Veteran’s Stories: Lehi’s Jim Slade helped when he could and saw tragedy in Vietnam
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- Jim Slade of Lehi holds a captured Chinese-made rifle he brought home from Vietnam.
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- Photo of the US Huey helicopter, taken moments after its return from the mission involving the punji stakes. Jim Slade is still in the back of the chopper.
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- “Ho Shi Minh” sandal made from old tire and often worn by enemy soldiers, now owned by Jim Slade.
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- Captured miniature North Vietnamese (Viet Cong) battle flag now owned by Jim Slade.
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- Large Bowie-style knife taken off a dead Viet Cong and Jim Slade’s small boot knife worn at all times by him for self-defense.
Vern Moulton, Special to the Daily Herald
Jim Slade of Lehi holds a captured Chinese-made rifle he brought home from Vietnam.
Americans everywhere owe an enormous debt to the men and women who fought for their country. To remember these brave individuals, the Daily Herald is pleased to share some of their stories.
This is the eighth article in a weekly series which will share the experiences of Jim Slade of Lehi, who served as a soldier during the Vietnam War. It was not Jim Slade’s choice to serve in that war but when he was asked, he answered the call. A loyal American who has served admirably and who loves his country, Slade tells his children and grandchildren, “Freedom is not free!”
War will sometimes bring out the best in soldiers and sometimes there are opportunities to do good.
One time during a mission, Jim Slade and his team had just finished rounding up over a hundred Viet Cong and NVA soldiers in a small village. As they loaded them into the helicopters, Jim became aware of an injured toddler whose stomach was bloated due to an injury. She had been hit by a small piece of white phosphorus from previous combat action. The wound was infected. She also had been separated from her mother and left behind.
Jim put her on the evacuating helicopter. He sat her on his lap to let her look out of the opening. Back at camp, Jim got one of the medical personnel to take care of her wound. Upon investigation, Jim found that her mother was associated with the Viet Cong and had been confined to the American POW camp. He was able, through the contacts available to him, to locate the girl’s mother and arrange for them to be reunited. With American medical care, the girl recovered from her wound.
Vern Moulton, Special to the Daily Herald
Photo of the US Huey helicopter, taken moments after its return from the mission involving the punji stakes. Jim Slade is still in the back of the chopper.
Most young men in America at this time were not willing to go to war and risk being shot at. But in one small town, this did not seem to be true. There were two young men, one not yet out of high school and the other graduated. They were in love with the same girl. The older boy volunteered to go to Vietnam, was injured and received a purple heart. Upon his return, he not only received much acclaim, praise and attention from the town but he got the girl.
The younger boy, seeing all this praise and romantic success, immediately enlisted. To do so, he lied about his age as he should have been 18 to enlist. Sent to Vietnam, it was not long before he found himself carrying a rifle in Jim’s combat unit. Just before going out on his first mission, this young man went to Jim and asked if he would help him get out of the mission. Jim told him it was too late to get him off this mission, but he would try to do something when the boy returned.
On guard duty that night, the young soldier heard and saw shadows and movement in front of his position. He did not know it, but the VC was out there and had herded several pigs toward his position. The soldier stood up and fired his rifle, thinking the pigs were the enemy. When he fired, the muzzle flash from his own rifle lit up his face like a neon sign, giving the enemy an easy target. This young man was sadly killed and did not return home to receive the welcome or success he had hoped for. Jim felt so bad. If only his trainer had told him: “Never fire your rifle at night, just throw a grenade.”
The Vietnam War exacted a heavy toll on American soldiers. Some returned home injured, disabled or suffering from PTSD. Adding to this, many were unfortunately caught up in drug addiction either during the war or upon their return to the states. Our involvement in this war generated serious and sometimes even violent controversies here at home. There were anti-war riots on college campuses. When some soldiers got off the plane from Vietnam they were called, “baby killers,” by angry dissidents. Even today, there is still bitterness among some Americans about the Vietnam War.
Jim Slade does not express the negative or angry attitudes about the war in Vietnam. It is his belief that the people of Vietnam were being oppressed and even killed by governments seeking to establish a ruthless dictatorship among the Vietnamese people. The brutality of the Communists at that time was amply demonstrated by the mass killings of innocent people who were left behind when the Americans pulled out.
Vern Moulton, Special to the Daily Herald
"Ho Shi Minh" sandal made from old tire and often worn by enemy soldiers, now owned by Jim Slade.
Check back next Saturday as Slade shares another of his experiences during his time in Vietnam.
Captured miniature North Vietnamese (Viet Cong) battle flag now owned by Jim Slade.
Large Bowie-style knife taken off a dead Viet Cong and Jim Slade's small boot knife worn at all times by him for self-defense.
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