Stephen's Vietnam War Story

Stephen shares his experiences as a young soldier fighting in Vietnam.

[@doggy7210]

I love it when you see some sweet, quiet, mild mannered guy, then find out he's a badass marine who's been through more shit than anyone would ever want to go through. Thank you for your service marine!

[@barrywhite9114]

It’s beautiful to get up in the wonderful morning with the freshest air and see the beautiful world from up high & fly over someone’s house & blow them to kingdom come!

[@topgeardel]

You've been drinking the Kool Aid too much. He may be a badass to you, but he was an ignorant a$$ for going to Vietnam in the first place. Vietnam had BAD and STUPID written all over it from the beginning. I prefer brains over "badass". The real badasses were the people who stood up to their Government when it was wrong and faced the pressures and consequences of the Government.

[@doggy7210]

@@topgeardel It's not a black and white world my friend. What you're saying is absolutely true. There were people who stood up to the government, and gave up allot to fight against a war that they felt was unjust. It turns out that they were right. Other people were surrounded with different information and felt that communism was a serious and imminent threat and had to be stopped. Other people were just drafted and went to Vietnam because felt they had no other choice. It wasn't the soldier's fault. Blame the government. Blame the media. Blame the communists or whoever you want.

[@doggy7210]

@@topgeardel Also, I'm a huge fan of Muhamed Ali. A man who gave up a tremendous amount to refuse to go to Vietnam, and stand against the war. He's also a total badass.

[@dougsmall8089]

​z, see. Tkh😮

[@kennethprice5628]

I am a 68 yo Navy Veteran who would be proud to salute this Marine...Thhank you Sir for your service and sacrifice

[@greyjay9202]

19 air medals. He lived a charmed life. What a well spoken, unassuming guy. I had several friends who served in country. Some came home, others did not.

[@jeffryblackmon4846]

When I left 'Nam via Bien Hoa Air Base we had a mix of Air Force and Army guys. When that plane left the runway we all cheered so loudly it was deafening. We were happy, we were returning to The World.

[@elflaco658]

A feeling that can never be replicated.

[@nmartin5551]

This dude is awesome! I’m sure other people have put it on here, but Welcome Home, Marine! Thank you for your service!

[@stevebee92653]

Addicting story. You told it so well and with so much obvious feeling. I was a "marine" dentist (really Navy) at Basilone when you were at Pendleton. Maybe I got your teeth ready to go. I had so much respect for you guys that did the real job. Thanks for so much.

[@dc3189]

Respect to Army Dentists! ! I bet those guys aren't so tough when they have to have a tooth drilled!

[@forwardobserver2048]

I had my two upper wisdom teeth removed while a senior in college. Two years later I’m in the Big Red One in the Michelin Rubber Plantation. An APC pulls up and drops the rear hatch. A soldier pops up and announces he’s a dentist, does anyone need any dental work? I had been bothered by the lower wisdom teeth so accepted his offer. He put a folding chair next to a rubber tree and approached me with a large needle of Novocain. I broke out into a sweat. After administering the Novocain, both teeth popped out with minimal effort or pain. I had solid food 2 hours later. Guess I left “body parts” in Vietnam?

[@thomastennis2046]

@@forwardobserver2048 You found the best way to "leave body parts". So glad that's all you left.

[@OffGridInvestor]

The fact he got beer and had an ACTUAL BASE that he came home to at night.... he had a better experience than some.

[@johnw8984]

Like khe Sahn

[@RH-pq7lc]

The genuine humility of this man, truly amazing. God Bless.

[@johnleyland338]

That was a very interesting ,most enjoyable and well put account. I have the upmost respect for you🇺🇸

[@ahelpfulplace]

Agreed.

[@thedoyne1]

Stephen, Really appreciate finding and watching your story. You have convinced me to put my story up here also. Oddly enough today is 50 years from the day I was wounded in Vietnam. Semper Fidelis! Ed Doyne, Pvt to Sgt, 2Lt to LtCol USMC Thanks for your Service.

[@christopheclugston]

Give us a link to your video.

[@TRKEWEENAW]

What a truly nice guy who tells his story of service with a rich humility. He reminds me of a close friend who served in Vietnam in the 1st Cavalry who is equally personable with uncanny similarities in looks and humorous demeanor. I truly look up to and respect these veterans who willingly served the country that they love, we owe them a tremendous amount of gratitude and thanks.

[@Daniel-hr5hc]

Just wanna take the time to thank all of you great veterans of war thank you very very much for you're service you all are my heroes 🤘

[@vegasbattleborn1594]

Thanks for sharing your story. Welcome home Marine

[@OlJarhead]

Thank you for sharing Brother. Semper -Fi from a fellow air-winger.

[@olskool2257]

Thank you Sir , for your service and sharing your story

[@jerryforeman4543]

Wow! Thanks for your service and sharing it! God bless you!

[@bradcurrie6706]

Thank you for your service

[@khammar6081]

Thank you for your service!!!

[@TimNelson]

Thank you, Marine!

[@Chrisamos412]

What an outstanding gentleman, thanks for your service sir!

[@hesedken]

Thanks for your service, sir.

[@johnridings3291]

Thank you for service sir.

[@markpayling2905]

What a great guy; his warmth and humility make this story a real pleasure to listen to.

[@olmose]

Well told story, thank you sir......

[@davidrobins4025]

Thank you for your service. My brother-in-law flew medivac about that same time

[@theultimaterockmusicalviet9310]

Bless you Stephen!

[@feet9100]

A very brave man indeed true team player

[@gingermegs138]

What an absolute Legend.

[@sr633]

Thanks for your service Marine.

[@landingzoneloon5229]

Semper Fidelis Stephen.

[@robertATC60]

Thank You Sir

[@jimfrederich8852]

Welcome home! Thanks for your service!

[@khoinguyen-wz9ww]

Thank you Mr Milistefr! You and millions of other American soldiers contributed to allow millions of Vietnamese to lengthen our democratic society for at least another 10 years. I and friends were able to learn under the South Vietnam democratic influenced school system until April 1975.

[@wayneu3325]

Stephen, First of all, thank you for your service and welcome home! It brought back lots of good and not so good memories. I too joined and volunteered to go the action. After all, I did not join to be a garrison troop (Army). Part of my time was spent in the rear doing the hook-up on the Chinook, CH47 as you described. I was on the ground standing on a load of 105 ammo. Prior to the hook-up we had to "tag" the aircraft with a grounding rod to dissipate the static electricity. You would get quite a shock and blown off the load if you didn't do this. To have the big ass Chinook hovering just feet above your head gets your attention in a hurry. Comments from the likes of Sphect just make me laugh. Weenies like him are wearing their mothers earrings.

[@TheCecil64]

Thanks for Sharing.

[@garyhester6488]

May God bless you and your dad! Great story.

[@utapao74]

Thanks Brother!

[@evafitzsimmons3407]

Good story. I have a brother in Creston Washington. Who served in Vietnam. About the same time

[@LiverAndOnions69]

The old men that teach us how to roast marshmallows on a camp fire are the strongest men on earth

[@jamesrobert7155]

NAS Millington, it's in Memphis though, I was stationed there in the Marines for "A" school!! I'm from Nashville so I loved it, only for that reason though!! I was there in the 95' though, peace time.

[@Foomba]

Much respect.

[@jollyroger4699]

This bloke is the best , so the best !!!

[@charlesklimko492]

Sheldon Cooper: "Soldiers" are in the Army. "Marines" are in the Marine Corps.

[@timlynch4423]

I love this guy, semper fi

[@rockinblue978]

What a lovely guy.

[@MikeJones-su3cj]

What a good guy. Welcome home, sir!

[@robertpavich3815]

Well said Sir.

[@douggauzy6258]

I love these stories ! Make me think about my years in the Air Force . I worked as a crew chief on B-52 H models . We would hide things all over that plane .

[@tommymagnusson]

Awesome great story

[@danmurphy4472]

This Man makes me PROUD to call myself an AMERICAN.........THANK YOU SIR.......JOB WELL DONE......WELCOME HOME SIR !!

[@michaelfitzgerald434]

Amazing man. God Bless you, Sir!

[@davideades9588]

Semper fi stephen from England.

[@craigmiller8902]

Good man!

[@jeffreymcdonald8267]

.50 cal door guns on UH-60 ? Thats a new one on me. I've only heard of 7.62 as door guns. Either as M-60's or mini-guns.

[@northernsurvivalbackcountr4986]

Once a marine always a marine

[@dexterwilliams8802]

Is this guy still alive?Looks great for his age.I would imagine he’s knocking on between 79-75.

[@oregon6117]

He calls planes helicopters a lot which was pretty confusing on what he was talking about.

[@davidtrindle6473]

A good man.

[@GoldenGod69]

Was he from Hayward CA?

[@robertdesrosiers4743]

the recruter came i said take me but you cant have my boys

[@kennethhoppe2259]

Good Man. I rented an APT from Him.

[@justananomaly]

A Marine is NOT a soldier. A Marine is a Marine and nothing but. In the Army, you're trained to shell a village just cause you think it's hostile. In the Marine Corps, you're trained to go house by house and clear the village. SEMPER FUCKING FI.

[@johncook1885]

Is he referring to helicopters as planes?

[@mrcappetto]

Yes he is.

[@KennethMixson]

I believe he is referring to the CH-47 Chinook helicopter because at one point he mentions being able to drive 2 jeeps into it.

[@jacobsladder6715]

He served this country well.. 19 combat medals... who cares.. and you did what?

[@OlJarhead]

Marines did not have Chinooks, he probably crewed a Sikorsky CH-53. Marines also had the CH-46 "Phrogs".

[@Gmar69]

Semper Fi, RAH!! 3/4 Marines

[@johnquinn348]

Oorraahh!!

[@forwardobserver2048]

Stephen: Every 25 missions earned an Air Medal in the 1st Cavalry Division. I imagine the same for Marines.

[@D20000]

A door gunner that didn't do heroine? wow!

[@chuckstone7355]

I never ever did" herione", hope your not saying gunners did H, if so not in my unit and not on my ac, if I misundersood, I apoligize!

[@midnightsun7627]

My dad knew not to go kill people that didn't do us harm's but hey!, I was bored.......

[@dexterwilliams8802]

70-75

[@PlutoTheGod]

This guy sounds like he had some weird love affair with his recruiter and the family feeling of it all. Kinda sad considering how behind it all you’re seduced into going to the most brutal war in American history

[@user-ol1qm9ey7g]

ในอเมริกายิ่งชัดเจนประเด็นนี้คนมีอำนาจจริงๆไม่มีตำแหน่งทางการเมือง

[@user-ol1qm9ey7g]

ประเด็นเรื่องโบอิ้งนี้กับเงารัสเซีย

[@glenncsr.88]

Audio is poor.

[@carlosdanger4648]

Chanook

[@colincrisp1592]

i wonder if he thinks about the lives of the vc or the asian orange that is killing destroying lives to day does not sound like it

[@sumbeech1484]

Hey, what's a little Agent Orange amongst friends ? Handicapped babies are fun to watch & throw rocks at !!! Take that Charlie !!!!

[@colincrisp1592]

yep that sounds about right

[@cjones5332]

Hahahahaha

[@tryme228]

the red cross sucks !

[@t.m.h.7962]

I was sent to Dong Ha in late Aug 67, I though I was ten ft tall and bullet proof. Guess what, I learned real quick that there were these little short people there that wanted to kill me, I learned real quick that I won't no where close to ten ft. tall and that I could be shot like anything else. A very rude awakening. I was scared as hell when the fertilizer hit the ventilator, if ya know what I mean. Looking back and recalling What I went thru and only getting small pieces of bark knocked off (miner wounds). I wouldn't trade it for anything in the world. I was very lucky, since then I have had a lot of things to have caused problems for me, medically. I have always wondered just what were we doing there. It wasn't like WW11, we didn't free anyone and the people really didn't want us there. The only people who wanted us there were the upper class who actually ran the country and then for their own greed. These old rice farmers didn't want us there, they wanted to be left alone and grow their rice etc. Our country didn't want us there and they treated us like manure(schit). As we would say we went to where we were not wanted, did the useless un-needed things for the people who didn't want us. Met strange un-interesting people and kill them. Something like that. But it was true all this for absolutely no reason. Oh we were told we were stopping communism bla, bla, bla, for no reason. Our people were killed for no reason, other than protecting each other, There was songs like "You'll go home in a body bag, do-da, do-da" And "Uncle Ho is watching you, he's every where, everywhere" Instead of Santa Clause is watching you. Now I'm old in very bad health, body full of pain and bone deterioration. Joints full of arthritis. Doctors say I'll be in a wheel chair before I die. everything in such poor shape can't operate, just take the pain. And medicare and private insurance taking of me cause The VA turned me away. Private Dr's say it is a resualt pf agent orange, VA sez NO. And they try to stop me from getting opioids. Cause there are so many people who take them for pleasure. The country said piss on the Viet Vet, I say piss on the country. Bitter, naw not me. PLEASE VOTE REPUBLICAN. They will screw us over less than the demoRATS.

[@brianmurphy9355]

All the same same shit as you.0311 69 same shit with va.allthough I finely made 100 percent it only took 43 years.good luck in the rest of the time you have left. It sucks being a vietnam vet. Copy. Cya

[@topgeardel]

This is Denny's War Story. I avoided the war at all cost. I knew it was BS as a teenager and that I wasn't going to waste my life for something that did not matter to Americans...and really a lot of Vietnamese. I am proud that I stood up for myself and was willing to deal with the consequences that could result from one avoiding the draft in the US. Patriotism has more than one face. Life IS important but tell that to the US Government. The reality for these guys is that they did NOT fight for my freedom, save me from anyone or anything nor preserve my lifestyle. That's all delusional propaganda and BS. A country the size of North Dakota, almost 8000 miles across the Pacific Ocean on the Asian mainland meant nothing to the US and its people...whether we won or lost. These guys should just be glad they survived and take their "stories" quietly with them. They fought in a country they did not belong in or have a legitimate right to be in. So what story is there to share....really??

[@brianwalsh1401]

I don't think it's as cut and dried as you're making it. You did the right thing for yourself and I respect that and for all the other people who refused to go. I also have respect for those who felt going to Vietnam was what they needed to do but maybe didn't understand what was going on. I think there is more clarity in hindsight but what if Vietnam turned out to be as bad as N. Korea? I mean it was bad for the top S. Vietnamese people who were killed or punished or had to leave. That Korean war is pretty much forgotten about but don't you think the S. Korean's are grateful the US and UN forces kept that country from being taken over by N. Korea? When govt. sends people to war they need to be certain and Vietnam was iffy at best. If the French had just let it go after WW2 that would've been best but they wanted their colonies back, which I find ironic after they were occupied by the Germans. Why we chose to take up their cause I'm not sure other than the domino theory and the threat of communism which was definitely a factor and real threat at that time, the "red scare". I feel bad for all the killed, wounded and psychologically damaged people from Vietnam. It was a tragedy. I didn't agree at all with the US in the first Gulf war or invading Iraq which was a trumped up war by criminals Bush and Cheney. Both in my opinion were totally unnecessary and eventually is what caused 9/11 because Ben Laden didn't want US troops on sacred Saudi soil. The Afghanistan war was necessary but not nation building. That war could've been fought much differently. But we are the United States of Amnesia so it will be a matter of time before we do it again.

[@topgeardel]

@@brianwalsh1401 I agree with most of what you said. But the thing that really does get lost is the value of human life. I tell people war is not like a Monopoly game where you can lose everything, and yet not really lose anything at all. I also believe every person is ultimately responsible for their life...not any Government. What bothers me is Vietnam vets who maintain a self-sacrificing BS of nobility and duty. Many of them are quick to label a person a coward or demean their character if they didn't answer the so-called "call". I also believe strongly they could have been a huge lobbying force for keeping this country out of other Vietnams. The US needs to start taking care of itself. I worked in a hospital for decades where the most ill patients had the most "insight" and concern in everyone else's problems and tried to be "Physicians" themselves. But when it came to themselves, no insight or personal responsibility. Outside of Reagan's glorious victory on the Caribbean island of Grenada (lol) everything fought by the US has been across oceans in other hemispheres and continents after WW2.

[@robertisham5279]

@@brianwalsh1401 amen

[@robertbrink2240]

What your deal dude, stop screwing with these veterans. What do you do listen to all these vet stories to justify yourself? Go hang out with the rest of the draft dodgers and kiss each other's ass. Thanks for calling me a boy as a 76 year old Vietnam vet I appreciate it. Yes I was wearing my little boy vet hat today and a stranger thanked me for my service and I appreciated it. PS what country has the pleasure of your noble presence.

[@topgeardel]

@@robertbrink2240 Draft resistors don't need to wear hats and T-shirts, and have gatherings and reunions. Only you guys need to.

[@sweetness1586]

doesnt seem like he knows what type of war he was killing sooo many innocent vietnamese / and he didnt care

[@travihuncho]

sweet ness you obviously have no idea what you’re talking about. It’s called fucking war

[@sumbeech1484]

You ain't gunna live forever! Charlie had it comming to him !!!! Say cheeze kiddie's while I load my .50 cal !!! Brrrrrrrt

[@dtaylor2623]

War is hell!

[@TheAlexdx7]

Thank you for your service