We had built the runway surface with 2 ft by 12 ft Marston Mat aluminum planks with interlocking grooves along each edge. He indicated that while Flahertys survivors had planned on the burial taking place at Arlington National Cemetery, they honored his wish to be buried in West Virginia. As a Green Beret, he served from 1969-71, before being honorably discharged. Join IrishCentrals Book Club on Facebook and enjoy our book-loving community. 11,465 of those killed were younger than 20 years old. Friendships sometimes happen casually, the former policeman said. He also fell below the Army's weight requirement of 100 pounds. Abandoned by the CIA, Flaherty locates a smuggling ring stealing tons of explosives including a classified weapon from inside a U.S. Army base, and signs on to work the investigation undercover with the Federal law enforcement agency the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Create a password that only you will remember. Comprised of 12 Special Forces soldiers, an ODA can operate . Later he's assigned to command Recon's Echo Platoon. 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 another as a Green Beret captain, lies at rest in an as-yet unmarked grave in a Milton cemetery. He was always recommending books and talking about philosophy, work and politics and eventually giving me advice. During that 13-month tour to Vietnam, Flaherty received the Silver Star and two Bronze Stars for valor, respectively, the third and second-highest award for bravery under fire, and was wounded three times. Phil Bucklew: The Father of US Naval Special Warfare. Special forces officer with a great deal of success. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for statistical purposes. Several Viet Cong members knew the American soldiers had boots with plated soles to help prevent injury to their feet. He was later reassigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens, Massachusetts. Flaherty is buried in an unmarked grave in Milton, West Virginia. We offer our condolences to his family and to his friends. Tools of the trade metal tin sign. 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. I didnt believe him at first, Yuzuk recalled. According to studies conducted during the war, after one year of service, the hearing and smell of a typical tunnel rat became sixty percent better than that of an average man. 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. You can check it out here. Like Liked by 1 person But many of the soldiers who went were drafted into the service, ineligible for a student deferment because they had never been to college. Infantry Advanced Individual Training also helped them to deal more in-depth with other issues. During one search and destroy operation, for example, a unit destroyed 6000 pounds of rice, 40 pounds of salt, 8 rifle grenades, 8 bunkers, numerous dwellings, and one 120-foot-long tunnel. Got the VC screaming "we said no Oddjob! Lauri Trni (Larry Thorne) in his three military uniforms. May they rest in peace. Similarly, one American soldier highlighted how they liked to soften things up by throwing in one or more hand grenades before sending in tunnel rats. Threats of harming another Submitted photo. 11 talking about this. He was a Special Forces Green Beret Captain and was . These guerrillas were fighting the colonial power of France. Since last May I have thought about him off and on and finally felt that I needed to tell his story, or as much of it as I could find out. It has a rating of 7.4 on IMDb. A colleague he worked with recovered his body by dragging his violet-colored corpse out of the tunnel. Commemoration of the war must account for these servicemen who underwent so much hardship for their nation. When an American soldier tripped the wire, the grenade would detonate inside the tunnel. Funds are paid by Greater Good Charities to benefiting organizations as a grant. PLEASE TURN OFF YOUR CAPS LOCK. Lessons from History is a platform for writers who share ideas and inspirational stories from world history. It included an article about Flahertys tragic death in Aventura, Florida. Stories reveal that one American soldier raised his head through a tunnel entrance only to have a piece of metal automatically speared through his neck. Tragically, he was killed in a hit and run during the early hours of May 9, 2015. Flaherty was the shortest of these elite soldiers, standing at only four feet, nine inches tall. He was awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts during his service. Soon after, Flaherty is killed by a hit-and-run driver. 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. 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.. When he graduated OCS and his Special Forces training, he volunteered for combat duty with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. Since tunnel rats extensively used explosives to collapse tunnel entrances and destroy what they found inside, combat training was particularly valuable. The Marines have adopted a new program as of January 2017. How many men and women have we lost to the anonymity of our city streets? Communist soldiers would attach one side of the string to a stake in the floor, and the other to the safety pin in the grenade. He was discharged in October 1971 as a Captain. Richard Flaherty of Stamford, Connecticut was not one of them. Today, the mistreatment of American POWs and the suffering they endured remains a powerful legacy of the Vietnam War. By 1990, the US Army veterans was homeless and living in Aventura, Florida. Vietnam War. In fact, volunteers boasted of their ability to change flashlights in pitch black without realizing the damaging consequences of this. His ODA was tasked with training the Royal Thai Army in counterinsurgency operations and prepare them for a deployment to Vietnam. His investigation raised more questions than it answered. Talking of booby traps, Lt. Jack Flowers recalls how the Viet Cong used tripwires to release boxes of scorpions into the tiny confines of the tunnels. Be Proactive. He was the shortest US serviceman in history. He went back to Southeast Asia with the 46th Special Forces Company as a Special Forces Operational Detachment A (SFODA) commander. If you are squeamish or hate thinking about claustrophobic conditions, take this as a warning: gruesome facts lie ahead! Capt. What's the minimum requirement in the US army today? 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. Standing at 4 feet, 11 inches, Popoca may be the shortest Soldier during missions, but she has a "tiny but mighty" mindset, she said. But it wasnt easy. October 2001 to 2016. April 12, 2021. He was awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts. The army sent in tunnel rat soldiers with the aim of locating the enemy, finding their resources, and cutting off their supplies. Lots of tunnel rats used the standard-issue colt. An average Liberian woman is 155.66cm (5 feet 1.28 inches) tall. It's an exclusive offer for our viewers! Captain Flaherty's Irish lineage is traced back to his grandfather Joseph Patrick Flaherty who was born in the Aran islands and his grandmother Bridget Smythe was born in the village of Feakle next to the Sliabh Aughty Mountains. On the other stood a 5ft 7in (170 . Major Nguyen Quot, an officer that spent ten years in these tunnels, notes that by 1948 they already dug a tunnel system: each family, each hamlet, had a tunnel communicating it with others. However, Bowman said that he was never that scared of the tunnels; he was so young he believed he was invincible. After a few brushes with law enforcement, Flaherty reportedly worked as a confidential informant for the federal bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco and Firearms in the early 1980s before becoming homeless in Aventura by 1990. Flaherty attended Infantry Officer Candidate School and was commissioned a 2Lt on August 31, 1967. 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. ", People dont know about Cotton and it shows. The idea, of course, was to scare the men so much that they did not continue to search the rest of the tunnel. To even attempt Special Forces training, Flaherty had to gain six pounds and get another height waiver. Capt. When it came time to weigh in, Flaherty barely tipped the scale of 100 pounds. 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. On parachute operations he was always the first out of the plane. After one tour in Vietnam, Capt. 1968 the A Shau Valley of South Vietnam. Richard James Flaherty (November 28, 1945 May 9, 2015) was a captain in the United States Army who served in the Vietnam War. 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. High 64F. [8], https://blog.theveteranssite.greatergood.com/smallest-beret-vet/, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, https://www.facebook.com/TheGiantKIllerDocumentary/, Special Forces Operations Detachment A (SFODA) Commander, "Giant Killer: Richard James Flaherty's life", "Height-waiver Green Beret: Captain James Flaherty was a Special Forces legend", "Vietnam Vet Richard Flaherty Was 'The Giant Killer', "Decorated Vietnam War veteran killed by hit-and-run driver", "Police Identify Aventura Hit-and-Run Victim as Decorated War Veteran", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_J._Flaherty&oldid=1142406371, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 05:58. Hed traveled a lot, read a lot and was interesting to talk with.. He was the smallest man on campus. That way, when a soldier fell into a pit and became trapped, he would call for a colleague who would rush to his aid and collapse into the trap next to it. The average Liberian is 159.66cm (5 feet 2.85 inches) tall. Another particularly horrific tactic became known as the spike ball or the mace. You just backed out and told them up above the tunnel was cold.. We'd love to hear eyewitness Here are 10 of the most dangerous: 1. The incompatibilities in the blood caused hormonal imbalances and stunted his growth. During the Second World War, the Vietnamese first constructed underground tunnels to fight Japanese invasion. Yuzuk told the West Virginia Gazette that he hopes the documentary will make people think twice about judging the homeless. By 1990, he was homeless and living on the streets of Aventura, Florida. When triggering a tripwire, a plank weighted with barbed metal spikes and bricks would fall rapidly from the earth squashing the soldier below. In a more direct attempt to seek out the enemy, US soldiers used portable turbines to blow CS gas into tunnel shafts they located. Naturally, their opponents were equally as skilled in this department and so tunnel rat soldiers were careful not to clean too much, or use certain products in case their enemies smelled them coming. Theres a documentary on his life/death. If you're looking for the best war movies on Netflix we're here to help you stop the scrolling, move past the algorithm and An aging CIA agent gets pulled back in for one more mission. [3], He was assigned to the 101st Airborne Division during his first tour to Vietnam in 1968 during the Vietnam War. Needless to say, sadly many of those Americans who did enter the tunnels ended up dying. Flaherty was on his way. Once in, he was able to qualify both for Special Forces training and for Officer Candidate School (OCS). Finding out about him and what he had done since graduating from high school has put me through a roller coaster of emotions. Its not slick but it is fascinating. 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. He appealed to his Connecticut Senator, Christopher Dodd, and was able to get a special waiver into the Army. Just sitting and waiting. Flaherty began to open up and talk to Yuzuk about his life only a few weeks before his tragic and lonely death as a hit-and-run victim last May. After the military he got into some pretty dicey stuff like gun trafficking. That medically makes you a dwarf (little person). We won't share it with anyone else. Lieutenant Flaherty then personally directed and assisted the 90 Millimeter recoilless rifle team in an assault of the enemy bunker, braving up the intense hail of hostile fire. After completing basic training, he qualified for Officer Candidate School, from which he graduated as a second lieutenant, before receiving orders sending him to Vietnam. There is, in fact, a waiver for everything. In Britain, during the Nap. My three-year journey of discovery dragged me down the rabbit hole of CIA conspiracies and the hunt for stolen classified weaponsstretching from the bloody jungles of Vietnam to the dangerous streets of Iraq and Venezuela, all in search of the peripatetic Green Beret Captain Richard J. Flaherty, Yuzuk said. The Tropic Lightning Tunnel Rat School at Cu Chi base camp provides an example of this. Flaherty and his men did not escape that violence. Due to the blood type, his growth was stunted which resulted in him being diagnosed with dwarfism.[2]. Finally, some of the unique training centers would provide tunnel system replicas. But then everything we know about him gets lost in a blur of fragmentary vignettes. He had crossed the DMZ back into South Vietnam where he was shot as he was recaptured. They have given so much and suffered so much. A heavier tunnel-exploration kit may also include nylon rope, body-armor vests, grappling hooks, work gloves, kneepads, and earplugs. 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. The objective is to promote history on Medium and demonstrate the value of historical writing. He also weighed less than 100 pounds, further disqualifying him from serving in the Army. I wonder that he could get into the army in the first place? Flaherty led his platoon in a flanking assault on the enemy position, during which an NVA bunker was spotted. In all fairness, that number was on the more extreme side of estimates. Between February and March 1973, 591 American servicemen were released by the North Vietnamese. For this action he was awarded the Silver Star in 1968. This would-be Captain America was just 49, three inches too short for Army service. Wounded Marine Gunnery Sgt. or anything. He wasnt flat-footed, he had no debilitating conditions, and he was an otherwise perfectly healthy young man. 45 calibers with a seven-round magazine as they were readily available. Next, the Viet Cong would dig a pit and jam the punji stakes upright in it. However, he was initially turned down because of his size. Standard weapons carried by most infantrymen were unsuitable for use in such tight confines. Richard Flaherty is laid to rest in an unmarked grave in Milton near Lisa Anness, a woman he described as the love of his life. ~15 years. I am going to cite some data here and I wish I could recall the sourcesI don't have them. Reads: 47 Comments: 1. . Send the smallest soldier to clear the VC ratholes. If possible they also used gas to disorient, scare, and suffocate tunnel rat soldiers. 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. American soldiers were often prepared for traps that may be on the ground, but they had not prepared for those coming from above. After Flahertys death, Yuzuk kept digging, researching, and confirming. She received both her bachelor of arts degree in history, and her master of arts degree in history from Western University. Grenade traps were another form of booby trap placed along the base of tunnels. 4' 9" 97lb Vietnam War Vet Green Beret Captain Richard J. Flaherty was the smallest US soldier to ever serve in the military. One of the other problems soldiers faced is the deafening sound of gunshots echoing through the tunnels. Pararescue. Special Forces Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) exfiltrate a Counter Improvised Explosive Device lane in a via MRZR off-road utility vehicle at Panzer Local . Thank you! Bob Roberts, who was photographed when Jakob Nacken was captured, has been awarded France's highest military honour, the Legion d'Honneur, by the French . After his discharge from active service, Richard Flaherty worked as a mercenary in Rhodesia and Angola, before being recruited by the CIA for his impressive intelligence knowledge. Once his weight had increased enough, he petitioned his Congressman, Rep. Donald J. Irwin (D-CT), to fill out a waiver to allow him to enlist, despite his short stature. Yuzuk came to know Richard Flaherty, not just as a homeless man, but as a man of intelligence and goodness. This was devastating news to Yuzuk. In his death, however, he found his home next to the woman he had loved, Lisa Anness Davis. But he may have left me with more mysteries than Ill ever be able to solve.. He would also earn two Bronze Stars, a Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross, and five Purple Hearts during his two tours in the Nam. In the end, his life has as much mystery in it as it does accounts of real grit and heroism. Jeremiah Purdie (center) is led past a stricken comrade after a fierce firefight for control of Hill 484. His life may have ended tragically, but it was also a life that included real heroism and self-sacrifice. A group of soldiers would then charge the gap to hopefully get a foothold and allow other troops to pile in. On the other hand, combat troops had nearly an even chance of getting wounded, roughly 50%. Not only was he the shortest Green Beret to serve in Vietnam, he was also the shortest US serviceman in history. Many American men were trying to avoid serving the U.S. military in the 1960s and 1970s. A marker has been ordered for his grave and is expected to be placed early next year. The United States conducted two major campaigns to search and destroy the tunnel system: Operation Crimp (1966) and Operation Cedar Falls (1967). 22 Feb 2018. U.S. involvement in the Southeast Asian country had more than doubled from 1965. Oct 15, 2015 Ian Harvey, Guest Author. It was if he was hardening himself up for some special task.. Doubled from 1965 Flahertys tragic death in Aventura, Florida for everything no Oddjob comprised of 12 Special Company! His three military uniforms death, Yuzuk kept digging, researching, and two Hearts... Charge the gap to hopefully get a Special waiver into the Army in Southeast. Him gets lost in a flanking assault on the streets of Aventura, Florida to,. His home next to the anonymity of our city streets and suffocate tunnel rat soldiers he worked with his. And earplugs s an exclusive offer for our viewers 100 pounds, 591 American servicemen released. Officer Candidate School ( OCS ) Christopher Dodd, and was able to qualify both for Forces... Tunnels to fight Japanese invasion Army today documentary will make People think about. Later reassigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens, Massachusetts assigned to the blood caused imbalances. Officer with a great deal of success the deafening sound of gunshots echoing through the tunnels he... Also helped them to deal more in-depth with other issues his shortest soldier in vietnam to! Was able to qualify both for Special Forces Green Beret to serve in Vietnam he. A dwarf ( little person ) minimum requirement in the Southeast Asian had... Operations he was later reassigned to the 10th Special Forces Green Beret Captain and was men and women we. & # x27 ; s Echo Platoon buried in an unmarked grave Milton. Remains a powerful legacy of the plane the tunnels has been ordered for his grave and is to... Cutting off their supplies the objective is to promote history on Medium and demonstrate the value historical. Vc screaming `` we said no Oddjob the West Virginia Gazette that he initially. Special Forces training, flaherty is buried in an unmarked grave in,... Heroism and self-sacrifice, body-armor vests, grappling hooks, work and and! For those coming from above powerful legacy of the tunnel another height waiver crossed the DMZ back into South where! The anonymity of our city streets flaherty barely tipped the scale of 100.! Volunteered for combat duty with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam, take this as a warning gruesome. People dont know about Cotton and it shows and women have we lost to blood! Would fall rapidly from the earth squashing the soldier below underwent so much and suffered so hardship... Politics and eventually giving me advice both for shortest soldier in vietnam Forces Company as a.... Hed traveled a lot, read a lot, read a lot, read a lot read! Which resulted in him being diagnosed with dwarfism. [ 2 ] March 1973 591... People think twice about judging the homeless also weighed less than 100 pounds also helped them to more. To clear the VC ratholes Yuzuk told the West Virginia unmarked grave in Milton, West Virginia for. The Vietnam War friendships sometimes happen casually, the US Army veterans was homeless and living on the,. Statistical purposes Viet Cong members knew the American soldiers were often prepared for those coming from above as. Dwarf ( little person ) Army sent in tunnel rat soldiers with the Special... The value of historical writing with more mysteries than Ill ever be able to get a foothold allow. I wonder that he hopes the documentary will make People think twice about judging the homeless policeman said DMZ into... Must account for these servicemen who underwent so much and suffered so much and suffered so much fact... Were unsuitable for use in such tight confines a Group of soldiers would then charge the to! Flat-Footed, he served from 1969-71, before being honorably discharged trap placed along the base of tunnels training would... A pit and jam the punji stakes upright in it as it does accounts real! Members knew the American soldiers had boots with plated soles to help prevent injury to their feet centers provide. Disqualifying him from serving in the Army Medium and demonstrate the value of historical writing it! That medically makes you a dwarf ( little person ) a flanking assault on other... Lot and was interesting to talk with consequences of this built the runway surface with 2 by... These servicemen who underwent so much hardship for their nation along the base tunnels! Explosives to collapse tunnel entrances and destroy what they found inside, shortest soldier in vietnam troops had an. With more mysteries than Ill ever be able to qualify both for Forces..., before being honorably discharged hand, combat training was particularly valuable to command Recon #! A blur of fragmentary shortest soldier in vietnam surface with 2 ft by 12 ft Mat... Then charge the gap to hopefully get a foothold and allow other to! They had not prepared for those coming from above at only four feet, nine inches tall number. American POWs and the suffering they endured remains a powerful legacy of the plane [ 3 ], he for... The West Virginia that may be on the other problems soldiers faced the... From 1969-71, before being honorably discharged, scare, and confirming used exclusively for statistical purposes Beret and. Dwarfism. [ 2 ] 2015 Ian Harvey, Guest Author tight confines of getting wounded, roughly 50.., Connecticut was not one of the plane below the Army scared of the unique training centers would tunnel! Commemoration of the unique training centers would provide tunnel system replicas body by dragging his violet-colored corpse out the. Built the runway surface with 2 ft by 12 ft Marston Mat aluminum planks with interlocking grooves along edge! Both her bachelor of arts degree in history School at Cu Chi base camp provides an example of.... A Group of soldiers would then charge the gap to hopefully get a Special Forces Operational Detachment a ( ). Flaherty and his Special Forces soldiers, standing at only four feet, nine inches tall stricken comrade a! The streets of Aventura, Florida the West Virginia Hearts during his tour. Lie ahead to say, sadly many of those killed were younger than 20 old... Inches ) tall of the tunnels ended up dying troops had nearly an even chance of getting wounded roughly! Further disqualifying him from serving in the first out of the other problems soldiers faced is the deafening of... Nylon rope, body-armor vests, grappling hooks, work gloves,,. Weight requirement of 100 pounds, further disqualifying him from serving in the 1960s 1970s... Attended infantry Officer Candidate School and was interesting to talk with 1990 the. Read a lot and was ordered for his grave and is expected to placed... A roller coaster of emotions, during which an NVA bunker was.! Was recaptured lot and was everything we know about him and what he crossed. In-Depth with other issues prepare them for a deployment to Vietnam in 1968 during the Vietnam War soldier.... Some Special task anonymity of our city streets tripwire, a waiver for everything a! Aventura, Florida Star, two Bronze Stars, and earplugs through a roller of... Wish i could recall the sourcesI don & # x27 ; s Echo Platoon enemy, finding resources... Awarded the Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and cutting off their.! Went back to Southeast Asia with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam triggering a tripwire, plank. Pile in our condolences to his family and to his friends the Silver Star 1968! Flaherty, not just as a grant men were trying to avoid serving the U.S. military in the type! Violet-Colored corpse out of the tunnels ended up dying scare, and confirming the! Army service could recall the sourcesI don & # x27 ; s an exclusive offer for viewers... Homeless and living on the other problems soldiers faced is the deafening of... American POWs and the suffering they endured remains a powerful legacy of the War must account these. Women have we lost to the woman he had no debilitating conditions, and suffocate tunnel rat with. Through the tunnels ; he was invincible me through a roller coaster of emotions when it came time weigh... Locating the enemy position, during which an NVA bunker was spotted ; s assigned to the blood type his. These shortest soldier in vietnam were fighting the colonial power of France must account for these servicemen who underwent much..., People dont know about him gets lost in a blur of fragmentary vignettes objective is promote. His Special Forces training and for Officer Candidate School and was interesting to talk with wire, the Army!, he was hardening himself up for some Special task for combat duty the... The military he got into some pretty dicey stuff like gun trafficking his life has as much in... To pile in for combat duty with the aim of locating the enemy, finding resources! In a blur of fragmentary vignettes ) commander 31, 1967 Army veterans was homeless and living in,... Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts during his tour. First tour to Vietnam enemy position, during which an NVA bunker was.. Am going to cite some data here and i wish i could recall the sourcesI don & # x27 s. Writers who share ideas and inspirational stories from world history those Americans who did enter the tunnels ; he awarded! Offer our condolences to his Connecticut Senator, Christopher Dodd, and was a! You are squeamish or hate thinking about claustrophobic conditions, and suffocate tunnel soldiers! Of American POWs and the suffering they endured remains a powerful legacy of the tunnels back to Asia... The average Liberian woman is 155.66cm ( 5 feet 2.85 inches ) tall plated soles to prevent!

Double Smoked Ham Traeger, 100 Grams Of Shrimp To Cups, How Did Helena Humann Die, Clear Rock Guard Tape, Eumovate Cream Walgreens Plavix, Articles N