Correcting the Myths of the Vietnam War: Bob Del Vecchio, USMC

Bob Del Vecchio

Bob Nilsson (the Guardian Angel of ALL MARINE RADIO) recently sent me a link to a lecture that R.J. “Bob” Del Vecchio, a Marine Combat Cameraman in Vietnam, did in Atlanta before the Atlanta Vietnam Veterans Business Association on the subject of “Correcting the Myths of the Vietnam War” on February 6, 2018.  Bob does an great job presenting facts that round out the narrative of PBS’s “The Vietnam War.”  So, IF you watched the Burns/Novick PBS Documentary “The Vietnam War” you MUST watch this — Bob Del Vecchio’s presentation lends itself to a broader understanding of the Vietnam War, what the documentary omitted and and the facts about some very substantial events during the Vietnam War.

To Bob Del Vecchio — well done Marine!

The career of Jim Bathurst, from Private to Colonel USMC (Part 3)

Col Jim Bathurst, USMC

Col Jim “Sgt B” Bathurst, USMC (ret) has one of the most unique Marine Corps careers I have ever heard of, rising from Private to GySgt and then 2ndLt to Colonel after he received as commission during the Vietnam War.

Our interview was supposed to last an hour and it stretch into three hours and twenty minutes because of the unique career of this leader of Marines turned author and mentor (The Young Marine Program).

 

In Part 3 you’ll hear about how other leaders opened doors for Jim to get his college degree which allowed him to be retained as a Commissioned Officer, his thoughts on the recently aired Burns/Novick documentary “The Vietnam War,” why and how he retired and how he came be be an author.

You can buy the book “We’ll All Die as Marines” here and you can check out Jim’s blog — here.

The career of Jim Bathurst, from Private to Colonel USMC (Part 2)

(L) 2dLt Marshall Croy & SSgt Jim Bathurst having just come off Operation Mississippi November 1966
(R) SSgt Bathurst

Col Jim “Sgt B” Bathurst, USMC (ret) has one of the most unique Marine Corps careers I have ever heard of, rising from Private to GySgt and then 2ndLt to Colonel after he received as commission during the Vietnam War.

Our interview was supposed to last an hour and it stretch into three hours and twenty minutes because of the unique career of this leader of Marines turned author and mentor (The Young Marine Program).

In Part 2 you’ll hear about Jim’s experiences as a infantry squad leader and rifle platoon commander in Vietnam, how he was commissioned as a 2ndLt while serving at Marine Barracks 8th & I and then chosen as one of forty-five (from a group of approximately 4,500 SNCO’s who had been commissioned) .

You can buy the book “We’ll All Die as Marines” here and you can check out Jim’s blog — here.