward expansion.
On November 8th, 1874 Baldwin's unit was called into action when a group of hostile Native Americans had captured two local American women. Rather than wait for reinforcements as one might think given the numerically superior Native American force, Baldwin led a charge with just two companies.
The attack was a success as it prevented the enemy from escaping and killing the captives. For his actions that day at McClellan's Creek, Texas, Frank Baldwin would receive his 2nd Medal of Honor.
He would go on to serve in a variety of campaigns against the Indian forces over the next 15 years to include engagements against the famed Native American Chief Sitting Bull. His service would take him from Texas to Yellowstone before eventually being transferred to the Philippines for service during the Spanish-American War where for the first campaign against an enemy in his life, he didn't receive a Medal of Honor.
By 1906, Baldwin had earned the rank of General before being retired from active service after over 40 years of service. He would otherwise live a quiet retirement before being called upon by his new home state of Colorado. He would later be recalled to service as a Major General for the Colorado National Guard during World War 1.
While he didn't deploy to Europe, the recall was more of an admiration for his extensive military experience and an earnest need for men of his character to mentor the next generation of warriors.
Major General Frank Baldwin died in 1923 in Denver, Colorado. With over half of his life spent toward military service, his contribution to his nation stands tall. But when you consider he picked up two Medals of Honor along, history can't help but take notice.
A Medal of Honor serves as a bookmark in history for all to take notice regardless of what one might think about the nature of the conflict. For it tells us in modern times that a remarkable feat of human nature took place in the history of war.
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Ho Chi Minh took power in North Vietnam and one million refugees fled south. The United States became involved in the defense of South Vietnam as the guerrilla activity by Communist-led insurgents intensified. The first Americans were killed in 1959. There were 342 advisers in Vietnam in January 1960, but after John F. Kennedy's inauguration as president in 1961, the number rose rapidly to 11,000. Lyndon B. Johnson made president upon Kennedy's assassination in November 1963, ordered the first airstrikes against North Vietnam the following August. Escalation was rapid once the 1964 elections were over. General William C. Westmoreland assumed command of the U.S. Military Assistance Command, Vietnam (MACV), as well as of the U.S. Army, Vietnam (USARV), formed in 1964.Johnson ordered a major troop buildup in 1965, and on May 5, the 173d Airborne Brigade redeployed from Okinawa as the first Army combat unit in Vietnam. By the end of the year, there were 154,000 military personnel in Vietnam, and over sixteen hundred combat deaths had already been recorded. American troop strength reached 536,000 in December 1968.
By that time South Vietnamese armed forces totaled 826,500, and allied forces included 50,000 troops from South Korea, over 7,500 from Australia, and smaller groups from the Philippines, Thailand, and New Zealand.The Communists lost an estimated forty-five thousand killed in a militarily disastrous Tet (lunar new year) offensive in January 1968; the allies lost about fifty-five hundred. However, Tet turned American opinion against the war; peace talks began in Paris, and General Creighton W. Abrams replaced Westmoreland.
President Richard M. Nixon was inaugurated in 1969 with pledges to end the war with honor. Although American forces reached their peak of 543,482 in April, reductions began almost immediately thereafter. Nevertheless, domestic U.S. opposition to the war continued as 500,000 protesters marched in Washington on April 4, 1970.
A cease-fire was signed in January 1973, and the final pullout occurred on May 7, 1975. In all, 8,744,000 Americans served in Vietnam, and 47,312 died in combat."
Source: U.S. Army Medical Department
Being built on the lake meant that land platforms were created as needed in an orderly fashion leaving clean canal streets for canoe traffic and multiple bridges and paths for pedestrians. Each neighborhood was distinct and had its required services from schools to garbage collectors.
The city also had fabulous amenities befitting a great city. Huge gardens were popular and the city zoo and aquariums held wildlife from all over Mesoamerica. Fresh spring water flowed through several aqueducts along the three long causeways that connected the city to the north, west and south shores.Among the beauty of Tenochtitlan was a great amount of war and death. The large central temple complex usually held daily sacrifices and many of the different gods required human sacrifices whether they be battle captives or willing victims. On either side of the main temple were the houses of the eagle and jaguar warriors, elite warrior clans who led the armies in battle.
When Hernan Cortez brought his band of around 600 soldiers to Mexico, his chief motivation was evading his superior. Many of the men's motivations were some combination of gold, power or God. As Cortez established a base at Veracruz he left some men to guard the camp while proceeding inland, but not before destroying his fleet to prevent any insurrection from a desire to escape.
He had a force of about 400 men with steel armor and swords along with crossbows, primitive firearms, and a few light cannons. One of his men, Geronimo de Aguilar, was a survivor of a shipwreck eight years' prior and had learned many of the languages and customs.In a series of misguided battles, the confederation of tribes known as the Tlaxcala launched several attacks against the advancing army of Cortez. In these first engagements, the Spanish were faced with armies numbering in the hundreds of thousands and easily prevailed. The Aztec Macuahuitl was a vicious weapon against unarmored foes and indeed in these battles, a horse was essentially decapitated but the steel armor of the Spaniards was too effective.
Counter to some popular thought, the Spanish actually fought mostly with swords and crossbows, though they had a similar devastating result. Steel swords cut right through the padded cotton armor of the natives and crossbow bolts would fly right through the light shields. When firearms were used that had a truly terrific effect with their loud bangs and smoke they truly terrified the natives.
After every battle, Cortez released prisoners with messages of peace. Finally, the Tlaxcala were willing to meet, and the two sides realized that they both sought to control the Aztecs. The Tlaxcala was one of the few independent groups left near Tenochtitlan and were often targets of new wars primarily to steal more sacrificial victims. After this alliance was formed, the king/emperor Montezuma urgently requested to see Cortez and summoned him to Tenochtitlan before any more of his enemies united against him.
The motives of Montezuma are difficult to ascertain, he clearly was afraid of the Spanish to a degree owing to their established power and strange origins, but he seems to have attempted to orchestrate an ambush as Cortez was on his way to Tenochtitlan and prepared and sent an army towards Veracruz. He seems to have truly favored an appeasement policy, giving gifts to get the Spanish to leave but also seemed ready to hit hard with his armies.When Cortez and his men arrived at Tenochtitlan they were given a royal welcome. They were given rooms in the royal residences and given tours around the city. They made notes of the impressive causeways and the city zoo as well as the evidence of wealth and treasures everywhere.
Here though the Spanish began to become horrified by the constant and routine human sacrifices. While it is true that the Spaniards often lusted after power and riches, the witnessing of what they perceived as pure evil would have also provided future motivation to topple the empire. Not only were their sacrifices but other brutal acts such as feeding these victims to captive jaguars and outright cannibalism.
The details are uncertain, but Cortez seems to have figured out some of Montezuma's plots to attack the Veracruz settlement and decided to hold the emperor captive. This captivity was very civil with all daily activities, including sacrifices, continuing for months, but with the Spanish cautiously monitoring things.
This standoff persisted until Cortez had to leave the city to meet a force of around 900 Spaniards tasked with arresting Cortez for disobeying the Cuban (New Spain) governor. Cortez was able to ambush skillfully and capture the commanding officer and showed his great speaking ability by convincing the 900 men to join his cause.
While Cortez was with his newly gained army, his garrison in Tenochtitlan faced dire odds. The city was at peace when Cortez left but his second in command, Pedro de Alvarado, had been invited to a traditional Aztec feast. Accounts differ but supposedly unprovoked, Alvarado blocked the exits and slaughtered all the natives at the Feast, 600 to 1,000 people mostly of the noble class were ruthlessly slaughtered and their bodies looted for jewelry.Following this slaughter, the residents of Tenochtitlan had enough of the Spaniards and spurred by a divine proclamation that the Spanish must be expelled, they besieged the palace complex with the garrison and the captive Montezuma.
Cortez had secured his army and had gained more local allies but was now faced with the prospect of losing his entire city garrison, his captive Montezuma and his foothold in the city. Cortez had to figure out how to regain his hold on the 200,000 people in the city while saving the few hundred they were trying to capture and sacrifice. Reports from the besieged Spanish maintained that the Aztecs would shout threats such as, "you will be sacrificed" and "we will eat you". Every day of this would have been agonizing for the Spanish, knowing full well that capture meant certain and brutal death.
Just 830 Marines would face over 2,500 Japanese attackers in a few hours when then Colonel Merritt Edson stepped up onto a grenade box and addressed his Marines saying, "You men have done a great job, and I have just one more thing to ask of you. Hold out just one more night. I know we've been without sleep a long time. But we expect another attack from them tonight, and they might come through here. I have every reason to believe that we will have reliefs here for all of us in the morning."
His Marines would indeed give him one more night and the Japanese more than they could handle. Seen all over the battlefield that night by his Marines as he rallied and led them amidst the heavy fire, they would name the bloody ground for which they fought "Edson's Ridge."The military career of Merritt Edson would be a diverse one that would take him from being a private in the National Guard to a Major General of Marines. "Red Mike" as he would subsequently become known was born in Vermont in 1897 and joined the Vermont National Guard Regiment in 1916.
He was eventually able to return to his college studies in a few months and joined the Marine Corps Reserve in October 1917. He was commissioned a second lieutenant and sent to France with the 11th Marines but would not see any combat in the First World War.
After World War I, he served in a variety of capacities, but eventually developed an interest in flight training earning his wings in 1922. He would serve in the South Pacific out of Marine Naval Air Station in Guam where he would get his first look at some of the tropical islands where hard-earned real estate would eventually bear his name.
However, physical reasons would limit his ability to fly and he eventually returned to ground duty. He would go on to command the Marine detachment which went ashore in Nicaragua in 1928 and 1929 where he would see his first action in combat and pick up the Navy Cross for his leadership under fire.
He would continue to serve with distinction in the 1930s and World War II would find him as a Colonel that was a man with the right skills, the right experience, and precisely at the right moment in history. He was given command of the First Battalion Fifth Marines where he would help train and mold them into what would become the 1st Marine Raider Battalion in early 1942.And while he would lead his Marines in combat through various engagements early in the war, it would be a ridge of Guadalcanal where his place in Marine Corps history would be permanently enshrined.
In August of 1942, the Americans landed on Guadalcanal and captured a Japanese airfield under construction that would become known as Henderson Field. As it turns out, the Japanese wanted it back and the next few months would see ferocious fighting for that cause. Edson's Raiders had endured much of this combat and on the evening of September 12, were sent to a reserve position near Henderson Field where they were expected to catch a short break and get some rest.
However, an unexpected Japanese attack that evening ruined any such plans as the Raiders of 1st Battalion were once again pitched battle for their lives.
With part of the positions overrun, Col. Edson withdrew his men the next day to a ridgeline approximately 400 yards to the south and gave the order for his Marines to prepare for its defense. It was here on this ridge the Col. Edson gave his Marines the encouragement to simply hold out one more night giving them time to mentally and physically prepare for what was to come.
And just as expected, at sunset nearly 2,500 Japanese soldiers poured out of the jungle and assaulted the 800 Marines with everything they had. Initial successes in the Japanese assault due to the sheer numerical advantage led to some Marine positions being overrun and their flanks dangerously exposed.One Marine officer who participated recounted it as, "The Japanese attack was almost constant, like a rain that subsides for a moment and then pours the harder. When one wave was mowed down - and I mean mowed down - another followed it into death."
As portions of the Marines begin to withdraw and it seemed like defeat was imminent, they ran into a certain Colonel who was never short of the right words to say as he rallied them to prepare the defense around Hill 123. Is often said of Colonel Edson that his Marines would follow him anywhere, but their only problem would be keeping up.
Throughout the night of September 13th, Colonel Edson could always be seen just 20 yards behind the front firing line rallying his Marines and organizing their defense. At times when other Marines could be seen hugging the ground, Col. Edson exposed himself to dangerous fire in order to single-handedly save the battalion.
As the day broke the next morning, Edson's Raiders were still in command of Hill 123 and the Japanese assault was repulsed. The world would often refer to this ridge as "Bloody Ridge," but the Marines who fought there would only refer to it as Edson's Ridge seeing as how much their commander was determined to own it.For his actions and leadership under constant fire, Col. Merritt Edson would go on to receive the Medal of Honor and the respect of every man who saw him in action that on those dreaded September nights in 1942.
Col. Edson would go on to serve with distinction throughout the rest of the war and even picked up his first start to become a Brigadier General. He retired from the Marines in 1947 as a Major General and continued to serve the nation in various civil capacities.
In addition to his personal awards for gallantry in service, the USS Edson which was a Forrest Sherman-class destroyer was commissioned in his name along with a portion of Camp Pendleton where Marine recruits learn the skills of marksmanship.
But for the men of the 1st Raider Battalion in 1942, he was simply the man they didn't want to disappoint standing 20 yards behind them in a battle for their lives and Edson Ridge.
More information about the bloody battle of Edson Ridge can be found at https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Battle_of_Edson%27s_Ridge
At the beginning of American military involvement, in 1964, fewer than 50 percent of Americans had ever heard of Vietnam. What they had heard about the country was about the battle between democracy and communism that was taking place in that small Far Eastern nation. Communism was one thing that most Americans were aware of as a result of the Red Scares of the 1950s and the domino theory was prominent - the thought that if one nation became communist,
those surrounding that country were also likely to follow. Despite that knowledge, and although most Americans were aware of the threat of communism, the attitude seemed to be that this situation was so far away that there should be no reason to worry about it.It was in 1954 that the United States started helping in Vietnam when a treaty divided the country in two with communist China and the Soviet Union supporting the North and the United States supporting the South. The fear of the spread of Communism resulted in U.S. presidents Eisenhower, Kennedy, and eventually Johnson, sending support to South Vietnam in the form of military and financial assistance and this gradually escalated over the years.
By 1964, the North Vietnamese (NVA) and the Viet Cong (VC) were becoming ever more aggressive in attempts to overthrow the South Vietnamese government and the conflict escalated from there. As August 2, 1964, approached, things within this conflict were soon to change with this being the date of an alleged attack on the USS Maddox by three North Vietnamese torpedo boats in the Gulf of Tonkin. Another attack supposedly followed, and the United States saw this as an act of war from the North Vietnamese. The result was that on August 7, 1964, Congress passed the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution authorizing President Johnson to take all steps necessary in Southeast Asia to protect American interest.
There is a great deal of controversy about these "attacks" and what really happened but suffice it to say, they were supposedly the rationale behind the Gulf of Tonkin Resolution and history then happened. The North Vietnamese and Viet Cong saw this resolution as a statement of war. The result was attacks on American airbases which resulted in the killing of American soldiers as well as the wounding of numerous others. Johnson authorized the bombing of North Vietnam to show American power, and many thought this war would be over in a matter of eight weeks. But with these bombings, troops that were located within
South Vietnam became susceptible to VC attacks. To protect them, Johnson allowed ground troops to enter South Vietnam. It quickly became apparent that the conflict was growing into something larger than originally anticipated. And as we all know, this conflict became known as the Vietnam War. It lasted for years resulting in the deaths of 55,000+ Americans by the time it ended. The entire chain of events was much more prolonged and complicated than has been summarized here. Regardless of these several decades of events, America was in a war in Vietnam.With that said, as in previous wars, Native Americans were very involved, having had the highest record of service per capita of any ethnic group serving in this war. More than 42,000 Native Americans served in Vietnam. While looking at a website, found that there are 232 names that identify American Indian and Alaska Native service members who were killed in action (KIA) or missing in action (MIA) during the Vietnam War.
One man who knows about Vietnam and who can explain the harsh reality of what war is really like is FCP tribal member, Ernie Wensaut. PTT (Potawatomi) had the honor and privilege of hearing Ernie's story, and being from a generation who had only heard of this war in school and from books and movies, there are no words to explain some of the horror experienced, the sacrifices made, or the courage shown by this man as he served his country during this war.
Ernie Wensaut was drafted into the service. Of course, this means he did not volunteer to be a part of this, but as he said, "I didn't want to go but I had no choice." This, unfortunately, was the way for many young American men during this time. Wensaut was in Vietnam from October 1966 to October 22, 1967. During this year he experienced what only those who have been in combat can explain and understand.His age at the time was 21. At this age, most young men of his generation were out of school and starting their lives. They were finally able to get into a bar and drink legally, and it was a period of good times with buddies and girlfriends. When he was 21, Wensaut wasn't doing those things but was fighting to survive and to keep the buddies who were with him alive. It is truly impossible for those of us who have never been there to understand war and all it involves for the individual. As Wensaut said, "It's not fun being in a war; it's not like it's portrayed on TV. It's something you live and then has to live with the rest of your life and that's the hardest."
Wensaut was part of the Co C 2nd Battalion 10th Infantry 1st Division (a.k.a Big Red One). He was an M-60 machine gunner, which meant he was a part of a team of two to three men who would work together in firing this massive gun. This gun earned the nickname "The Pig" due to its size, and it would fire 500-650 rounds per minute. There was the gunner (Wensaut), the assistant gunner (AG military slang), and the ammunition bearer though sometimes there would only be the gunner and an assistant.
You can imagine what a feat it was to even get this machine gun set up and ready to fire. One recollection Wensaut has is how important it was to him to always keep his gun clean no matter what. He said that if it got wet, dusty, or dirty in any way, it could easily jam, so he was compulsive about keeping it clean, so it would always be operational. He describes this very thing happening to many other M-60 machine gunners and those men never got to come home. Wensaut's AG always told him, "I'm sticking with you, Ernie, because you always keep your gun clean - I will always be with you." That was one of the known flaws of this gun, which was an iconic image of the Vietnam War. Though it was large and had great fire power, it was known for jamming easily if not kept free of dirt and moisture and this fact cost lives.
While in Vietnam, Wensaut was in the area known as War Zone C in the highlands along the Cambodian border. Wensaut's infantry would go into the jungle to replace troops that were already fighting in there. Once that troop was either weaned out or had their time put in, Wensaut and his buddies would head in to help.
Can you imagine walking yourself into an area where you see extreme injuries to men, as well as deceased men being carried out? When first entering this area, Wensaut remembers how hot and humid it was and describes remembering seeing the paths of the tracer bullets. He remembers the feeling of not being buckled into the helicopter and just hanging on.He recollected that while the helicopter was turning to land in the "hot LZ" (landing zone), he looked straight down into the jungle and saw and heard the acts of war. He stated, "I knew where I was." During this interview, Wensaut went into some depth about situations he remembers which were very emotional for him as he recalled men right next to him being shot through the chest and face. Many of these men were his friends, his buddies, and they were feeling the same way he was. All any of them wanted to do was to survive and make it home to their families. Wensaut recalls, "I made friends with these men… then I didn't see them ever again."
One occasion he remembers: "There were so many bullets flying around us as we were trying to get the dead and wounded into a basket lowered by a helicopter that we couldn't do it because the VC shot the basket off the helicopter." As a result, they then had to call in the jets to drop napalm, so they could get themselves and the wounded/dead out of that area. Out of the seven men who went into this specific fight, only three came walking out of it with Wensaut being one of them. As he says, "It was no picnic." Wensaut in large part gives credit for his safety to his spiritual beliefs and to his father and mother who prayed for him every day he was over there. His father held a ceremony for him before even going to Vietnam and Wensaut says, "He gave me a gift to keep me safe there, and I believe that's what kept me safe."
For most of these men, this war was just as confusing as it was to the American public. Coming home from war during that time was not what you would expect to see today when soldiers return. Today, we often have huge homecomings for the men and women who have fought for our freedoms - welcoming them home with signs, cheering, and hugs all around. But for the Vietnam veterans, it was a very different story. Wensaut recalls getting off the plane to be welcomed home with words such as "baby killer". Imagine spending a year of your life trying to stay alive while fighting in a war you didn't understand, only to come home and be ridiculed, dishonored, and disrespected. Wensaut says, "We weren't that, we were survivors."Home was tough for many men and women returning from Vietnam. Most were not praised or thanked; many had and continue to have horrible realistic nightmares of being in the jungle witnessing their friends being killed. Many lost families because their loved ones could not understand what they had been through and had seen in their time there. Many turned to alcohol and drugs to help cope with their physical and emotional pain. The number of Vietnam Veterans with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD) is felt to be about 15 percent. Fifteen of every 100 Vietnam veterans carried the diagnosis of PTSD at the time of the most recent study in the late 1980s. (Found on U.S. Department of Veterans Affairs website.)
Wensaut is very thankful to his wife, children, and tribal people for helping him through these tough times in his life and for always giving him hope and as much happiness as he could have. Vietnam will be a part of Wensaut if he lives; it is part of his life. He says, "You don't forget it."
Wensaut earned the Vietnam Service Medal with Bronze Service Star and a National Defense Service Medal.
FCP tribal member Ken George Sr. also knows of this horrific war on a personal level. George also honored PTT by allowing time to sit with him and talk about his time in Vietnam and about some of the things he went through.
George was in the 3rd Marine Division, Lima Co, 3rd Battalion, 4th Marines, and 3rd Recon. He enlisted in the Marine Corps at the age of 19 in 1965. His reasoning behind enlisting was that during those days, there wasn't much for a young man to do around this area. He felt by enlisting he would be able to do something with his life. He knew that by enlisting during this time, likely he would eventually be sent over to Vietnam but that thought really didn't bother him. He said that his good buddy Frank Daniels and he were planning to go over there together. Unfortunately, something got in the way of that happening, though eventually, they hooked back up on the East Coast.George was also a machine gunner with the M-60 machine gun. He said that a typical day consisted of being on watch and maybe getting a couple of hours of sleep at a time. While you were getting those few hours' sleep, someone else would watch your back. But everyone was always on watch. He recalls the darkness in the jungle where he was. He said, "It was so thick in that jungle that during the daytime, it was like nighttime." George was on the 3rd recon team which meant that he and five other men would go out into the jungle and gather information at certain check points. He and his team would go out for four to five days at a time or for however long the mission took. If they found something suspicious, they would call in an aerial observer (AO) to bomb the area. George also recalled the heat that most veterans of this war remember. He said the sun was probably about 120 degrees, and the humidity was almost 100 percent with no breeze. Because of this heat and humidity, he said that the smell of the dead was intense. It was something that never went away or goes away. He also mentioned that there were two seasons in Vietnam - the hot
season and the rainy season. During the rainy season, he said it would get so cold at night you would think it was going to snow. Just imagine sitting in the jungle soaking wet from head-to-toe with temperatures that are comparable to what we may see here in winter.George also talked a bit to me about the Vietnamese guerrillas saying, "They could be friend during the day, but at night they were your worst enemy." He also stated, "The reason these men were so good at what they did was because they were in their own backyard." This certainly made sense, and a person must wonder how they would have fared in "our" woods in northern Wisconsin were things reversed.
Speaking of the woods, George chuckled about an incident he had with one of Vietnam's mammals while he was in the jungle. In our area, we have deer running free in the woods and we are used to that. However, Ken told me the story of how he was in the jungle and heard a loud pounding and could feel the ground shaking and suddenly, "A tiger ran right past me!" Yes - a real tiger - a huge animal bigger than any bear we would see here. We had a great laugh over this part of the interview though it was likely not too funny at the time.
George remembers his closest call during combat occurring while being in hand-to- hand combat with an NVA solider. Relaying the story of this incident in detail would be a sensitive subject. Let's just say that George is a very lucky man. George's story of the battle he has been in is relayed in the book called "Con Thien" which means "Hill of Angels". Anyone interested can pick the book up and can read about what these men have seen and been through.
George's homecoming was very similar to Wensaut's. He said, "Those darn hippies would be out there throwing eggs at you and calling you "baby killers". These men fought to stay alive and they didn't kill babies because a baby couldn't shoot a gun at you." It is incredibly sad to think that these men put their lives on the line only to be welcomed home as they were. It makes your heart hurt to hear such things. George feels very fortunate to have gone through what he did and to be where he is today. He told me, "I have a purpose here; that's why I feel I'm still here after all of that." He's right - George has gone on to be a chairman for the tribe and vice chairman. He is still working as FCP Gaming Commissioner for the tribe.
Ribbons George has earned are the Bronze Star with Combat V, Vietnamese Cross of Gallantry, Vietnamese Service, Vietnamese Campaign, Presidential Unit Citation, Fire watch, Combat Action, Good Conduct, Recon Wings, and two Purple Hearts.It should be mentioned that both men have seen at least 10 times more than has been relayed in this article. If everything they shared was included in this piece, it would be too horrific for many of our readers. It was a horrifying war and PTT has great respect for their personal sacrifices and sincere appreciation for their willingness to share their experiences as part of this article.
Several other FCP tribal members served in combat during this war, though I did not have the opportunity to sit down with them and hear their personal histories. A few others of which PTT is aware are JR Holmes, U.S. Army, Specialist 4, who served in Vietnam from 1967- 68; Archie Nesaukee, 1st Calvary Division (Air Mobile) served 1967-70; Daniel "DJ" Smith, U.S. Navy, serving in 1973; and Frank Daniels, U.S. Marines. Unfortunately, we at PTT don't have an updated list of veterans, so many apologies for not being able to specifically note others who were involved in this war. But no doubt there are others with many stories of their own.
The Vietnam War was considered to have ended in April 1975 with the fall of Saigon and the subsequent reunification of North and South Vietnam into one country. It was a complicated war and one which the United States did not win. But the men who fought the battles of that war did so with distinction and courage unrivaled by those of any other war. As with the other wars that have been discussed in this series, the Native Americans answered the call to service without hesitation and in numbers per capita that were higher than any other ethnic group in the country. This war seems more personal to many of our generation because we know people personally who friends and family are who took part in combat during this time, and these individual recollections really bring the horror of war home. The Vietnam War marked a change in attitudes in this country about war and left a lot of deep scars in individuals and the country. And without question, the rest is history.
By 1929 the Hitler Youth had been restructured by separating groups according to age and introducing the Bund Deutscher Madel; the League of German Girls.
Aryan girls from the age of ten up to twenty-one attended meetings after school. They were taught cooking, sewing and cleaning as well as Nazi ideals. The elder girls were schooled in motherhood and Nazi propaganda. Exercise, gymnastics and other sports were emphasized for all age groups. They were all expected to dress in uniforms of a white blouse and navy blue skirts. No makeup was allowed, and girls with long hair were required to wear braids either on each side of their heads or wrapped around their heads. Hitler's book was required reading.Dr. Jutta Rudiger, a doctor of psychology, was appointed as head of the organization in 1937 and told the girls: "The task of our League is to bring young women up to pass on the National Socialist faith and philosophy of life. Girls whose bodies, souls and minds are in harmony, whose physical health and well-balanced natures are incarnations of that beauty which shows that mankind is created by the Almighty. We want to train girls who are proud to think that one day they will choose to share their lives with fighting men. We want girls who believe unreservedly in Germany and the Fuhrer, and will instill that faith into the hearts of their children. Then National Socialism and thus Germany itself will last forever."
After WWI Germany was in shambles. Hitler gained the confidence of the German people by rebuilding and recreating the country. Members were joining the League of German Girls because they were impressed by Hitler and the camaraderie of the program. Many had schoolgirl crushes on the Fuhrer.
They enjoyed marching in parades, going on trips together, camping in the woods and singing around campfires. Social class was ignored, and the poorest girls were treated the same as those who came from affluent families. Joining gave the girls a sense of pride, and they felt they were doing something important for Germany which made them feel needed.
The League overrode school and parents' wishes, and some joined to anger their parents or get away from school. They were encouraged to treat anyone who disagreed with the principals of Nazi Germany as the enemy including members of their families. Girls who had once been friends with Jews now looked on them as vermin.At first, the League was voluntary but if a person did not join they were looked at suspiciously by others. Gradually Hitler banned all other children's groups and by 1939 joining was obligatory. Colorful posters of fresh-faced young girls were plastered all over towns and cities praising the members and the work they did. Camps were often co-ed, and with the approval of the Nazi party, many girls returned home pregnant to assure the continuation of the Aryan race. Birth control was forbidden, and women were encouraged to have as many babies as possible with or without husbands. Awards were given out to mothers of large families for doing their duty for the Fatherland.
In the mid-1940s when the war started to go badly for the German Army, the girls were taught to fight. They were trained on how to use weapons, trench warfare and to be eagle-eyed snipers. Girls as young as ten were learning how to throw grenades, the art of sabotage and how to set booby traps. Those who participated in the final battles as the Russians overtook Berlin were abused and in a state of shock at the blood and carnage and most never recovered emotionally.
At the end of the war, the League of German Girls was disbanded and made illegal by the Allied Forces.
On October 15, 1950, General Douglas MacArthur, Supreme Commander of UN troops in Korea, convinced President Harry Truman that the Communist forces of Kim Il-sung would be utterly defeated by Thanksgiving. The Chinese, he said with near certainty, would not intervene in the war.
As he was speaking, 300,000 Red Chinese soldiers began secretly crossing the Manchurian border. Led by some 20,000 men of the First Marine Division, the Americans moved deep into the snowy mountains of North Korea, toward the trap Mao had set for the vainglorious MacArthur along the frozen shores of the Chosin Reservoir. What followed was one of the most heroic - and harrowing - operations in American military history, and one of the classic battles of all time. 
Faced with probable annihilation, and temperatures plunging to 20 degrees below zero, the surrounded, and hugely outnumbered, Marines fought through the enemy forces with ferocity, ingenuity, and nearly unimaginable courage as they marched their way to the sea.
Hampton Sides' superb account of this epic clash relies on years of archival research, unpublished letters, declassified documents, and interviews with scores of Marines and Koreans who survived the siege. While expertly detailing the follies of the American leaders, On Desperate Ground is an immediate, grunt's eye view of history, enthralling in its narrative pace and powerful in its portrayal of what ordinary men are capable of in the most extreme circumstances.
Hampton Sides has been hailed by critics as one of the best nonfiction writers of his generation. As the Miami Herald wrote, "Sides has a novelist's eye for the propulsive elements that lend momentum and dramatic pace to the best nonfiction narratives."
Reader's Reviews
"Superb. A masterpiece of thorough research, deft pacing and arresting detail. This war story - the fight to break out of a frozen hell near the Chosin Reservoir - has been told many times before. But Sides tells it exceedingly well, with fresh research, gritty scenes and cinematic sweep."
- Washington Post
“To this pantheon [of the best books on the Korean War] we can now add Hampton Sides' On Desperate Ground, which hits all the right notes. It's a story Marines are rightly proud of and one that should be of interest to anyone who wants to know more about the remains that just returned home from Korea, and why those men deserve to be remembered.”
- Wall St. Journal
Since there a lot of good books on the Chosin Peninsula battle, I didn't know what to expect from this book. However, it does an excellent job of bringing together these existing sources coherently. The author also brings something that these other sources don't, a strategic context for this great battle of the Korean War. As you would expect, General MacArthur is shown as the pompous fool that he was - he surrounded himself with yes men and was a primary culprit for the tragedy that unfurled. At the end of the book, President Truman's quote was appropriate. (I won't provide it here - you should read the book) The author also uses the many primary sources, Breakout by Martin Russ, Colder Than Hell, by Owens, and The Last Stand of Fox Company (and Devotion which is an excellent book on the first black naval aviator and his friend, also a naval aviator). If you are interested in more on the tactical aspects of the battle and the impact on individuals, I highly recommend these (as the author does at the end). I also highly recommend this book, it brings together elements from these sources and adds a strategic context thereby providing additional value.
~J. Groen
This book did something rather extraordinary for me. After reading it, twice, I was motivated to visit the US Marine Corps Museum just outside of Quantico. There, the museum keeps an entire section on what the Marines faced in Korea, including a life-size diorama with climate control to show the cold and, frankly, hellish conditions faced during a prolonged battle. As an aside, if you find yourself near Quantico, visit the museum. You will not regret it.
~J. Tant
History that reads like a novel. Even though the outcome is known, the reader feels the dreadful uncertainty of marines not knowing if they will escape the trap that bad planning, and the Chinese entry into the war had sprung at the Chosin Reservoir. The story is told through the experience of the individual participants, from generals to privates to civilians, who lived or died in the deadly battles. One is humbled to learn of the individual courage, the stalwart leadership and the blind luck that contributed to the Marines' salvation.
~WB Hall
About the Author
Hampton Sides is the author of In the Kingdom of Ice, Ghost Soldiers, Blood and Thunder, Hellhound on His Trail, and other bestselling works of narrative history and literary non-fiction.
His newest work, On Desperate Ground, will be published by Doubleday this October. Hampton is an editor-at-large for Outside magazine. His magazine work, collected in numerous published anthologies, has been twice named a Finalist for the National Magazine Awards in feature writing.
A recent fellow of the Santa Fe Institute, he teaches literary journalism and narrative history at Colorado College. A native of Memphis with a BA in history from Yale, he lives in Santa Fe with his wife Anne.