Where did American soldiers sleep in Vietnam war times?

Answer 1

US Sailors of the Riverine Forces (Brown Water Navy) slept on their Swift Boats (all aluminum, 50 footers, with 5 crewmen & 1 officer in command); or on their PBR's (Patrol Boat River, all fiberglass, 32 footers, 5 crewmen, NO officer); or on their "Alpha Boats" (ASPB-Assault Support Patrol Boat, all steel construction); or on their "MONITOR" (River Battleship, armed with a cannon). US Airmen slept in bunkers or buildings close by their assigned aircraft: Their duties when not sleeping, would be to re-arm their F-104 Starfighters, or re-refuel their assigned F-100 Supersabres, or load bombs onto their assigned B-52 bombers. US Soldiers assigned to M-48 Patton tanks would sleep on the back deck, just behind the turret (it was the flatest there), or on top of the turret, or on the bussel rack (the caged portion surrounding the back of the turret, this was the best place to sleep, because it was the safest from a traversing turret, or a firing cannon or machingun, and was safe from some crewman accidently jumping on top of you when he hurriedly tried to man his battle station). If the situation allowed it, crewmen would sleep on folding army issue cots set up on the rear or sides of the tanks. But if the chance of getting mortared or rocketed was good, then sleeping in a nearby hole in the ground (foxhole) would be preferred. Sleeping inside the tank was often done, but that was like sleeping inside your automobile (car); cramped and uncomfortable. Besides, tanks were big above the ground targets, and invited RPG's (Rocket Propelled Grenades). So MOST crewmen preferred to sleep away from them. US Marine/US Infantrymen slept on the ground. Rarely did they dig holes, except when they were drawing fire or had drawn fire earlier. Then they'd dig! The reason "grunts" didn't like to dig holes (foxholes) is because they moved so much. As soon as the poor guy dug a hole, they were ordered to move out again! They'd get fed up, and just sleep on the ground; rolled up in their poncho or poncho liner. US Marine/US Artillerymen slept NEAR their Field Guns. Usually within built up wooden ammo boxes filled with earth (dirt) surrounding their perimeter. The wooden ammo boxes acted as "sand bags."

Answer 2

For US Army Personnel: Hootches were built by the Army Engineers or Navy CB's. They were made of wooden planks with tin roofs. They were open bays, sometimes with a corner room built inside for the senior man of the unit (an NCO for example). Officers had their own quarters, normally individual wooden planked rooms. Army issued folding cots were often in the hootches; blankets and pillows didn't exist. If GI's stayed in them long enough, they'd build waist level plywood separaters, forming individual rooms. At least they showed the boundary areas for individual privacy. ALL Hootches in country were sand bagged on the outside, sometimes shoulder high. Latrines & Showers were separate shacks or tents. The old TV series "MASH" showed a typical base camp area in Vietnam. Even though it was supposed to be in Korea, it was Vietnam (based upon the interviews with actors Donald Sutherland, and some of the cast; from the original MASH movie).

Answer 3

Men serving in armor and infantry slept in the field, either on the ground, in a hole (foxhole, trench), or upon their armored vehicle.

Artillerymen normally slept within a complex constructed from wooden shell/projectile boxes filled with earth (dirt or sand). Another words, bunkers built from thrown away wooden ammo crates instead of standard sand bags. The army did issue cots and men often carried them strapped to their vehicles (1/4 ton, 2 1/2 ton, 5 ton trucks, etc.).

Everyone else not mentioned above slept in bunkers, tents, or on their warships.

Answer 4

Many of the soldiers had 'rice balls' or rice cakes that they would eat along the trails without actually stopping to eat. The normal staple of the Vietnamese soldier's diet was noodle soup, or pho; and rice. The beverage of choice was tea. Fish was commonly cooked into the pho soup.

Answer 5

During the Viet War, a "Shelter Half" was half of an army pup tent. Another GI carried the other half. Together they could put up one "two-man" tent.

Answer 6

Sometimes. The head stones and other stone like structures made for good cover during ambush patrols. After 1970, the practice was frowned upon by allied authorities.