Vietnam Veteran News

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Ron Mosbaugh

Quan

Episode 3218 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature more of a story about the Marine MEDCAP Program from Ron Mosbaugh. The story is titled: MEDCAP and My Animosity. It was submitted by Ron Mosbaugh

Mosbaugh reflects on repeated visits to a Vietnamese village where he formed an unlikely friendship with Quan, a humble farmer who greeted him enthusiastically with, “Bac si, you number one!” Quan proudly introduced him to his wife and welcomed him into their spotless, one-room grass hut—bare except for mats, a small table, and a cooking fire. Despite lacking electricity or running water, the family lived with dignity and contentment. Quan was fascinated by stories of America, imagining it as paradise, while sharing the painful history of Vietnam’s wars against the Japanese, French, Chinese, Americans, and even one another. War had defined his people’s lives, and many of his relatives had perished.

Quan, a devoted owner of a water buffalo—the “living tractor of the East”—eagerly learned English from the narrator and became a trusted interpreter during MEDCAP missions that provided basic medical care to villagers. Though adults were wary, children gradually warmed to the Marines. Through Quan, the narrator’s prejudice toward the Vietnamese softened.

Everything changed when the unit was airlifted by CH-53 helicopters to Hill 55 after the 9th Marines were overrun. The scene was catastrophic, with mass casualties and relentless combat. The company relocated, and Mosbaugh never saw Quan again, though he later learned Quan had waited tearfully for his return.

Ongoing violence, Vietcong sympathizers, and constant danger hardened Mosbaugh’s feelings, yet he remained committed to his corpsman’s oath. Though bitter about the war’s cost and purpose, he ultimately recognized that MEDCAP—and his friendship with Quan—taught him compassion and humanity.

Listen to Episode 3218 and discover more about the Marine MEDCAP Program from Ron Mosbaugh.

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Ron Mosbaugh

Episode 3217 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the Marine MEDCAP Program from Ron Mosbaugh. The story is titled: MEDCAP and My Animosity. It was submitted by Ron Mosbaugh

Mosbaugh related how he reflects on his early prejudice toward Black Americans and Vietnamese people, and how his experiences in the Vietnam War transformed his perspective. Growing up in Joplin during the 1950s, he witnessed school integration and formed mixed feelings about race, liking individuals while still holding underlying biases. His deeper prejudice developed later during his deployment to Vietnam, where cultural shock, poverty, and unfamiliar customs initially fueled his animosity.

Serving as a Navy corpsman with the Second Battalion, First Marines near Da Nang, he faced relentless responsibility. With limited staff and supplies, he provided round-the-clock medical care to Marines while also supporting civic programs like MEDCAP under General Walt’s “velvet glove” initiative. Though skeptical of the program’s broader success, he faithfully treated villagers’ ailments—malnutrition, infections, malaria, and injuries—often with minimal resources.

His outlook began to change through his friendship with Quan, a Vietnamese villager eager to learn first aid. After treating Quan’s children, the narrator recognized both the severe lack of medical care in the region and Quan’s genuine desire to help his community. When Vietcong forces threatened Quan’s village, the trust between them deepened. The narrator trained Quan as his assistant and interpreter during MEDCAP missions. Quan proved capable and compassionate, assisting with treatments and even helping midwives deliver babies.

Through this partnership, the narrator saw the humanity, resilience, and dignity of the Vietnamese people. Personal connection replaced suspicion and hatred. By the end of his service, prejudice had given way to respect, empathy, and friendship.

Listen to Episode 3217 and discover more about the Marine MEDCAP Program from Ron Mosbaugh.

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Episode 3216 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the role of Germans in the French Foreign Legion. The story is titled: The .Forgotten German Veterans of Việt Nam. It appeared on the Vietnamese website and was submitted by Jacopo Romanelli

Romanelli reported that few postwar European myths have proven as persistent as the claim that the French Foreign Legion served as a refuge for former Nazi war criminals during the First Indochina War, culminating in the so-called “last battle of the SS” at Battle of Dien Bien Phu. Yet archival research by historians such as Eckard Michels and Pierre Thoumelin challenges this narrative, revealing a far more nuanced reality.

Germans had long formed a core component of the Legion, and after 1945 Europe’s chaos—millions displaced, imprisoned, or stateless—made enlistment an attractive option. France, holding hundreds of thousands of German POWs and seeking troops to fight the Viet Minh led by Ho Chi Minh, recruited heavily in its occupation zones. Between 40% and 60% of legionnaires in Indochina were of Germanic origin, amounting to perhaps 50,000 men over the war’s duration.

However, the claim of massive Waffen-SS infiltration does not withstand scrutiny. Although screening was imperfect, German records suggest only 3,000–4,000 former Waffen-SS members served—less than 10% of German recruits. By the early 1950s, most legionnaires were young men with no significant Nazi involvement. The myth largely stemmed from Viet Minh propaganda after Điện Biên Phủ, reinforced by sensational journalism and works like George Robert Elford’s 1974 novel.

While more than 10,000 legionnaires died in Indochina—many of them German—their presence reflected postwar dislocation and French military necessity rather than a coordinated “Nazification.” Modern scholarship reframes the story as one shaped by structural upheaval and memory politics, not ideological conspiracy.

Listen to Episode 3216 and discover more about the role of Germans in the French Foreign Legion.

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Lao SGU/RLA soldiers in the field. Lao Special Guerrilla Unit/Royal Lao Army Interviews collection. Southeast Asian Rare Book Collection. Library of Congress Asian Division.

Episode 3215 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the secret war in Laos. The story is titled: Unveiling Secret War Laos: Tales from U.S. Allied Lao Veterans and CIA and U.S. Army Special Forces during the Vietnam War (Second Indochina War) and appeared on the Library of Congress Blog website. The story was submitted by Jonathan Loar. He is a South Asian reference specialist in the Asian Division of the Library of Congress. He received a doctorate in West and South Asian Religions from Emory University in 2016 and joined the Library later that year.

Loar reported that The Lao Special Guerrilla Unit/Royal Lao Army Veteran Interviews digital collection, launched in April 2025, offers rare oral histories from Lao veterans who served during the Secret War in Laos (1959-1975), a crucial part of the Vietnam War. These interviews, available in video, audio, and photographs, preserve personal accounts in both Lao and English, providing valuable resources for researchers, policymakers, and Lao American communities. To promote this collection, the Library of Congress hosted an event on May 9, 2025, titled “Unveiling Secret War Laos,” coinciding with the 50th anniversary of the Vietnam War’s end and the fall of the Royal Lao Government. The event featured veterans from Laos alongside U.S. military personnel, shedding light on their collaboration in the CIA-backed Special Guerrilla Units, or “Secret Army.” The event attracted a significant audience, with 40 in-person attendees and nearly 200 online viewers, fostering an important dialogue about this often-overlooked chapter of history. The digital collection allows users to hear firsthand from participants, including military commanders, nurses, intelligence officers, and translators who fought on key battlefields like the Plain of Jars and along the Ho Chi Minh Trail. This initiative ensures that their stories are remembered, making an important contribution to understanding the broader Vietnam War.

Listen to Episode 3215 and discover more about the secret war in Laos.

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Filmmaker Jeremy Glazier explains the documentary to the audience.

From left to right: Kalona Historical Village managing director, Nancy Roth, John Roetlin, Ron Romine, Jim Miller, Jerry Combs and filmmaker, Jeremy Glazier. From left to right: Kalona Historical Village managing director, Nancy Roth, John Roetlin, Ron Romine, Jim Miller, Jerry Combs and filmmaker, Jeremy Glazier.

Episode 3214 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about how Iowa Vietnam Vets were honored at Kalona. The story is titled: “From Iowa & Back” connects Kalona audience with Iowa’s Vietnam veterans and appeared on The News website. The story was submitted by J.J. Peters.

Peters reported that The Kalona Historical Village Society hosted a Feb. 22 screening of From Iowa & Back, a documentary honoring Iowa veterans who served during the Vietnam War. Created by Jeremy Glazier and presented by Brucemore Artisan Studio, the film stands as a powerful tribute to a generation defined by courage, endurance and quiet resilience.

Before the film, Glazier explained his mission: to ensure these veterans’ voices are heard and their sacrifices remembered. Many were drafted through the lottery system, while others volunteered out of a sense of duty. Whether by choice or obligation, they answered their country’s call without hesitation. They left Iowa farms and small towns for the dense jungles of Vietnam, where they faced constant danger, grueling conditions and the daily reality of death. They endured weeks without basic comforts, counted down the days of 12-month tours and carried the emotional weight of losing brothers-in-arms.

Yet their greatness was perhaps most evident after they returned home. Unlike veterans of previous wars, they came back to a divided nation and, at times, open hostility. Many were warned to arrive quietly and not respond to insults. Even so, they built families, careers and communities. They persevered through post-traumatic stress, limited job prospects and years without proper recognition. One veteran did not hear the words “Welcome Home” until 2012.

The documentary closes by affirming that the Vietnam Veteran generation embodies humility, sacrifice and steadfast patriotism. More than 50 years later, their legacy remains one of strength under pressure — a testament to service carried out with honor despite extraordinary challenges.

Listen to Episode 3214 and discover more about how Iowa Vietnam Vets were honored at Kalona.

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U.S. Army COL John Islin funeral service at Arlington National Cemetery

Episode 3213 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about the life and service of Army COL John Islin. The story is titled: A Legacy of Courage: U.S. Army Helicopter Pilot Survived Two Tours in Vietnam and appeared on the Arlington National Cemetery website. The story was submitted by Kevin M. Hymel.

Hymel reported that Family and friends gathered in Section 37 of Arlington National Cemetery on Jan. 22, 2026, to honor U.S. Army Col. John “Jack” Islin, a decorated Vietnam War helicopter pilot remembered as both a hero and devoted family man. During two combat tours in Vietnam, Islin repeatedly flew into intense enemy fire, keeping himself and his crews alive in harrowing conditions.

Pastor Guillermo Figueredo noted that members of his congregation had long described Islin as a hero, adding that he likely faced more danger than he ever shared. During the Battle of Binh Gia in December 1964, Islin flew Vietnamese marines into combat with the 118th Assault Helicopter Company. When Viet Cong forces ambushed the first wave and disguised themselves to lure in more helicopters, Islin came under heavy fire. As enemy troops rushed his aircraft, he defended his crew with his pistol—an act he did not reveal to his son Frank until decades later.

On his second tour in 1970, Islin commanded the 227th Assault Helicopter Battalion during the Cambodia campaign. After a transmission failure over dense jungle, he narrowly avoided crashing, landing safely in a shell crater clearing despite believing he might hit the treetops.

Following a 20-year Army career, Islin held aviation leadership roles, including with the American Helicopter Society and Sikorsky’s Development Flight Test Center. At his funeral, marked by full military honors and a list of prestigious medals, loved ones remembered his quiet strength, dedication to family, and steady leadership in war and peace.

Listen to Episode 3213 and discover more about the life and service of Army COL John Islin.

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Mack Payne in Vietnam

Episode 3212 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature an interview with Mack Payne who tells what it was like to be an ARA Cobra pilot in Vietnam. The interview appeared on the War and Life YouTube project.

In this episode, your podcaster Mack Payne describes his experiences as a Cobra gunship pilot with the 101^st Airborne Division in Vietnam.

Payne’s comments provide the listener with true accounts of the War

Listen to Episode 3212 and discover more about the life of a Cobra ARA pilot in Vietnam.

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Mack Payne at Camp Enari

Episode 3211 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a recording that appeared on the War and Life YouTube project about Mack Payne and his first year in Vietnam.

In this episode, your podcaster Mack Payne describes his experiences during his first tour in Vietnam. It is a different look at the Vietnam War.

In his first tour, Payne served in the 4^th S&T Battalion of the 4^th Infantry Division. His unit was located at the division headquarters at Camp Enari which was about 10 miles south of the city of Pleiku.

The 4^th S&T Battalion mission was to keep the division supplied so it could carry out its mission. Payne described his roles in his unit that primarily included logistic activities. The division headquarters was located on a broad plain. Since none of the combat units were stationed at the division headquarters, it was necessary for division command elements such as the Division Support Command to send out recon patrols to insure the safety of the division headquarters.

The recons patrols generally would consist of a lower ranking officer and 12 enlisted men would go out ten miles and recon for four days. Mack Payne led about twenty recon patrols.

Payne also describes his Tet Offensive experiences where he traveled from LZ Baldy, Qui Nhon, Camp Enari, Pleiku and Kontum right in the middle of the offensive.

In the interview, Payne gave a vivid explanation as to why the opponents that included both home grown VC fighters NVA troops were such fierce competitors in the War.

Payne also talks about his time at the Special Forces camp and Dak Seang and his interactions with the Montagnards at the camp.

Payne’s comments provide the listener with personal accounts of the War

Listen to Episode 3211 and discover more about Mack Payne’s first year in Vietnam.

Mack Payne 

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Ron Mosbaugh

Episode 3210 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about PTSD hell from Vietnam by Ron Mosbaugh, Vietnam Vet himself. Ron’s story is titled Veterans Day, A time to Remember.

Ron’s story presented the following: Veterans Day, observed each year on November 11, is a solemn reminder of the sacrifices made by those who served in America’s wars. For the author, a Vietnam veteran, the day carries deep personal meaning. He reflects on the visible and invisible wounds veterans bear, especially Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), a lasting consequence of combat.

Serving as an 8404 field corpsman with the Second Battalion, First Marine Division in Vietnam in 1966, he endured the brutal realities of a guerrilla war with no clear front lines. Patrols through rice paddies and villages were marked by constant fear, sudden ambushes, horrific casualties, and the chaos of monsoon-soaked battlefields. He treated over 200 wounded during more than 300 patrols, often with limited medical training and insufficient corpsmen. The sounds of gunfire, the whir of helicopters, and the smells of blood and smoke remain vivid decades later. For him, “Then is Now”—the trauma never truly ends.

For more than forty years, he suppressed these memories, coping through isolation and avoidance while suffering nightmares and emotional pain. Writing became both an act of courage and therapy. By putting memories into words, he began separating intertwined traumas and finding a path toward healing. Sharing his stories with fellow veterans in VA group therapy helped others confront their own experiences.

His account underscores the staggering human cost of the Vietnam War—thousands killed, many more lost to suicide, and countless veterans still battling PTSD. Veterans Day, he reminds us, is not just a date on the calendar but a call to remember their enduring sacrifice.

 Listen to Episode 3210 and discover more about PTSD hell from Vietnam from Ron Mosbaugh.

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Robert Duvall as LTC Kilgore in Apocalypse Now

Army LTC John B Stockton, the inspiration for the character LTC Kilgore in the movie Apocalypse Now.

Episode 3209 of the Vietnam Veteran News Podcast will feature a story about about the inspiration for LTC Kilgore in Apocalypse Now. The featured story is titled: ‘Balding, rawhide-lean, just under six feet tall’: the real life soldier behind Robert Duvall’s Apocalypse Now role and was submitted by Joseph Houlihan. It appeared on The Guardian website.

It was reported by Houlihan that the death of Robert Duvall has prompted renewed reflection on one of cinema’s most indelible Vietnam War performances: Lt Col Kilgore in Apocalypse Now, directed by Francis Ford Coppola. With Wagner’s “Ride of the Valkyries” blasting from helicopter loudspeakers and the immortal line about loving “the smell of napalm in the morning,” Duvall’s Stetson-wearing commander became a symbol of audacious battlefield leadership. His performance earned major accolades and an Oscar nomination, but it was grounded in reality.

Kilgore was inspired by Lt Col John B Stockton, a real Air Cavalry officer in Vietnam. Like his screen counterpart, Stockton wore a black Stetson, sported cavalry affectations, and even piped Wagner from his helicopter during combat missions. As commander of the 1st Squadron, 9th Air Cavalry Regiment, he embraced the mounted-warrior ethos, seeing helicopter troops as heirs to America’s frontier cavalry. This spirit reflected a broader tactical revolution pioneered by figures such as Lt Gen James “Jumpin’ Jim” Gavin, whose air mobility doctrine transformed modern warfare.

Stockton distinguished himself during the 1965 battle of Ia Drang, the first major clash between US and North Vietnamese ground forces. When denied permission to reinforce a unit on the brink of annihilation, he defied orders and sent helicopters anyway—saving around 100 lives. Though relieved of command, he remained beloved by his men.

His story, and the generation he represented, underscores the courage, innovation and fierce loyalty of the Vietnam Veteran Generation—soldiers who adapted to a new kind of war with grit, daring and an unbreakable commitment to one another.

Listen to Episode 3209 and discover more about the inspiration for LTC Kilgore in Apocalypse Now.