Tunnels were also built in zig-zags to prevent the enemy from pouring in chemicals or shooting bullets over a long distance. Needless to say, sadly many of those Americans who did enter the tunnels ended up dying. There are some interviews with the men that served under him and they talk about him ordering soldiers to kill civilians and surrendered VC. A heavier tunnel-exploration kit may also include nylon rope, body-armor vests, grappling hooks, work gloves, kneepads, and earplugs. Click Today's Obituaries to view all of the listings. The two began meeting more frequently, and Yuzuk became so fascinated with Flahertys story that he asked permission to tell it in the form of a documentary. The Viet Cong built drain pipe ventilation shafts every 20 to 30 meters at an oblique angle to prevent flooding. When he graduated OCS and his Special Forces training, he volunteered for combat duty with the 101st Airborne Division in Vietnam. I quote the half-inch ants have such a powerful bite that to pull them off means losing a bit of skin. None of these wars were longer than the Afghan war, anyway.] One of the huge psychological issues for tunnel rats was the closeness of combat. Throughout the battle, he repeatedly exposed himself to the hostile fire in order to better direct the suppressive fire of his squads. He actually had a pretty sad ending. Due to the blood type, his growth was stunted which resulted in him being diagnosed with dwarfism.[2]. Theres a documentary on his life/death. ODAs are the tactical arm of the Special Forces Regiment. We often look at college students as punk kids, lazy frat guys or any other kind of social stereotype. Commemoration of the war must account for these servicemen who underwent so much hardship for their nation. Later that year, he was reassigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens. He would see Flaherty and talk with him every day; they would even eat lunch together. After 15 years of friendship, Flaherty finally confessed, Its time I tell you who I really am. Only 10 days later Flaherty would be killed in a bizarre hit and run. October 2001 to 2016. His friend decides to investigate and finds a passport that shows Flaherty was secretly traveling to dangerous locations like Jordan, Iraq, Thailand, Vietnam, and Venezuela while living as a homeless man. Unless medical issues had something to do with it. Holy shit even disregarding the adversity overcome about his height, this dude seriously fucked. The bombs caused earthquakes that destroyed the tunnels and their ventilation shafts. The primary focus of his time in the CIA was supplying the Nicaraguan Contras in Nicaragua. Every group would do things differently. Yuzuk started digging and discovered that Flaherty had worked undercover with the Feds during the 80s. #1 New York Times bestselling author Doug Stanton- "You are holding in your hands an amazing journey into a world of puzzles, intrigue, and mystery. A particular Special Forces member, Capt. Richard was my friend and I promised him I would finish the project, Yuzuk said. Active military action was carried out for almost 20 years, from 1 November 1955 to 30 April 1975.The Vietnam War is also referred to as the Second Indochina War, due to the involvement of all three countries previously constituting the French territory of Indochina. Funds are paid by Greater Good Charities to benefiting organizations as a grant. In fact, on one occasion he was able to save several of his men who had been trapped by heavy enemy fire. He used to spend all day at a movie theater. Comprised of 12 Special Forces soldiers, an ODA can operate . Richard J. Flaherty with two classmates at Officer Candidate School in 1967 (Photo: David Yuzuk / Laptrinhx.com ). This network connected villages, cities, and districts. Most helpful for tunnel rats, however, was the brief amount of training time spent detecting, removing, and laying booby traps. After one tour in Vietnam, Capt. A particular Special Forces member, Capt. We can imagine that it may have had something to do with his Vietnam combat experiences. Flaherty and Yuzuk were friends for roughly 15 years before he felt he could share his story with the officer. Like Liked by 1 person Photo credit: Funker530. He left the Army in 1971 at the rank of captain due to a reduction in force. Flaherty had an admiration for the Army Special Forces known as the Green Berets. He was 69 . With the draft in full swing, many American males of a certain age did what they could to avoid being drafted or otherwise qualifying for military service. Generally, while underground tunnel rat soldiers employed a shoot first, ask questions later method. He had crossed the DMZ back into South Vietnam where he was shot as he was recaptured. Richard was involved in martial arts long before anyone else knew much about them, Yuzuk said. Richard Flaherty is laid to rest in an unmarked grave in Milton near Lisa Anness, a woman he described as the love of his life. Click #isupportlocal for more information on supporting our local journalists. He agreed to cooperate, but said that once we got started, I had to promise to finish the project, Yuzuk said. This also allowed soldiers to help find and collect any wounded or dead comrades. Major Nguyen Quot, an officer that spent ten years in these tunnels, notes that by 1948 they already dug a tunnel system: each family, each hamlet, had a tunnel communicating it with others. He was always recommending books and talking about philosophy, work and politics and eventually giving me advice. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. Myanmar 159.52cm (5 feet 2.80 inches) The Temples of Bagan in Mandalay, Myanmar. His only problem was that he stood four feet, nine inches tall. It has been well-documented in epidemiology studies . These guerrillas were fighting the colonial power of France. Unbeknownst to his parents, Richard and his mother, Beatrice Rose, shared incompatible blood types (Richard, Rh-Positive; Beatrice, Rh-Negative). Greek Army veteran (National service with 575th Marines Battalion and Army HQ). MILTON The shortest soldier to serve in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, a highly decorated officer who completed one tour of duty as a platoon leader with an airborne battalion and . In the 1940s Ho Chi Minh, one of the founders of the Viet Cong, stated You can kill ten of my men for every one I kill of yours. Photo credit: Peter Alan Lloyd Website. Tragically, he was killed in a hit and run during the early hours of May 9, 2015. Answer (1 of 27): Back in the days of siege wars, artillery would be used to blow a hole in the defence walls. He was the smallest man on campus. This was devastating news to Yuzuk. What did we lose because we were unable to understand him, or to welcome him home? After being removed from the CIA, Flaherty helped catch a smuggling ring at Fort Bragg, North Carolina and worked undercover for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives as an informant. The average Liberian is 159.66cm (5 feet 2.85 inches) tall. Lieutenant Flaherty then personally directed and assisted the 90 Millimeter recoilless rifle team in an assault of the enemy bunker, braving up the intense hail of hostile fire. Richard Flaherty had to get a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. Since completing her degrees, she has decided to take a step back from academia to focus her career on writing and sharing history in a more accessible way. One battalion also found an underground complex that covered 2,000 meters and yielded cameras, films, printing presses, and type, in addition to the usual cache of weapons and ammunition. Shockingly, a US soldier even uncovered a missing M-48 tank buried six feet deep; the Viet Cong were using it as a command center. David Yuzuk's police radio blared from his shoulder as he leaned against his patrol car outside Boston Market in Aventura. Again, those inside suffocated. The Lone . Marines who score 250 or higher on BOTH the PFT and CFT are given an additional 1 percent body fat. The US army now sought alternate measures. After all, it was a very stressful and dangerous job. I just tell them Im 35 pounds of muscle, 14 pounds of dynamite and one pound of uranium-238, and it gets a lot of laughs.. Tools of the trade metal tin sign. Capt. In a contemporary interview, he had said that Ive taken a lot of kidding about my size. After the military he got into some pretty dicey stuff like gun trafficking. This early condition stunted his growth. He becomes a mystery to family and friends alike. In riveting rifle, rucksack style author, David Yuzuk takes you deep into the jungles of Vietnam to walk in the combat boots of America's smallest soldier, Richard Flaherty. By April 1968, Flaherty was a paratrooper and a platoon leader with the 101st Airborne Division. Finding out about him and what he had done since graduating from high school has put me through a roller coaster of emotions. Your e-mail address will be used to confirm your account. Larry Burrows / Getty Images. 1968 the A Shau Valley of South Vietnam. Vietnam Veterans represent the largest cohort of American Veterans in . You see, Richard Flaherty was only 410. Flaherty returned to the U.S. later that year, and graduated from the Armys Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, becoming a member of the elite Green Berets. While braving the intense hail of hostile fire, Lieutenant Flaherty displayed astute direction and leadership, leading to the enemy bunker being swiftly destroyed and allowing his platoon to advance and continue its devastating attack on the enemy, according to the citation for the Silver Star Flaherty was awarded for the action. Once his weight had increased enough, he petitioned his Congressman, Rep. Donald J. Irwin (D-CT), to fill out a waiver to allow him to enlist, despite his short stature. He increased the amount he ate and gained muscle through sports. A Soldier's Thoughts. Finally, some of the unique training centers would provide tunnel system replicas. An average Liberian woman is 155.66cm (5 feet 1.28 inches) tall. Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. In his death, however, he found his home next to the woman he had loved, Lisa Anness Davis. Flaherty led his platoon in a flanking assault on the enemy position, during which an NVA bunker was spotted. Sometimes these snakes were even poisonous and so became known as three-step snakes because a soldier was only granted three more steps before the venom killed him. [7] Flaherty was buried at Forest Memorial Park in Milton. 4' 9" 97lbs Vietnam Vet Green Beret Captain Richard J. Flaherty - 101st Airborne & 3rd Special Forces Group Vietnam 1967-1971. Hed traveled a lot, read a lot and was interesting to talk with.. He enlisted that same year, finishing basic training, qualifying for Officer Candidate School, and deploying to Vietnam as a second lieutenant. A lot of the time, other soldiers thought these volunteers also had to be a certain type of crazy. He came home from Vietnam after his second tour and moved to Hallandale, Florida, where he worked for a time with the U.S. Reads: 47 Comments: 1. . Though Americans, Australians, and New Zealanders claim to know these hideouts existed, they overlooked their size and importance. Copyright 2023 Military.com. [5] Fifteen years before Flaherty's death, he was befriended by Miami Police officer David Yuzuk after Flaherty became homeless. Photo credit: The New York Times. Looking for Irish book recommendations or to meet with others who share your love for Irish literature? Imagine being stuck in a tiny space, panicking, screaming, and trying to escape as a snake slowly wound itself around you. Initially, America used hunting dogs to locate the enemy. Alternate title, "Dating on tinder when you're 5'11" or shorter". A young man emerging from his journey in a Viet Cong tunnel. He first deployed to Southeast Asia in 1968 as a member of the 101st Airborne Division. He graduated the year before me from Stamford Catholic High School, now known as Trinity Catholic High school. Click here to stay informed and subscribe to Herald-Dispatch. But due to the Vietnam draft they would have likely taken him anyway if that was his only disqualifier from serving. Create an account to follow your favorite communities and start taking part in conversations. Historians, for example, estimate that booby traps caused around 11 percent of US causalities in the Vietnam War. Flaherty served with the 101st Airborne during Vietnam. Yuzuk said it was not long after he moved to Florida in 1999 and joined the Aventura Police Department that he noticed Flaherty. He began to eat and stay in fighting shape, as he was an avid sportsman in high school, especially good at martial arts. In a way, he was like a mentor. He was working on finding a way to join. Soldiers learned to carefully probe the sides, roof, and floor of the tunnels attentively listening and trying to smell the enemy or look for trap doors. pearl harbor. world war ii. Both known as the shortest soldiers in their units, each would serve in numerous battles as soldiers. But due to the Vietnam draft they would have likely taken him anyway if that was his only disqualifier from serving. During his first tour in Vietnam, Flaherty is placed in command of the Airborne's Delta Platoon. Marines who score 285 or higher on BOTH the PFT and CFT are exempt from height/weight standards. Rep. Sam Johnson (R-Texas) represents Texas' 3rd congressional . The Viet Cong were experts at creating very sophisticated tunnel systems that would sometimes be so large that they could be used as company-sized staging areas for hiding and for rest, even for hospital facilities. After a while, whenever Id see him, Id give him a little head nod and hed do the same. His mother didnt know at the time of his birth that her blood type was Rh-negative which may lead to serious health problemsand deathin a second-born fetus. He was the shortest US serviceman in history. Archives held in Texas revealed this happened to one unfortunate soldier. After college David moved to Miami and became a 19-year veteran of the Aventura Police Department working as a uniformed road patrolman, undercover officer, and detective. This would-be Captain America was just 49, three inches too short for Army service. He led a charge, which succeeded in pushing out the enemy. He eraned the Silver Star, 2 Bronze Stars, and 2 Purple Hearts -smallestsoldier.com . A friend of his from high school told me he had fond memories of watching Richard breaking boards with his hands when he walked past the Flahertys garage. Primary Source. He returned to the US at the end of his tour and attended Special Forces Officer Course at Fort Bragg. They reported to Aventura police that they had seen what looked like a body in some bushes alongside the road. We here at the Veterans Site offer our sincerest thanks to Richard Flaherty for his service to the nation. Wakeman wrote numerous letters home detailing her love of rushing at the enemy amid gunfire . This kit included a S&W .38-calibre special model 10 revolver with both a silencer and aiming light. As a result, many tunnel rats often avoided using hearing protection while underground. The Vietnam Veterans Memorial Fund, Inc. is the nonprofit organization authorized by Congress in 1980 to fund and build the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, D.C. . They are our brothers and sisters. You can also learn about how these soldiers came about, who opted to become one, how they trained, and what equipment they used. The unknown soldier from the Vietnam War who was buried in the Tomb of the Unknowns was authorized a Medal of Honor and in 1998 was identified as 1st Lieutenant Michael Blassie. Flaherty was 2 inches too short and 6 lb. He also weighed less than 100 pounds, further disqualifying him from serving in the Army. Many American men were trying to avoid serving the U.S. military in the 1960s and 1970s. On November 28, 1945, doctors in Stamford Connecticut's Regional Hospital intensely worked to save newborn Richard James Flahertys life. After his tour in Vietnam, he returned to the U.S. and attended the Special Forces Officer Course at Fort Bragg. I am going to cite some data here and I wish I could recall the sourcesI don't have them. The first point to keep in mind is that there was a lot of "tail" in Vietnam. Infantry Advanced Individual Training also helped them to deal more in-depth with other issues. Although he is the subject of a new documentary available on Amazon Prime and iTunes and a soon-to-be-released book, the full story of Capt. It helped give them the experience and confidence to cope with gas, should they encounter it in combat. Shortest US soldier in Vietnam War was not short in courage. or anything. A former TV Reporter. According to an article in the Stamford Advocate, Flahertys body was found by two joggers. Flaherty was the shortest of these elite soldiers, standing at only four feet, nine inches tall. A lot of the time it really depended on the size of the soldiers in the infantry division. Quite simply, many troops were deployed to Vietnam but few were actually in combat. Although the percent who died is similar to other wars, amputations or crippling wounds were 300 percent higher than in World War II. After DNA testing confirmed his identity, the remains were removed from the tomb and returned to Blassie's family, but the Medal of Honor remained as a tribute to those . By the time RichardFlaherty graduated from high school in 1966, the US was already heavily involved in Vietnam. By that time, Flaherty had been promoted to captain and awarded two Bronze Stars for bravery and two Purple Hearts for combat wounds, in addition to the Silver Star. Just 10 days before Flaherty's death, Flaherty told Yuzuk his story. In her spare time, Rosemary enjoys spending time with her partner, her cats, and her horse, or sitting down to read a good book. Yuzuk said none of the relatives or companions of Flaherty or Anness he has spoken with was aware of a relationship between the two. As a Green Beret, he served from 1969-71, before being honorably discharged. Just sitting and waiting. The Giant Killer is one of those stranger-than-fiction tales that would never make it as a movie pitch because its just so unbelievable. The NVA troops hit the soldiers with machine guns and rocket-propelled grenades. Start your free trial today. He was struck and killed in a hit and run in 2015. The idea, of course, was to scare the men so much that they did not continue to search the rest of the tunnel. [6] After Flaherty's death, Yuzuk went to look into his history and uncovered troves of information from Flaherty's storage unit, such as his passport with stamps from Cambodia, Venezuela, Iraq and Jordan. He had spent his last years alive homeless. Richard Flaherty was just a kid I knew briefly in high school. too light. In 1968 he was sent to Vietnam in the famous 101st Airborne Division, the "Screaming Eagles". March 28, 2022 Local Vietnam veterans showcase . For this action he was awarded the Silver Star in 1968. He was awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts during his service. He was killed in a hit-and-run accident in 2015. Start Reading. Tho claims the Viet Cong prepared both the necessary troops and assembled the supplies needed in these tunnels to conduct the Tet Offensive of 1968. He was an American hero of great stature. It has a rating of 7.4 on IMDb. You have permission to edit this article. Amazingly, these tunnel rat soldiers were volunteers. Richard J. Flaherty may never be known. Flaherty then moved on to work as an informant in an undercover investigation with the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives to stop a smuggling ring from stealing explosives and a classified weapon from Fort Bragg. franklin roosevelt. We offer our condolences to his family and to his friends. Today, the mistreatment of American POWs and the suffering they endured remains a powerful legacy of the Vietnam War. Be Proactive. He showed his fearsome warrior spirit during the Vietnam War, and later entered the roster of the Army's elite task . The oldest man killed was 62 years old. Despite his size Richard Flaherty had all the heart in the world and it showed when he was platoon leader in Vietnam. Richard Flaherty, who was raised in Connecticut, had to obtain a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. However, they were not popular among tunnel rats as the light was unnecessary, and the silencers were too long and did not function well. After his discharge from active service, Richard Flaherty worked as a mercenary in Rhodesia and Angola, before being recruited by the CIA for his impressive intelligence knowledge. Vietnam War. He returned to Vietnam in 1969 and stayed there until 1971 when he left the Army. With a passion for historical learning and historical education, her writing interests include social history, and war history, especially researching obscure facts about the Second World War. If you forget it, you'll be able to recover it using your email address. Richard Flaherty returned to the U.S. and trained at the Army's Special Warfare School at Fort Bragg, North Carolina, becoming a member of the Green Berets. Despite the superior firepower of the American military, the determination of the Viet Cong was on another level entirely. Current standards for men is 60-80 inches tall. On one side towered a 7ft 3in (2.21m) German man-mountain who quit his job with an American freak show to join the Wehrmacht. Indirect Fire Infantrymen (MOS 11C), Combat Engineers (MOS 12B), and Bridge Crewmembers (MOS 12C) also have short . Similarly, one American soldier highlighted how they liked to soften things up by throwing in one or more hand grenades before sending in tunnel rats. There is a story about Flaherty being involved in a federal investigation that ended in the arrest of two Green Berets in the 1980s. top . BCT included lessons on hand-to-hand combat, chemical-warfare defense, map reading, first aid, bayonet fighting, guard duty, and the use of hand grenades. In the end, his life has as much mystery in it as it does accounts of real grit and heroism. Photo credit: American Yesteryear Metal Signs. He is believed to have worked as a military contractor throughout Africa and most notably in Rhodesia and Angola. Awarded Medal of Honor for escape and resistance as a POW. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. short-timer's stick. 10,422 Vietnam War Soldiers Photos and Premium High Res Pictures - Getty Images. In Britain, during the Nap. . He was a tough, determined guy, said David Yuzuk, who befriended Flaherty more than two decades after the war ended, when both were living in Aventura, Florida, a planned community in the suburbs north of Miami. A retired Miami cop spends three years trying to unearth the truth about a homeless gentleman he'd befriended. 11,465 of those killed were younger than 20 years old. He returned to the U.S. that same year to attend the Army Special warfare School at Fort Bragg, where he earned his green beret. Stay informed and subscribe to Herald-Dispatch who share your love for Irish recommendations. Of friendship, Flaherty is placed in command of the relatives or companions of or. 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