Vietnam Green Beret Col. Rich Wall | Mike Ritland Podcast Episode 190

Mike Drop

Mike Ritland

Society & Culture, Documentary, Politics, News

4.9 • 6.3K Ratings

🗓️ 3 June 2024

⏱️ 191 minutes

🔗️ Recording | iTunes | RSS

🧾️ Download transcript

Summary

Subscribe to the Mike Drop Patreon Page to see Ad-Free Episodes Early + Bonus Content at https://www.patreon.com/mikedrop The United States Special Forces are a force to be reckoned with, but like any great nation, they weren't built in a day. Just ask Colonel Rich Wall, a Vietnam Green Beret with three tours under his belt - two with Special Forces before pivoting into the MACV-SOG Program, a highly classified Special Operations unit that conducted covert and unconventional warfare operations. He'd go on to receive the Purple Heart and three Bronze Stars for his time in country, along with having taught history at West Point and working with NATO at the Pentagon. Of course, Vietnam is a totally different theater to the more arid climates (and more modern trappings) of the Middle East, and to hear Rich tell it, you were just as likely to catch disease as you were to catch fire from your adversaries waiting for you in the jungle. So what's it like to ship out in a draft army? How did Special Forces operate back then, and how did those operations influence future works? And if Vietnam was really as bad as the history books say, then what could possible possess a man to go back again and again? Let's meet Rich. ---------- Support Rich and the Special Forces Association at https://www.specialforcesassociation.org ---------- Sponsors: American Hartford Gold Visit https://www.americanhartfordgold.com or call 855-967-1413, that’s 855-967-1413, or text “DROP” to 6-5-5-3-2 for UP TO $15,000 of FREE SILVER! ---------- Beam Take advantage of Beam's biggest sale of the year and get up to 40% off for a limited time when you go to https://www.shopbeam.com/MIKEDROP and use promo code MIKEDROP at checkout! ---------- BUBS Naturals The BUBS namesake derives from Glen ‘BUB’ Doherty, who was heroically killed in Benghazi, Libya in 2012. In addition to remembering Glen for the patriot he is, the BUBS ethos centers around the passionate and adventure seeking life that Glen lived. BUBS Naturals products are rooted in sustainably sourced ingredients and controlled consistency to provide our customers with the highest quality Collagen Protein & MCT Oil Powder that help you feel amazing and live a fuller life. Our mission is simple. FEEL GREAT. DO GOOD. 10% always goes back to charity, helping military men and women transition back into civilian life. Go to https://www.bubsnaturals.com/mike and use code MIKE for 20% off your order. ------------ Black Buffalo If You're 21 and Older, consume Nicotine or Tobacco, and Want to Join the Black Buffalo Herd, Head over to https://www.blackbuffalo.com to learn more! Black Buffalo products are intended for adults aged 21 and older who are consumers of nicotine or tobacco. ---------- Fueled by TeamDog | www.mikeritlandco.com | @Teamdog.pet ALL THINGS MIKE RITLAND: SHOP for Fueled By Team Dog Performance Dog Food, Treats, Apparel, Accessories, and Protection dogs - MikeRitlandCo.com - https://www.MikeRitlandCo.com Team Dog Online dog training - TeamDog.pet - https://www.TeamDog.pet Learn more about your ad choices. Visit podcastchoices.com/adchoices

Transcript

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0:29.9	Two best tours in my career were Vietnam is, you know, you go to the sound of the guns and I'm a professional
0:36.7	soldier.
0:37.7	Well, it was a draft army, so in my basic training company there was guys that you know
0:46.0	should have been in jail and they were given the options to go in the army so you
0:49.4	really had a cross section on socioeconomic and educational level. The Vietnam was a
0:54.6	horrible force made up of a lot of South Vietnamese and North Vietnamese that had
1:00.3	come down. My first tour over there I lost 12 of us went, 8 of us came home. I had
1:06.5	dingy fever, hook, limb disease, and chisels somiasis. I read about 118 pounds. But that's how they looked at us. You know, we were just ash and trash.
1:16.0	You know, Irish Catholic America, hell we're all Democrats. But after LBJ, I never
1:22.3	voted Democrats since.
1:24.0	That's for damn sure.
1:25.0	That's awesome. Ladies and gentlemen as always it's both an honor and a pleasure to welcome my next
1:47.1	guest to the podcast. He spent 35 years in the US Army 5 as an enlisted enlisted chap, and the 30 as a commissioned officer.
1:54.8	He did three tours in Vietnam as a Green Beret, the first two of which, with special forces and
2:00.8	the last, I was with the Mack v SOG program, which we're going to dive heavy
2:06.0	into. He got a Purple Heart, three Bronze Stars. He then went on to be a history professor
	...

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