[There's millions of'em]

I'm too young to have served in Vietnam. Can you tell me what exactly a "free-fire zone" is and what makes it a crime? I would assume any part of the battlefield in a war is a "free-fire zone".

IIRC, a free-fire zone was basically an area where there were no restrictive rules of engagement. Some suggest that it meant any and all people encountered in the zone were to be killed. That is not how it worked where I was, we still were expected to exercise good judgement in engaging targets, even in a free fire zone.

Rules of engagement are always used with "normal" US military units. These were often too restrictive and counterproductive in some areas of VN. Such as not allowing troops to have a magazine in their weapon when riding in a jeep or a truck (I am not making that up).

[SW6906]

Thanks. I figured that is what it was, but I still don't understand how that is "illegal" as Kerry says it is.

[Cuttnhorse]

Re: Free Fire Zones

I was in Viet Nam, on Swift Boats a couple of years before Kerry arrived, in fact, I was on boats in the An Thoi area and was involved in the same Free Fire zones he is talking about.

When I was there, 1965-66, the rules of engagement said that we could return fire if fired upon in a Free Fire zone without having to obtain permission from Saigon command. Imagine what this meant...in other areas we had to obtain permission to return fire if fired upon!! Great way to run a war!

Millions is exactly correct, judgement was expected...it was not an open shooting gallery.