We can imagine that it may have had something to do with his Vietnam combat experiences. Standing at 4 feet, 11 inches, Popoca may be the shortest Soldier during missions, but she has a "tiny but mighty" mindset, she said. We'd love to hear eyewitness Images of firefights, bloodied U.S. soldiers and body bags were seen nightly on network television, along with scorecard-like tallies of the number of American and enemy soldiers killed in action. This restoration was pivotal as it enabled some of the key successes enjoyed by the Viet Cong. He appealed to his Connecticut Senator, Christopher Dodd, and was able to get a special waiver into the Army. Flaherty enlisted late that year. Source of data: the Vietnam Conflict Extract Data File, as of April 29, 2008, of the Defense Casualty Analysis System (DCAS) Files, part of Record Group 330: Records of the Office of the Secretary of Defense. Hed traveled a lot, read a lot and was interesting to talk with.. Overall, the Vietnamese were very quick to restore damages and continue as if nothing happened. One battalion also found an underground complex that covered 2,000 meters and yielded cameras, films, printing presses, and type, in addition to the usual cache of weapons and ammunition. Shockingly, a US soldier even uncovered a missing M-48 tank buried six feet deep; the Viet Cong were using it as a command center. Like Liked by 1 person Capt. This way, they smelled the same as the GIs and the dogs became unable to locate the enemy. The complications caused a hormonal imbalance that stunted his growth. Low near 45F. When he graduated OCS and his Special Forces training, he volunteered for combat duty with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. Neither family, nor friends know why. [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. . Here are some of the most powerful pictures taken by Larry Burrows during his coverage of the Vietnam War. Bullied and ridiculed through basic training, Flaherty nonetheless achieved the kind of stature thats only dreamed of: He became a Green Beret Captain, earning the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts for his actions in Vietnam. Captain Flaherty is the shortest man to have served in the Army's Special Forces Regiment. May they rest in peace. Soldier in Vietnam War was the Army's Badass Combatant . What are we doing that causes the disease of homelessness? Without a subpoena, voluntary compliance on the part of your Internet Service Provider, or additional records from a third party, information stored or retrieved for this purpose alone cannot usually be used to identify you. He would also earn two Bronze Stars, a Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and five Purple Hearts during his two tours in the Nam. . Even if they could deal with the claustrophobic conditions, air and artillery support had not prepared them for the type of old-fashioned combat that relied on savage behavior, individual strength, guts, and cunningness. Vietnam War. He was a Special Forces Green Beret Captain and was . April 12, 2021. TIMES STAFF WRITER. 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. Richard Flaherty was probably the most unique Green Beret to ever serve in the U.S. Army's Special Forces. But it wasnt easy. As a man, he stands tall in my book. The two maintained a long friendship. I am going to cite some data here and I wish I could recall the sourcesI don't have them. He also fell below the Army's weight requirement of 100 pounds. Special Forces Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) exfiltrate a Counter Improvised Explosive Device lane in a via MRZR off-road utility vehicle at Panzer Local . 11 talking about this. 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. After being discharged, Flaherty did private and military contract work in Rhodesia and Angola in Africa. Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. Generally, while underground tunnel rat soldiers employed a shoot first, ask questions later method. 4' 9" 97lb Vietnam War Vet Green Beret Captain Richard J. Flaherty was the smallest US soldier to ever serve in the military. Communications, public relations, and marketing professional, and content creator during free time. Of course, the local Vietnamese population designed the tunnels with their own size in mind. There is a story about Flaherty being involved in a federal investigation that ended in the arrest of two Green Berets in the 1980s. Yuzuk is the director and its his first movie. He had crossed the DMZ back into South Vietnam where he was shot as he was recaptured. A life warrior. soldier has to be fit both physically and mentally to endure the hardship in an adverse environment such as a battle field. He'd received two Bronze Stars for bravery and two Purple Hearts for combat wounds during that time. The shortest soldier to fight in Vietnam was a Green Beret. The exact figure, however, remains unknown as there were no extensive records kept on this exact type of engagement with the enemy. The Viet Cong amassed around 250 kilometers of underground tunnels. Primary Source. Americans often carpet bombed areas under suspicion to try flushing out the enemy. lkunl/Shutterstock. Use the 'Report' link on Current standards for men is 60-80 inches tall. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers! Read. They are our brothers and sisters. Photo credit: USMC Archives. 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. After a few brushes with law enforcement, Flaherty reportedly worked as a confidential informant for the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in the early 1980s before becoming homeless in Aventura by 1990. None of these wars were longer than the Afghan war, anyway.] His height was no object, however, and he put together an impressive record, with the honors to match. In a way, he was like a mentor. Flaherty left the Army in 1971 and attended the University of Miami in Florida. If the army located an entrance and needed it explored, the team lowered a tunnel rat into the area to scout out the surroundings. Marines who score 285 or higher on BOTH the PFT and CFT are exempt from height/weight standards. Eugene Debruin: civilian with Air America captured 5 Sep 63 in Laos when C-46 was shot down, But knowing a little bit more about his story now makes me wish I had known him better. High 64F. The 'Hanoi Hilton' Is No Trump Hotel. Richard J. Flaherty with two classmates at Officer Candidate School in 1967 (Photo: David Yuzuk / Laptrinhx.com ). Got the VC screaming "we said no Oddjob! How can we help? In fact, volunteers boasted of their ability to change flashlights in pitch black without realizing the damaging consequences of this. After this, he refused to ever go into a tunnel again. The CIA? Pictured left to right: Topsy, Fatty, Cotton (killed fitty men and got his shins blowed off), Brooklyn, Stinky, and Fatty. The healthy soldier/worker effect gradually subdued over time. The Lone . *Warning: Some people may find these pictures disturbing.*. Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) represents Texas' 3rd congressional . You can view the full DCAS record for an individual named in the list via the Access to Archival Databases resource, or AAD. The first point to keep in mind is that there was a lot of "tail" in Vietnam. Richard James Flaherty was born on November 28, 1945. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. 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. It was the result of his mothers rare blood type that left him vulnerable to oxygen deprivation as an infant. Example of a spike ball booby trap on display. Published March 04, 2022 06:48:08. Flaherty was 2 inches too short and 6 lb. Shortest US soldier in Vietnam War was not short in courage. In Britain, during the Nap. Even at those odds, you will lose and I will win. But then everything we know about him gets lost in a blur of fragmentary vignettes. He was working on finding a way to join. Weve got a clip from the movie that details Richards ruthlessness in combat. limit, but he could do nothing about the height part. A twenty-two year old U.S. Army Lieutenant finds himself in the fight of his life on his birthday. Awarded Medal of Honor for escape and resistance as a POW. Under Lieutenant Flahertys astute direction and leadership, the enemy bunker was swiftly destroyed, enabling his platoon to advance and continue its devastating attack against the enemy.. He was killed in a hit-and-run accident in 2015. This would-be Captain America was just 49, three inches too short for Army service. 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. Quite simply, many troops were deployed to Vietnam but few were actually in combat. ", People dont know about Cotton and it shows. Copyright 2023 Irish Studio LLC All rights reserved. T he man in the picture keeps his eyes to the ground. But I went home, got on the computer and looked him up, and it checked out.. racist or sexually-oriented language. 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. How many men and women have we lost to the anonymity of our city streets? PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. In general, volunteers had to have common sense, be exceptionally brave, have an inquisitive mind, and have an even temperament. Start your free trial today. The United States conducted two major campaigns to search and destroy the tunnel system: Operation Crimp (1966) and Operation Cedar Falls (1967). 1,806 U.S. troops killed in action ( source) 2. What did we lose because we were unable to understand him, or to welcome him home? 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. Next, the Viet Cong would dig a pit and jam the punji stakes upright in it. On the other stood a 5ft 7in (170 . Giant Killers are among us-- author David Yuzuk walked with one and returned with this tale." The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. is the nonprofit organization authorized by Congress in 1980 to fund and build the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. . A Soldier's Thoughts. John Zander in Chu Lai, Vietnam in 1965. He was awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts during his service. The stakes would then spear any soldier that fell into the pit. But then everything we know about him gets lost in a blur of fragmentary vignettes. In particularly horrendous circumstances, enemy soldiers would dig another pit directly beside it. Some even fled to Canada to escape conscription. The US Army Special Forces, commonly referred to as the Green Berets, are one of the countrys most elite fighting forces. While tunnel rats often wanted to wear hearing protection to help lessen the consequences of this noise and avoid damage to their eardrums, they risked not being able to hear the enemy approaching. Flaherty then called for a 90 millimeter recoilless rifle a shoulder-mounted explosive projectile launcher initially designed to destroy tanks to be brought to his position, and from there, led its two-man crew on an assault of the North Vietnamese bunker. I quote the half-inch ants have such a powerful bite that to pull them off means losing a bit of skin. Most useful for tunnel rats, however, was the experience gained in the dreaded gas chambers. If the stakes pointed downwards, soldiers became unable to remove their limbs without causing severe damage. His size also meant he worked as a tunnel rat during his tour of duty, crawling through enemy tunnels to destroy them. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. He was the shortest US serviceman in history. [But] They were the ones you never killed. If you include the near-nine years of fighting that took place during the First Indochina War, add that tally to the 20-year war in Vietnam, you understand why the conflict is sometimes referred to as the Ten Thousand Day War, that number more or less equating to 30 years. Answer (1 of 27): Back in the days of siege wars, artillery would be used to blow a hole in the defence walls. They have given so much and suffered so much. A Soldier's Thoughts. This article was originally published 1/7/2021. All rights reserved. Several Viet Cong members knew the American soldiers had boots with plated soles to help prevent injury to their feet. He wasnt flat-footed, he had no debilitating conditions, and he was an otherwise perfectly healthy young man. According to an article in the Stamford Advocate, Flahertys body was found by two joggers. A young German soldier, 1944. After his service in Vietnam, Richard Flaherty applied for Special Forces training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. He returned to the U.S. that same year to attend the Army Special warfare School at Fort Bragg, where he earned his green beret. He was later reassigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. She received both her bachelor of arts degree in history, and her master of arts degree in history from Western University. Marines who score 250 or higher on BOTH the PFT and CFT are given an additional 1 percent body fat. He increased the amount he ate and gained muscle through sports. By the time RichardFlaherty graduated from high school in 1966, the US was already heavily involved in Vietnam. Team Mighty. 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