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US Army "Official" Mechanized Infantry (example: 5th Infantry Div Mechanized) didn't exist prior to Vietnam. Neither did Airmobile Infantry (example: 1st Air Cav Div). During the Viet War there were 4 types of US Army Infantry (not counting SF/Rangers/or other special types of men...LRRPS, ARPS, etc.): Infantry; Mechanized Infantry, Airborne, and Airmobile.
In Vietnam, the term "Leg" was slang for an infantrymen (or a leg grunt)...because that's all he had...no tank! No ACAV! Just a cloth uniform to stop the bullets. Since he had no ACAV nor tank, he was "straight" leg.
1. Infantry-(straight foot soldier (traditionally always the draftee-cannon fodder), the grunt, moves by foot, chopper, boat, truck, anyway he can).
2. Airborne-same as above, only "jump" qualified, he's the paratrooper.
3. Airmobile-same as #1, but does more flying in helicopters to get where he's going.
4. Mechanized-the ultimate grunt (but not jump qualified): Fights mounted like a light tank from his M113 ACAV (Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicle). Can dismount to finish the slaughter with rifle and bayonet; can be deployed by chopper just like his airmobile brothers...just park the ACAVs and go. Can deploy on riverine boats...again just park the ACAVs and go (always leaving the .50 gunner/TC and driver with the tracks/slang for M113). The mech men could do everything the above grunts could do, just not parachute from a plane.
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What was happening in Vietnam during 1965 to 1973 during the War?
TET is normally celebrated around the first month of the new year. As far as the Vietnam War is concerned, there was only one memorable TET celebration by the Vietnamese, and that was in 1968.
How many men were in a platoon in the Vietnam War?
It didn't matter what outfit (unit), they all were organized to Army TO & E (standards). The 101st didn't have any armor assigned to them, they were strictly a leg outfit (LEG meant no M-113 APC/ACAVs-Armored Personnel Carriers/Armored Cavalry Assault Vehicles); however, all units had armor temporarily attached or OPCON to them at one time or another (Operationally Controlled). Leg outfits traditionally had about about 12 grunts to a squad. A platoon was supposed to be around 40 men; a Rifle Company approximately 186 men...but real world was about a hundred man company. If a unit was short men, and a battle was coming up, higher would always supplement the units getting ready to engage by grabbing men from non-engaged outfits and putting them into the group getting ready to do the attacking/assaulting. Then, when the fight was over, the survivors would return to their parent unit. We all wore "green" (we all wore the same uniform), so it didn't matter (too much) which patch we had sewn on our shoulder; few men had patches sewn on their shoulders...unless they were new in country.
How much weight did the average soldier carry during the Vietnam War?
Straight leg (called light infantry today) infantry carried everything they owned in their rucksacks...maybe 20 or 30 pounds. Naturally some veterans will say 80 to 100 pounds...because it felt like that much weight. Straight leg grunts carried maybe 5 to 10 canteens of water (1 qt bottles), 3 to 5 frags (hand grenades), 1 or more smoke grenades, a bandolier of M60 ammo for the machingunner, 3 or more M16 bandoliers (7 magazine pouches per bandolier-20 rounders), 2 or 3 C-Ration meals, possibly a claymore mine with it's clacker and wire (50 footer), possibly some trip flares for NDPs (night defensive positions), a sleeping bag...his steel pot (M1 helmet) and an extra pair of socks or two didn't weigh nothing...cigarettes were in his pockets and helmet band, as was his lighter or matches...of all of that material...it was the water that weighed the most. Mechanized Infantrymen on dismount carried mainly 2 or so canteens, 3 or so bandoliers, 3 or so frags, 1 or more smoke grenades, a pouncho liner to sleep with (which could be stuffed into his trouser thigh pocket) and often didn't wear a steel pot (unless word leaked out that there was definitely going to be some contact!). In either of the above described cases; the poor M60 machinegunners and the RTOs had that extra weight to carry (Machinegun and Radio). Second answer: Average weight carried by infantrymen in Vietnam 85 pounds. Number below. 2 Frag grenades - 2 lb., 2 Smoke grenades - 3 lb., 1 claymore mine - 3.5 lb., Helmet - 5 lb., boots - 2 lb., Poncho and liner 3 lb., entrenching shovel - 5 lb., gas mask 2.5 lb, M16 ammo - 14 lb, 200 hundred M60 ammo in can - 13 lb, rifle - 7.5 lb., 3-4 days C rations 6 lb., 1 1/2 gal. water - 12 lb adds up to 78.5 pounds. additionally a fire team shared equipment to include a full sized shovel, a full sized pick, starlight scope, LAW and radio batteries, 1.machete 3 lbs for about another 7 lb. The 173rd Airborne Brigade humped that load 7 days a week on a year long back packing trip in very rugged country. The 173rd did not wear flak jackets because of the heat and heavy load. I believe most if not all Army light infantry units carried the same load in the same conditions of high heat and humidity.
What was the reaction the Vietnam veterans received upon returning home different from the reaction received by veterans from other wars?
It was wise NOT to discuss where you've been. It only brought dirty looks, scornful faces, or gleefullness from their faces if you were missing an arm or leg or eye. If a viet vet was an amputee or showing other signs of wounds, someone might be "smiling" at him from a distance (out of fist fight range), with that "serves you right!" Look. In 1974(?) the federal government passed a NON-discrimination law specifically protecting Vietnam Veterans from discrimination. Also because they lost the war, Australian soldiers were seen as low, useless and pathetic to the Asutralian public.
Did any of the World War 2 admirals have a leg amputated and return to active duty?
no
