When were the last active troops pulled out of Vietnam?

Question

I work with a guy who claims he was a Ranger and served in Vietnam. His stories are inconsistent and he lies about a lot of other things, so I am trying determine if this is a Lie. He says he served from 1974-1980, drafted after high school so some time in June or July. The draft was ended in 1973. He says he spent a year in country. By the time he finished basic training, ranger school, jump school and what not it would be 1975. So my question is for anyone who might have been there or knows about American troop numbers and involvement in Vietnam after the Major troop withdrawals in 1973 and before the fall of Saigon in 1975

Answer 1

The Vietnam War (also known colloquially as Vietnam or Nam as well as the American War or Kháng chiến chống Mỹ, the Resistance War Against America in Vietnam) 1 was a conflict in which the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (DRVN, or North Vietnam) and its allies fought against the Republic of Vietnam (RVN, or South Vietnam) and its allies. North Vietnam's allies included the National Front for the Liberation of South Vietnam, the Soviet Union and the People's Republic of China. South Vietnam's allies included the United States and South Korea. US combat troops were involved from 1965 until their official withdrawal in 1973. A large number of civilian casualties resulted from the war, which ended on April 30, 1975 with the re-unification of Vietnam.



United States in Vietnam 1945-1975
Comprehensive Timelines with Quotes and Analysis

November 30, 1972 - American troop withdrawal from Vietnam is completed, although there are still 16,000 Army advisors and administrators remaining to assist South Vietnam's military forces.

January 27, 1973 - The last American soldier to die in combat in Vietnam, Lt. Col. William B. Nolde, is killed.

February 12, 1973 - Operation Homecoming begins the release of 591 American POWs from Hanoi.

March 29, 1973 - The last remaining American troops withdraw from Vietnam as President Nixon declares "the day we have all worked and prayed for has finally come."

America's longest war, and its first defeat, thus concludes. During 15 years of military involvement, over 2 million Americans served in Vietnam with 500,000 seeing actual combat. 47,244 were killed in action, including 8000 airmen. There were 10,446 non-combat deaths. 153,329 were seriously wounded, including 10,000 amputees. Over 2400 American POWs/MIAs were unaccounted for as of 1973.

Answer 2

The selective service system ended in 1975, shortly before my 18th birthday. I remember that even well. The peace treaty negotiated by Kissinger, following the 1972 B-52 bombing of Hanoi, was a master stroke by Nixon. The Congress decided to not fund the US obligations under the treaty and withdrew military support for South Viet Nam. In 1975, when I was a senior in high school, the North invaded the south. The only troops left in Viet Nam were guarding the US embassy. We decided that we had no choice but to reignite the war against the North or haul a** out of there. We hauled a**. Shortly there after, the North and the Khmer Rouge began a reign of terror in the south of Viet Nam, Cambodia and Laos. At least 3 million people were murdered. Count 'em. Movie called the Killing Fields documents what happened there.

I don't doubt but that we had some covert operatives in the region after 1975, but there were no serious military operations after 1973. The collapse of Nixon after Watergate led to the collapse of our will to fight those evil bas**rds. As a result, millions of innocents died. Your friend is exaggerating at best, maybe full of sh** at worst.

Answer 3

I have a friend who just last night told me about his tour in Vietnam for 13 month from 1973-1974. He was just turning 17. Said is was a l.r.r.p. callers it being a larp. He said he was with a group of other 16 and 17 year olds that were sent over there. They were air dropped into the jungle to hide and kill. His stories are very detailed and horrific. Has anyone heard of this type of thing before? I believe what he's telling me.

Answer 4

I graduated High school in 1971 and joined the Navy in 1972. The draft was stopped when I was in my junior year, 1970. I was on board for Operation Frequent Wind, the evacuation of Saigon. It started on Easter Sunday, 1975. The U.S. Marines guarding the embassy were the last U.S. troops to leave, not counting the POW'S. If he was over there at that time, he has the campaign ribbons to show for it.

Answer 5

My cousin did two tours, first as a Ranger Lt, and later as a Special Forces Cpt. We did have troops still there into 75, mostly as advisors & air support during vietnamization (turning over the war to S Vietnam). I can't see how he could have completed training to Ranger in time to go at all, much less a year, but he could have theoretically gone as a regular grunt & on to Ranger school after he came back to the regular Army. I don't know about the draft, it was a little before my time, I was born in 75. Sounds suspicious, but be careful how you call him out, there's a lot of these liars around & they tend to build their self-esteem up on that foundation & get unstable when you crush them in public. We laugh at them & move on, unless it's a medal of honor thing & then they go to jail.

Answer 6

I was in high school when the withdrawals started in 1973 and I don't recall anyone being sent over there in the time period he claims.

The draft ended when the withdrawals were taking place I believe so how could he have been drafted? I don't think he is telling you the truth. I am pretty sure they were not drafting after 1973.

I'd press him for pictures as proof and give you specifics as to where and when and with whom he served. If he starts to squirm, then you know he's probably telling tales.

Answer 7

Been there as an Infantryman with the 101st. Knew many Rangers with L/75th. (attached to the 101st). All active ground action by combat troops stopped late 1972..................no troops left by April 73 except small embassy staff. April 75 the country fell to Communist Terrorists.

Answer 8

And what got here approximately to Vietnam while the US did leave ??? a good extra unpopular dictatorship took over, humorous you do no longer point out that. So in certainty no longer something to debate its a marginally banial empty stupid remark.

Answer 9

March 29th, 1973, last embassy marines April 30th 1975

Answer 10

I think your 'friend' is full of it.

Ask him if he ever visited the United States Army Ranger's base near the Ha Long Bay Naval Station. If he answers yes, then he's full of it. Ha Long Bay is in North Vietnam.