John Wayne's "Green Berets" ande Jim Beam

[UncleEd]

We all know about product placement in movies.

One of the great successes was the Beretta 92 being talked up by Mel Gibson in "Lethal Weapon."

But I've wondered about Jim Beam bourbon being seen so prominently in John Wayne's "Green Berets" Viet Nam war epic.

For those who served, was Beam or any other whisky really that prevalent?

 

[SMSgt]

I had a quart of rum try to kill me in Thailand.

 

[Rudi]

The Duke was the producer, so what ever he wanted.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

While in Vietnam it was fairly easy to get American liquor, if you had access to a Class VI store, which was usually located only at the major PX locations.

Each soldier had a ration card allowing purchase of either 4 cases of beer or 4 bottles of booze per month. Obviously a lot of trading went on between those who consumed and those who did not. Limited selection of brands, subject to availability. Everything was tax-free (including federal excise taxes), beer was $2.40 per case, most of the popular liquors were $1.90 per quart (not fifths, not 750ml, actual quart bottles).

I don't recall Jim Beam being any more popular than other brands.

From time to time some whining mothers had Congressional staffers raising hell with military authorities about their little babies being allowed access to evil liquor, and some HQ types would clamp down on Class VI sales or service in the clubs for troops under 21, but that seldom lasted very long. Probably more than half of us were 18, 19, or 20 while serving in Vietnam and there was already enough bad publicity at home without causing a mutiny among the troops by ordering young men with Purple Hearts and combat decorations to abstain from Demon Rum for the good of the service.

Way too much China White (heroin) and weed readily available for the brass to worry too much about a little bit of whiskey here and there.

 

[6518John]

Probably more than half of us were 18, 19, or 20 while serving in Vietnam and there was already enough bad publicity at home without causing a mutiny among the troops by ordering young men with Purple Hearts and combat decorations to abstain from Demon Rum for the good of the service.

Lobo—how did you all feel about not being allowed to vote, but old enough to be sent to tote an M-16? I always thought that was a hell of a trick, way before I went to law school too. I was old enough to die for my country, but not old enough to vote in it or buy a beer at the local saloon. That taught me early on not to trust my government.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Lobo—how did you all feel about not being allowed to vote, but old enough to be sent to tote an M-16? I always thought that was a hell of a trick, way before I went to law school too. I was old enough to die for my country, but not old enough to vote in it or buy a beer at the local saloon. That taught me early on not to trust my government.

The voting age of 21 was generally accepted as a simple fact of life. Occasional grumbling about old men starting wars and sending the young to actually do the fighting, but it was the way things had always been while we were growing up (just like the military draft, which was a fact of life for most of us unless we had the grades to be accepted and either the money or scholarships to make college a reality).

During the 1972 election campaign a candidate named George McGovern made a big part of his platform on eliminating the draft and reducing the voting age to 18, two issues that resonated strongly with the Baby Boomer generation. Mr. Nixon won re-election anyway, but those two issues were promptly passed regardless, both parties apparently having discerned that there were a lot of votes to be harvested among the post-WW2 generation.

1972 was the first national election for which I was qualified to vote anyway, so it was not a pressing issue for me. Facing my imminent departure from Army active duty, I was far more concerned about finding a decent job to keep my two kids fed and the mortgage paid.

In any event, by mid-1975 all US forces were out of Vietnam, the final few evacuated by helicopter from the rooftop of the US Embassy in Saigon for viewing by a tired television news audience. By 1980 or so the draft dodgers were pardoned and allowed to return without prosecution, thousands of other-than-honorable discharges were upgraded (thus restoring voting rights), and most Vietnam veterans had learned to avoid mentioning they were ever there because the general public perception (fueled by movies and TV shows) was that we were all drug-addled homicidal maniacs not to be admitted to polite society.

No political discussion here, only recollections of historical events.

 

[jimmyj]

I was a "Jim Beam Fan" before Viet Nam.

 

[erikpolcrack]

I was in the Army(enlisted, officer, DA civilian) for 36 years ('67 to '03). My wife kept me straight and sober for most of that, but two of my best fellow infantryman buddies in the early days were Jim Beam and Johnny Walker.

 

[H Richard]

For some reason I became a fan of Single Malt Scotch while in the USAF in the UK. So far that has lasted 65 more years since then. There was one brand of "cheap" scotch in the UK, I believe it was called Sandeman. It had that great smoky taste like you find in Islay malt's, but was about 10 Shillings a bottle (about $1.40 back them).

 

[lkabug]

Some in my unit called me Jim. Mr Beam maintained resident in my M151. Never traveled highway 14 without him. Of course it was for medical purposes only.

 

[cherrypointmarine]

I remember Jim Beam used to make Short Timer Bottles . Really it was a ceramic container , a pair of combat boots with a helmet on them . When you hit 30 days left in your hitch you were supposed to drink it down . And be hung over until your last day .

 

[Rustyt1953]

What timing. My SIL is here right now.

His attire;

 

[jaguargolf]

I know one of the ship's cooks didn't show up for a few days in port. MAA popped his locker open and it was overflowing with empty Jack Daniel's bottles.

 

[LoboGunLeather]

Some in my unit called me Jim. Mr Beam maintained resident in my M151. Never traveled highway 14 without him. Of course it was for medical purposes only.

For the uninitiated, the M151 was officially known as Truck, Utility, 1/4 Ton, and more commonly called a "Jeep", although manufactured by Ford Motor Company. The 1960s version of the venerable WW2 Willys version, anemic little in-line 4-cylinder engine coupled with 4-speed transmission and 4-wheel drive transfer case.

The M151 was never authorized for resale on the civilian market. Short wheel base coupled with a high center of gravity made it extremely unstable and potentially dangerous in almost any conditions.

Consumer advocate, and occasional presidential candidate, Ralph Nader (also author of "Unsafe at Any Speed", a book about the Chevrolet Corvair of the 1960s) would never have approved of Uncle Sam putting Mama's precious darlings at such risk of life and limb.

Needless to say, I'd love to have a M151 if only for the ambiance and memories.

 

[BLACKHAWKNJ]

Patton said the jeep was one of the best weapons in the Germans' arsenal-"too many lousy drivers."

 

[Greyman50]

One can buy, own and drive M-151s. Just no quick turns at 45mph or above or just get the undated version with the strap on the rear independent suspension. Check out the MVPA.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

3.2 beer was our drink at the PX. Korea stateside.