Posted on 10/20/2015 6:00:30 PM PDT by usdefensewatch
In 1971, Colonel David Hackworth was interviewed on ABC’s, “Issues and Answers.” During the interview, Hackworth, a career Army officer, stated in no uncertain terms that the Vietnam War was a disaster and unwinnable. Furthermore, he chastised his fellow Army officers for poor leadership and ineptness. Hackworth was a decorated combat veteran of the Korean and Vietnam Wars, who had earned enough medals for a whole battalion. He was instantly ostracized by the defense establishment and forced to retire.
Hackworth, who later went on to a distinguished career as a journalist was a polarizing figure who was hated by the brass and loved by the troops. At the time he went on “Issues and Answers” he was being groomed for promotion to general. Hackworth was well aware that his appearance on the TV show would doom his career. He didn’t care. He knew that he had to follow his conscience and tell the public the truth about the Vietnam War.
Where is such moral courage among the Army’s senior leaders today?
(Excerpt) Read more at usdefensewatch.com ...
A Commander in Chief that understands the military.
Hackworth was a blowhard and a hack (no pun intended). He’s the last thing the Army needs right now.
When I signed into Airborne school years and years ago, there was a photo of him in the S-1 holding all of his Purple Hearts.
Years later, I was at the Army War College. I got to meet men who had served with him in Vietnam. The reports weren't good.
I then met a E-8 who had Hackworth in his unit as a "reporter" during the first Gulf War. He was hardly tough guy his books would have you believe.
Didn’t agree with Hackworth all the time, but he was entertaining.
It is worth noting that by virtue of having attended New York Military Academy for high school, Trump has more military background than the previous two Democrat Presidents, the front runner Dem Presidential candidates (everyone outside of Webb, who isn’t a serious candidate), and the Republican field outside of Lindsey Graham, who also isn’t a serious candidate.
A George S. Patton, Matthew B. Ridgeway, or Curtis LeMay would be nice too.
(I know, LeMay was USAF, but technically, he was US Army Air Corps first...)
The last general to fall on his sword over principle was probably AF CoS Gen Ron Fogleman when he quit over the Kobar Towers blame game. Guys like Hackworth, Olds, Day and the like would never make Major in today’s military. Suspect the only reason Robin Olds got his star was they didn’t know what else to do with him!
You 'pal' are a f***ing idiot. Hack was one of the Army's most decorated warriors ... he started as an enlisted man and moved up thru the ranks. He distinguished himself as a warrior and a combat leader in Korea & Vietnam. The troops he led would follow him anywhere ... he was a leader who led from the front.
I am shocked he’s been dead 10 years. I am getting old.
That's right, and his so-called "journalism" was nothing more than self-serving, baseless hearsay, scooped up through the grapevine.
Blah, blah, blah...
If he said the Vietnam War was unwinnable in 1971, he was full of baloney. Together with the South Vietnamese, we won the war a year and a half later. But then we walked away and left the South Vietnamese to their fate.
Not going to happen unless there is a big war.
One of my favorites was seeing a behind kisser made general. Invariably, he would start to complain about how he was surrounded by behind kissers.
“When the shooting gets bad enough, they come looking for the son of a bitches.”
You do realize that the high school military academy is considered by most folks to be the last resort for failed parents to place their ‘problem teen’ rather than having to live with the ever-present possibility of bludgeoning the brat to death in a moment of senseless rage?
usdefensewatch.com, another anti-defense, anti-American site.
Our forces were winning in Vietnam before being pulled out by politicians working for the spoiled, liberal elite.
Agreed. And “most” of the officers I served under were first rate.
Thank you.
Trump seems to have turned out OK. And the point still stands.
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