At the time, Yuzuk was a police officer and Flaherty was a member of Aventuras homeless community, camping under a palm tree off one of the citys main boulevards. Tunnel Rat soldier with his gas mask and gun. Medically speaking, Richard would be considered a proportionate dwarf. Related: How to make it through Special Forces selection. He began to eat and stay in fighting shape, as he was an avid sportsman in high school, especially good at martial arts. Photo credit: The New York Times. Abandoned by the CIA, Flaherty locates a smuggling ring stealing tons of explosives including a classified weapon from inside a U.S. Army base, and signs on to work the investigation undercover with the Federal law enforcement agency the ATF (Alcohol, Tobacco & Firearms). Flaherty was the shortest of these elite soldiers, standing at only four feet, nine inches tall. Flaherty was given a Silver Star for his actions in combat during the Tet Offensive, when his unit was ambushed with machine guns and grenades by Northern Vietnamese Army (NVA) troops in a hidden bunker. 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. . . During one search and destroy operation, for example, a unit destroyed 6000 pounds of rice, 40 pounds of salt, 8 rifle grenades, 8 bunkers, numerous dwellings, and one 120-foot-long tunnel. A retired Miami cop spends three years trying to unearth the truth about a homeless gentleman he'd befriended. Once in, he was able to qualify both for Special Forces training and for Officer Candidate School (OCS). 1968 the A Shau Valley of South Vietnam. Here are 10 of the most dangerous: 1. Richard Flaherty had to get a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. But then everything we know about him gets lost in a blur of fragmentary vignettes. . A twenty-two year old U.S. Army Lieutenant finds himself in the fight of his life on his birthday. The United States conducted two major campaigns to search and destroy the tunnel system: Operation Crimp (1966) and Operation Cedar Falls (1967). world war ii. A light tunnel exploration kit may also include items such as powdered CS, colored-smoke grenades, insect repellent, protective masks, a field telephone, a compass to plot the route, a telephone wire spool, probing rods, bayonets, a flashlight, entrenching tools to reveal and widen entrances, and a .22-calibre HD or MK I pistol. He was awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts during his service. Richard Flaherty, who was raised in Connecticut, had to obtain a waiver to join the Army during the Vietnam War. He served as both an A and B detachment Commander. He was awarded a Silver Star, two Bronze Stars, and two Purple Hearts. Stories reveal that one American soldier raised his head through a tunnel entrance only to have a piece of metal automatically speared through his neck. The Viet Cong amassed around 250 kilometers of underground tunnels. franklin roosevelt. . Winds NE at 5 to 10 mph. His height was no object, however, and he put together an impressive record, with the honors to match. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. M. Not until 1995 did Vietnam release its official estimate of war dead: as many as 2 million civilians on both sides and some 1.1 million North Vietnamese and Viet Cong fighters. In one interview, tunnel rat soldier CW Bowman recalled how his fellow colleagues bet money on the fact he would not live through his whole tour as the job was so dangerous. The soldiers then camouflaged the pit using natural undergrowth, mud, or crops. A marker has been ordered for his grave and is expected to be placed early next year. * Born and raised in Brooklyn N.Y., David Yuzuk attended the University of Stony Brook on a football scholarship. Sergeant Arnold Gutierrez of the 25th Division stated that after a while they became so tuned to what was happening that when the other person would flick an eyelid up or down, you really knew he was there, in the corner, not even hiding anymore. For his leadership and heroism, he was awarded the Silver Star. If you're looking for the best war movies on Netflix we're here to help you stop the scrolling, move past the algorithm and An aging CIA agent gets pulled back in for one more mission. The army sent in tunnel rat soldiers with the aim of locating the enemy, finding their resources, and cutting off their supplies. He was expected to only grow to the height of 4 7 but Richard proved them wrong as he grew to 4 9.. After Vietnam, he did contract work for the CIA all over the world. Similarly, Operation Ceder Falls attempts to uncover and destroy the tunnel system. Tools of the trade metal tin sign. These guerrillas were fighting the colonial power of France. Captain Flaherty's Irish lineage is traced back to his grandfather Joseph Patrick Flaherty who was born in the Aran islands and his grandmother Bridget Smythe was born in the village of Feakle next to the Sliabh Aughty Mountains. The Central Intelligence Agency recruited him in the late 1970s due to his knowledge of Intelligence. 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. Many American men were trying to avoid serving the U.S. military in the 1960s and 1970s. There is an average of five names per line. In September of 1966, Rep. Donald J. Irwin of Connecticut got in touch with the U.S. Army Surgeon General, who recommended a waiver for Flahertys height. It is our duty to remember him for his noble service to the nation. The objective is to promote history on Medium and demonstrate the value of historical writing. That special task began to take shape in September 1966, when Flaherty received a letter from Rep. Donald J. Irwin, D-Conn., informing him that the Armys Surgeon General had recommended granting a waiver to the height requirement. If it did not force the enemy out, those inside the tunnels often suffocated to death instead. And there was more; he was homeless. Though this article will explore specific examples later, these traps were particularly brutal in the tunnels. Despite the superior firepower of the American military, the determination of the Viet Cong was on another level entirely. Photo credit: Pinterest. Huge bees, gigantic rats, centipedes, spiders, snakes, bats, and fire ants (to name a few) plagued these tunnels. This also allowed soldiers to help find and collect any wounded or dead comrades. Communications, public relations, and marketing professional, and content creator during free time. The Tropic Lightning Tunnel Rat School at Cu Chi base camp provides an example of this. The Viet Cong were simply experts at utilizing their surroundings to their advantage. They are our brothers and sisters. They harnessed their newfound abilities to help them with survival because unlike their enemies, they lacked experience in these small dark tunnels. Neither family, nor friends know why. Maybe the best way to do that is to find better ways to deal with the problem of veteran homelessness in our own cities and towns. Overcast. One tunnel rat claimed that the booby traps and Viet Cong did not frighten them as much as encountering the local ants. March 28, 2022 Local Vietnam veterans showcase . By 1990, the US Army veterans was homeless and living in Aventura, Florida. They became known as some special forces who skied into battle against enemy forces. Finally, some of the unique training centers would provide tunnel system replicas. By signing up you agree to our Terms of Service and Privacy Policy, MIGHTY NETWORKS, 2023 ALL RIGHTS RESERVED, Mandalorian recap before Season 3: Everything you need to know, serving the U.S. military in the 1960s and 1970s, He returned to the U.S. that same year to attend the Army Special warfare School. According to newspaper files, her grandparents operated a restaurant in Milton. As a man, he stands tall in my book. But first he had to fight simply to get into the Army. I didnt believe him at first, Yuzuk recalled. 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. The Lone . The complications caused a hormonal imbalance that stunted his growth. In a way, he was like a mentor. In hindsight, listening to the Viet Cong talk about their experiences in these tunnels, it appears more training certainly would have benefitted the American cause. Even if they could deal with the claustrophobic conditions, air and artillery support had not prepared them for the type of old-fashioned combat that relied on savage behavior, individual strength, guts, and cunningness. Choose wisely! Initially, America used hunting dogs to locate the enemy. 22 Feb 2018. One Viet Cong technique was to slit a mans throat or garrotte him as he came up through a connecting trap door; this often did not phase the men. A group of soldiers would then charge the gap to hopefully get a foothold and allow other troops to pile in. Not consenting or withdrawing consent, may adversely affect certain features and functions. Flaherty left the Army in 1971 and attended the University of Miami in Florida. In the 1940s and 1950s, the Vietnamese expanded these tunnels to hide nationalist guerrillas known as the Viet Ming. A lot of the time, other soldiers thought these volunteers also had to be a certain type of crazy. Yuzuk came to know Richard Flaherty, not just as a homeless man, but as a man of intelligence and goodness. You had to be a minimum of 5 feet tall and weigh at least 100 lb. Twenty-year-old Mike . 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. 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 . He went back to Southeast Asia with the 46th Special Forces Company as a Special Forces Operational Detachment A (SFODA) commander. Flaherty had an admiration for the Army Special Forces known as the Green Berets. Private contractors? accounts, the history behind an article. A particular Special Forces member, Capt. He enlisted that same year, finishing basic training, qualifying for Officer Candidate School, and deploying to Vietnam as a second lieutenant. When the soldier tripped the wire, the ball would swing down the tunnel and strike into the face of anyone in the way. This meant naturally handguns were most commonly chosen. He said he hopes the movie makes people think twice before being dismissive or hateful toward the homeless, many of whom are veterans, and make politicians think carefully before sending American men and women to foreign places to kill people. 7'3" Jakob Nacken (221 cm), the tallest German soldier of WW2, chatting with 5'7" (170 cm) Eddie Worth, AP photographer with the wartime still picture pool, after his surrender. Richard Flaherty, was certainly a standout. Archives held in Texas revealed this happened to one unfortunate soldier. In a contemporary interview, he had said that Ive taken a lot of kidding about my size. Vietnam, 1967. At 4 9 and 97 pounds, Richard J. Flaherty was the smallest and most unconventional man to serve in the U.S. military and needed a congressional waiver just to join the Army. Putting people in that situation changes them. he said. Captured U.S. pilot major Dewey Waddell is guarded by a militiawoman with a gun and a bayonet on a rice field. This is a story about a real American military hero. Remote-controlled explosive charges and small smoke grenades kits were primarily to signal exit locations to fellow comrades. After being discharged, Flaherty did private and military contract work in Rhodesia and Angola in Africa. Rainfall near a quarter of an inch. Team Mighty. You can view the full DCAS record for an individual named in the list via the Access to Archival Databases resource, or AAD. David Yuzuk's police radio blared from his shoulder as he leaned against his patrol car outside Boston Market in Aventura. 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 . Miami police officer David Yuzuk befriended a homeless man and, after 15 years of friendship, Richard J. Flaherty finally revealed who he really was. 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