True War Stories from the Vietnam War | Full Veteran Interview

After graduating from the Naval Academy in 1966, Kenny Moore served three tours in Vietnam with the Marine Corps, earning two Purple Hearts and a Silver Star. In the video, Moore recounts several memorable events from his first tour as an infantry officer in 1967-68. After the war, Moore stayed in the military and retired as a Lieutenant Colonel.
Silver Star Citation: The President of the United States of America takes pleasure in presenting the Silver Star to Second Lieutenant Kenneth Wayne Moore (MCSN: 0-92890), United States Marine Corps, for conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity in action while serving as a Platoon Commander with Company I, Third Battalion, Fifth Marines, FIRST Marine Division, in connection with military operations against insurgent communist (Viet Cong) forces in the Republic of Vietnam. On 9 May 1967 during Operation UNION, Second Lieutenant Moore's company was conducting a search and clear mission in Que Son District when it discovered an extensive tunnel complex concealing an undetermined number of Viet Cong. After tear gas, smoke and a grenade failed to force the enemy to surrender, Second Lieutenant Moore courageously entered the narrow 200-meter long tunnel with a companion in an attempt to capture the enemy. Advancing deep into the tunnel, they came under heavy rifle fire from the entrenched enemy. Undaunted, he and his fellow Marine moved to within ten meters of the enemy, threw a grenade and quickly left the tunnel. Although one Viet Cong emerged and surrendered, claiming there were no others in the tunnel, Second Lieutenant Moore and his companion armed with pistols, reentered the dark passage and daringly proceeded to within two meters of the remaining group of armed Viet Cong where they came under intense rifle fire. The Marines quickly expended their ammunition and moved back through the darkness to re-arm. Entering the tunnel again carrying an M-16 rifle, they were met with a heavy volume of rifle fire from the enemy and falling dirt and debris which rendered their rifles inoperable, forcing them to leave the cave. After lighting brush fires at the entrance, Second Lieutenant Moore exhibited resolute determination by digging a passage into the rear of the tunnel where he recovered two dead Viet Cong and two rifles. Early the following morning, he and his companion fearlessly entered the tunnel for the fourth time and recovered three more dead Viet Cong, a rifle, individual equipment, a tone of rice and a case of valuable documents. His daring actions and aggressive fighting spirit inspired all who observed him and contributed significantly to the accomplishment of his unit's mission. By his dauntless courage, bold initiative and selfless devotion to duty at great personal risk, Second Lieutenant Moore upheld the highest traditions of the Marine Corps and of the United States Naval Service
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[@Thevietnamexperience]

Listen to our podcast 🎤: podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/the-vietnam-experience/id1732962685

[@kennysherrill6542]

Semper Fidelis my friends.

[@garyluck8502]

I spent 67 there thanks for your service and everyone please remember the ones that didn’t make it back home!,

[@Bigworms97]

Sure you did Gary . . . 😂

[@MrVvg666]

That's what you get for killing innocent people.. hope you remember nothing but your sins the day you pass..

[@knifelore1647]

Amen brother, thank you! Your still a hero to me!

[@julvadas]

@@Bigworms97😂 he was born in 85 lol

[@mikemcg5674]

Welcome home Sir. Thank you for your service and unbelievable sacrifice.

[@rondodson5736]

We had a guy in our unit that had a real attitude and hated everyone because he was in Vietnam. He had been a PHY ED teacher and enlisted in the Air Force to avoid getting sent to Vietnam. We had a rocket attack one night and he showed up for work the next morning with a bandage on his head. We asked him what happened and he snarled he didn't want to talk about it and walked out. A few minutes later two co-workers came in and asked if we had heard what had happened to this guy in the attack. We said no. They said he had been in the latrine when the attack started and when a rocket exploded near by, he had jumped up from the toilet and the toilet roll dispenser hanging on the wall, he had hit it and busted his head open and knocked him out. These guys had found him and carried him down to the aid station. They fixed his wound and made sure he received a purple heart for being wounded in action. Wounded by a toilet roll dispenser.

[@ronaldstarkey4336]

Them TRD were always giving someone a rash of shit... lol

[@Lorna-JWB]

My dad was there 67/68. We lived in a community that was probably 99% military, so many children that we played with were hoping their father would make it back.

[@THREE-K]

that was me when my pops went to afghan and iraq

[@Fishifyed]

Sent chills down my spine.

[@DyslexicDonkey]

Damn that's sad

[@awaxx7863]

To the Soldiers, Sailors, Marines and Airman who served…God bless you. To the politicians who ran it…God damn you.

[@mysticmama740]

Best comment

[@dylangraef1638]

Say it louder for the ones in the back

[@jasonwilson1677]

Their doing same shit now

[@tonybrown7847]

Amen to that

[@clove2846]

Nice words my man

[@woolfy02]

My dad told me a story of his time in Vietnam in '68. (I'll try to explain it the best I can remember). Him and his buddy drove the jeep into a town getting supplies, when 2 children were running towards him from farther away. (It was very common for the VC to arm children with explosives and have them run up to soldiers to try to give them hugs.) They both stopped and got out of the jeep and, knew it was a real possibility of something bad happening. So, his buddy grabbed his rifle and un-alived them within 20 seconds. After it happened, they walked up to them, and realized they had candy in their hand, I guess to give to them. My dad just said, he cried and cried when he got back to base. There are other stories he has told me that were pretty bad. (Mostly just witnessing other things that other soldiers did, for no apparent reason, or for no obvious threat) I do believe it was common though, considering they really couldn't trust anyone of them. He really struggled everyday with the things he had to do, on a day-to-day basis. He passed a few years ago so; I hope he is finally at peace.

[@johnsmith-sc7gv]

Very sad 😞 shed tears reading it

[@alecolsen6870]

My grandfather was in from 66,67,68 he was a tunnel rat. He doesn’t talk about that at all sometimes a quick remark but very rare.

[@slice6027]

3 years of vietnam and making it out alive crazy

[@STSGuitar16]

I get that he doesn’t like talking about it, but damn, it really makes me curious about his experience. I’d hate to see the horrors of war be forgotten by future generations because of people not talking about their experiences. God bless your grandfather.

[@Tokyo-mz4mb]

3 years of being a tunnel rat is absolutely I mean absolutely crazy your grandfather had to actually be smart as hell to avoid all the traps and just to get his way around respect and rip ❤️❤️

[@stevenwaskul9697]

My uncle also almost never talked about his experience in Battle of the Bulge. 2 years in the VA hospital he didn't know his own name. Lived to 93. Every time Patton was mentioned he'd say "our blood his guts" bitterly.

[@tonybrown7847]

When I was a child, my father and his buddy would talk for hours about Nam. My brothers and I were in awe of the stories. Thank you for sharing your experience with us.

[@SaundersE5]

I bet that was amazing to hear their stories. God bless them all.

[@bobdorais8807]

00⁰⁰❤❤❤❤❤❤❤❤p😊00

[@danmurphy4472]

THIS Man makes me PROUD to call myself an American.

[@samus5197]

Why? The fuck did you ever do

[@wickedwildwezt]

My paw paw has never told any stories from nam.... Hes told me a few from Parris Island but thats as far as he'll go. I love you guys. I love you paw paw. I'm sorry.

[@austinjames8252]

My father retired after 23 years in the Corps got out as a gunny and over his career he had done 4 combat deployments as 0311 and went to sniper school and did one more deployment I have old tapes of him and Carlos shooting at Cherry point in competitions he died at the age of 73 years old and after retiring from the Corps he went on and worked 22 years at the sheriff's department as a correction's officer, this man is and will forever be the coldest most done to earth person I've ever met and I'm blessed to call him my father the story's he had ones he decided to tell me you couldn't make the shit up the amount of respect the Vietnam vets deserve is undescribable they set the standard for the meaning of 0311 grunts.

[@arturovargas2890]

God bless America

[@davedeatherage4902]

🇺🇸I was , .... Cu Chi Basecamp 1971, m/ 60, thump gun, broken arrow many times, always watching my buddies and my six, shot, fragged we had beehive artillery rounds, claymore mines on the wire, I hated the enemy ! Watched friends annihilated(God bless the Marines, air force, Navy, I was Army, we're all brothers ! God bless you sir and your story

[@MrThickmick3]

The humor reminds me of my uncles who fought in Vietnam. Its the same humor and brought me to tears laughing when I was little. They were Marines too. Just a tough, fun bunch. You make me proud to be an American, Colonel. Thanks.

[@kennethprice5628]

I salute every Vietnam Veteran I see, much respect and welcome home brother...72 yo Navy Veteran, never in country

[@diannewarren566]

I can't believe there's no comments. Thanks for your service Ken, from Canada 🇨🇦

[@williame.pittman7225]

Hi Colonel: Thank you very much for your recolections. I served in 1/5 Delta and H&S as a young Navy Corpsman in 67 and was hurt during Operation Swift. It is important I think that those who were in leadership positions, like yourself, recount their combat experinences. Hopefully in the future (given America's Military Historical Record) Vietnam will be a much more complete chapter of how men, in leadership at the ground level will explain their personel combat experiences, observations and states of mind. Even the small things that most Americans have never experienced. For example, in the video, you tilted your head briefly when explaining how low you had to position your body when taking cover behind a rice patty dyke most times in muck and water. Or worse the heat and humidity. While explaining keeping command and control of the situation to direct and protect your men. It was an example of infantry combat experiences, like WWII Pacific theather events, but unique to Vietnam ground combat given our commumications technology at the time (unlike today) that many infantry enlisted Veterans experieince and remember their Officers, like you and their NCO's doing. Today over 50 years later it is so much different. Thank you for doing this report. It is much appreciated. Col. Hilgarder was our Batallion CO. Bill Pittman, HM3/USN Member: Miitary Order of the Purple Heart of the USA

[@terminalfilms8074]

This is amazing, these stories about Vietnam are the only way to preserve the truth of Vietnam. The future generations should know about what happened there.

[@rizkid74]

God bless you Mr Moore........thank you so much for your service to our country.

[@guyroger4131]

Thank you to All the Vets who gave some. On this Memorial Day.

[@michaelhemphill8575]

Very interesting Story..this Old Soldier..has great recall..very lucid..Welcome back to the World.."Sir"!!

[@BIG_MOPPER]

Imagine going in a tunnel and having a fire fight then go get more ammo exc. And then go back in knowing they know your there.

[@galesams4205]

I served in the centrail highlands Ple-mie and pleiku m-60 tanks and apc takeing out V.C club houses and arms caches , the farther west you go on ql-19 the more nva enemy you would encounter. 69th armor 4t div.

[@normalrationalguy1980]

I'm a marine infantry veteran of oif, and I have a history degree so you know I love this stuff, and I'm here to say that I have NEVER heard of the nva or vc humanely burying Americans or treating the wounded and leaving them . I have no reason to doubt this gentleman I know he's telling the truth, it's just my mind is kinda blown

[@kd_gray]

I was born in 81 but I thank you all who served, my love to you who lost love ones, and thank yall generation for being strong as nails, giving us love, music, and passion. Upmost respect until Im gone

[@shearwave7885]

You gentleman have bigger balls than most individuals have heads lol. Thank you for your service sir!

[@edwinclark5041]

This Marine. Thank You. So much. Semper Fidelis.

[@sonofliberty92]

Incredible story and personality. Much respect. You're a true hero.

[@gilwhitmore9682]

Very well articulated. You did a great job with your men and keeping them alive. Thank you for your service and God bless those that gave all.

[@danmurphy4472]

Thank You SIR......for everything.

[@julianmitchell5776]

Those yellow shades are bad ass

[@keelsmac01]

What stories y’all have. Thank you sir. You’re an American hero.

[@mikemuller59405]

My dads name was David (Dave)Kenneth Muller. He was a radio operator. He passed a few years ago... Please if you knew him leave a comment.

[@hachiman]

Thank you for your story and your service. We should have been there for you and I'm sorry we weren't! 🇬🇧🇺🇸🇬🇧🇺🇸

[@MikeHuynh-ry1yh]

Father cuoc cuoc chiến vn quân nhan đông minh viên chinh úc. Usa han quốc ? Sức mạnh vô địch thu nhưng Father tại sao chấp nhận thua lệnh ruat quân để quốc mỹ cùng nguy quan để lai bao nhiêu dau thương mất mắc của một huhuhu đề quốc mỹ Father im sorry your sơn mike huỳnh tx now kính chào quì vj9

[@horizon227]

No you really shouldn’t have been there, neither should have the Americans. Beautiful country Vietnam, and Americans should be ashamed of their government for sending those brave young men over there. They died for nothing.

[@kyleking8569]

Why should have Britain been in a war that even the USA has admitted was a mistake? How thick are you?

[@silverlaptop2022]

Thank you. Welcome home 🌹

[@josepharcuri8693]

Thank you all for your service.

[@ronobvious2159]

Hello Mr. Moore, many thanks for sharing your experiences with us 👍

[@frediheld5649]

Well, Spellbinding...Sir . One of the very best Storytellers ,ever...

[@walterquick8649]

Richard SCOGGINS step dad was a corpsman in that POOP SHOW, awesome man!! Love ya DAD

[@JoeKyser]

Lt did a great job here. What a recount of events

[@pauliemoody8754]

Thank you sir for your take and stories. I could sit at ur feet and listen to you for hours. Hope ur well.

[@stommyboy]

What a gripping story! You’re an awesome man. A brave patriot! Thank you for your service!

[@reddiver7293]

That quote from Jarhead: "Welcome to the suck." Sir, thank you for your service. And God bless the United States Marines.

[@Lordestroyer]

They should have you tell this story in our schools.

[@happygo1866]

Thank you sir.

[@country3608]

Thank you for your service 🇺🇸👍

[@strikeofficial6915]

I would’ve loved to meet you and talk to you about your stories. I aspire to become a marine and to hear you talk is so inspiring and interesting. Thank you for your service.

[@danielarrington6387]

Thank you for your story

[@davec4224]

God bless you sir!!!

[@sheepdog1102]

Wow, what a great history lesson.😊

[@Convoycrazy]

Would love to hear about the rest of that first tour. Great interview

[@philbrown9764]

To you Sir…Welcome Home from a Marine Nam Vet, Chu Lai 68-69 1st MAW.

[@NomadYeldarb3303]

God Bless. Watching this while recovering from the flu. I can't imagine what it would be like getting the flu over there, out in the field. Thank You for Your Service.

[@marcclement7396]

Great man. God Bless. It hurts me that our country is upside down and men like these are fewer and far between.

[@tymow4268]

God Bless you sir

[@ricklupien7598]

thanks for your service,, I would need a novel to tell my Navy stories... 😎

[@DaisyLewis-fr7tb]

Thank you for your service

[@steve-o5600]

Pretty amazing his platoon lost only two guys. As always in combat, a combination of smarts/skills and good luck.

[@hudson5573]

Thanks Colonel Moore, you're a true American hero.

[@kimoanhnguyen7598]

Thankyou for your service God Bless you Sir ❤️🙏🌹🌻

[@susanbalicki]

Thank you for your service ❤

[@soxbearshwks8988]

3rd Batt. 7th Marines ChuLai,RVN 10/65-11/66

[@billyfier1326]

"I" co, 3/7, '67, semper fi and welcome home.

[@soxbearshwks8988]

@@billyfier1326 Thank You and back at you

[@Hollerhounds]

This man is sharp as a tack, I can only imagine what a stud he was as a young buck in the field. Very admirable Also those yellow tinted shades are hard af 😂

[@cozmo1266]

Shooter glasses I would guess.

[@girthyrichar6947]

​@@cozmo1266dudes a jungle crawler 🐈‍⬛

[@cozmo1266]

@@girthyrichar6947 nah ...he’s a government aid seeking m’fer , there’s plenty of them ..private or corporal rolls a 55gallon drum out to the dock then 20 years later,he’s incapacitated...after he’s seen the VA experts he’s 80% disabled. “Whooraaaw “...next time you see him ,he’s got a hemi pulling a bass boat and got a brand new FEMA cottage😘😘😆😆🤣🤣✌🏼✌🏼

[@jeanettecoleman-mz7ie]

This Soldiers sense of humour. 😊

[@iknowyouarebutwhatami]

You're my hero

[@CornPop2]

Story about the sniper and the CPT is bada$$.He looks like papa Smurf, but what a man

[@jasoncharles8651]

Excellente.

[@joyceboyd7380]

Everyone should listen

[@kevinkeith8764]

Great interview. How he remembers all the military acronyms bewildered me. I’ve been out 15 years and can’t remember hardly anything

[@1969tss]

Wild story

[@kris_x_2017]

Thank you for your service Sir !!!! Semper Fi !!!!

[@bradr2142]

Thanks for your service welcome home. Great stories good American warrior with great sense of humor. I could fallow him into combat.

[@itspineapplee]

My grandpa was a special Force recon in the Vietnam war. He has one purpleheart and other metals that I do not know. I just learned that he was part of a special force unit. I thought he would just jump out of planes of the recon never thought he was a no special force.

[@Chad-Giga.]

God bless you and thank you for your service and sacrifice Sir.

[@perrylaszki]

These men are absolute killing machines, they versed the nees you’d have respect for this man.

[@santoshkumarmishra9922]

Really amazing to hear all these from a well experienced veteran officer.

[@spike16965]

Thanks for your service

[@HK45C]

Fuckin Love this guy. He's hilarious and tells great stories. Would love to meet him someday

[@DSWL_]

thanks for sharing 🫡

[@bindig1]

My cousin Gary was KIA in May 1968 in Gia Dinh, a little North of Saigon

[@phillamoore157]

Yeah, I’m fairly certain that falling into two holes, both with big snakes needing cut-off, would be enough for me to need a medi-vac………and, new pants………..and, a case of Just For Men………and, a therapist………..and, anti-psychotic, medication. This is the only time I’ve ever heard about the NVA being even remotely empathetic or respectful to our injured soldiers. But, I digress. This guy is extraordinarily brave. Glad he made it home.

[@johngachich3018]

Read a door gunner's memoir of those days. "One February Morning". February. '68 to May '69.

[@gameclips3224]

My grandfather served in the 82nd airborne did 4 tours 2 Purple Hearts and a bronze star, was also captured by nva and was imprisoned for more than a year. I respect you and appreciate your service r.i.p gramps and all his fallen brothers

[@country3608]

So interesting, Thank you !

[@ThomasCullen-jp4fy]

38:57 Cpt Stackpole became a two-star general. Lived in Hawaii. But died in 2020.

[@karenflam]

Thank you for your service.

[@boondocker7964]

Que Son valley on Union 1 and Union 2, May '67, NVA rich environment, lots of dead NVA, and live ones also, above ground.

[@toddskaggs7365]

Thanks for defending my freedom god bless you now your home great awesome terrific more guns plz

[@Flibbybibby]

Hmmm didn’t realize the Vietnamese were ever trying to take away your “freedom”. 😏

[@charlestaylor2480]

Do you have any videos about the mortuary part of Vietnam

[@joegavnik834]

Semper Gumby...." ALWAYS FLEXIBLE" ....82-85 1st Mar Div.

[@donfrance3]

loved when they say look to your right and look to your left -- those guys will not finish nor graduate with you....

[@brentonbeever2444]

I was 3/5 marine OEF Afghanistan mad respect for this salt dog

[@Flussig1]

The 5th Marine Regiment is the most decorated Regiment in the United States Marine Corps. Camp Pendleton Ca.

[@dannybartlett4225]

cool story i slept under the stars in the same cloths for 4 weeks solid on ops in afgan i feel that pain we also had the same chat before Panthers claw in fact he said at least 20% of the room would be dead or injured proper moral boost lool i often wounder if the guys back in Vietnam had jungle training would they have won the war a lot faster and not walked into the ambushes that was set for there patrols

[@26michaeluk]

The entire strategy was to walk into contact, try and take minimum casualties and call in artillery or bombing runs so no. If we'd bombed Hanoi and Haiphong from the start, instead of waiting till 1972 during operation linebacker 1 and 2, we'd have won quickly. Search and destroy by itself wasn't gonna get it done. Quite frankly it's by far the worst strategy we've used in any war in our history. 90% of battles and contact were initiated by the NVA and Viet Cong. Also the majority did have jungle training. It's just way to hard to simulate Vietnam in America. Finally, had my left foot blown off in Afghanistan 2 months into my deployment after two deployments to Iraq so I know what you went through. I hope you're doing well brother.

[@SLAMBINO]

Those Vietnamese had been fighting occupiers for generations. Chinese, French, Japanese, before the US arrived. Unreal how our government sent our precious soldiers over there, and turned their backs on them when they came home.

[@JB-db4gf]

Gulf of Tonkin.

[@carissalemire9683]

" his hair had turned gray overnight, funny things like that happened all the time" WTF! different breed of men, no doubt about it!!! Lol

[@dialyt1309]

Good stuff there, the snakes were really interesting.

[@VistaThaiGuy]

That rear guard inspired "Snakes On A Plane" and the easiest way for me to de-escalate a problem wid de brothahz in Southside Chicago back in the 70's!!!🤣

[@davidbiagi2932]

Imagine going to battle and getting there and getting injured and having to tell the story to your grandkids of how you got injured: “Well kid, what had happened was, there I was, sitting in a hot ass outhouse, pants down, trying to take a shit and next thing I know, BAM, a flare canister busts through the roof and right on top of my leg and broke my leg”. 🤣

[@matthewoffenbacher6548]

❤

[@Twigins]

My uncle was in Vietnam from 68-73 he never talked about bein in Vietnam. Just talked about the training exercises….i see why