My Dad was a medic in the Navy during the Vietnam War.
The Marines, at the time and probably still today, didn’t have their own medics so they stole them from the Navy. I believe my Dad was assigned to those who I believe were called tunnel runners or tunnel rats.
While in Fort Polk, I talked to a paratrooper and we discussed the dangers of his position. Apparently he had done some research – which I can not confirm - but he stated that the life expectancy of a paratrooper during Vietnam was about 7 days. Tunnel rats? 2 1/2 days.
My Dad was on land for a year or so. These statistics would imply that out of 360 marines he went out with, only 144 would have been alive when he came home. No wonder he doesn’t talk about it much.
Posted by Michael at November 10, 2003 05:18 PM