Really neat to see all the Veterans on this Pod Cast. My Sincere Appreciation to all of you. My Boyfriend Flew Missions Over there from 1969 to 1971 and flew some of your Teams over the fence. You all are my Heroes. Love you all. 💗🌺
Grateful for ur candor. Been interested getting better insight into the realities soldiers experienced w adrenaline addiction such as mine. Dunno how I survived all these years, but for Grace of God, as I entered service w disability nobody ever knew. In a way, feel fortunate I didn't go thru selection; yet, only appreciated (& felt appreciated) while in company of these greatest of men, who went far beyond selection. MSG Benavidez stands-out for me, as best representative of SF spirit..... loyalty, brotherhood, and fight to crush enemy (B4 they crush us).
He has the balls scars physical and invisible and the records to back up what he’s done he’s humble some guys just like busting balls he’s being humble here I’m sure he’s not like that with a lot of people he doesn’t know everyone of his brothers love him that’s all that matters
There was always a division between the NCOs and officers in SF. I was a buck sergeant before I went to OCS and then returned to SF in Vietnam. The IQ and mental requirements to become enlisted in SF was and IQ of 121 and to enter OCS 120. I qualified as a commo man graduating with a 21/21 receiving and sending Morse Code. The two MOST difficult SF MOSes were first; MEDIC and second COMMO. Weapons was the easiest SF MOS to pass. We had a period during the war where the standards for SF were lowered during 1968-69 that allowed many poorly qualified SF into the regiment. That group also became the foundation for the SF Association and produced the male bovine excrement spreaders. Listening to this group talk about the weapons they carried which brings up a HUGE problem on the teams. All these cowboys wanted to have Special" weapons; Swedish Ks, Mat-49s, Grease guns, rocket pistols etc that made combat resupply a nightmare. I was an advocate for STANDARD team weapons; CAR-15s, Browning 9mms SAWs (when we could get them), K-Bar knives, etc. There was way too much profiling. Many of the enlisted were more centered on getting a "cool" nickname than doing their jobs like; Baby Jesus, Killer...etc. All members of SOG had secret code names to identify them if they were captured or separated from their teams. (Mine was THOR.) Listening to these men talk 40/50 years after the war makes me smile. They've had a lot of time to "refine" their stories. My largest complaint with these men is they all support a Special Forces traitor and pathological liar--Jon Cavaiani, who held a very controversial Medal of Honor. SOG Recon and Hatchet team members WERE very brave men, but only about 20% of them produced at a level of being called "Legends." Getting drunk every night at the Recon Club (How did that work out in August 1968 at CCN?) , stealing equipment from fellow units, and whoring (abandoning their off-spring) was NOT my Special Forces. There are those who love Special Forces as much as I do, but no one loves SF MORE than I do. I know where a LOT of the skeletons are buried.
@@connorcase15 Medal of Honor ---- CAVAIANI, JON R. Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Vietnam Training Advisory Group, Republic of Vietnam Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 4 and 5 June 1971 Entered service at: Fresno, California Born: August 1943, Royston, England Citation: S/Sgt. Cavaiani distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action in The Republic of Vietnam on 4 and 5 June 1971 [Zlotnik’s note: No witnesses after 1800 hrs 4 June and for all of 5 June.] while serving as a platoon leader [Zlotnik’s note: Captain Valersky was the platoon leader and commanded Hickory 1-4 June 1971] to a security platoon providing security for an isolated radio relay site located within enemy-held territory. On the morning of 4 June 1971 the entire camp came under an intense barrage of enemy small arms, automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire from a superior size enemy force. [Zlotnik Note: According to Plaster there were 94 defenders on Hickory and according to the NVA commander he had 44 men. The NVA had 1 mortar; Hickory had at least 3; The NVA had 8 heavy machine guns; Hickory had at least 10, plus RR rifles and M79s.] S/Sgt. Cavaiani acted with complete disregard for his personal safety as he repeatedly exposed himself to heavy enemy fire in order to move about the camp's perimeter directing the platoon's fire and rallying the platoon in a desperate fight for survival.[Zlotnik Note: The Security Platoon was in bunkers and connecting trenches-the NVA were hiding behind rocks and assaulting through 200 meters of razor wire, booby-traps and FPFs.] S/Sgt. Cavaiani also returned heavy suppressive fire upon the assaulting enemy force during this period with a variety of weapons. [Zlotnik’s note: I suspect so did the OTHER 93 soldiers. Lead or “fight with a variety of weapons”-one can’t do both effectively.] When the entire platoon was to be evacuated, S/Sgt. Cavaiani unhesitatingly volunteered [Zlotnik’s note: Cavaiani did NOT volunteer and a witness statement reflects he was VERY depressed being LEFT behind. Cavaiani also broadcast over Radio Hanoi he was ABANDONED. It was SOG policy the senior leader evacuated on the last chopper out.] to remain on the ground and direct the helicopters into the landing Zone. S/Sgt. Cavaiani was able to direct the first 3 helicopters in evacuating a major portion of the platoon. Due to an intense increase in enemy fire,[Zlotnik’s Note: Someone else preformed the same task at least 6 more times. We are told in OTHER statements it was the weather closing in or a General Officer from the 101st stopping the extraction.] S/Sgt Cavaiani was forced to remain at the camp overnight where he calmly directed the remaining platoon members in strengthening their defenses. [Zlotnik’s note: if he actually did this he would have known ALL his Bru had deserted!] On the morning of 5 June, a heavy ground fog restricted visibility.[Zlotnik’s note: Confirms it was the weather not the 101st commander who kept air assets away. Cavaiani claims when he ran from his bunker he saw a helicopter and tried waving it down after Jones was killed and he then mowed down many NVA with a MG-in the heavy fog? He can see and no one else can? ] The superior size enemy [Zlotnik’s Note: 42-44 NVA] launched a major ground attack in an attempt to completely annihilate the remaining small force. The enemy force advanced in 2 ranks launching a heavy volume of small arms, automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fire while the second rank continuously threw a steady barrage of hand grenades at the beleaguered force. S/Sgt. Cavaiani returned a heavy barrage of small arms and hand grenade fire on the assaulting enemy forces but was unable to slow them down. [Zlotnik’s Note: When this was written Cavaiani was thought to be KIA and there were no AMERICAN WITNESSES to his action after 4 June 1971, so HOW did those writing the citation KNOW this?] He ordered the remaining platoon members to attempt to escape while he provided them with cover fire. [Zlotnik’s note: This is again written without witnesses or even having talked to Cavaiani, obviously prefabricated at CCN HQ! By 0540 on the 5th ALL the Bru were gone!] With one last courageous exertion, S/Sgt. Cavaiani recovered a machine gun, stood up, completely exposing himself to the heavy enemy fire directed at him, and began firing the machine gun in a sweeping motion along the 2 ranks of advancing enemy soldiers. [Zlotnik’s Note: WHO WERE THE AMERICAN WITNESSES TO THIS ACTION?!? Everyone was dead, E&Eed or were captured and executed and Cavaiani was moved to North Vietnam as a POW. I strongly suspect this was Sgt Jones’ heroic last ditch effort where he was killed and witnessed by Bru commandos.] Through S/Sgt Cavaiani's valiant efforts, with complete disregard for his safety, the majority of the remaining platoon members were able to escape. [Zlotnik’s Note: Absolutely NOT true-the Bru had E&Eed WITHOUT Cavaiani’s permission before Cavaiani’s capture, Jones was DEAD, and the ARVN interpreter was captured in another bunker, who Cavaiani claims was an NVA mole! There were absolutely NO American witnesses to support any of this after 4 June 1971.]While inflicting severe losses on the advancing enemy force, S/Sgt Cavaiani was wounded numerous times. [Zlotnik’s Note: The NVA commander Senior Captain Nguyen An states he lost 4 men KIA and 7 WIA for the COMPLETE action-this includes Millsap’s kills also, along with all the air, artillery etc. There is NO proof he was wounded during this action, except Cavaiani’s word when he returned from captivity.] S/Sgt Cavaiani's conspicuous Gallantry, extraordinary heroism at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army. (Everything high-lighted in red cannot be proven or is speculation, prefabricated action or without witnesses.) Zlotnik’s Note: Cavaiani’s MH citation was written up at CCN HQ when they thought both Cavaiani and Jones were DEAD. Captain Valersky claims to have submitted it. I suspect Cavaiani was chosen and then supported by Valersky and LTC Bellfi because Cavaiani was a RECON team 10 and Jones was “only” a Security Platoon buck sergeant. Remember at THIS time the author of the recommendation thought BOTH of them were dead. I SUSPECT the CCN commander and Valersky needed something to cover up the huge disaster at RRS Hickory and Valersky would look good with a MH and DSC being awarded for HIS failure to defend Hickory. There is nothing better to cover a military cesspool than a shiny Medal of Honor. They also submitted Cavaiani for the MH before they learned he was a collaborator with the enemy as a POW. It is also important to note the NVA STOPPED all systematic torture of American POWs after Ho died in 1969. There are unconfirmed stories-but believable-that three POWs wrote a letter to President Nixon requesting Cavaiani’s MH be revoked and he be tried for treason. Nixon refused to open the case based on his wanting the Vietnam War and its aftermath to end. (All POWs were exonerated for charges of treason. I can only imagine how the POWS who followed the Code of Conduct must feel today seeing Cavaiani wearing a MH!) There is an anti-American document with Cavaiani’s signature on it from the POW Peace Committee. Also another POW, Major Mark “Zippo” Smith (DSC) recalls being forced to listen to Cavaiani’s anti-American broadcasts over Radio Hanoi while he was a POW in Cambodia. Plaster tells me in Cavaiani’s defense that LTC Guy-the senior American POW in his camp, ordered Cavaiani to infiltrate the Peace Committee. Sadly, LTC Guy has passed away and in the twenty plus years after their release, Cavaiani never had Guy write him a “Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card”-or a letter stating he had ordered him to be a traitor to his country. We do know Cavaiani did make Radio Hanoi Anti-American broadcasts and he signed the documents-without evidence of his being tortured to do so. I do know-I would have got me some insurance if I was going to openly betray my county that I was ordered to do so by my superior officer-at least some witnesses! Plaster tells me Cavaiani’s “witness” he was undercover is Daly-another member and leader of the Peace Committee and American traitor.
I enjoyed reading what you had to say. Is there references other that your specific recounts of what you believe. I’m all for finding out more and I’m seriously impressed I got that rebuttal of the citation. Is there other witnesses or recounts of him on radio Hanoi?
@@connorcase15 Every part of my "rebuttal" is backed with FACTS and witnesses! I tried to post here my complete research paper on RRS Hickory, but it was too much to post and was rejected. When the monsoon hit RRS Hickory on the morning of the 5th there were 23 Bru commandos, SSG Cavaiani, Sgt Jones and an interpreter left on the hill. 13 of the Bru E&Eed off the hill early in the morning during the monsoon after they had tried 3 times to contact the main bunker where Caviaini and Jones were located. They claim they thought the Americans had abandoned them so they left on their own. They were debriefed when they arrived back at CNN HQ. What this tells me is Cavaiani did NOT stay in contact with his troops, nor did he check his perimeter! The KEY to this fake Medal of Honor is; the Bru left before the NVA attacked on the morning of the 5th, Jones was killed assaulting the NVA with a M60 MG, the interpreter "disappeared" and Cavaiani was captured--so WHO were the eye-witnesses to Cavianai's valor on the 5th when 99% of the valor supporting his MH took place? The answer is simple. The citation was made up at CCN HQ to cover for the loss of RRS Hickory a vital outpost containing TOP SECRET equipment that was lost! LTC Bellfi, CCN commander and CPT Valereskey, RRS Hickory commander both needed something to cover for their failure and at the time they thought both Cavaiani and Jones were DEAD! They did not know that Cavainai was captured and would turn into the worst traitor in Special Forces history as a POW. On the 4th of June 1971 when the NVA mortared Hickory there were 27 Americans(Special Forces/Rangers/2 sensor monitors) plus a platoon of Bru Commandos on Hickory. ALL of them wanted to get OFF the hill because they knew the NVA had taken the western part of I CORPS at that time. The mortar attack was the excuse for Captain Valeresky to abandon the site that MACV HQ wanted us to maintain. ALL the men on Hickory wanted it to look like they were being overwhelmed by an NVA division--when it was only 44 NVA who took the hill. (ASA intercepted the NVA commander's report to his HQ after he took Hickory that stated he had only 4 DEAD and 7 WIA soldiers!). It should be noted I was ON Hickory at least a dozen times and knew it's defenses well. Cavianai's MH was made up at CCN HQ along with 1 DSC and over 10 Silver Stars--please note the NVA lost ONLY 4 KIA to support all those high valor awards. When I published my research the Special Forces Association went into a full attack mode to discredit me and my honor to protect Cavianai and the other Special Forces men who were on Hickory. They could not explain the facts so they tried shaming me. The story gets even worse. After Cavianai, who was a traitor and feared prison when he was released as a POW found out he had been awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor--he went wild with his pathological lying. He claimed he E&Eed from Hickory and walked 20 miles through the jungle with over a hundred shrapnel wounds, severe burns on his hands and two gunshot wounds to a Marine Base at Dong Ha Mountain where ONE OLD VC captured him outside the gate and walked him back 40 miles to Laos and turned him over to the NVA! You can find that lie on the Internet during one of his interviews. Plaster in his book SOG, repeats the lies. I spent a year researching and talking to participants before I posted my research.
@@donaldzlotnik505 the information you stated could be entirely true or entirely false from any of the sources. (The internet only has so much I can find about SOG) Who’s to say your sources of the reports from the nva commander are correct. Plaster wasn’t on the hill and you weren’t either. I do agree with you that there is no real witness to what happened. I wasn’t alive to hear the POW broadcasts… But I know the green weenie just like anybody else who’s served. Propaganda works in many ways and forms and clearly works years later. I don’t normally have time to write this kind of stuff but I’ve had a dire need to figure out more about this history.
Good stuff guys. Hey can ya guys get me hooked up with Mr shorten? He was at ccc the same time as my grandfather who was one zero of rt kentucky 69 to late 70. Maybe they crossed paths there at some point t. I'm really not sure how much the teams mingled with each other.
I wonder if dude means Jimmy Little? My uncle's got a photo from 67 from where they are talking about and there is a hatchet fella in the pic with 4 G.I.s one my uncle Ted and he wrote their names over theirs heads on the picture and one is Jimmy Little... And I think his name was James... Anyway my uncle was Ted "buck" Collins
Hehe funny story but according to the militaryy uncle was never in Nam nor served period even though he has pictures/uniforms and his basic picture and his certificates for his decorations... However his records all burned in the late 70's durning the annex fire
Why blow a team off the lz when you could just lay there and wait on the team to be stranded before attacking. I’m surprised every lz wasn’t trapped to the point where every Avenue would get you blown up. 40000 enemy seems like they could cover these lzs constantly.
I guess it depends what stuff they have stashed in nearby locations, that they don't want a lot of ordnance getting dropped on. Lot's going on in that 10 mile strip of Laos/ Cambodia
Its not awkward - they are just allowing others to go first. Hard to do a 6-way talk without me directly prompting people, but I preferred to allow them to decide who would go.
This is incredible having all these legends here at once. We need more of these.
Thank you so much for bringing all these heros together to tell their stories...
Really neat to see all the Veterans on this Pod Cast. My Sincere Appreciation to all of you. My Boyfriend Flew Missions Over there from 1969 to 1971 and flew some of your Teams over the fence. You all are my Heroes. Love you all. 💗🌺
Nick should have his own TV show!! And his books NEED to be made into movies!!!
Out fresh from the Hospital. Can't wait to listen on my time off work.
Grateful for ur candor. Been interested getting better insight into the realities soldiers experienced w adrenaline addiction such as mine. Dunno how I survived all these years, but for Grace of God, as I entered service w disability nobody ever knew. In a way, feel fortunate I didn't go thru selection; yet, only appreciated (& felt appreciated) while in company of these greatest of men, who went far beyond selection. MSG Benavidez stands-out for me, as best representative of SF spirit..... loyalty, brotherhood, and fight to crush enemy (B4 they crush us).
Love hearing anything from these guys
Thank you for providing a platform for these American heroes to tell their stories!
It's our pleasure for sure!
I didn't know the AVENGERS united!!! LOL. An amazing inspiring group of Warriors and str8 up Badasses !!!! SALUTE GENTLEMEN!!!
Wow... So many in one place... Incredible... Thanks for the colab.. 👌
What a great collection of war stories
These guys are great. Thanks for making these! Very interesting perspective on the Vietnam War. You don't get to here these kind of stories often.
Awesome bunch of guys, true warriors and quite humble except for nick, he is just a natural big mouth, much respect to all.
He has the balls scars physical and invisible and the records to back up what he’s done he’s humble some guys just like busting balls he’s being humble here I’m sure he’s not like that with a lot of people he doesn’t know everyone of his brothers love him that’s all that matters
Wrong So Wrong 😡😡😡
Nick is a badass
Hell yea. Love these guys.
Many thanks
Great talk keep it up
Great stuff....keep it going
There was always a division between the NCOs and officers in SF. I was a buck sergeant before I went to OCS and then returned to SF in Vietnam. The IQ and mental requirements to become enlisted in SF was and IQ of 121 and to enter OCS 120. I qualified as a commo man graduating with a 21/21 receiving and sending Morse Code. The two MOST difficult SF MOSes were first; MEDIC and second COMMO. Weapons was the easiest SF MOS to pass. We had a period during the war where the standards for SF were lowered during 1968-69 that allowed many poorly qualified SF into the regiment. That group also became the foundation for the SF Association and produced the male bovine excrement spreaders. Listening to this group talk about the weapons they carried which brings up a HUGE problem on the teams. All these cowboys wanted to have Special" weapons; Swedish Ks, Mat-49s, Grease guns, rocket pistols etc that made combat resupply a nightmare. I was an advocate for STANDARD team weapons; CAR-15s, Browning 9mms SAWs (when we could get them), K-Bar knives, etc. There was way too much profiling. Many of the enlisted were more centered on getting a "cool" nickname than doing their jobs like; Baby Jesus, Killer...etc. All members of SOG had secret code names to identify them if they were captured or separated from their teams. (Mine was THOR.) Listening to these men talk 40/50 years after the war makes me smile. They've had a lot of time to "refine" their stories. My largest complaint with these men is they all support a Special Forces traitor and pathological liar--Jon Cavaiani, who held a very controversial Medal of Honor. SOG Recon and Hatchet team members WERE very brave men, but only about 20% of them produced at a level of being called "Legends." Getting drunk every night at the Recon Club (How did that work out in August 1968 at CCN?) , stealing equipment from fellow units, and whoring (abandoning their off-spring) was NOT my Special Forces. There are those who love Special Forces as much as I do, but no one loves SF MORE than I do. I know where a LOT of the skeletons are buried.
Im confused.. and intrigued about your perspective of Jon Caviani and I think we"d like to know more about it.
@@connorcase15 Medal of Honor ---- CAVAIANI, JON R.
Rank and organization: Staff Sergeant, U.S. Army, Vietnam Training Advisory
Group, Republic of Vietnam
Place and date: Republic of Vietnam, 4 and 5 June 1971
Entered service at: Fresno, California
Born: August 1943, Royston, England
Citation: S/Sgt. Cavaiani distinguished himself by conspicuous gallantry and intrepidity at the risk of life above and beyond the call of duty in action in The Republic of Vietnam on 4 and 5 June 1971 [Zlotnik’s note: No witnesses after 1800 hrs 4 June and for all of 5 June.] while serving as a platoon leader [Zlotnik’s note: Captain Valersky was the platoon leader and commanded Hickory 1-4 June 1971] to a security platoon providing security for an isolated radio relay site located within enemy-held territory. On the morning of 4 June 1971 the entire camp came under an intense barrage of enemy small arms, automatic weapons, rocket-propelled grenade and mortar fire from a superior size enemy force. [Zlotnik Note: According to Plaster there were 94 defenders on Hickory and according to the NVA commander he had 44 men. The NVA had 1 mortar; Hickory had at least 3; The NVA had 8 heavy machine guns; Hickory had at least 10, plus RR rifles and M79s.] S/Sgt. Cavaiani acted with complete disregard for his personal safety as he repeatedly exposed himself to heavy enemy fire in order to move about the camp's perimeter directing the platoon's fire and rallying the platoon in a desperate fight for survival.[Zlotnik Note: The Security Platoon was in bunkers and connecting trenches-the NVA were hiding behind rocks and assaulting through 200 meters of razor wire, booby-traps and FPFs.] S/Sgt. Cavaiani also returned heavy suppressive fire upon the assaulting enemy force during this period with a variety of weapons. [Zlotnik’s note: I suspect so did the OTHER 93 soldiers. Lead or “fight with a variety of weapons”-one can’t do both effectively.] When the entire platoon was to be evacuated, S/Sgt. Cavaiani unhesitatingly volunteered [Zlotnik’s note: Cavaiani did NOT volunteer and a witness statement reflects he was VERY depressed being LEFT behind. Cavaiani also broadcast over Radio Hanoi he was ABANDONED. It was SOG policy the senior leader evacuated on the last chopper out.] to remain on the ground and direct the helicopters into the landing Zone. S/Sgt. Cavaiani was able to direct the first 3 helicopters in evacuating a major portion of the platoon. Due to an intense increase in enemy fire,[Zlotnik’s Note: Someone else preformed the same task at least 6 more times. We are told in OTHER statements it was the weather closing in or a General Officer from the 101st stopping the extraction.] S/Sgt Cavaiani was forced to remain at the camp overnight where he calmly directed the remaining platoon members in strengthening their defenses. [Zlotnik’s note: if he actually did this he would have known ALL his Bru had deserted!] On the morning of 5 June, a heavy ground fog restricted visibility.[Zlotnik’s note: Confirms it was the weather not the 101st commander who kept air assets away. Cavaiani claims when he ran from his bunker he saw a helicopter and tried waving it down after Jones was killed and he then mowed down many NVA with a MG-in the heavy fog? He can see and no one else can? ] The superior size enemy [Zlotnik’s Note: 42-44 NVA] launched a major ground attack in an attempt to completely annihilate the remaining small force. The enemy force advanced in 2 ranks launching a heavy volume of small arms, automatic weapons and rocket propelled grenade fire while the second rank continuously threw a steady barrage of hand grenades at the beleaguered force. S/Sgt. Cavaiani returned a heavy barrage of small arms and hand grenade fire on the assaulting enemy forces but was unable to slow them down. [Zlotnik’s Note: When this was written Cavaiani was thought to be KIA and there were no AMERICAN WITNESSES to his action after 4 June 1971, so HOW did those writing the citation KNOW this?] He ordered the remaining platoon members to attempt to escape while he provided them with cover fire. [Zlotnik’s note: This is again written without witnesses or even having talked to Cavaiani, obviously prefabricated at CCN HQ! By 0540 on the 5th ALL the Bru were gone!] With one last courageous exertion, S/Sgt. Cavaiani recovered a machine gun, stood up, completely exposing himself to the heavy enemy fire directed at him, and began firing the machine gun in a sweeping motion along the 2 ranks of advancing enemy soldiers. [Zlotnik’s Note: WHO WERE THE AMERICAN WITNESSES TO THIS ACTION?!? Everyone was dead, E&Eed or were captured and executed and Cavaiani was moved to North Vietnam as a POW. I strongly suspect this was Sgt Jones’ heroic last ditch effort where he was killed and witnessed by Bru commandos.] Through S/Sgt Cavaiani's valiant efforts, with complete disregard for his safety, the majority of the remaining platoon members were able to escape. [Zlotnik’s Note: Absolutely NOT true-the Bru had E&Eed WITHOUT Cavaiani’s permission before Cavaiani’s capture, Jones was DEAD, and the ARVN interpreter was captured in another bunker, who Cavaiani claims was an NVA mole! There were absolutely NO American witnesses to support any of this after 4 June 1971.]While inflicting severe losses on the advancing enemy force, S/Sgt Cavaiani was wounded numerous times. [Zlotnik’s Note: The NVA commander Senior Captain Nguyen An states he lost 4 men KIA and 7 WIA for the COMPLETE action-this includes Millsap’s kills also, along with all the air, artillery etc. There is NO proof he was wounded during this action, except Cavaiani’s word when he returned from captivity.] S/Sgt Cavaiani's conspicuous Gallantry, extraordinary heroism at the risk of his life, above and beyond the call of duty, were in keeping with the highest traditions of the military service and reflect great credit upon himself and the U.S. Army.
(Everything high-lighted in red cannot be proven or is speculation, prefabricated action or without witnesses.)
Zlotnik’s Note: Cavaiani’s MH citation was written up at CCN HQ when they thought both Cavaiani and Jones were DEAD. Captain Valersky claims to have submitted it. I suspect Cavaiani was chosen and then supported by Valersky and LTC Bellfi because Cavaiani was a RECON team 10 and Jones was “only” a Security Platoon buck sergeant. Remember at THIS time the author of the recommendation thought BOTH of them were dead. I SUSPECT the CCN commander and Valersky needed something to cover up the huge disaster at RRS Hickory and Valersky would look good with a MH and DSC being awarded for HIS failure to defend Hickory. There is nothing better to cover a military cesspool than a shiny Medal of Honor. They also submitted Cavaiani for the MH before they learned he was a collaborator with the enemy as a POW. It is also important to note the NVA STOPPED all systematic torture of American POWs after Ho died in 1969. There are unconfirmed stories-but believable-that three POWs wrote a letter to President Nixon requesting Cavaiani’s MH be revoked and he be tried for treason. Nixon refused to open the case based on his wanting the Vietnam War and its aftermath to end. (All POWs were exonerated for charges of treason. I can only imagine how the POWS who followed the Code of Conduct must feel today seeing Cavaiani wearing a MH!)
There is an anti-American document with Cavaiani’s signature on it from the POW Peace Committee. Also another POW, Major Mark “Zippo” Smith (DSC) recalls being forced to listen to Cavaiani’s anti-American broadcasts over Radio Hanoi while he was a POW in Cambodia.
Plaster tells me in Cavaiani’s defense that LTC Guy-the senior American POW in his camp, ordered Cavaiani to infiltrate the Peace Committee. Sadly, LTC Guy has passed away and in the twenty plus years after their release, Cavaiani never had Guy write him a “Get-Out-of-Jail-Free Card”-or a letter stating he had ordered him to be a traitor to his country. We do know Cavaiani did make Radio Hanoi Anti-American broadcasts and he signed the documents-without evidence of his being tortured to do so.
I do know-I would have got me some insurance if I was going to openly betray my county that I was ordered to do so by my superior officer-at least some witnesses! Plaster tells me Cavaiani’s “witness” he was undercover is Daly-another member and leader of the Peace Committee and American traitor.
I enjoyed reading what you had to say. Is there references other that your specific recounts of what you believe. I’m all for finding out more and I’m seriously impressed I got that rebuttal of the citation. Is there other witnesses or recounts of him on radio Hanoi?
@@connorcase15 Every part of my "rebuttal" is backed with FACTS and witnesses! I tried to post here my complete research paper on RRS Hickory, but it was too much to post and was rejected. When the monsoon hit RRS Hickory on the morning of the 5th there were 23 Bru commandos, SSG Cavaiani, Sgt Jones and an interpreter left on the hill. 13 of the Bru E&Eed off the hill early in the morning during the monsoon after they had tried 3 times to contact the main bunker where Caviaini and Jones were located. They claim they thought the Americans had abandoned them so they left on their own. They were debriefed when they arrived back at CNN HQ. What this tells me is Cavaiani did NOT stay in contact with his troops, nor did he check his perimeter! The KEY to this fake Medal of Honor is; the Bru left before the NVA attacked on the morning of the 5th, Jones was killed assaulting the NVA with a M60 MG, the interpreter "disappeared" and Cavaiani was captured--so WHO were the eye-witnesses to Cavianai's valor on the 5th when 99% of the valor supporting his MH took place? The answer is simple. The citation was made up at CCN HQ to cover for the loss of RRS Hickory a vital outpost containing TOP SECRET equipment that was lost! LTC Bellfi, CCN commander and CPT Valereskey, RRS Hickory commander both needed something to cover for their failure and at the time they thought both Cavaiani and Jones were DEAD! They did not know that Cavainai was captured and would turn into the worst traitor in Special Forces history as a POW. On the 4th of June 1971 when the NVA mortared Hickory there were 27 Americans(Special Forces/Rangers/2 sensor monitors) plus a platoon of Bru Commandos on Hickory. ALL of them wanted to get OFF the hill because they knew the NVA had taken the western part of I CORPS at that time. The mortar attack was the excuse for Captain Valeresky to abandon the site that MACV HQ wanted us to maintain. ALL the men on Hickory wanted it to look like they were being overwhelmed by an NVA division--when it was only 44 NVA who took the hill. (ASA intercepted the NVA commander's report to his HQ after he took Hickory that stated he had only 4 DEAD and 7 WIA soldiers!). It should be noted I was ON Hickory at least a dozen times and knew it's defenses well. Cavianai's MH was made up at CCN HQ along with 1 DSC and over 10 Silver Stars--please note the NVA lost ONLY 4 KIA to support all those high valor awards. When I published my research the Special Forces Association went into a full attack mode to discredit me and my honor to protect Cavianai and the other Special Forces men who were on Hickory. They could not explain the facts so they tried shaming me. The story gets even worse. After Cavianai, who was a traitor and feared prison when he was released as a POW found out he had been awarded a posthumous Medal of Honor--he went wild with his pathological lying. He claimed he E&Eed from Hickory and walked 20 miles through the jungle with over a hundred shrapnel wounds, severe burns on his hands and two gunshot wounds to a Marine Base at Dong Ha Mountain where ONE OLD VC captured him outside the gate and walked him back 40 miles to Laos and turned him over to the NVA! You can find that lie on the Internet during one of his interviews. Plaster in his book SOG, repeats the lies. I spent a year researching and talking to participants before I posted my research.
@@donaldzlotnik505 the information you stated could be entirely true or entirely false from any of the sources. (The internet only has so much I can find about SOG) Who’s to say your sources of the reports from the nva commander are correct. Plaster wasn’t on the hill and you weren’t either. I do agree with you that there is no real witness to what happened. I wasn’t alive to hear the POW broadcasts… But I know the green weenie just like anybody else who’s served. Propaganda works in many ways and forms and clearly works years later.
I don’t normally have time to write this kind of stuff but I’ve had a dire need to figure out more about this history.
Great heroes! Our government has become expert at losing wars, Not these great men! Thank you gentlemen!
Didn’t John Plaster use an air horn also ?
Need to have them all together for a picture
we can do that at SOAR later this year
Good stuff guys. Hey can ya guys get me hooked up with Mr shorten? He was at ccc the same time as my grandfather who was one zero of rt kentucky 69 to late 70. Maybe they crossed paths there at some point t. I'm really not sure how much the teams mingled with each other.
sure drop us a line at connect@savage-game.com
An officer with a map and compass is dangerous.
Tilt loves his candy lol.
Hey- Maybe its Moose? I will find out moore. Hes from Oregon and in Oregon, or was???
Oregon- A SOG guy nick name was BEAR. I have a photo of him, he's standing next to his buddy. Bear's holdng a 60 I think. Any one know this man?
Looks like Chuck Norris
Olympia!
I wonder if dude means Jimmy Little? My uncle's got a photo from 67 from where they are talking about and there is a hatchet fella in the pic with 4 G.I.s one my uncle Ted and he wrote their names over theirs heads on the picture and one is Jimmy Little... And I think his name was James... Anyway my uncle was Ted "buck" Collins
Hehe funny story but according to the militaryy uncle was never in Nam nor served period even though he has pictures/uniforms and his basic picture and his certificates for his decorations... However his records all burned in the late 70's durning the annex fire
Why blow a team off the lz when you could just lay there and wait on the team to be stranded before attacking. I’m surprised every lz wasn’t trapped to the point where every Avenue would get you blown up. 40000 enemy seems like they could cover these lzs constantly.
I guess it depends what stuff they have stashed in nearby locations, that they don't want a lot of ordnance getting dropped on. Lot's going on in that 10 mile strip of Laos/ Cambodia
Ah army cooks. Hardest course in the entire armed forces. No-one has ever passed.
Being wacked out on speed during the Khe Sahn seige dont sound fun
Don't exceed the speed limit...
And avoid wack doubt... lol
the commentators suck but the content and the vets are what makes this worth watching
thanks!
You here for the commentators?
There's always some a-hole isn't there.
Why is this so awkward lol come on guys... Room full of hard asses scared to talk in a group lolol some of the best soldier this country has ever made
Its not awkward - they are just allowing others to go first. Hard to do a 6-way talk without me directly prompting people, but I preferred to allow them to decide who would go.
@@b-52eggbeast88 just to say Col Thonpson only spoke once lol
@@budgibson185 yeah he’s a patient dude! We have a bunch of talks with him on our channel and more coming.