Colonel David Hackworth; A Misguided Warrior

San Antonio Lightning Commentary ^ | Major Jim Miles (Ret)

[cubreporter]

Yes, I think he is bitter and just lashes out at everyone. That's ALWAYS a signal of a troubled person.

[506trooper]

Bitter ain't the word.

[cubreporter]

You probably know more than any of us but right...he is bitter. Really bitter I guess.

[vpintheak]

Hackworth retired in September 1971 under a cloud and immigrated to Australia where he became an anti-war activist. He lived in Australia for the next 18 years in near obscurity.

Well that explains it all to me. Time to send another email off to the freak to change his name to "smokin' crack"worth. Loser

[carlr]

Who would you rather have your back?Hackworth or Ollie North.
I would take Ollie any day of the week.

[Chapita]

There was another LTC who said many of the same things about how Vietnam was run; his name was Anthony Herbert.

I have a pal who served in his battalion and thinks the sun rose and set on him. Another friend and my lawyer was Judge Advocate for the 173rd Airborne, and knew Herbert. Said he was "Stract".

Herbert was drummed out then wrote a book entitled "SOLDIER".

[PISANO]

Sad.....either way.....whether this is true or not....he [HACK] definitely has migrated to the DARK side.

[506trooper]

Don't know much...he retired at the peak of his career, when many thought he would go on to "stars".

Those of us at the lower levels heard some rumors, but little in the way of facts.

The officer corp can be very close mouthed about certain things, this appeared to be one of them.

[armymarinemom]

Hackworth retired in September 1971 under a cloud and immigrated to Australia where he became an anti-war activist. He lived in Australia for the next 18 years in near obscurity.

It sounds a lot like he remained out of the US to avoid possible prosecution. I wonder what the statue of limitations would have been if they had pressed charges against him.

[cubreporter]

Well, the less said the better I guess. However, he should not be talking about our leaders in war.

[cubreporter]

REALLY?????????? Wow. Never knew that. Out of our country for that long and an anti-war activits. Does he know Kerry?

[cubreporter]

REALLY?????????? Wow. Never knew that. Out of our country for that long and an anti-war activits. Does he know Kerry?

[Yasotay]

I always liked the book 'Soldier', as for Hackworth I always wondered why he ran away. The people in the Army that I admired in the late 70s and early 80s were the real soldiers and heroes who fixed the army after Vietnam.

[elmer fudd]

I remember a similar column by Hackworth where he lambasted the K-pot as being inferior to the steel pot since it was harder to assemble and less versatile.

I guess it is true enough that you can't cook a meal in one and it doesn't perform as well when used as a bucket or shovel, but the thing that should be brain-dead obvious to everyone is that it is much, much better when it comes to protecting a soldiers head and everything else is of secondary importance. From that point on I viewed Hackworth as a professional naysayer and sensationalist.

[Anti-Bubba182]

I have heard lots of things over the years on Hackworth.

The most outrageous recently was his vouching for the authenticity of the Rathergate documents.

Link

Rathergate: Hackworth's Credibility Blown, Thornburgh's Weak Conclusions Explained

"Michelle Malkin notices that that the Thornburgh Report on Rathergate has details of how Mary Mapes used David Hackworth, noted retired colonel and web person, as a consultant on the Rathergate story. This is a big blow to Hackworth's credibility. He assured Mapes that the documents were genuine (not "any doubt in his mind"), and made other confident, extremely strong statements about military procedures ("then-Lieutenant Bush was 'AWOL' and that a person would have to reach that conclusion when reviewing the documents 'unless you’re the village idiot.' ") Parts of this interview were in the first draft of the 60 Minutes Story, but were cut before the final version....."

How can an Ex Army Col. vouch for Air National Guard documents? The guy is full of crap.

[506trooper]

"Well, the less said the better I guess.

Oh, he was the topic in more than one bull session for a while, then it faded.

"Well, the less said the better I guess. However, he should not be talking about our leaders in war.'

He can talk, we all can, but a visit to his site will quickly let any discerning reader figure out the agenda. IMO,it is unbecoming for a retired officer to participate in the witch hunt he appears to be on, but, I don't have to believe him.

[nopardons]

He's a self promoting piece of garbage.

[Balata]

bttt

[Deb]

At least he's off FOX.

[Light Speed]

Clearly Hackworth is taking the wrong path in his historic convey.

A Family member was a Gunny with 3/3/3 Maines In Quang Tri Prov 65-69.
Basically Hambuger Hill for years...then transfer to DMZ and everyone with shattered bleeding eardrums from places like Con Thien.

Seldom does the complaint line unfold at these and other veteran websites.
They margin the hardship...but focus on what matters most.
Duty...Honor... and oneness of the American serviceman in resolve under fire.

Hackworth steals their glory due them by margining that they were lower shelved.

Some nations have lost their confidence and edge when it comes to war....Egypt is not the swaggering giant they once were after the Israeli's surrounded 2 of their armies in Sinai.
Iraq is humbled.....Iran must be considering if they have the character to square off with the U.S.

Yet here comes Hackworth with his Magi Goat entrail read.

In ancient times.....Hack would not be around after his stargazer - goat entrail read : )