The+Vietnam+Soldier

NOTES:
 * if you were a soldier with little experience you'd be called a cherry or a newby
 * many people got dehydrated
 * weather conditions mostly: hot, steamy, muggy, rainy
 * Vietnam war was unlike any other war because of different experiences
 * U.S. Army foot soldiers in Vietnam were on patrol often (known as "grunts")
 * The average soldier: white, came from a rural or small town in America, and 21-22 years old
 * African Americans made up about 10-12 percent of the soldiers
 * new recruits trained in boot camps
 * the sights, sounds, and smells of Vietnam were horrible and new to the American soldiers
 * The Vietnamese outnumbered the Americans
 * The average pack of a "grunt" weighed about 35-70 pounds
 * A platoon was very diverse, with veterans and "newbys"
 * Each platoon pursued two enemies, the VC (Viet Cong) and the NVA (North Vietnamese regular army)
 * The VC was nicknamed Charlie
 * pogues- rear echelon officers
 * "Search and Destroy Mission"
 * hump- the "grunts" assigned march
 * Every hump was dangerous and had many problems
 * many creatures, animals, and insects
 * finding and doing battle with the enemy was a grunts worst fear
 * jungle warfare was brutal
 * destroying the enemy was more vital then taking territory
 * ARVN (Army of the Republic of Vietnam)
 * soldiers cut off the ears of dead enemies and put them in their backpacks