Sam Messer

The following is an interview with Sam Messer

Q: When and where were you born? A: Born in Gardner, Ks Oct. 18th, 1946

Q: How old were you during the Vietnam War? A: Went to Vietnam at 20 turned 21 in Vietnam.

Q: What did you know about why the U.S. was involved in the war? Were you drafted for the war or did you volunteer? A: I was in High School and JR College, I listened to JFK and Pres. Johnson and knew that commies were trying to take over South Vietnam and the Countries around it so WE, had to go stop them! WE WERE THERE TO STOP THE SPREAD OF COMMUNISM AND HELP PEOPLE THAT WANTED TO LIVE FREE. LOOK AT WHAT HAPPENED AFTER WE LEFT, CAMBODIA AND LAOS BOTH WERE OVER RUN BY THE VIETNAMESE ARMY. EVERYONE THAT FOUGHT FOR THE SOUTH OR WERE WORKING WITH THE US WERE PUT IN REEDUCATION CAMPS, OR KILLED.... THE PEOPLE ARE STILL NOT AS WELL OFF 30+ YEARS LATER THAN THEY WERE DURING THE WAR. WE SHOULD HAVE INVADED NORTH VIETNAM AND DO THE JOB RIGHT... Volunteered, me and 3 others at the same time. JOINED IN FEB. 1966 WENT TO BOOT CAMP JUNE 66.

Q: Did you favor the U.S. involvement? A: In favor we were brought up fighting them and spreading freedom to all peoples! I wanted to see the people free and the kids not living in fear.

Q: Why did you choose to volunteer? A: It was MY war MY turn to serve MY Country as my family had since coming to this country.

Q: What were the attitudes of your family/parents about the war and about your military service? A: My Dad and Uncles were Proud, The women scared, But no one said anything against me going as I had already joined when I told them.

Q: In which branch of the military did you serve, and what was your rank? A: UNITED STATES NAVY SEABEES, I got out as a Second Class, E-5, Equipment Operator

Q: Where did you go for basic training? Did basic training prepare you for what happened? A: San Diego, Ca. No as my basic was more for shipboard stuff I learned my Seabee job ETC. after Boot Camp, I went to Port Hueneme for "A" school in operating equipment. I had very little Military training, less than 2 weeks. I learned that stuff in Vietnam.

Q: What unit were you assigned to? A: CBMU301 UNITED STATES NAVY SEABEES.

Q: What duties did you have during the war? Describe a typical day. A: I was a Seabee equipment Operator, we built the bases and all the Air Strips to keep a place for the planes to fly from and to, also a place where the Marines could be in some what comfort after time in the bush. No day was typical, every day was an adventure, from driving 2 1/2 ton dump trucks to pouring concrete for arty pads. But I spent most of my time working on the Air Strips, keeping them in shape for planes to land.

Q: Were you involved and see combat? What were those situations like? A: Combat: combat was like getting shot at and then nothing, or it was like TET at Khe Sanh being shot at, and having Arty, Rockets, and Motors, every day on and off all day and night for seventy seven Days. I drove a truck from Dong Ha to Cam Lo and got shot at every trip, sometimes never knowing I had been shot at till I stopped and found the bullet hole in the truck.

Q: What was morale like in your unit? A: We were a bunch of nuts, we made fun of everything laughed at everything, no matter how bad it got. That was the only way to keep from going crazy!

Q: Do any Vietnamese people in particular stand out in your memory? How did they view the United States? A: My encounters were with the kids, even adopted one to take him food and clothes, the kids loved us and hated the North and the VC.

Q: Did you know conscientious objectors or individuals who "dodged the draft" for other reasons? A: We had a Marine at Khe Sanh who was a conscientious objector, he would not carry a weapon so he worked in C-Med with the Doctors taking care of the wounded. He got killed one day in Feb. on the airstrip using his body to cover a wounded Marine during incoming. The Marine Corps didn't have boots small enough to fit him and a female reporter got hit in the butte with scrap metal and she gave him her boots the only pair he had that fit, he always wore tennis shoes till then. The draft dodgers that left this Country should NEVER have been given the right to return. Conscientious objectors, who were taught by their religion that it was wrong, should have been put in the service and kept in the USA to do paper work or what ever but not sent to combat.

Q: Did you witness any acts of heroism? A : Every day someone did something above the call of duty, This was most evident during the Siege of Khe Sanh. Everyday someone saved someone or gave their life to save a buddy. We had a Seabee that was driving a truck the ammo dump went up and he drove into the exploding ammo and brought out 23 Marines, this took 3 trips. One more was 1st class Cann while we were getting hit with incoming the cold storage for blood and medical supplies, had the electrical lines blown away, Cann went out in the barrage and strung lines reconnected the lines and save a bunch of lives by saving the supplies.

Q: Did you correspond with people at home? A: Yes by letters and tape until my player got blown up!

Q: What did you like the most about your military experience? A: The spick and span, the marching, I love construction and I got to do what I loved every day.

Q: How patriotic did or do you feel toward the United States? A: MY Country right or wrong, but I hope it's always right!

Q: How did the men in Vietnam with you feel about the war? A: We didn't talk about it much, but when we did we all wanted to go North and kick butte.

Q: What did you think or feel about anti-war demonstrations during that time? A: Then and Now I think most of them were chicken, SCARED, and afraid of dying.

Q: Did your feelings about the war change while you were there? A: Not really I just got older and wanted to get some pay back for my dead friends.

Q: Would you describe your last day in Vietnam? A: I was on night duty spreading asphalt on the roads of Dong Ha to keep the dust down. I went to work loaded the asphalt truck with contaminated fuel and RC-8, spread 1,000 gallons, went back and started loading it with fuel again then the truck blew up and I was burnt from the waist up. Within two days I was in a Hospital in Japan.

Q: Have you seen any of the people you served with since you got out? A: Yes I call and visit one buddy in Atlanta, Ga. all the time, just got back in Jan 2003 from going down and surprising him for his birthday.

Q: Do you stay in touch with anyone? A: We have reunions every three years and one this May 2004 in Port Hueneme, going to sit and visit with at least 30 guys from my Vietnam outfit! We have been doing this since 1992.

Q: How long did you stay in the military? When did you get out? A: 3 years 9 months 23 days I got out 2+ months early. Got out Thanksgiving day 1969.

Q: What was your homecoming like? A: Just like any time anyone is away for extended period of time, Hi nice to see you, hungry? Nothing about my time in Vietnam just glad to have you home.

Q: How were you treated when you got home from Vietnam ? A: I was not treated in any way as I came back to the Hospital at Great Lakes Navy Base. After I got out of the Hosp. I was treated indifferently most just tried to ignore me especially if in Uniform.

Q: Would you volunteer again if you could? A: Yes I would go again

Q: How do you think that the war changed you? A: Lots of memories and pain, got old fast.

Q: How did it affect your family? A: They gave me a wide berth mostly, no talk of Vietnam, just tried to put it all behind the family.

Q: What do you think young people, who have never experienced a war, should know about it? A: War is hell and my wish is that no man woman or child should ever have to be in one. But one thing you learn quick in war is you may die in the next minute, so have fun any way you can anywhere you can. Be prepared to see things and do things you've never dreamed of. You will see and do and have things done to you that you can't be ready for. Seeing your first Dead American Soldier, your first body torn apart by a motor, rocket, arty round. Living in a totally different world than your used to.

Q: What is your most vivid memory of the war? A: Losing buddies wounded and dead, the TET at Khe Sanh no place to run to just hide from the motors, arty, rockets and dodge snipers.

Q: How did you feel when the United States started to withdraw its forces in 1973? A: Mad very mad we left too many men behind and had too many dead to run away!

Q: Why do you think the United States did not win the war successfully? A: You can't win a war if you're not given permission to win it. We couldn't fight the Vietnam War like WW1 or WW 2 and we should have gone into North Vietnam and put an end to the war.

Q: What conclusions would you draw about the war? A: If you're going to send young men and women to war give them all they need to win it.

Q: What lessons can it teach us? A: Planning a War plan on winning it!

Q: What are your feelings about the war today? A: I am sad that so many died and the Vets were treated so bad by the American people when we came home.

Q: Do you think the United States was a hero, fool, or villain during the Vietnam War? A: The men and women that went were Heroes, the government that held us back were fools.

Q: What should the relationship with Vietnam be now? A: Mixed feelings, If at all possible we should have an understanding , we should be given access to every possible site where and American or Ally was shot down lost and all prison camps and where someone may be buried. Somehow some way we need to find the remains of all our lost Brothers. In return we would normalize relations with Vietnam, but Not till all are accounted for.

Q: What are your thought about the agent orange? A: At the time I was there it killed folage that hide the enemy and saved lives. Now it is killing more than died there and their babies are born deformed and some live with health problems all their lives. The Government needs to come clean and tell the truth about agent orange, white, and blue! This is the only way we will ever get proper research to find cures for Vets and their families.

Q: Did you think of the south Vietnamese army? A: I had little contact with the South Vietnamese army but served with a Battillion of south Vietnames Marines, They were hard and good fighting men.

Q: What was your worst experience, do you have flashbacks? A: 77 days of hell in Khe Sanh TET 68 surrounded out numbered, and expecting to die any second. Yes and nightmares and teror dreams from Dec. thru May every year.

Q: Did you ever think you wouldn't make it? A: From Dec of 67 to the day they shipped me out to the Hospital in Japan I didn't think I would leave Vietnam alive.

Q: Did you come across any booby traps or mines? A: Yes mines, we would make runs from Dong Ha to Cam Lo and the road was mined almost every day. The Marines would run mine sweeps every day and find some, and then during the day the NVA would slip in and stick a mine in the road.

Q: How could we have fought this war differently? A :We Americans worry to much about hurting innocent people, we should have bombed the North more and not worried about innocent people. Could we have won? After TET 68 we should have invaded North Vietnam! We had them beat and could have put an end to it all if the Congress and President would have approved Gen. Westmorlands plan to invade the North.

Q: What is the best movie about Vietnam? A: Hamburger Hill Why, It is about as close to what happened in Vietnam as any, also Mel Gibsons movie we were soldiers once and young.

Q: Have you been to the wall , what were your feelings there? A: Yes,very sad, I cried, too many friends names are on the wall.

Q: What were you feelings when you left Vietnam? A: I was burnt from the waist up and didn't know if I was going to live, so I was scared.

Q: Did you have problems re-adjusting to civilian life? A: Not a lot as people left me alone and I worked construction and I loved it.

Q: Do you feel that our country understood and appreciated your efforts? A: No and even today people don't understand, They have no way to know what we did and we thought we were doing what our Country wanted us to do fight for freedom. There are some out there that still think we were stupid for going and doing our duty. The people of South Vietnam needed us and we failed them.

Q: What significance does the 1960's hold for you? A: I lived when I should have died many times over at Khe Sanh TET 68, I found out what it meant to go to War and what they meant when they said War is HELL!

Q: What was your life like before they War? A: I lead a normal life for back then and was a poor boy but didn't know it till I came home from Vietnam. I played Baseball, Football, Track, Chased girls, got my first car a 1951 Ford Flathead V - 8, fell in Love and could only think of getting married and raising a family with the Love of my life.

Q: What was your life like after the War? A: I was somewhat confused, had dreams and nightmares, worked as a laborer and then went to work at the Post Office. I was upset because no one that went to Vietnam would talk about it and no one wanted to hear about it. W W 2 Vets at the V F W wouldn't accept us Nam Vets and day after day told us we didn't know what a War was. I fell in heat got married had a son got divorced got remarried had a daughter. Got drunk almost every Saturday night till my son was 5, 1976 slowed down and stopped drinking when my Daughter was born 1978. I have fought my demons from Vietnam all my life since 1968, and am still fighting them. The Vietnam War, being the first war to be covered by the media, reality was clouded over to be used to manipulate the mass opinion by the mass media. While the veterans from WW II were viewed as heroes, the veterans from Vietnam were badly mistreated and ignored. For a long time, the people didn’t want to realize that this soldiers who fought in Vietnam were their to bring the freedom to the Vietnamese people who ask for help. Thos young soldiers sacrificed their youth , their innocence, and many of them their live’s for the people of Vietnam.

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