Tunnel Rats of Vietnam

Who are the Tunnels Rats of Vietnam....I wanted to know more about these Soldiers and came across this Pretty Cool Site to Read with Stories and Pics. I know there were Soldiers who had to go through these Tunnels. This isn't something that every Soldier could do and I wanted to know more about the Soldiers who Volunteered to do this. I'm sure there were some Soldiers chasing that Adrenaline Rush. These men were Brave, a little Crazy had Courage and some gave the Ultimate Sacrifice.

New Site Added Click for 28 Pics and Stories


http://thechive.com/2016/01/14/vietn...-photos-story/

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Originally Posted by imntxs564

Who are the Tunnels Rats of Vietnam....I wanted to know more about these Soldiers and came across this Pretty Cool Site to Read with Stories and Pics. I know there were Soldiers who had to go through these Tunnels. This isn't something that every Soldier could do and I wanted to know more about the Soldiers who Volunteered to do this. I'm sure there were some Soldiers chasing that Adrenaline Rush. These men were Brave, a little Crazy had Courage and some gave the Ultimate Sacrifice.


Vietnam Tunnel Rats

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There is a pretty good book out there called 'The Tunnels of Cu Chi '. Pretty good read with actual pictures from the era. Written by Tom Mangold a war journalist during Vietnam.

Google Tunnels of Cu Chi - lots of info!

Definitely courageous folks who volunteered for that duty!

Question. How do you get a pair that big in one of those tiny tunnels?
I had to take a special kind of courage to do that job.

It was a job I'd never do and I admit that as full acknowledgement that those who did were better men than me. Tunnel Rats were generally small statured and most of us were really very, very glad we were too tall for anyone to tell us to climb into a tunnel with a torch in one hand and a Browning pistol in the other.

I had the opportunity to go down a section of original tunnels in Cu Chi, only opened up again a few weeks prior to our visit back in the early 1990's.

Not one of the opened up "tourist tunnels", it was fascinating and very unpleasant all wrapped together.

I can still clearly recall the combination of sky high humidity, mixed with really small tunnels that you had to literally squeeze through in places, it was a test of nerve, never mind going down there with a 1911A1 in your hand ... They must have been astonishingly brave men!

Back then before the Vietnamese tiger economy stated roaring, the place was somewhat down at heal.

The reminders of the war were everywhere, right through the country, for instance stopping in the minibus for a toilet break along route 9 and realised you just walked into the jettisoned metal folding tail of a snake eye cluster bomb hidden in the vegetation, Vietnamese flags painted onto the walls of homes in Hue, with South Vietnamese flags bleeding through the faded paint.

UXB's and unspent ordnance all over the shop, countering this, were very friendly people and a Country of jaw dropping beauty.

When I ever read something that mentions Tunnel Rats I always think of that Movie "Platoon" when Sgt. Elias went down one and before he went grab his light and .45 with that smile. I can't remember what his line was, but when I watched it I thought this guy is nuts.

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Originally Posted by r.furborough

'The Tunnels of Cu Chi '

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I've had that book for 25 years now. Or maybe a bit longer...

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Originally Posted by imntxs564

I can't remember what his line was

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"See you later"...To SSgt Barnes.

I had thought he had mentioned something else when they discovered it before the getting his light and .45.

This video in that new site you can see how hard it was just to talk about it for this Tunnel Rat.

United States Tunnel Rats - Vietnam War HD - YouTube

I read the "Tunnels of Cu Chi" about 30 years ago and the hair on the back of my neck stands up when I think about it. I'm a little claustrophobic anyway so I start breathing hard thinking about dropping down into that hole with a flashlight and a handgun. I knew a Vet that used a german shephard for sniffing out tunnels. He said sometimes his dog would go into the tunnels and find a rice or food cache and not want to come out. He would have to crawl into the tunnel himself to retrieve his dog. His dog was his most important friend. Funny thing is the guy was 6 foot 7 and a tight fit in the tunnels. Salt Flat

6 ft 7" blimey, I am 5ft 11" and I found the tunnels exceptionally close and claustrophobic..

And that was without being shot at!

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Originally Posted by mrclark303

6 ft 7" blimey, I am 5ft 11" and I found the tunnels exceptionally close and claustrophobic..

And that was without being shot at!

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Or, the punji pits, booby traps, snake pits, VC hiding in the walls waiting to stab or shoot anybody coming passed them, and all the other little surprises waiting for you.