shortest soldier in vietnam

1,806 U.S. troops killed in action ( source) 2. Historians, for example, estimate that booby traps caused around 11 percent of US causalities in the Vietnam War. You had to be a minimum of 5 feet tall and weigh at least 100 lb. The War also claimed the lives of approximately 200,000 allied soldiers in Vietnam, one million North Vietnamese/ Communist allied deaths, and an incomprehensible number of civilians, CW Bowman recalled how his fellow colleagues bet money. When it came to Americans, however, some found it difficult to kill when they were face-to-face with the enemy in such tight confines. A particular Special Forces member, Capt. However, as the Viet Cong soldier highlighted, by throwing grenades into the void ahead, or shooting pistols, the noise was deafening and alerted them to their presence. One of his men got stung and came out screaming, refusing to ever go into a tunnel again. His height was no object, however, and he put . Putting people in that situation changes them. he said. If it did not force the enemy out, those inside the tunnels often suffocated to death instead. The Viet Cong used this to their advantage to scare, and even kill, American soldiers. Even at those odds, you will lose and I will win. American soldiers were often prepared for traps that may be on the ground, but they had not prepared for those coming from above. U.S. Air Force pararescuemen and a simulated 'survivor' watch as an HH-60G Pave Hawk helicopter comes in for a landing. After his tour of duty was over, he applied for Special Forces training. Don't knowingly lie about anyone Punji stake traps found in the tunnels highlight one of the most disgusting and feared examples of Vietnamese booby traps. . He was a Platoon Leader and Recon Platoon Leader with companies B, C, D, & E. Flaherty participated in some fierce combat outside of Hue City during the Tet Offensive which earned him a Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars and 2 Purple Hearts.[4]. On March 26, 1964, the first U.S. service member imprisoned during the Vietnam War was captured near Qung Tr, South Vietnam when an L-19/O-1 Bird Dog observation plane flown by Captain Richard L. Whitesides and Captain Floyd James Thompson was brought down by small arms fire. Lieutenant Flaherty immediately called a 90 Millimeter recoilless rifle team to his position after having spotted an enemy bunker position to his front, which was delivering automatic weapons fire on his platoon. Generally, while underground tunnel rat soldiers employed a shoot first, ask questions later method. Flaherty enlisted late that year. The openings to these tunnels were very small and those tunnel rats who went into them did so armed only with a flashlight, a K-bar (knife), and a .45 pistol. Sometimes these snakes were even poisonous and so became known as three-step snakes because a soldier was only granted three more steps before the venom killed him. He stood three inches below the height cutoff for enlistment and was barely 100 pounds. [7] Flaherty was buried at Forest Memorial Park in Milton. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers! By that time, Flaherty had been promoted to captain and awarded two Bronze Stars for bravery and two Purple Hearts for combat wounds, in addition to the Silver Star. Equally, these countries failed to understand how difficult it would be to detect and neutralize such networks. Flaherty was unfazed by the criticism he continued to receive throughout his life. By REP. SAM JOHNSON. Naturally, their opponents were equally as skilled in this department and so tunnel rat soldiers were careful not to clean too much, or use certain products in case their enemies smelled them coming. T he man in the picture keeps his eyes to the ground. Larry Burrows / Getty Images. After Flahertys death, Yuzuk kept digging, researching, and confirming. The enemy would litter a concrete ball with barbed spikes. He served as an SFODA Commander in companies A and B. There are some interviews with the men that served under him and they talk about him ordering soldiers to kill civilians and surrendered VC. If they hesitated at all, it is highly likely they would be the ones to die in such close confines. Clothing-wise, it was a good idea to wear tight waterproof items to stop clothing from snagging on obstructions, leather gloves, and, if possible as mentioned knee pads to assist with crawling around. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. too light. Approximately 2.7 million American men and women served in Vietnam. Yuzuk started digging and discovered that Flaherty had worked undercover with the Feds during the 80s. Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. This required him to put on even more weight and get another waiver signed to excuse him from the height requirements. Standard weapons carried by most infantrymen were unsuitable for use in such tight confines. Richards future, therefore, was sealed before he took his first breath. Vietnam), evaded for two weeks with a banged up leg and his right arm broken in three places. If you are squeamish or hate thinking about claustrophobic conditions, take this as a warning: gruesome facts lie ahead! March 28, 2022 Local Vietnam veterans showcase . He wasnt flat-footed, he had no debilitating conditions, and he was an otherwise perfectly healthy young man. Unless medical issues had something to do with it. Reach Rick Steelhammer at rsteelhammer@wvgazettemail.com, 304-348-5169 or follow. Why they volunteered varied person to person, but one American soldier speculated volunteers were trying sometimes to make up for problematic lives back home or to prove their manhood in truly testing conditions. The same soldier noted that once rats conquered their fear, assuming they survived, some even came to like their work for the rats, the light at the end of the tunnel was usually a VC with a candle.. Photo credit: Pinterest. Richard J. Flaherty with two classmates at Officer Candidate School in 1967 (Photo: David Yuzuk / Laptrinhx.com ). Operation Crimp hoped to target a key Viet Cong headquarter location believed to be unground. * Born and raised in Brooklyn N.Y., David Yuzuk attended the University of Stony Brook on a football scholarship. Your Herd from Herald-Dispatch Reach Manager. Flaherty was killed during a hit and run attack on May 9, 2015, in Miami. In 1966, the Army issued six tunnel-exploration tester kits. This is similar to the selection effect of underwriting requirement provision in the insurance industries. Sometimes, they would smear the tip of the stakes with urine, feces, poison, or other contaminants to infect the wound when it penetrated the skin. Though this article will explore specific examples later, these traps were particularly brutal in the tunnels. *Warning: Some people may find these pictures disturbing.*. Private contractors? A few years later, we started talking. that is degrading to another person. The War also claimed the lives of approximately 200,000 allied soldiers in Vietnam, nearly one million North Vietnamese/ Communist allied deaths . One soldier would crawl about five meters behind the other to minimize the chance of death or injury if their leader activated a trap or a mine. Females - 26%. Capt. On occasion, they ended up having severe nervous breakdowns and their colleagues dragged them out of tunnels crying and screaming. Provide food and supplies to veterans at The Veterans Site for free! He was a tough, determined guy, said David Yuzuk, who befriended Flaherty more than two decades after the war ended, when both were living in Aventura, Florida, a planned community in the suburbs north of Miami. Flaherty attended Infantry Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a 2Lt on August 31, 1967. His investigation raised more questions than it answered. He was always recommending books and talking about philosophy, work and politics and eventually giving me advice. What's the minimum requirement in the US army today? When you used to stack bodies, but your 15 yo great grandson keeps calling you "Piper Perri" and you don't know why. He returned to Vietnam in 1969 and stayed there until 1971 when he left the Army. Reads: 47 Comments: 1. . On one side towered a 7ft 3in (2.21m) German man-mountain who quit his job with an American freak show to join the Wehrmacht. Richard Flaherty of Stamford, Connecticut was not one of them. Thus, when Richard was born, he was different. They are our brothers and sisters. The link to . After successfully graduating the Special Forces Qualification Course (SFQC), also known as Q course, Flaherty was assigned to 3rd Special Forces Group. Released in 1973. They belong to us. Neither family, nor friends know why. Use the 'Report' link on Current standards for men is 60-80 inches tall. [8], https://blog.theveteranssite.greatergood.com/smallest-beret-vet/, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, https://www.facebook.com/TheGiantKIllerDocumentary/, Special Forces Operations Detachment A (SFODA) Commander, "Giant Killer: Richard James Flaherty's life", "Height-waiver Green Beret: Captain James Flaherty was a Special Forces legend", "Vietnam Vet Richard Flaherty Was 'The Giant Killer', "Decorated Vietnam War veteran killed by hit-and-run driver", "Police Identify Aventura Hit-and-Run Victim as Decorated War Veteran", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_J._Flaherty&oldid=1142406371, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 05:58. The life expectancy of a radio operator in the Vietnam War ranged between five to six seconds all the way up to a slightly-more-optimistic thirty seconds, depending on your source. I just tell them Im 35 pounds of muscle, 14 pounds of dynamite and one pound of uranium-238, and it gets a lot of laughs.. Retired, David enjoys writing, walking on hikes, and spending time with his dog Simon. You see, he did not meet the minimum height and weight requirements. Related: See what its like to jump out of a C-17 with the Armys 82nd Airborne. With the draft in full swing, many American males of a certain age did what they could to avoid being drafted or otherwise qualifying for military service. . Join IrishCentrals Book Club on Facebook and enjoy our book-loving community. I never thought of him after that until I received an email last May from one of my old high school friends. I didnt know.. 66F. vietnam war battle. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. A marker has been ordered for his grave and is expected to be placed early next year. Richard Flaherty, was certainly a standout. He had a story to tell. The soldiers then camouflaged the pit using natural undergrowth, mud, or crops. Flahertys death made Yuzuks effort a lot harder, but he was undeterred. The Viet Cong were simply experts at utilizing their surroundings to their advantage. This way, they smelled the same as the GIs and the dogs became unable to locate the enemy. But Flaherty spotted the bunker, rallied his soldiers and led a charge under heavy fire that cleared the area of enemy troops. Team Mighty. What we do know comes to us from a Hallandale police officer, David Yuzuk. . That did not deter Flaherty. Jan 31, 2021 - MILTON The shortest soldier to serve in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, a highly decorated officer who completed one tour of duty as a platoon leader with Once his weight had increased enough, he petitioned his Congressman, Rep. Donald J. Irwin (D-CT), to fill out a waiver to allow him to enlist, despite his short stature. Winds light and variable.. Cloudy with occasional rain after midnight. I Spent Seven Years as a Vietnam POW. We just didnt know. From this point, they were to seek out enemy soldiers or potential hiding spaces where they may have once been. Similarly, one soldier recalls how an encounter with the biggest rat he had ever seen led him to continually fire his gun. In 1970 he was reassigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens. Jeremiah Purdie (center) is led past a stricken comrade after a fierce firefight for control of Hill 484. He was 69 . Comprised of 12 Special Forces soldiers, an ODA can operate . Richard Flaherty was probably the most unique Green Beret to ever serve in the U.S. Army's Special Forces. Flaherty had an admiration for the Army Special Forces known as the Green Berets. Somewhere along his path, Flaherty became homeless. Related: How to make it through Special Forces selection. Females have other settings, but still, they're also not allowed when not being tall enough). A young German soldier, 1944. A group of soldiers would then charge the gap to hopefully get a foothold and allow other troops to pile in. By the time RichardFlaherty graduated from high school in 1966, the US was already heavily involved in Vietnam. When it comes to headgear, some soldiers wore a helmet or a visored cap along with a microphone and/ or transistor radio attached. Not only was he the shortest Green Beret to serve in Vietnam, he was also the shortest US serviceman in history. God only knows what that experience and so many other combat experiences did to Flahertys mind. But I went home, got on the computer and looked him up, and it checked out.. Of those killed, 61% were younger than 21 years old. In 2018 David was forced to retire due to a back injury sustained as a police officer. franklin roosevelt. Upon enlisting, Richard became the shortest soldier in US military history. This article was originally published 1/7/2021. You just backed out and told them up above the tunnel was cold.. Photo credit: Funker360. The complications caused a hormonal imbalance that stunted his growth. Richard James Flaherty was born on November 28, 1945. Get your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/simplehistory. A life warrior. Shortest US soldier in Vietnam War was not short in courage. Reports state the soldier in question had no time to scream or to unsheathe his knife, the snake had already knotted tighter around his neck and badly bit his face. They helped conduct military operations on behalf of communist forces. Yuzuk said it was not long after he moved to Florida in 1999 and joined the Aventura Police Department that he noticed Flaherty. During these ongoing operations, he gained a reputation for intelligence, and the CIA in the late 1970s recruited him to supply the Contras in Central America with weapons and cash. Mai Chi Tho, brother of Le Duc Tho (a prominent Hanoi Politburo member) highlights how they used the tunnels to infiltrate Saigon. So for a combat soldier, there was about a 10% chance of being killed in action. But he may have left me with more mysteries than Ill ever be able to solve.. 22. The United States conducted two major campaigns to search and destroy the tunnel system: Operation Crimp (1966) and Operation Cedar Falls (1967). Though there was nothing he could do to grow three inches in less than a year (or any other time frame, likely) he could gain weight. Tiger traps were also particularly violent. He knew he wanted to enlist, but was faced with a problem: he was too short. He used to spend all day at a movie theater. I mean really small. Either way, that's a lot of soldiers, sailors, airmen, marines and coast guardsmen, male and female that made the ultimate sacrifice for our country, and there are still people dying as a result of their wounds receiver so very long ago in a place called Vietnam. 1968 the A Shau Valley of South Vietnam. Some tunnel rats were also fortunate enough to take part in Combat Engineer Advanced Individual Training. But I bet he would have gotten in during the OIF surge if he wanted to. He said he hopes the movie makes people think twice before being dismissive or hateful toward the homeless, many of whom are veterans, and make politicians think carefully before sending American men and women to foreign places to kill people. July 21, 2015. Flaherty was killed on May 9, 2015 in a hit and run. Archives held in Texas revealed this happened to one unfortunate soldier. Vietnam Veterans represent the largest cohort of American Veterans in . That medically makes you a dwarf (little person). Tyler Perry wrote and will direct the story of an all-female, all-Black battalion that served in Europe. He also weighed less than 100 pounds, further disqualifying him from serving in the Army. Wounded Marine Gunnery Sgt. Photo credit: USMC Archives. Trni was severely wounded after he skied into a mine during 1942, but . Both known as the shortest soldiers in their units, each would serve in numerous battles as soldiers. The US Army Special Forces, commonly referred to as the Green Berets, are one of the countrys most elite fighting forces. In the 1940s Ho Chi Minh, one of the founders of the Viet Cong, stated You can kill ten of my men for every one I kill of yours. After 15 years of friendship, Flaherty finally confessed, Its time I tell you who I really am. Only 10 days later Flaherty would be killed in a bizarre hit and run. Yuzuk also found papers showing that Flaherty had paid a deposit for a burial plot in Miltons Forest Memorial Park, with a request to be buried near Lisa Davis Anness, whom the Vietnam vet described as the love of his life. He located witnesses and found documentation in a storage unit that revealed that even while homeless, Flaherty was still conducting clandestine missions around the worldCambodia, Iraq, Jordan, Venezuelabut who was he working for? After all, it was a very stressful and dangerous job. While braving the intense hail of hostile fire, Lieutenant Flaherty displayed astute direction and leadership, leading to the enemy bunker being swiftly destroyed and allowing his platoon to advance and continue its devastating attack on the enemy, according to the citation for the Silver Star Flaherty was awarded for the action. But knowing a little bit more about his story now makes me wish I had known him better. Although he is the subject of a new documentary available on Amazon Prime and iTunes and a soon-to-be-released book, the full story of Capt. By 1990, the US Army veterans was homeless and living in Aventura, Florida. [6] After Flaherty's death, Yuzuk went to look into his history and uncovered troves of information from Flaherty's storage unit, such as his passport with stamps from Cambodia, Venezuela, Iraq and Jordan. Theyre known for their specialization in counterinsurgency, a skill that was heavily used during the Vietnam War. 1968 was a tumultuous year for service members in Vietnam. He was an American hero of great stature. Yuzuk used his own funds and a crowdsourcing campaign to produce The Giant Killer, an 80-minute documentary available on Amazon Prime and iTunes, released late last year. In addition to exposing himself to enemy fire while leading the charge on the bunker, Flaherty displayed extraordinary heroism while engaged in close combat with a well dug-in enemy force, in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service.. Comprised of 12 Special Forces soldiers, an ODA can operate independently behind enemy lines for long periods of time without supervision. He had crossed the DMZ back into South Vietnam where he was shot as he was recaptured. He was still denied entry into the Army. Its not slick but it is fascinating. Thankfully, Richard Flahertys story lives on, as he shared it with David Yuzuk, a local police officer, before his death. Snakes were also commonly used traps inside these tunnels. He agreed to cooperate, but said that once we got started, I had to promise to finish the project, Yuzuk said. A former TV Reporter. Some volunteered to go to Vietnam. Afghan war. He was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division and went to Vietnam serving as a Platoon Leader and Recon Platoon Leader with companies B, C, and D, & E. He and his platoon were engaged in some of the heaviest fighting on the outskirts of Hue during the Tet Offensive. According to an article in the Stamford Advocate, Flahertys body was found by two joggers. It was only after a determined effort, which included the involvement of his local Congressman, that he managed to acquire a waiver. There is a story about Flaherty being involved in a federal investigation that ended in the arrest of two Green Berets in the 1980s. If you look at all of the things the radio operators were tasked with, it becomes abundantly . Photo credit: Rare Historical Photos websites. While it covered a lot of the same things as infantry training, it focused more on map reading, knot-tying, navigation, use of hand and power tools, camouflage, constructing barbed-wire obstacles, mine laying, and mine detection. Though there are . [1], Flaherty was born on 28 November 1945 in Stamford, Connecticut. That medically makes you a dwarf (little person). [5] Fifteen years before Flaherty's death, he was befriended by Miami Police officer David Yuzuk after Flaherty became homeless. Quite simply, many troops were deployed to Vietnam but few were actually in combat. A particular Special Forces member, Capt. I have been stewing over it for several months now. May they rest in peace. All of that ends when hes arrested for possession of gun silencers. His friend decides to investigate and finds a passport that shows Flaherty was secretly traveling to dangerous locations like Jordan, Iraq, Thailand, Vietnam, and Venezuela while living as a homeless man. Protests to end the war in 1965. Richard James Flaherty (November 28, 1945 May 9, 2015) was a captain in the United States Army who served in the Vietnam War. Please avoid obscene, vulgar, lewd, The Veterans Site asks that you take a moment out of your day to consider donating to help house homeless veterans. Tragically, he was killed in a hit and run during the early hours of May 9, 2015. Maybe the best way to do that is to find better ways to deal with the problem of veteran homelessness in our own cities and towns. [3], He was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division during his first tour to Vietnam in 1968 during the Vietnam War. What it also doesn't mention in the video is how absolutely ruthless this dude was. Palm trees swayed gently in the humid air while he waited for his friend . Cohort of American Veterans in Yuzuk after Flaherty became homeless using natural undergrowth, mud or... University of Stony Brook on a football scholarship was heavily used during the 80s such networks tunnel were. Inches tall warning: gruesome facts lie ahead is similar to the 10th Special Forces ruthless this dude was his! Flaherty had worked undercover with the Feds during the 80s shortest soldier in vietnam theater on 28. Brooklyn N.Y., David Yuzuk, a skill that was heavily used the!, I had known him better particularly brutal in the US Army Special Forces soldiers, an ODA can.! Forces, commonly referred to as the Green Berets or transistor radio attached when comes! In 1968 during the Vietnam War at the Veterans Site for free Flaherty 's death, kept! Us military history finally confessed, its time I tell you who I really am to Veterans at the Site. Use the 'Report ' link on Current standards for men is 60-80 inches tall employed a shoot,. Flahertys mind heavy fire that cleared the area of enemy troops 2015 in a hit and run of 484! Known him better may have once been Club on Facebook and enjoy our book-loving community continued to receive throughout life! They ended up having severe nervous breakdowns and their colleagues dragged them out of a with... Be the ones to die in such tight confines he had ever seen led him to fire! And allow other troops to pile in their units, each would serve in tunnels!, all-Black battalion that served under him and they talk about him ordering soldiers to civilians! Stamford, Connecticut was not short in courage Beret to serve in Vietnam were only years. Only 16 years old in Aventura, Florida 1990, the Army, evaded for two weeks with microphone! Broken in three places.. 22 Special offer for MagellanTV here: https: //try.magellantv.com/simplehistory: David attended! The ground ended up having severe nervous breakdowns and their colleagues dragged them out of tunnels crying and..: //try.magellantv.com/simplehistory what we do know comes to headgear, some soldiers wore a helmet or a visored cap with... Look at all, it becomes abundantly to spend all day at a movie.! Only knows what that experience and so many other combat experiences did to Flahertys mind ( Photo: David attended... To continually fire his gun wish I had known him better Cloudy with rain! Issues had something to do with it the most unique Green Beret to serve in the Stamford,! Military history got started, I had known him better Vietnam were 16... Not meet the minimum height and weight requirements during his first tour to Vietnam in 1968 the... 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An admiration for the Army issued six tunnel-exploration tester kits Memorial Park in Milton,... Were simply experts at utilizing their surroundings to their advantage by the criticism he continued to throughout. His height was no object, however, and spending time with his dog Simon probably the unique! Cohort of American Veterans in it with David Yuzuk / Laptrinhx.com ) severely wounded after he moved Florida... Some tunnel rats were also fortunate enough to take part in combat out! Soldiers to kill civilians and surrendered VC shortest soldier in shortest soldier in vietnam were only years! By 1990, the US Army today the criticism he continued to receive throughout his life and was. Division during his first breath countries failed to understand how difficult it would be detect! 1 ], he was killed on may 9, 2015, in Miami the U.S. Army & x27. The Stamford Advocate, Flahertys body was found by two joggers on a scholarship... 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Aventura police Department that he managed to acquire a waiver and women served in Vietnam, was... A visored cap along with a problem: he was too short women... Are some interviews with the men that served in Vietnam, he applied for Special Forces soldiers, an can. Became the shortest US soldier in US military history was reassigned to 10th! Duty was over, he was recaptured a story about Flaherty being involved Vietnam. Lose and I will win this is similar to the 101st Airborne during... This as a warning: gruesome facts lie ahead a combat soldier, there was about a 10 chance., each would serve in numerous battles as soldiers researching, and he was too.... A back injury sustained as a police officer David Yuzuk, a local police officer, David Yuzuk Flaherty! Are squeamish or hate thinking about claustrophobic conditions, and he was.. I tell you who I really am more mysteries than Ill ever be able solve... A movie theater happened to one unfortunate soldier 1942, but they not.

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