Is Nathan Phillips Too Young to be a Vietnam Vet?

I have seen two references as to the age of (Native American) Nathan Phillips, the professional protester who has once again stumbled into the limelight of racial politics. He was allegedly harassed by college students in 2015.

Several new stories say he is 64 years old and I have seen a 2000 article from an Omaha newspaper saying that he was 45 years old. So let’s say he is 64.

Most stories about Nathan refer to him as a Viet Nam vet. Several refer to him as a Marine. I am 66 years old and know personally, of no one my age who went to Viet Nam. Several friends joined the various services right after graduation – 1972.

Here is one of the hundreds of articles about the protester confronting the boys from Covington Catholic High School. The Journal Star has apparently not seen the video of Phillips confronting the students (below).

I checked some sources about the last combat troops in Viet Nam. Here is one a person has put his name to. It has details.

The question asked when the last US ground combat troops left Vietnam. We gave the correct answer, ie 1972. The last American combat unit was a task force from the 3d Bn, 21st Inf Regt and battery B, 3d Bn, 82d Field Artillery Regt which had been stationed in Danang (I commanded battery C, 3d Bn, 82d FA and B btry was our ‘sister’ battalion). These were the last US ground combat units in Vietnam, and I was there when they left in August of 1972. As a matter of fact, when my unit disbanded in June 1972, we sent B Btry about 15 of our guys who stayed with B Btry until it left in August. Of note: these C btry guys took along a US flag that had flown over my firebase and put it up over the B Btry firebase where it flew until the task force departed in Aug 72. Therefore, the last American flag to fly over a US firebase in Vietnam was mine.

Some American troops (no combat troops) were still in Vietnam until they left in 1973.

Being a Viet Nam era guy who had a draft number pulled, I began to notice guys much younger than me claim to be Viet Nam vets. Some would have had to be 15 or 16.

At 64 years old now, Nathan Phillips would have possibly been 17 years old when the last US combat troops were leaving that country. He should point that out to a reporter.

Nathan Phillips likes to talk about politics and race. How about some journalist finally asks him about his service in Marine Corps duty in Viet Nam?

More info.

https://thisainthell.us/blog/?p=84414&cpage=1

We have filed for his military records but the point of this article is that there are stories all over the place about what Phillips’ status is and to do this right takes time.

But in the media’s rush to get a story out — what “facts” rise to the surface and what did Phillips actually say about his military service?

As a good example, in this CNN newscast, Phillips states that he is a “Vietnam Times Veteran” while CNN runs the label below him quoting him as saying “I am a Vietnam Veteran…” which is not what he said.

Then, CNN puts up the label of “Native American War Vet”…

Now, “Vietnam times” seems to be an interesting way of stating his service, but did it really mean “Vietnam era” or simply his time in Vietnam? According to his direct quote with NewsMaven, he uses the same terminology but also extends it to “Marine Corps times” sounding like a period in his life.

Nathan Phillips: Thank you for your support. I could do some more prayers. Honestly. I’m still scared. I’m still feeling vulnerable. But I’m not gonna back down. Those young people from that school, that song was a prayer for their future and my children’s future. We’re facing critical times and we’ve got to make choices, and they’re going to be some hard choices.

I’m not a chief or anything. But I feel like at that moment it was for me to do what I’ve always said in for a long time is that I’m expendable. You know, when I was in Vietnam times and when I was in the Marine Corps times, that’s what I was. I was expendable. Expendable to corporate greed. You know, in all wars, especially the ones that are going down for the oil, you know, we’re fighting against — the pipelines. Now that we’re at a point where we’ve drawn the line, we’ve got to stand that line. All of us.

We have received a lot of questions about Nathan Phillips’ actual service but until his military records come back, the best we could do is to look for a signature in the digital reference library known as the internet.

In a Forbes.com article, it states that Mr. Phillips “was placed in a foster home as a child and later joined the Marines and served in Vietnam.” However, this was not a direct quote from Nathan Phillips. This seemed to reference a Detroit Free Press article which emphasized Phillips’ life story.

In the Detroit Free Press article, it claims Phillips is a “former Marine” and went on later to elaborate more, stating that Phillips served in the Vietnam War.

Born in Nebraska into the Omaha tribe, Phillips said he was five years old when he was “taken away from my family and put in foster care … until I was 17.”

Phillips said he grew up in an abusive home, started working on construction and lumber jobs, and then joined the Marines, serving in the Vietnam War.

He later moved to Washington, D.C., and became active with Native American issues. He’s now with the Native Youth Alliance and also does work with Native American veterans.

It is important to point out that Phillips was not quoted directly, so there’s always the possibility of an over-zealous reporter hearing “Vietnam-Times veteran” or “Vietnam-Era veteran” and assigning their own take on it.

If one were to go back further, The Warren Record (NC) published an article on February 4, 2009 titled “Drum Group Showcases Native American Culture.” They referred to Phillips as a “Vietnam veteran” although he was not quoted directly as saying that.

In a recent article by The Arizona Daily Star on January 20, 2019, they stated that Phillips was a “Vietnam War veteran” and as before, Phillips was not quoted directly.

I definitely do not consider myself a "Vietnam War Veteran" -- and refuse to identify myself as such.

I did two [and about half of a third] tours in Vietnam/ Southeast Asia, and have very little problem with those who were in during the Vietnam War and thereby identify themselves as Vietnam War veterans, just as those stationed stateside during WWII are not identified as *WWII-era veterans*. God knows we were all insulted and many/most spat upon/at back in those days, and we need no additional word games to further divide us now.

Personally, I figure those who served in Korea had it worse than I ever did. No matter: once you get in, you go where they send you. I had specific skills and training that was of particular use in-country, and found it interesting to put them to use. Had that not been the case and I had been a *Joe Draftee Grunt* conscript, I might well have not preferred to be elsewhere.

But my first line unit was in Europe, and, trained as a tank gunner and reasonably good at it, I really wanted to get back to where that would be the business of the day once my *advanced postgraduate training* in Southeast Asia was concluded. Thankfully, circumstances did not work out that way.

Tank gunner? While running a military electronics contract for TI, I saw a high-speed maneuvering demo of the M1 fire control system. Still amazed!!! MUCH rather be on your end of that contact!

Thank you for your service, Brother!

When we let a round fly, we say * On the way* on the intercom to let the rest of the crew know one's going to let fly, and to stay out of the recoiling main gun, be ready to drive off, and observe where the round hits, or if it doesn't, so they can get another one ready to go right smartly.

If it does hit, we say Target! and then cease fire, and move out!, or Reload, hit that $#*&@ again!!

In your case, on that last post Target! Cease fire, Driver, move out and run 'em over to be sure.

I'd be glad to crew with you any day if it comes to that, my FRiend. You'd do fine.

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