Captain, Infantry
A Vietnam War Memoir
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The unfortunate but unavoidable assignment that arose and was proposed by the commanding officer of the 3/21st Infantry Battalion last month, in July, became a reality at the beginning of this month, on the 4th of August. The colonel wanted me to report to battalion headquarters ASAP.
So, on the 4th, I said a final good-bye to all of the men in my platoon, plus a fond farewell to so many other troopers I had gotten to know and serve with in Bravo Company.
The officers and NCOs in the company wanted me to stay. They thought that I should be the likely choice to replace Captain Leonard. I thought so as well and even agreed to remain in Vietnam for another six months. Captain Leonard’s tour of duty in Vietnam ended at this time in August, and he was deploying back to the States. The colonel, however, had other plans for me.
The colonel reiterated the same reasons for squashing my desire to serve as the company commander of Bravo Company that I received when I first arrived in Vietnam; when I assumed that I’d be assigned as a rifle platoon leader in some infantry unit.
“We want the officers who are going to be lifers in the army, not ROTC commissioned officers, to be assigned to the combat leadership positions in our infantry units. For them, it’s a necessary and essential step up their career ladder. Without a combat role on their resumé, promotion becomes a problem for them. Sorry about that.”
Later – after the tragedy that befell our friendly neighboring village of Nuoc Mau and its 3,000 inhabitants and friends – I tried to convince the battalion’s new colonel to allow me to form and lead a CAP (Civilian Actions Platoon) unit for our local village of Nuoc Mau. Again, I received the same message – sorry about that. Too dangerous. And I even agreed again to remain in Vietnam for another six months.
Not to be. The answer was still the same. No. No way.
Previously, the Marines had formed numerous CAPs in the villages in the I Corps area. I believed that the CAPs were one of the best ways to fight the war, and thus in a small but significant way, they would help to support and protect the Vietnamese people in their local communities and environs.
However, it was not to be. It would be the S-3 operations office in battalion headquarters for me for the last month or so of my tour of duty in Vietnam – no ifs, ands, or buts.
For those final weeks of the war for me, I worked in a huge underground bunker, abundantly sandbagged and camouflaged. There, I helped to coordinate company and battalion operations in our sector and in our area of operations surrounding Chu Lai and its massive air base.
As a sidelight, I specifically remember existing in that semi-underground bunker for 16 to 18 hours a day – 0600 to about 0100 or 0200 hours every evening – wearing my black Vietnamese pajama pants instead of my fatigues – I was going native by that time – but sleeping in a fairly large tent above ground with four other officers and an ample supply of mosquito netting draped over each of our beds to keep the nasty intruders at bay.
The only thing more frightening than that unwelcomed nightly attack by those raging masses of mosquitoes was the walk one would inevitably have to negotiate to the latrine without a flashlight in the pitch-black darkness sometime in the middle of the night. Everyone struggled not to attract Charlie and prayed not to make a sound louder than the chorus of crickets who inhabited the woods around the latrine. Never has taking a shit been more of a major production or a major work of art.
Like I said, we’ve been busy. I told you I am now in the Battalion Tactical Operations Center (big bunker out in the boonies), coordinating helicopter support, jet air strikes, and making many decisions on company operations, use of artillery, illuminating the big picture. Don’t particularly like job because I can’t get out on operations or be of any use to the VN people. Trying to convince new colonel to let me form a CAP (Civilian Actions Platoon) in a local village of 3,000 people to secure village, train their people to fight, and work with them to improve health, sanitation, and living conditions. We would live right in village and help protect against VC attack.
In this village we have in mind, Nuoc Mau, just south of Chu Lai on Highway #1, the VC came in force a few days ago and burned it to the ground. Hell of a mess, and we did nothing to stop VC or to help VN people clean up the mess. VC hit about 0100, 50 of them, killed 5VN, 2 month old girl of village chief, 2 year old boy, and 3 men friendly to us. They burned 75 percent of the houses, using grenades and fire. Our area is only 200 meters from the town and we sent no one to try to catch VC as they left Nuoc Mau.
Asked colonel next day if we could send a platoon to help cleanup. He says no, not want to help them. I pissed off and told him so. But, we still good friends, talked man to man about it, also talked our views about war. Every night since, we send a squad to ambush Charlie, but no luck yet.
Received my 2 air medals the other day for doing all the flying as a gunner with the Rattlers. Get shot at so many times that Rattlers gave me the medals, and made me feel pretty good. Also, bronze star on the way and so is Combat Infantryman’s Badge for being sniped at and operating under fire here with the 196th. One gets a CIB only if he is in combat and receives fire from hostile enemy. Will probably see more fire before I come home. If I don’t get a rifle company, will be home in October some time. But, will see what happens during this month. Would like to form CAP Team and stay until December. But, will see.
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CAPTAIN, INFANTRY
A Vietnam War Memoir
The mid-1960s witnesses scores of college men being sworn in as second lieutenants in the U.S. Army. Leo V. Kanawada, Jr., was one of these ROTC graduates.
In 1965, Kanawada journeys to Fort Benning to participate in the Infantry Officers Basic Course. With an emphasis on jungle warfare and small unit and platoon tactics, it is obvious that the war in Vietnam would be his stomping grounds for the next thirteen months. When he receives orders to report to board a plane to Korea, he is taken aback. For the year of 1966, Kanawada describes his duties and activities as an infantry officer with the Second Infantry Division. From Support Command to Headquarters Company commander to the supervisory officer of the division’s 1,600 Korean Service Corps workers, he becomes acutely aware of Korea’s history, its present hopes and fears, and the defensive role which the United States plays in what he calls America’s Korea Model.
First Lieutenant Kanawada volunteers in late 1966 to serve another year in Vietnam. He is assigned to the 71st Assault Helicopter Company as an administrative officer, occasionally volunteering for numerous military assault missions in the III Corps and southern sector of Vietnam as a door gunner. To see the country, he says, and the war up close.
Later, he submits papers requesting to serve as a platoon leader. He travels up north to I Corps and the 196th Light Infantry Brigade. As a platoon leader and later as a captain in the headquarters operations bunker of the 3/21st Infantry Battalion, he sees the war up close in the central highlands. With insights from prominent military historians blended together with the author’s recollections and about 300 photos, every reader will receive a memorable portrait of a period of time that played such a crucial role in American foreign policy. Leo V. Kanawada, Jr.
About the Author
Dr. Leo V. Kanawada, Jr. was born in Flushing, New York, and educated at Bucknell University, the Maxwell School of Syracuse University, and at St. John’s University where he received his Ph.D. in History.
After serving as a decorated captain of Infantry, United States Army, with the Second Infantry Division in 1966 in South Korea and in the Vietnam War in 1967 with the 71st Assault Helicopter Company and as a platoon leader with the 196th Light Infantry Brigade, Americal Division, Kanawada returned to his hometown and taught in the Department of History at Hicksville High School and in the Hicksville Public Schools for thirty years.
Author of FRANKLIN D. ROOSEVELT’S DIPLOMACY, SOMETHING WORTHWHILE, and the five-volume series THE HOLOCAUST DIARIES, he’s cited in Who’s Who in New York, Who’s Who Among America’s Teachers, and in the Directory of American Scholars.