Video Log Bob Skeels U.S. Marine Corps Born: 05/14/1944

Interviewed on 11/30/2012 Interviewed by: George Jones

00:00:00 Introduction 00:01:10 Served in in "the DMZ War" Skeels enlisted in the Marine Corps after finishing his bachelor's degree 00:01:14 at Niagara College and completing his Masters of Education. All of his buddies were serving in the military to he decided to "step up" and join them. Thought the training would be best in the Marine Corps.

00:01:45 Skeels joined the Marine Corps in November 1967 and graduated from Office Candidate School (OCS) in August 1968 Skeels joined because he had buddies over their; did 2 years of ROTC. While in graduate school, he had some friends in the Army that he was 00:02:04 communicating with and this helped fuel a patriotic surge. Mentions the SEATO (Southeast Asia Treaty Organization) Treaty; thought it was honorable to honor that treaty. Knew nothing of Vietnam prior to enlistment other than what his buddies shared with him. He describes his friends as being very 00:03:18 committed to the war, that it was heating up via increased troop levels. Characterizes the zeitgeist of this period as a time when the war seemed winnable and that the U.S. military was trying to win it. Knew nothing of Vietnam prior to enlistment other than what his buddies shared with him. He describes his friends as being very 00:03:18 committed to the war, that it was heating up via increased troop levels. Characterizes the zeitgeist of this period as a time when the war seemed winnable and that the U.S. military was trying to win it. Skeels discusses training in the U.S. Marine Corps., inclusive of boot 00:04:35 camp, OCS, and six-month basic infantry school. Talks about receiving his second lieutenant bars or "butter bars." Skeels selected armor as his MOS ("Military Occupational Specialty"). 00:05:40 Went to tank school in Camp Pendleton, for six weeks. Graduated in September 1968 as an 1802 Tank Officer. M48 A3, with a 90 mm tube, was the tank he trained in. He was surprised that when he deployed to Vietnam at the end of 00:06:35 September 1968 he was assigned to command an infantry platoon instead of a tank platoon because infantry officers were needed. This was a Temporary Active Duty assignment (3 month term). Served in 2nd Battalion, 4th Marines in the as an 00:07:00 infantry officer. Last 9 months were spent as a tank officer in Bravo Company, 3rd Tank Battalion, 3rd Marine Division in the same general area where he served as an infantry officer.

00:07:20 Skeels describes his area of operations with the tank battalion; the geography and about how far the tank could operate within it. Skeels talks about preparing for basic training. Trained on the M-14; 00:07:50 did not see the M-16 until he arrived in Vietnam in the fall of 1968. Characterizes the M-16 as "a terrible rifle" that "jammed all the time." Refers to a 1 inch thick file he had identifying problems with the M-16. Discusses weapons being handed-off by other high-ranking enlisted or officers as they rotated out of Vietnam. Skeels mentions have a 12 00:09:20 gauge shotgun, M-79 grenade launcher (also know as a "blooper"), and adds more commentary about the unreliability of the M-16. In a later segment, he will discuss having a Thompson sub machine gun within easy reach on his tank. Arrives in Vietnam September 28, 1968. Arrived in Da Nang and went to Quang Tri where he was issued his rifle, pack, and everything else he would need. Took a chopper from Quang Tri to Vandegrift Combat Base (also known as "LZ Stud"). Spent one night there, but 00:10:28 experienced incoming friendly fire - about 10 rounds - which destroyed his tent, so he spent his first night in Vietnam sleeping in a trench. Learned to not go to bed without being fully clothed and ready for combat, including having his M-16 on his chest. Flew from LZ Stud the next day to meet his platoon out in Khe Sanh. 00:10:28 Arrives in Vietnam September 28, 1968. Arrived in Da Nang and went to Quang Tri where he was issued his rifle, pack, and everything else he would need. Took a chopper from Quang Tri to Vandegrift Combat Base (also known as "LZ Stud"). Spent one night there, but experienced incoming friendly fire - about 10 rounds - which destroyed his tent, so he spent his first night in Vietnam sleeping in a trench. Learned to not go to bed without being fully clothed and ready for combat, including having his M-16 on his chest. Flew from LZ Stud the next day to meet his platoon out in Khe Sanh. Skeels arrival in Khe Sanh was approximately 6 months after the Battle 00:11:55 of Khe Sanh. Describes Khe Sanh Combat Base and the geography of the area. Skeels mentions first contact with the enemy in December 1968. His 00:12:45 opinion is that the bombing campaign that President Johnson halted was effective - that the absence of this bombing led North Vietnam to send troops and supplies through or near the DMZ and Khe Sanh area. Skeels describes the type of medical issues that would cause his 00:13:10 platoon of 48 to be under strength, some times as few as 34 combat- ready Marines. These medical issues included non-combat issues like immersion foot, rat bites, heat stroke, dysentery.

00:13:30 Skeels describes patrolling through a jungle landscape - length of patrol, distances covered. Skeels discusses using "harassing and interdiction fire" (H&I) from 00:15:00 nearby fire bases (like Fire Support Base (FSB) Russell, FSB Alpine, FSB Argonne, FSB Neville) to keep his patrol safe from enemy encroachment.

00:17:04 Skeels talks about Tactical Area of Operations (TAO) and seeing 10 individuals fleeing into Laos.

00:17:15 Skeels indicates the maps provided to him were accurate. Describes how he would use artillery fire to keep his platoon safe. Skeels describes finding evidence of enemy being in his TAO and that 00:18:20 he most often faced NVA, but occasionally came across Chinese advisors. Skeels offers his opinion on the military capabilities of the NVA he 00:19:00 faced, General Westmoreland's use of body counts to indicate progress, and the use of 'search and destroy' missions.

. Skeels offers his opinion on the military capabilities of the NVA he 00:19:00 faced, General Westmoreland's use of body counts to indicate progress, and the use of 'search and destroy' missions. Skeels discusses the challenges in maintaining morale with his platoon 00:20:43 and the tactical strategies he employed as the leader of the platoon including managing listening posts, getting situation reports (sit-reps).

00:22:43 Skeels talks about company-size operations such as the creation of a FSB (such as FSB Russell, Alpine, and Argonne).

00:25:37 Skeels mentions losing approximately 40 lbs. in 2 months. Talks about the travails of an infantryman in combat.

00:26:26 Skeels talks about jungle rot, immersion foot, leeches, sleep deprivation, poor dental hygiene, and other privations of jungle warfare.

00:28:25 Skeels discusses light-hearted moments and communicating with family back home.

00:30:21 Skeels talks about "letting off steam" at Coogee Beach in Sydney, Australia. Skeels talks about being in touch with some members of his platoon 00:31:48 and that his interest in reconnecting with them was inspired after the terrorist attacks on September 11, 2001. Mentions attending a reunion and visiting web sites such as http://www.lzrussell.org

00:33:37 Skeels talks about the fate of LZ Russell and his replacement, Second Lieutenant William H. Hunt. After 3 months in the infantry, Skeels was assigned to 1st Platoon, 3rd 00:36:47 Tanks in the area of Dong Ha, a hill referred to as Vin Dai, and a village called Cam Lo where Bravo Company had its CP.

00:37:20 Skeels discusses hitting mines with his tank and the damage this would cause. Skeels discusses operating with the ARVN troops and his assessment of them. Mentions the mines encountered on the dirt roads along the 00:38:30 way to and Ocean View and the complications of having a disabled tank - especially if it was part of a reaction force. Mentions having a diary of this activity. Skeels discusses receiving enemy mortar and rocket fire. Mentions 00:39:58 observing North Vietnamese tanks along the DMZ and that the Paris Peace Talks were a complicating factor in getting permission to fire upon them.

. 00:41:45 Skeels discusses getting permission to fire and firing on a set of coordinates where he'd received fire from. Skeels discusses rounding up suspected Viet Cong troops in the area 00:42:37 of the village of My Loc. Speculates that some lieutenants would simply kill suspected Viet Cong troops instead of taking them in. Skeels discusses the morale of U.S. troops and how the war strategy 00:43:20 affected it. Mentions the cessation of bombing of the Ho Chi Minh Trail and its impact. Talks about the Second Battalion of the Fourth Marines being sent 00:46:10 back to Vandegrift to rest and resupply. Mentions how much water and how many grenades each troop would carry. Skeels discusses the battalion being ordered back to the jungle and the scuttlebutt that his division was being tasked for an invasion of 00:46:50 Haiphong. Believes we decided not to win the war on November 1, 1968 when President Johnson ordered a cessation of the bombing campaign and mentions that the North Vietnamese resumed violating the DMZ almost immediately after this. Skeels responds to how they would react to an ambush. Mentions inadequacies of troop strength, the M-16 rifle, and other equipment. 00:48:26 Mentions the different fighting doctrines of the U.S. Army and U.S. Marine Corps. Mentions use of A-4 Skyhawk and North American Rockwell OV-10 Bronco aircraft to fight an ambush and locate missing troops. Skeels did not observe any atrocities during his time in Vietnam. 00:52:38 Discusses the concept of body counts and that some troops would cutoff ears of enemy troops as evidence of a kill. Mentions putting enemy bodies on bamboo poles.

00:54:20 Discusses the volatility of the command structure and how the cycling of individual troops in and out of the platoon complicated the mission. Discusses getting out of Vietnam. Skeels was part of the initial reduction of U.S. forces in Vietnam in August 1969; he took a whole 00:57:38 company (Charlie Company of Third Tanks) out of the field. The company went to Okinawa via a LST (Landing Ship, Tank) named "Litchfield County" (USS Litchfield County (LST-901)) after embarking from Vietnam. 00:59:05 Discusses receiving an icy reception from civilians at Travis AFB and the travails of reorienting to stateside society after serving in a war zone.

00:59:40 Skeels moves to Manhattan Beach, CA to live with college roommates and serves remainder of his tour at El Toro NAS in California. Skeels comments on the media's role in shaping perceptions of the 01:01:09 Vietnam Vet and how the experience of the wars and Iraq and Afghanistan rehabilitated the public perception of Vietnam veterans.

01:01:56 Skeels discusses dealing with symptoms of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD). Skeels discusses visiting the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in 01:03:54 Washington, DC with his VFW post and reading names as part of a Veteran's Day celebration.

01:04:36 Skeels discusses life after the military inclusive of efforts to support veterans charities. Skeels discusses how engaging other military veterans seems to help 01:06:36 with PTSD and that Vietnam veterans seem to isolate themselves to avoid talking about it. Skeels mentions decorations received: Combat Action Ribbon, Navy Unit Commendation, with 4 campaign stars. Mentions that his last commanding officer, Captain Hill (2nd Battalion 01:07:23 4th Marines), put him up for two Bronze Stars but Skeels never received either of them. Discusses the circumstances surrounding these noteworthy incidents. One of them was a friendly ARVN unit firing on Skeels' platoon. 01:10:25 Skeels discusses the lessons of Vietnam.

01:12:18 Skeels discusses the topic of PTSD and what is being done today to help veterans. Skeels discusses how he - and most veterans he has talked to - were 01:14:30 never debriefed, so the military did a poor job of exploiting "lessons learned." This occurred on the tactical and strategic levels.

01:18:54 Skeels discusses what he would have told his senior leadership if he had been afforded to opportunity to do so.

01:19:38 Skeels' assessment of his performance in Vietnam; reveals feedback he's received from some of the men he led.