They carried out tunnel rat duties as and when they needed in addition to any other duties they performed. He served as both an A and B detachment Commander. One Viet Cong technique was to slit a mans throat or garrotte him as he came up through a connecting trap door; this often did not phase the men. They have given so much and suffered so much. The stakes would then spear any soldier that fell into the pit. Richard Flaherty, who was raised in Connecticut, had to obtain a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. The unknown soldier from the Vietnam War who was buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns was authorized a Medal of Honor and in 1998 was identified as 1st Lieutenant Michael Blassie. In 1980, recognizing the cruelty of such devices, the Geneva Convention banned them as weaponry. The primary focus of his time in the CIA was supplying the Nicaraguan Contras in Nicaragua. 11,465 of those killed were younger than 20 years old. Get your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/simplehistory. Read on to learn about the crazy booby traps soldiers faced, the creepy crawlies they encountered, and the damaging psychological consequences of such close combat. His unit in the 101st was ambushed as it passed a hidden North Vietnamese bunker. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Richard Flaherty of Stamford, Connecticut was not one of them. He was an American hero of great stature. Richard James Flaherty was born on November 28, 1945. Alternate title, "Dating on tinder when you're 5'11" or shorter". 4' 9" 97lbs Vietnam Vet Green Beret Captain Richard J. Flaherty - 101st Airborne & 3rd Special Forces Group Vietnam 1967-1971. He began to eat and stay in fighting shape, as he was an avid sportsman in high school, especially good at martial arts. 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. Although the percent who died is similar to other wars, amputations or crippling wounds were 300 percent higher than in World War II. Throughout the battle, he repeatedly exposed himself to the hostile fire in order to better direct the suppressive fire of his squads. or anything. He was successful and joined the US Army. We won't share it with anyone else. She received both her bachelor of arts degree in history, and her master of arts degree in history from Western University. At the end of him career he had such bad PTSD that he pretty much couldn't function in a normal way and spent for the most part the remainder of his life homeless. 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. Communications, public relations, and marketing professional, and content creator during free time. He was still denied entry into the Army. U.S. involvement in the Southeast Asian country had more than doubled from 1965. He stood at just 49 tall. *The appearance of U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) visual information does not imply or constitute DoD endorsement. Flaherty would be considered a dwarf in medical terms, meaning that his height was less than 4 10.. He was struck and killed in a hit and run in 2015. An email message containing instructions on how to reset your password has been sent to the e-mail address listed on your account. In the late 1970s, he was sent to supply the Contras in Central America with weapons and cash. Flaherty's Irish ancestry came from his grandfather Joseph Patrick Flaherty, born in Aran Islands and his grandmother Bridget Smythe, born in Feakle. How can we help? In 1968 he was sent to Vietnam in the famous 101st Airborne Division, the "Screaming Eagles". He went back to Southeast Asia with the 46th Special Forces Company as a Special Forces Operational Detachment A (SFODA) commander. July 21, 2015. . When an American soldier tripped the wire, the grenade would detonate inside the tunnel. saigon 1975. army soldier. Pictured left to right: Topsy, Fatty, Cotton (killed fitty men and got his shins blowed off), Brooklyn, Stinky, and Fatty. The 'Hanoi Hilton' Is No Trump Hotel. Vietnam-era Radiomen life expectancy was 5 seconds. Soldier in Vietnam War was the Army's Badass Combatant . He did time in prison for drugs but was that a cover or a real conviction? Men most often explored these tunnels in pairs. As each day passed he would cut the stick off another notch until on his rotation day he was left with only a small stub. This early condition stunted his growth. 75,000 Vietnam veterans are severely disabled. Threats of harming another On parachute operations he was always the first out of the plane. The US Army Special Forces, commonly referred to as the Green Berets, are one of the countrys most elite fighting forces. The two maintained a long friendship. These tunnels hugely impacted American morale as it was difficult to comprehend that the enemy could be hiding just feet away yet were undetectable and unreachable. . The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. When the soldier tripped the wire, the ball would swing down the tunnel and strike into the face of anyone in the way. 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. You just backed out and told them up above the tunnel was cold.. The two began meeting more frequently, and Yuzuk became so fascinated with Flahertys story that he asked permission to tell it in the form of a documentary. His height was no object, however, and he put . Again, tripwires would trigger the release of snakes hidden somehow inside bamboo sticks, known to soldiers as bamboo vipers. By signing up, you agree to our Privacy Policy. After the military he got into some pretty dicey stuff like gun trafficking. Even at those odds, you will lose and I will win. After Flahertys death, Yuzuk kept digging, researching, and confirming. Flaherty served with the 101st Airborne & the 3rd Special Forces Group. An example of a classic punji booby trap. The Lone . Phil Bucklew: The Father of US Naval Special Warfare. Sign up to IrishCentral's newsletter to stay up-to-date with everything Irish! In one interview, tunnel rat soldier CW Bowman recalled how his fellow colleagues bet money on the fact he would not live through his whole tour as the job was so dangerous. It was a horrendous ordeal to face and brought even the toughest of men to tears. I quote the half-inch ants have such a powerful bite that to pull them off means losing a bit of skin. After being removed from the CIA, Flaherty helped catch a smuggling ring at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and worked undercover for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as an informant. Tiger traps were also particularly violent. 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. The first point to keep in mind is that there was a lot of "tail" in Vietnam. I didnt believe him at first, Yuzuk recalled. Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) represents Texas' 3rd congressional . But many of the soldiers who went were drafted into the service, ineligible for a student deferment because they had never been to college. Col. Floyd J. Thompson, who endured nearly nine years of torture, disease and starvation in Vietnam as the longest-held prisoner of war in American history, has died. She also worked as a teaching assistant in the History Department. This is similar to the selection effect of underwriting requirement provision in the insurance industries. He also fell below the Army's weight requirement of 100 pounds. But I went home, got on the computer and looked him up, and it checked out.. After completing basic training, Richard Flaherty qualified for Infantry Officer Candidate School, earning the rank of second lieutenant. A colleague he worked with recovered his body by dragging his violet-colored corpse out of the tunnel. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. 58,148 were killed in Vietnam, 75,000 severely disabled, 23,214 were 100% disabled, 5,283 lost limbs and 1,081 sustained multiple amputations. No offense intended, but most armies have minimal-height, like here in my country you can't go to the army or police when being less than 1.55m as a man (don't know if this is still accurate, but it was in the past. Pararescue. You have permission to edit this article. This page is to honor the memory of Green Beret Captain Vietnam veteran Richard Flaherty. The Giant Killer (available to rent now on iTunes, Amazon and other VOD platforms) aims to unravel the truth of his post-service life and mysterious death. Soon after, Flaherty is killed by a hit-and-run driver. We owe them the dignity that they deserve. All useful to the experiences of tunnel rats. He was killed in a hit-and-run accident in 2015. This meant naturally handguns were most commonly chosen. He was working on finding a way to join. The healthy soldier/worker effect gradually subdued over time. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. Vietnam), evaded for two weeks with a banged up leg and his right arm broken in three places. Wakeman wrote numerous letters home detailing her love of rushing at the enemy amid gunfire . In 1970, Flaherty was reassigned to the 10th Special Forces Group, where he commanded another ODA and then an Operational Detachment Bravo (ODB), a headquarters element. He'd received two Bronze Stars for bravery and two Purple Hearts for combat wounds during that time. He was the shortest US serviceman in history. Tweets from https://twitter.com/heralddispatch/lists/hd-news-4. Click Today's Obituaries to view all of the listings. In 1970 he was reassigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens. Hed traveled a lot, read a lot and was interesting to talk with.. 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. His mother didnt know at the time of his birth that her blood type was Rh-negative which may lead to serious health problemsand deathin a second-born fetus. Team Mighty. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, MIGHTY NETWORKS, 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Mandalorian recap before Season 3: Everything you need to know, serving the U.S. military in the 1960s and 1970s, He returned to the U.S. that same year to attend the Army Special warfare School. Yuzuk told the West Virginia Gazette that he hopes the documentary will make people think twice about judging the homeless. John Zander in Chu Lai, Vietnam in 1965. 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. What we do know comes to us from a Hallandale police officer, David Yuzuk. Photo credit: The Chive. The Giant Killer is available on Amazon Prime and iTunes. Flaherty and his men did not escape that violence. 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. . He was a Special Forces Green Beret Captain and was awarded the Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars, and 2 Purple Hearts for his actions in Vietnam. He returned to the US at the end of his tour and attended Special Forces Officer Course at Fort Bragg. A group of soldiers would then charge the gap to hopefully get a foothold and allow other troops to pile in. While many draft-age males of that era sought ways to avoid being among the 385,000 troops sent to the beleaguered Southeast Asian nation that year, Flaherty was working the angles to find a way in. It was if he was hardening himself up for some special task.. But knowing a little bit more about his story now makes me wish I had known him better. Flaherty then moved on to work as an informant in an undercover investigation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to stop a smuggling ring from stealing explosives and a classified weapon from Fort Bragg. In hindsight, listening to the Viet Cong talk about their experiences in these tunnels, it appears more training certainly would have benefitted the American cause. He was expected to only grow to the height of 4 7 but Richard proved them wrong as he grew to 4 9.. They helped conduct military operations on behalf of communist forces. We here at the Veterans Site offer our sincerest thanks to Richard Flaherty for his service to the nation. I never thought of him after that until I received an email last May from one of my old high school friends. One of the prerequisites for and provisions of the accords was the return of all U.S. prisoners of war (POWs). 7'3" Jakob Nacken (221 cm), the tallest German soldier of WW2, chatting with 5'7" (170 cm) Eddie Worth, AP photographer with the wartime still picture pool, after his surrender. 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 knew he wanted to enlist, but was faced with a problem: he was too short. One American man was trying anything to get in. ", People dont know about Cotton and it shows. Approximately 2.7 million American men and women served in Vietnam. top . In most cases, tunnel rats were engineers, infantrymen, cavalry scouts, or chemical specialists. Some volunteered to go to Vietnam. There is, in fact, a waiver for everything. Not only was he the shortest Green Beret to serve in Vietnam, he was also the shortest US serviceman in history. Related: How to make it through Special Forces selection. When he graduated high school in 1966, the 4-foot-9-inch man was 3 inches under the Army's height requirement. His life may have ended tragically, but it was also a life that included real heroism and self-sacrifice. Photo credit: Pinterest. However, only about 20 percent of those served in generally recognized 'combat' roles. This kit included a S&W .38-calibre special model 10 revolver with both a silencer and aiming light. Of course, the local Vietnamese population designed the tunnels with their own size in mind. The CIA? During this deployment, he would be promoted to captain, earn two Bronze Stars and would be wounded in combat two times, receiving a Purple Heart for each time. He was a Special Forces Green Beret Captain and was . The Viet Cong, with their lack of funding, was more skilled in this area given the necessity of their style of warfare. Capt. 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. Be Truthful. During his first tour in Vietnam, Flaherty is placed in command of the Airborne's Delta Platoon. By the time the American army arrived, there were over two hundred kilometers. We had built the runway surface with 2 ft by 12 ft Marston Mat aluminum planks with interlocking grooves along each edge. I have been stewing over it for several months now. After shooting a maximum of three bullets, soldiers would typically reload to avoid letting the enemy know when they were out of ammo. He came home from Vietnam after his second tour and moved to Hallandale, Florida, where he worked for a time with the U.S. Tunnel Rat soldier with his gas mask and gun. Not until 1995 did Vietnam release its official estimate of war dead: as many as 2 million civilians on both sides and some 1.1 million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. I mean really small. During the Second World War, the Vietnamese first constructed underground tunnels to fight Japanese invasion. Trni was severely wounded after he skied into a mine during 1942, but . A colleague dragged him out before he grabbed a frag and threw it into the hole too. Frank Gutierrez, for example, served with the US Army in Vietnam from 1967 to 1970 as a rifleman, field wireman, and an ordinance specialist at Chu Chi and Long Binh. Proceeding cautiously, they moved in enough until a fellow soldier could fit into the tunnel with them. Yuzuk had started to look into his friends story well before his death and discovered that hed worked as an undercover agent for federal authorities during the 1980s. Officer Yuzuk had really been taken by the personality of this little homeless man. Flaherty enlisted late that year. 11 talking about this. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers! Richard Flaherty, was certainly a standout. The army sent in tunnel rat soldiers with the aim of locating the enemy, finding their resources, and cutting off their supplies. Photo credit: Funker530. Flaherty was unfazed by the criticism he continued to receive throughout his life. Richard Flaherty had to get a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. Some even fled to Canada to escape conscription. Most likely a member of the 12th SS Panzer Division "Hitlerjugend" which sustained 43% casualties during the Normandy campaign. Flaherty, who had to obtain a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War because of his size, was a paratrooper and platoon leader with the 101st and received a Silver Star for leading his platoon on a flanking assault of an enemy bunker. After Vietnam, he did contract work for the CIA all over the world. 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.. The Lone Soldier. Richard Flaherty had to get a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. 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 an airborne battalion and . His investigation raised more questions than it answered. But he may have left me with more mysteries than Ill ever be able to solve.. It was the year of the Tet Offensive, where U.S. troop numbers peaked at more than half a million. When he graduated OCS and his Special Forces training, he volunteered for combat duty with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. At the time, Yuzuk was a police officer and Flaherty was a member of Aventuras homeless community, camping under a palm tree off one of the citys main boulevards. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Sergeant Arnold Gutierrez of the 25th Division stated that after a while they became so tuned to what was happening that when the other person would flick an eyelid up or down, you really knew he was there, in the corner, not even hiding anymore. Friendships sometimes happen casually, the former policeman said. The World War Two story of David and Goliath - an Allied 5ft 3in soldier who captured Germany's tallest soldier at 7ft 6in has been uncovered. During the war, more than 58,000 servicemen and women lost their lives. According to an article in the Stamford Advocate, Flahertys body was found by two joggers. Somewhere along his path, Flaherty became homeless. 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. They harnessed their newfound abilities to help them with survival because unlike their enemies, they lacked experience in these small dark tunnels. Because of this, they often targeted their legs instead. Yuzuk came to know Richard Flaherty, not just as a homeless man, but as a man of intelligence and goodness. When the soldier triggered the tripwire, foot-long spikes placed all over a long bamboo pole catapulted into the soldiers face and chest at a rapid speed. Short in size he might have been, but short in courage he wasnt. Neither family, nor friends know why. His size also meant he worked as a tunnel rat during his tour of duty, crawling through enemy tunnels to destroy them. Capt. Answer (1 of 27): Back in the days of siege wars, artillery would be used to blow a hole in the defence walls. Four-foot, nine-inch tall veteran Richard J. Flaherty claimed to be the shortest man ever to serve in the United States military. Tunnel rat soldiers often used flashlights to guide the way and thus warned the enemy of their presence. He had been the victim of a hit-and-run car accident. Tragically, he was killed in a hit and run during the early hours of May 9, 2015. After his service in Vietnam, Richard Flaherty applied for Special Forces training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. April 12, 2021. vietnam war battle. Capt. On November 28, 1945, doctors in Stamford Connecticut's Regional Hospital intensely worked to save newborn Richard James Flahertys life. If it did not force the enemy out, those inside the tunnels often suffocated to death instead. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Here, leaders forced soldiers into specific chambers and made to recite their name, rank, and service number. . 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. The Viet Cong used this to their advantage to scare, and even kill, American soldiers. February 24, 2023. March 28, 2022 Local Vietnam veterans showcase . If the army located an entrance and needed it explored, the team lowered a tunnel rat into the area to scout out the surroundings. Imagine being stuck in a tiny space, panicking, screaming, and trying to escape as a snake slowly wound itself around you. BCT included lessons on hand-to-hand combat, chemical-warfare defense, map reading, first aid, bayonet fighting, guard duty, and the use of hand grenades. Click #isupportlocal for more information on supporting our local journalists. You could not help but notice him. 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. Soldiers learned to carefully probe the sides, roof, and floor of the tunnels attentively listening and trying to smell the enemy or look for trap doors. It has been well-documented in epidemiology studies . Well anything under 4'10" is legally a disability under the law. All rights reserved. Mai Chi Tho, brother of Le Duc Tho (a prominent Hanoi Politburo member) highlights how they used the tunnels to infiltrate Saigon. M. You see, he was so light, everyone would watch to see which way the wind would take him, so that they would not lose him. Eugene Debruin: civilian with Air America captured 5 Sep 63 in Laos when C-46 was shot down, Jeremiah Purdie (center) is led past a stricken comrade after a fierce firefight for control of Hill 484. He was awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts. And there was more; he was homeless. Be Proactive. Overcast. Be Nice. Richard Flaherty, was certainly a standout. Postal Service. Richard Flaherty, who was raised in Connecticut, had to obtain a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. A Soldier's Thoughts. His height was no object, however, and he put together an impressive record, with the honors to match. Please support The Veterans Site by adding us to your ad blockers whitelist ads help us to provide food and supplies to veterans. There are some interviews with the men that served under him and they talk about him ordering soldiers to kill civilians and surrendered VC. 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