What is a 'Tunnel Rat' ?
- Thread starter Roughneck
- Start date
That's pretty interesting McRocket. I don't usually find/meet folks who "know who/what a 'Tunnel Rat' was" when I mention the term (unless they were 'Nam vets or family of US Army troops)
I wasn't a Tunnel Rat (Too big to fit the profile. But I was "valuable" to the Battalion as a recon trooper anyways. No way would the Battalion Commander have let go of me LOL).
But I did know some of 'em. Your assumption on that aspect is correct...
cheers,
I own not allot of books, about 50. But about 40+ of them are about 20'th century history and warfare/weapons.
I am not into the gore or anything. But these weapons and tactics and strategic decisions shaped our World - like it or not. So I want to understand them.
But I am NOT one of those types that goes to air shows and starts saying out loud what each military plane that flies by is to 'show off' for those around them. If you flew them or are a vet, that is fine. But if you are just some military wannabe, that is not cool.
In other words, I believe the only ones that can use the term 'nam' for Vietnam had to actually have been there and fought in that war.
And since I did not, I can and should not.
But it doesn't mean I haven't studied it - in my spare time.
I am not into the gore or anything. But these weapons and tactics and strategic decisions shaped our World - like it or not. So I want to understand them.
But I am NOT one of those types that goes to air shows and starts saying out loud what each military plane that flies by is to 'show off' for those around them. If you flew them or are a vet, that is fine. But if you are just some military wannabe, that is not cool.
In other words, I believe the only ones that can use the term 'nam' for Vietnam had to actually have been there and fought in that war.
And since I did not, I can and should not.
But it doesn't mean I haven't studied it - in my spare time.
My dad always said he was lucky that he was slightly too tall to be put down in one. It was a sucky job. I also remember him telling me that if my unit found one I would probably be the first one sent down considering my height and the fact I'm flexible and maneuver well in tight spaces, with the exception they might find me more valuable doing something else. I have also herd numerous stories about the traps they liked to set in them. He always wondered why they didn't just bomb the place instead of potentially sending somebody on what might be a suicide mission.
Iamforever
Banned
i am not sure why, but i thought this was going to be about splinter.
sorry wrong page
meesterperfect
Hiliary 2020
Yeah I knew what it was, my mothers cousin, my cousin also was a tunnel rat, or in munitions.
He lost his hands doing what that soldier was doing, poking his bayonet in the dirt, trying to protect all around.
The city of Newark gave him a nice ceromony when he returned and his disabilty has not stopped him to this day.
He lost his hands doing what that soldier was doing, poking his bayonet in the dirt, trying to protect all around.
The city of Newark gave him a nice ceromony when he returned and his disabilty has not stopped him to this day.
Knew it was one of two possible things. The guys that fished out the vietcong.. or the guys that worked in dangerous conditions making undersea tunnels for cities.
A'course.. seeing as RN posted it.. heh. Narrows it down a bit. Cant say I envy anyone who has to crawl thru pitch black tunnels with a tunnel and a forty-five. Good gun. Bad choice for that mission profile.
A'course.. seeing as RN posted it.. heh. Narrows it down a bit. Cant say I envy anyone who has to crawl thru pitch black tunnels with a tunnel and a forty-five. Good gun. Bad choice for that mission profile.
I had a boss several years ago that was a Tunnel Rat. The man was a great leader of personnel, but his coolness was unreal. Never got rattled, never got upset with any situation.
Tunnel rats were a fairly celebrated group back in Vietnam era,as those tunnels were an extensive network that were very much a part of the way the communist forces moved troops and supplys.Took a lot of nerve to go down into one of them alone with no idea what you may come up against.
The title got me. I thought it was some sort of Dirty Sanchez type of thing.Must have been a different "Vietnam Era" from the one I survived.
I'm an old man now and my memory is often feeble, but from what I can recall and recollect - veterans of the Forever War were neither famous nor celebrated during their times.
Hell, even today...
- R.
I would not doubt it was different era, heck between us it is probably an alternate universe lol.And what I may have been aware of as a child growing up in the 60s was probably somewhat more than most as I had a mother teaching history in public schools at the time and older brother facing things like the draft and being active in the movement against the war.But I distinctly remember a story on CBS news from vietnam highlighting "tunnelrats" probably with Dan Rather as correspondent.
I mean this as no offense - but you've probably hit the proverbial "nail on the head". Unless folks lived through it - they have no idea what it was like. Being drafted or other wise - only those who've "seen the elephant" can have an understanding of what it is and what it can lead to....
Again - see above.
I'm not trying to say your perspective is "invalid" - hell, may be your community treated returning vets with mere apathy rather than flinging shit in their faces (which, if you haven't obviously figured it out by now; is considered a huge PLUS point in my book).
I'm merely saying why I 'disagree' with it....
I've obviously missed it - I was either too busy overseas or too busy trying to remain anonymous and trying to appear as "un-veteran-like" here in the States post discharge....
Maybe my ratty, disheveled, unkempt, thread-bare clothed and homeless status contributed to it (or not. I'll never know).
But thanks for pointing it out! I'll try and look it up...
- R.
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