Buzz
The Vietnam War stands as one of the most divisive and hotly debated conflicts in modern history. During this period, countless individuals were drafted into a distant war, often without a clear understanding of the reasons behind it, leaving their loved ones equally perplexed. This made it difficult for many to distinguish between the soldiers and the war itself.
With the passage of time, we can now reflect on several enduring enigmas from the war that are likely to remain unresolved forever.
10. Charles Shelton
Colonel Charles Shelton, an Air Force pilot, holds the distinction of being the final official prisoner of war from the Vietnam War. His status was only updated from “missing in action” to “killed in action” on September 20, 1994, following a formal appeal made by his children.
In 1965, during a reconnaissance mission over Laos, Shelton's aircraft was struck down. Initially, he maintained radio communication with the Air Force, but this contact abruptly ceased, marking the last official communication from him. Numerous unofficial accounts emerged regarding his fate, with some claiming he was captured yet survived, and others suggesting he even killed his captor, earning respect for his courage. There were also rumors that Shelton was alive in California, under government protection and unable to contact his family.
During the 1980s, all individuals listed as POWs were reclassified as either 'body not recovered' or 'killed in action,' with the exception of Shelton. He became a symbol for those with unknown fates, but this took a heavy emotional toll on his family. More than 25 years after his disappearance, his wife, overwhelmed by despair and the prolonged uncertainty, took her own life. Subsequently, his children sought to have his status officially changed to 'killed in action' and his name inscribed on the gravestone in Arlington Cemetery, where their mother was laid to rest.
9. The M16 Controversy
In 1966, the M16 rifle was introduced to American soldiers in Vietnam, intended to transform combat effectiveness. However, the reality fell far short of expectations. Once deployed, the weapon frequently malfunctioned, with declassified documents revealing that 80% of soldiers reported issues. A common problem was the 'failure to extract,' where spent cartridges remained lodged in the chamber, requiring soldiers to manually clear the jam in the midst of combat. By 1967, Congressional subcommittees were investigating the matter, sifting through extensive documentation and bureaucratic delays as the war raged on.
Field troops encountered additional issues with the M16. They were not provided with cleaning kits, despite claims from manufacturers and the military that the rifles required no maintenance. Soldiers discovered that the barrels lacked chrome lining, making them susceptible to corrosion in Vietnam's harsh environment. The subcommittee's investigation concluded that the army had failed to adequately train troops on the rifle's use and had not conducted sufficient testing before deployment. This raised significant concerns about accountability, especially given reports of soldiers found dead with jammed rifles, rendering them defenseless in critical moments.
Surprisingly, the issue remains unresolved to this day. Decades after the initial controversy, the M16 continues to be utilized and scrutinized for its unreliability. Soldiers and their families are left questioning why a weapon historically as dangerous to its users as to the enemy remains the military's primary choice.
8. Operation Marigold
From 1965 to 1968, the United States and North Vietnam engaged in a series of diplomatic communications mediated by Polish officials. These talks, had they succeeded, could have ended the war during Lyndon B. Johnson's presidency, potentially saving countless lives. Johnson mentioned the failed initiative in his memoirs, but the details remain unclear. It is uncertain who initiated the talks or why they collapsed, with conflicting accounts suggesting involvement from the Americans, North Vietnamese, Polish diplomats, or even Italy as the originator of the peace efforts.
Much of what is known about Operation Marigold remains speculative, primarily derived from newspaper articles based on unofficial leaks. Recently declassified documents, such as those authored by Jerzy Michalowski, a Polish operative involved in the talks, shed some light. These papers reveal discussions between Poland and the Soviet Union, with Moscow supporting the peace initiative, as well as visits to Beijing, where China rejected the idea outright. However, the newly uncovered information often contradicts long-held narratives, including the claim that Italy initiated the talks, leaving more questions than answers.
Operation Marigold appeared to be on the verge of concluding the Vietnam War. Diplomatic meetings were arranged in Warsaw, terms were drafted, and all parties agreed to engage. However, the details become unclear from this point: timelines are inconsistent, and significant portions of the events are missing from various records. It seems both sides hesitated to reach out, Polish efforts to facilitate direct communication between the Americans and North Vietnamese faltered, and U.S. military operations in Hanoi persisted. Ultimately, the negotiations collapsed, and the war dragged on. The true proximity to peace may forever remain a mystery.
7. The Flying Tiger Line Flight 739
On March 16, 1962, Flight 739 vanished en route from Guam to the Philippines. All 107 passengers were declared dead two months after the disappearance, with no wreckage ever recovered. The circumstances remain unclear, but families of the passengers claim they were soldiers involved in the Vietnam War. Officially, there is no record linking the flight to the war, and no government agency acknowledges any military mission. However, relatives insist the passengers were selected from military bases nationwide, hinting at a covert operation.
Government documents describe some passengers as communications advisers and supply sergeants, but heavily redacted files suggest a deeper, classified mission. According to the Civil Aeronautics Board, the plane was en route to Saigon, carrying only passengers—93 Americans, three South Vietnamese military personnel, and 11 crew members. No distress signals or radio communications were detected before the plane vanished. A Liberian tanker reported witnessing an explosion along the flight path, but no debris or evidence was ever found.
Relatives of the deceased have persistently sought to have their loved ones' names inscribed on the Vietnam Memorial Wall in Washington. However, the government has remained tight-lipped about the men's roles. Families suspect involvement in covert operations, recalling that several of the men expressed foreboding about their chances of returning home.
6. Trinh Minh The
The course of the Vietnam War might have been significantly altered if not for the unidentified sniper who assassinated military leader Trinh Minh The in 1955. During World War II, The served as a noncommissioned officer in the Japanese military, where his staunch anti-communist and anti-colonialist views took root. He later joined the French Army after the war, aligning with the Association for the Restoration of Vietnam.
In 1951, The, along with thousands of followers, deserted the French Army to establish the Union of Nationalist Forces of Vietnam, aiming to oppose both communist factions and colonialist ambitions. In 1955, The was fatally shot by a sniper on a Saigon street, but the identity of the shooter and the mastermind behind the assassination remain unknown. At the time, it was believed that The was considering yielding to pressure from his financial supporters and potentially joining the South Vietnamese army in Saigon.
5. Archie Mitchell, Daniel Gerber, and Eleanor Ardel Vietti
By the war's conclusion, 17 American civilians were officially categorized as 'missing' due to wartime activities. Among them were three American volunteers serving at a Vietnamese leprosy hospital. On May 30, 1962, Vietcong forces raided the Ban Me Thuot Leprosarium in South Vietnam. The staff included Dr. Eleanor Ardel Vietti, a surgeon; Reverend Archie Mitchell, a missionary and administrator; and Daniel Gerber, a hospital volunteer. Mitchell’s wife and four children were present but unharmed, as were the Vietnamese nurses. After seizing medical supplies, the Vietcong abducted the three volunteers, and despite occasional reports of their whereabouts, no confirmed contact or information about their fate was ever established.
Archie Mitchell’s life was marked by another tragedy almost 17 years prior to his abduction in Vietnam. During World War II, Japan launched bomb-carrying balloons across the Pacific, some of which reached the U.S. mainland. Mitchell’s first wife and their children were killed by one of these unexploded devices during a church picnic. Unaware of the danger, his wife discovered the bomb and called Mitchell over, triggering the explosion. This incident remains the only wartime casualty on U.S. soil during World War II. By the time a memorial was erected for the victims, Mitchell was already in Asia.
4. The Marines of the Mayaguez Incident
The 'Mayaguez Incident' is recognized as the final official battle of the Vietnam War. It began when Khmer Rouge forces seized the American merchant ship SS Mayaguez, prompting a U.S. Air Force and Marine rescue operation. The conflict, centered around Koh Tang island in the Gulf of Thailand, was brutal, and the fate of several Marines remains unclear. Fifteen lives were lost during the incident, and determining the exact events and locations of the soldiers has been challenging. Since 1991, joint Cambodian and U.S. search teams have scoured the island in hopes of recovering the remains of the missing soldiers.
Three Marines are still unaccounted for. Pfc. Gary Hall, aged 18, was reportedly left behind during the chaotic U.S. withdrawal. Rumors suggest he was taken to the mainland and executed. Similar stories surround Lance Cpl. Joseph Hargrove and Pvt. Danny Marshall. Em Son, the Khmer Rouge commander during the battle, provided inconsistent accounts, claiming the men were either captured and executed on the mainland or survived the battle only to be captured later. Other accounts allege they were killed by friendly fire, beaten by the Khmer Rouge, or imprisoned. Over 20 investigations have failed to resolve the mystery. Time is running out, as plans are underway to develop a luxury resort on the beach.
3. George W. Bush’s Military Service
The past can sometimes resurface unexpectedly. During the 2000 and 2004 elections, George W. Bush's military service became a topic of scrutiny. Initially, the questions were relatively tame, especially given the opposing party's own controversies regarding Bill Clinton's Vietnam-era activities. However, as time went on, more inconsistencies emerged. Records appeared incomplete or contradictory, with payroll documents suggesting Bush was present at Ellington Air Force Base in 1973, while medical records from the same date indicated otherwise. His attendance at the Texas base was sporadic, with transfer requests denied yet seemingly carried out regardless.
For a year, Bush's activities remain largely unaccounted for. Allegations arose that he leveraged family connections to secure a less demanding role during a tumultuous war. In 1968, his military test scores barely met the minimum requirements for pilot training, contrasting sharply with later descriptions of him as an exemplary pilot. His celebrity status, however, was well-documented, including a commanding officer who arranged to take a photo with him.
The central question remains unanswered: Did Bush use his influence to avoid the most dangerous aspects of the Vietnam War and secure a position in pilot training? Forms he reportedly completed—though he later claimed no memory of them—suggest he explicitly requested not to be deployed overseas. While he stated he was denied overseas deployment, the details of these arrangements remain unclear.
The controversy resurfaced in 2004 when Dan Rather of 60 Minutes obtained documents suggesting Bush had disobeyed a direct order to undergo a National Guard physical and was suspended for failing to meet standards. However, the authenticity of the documents was questioned, and the show ultimately retracted the story and issued an apology after standing by their source initially.
2. How Effective Was Operation Wandering Soul?
Operation Wandering Soul aimed to capitalize on Vietnamese cultural beliefs regarding the dead. According to tradition, those who did not receive proper burials were believed to wander the Earth, tormented and unable to find peace, occasionally communicating with the living. To instill fear in the enemy, U.S. military personnel, aided by South Vietnamese volunteers, created eerie audio recordings. These recordings, famously known as 'Ghost Tape No. 10,' were broadcast in the jungles, though their actual impact remains uncertain.
Accounts of the tape's effectiveness vary widely. Some reports suggest it had no effect, as the enemy quickly recognized it as a ploy. Others claim it succeeded in demoralizing some troops. A few even assert that the tape terrified Vietcong soldiers so profoundly that they deserted their positions and surrendered. Regardless of its impact, the tape is undeniably chilling, featuring voices purportedly from the afterlife, lamenting their senseless deaths and pleading to return home.
In a sense, Operation Wandering Soul continued beyond the war. The name was revived for a joint initiative by Australia and New Zealand. After Vietnamese families assisted in recovering the remains of Australian soldiers, the Australian military and the National Vietnam Veterans Museum sought to reciprocate. They requested the return of war trophies taken from Vietnam, aiming to restore these items to the families of the deceased.
1. Marine Cpl. Robert Daniel Corriveau
In 1968, Marine Cpl. Robert Daniel Corriveau went missing from the psychiatric ward of the Philadelphia Naval Hospital and was classified as a deserter. Having recently returned from Vietnam, he was battling what is now recognized as post-traumatic stress disorder. His disappearance from a secured hospital unit led to him being reported as absent without leave. It wasn’t until his sister advocated for him, asserting he was no deserter, that fragments of the truth began to surface.
In 2012, DNA from Corriveau’s sister helped identify his remains. Just three hours after he was reported missing from the hospital, a state trooper found a body on the turnpike. For over four decades, the body remained unidentified. Now, Corriveau is no longer considered a deserter but a victim of murder. He had been fatally stabbed in the heart, though the exact circumstances remain a mystery. His body was located approximately 50 kilometers (30 miles) from the hospital. Tragically, his family wasn’t informed of his disappearance until a week later, leaving them with little recourse.
Corriveau’s military status has since been updated, and he has been posthumously awarded the medals he earned for his service in Vietnam. While his family now knows he was not a deserter, they remain hopeful that someone might come forward to help solve the 45-year-old murder case.
