Anybody Watch Tour Of Duty Back In The Day?

[Bkreutz]

I have enough memories that I don't need to watch war movies.

 

[Texas Star]

Try locating the Bantam books by men who actually fought in wars. Some are about Vietnam.


These are the accounts of those who really fought and show a different side than what the political books do.

 

[Donn]

Didn't have to watch, lived it.

 

[Philadelphia Patriot]

I watched the re-runs of the show on TNT when I was in grade school. Later on, I did eventually buy season 1 and possibly season 2 on DVD. I haven't seen it since I was in...probably high school.

I was never in the military, although I was always fascinated with military technology and history. Unfortunately, I could never serve because of my asthma. I can understand for those who did serve who have no interest in watching war tv shows and movies. In what little spare time I have, the last thing I want to watch is law enforcement tv shows...with the exception of The First 48 (I think it is tastefully done, not over the top, respectful for everyone involved, and it teaches some good interviewing skills...usually). I will admit, I do like Longmire though. Aside from those two (2) shows, I avoid anything law enforcement related.

 

[RSanch111]

I thought it was a pretty crappy show. Made the war in Vietnam look like a 9-5 job. Run around in the woods, come back to base and have a few beers, sleep, get up the next day, go to work running around in the woods, come back...have a few beers....

There are so many compelling stories about men in war, I never understood the need to produce fictional characterizations of their experience....

 

[Mexican Kerry]

I appreciate that many who were there have no interest in watching a show about it. I'm in awe of you who went and managed to get through it. My interest isn't about glorifying it, its about trying to understand the complete mess of the war.

From everything I've ever seen about the conditions and the type of warfare fought, I think anyone who was there is/was a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

The show that started this thread was just one small part of that thinking for me. Does any of that make sense?

 

[Calaveras Slim]

I watched it several times when it was on but couldn't get comfortable.

I served 2 tours there and still wake up about 2am and can't go back to sleep or suffer from nightmares. For several years I had been going to counseling every 2 weeks but the last 20 years, not so much.

No, I don't think I would care to watch this show anymore.

 

[jag312]

I watched your show, and liked it. I think one GI wore a Ka-Bar knife upside down on his vest? Don't recall a Randall, but my memory may fail me on that.

Here is a picture of the Ka-Bar, but unless my memory is playing tricks on me, another actor had what looked like a Randall.

 

[Smoke]

If you are interested in the history, then pick up some non-fiction books written by people who were actually there, or credible historians. There is a long reading list, but you might start with, "Bright shining lie" by Neil Sheehan." It got the Pulitzer. For an overview of the history the place try Stanley Karnow's book on the history of Vietnam.

We Were Soldiers Once, And Young

LtGen(Ret) Hal Moore

 

[BUFF]

I was too young, by the time I was graduating from high school, Nixon had "Vietnamized" the war.

My draft lottery number was 271, if I remember correctly, and my best buddy's was 3. He joined the Marines and spent most of his 3 years working in the base post office at whatever the big Marine base in California.

I have worked with a lot of Viet Nam vets. Many paid a very high price. Those of us who didn't go owe them a great debt.

 

[JSR III]

My draft lottery number was 271

Buff, mine was 263 and IIRC they never called over 200. I remember how grateful I was that my number was so high. I had lost my 2S deferment and had already gone through the physical and doctors exams and was classified 1A and ready to go. They actually asked if I wanted to sign up for OCS and I politely declined. I had no desire to be a rookie snot nosed officer going to the Nam telling guys that had been there since the beginning what to do. At 67, it is one of the best decisions my 19 year old self ever made.

 

[loknload]

On a side note there seems to be a pretty good series on Vietnam on the History channel. I started watching it last night.
Now I have to say that thanks to good old Tricky Dick I was spared the pleasure from going there upon my high school graduation. I was registered for the draft but was automatically registered 4 H.
I know a lot of people who did go and with that being said to all of those, and to all of you Vietnam Vets here you have and always will have my full respect!

 

[Targets Guy]

B-52 Arc Light Strike. Big belly D's carried 107 bombs each, flew in three ship cells normally.

 

[32flyingk9]

I watched it every week as a kid. My dad never talked about his time there, and I was curious to learn what I could. Read and watched a great deal of more factual stuff about it since then. Pops is no longer here to tell me anything about it, not that he would, and I can't say that I blame him. Learning a little about what it must've been like makes me feel guilty for ever asking him to re-live it.

On a side note, one of my show steers from when I was in FFA was named Zeke, after the main character.

 

[the ringo kid]

I thought it was a pretty crappy show. Made the war in Vietnam look like a 9-5 job. Run around in the woods, come back to base and have a few beers, sleep, get up the next day, go to work running around in the woods, come back...have a few beers....

There are so many compelling stories about men in war, I never understood the need to produce fictional characterizations of their experience....

Okay.................

 

[the ringo kid]

I appreciate that many who were there have no interest in watching a show about it. I'm in awe of you who went and managed to get through it. My interest isn't about glorifying it, its about trying to understand the complete mess of the war.

From everything I've ever seen about the conditions and the type of warfare fought, I think anyone who was there is/was a testament to the strength of the human spirit.

The show that started this thread was just one small part of that thinking for me. Does any of that make sense?

Some people (not meaning any who were there) love to ruin a good thread.

 

[Mexican Kerry]

No worries here. I asked for opinions, not everyone is going to agree. I'm good with that.

I like the show for the music, the subject, and the fact that it was something I watched when I was younger. Hey, I also have the entire Magnum PI series (the wife and kids groan and leave the room if I even look at the box).

 

[Targets Guy]

I can summarize my time there.

Day 1: Scared
Day 230: going to Hawaii to see the wife; felt great
Day last: Scared

 

[max]

I was there, but very lucky that I served my tour at the huge Long Binh base. Out of my 1965 high school class of 92, 30 served and 13 of us were in Vietnam at one time or another. One of my friends went right after graduation and when he returned, he came to visit me at my college dorm. His stories scared the Hell out of a lot of my fellow students. He was involved in the battle that "We Were Young" was based on.

 

[Onomea]

Ia Drang. (Battle of)