David Hackworth, Vietnam vet and military analyst, dies at 74

Newsday.com ^ | May 5, 2005 | MATT APUZZO

[AgentEcho]

Retired Army Col. David Hackworth, a decorated Vietnam veteran who spoke out against the war and later became a journalist and an advocate for military reform, died Wednesday in Mexico, where he was receiving treatment for bladder cancer, his wife said. He was 74.

"He died in my arms yesterday morning," his wife, Eilhys England, said Thursday.

Hackworth, a syndicated columnist for King Features, advocated a streamlined military and improved conditions for troops.

[GVnana]

Hack is gone. How sad. I had no idea he was 74. He certainly looked good for his age. A great patriot. One of America's greatest soldiers.

[chudogg]

Those pictures were given to Hackworth because the perps were already under investigation, and one of the family members unsuccessfully blackmailed the Pentagon to hault the investigation or the pictures would be released to the media.

[Jen from Tn.]

No,that's Col. David Hunt

[Gamecock]

Indeed.

My father retired as an Infantry Sergeant Major. He and his buddies, most of whom are now gone, thought the world of Hackworth. He was a friend of the grunt.

[Calvinist_Dark_Lord]

He confronted Jeremy Boorda in an (NBC I think) TV interview about his fake medals.

After Boorda killed himself, CBS ran a story that Hackworth himself wore fake decorations.

He took them to court and a year later CBS admitted that their reporter made a mistake and that all his decorations were authentic.

Actually Hackworth never did get the chance to interview Boorda. He'd had oral surgery that day, and somebody else went in his place...Boorda shot himself before the interview.

When the accusations did take place concerning Hackworth's medals, Hack requested an immediate audit by the Department of Defense. The DoD found that Hack was NOT entitled to his Ranger Tab, although it was awarded by the army and authorised. They DID find that Hackworth actually had a tenth Silver Star.

i can't fathom that many awards and criticise the man's courage and ability. Of his politics, one must look to others in the same position, including two time Medal of Honor winner, Maj. Gen. Smedley Butler (USMC). who is famous for the article which made famous the phrase "War is a Racket".

[Jen from Tn.]

No,that's Col. David Hunt

[DTogo]

We do take our troops for granted -- that's human nature.

Politicians and certainly Liberals do, but not me, ever.

[processing please hold]

I didn't know any of that. Thanks for the info.

[sodpoodle]

Did Hack ever offer an opinion on John Kerry? I don't remember seeing one.

thanks FReepers

sp

[processing please hold]

No, that's Susan Estrich.

LoLoLoLo. How right you are.

[ScreamingFist]

Good info C_D_L. Nice tagline also. They Live.

[airborne]

R.I.P. Colonel Hackworth

[Cindy]

I appreciate his service to our country.
Prayers being offered now for his wife.


I disagreed with most of Col. Hackworth's
recent political philosophy.

My husband (82 Airborne in the 60's) agrees
with this post.

[sox_the_cat]

That's what really drove me nuts. Hackworth went after the Swiftboat vets in a Worldnetdaily article. I e-mailed him and evidently he got a lot of mail because he responded with a mass e-mail that really didn't make much sense.

I'll miss him though, I remember him during the Clinton years and how I looked forward to seeing him on Fox.

[Turbo Pig]

I read his book, "About Face" many years ago, though; a fantastic look at unit leadership by a man that was there. Many of the things he spoke of in the book guided me as an NCO in the Marine Corps; most importantly to "stand in the door" (Army Airborne term) for your subordinates when they most need you.

I thought the Col. had lost his mind in recent years. It doesn't take away from everything he gave for the country and his men. Rest in peace.

[beckett]

He lost his mind in the end. It's hard to say nice things about him considering all the damage he did.

[Lazamataz]

Hack had puzzled me in recent years. But now is not the time to speak ill of him.

Yes.

Yes.

[processing please hold]

Yes, I was mistaken. Thanks.

[BooBoo1000]

Cannot buy the drugs used on him in the United States.

[BigSkyFreeper]

I think Hack realized a little earlier than most of us that the War on Terror is being fought once again with the politicians instead of the military in charge. Somebody has to stick up for the troops when pols play budget games, 1-world politics, and bad chess with them.

Yep. My uncle who served in Vietnam said that things went to Hell once the pols stepped in and decided they should be in charge of war strategy and planning. The pols held the purse strings, in budget matters, they wanted hold of everything else because they felt empowered by being able to allocate money here or there. Money corrupts.