A curiosity for any of you super sleuths

[Bandit]

Notice the guys in the picture in my sig line. One of them right in the middle is wearing civilian clothing. I know to you that are not well informed about the military they all look like they are in uniform but the guy in the white t-shirt and tiger stripe fatigues is in civilian clothing. Those fatigues are not military issue and after 1968 all troops in Vietnam wore OD clothing. No white t-shirts were authorized. Special forces wore the tiger stripes but never white t-shirts. I think this fellow was CIA. I guess it is possible he was Special Forces but I would be surprized because of the t-shirt. What was this civilian doing with these guys and who is/was he?

[BlueEyedSon]

1. Isn't that the cast of "M*A*S*H"?

Only kidding, it must be Hunter S. Thompson working on a story....

[sangh0]

2. ISTR reading that he was the Special Forces guy

that Kerry saved by pulling him out of the river while under enemy fire.

[fryguy]

3. huh?

Actually none of them seem to be in uniform, at least not properly in uniform. Clearly the picture was taken during down-time, as evidenced by two of them being shirtless. I'm not an expert, but are you saying that a member of the special forces would never wear a white t-shirt? That seems like an enormous over-statement. The mix of a white t-shirt and tiger camo isn't necessarily prima facie evidence that the guy is a civilian. He could be special forces and decided to put a white shirt on. He could be regular military and picked up a pair of tiger stripes from someone along the way. Or any number of other explainations....

....and besides, what does it matter/prove anyway if the guy is a civilian?

[Bandit]

4. Let's put it this way ~ I would not wear a white t-shirt over there

Special Forces are just that, Special. They are treated in that manner in a multitude of ways. One of those ways is by being allowed/forced to dress in civilian atire. In fact they were issued civilian tiger stripe clothing. It was one way of credible denial when and if they were caught doing something they weren't supposed to be doing. Most did not wear dog tags either. They were told that if they were captured the US would not acknowlege them and they would be on their own. I am sure things are not much different now a days. Regular military could not legally do so. Civilian clothing was not allowed in Vietnam for the regular military. It does not matter a single wit who he was or what they were up to I just found it curious.Also in Vietnam there was no such thing really as down time. They were always in harms way. No one ever knew when the next round would come.

[izzie]

5. I think sailors wore white shirts.The 'sailor suit' was not always

the uniform of the day. Been really years but I do think I recall a change in the uniforms in the 60's .And chiefs wore white shirts in both summer and winter uniforms, but that would not explain the dark pants. Unless they had a light weight dark color uniform and I sure did not take care of one of those and I cleaned, washed and brushed those uniforms for years.

[Bandit]

6. All of those guys are sailors except the one in the middle.

Everyone wore OD fatigues. Marines wore Camo but they weren't tiger stripes.

[No2W2004]

7. Found it!!

http://www.boston.com/globe/nation/packages/kerry/



Kerry and the crew of PCF 94, a swift boat that saw heavy action on the narrow waterways of the Mekong Delta, south of Saigon, under Operation SEALORD. From left, Eugene Thorson, David Alston, Tom Belodeau, and Delbert Sandusky. (Globe Photo / Michael Medeiros)

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/chi-0312040060dec04,0,2236159.story?coll=bal-election-storyutil
When Kerry took command of his first boat in November 1968, a battle-seasoned officer walked him to the fantail and grilled Kerry privately about his motives for volunteering. "I wanted to find out, was he out there hunting medals," petty officer Delbert Sandusky says today.

Kerry, who had already lost a close friend to battle, said he wanted "to make a difference and nail Charlie," Sandusky says.

"And he proved it."

[seemslikeadream]

8. I was never good at left to right stuff is this the guy?

Trying to locate: Delbert "Del" Sandusky
Branch of Service: Navy
Unit was: swift boats
Where served: the Delta
When served: 1969
Message is: Trying to locate Delbert Sandusky for reunion of Swift Boat 94. Call 617-235-2287
Please contact: John Hurley
Mailing address: 78 Longfellow Rd
City, State, Zip: Wellesley, MA 02181
Or send email to John Hurley using this automatic email form"

Anybody read Polish?
Krótko po powrocie z tego spotkania w Sajgonie Kerriego przeniesiono nad rzekê Dong Cung i dano mu dowództwo nad trochê wiêkszym kutrem patrolowym nr 94. W lutym 1969 jego nowa za³oga w sk³adzie: zastêpca dowódcy Delbert Sandusky z Illinois, motorzysta Eugene Thorson z Iowa, obecnie przedsiêbiorca budowlany, czarnoskóry David Alston, obecnie pastor w Po³udniowej Karolinie, tylny strzelec Michael Medeiros z Kalifornii i nie¿yj¹cy ju¿ przedni strzelec Tom Belodeau, który przed wyjazdem do Wietnamu dopiero co ukoñczy³ œrednia szko³ê w Chelmsford w Massachusetts, rozpoczê³a nowa kolejkê misji bojowych. Przynios³y one Kerriemu kolejn¹ ranê oraz dwa odznaczenia: br¹zowa i srebrna gwiazdê.

http://www.radio.com.pl/spoleczenstwo/temattygodnia/default.asp?id=350

When Kerry took command of his first boat in November 1968, a battle-seasoned officer walked him to the fantail and grilled Kerry privately about his motives for volunteering. "I wanted to find out, was he out there hunting medals," petty officer Delbert Sandusky says today.

Kerry, who had already lost a close friend to battle, said he wanted "to make a difference and nail Charlie," Sandusky says.

"And he proved it."

In the heart of the battle

http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/nationworld/chi-0312040060dec04,0,2236159.story?coll=bal-election-storyutil