JoeArthur
Elder Member
Witness History - Drugs in the Vietnam War - BBC Sounds
How a heroin epidemic among US troops in Vietnam caused panic in the military
www.bbc.co.uk
Vietnam war not WWII - but interesting. 20% of US troops in Vietnam were heroin addicts.
- Thread starter JoeArthur
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www.bbc.co.uk
von Marwitz
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Well, we have a number of Vietnam vetarans around here. I'd be interested to hear about this from their perspective.
We cannot ask veterans about WW2 any more. We still have the oppotunity to do so about Vietnam and still hear first-hand accounts.
von Marwitz
We cannot ask veterans about WW2 any more. We still have the oppotunity to do so about Vietnam and still hear first-hand accounts.
von Marwitz
Actionjick
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Can't speak to Vietnam but drug use of all kinds was very prevalent in the Navy during that time. Between alcohol and drugs suprising the fleet was ever able to put to sea.
Gordon
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Actionjick
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Well it's possible but those " mishaps " more on the shoulders of officers, a breed that I tried to avoid as much as possible so can't really say what diversions they were indulging in.That could explain a lot: https://www.sfchronicle.com/thetake/article/3-tales-of-gigantic-aircraft-carriers-getting-11248158.php
Actionjick
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A lot of those mishaps can be attributed to inadequate training and lack of sleep. The latter being a major factor. While at sea you generally stand two four hour watches a day and in the surface fleet an eight hour work day. Depending upon the watch you stand, 8 to 12, 12 to 4 or 4 to 8, seven days a week with no days off, that doesn't leave a lot of down time. I saw a recent article where the Navy is trying to guarantee sailors five hours of continuous sleep and a two hour nap. A step in the right direction.
One of the carriers is heading to home port after ten months at sea. Even considering that most sailors are pretty young that is going to take a considerable physical toll.
von Marwitz
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Actionjick
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At least the swabbies don't have to change diapers. Usually!?!
Michael Dorosh
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Amazon.com
www.amazon.com
Subject line is click-bait worthy of far more advertising than this page is getting.
Lots of myths persist about the war, such as American troops were mainly draftees when the majority of troops were actually volunteers. Like all things, it's not black and white - some probably enlisted knowing they had low draft lottery numbers and sought some benefit by signing up, such as getting into a better unit.
I'd believe that 1 in 5 soldiers tried Heroin at some point, but the 20% addiction figure on the face of it seems unreliable.
Actionjick
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While my draft number was low enough where I possibly would have been drafted that was not a factor in my enlistment. I joined up while still in High School having known for years that I was going to serve. It was just something that I knew I was going to do since I was a small child. I never gave much consideration to the alternatives. Strange since I was always a home body and am quite that way even now.
JoeArthur
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I saw this and thought it might be of interest to people. It was not my intention to generate click-bait
I would be disapointed if the BBC had got their figures wrong but hey - all of us make mistakes..............
Barking Monkey
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I'm of the 'extraordinary claims require extraordinary proof' mindset. I usually trust the BBC, but if they're going to throw out a figure like 20% addicts they'd better have more to back it up than "some estimates state". I thought it was telling that only 5% of returning vets were addicted (though I'm also not entirely sure I accept that number uncritically) - I'm no expert but it's my understanding that you don't just drop a heroin addiction like you're giving up carbs for a week.
Actionjick
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As prevalent as drug use was I didn't know anyone who used heroin, at least to my knowledge. I do remember some graffiti at one if the Navy schools that quoted lyrics about heroin but that's about it.
Apparently the Velvet Underground and Nico
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Michael Dorosh
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It certainly generated some interesting discussion, so all good. Soldiers in the Vietnam era get a bad rap. Not completely undeserved, of course. But bad news stories are always more interesting than good news. I think that film about the helicopter rescue guy who got the Medal of Honor was the only film I've seen depicting an MOH act in Vietnam.I saw this and thought it might be of interest to people. It was not my intention to generate click-bait
I would be disapointed if the BBC had got their figures wrong but hey - all of us make mistakes..............
The Last Full Measure (2019 film) - Wikipedia
en.wikipedia.org
Not the greatest of films, but it's a tough subject to cover, especially if the perception is that US forces were unwilling cannon fodder who were too stoned to do anything but massacre civilians. Which did happen on occasion - Bruce Willis was linked to a "Pinkville" movie project years ago which never came about. Not sure it would have been much different from Casualties of War other than the scale of the atrocity.
The Last Full Measure is well worth watching. IMO it was watered down because they could only suggest and not state why the medal was at first not awarded.
I recommend Nick Turse's book 'Kill Anything That Moves.' You can find it as an audio book too.
I recommend Nick Turse's book 'Kill Anything That Moves.' You can find it as an audio book too.
R Hooks
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I never saw heroin in Vietnam until I was sent undercover to an officers club, after about 4 months there I discovered they were being used as a drop site for a large suitcase of heroin every month. The whole thing was covered up by the Armed Forces, it was busted in the states, but military involvement in shipping was only hinted at in the movie. I was ordered not to talk about it, it was politics as usual.
Actionjick
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R Hooks
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I Should write a book I guess, but after almost 50 years...
Actionjick
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Like you have anything else to do? Except for ASL of course!!
Go for it man!! Captain Bacchus and I would love to read a book about an undercover agent ( I'd say narc but don't want to offend! ) in Nam infiltrating an officer's club!!
When you publish it an autographed copy would be a nice token of appreciation to the jick who gave you the impetus to write it!!!
R Hooks
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Sorry I don't think anyone would believe me, no evidence, only two possible witnesses haven't spoken to them in 40+ years. I would rather have someone make a freedom of information request about drug smuggling in Vietnam by military to the NSA or Army Intelligence, both of whom I was told I worked for.