Were soldiers in the Vietnam war able to call home or write letters?

NWIP

No phone calls for everyone as it was limited back then. But some were able to do it. Letters could be written but it could take weeks to get there and weeks to get back. It would also depend on where they were at the time and if they had time to answer. Or the person themselves, some were not the best at communications while others were. Lots had little or no communication from those over there in Vietnam from when they left to when they came back if they came back.

Wayne C

Letters were the most common. With a 15 hour time difference and being a day ahead it could be hard making the call when someone was around to answer.

When it's 9 pm on the west coast it is noon in Saigon. I would call Helen when she was there visiting her sister, she did not want me calling too early...she sleeps late.

I will guess that some did call on rare occasion if at all.

Not all have phones even now. So back then there were even less to even make an attempt from.

In Germany during the early 70's we had to go to the Post Office to call the states. I did not waste time on it. Would have to wake up anyone in the middle of the night to do it.

Edit: As far as emergencies go the MARS network would kick in. They use a link with a HAM Radio operator who places the call from his/her home. We could talk to HAMS in Australia, S. Africa and S. America with ease from Presido SF using a jeep mounted Single Side Band Radio. Forget the ground unit number but the airborne version I was trained to fix was the ARC 102. They could transmit from itself and back the long way round the globe....as long as the atmosphere allowed it.

redleg

Both...calling only in emergencies or the birth of a child for example...rarely afforded to enlisted men.

Writing was the main form of communication with home.

jeeper_peeper321

Both, although they could rarely make phone calls

generally only if they had to go to one of the large rear area bases for some reason.

John U

Just like most wars in recent years they could write letters home and receive mail as well. Calling not so much. My Dad was there in 68 and would send home tapes like the old reel to reel tape players of the sixties and would write letters as well. Communicating with the homefront is an extremely large morale booster for anyone serving in the military and ensuring Soldiers, Sailors, Marines etc could do so mail at the minimum was and is a high priority for any branch of service wherever one may be around the world.Today of course we have cell phones and PC's to communicate with but even during and since the civil war there were many letters sent home and vice versa.

Matt

yes, they could send letters

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