He knew he wanted to enlist, but was faced with a problem: he was too short. Some of these men were career military officers. U.S. involvement in the Southeast Asian country had more than doubled from 1965. They became known as some special forces who skied into battle against enemy forces. But many of the soldiers who went were drafted into the service, ineligible for a student deferment because they had never been to college. The technical storage or access that is used exclusively for anonymous statistical purposes. Funds are paid by Greater Good Charities to benefiting organizations as a grant. Start Reading. He had been the victim of a hit-and-run car accident. But due to the Vietnam draft they would have likely taken him anyway if that was his only disqualifier from serving. He becomes a mystery to family and friends alike. Larry Burrows / Getty Images. 4' 9" 97lb Vietnam War Vet Green Beret Captain Richard J. Flaherty was the smallest US soldier to ever serve in the military. Some of us may have known Richard Flaherty only because of his small size. Archives held in Texas revealed this happened to one unfortunate soldier. If they were feeling particularly cruel they may point the sticks downwards at an angle. He was the shortest US serviceman in history. They carried out tunnel rat duties as and when they needed in addition to any other duties they performed. One Viet Cong soldier highlighted their lack of discreteness. too light. 22 Feb 2018. When it came time to weigh in, Flaherty barely tipped the scale of 100 pounds. [6] After Flaherty's death, Yuzuk went to look into his history and uncovered troves of information from Flaherty's storage unit, such as his passport with stamps from Cambodia, Venezuela, Iraq and Jordan. . 58,169 were killed and 304,000 wounded out of 2.59 million who served. Medically speaking, Richard would be considered a proportionate dwarf. Flaherty was killed on May 9, 2015 in a hit and run. See what its like to jump out of a C-17 with the Armys 82nd Airborne, How to make it through Special Forces selection, How one unusual vehicle helped create Americas Special Forces, Special Forces officer slated to lead NATO special operations, This new Special Forces video mixes history and heroism in the best ways, 8 Green Berets on what it means to be Army Special Forces, ST Idaho: The Special Forces team that vanished in the jungle, Putin has a Problem: Russia can barely build any tanks to fight in Ukraine, Controlling killer swarms of swarms: Inside DARPAs AMASS, The Marine Corps is closing down its Scout Sniper platoons, Get Out: Making The Most of a Duty Station. Capt. High 64F. During the war, more than 58,000 servicemen and women lost their lives. Your purchase was successful, and you are now logged in. Marines who score 285 or higher on BOTH the PFT and CFT are exempt from height/weight standards. They helped conduct military operations on behalf of communist forces. Related: How to make it through Special Forces selection. It is here that his story begins to take many twists and turns. He had a few run-ins with the law before becoming a confidential informant for the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms. He ended up leading a reconnaissance platoon, showing great . Flaherty was unfazed by the criticism he continued to receive throughout his life. 4' 9" 97lb Vietnam War Vet Green Beret Captain Richard J. Flaherty was the smallest US soldier to ever serve in the military. In 1970 he was reassigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens. But it wasnt until 2015 that Flaherty first spoke of his time as a platoon leader and Green Beret in Vietnam. The US army now sought alternate measures. 45 calibers with a seven-round magazine as they were readily available. But first he had to fight simply to get into the Army. If possible they also used gas to disorient, scare, and suffocate tunnel rat soldiers. When he graduated high school in 1966, the 4-foot-9-inch man was 3 inches under the Army's height requirement. Consequently, given the average smaller size of Vietnamese men, tunnel rat soldiers, by necessity, were the shortest, skinniest, and most limber men in the army: a maximum height of 1.58 meters. He enlisted that same year, finishing basic training, qualifying for Officer Candidate School, and deploying to Vietnam as a second lieutenant. During one search and destroy operation, for example, a unit destroyed 6000 pounds of rice, 40 pounds of salt, 8 rifle grenades, 8 bunkers, numerous dwellings, and one 120-foot-long tunnel. After Vietnam, he did contract work for the CIA all over the world. Photo credit: USMC Archives. Afghan war. lkunl/Shutterstock. The U.S. military has estimated that between 200,000 and 250,000 South Vietnamese soldiers died in the war. He says of Flaherty, I think that Vietnam tortured Richard.. Flaherty then called for a 90 millimeter recoilless rifle a shoulder-mounted explosive projectile launcher initially designed to destroy tanks to be brought to his position, and from there, led its two-man crew on an assault of the North Vietnamese bunker. No offense intended, but most armies have minimal-height, like here in my country you can't go to the army or police when being less than 1.55m as a man (don't know if this is still accurate, but it was in the past. Another particularly horrific tactic became known as the spike ball or the mace. If it did not force the enemy out, those inside the tunnels often suffocated to death instead. 66F. Submitting this form below will send a message to your email with a link to change your password. Stories reveal that one American soldier raised his head through a tunnel entrance only to have a piece of metal automatically speared through his neck. They are our brothers and sisters. He also weighed less than 100 pounds, further disqualifying him from serving in the Army. He stood three inches below the height cutoff for enlistment and was barely 100 pounds. By April 1968, Flaherty was a paratrooper and a platoon leader with the 101st Airborne Division. Richard Flaherty, was certainly a standout. These homeless veterans deserve more from us. He fought and distinquished himself in Vietnam. March 28, 2022 Local Vietnam veterans showcase . At the time, Yuzuk was a police officer and Flaherty was a member of Aventuras homeless community, camping under a palm tree off one of the citys main boulevards. You can check it out here. He increased the amount he ate and gained muscle through sports. Capt. Answer (1 of 17): I didn't serve in Vietnam. Sometimes, they would smear the tip of the stakes with urine, feces, poison, or other contaminants to infect the wound when it penetrated the skin. He went back to Southeast Asia with the 46th Special Forces Company as a Special Forces Operational Detachment A (SFODA) commander. We owe them the dignity that they deserve. Theres a documentary on his life/death. Flaherty dedicated himself to gaining weight. Later that year, he was reassigned to the 10th Special Forces Group at Fort Devens. Since completing her degrees, she has decided to take a step back from academia to focus her career on writing and sharing history in a more accessible way. Of course, the local Vietnamese population designed the tunnels with their own size in mind. Postal Service. Theyre known for their specialization in counterinsurgency, a skill that was heavily used during the Vietnam War. Anness, who died in 2005, was the daughter of an Army captain, and traveled the world with her military family before settling in Miami, where she earned an MBA at the University of Miami and worked as a consultant. The tunnels also hosted armament workshops, training depots, headquarters, and a variety of other facilities. Significant causalities ensued on both sides, but the combined Australian and American forces were unable to fully uncover the extensive tunnel network. Yuzuk used his own funds and a crowdsourcing campaign to produce The Giant Killer, an 80-minute documentary available on Amazon Prime and iTunes, released late last year. What we do know comes to us from a Hallandale police officer, David Yuzuk. In his new life as a civilian, Flaherty studied at the University of Miami in Florida, but entered a period of despondency after a girlfriend died in a car wreck in 1975. The Marines have adopted a new program as of January 2017. Weve got a clip from the movie that details Richards ruthlessness in combat. More from us: Phil Bucklew: The Father of US Naval Special Warfare. That way, when a soldier fell into a pit and became trapped, he would call for a colleague who would rush to his aid and collapse into the trap next to it. Though this article will explore specific examples later, these traps were particularly brutal in the tunnels. Mai Chi Tho, brother of Le Duc Tho (a prominent Hanoi Politburo member) highlights how they used the tunnels to infiltrate Saigon. Flaherty was killed during a hit and run attack on May 9, 2015, in Miami. pearl harbor. No racism, sexism or any sort of -ism *Warning: Some people may find these pictures disturbing.*. Former police officer David Yuzuk has written a superb book on Flaherty and his amazing life. [8], https://blog.theveteranssite.greatergood.com/smallest-beret-vet/, Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives, https://www.facebook.com/TheGiantKIllerDocumentary/, Special Forces Operations Detachment A (SFODA) Commander, "Giant Killer: Richard James Flaherty's life", "Height-waiver Green Beret: Captain James Flaherty was a Special Forces legend", "Vietnam Vet Richard Flaherty Was 'The Giant Killer', "Decorated Vietnam War veteran killed by hit-and-run driver", "Police Identify Aventura Hit-and-Run Victim as Decorated War Veteran", https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=Richard_J._Flaherty&oldid=1142406371, This page was last edited on 2 March 2023, at 05:58. Short in size he might have been, but short in courage he wasnt. Tragically, he was killed in a hit and run during the early hours of May 9, 2015. In fact, volunteers boasted of their ability to change flashlights in pitch black without realizing the damaging consequences of this. Provide food and supplies to veterans at The Veterans Site for free! Captain Flaherty's incredible life story was captured in the Amazon #1 Best Selling book, "The Giant Killer" available on Amazon as a Paperback, eBook, & Audiobook, and the award-winning documentary, "The Giant Killer Finding Flaherty" available worldwide on Amazon, Google Play, YouTube, iTunes, and Tubi. However, he was eventually arrested for possession of gun silencers and removed from the agency. Each panel is numbered from "1" to "70" at the base, with West Panel 1 and East Panel 1 . It was if he was hardening himself up for some special task.. On February 12 the first of 591 U.S. military and civilian POWs were released in Hanoi and flown directly to Clark Air Force Base in the Philippines. Be Nice. After all, many soldiers are have said to prefer the M14 to the M16 during the Vietnam War, and the rifle has been described by other authors as a "phoenix" rising again and again when the U.S . Richard Flaherty was just a kid I knew briefly in high school. Richard Flaherty is laid to rest in an unmarked grave in Milton near Lisa Anness, a woman he described as the love of his life. The Giant Killer (available to rent now on iTunes, Amazon and other VOD platforms) aims to unravel the truth of his post-service life and mysterious death. What's the minimum requirement in the US army today? Shortest US soldier in Vietnam War was not short in courage. He becomes a mystery to family and friends alike. Naturally, there were only first chances, never second, so some simply killed as they had to. Trni was a dedicated and brave soldier, and he quickly rose to the rank of captain and took command of a group of ski troops. And there was more; he was homeless. Shortest U.S. His mother didnt know at the time of his birth that her blood type was Rh-negative which may lead to serious health problemsand deathin a second-born fetus. These guerrillas were fighting the colonial power of France. After being discharged, Flaherty did private and military contract work in Rhodesia and Angola in Africa. We won't share it with anyone else. So began a wild adventure involving guns, cash, and High Altitude Low Opening parachute jumps into the Florida Everglades swamps. Winds light and variable.. Cloudy with occasional rain after midnight. He returned to the US at the end of his tour and attended Special Forces Officer Course at Fort Bragg. Nobody ever knew where these guys were coming from they pointed out in jungle school that there was a tunnel system we had numerous tunnel rats, but we never knew exactly where or how extensive or where the entrance was. A life warrior. Yuzuk was stunned by both the sudden loss of a friend and the realization that he would need to do his own detective work to discover what Flaherty had not gotten around to telling him about his life. In the end, his life has as much mystery in it as it does accounts of real grit and heroism. Flahertys death made Yuzuks effort a lot harder, but he was undeterred. . [But] They were the ones you never killed. each comment to let us know of abusive posts. Richard Flaherty, was certainly a standout. Finding out about him and what he had done since graduating from high school has put me through a roller coaster of emotions. These soldiers made punji stakes out of heated and sharpened wood or bamboo. Photo credit: Funker530. His ODA was tasked with training the Royal Thai Army in counterinsurgency operations and prepare them for a deployment to Vietnam. He also fell below the Army's weight requirement of 100 pounds. Soon after, Flaherty is killed by a hit-and-run driver. On one side towered a 7ft 3in (2.21m) German man-mountain who quit his job with an American freak show to join the Wehrmacht. We often look at college students as punk kids, lazy frat guys or any other kind of social stereotype. Even if they could deal with the claustrophobic conditions, air and artillery support had not prepared them for the type of old-fashioned combat that relied on savage behavior, individual strength, guts, and cunningness. Already well-adapted to subterranean life, many insects and animals of the Vietnamese jungle found the underground tunnels to be a worthy living environment. He first deployed to Southeast Asia in 1968 as a member of the 101st Airborne Division. Four-foot, nine-inch tall veteran Richard J. Flaherty claimed to be the shortest man ever to serve in the United States military. The Tropic Lightning Tunnel Rat School at Cu Chi base camp provides an example of this. Once the Viet Cong caught on to what was happening, they began to use the same soap the Americans used. He returned to the U.S. that same year to attend the Army Special warfare School at Fort Bragg, where he earned his green beret. Four-foot, nine-inch tall veteran Richard J. Flaherty claimed to be the shortest man ever to serve in the United States military. Greek Army veteran (National service with 575th Marines Battalion and Army HQ). when a soldier had approximately two months remaining on his tour in Vietnam, he might take a long stick and notch it for each of his remaining days in-country. Oct 15, 2015 Ian Harvey, Guest Author. The Giant Killer is one of those stranger-than-fiction tales that would never make it as a movie pitch because its just so unbelievable. When triggering a tripwire, a plank weighted with barbed metal spikes and bricks would fall rapidly from the earth squashing the soldier below. Although the percent who died is similar to other wars, amputations or crippling wounds were 300 percent higher than in World War II. There are some interviews with the men that served under him and they talk about him ordering soldiers to kill civilians and surrendered VC. Consenting to these technologies will allow us to process data such as browsing behavior or unique IDs on this site. Your Herd from Herald-Dispatch Reach Manager. Hed traveled a lot, read a lot and was interesting to talk with.. Yuzuk said it was not long after he moved to Florida in 1999 and joined the Aventura Police Department that he noticed Flaherty. In fact, on one occasion he was able to save several of his men who had been trapped by heavy enemy fire. A retired Miami cop spends three years trying to unearth the truth about a homeless gentleman he'd befriended. A lot of the time it really depended on the size of the soldiers in the infantry division. Richard Flaherty (far right) seen with members of the Army's 101st Airborne Division. 20002023 The Veterans Site and GreaterGood. The Viet Cong built drain pipe ventilation shafts every 20 to 30 meters at an oblique angle to prevent flooding. The technical storage or access is necessary for the legitimate purpose of storing preferences that are not requested by the subscriber or user. On November 28, 1945, doctors in Stamford Connecticut's Regional Hospital intensely worked to save newborn Richard James Flahertys life. His stint with the CIA came to an end when he was arrested for possessing silencers. After this, he refused to ever go into a tunnel again. He was successful and joined the US Army. Some volunteered to go to Vietnam. One American man was trying anything to get in. Whitesides was killed, and Thompson was taken prisoner; he would ultimately spend just short . The Viet Cong, with their lack of funding, was more skilled in this area given the necessity of their style of warfare. Communications, public relations, and marketing professional, and content creator during free time. During this deployment, he would be promoted to captain, earn two Bronze Stars and would be wounded in combat two times, receiving a Purple Heart for each time. To provide the best experiences, we use technologies like cookies to store and/or access device information. A Soldier's Thoughts. In Britain, during the Nap. He wasnt flat-footed, he had no debilitating conditions, and he was an otherwise perfectly healthy young man. You just backed out and told them up above the tunnel was cold.. By the time the American army arrived, there were over two hundred kilometers. Reads: 47 Comments: 1. . Captured U.S. pilot major Dewey Waddell is guarded by a militiawoman with a gun and a bayonet on a rice field. David Yuzuk's police radio blared from his shoulder as he leaned against his patrol car outside Boston Market in Aventura. But due to the Vietnam draft they would have likely taken him anyway if that was his only disqualifier from serving. He worked for a while as a confidential informant for the federal Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives in the 80s but he was homeless in Aventura, just north of Miami, by 1990. How can we help? Flaherty took Yuzuk to a storage locker he rented to pull out photos and documents that might be useful in the documentary, and they returned several times in the following weeks until May 9, 2015 the date Flaherty was struck and killed by a hit and run driver near his palm-shaded campsite. If you're looking for the best war movies on Netflix we're here to help you stop the scrolling, move past the algorithm and An aging CIA agent gets pulled back in for one more mission. saigon 1975. army soldier. She received both her bachelor of arts degree in history, and her master of arts degree in history from Western University. Released in 1973. Jan 31, 2021 - MILTON The shortest soldier to serve in the U.S. Army during the Vietnam War, a highly decorated officer who completed one tour of duty as a platoon leader with Both known as the shortest soldiers in their units, each would serve in numerous battles as soldiers. ODA was tasked with training the Royal Thai Army in counterinsurgency operations and prepare them for a deployment to Vietnam. The oldest man killed was 62 years old. Richard Flaherty was probably the most unique Green Beret to ever serve in the U.S. Army's Special Forces. Start your free trial today. Yuzuk came to know Richard Flaherty, not just as a homeless man, but as a man of intelligence and goodness. A colleague he worked with recovered his body by dragging his violet-colored corpse out of the tunnel. The primary focus of his time in the CIA was supplying the Nicaraguan Contras in Nicaragua. Yuzuk told the West Virginia Gazette that he hopes the documentary will make people think twice about judging the homeless. The Viet Cong amassed around 250 kilometers of underground tunnels. A twenty-two year old U.S. Army Lieutenant finds himself in the fight of his life on his birthday. All rights reserved. His life may have ended tragically, but it was also a life that included real heroism and self-sacrifice. Finally, this list will look at how successful these attempts were in the grand scheme of things. Five men killed in Vietnam were only 16 years old. SS recruiters for the division accepted boys as young as 14 into the . Infantry Advanced Individual Training also helped them to deal more in-depth with other issues. korean war. Id known him for 15 years, and this was the first time he ever mentioned the military. If you are squeamish or hate thinking about claustrophobic conditions, take this as a warning: gruesome facts lie ahead! When Flaherty was born, hed been deprived of oxygen, due to a rare blood condition his mother had, which stunted his growth. Soldiers who are not fluent in another language will attend six to 18 months at the Defense Language Institute (DLI) prior to AIT. Was the shortest soldier in US military history a CIA operative who had been assassinated? 22. Doctors from Stamford Connecticut's Regional Hospital worked intensely to save the newborn as his mother wasn't aware of her blood group of Rh-negative. One of the huge psychological issues for tunnel rats was the closeness of combat. This is the name that will be displayed next to your photo for comments, blog posts, and more. Next, the Viet Cong would dig a pit and jam the punji stakes upright in it. Indirect Fire Infantrymen (MOS 11C), Combat Engineers (MOS 12B), and Bridge Crewmembers (MOS 12C) also have short . Some of the basic combat training (BCT) soldiers undertook helped though. T he man in the picture keeps his eyes to the ground. He took to eating six meals a day and was able to bulk up to the 100 lb. In a 1977 interview with the Associated Press, a Vietcong survivor recalled how the Americans wasted so much time pulling their dead back that it gave them time to re-group and prepare accordingly. He appealed to his Connecticut Senator, Christopher Dodd, and was able to get a special waiver into the Army. The incompatibilities in the blood caused hormonal imbalances and stunted his growth. For his leadership and heroism, he was awarded the Silver Star. Get your SPECIAL OFFER for MagellanTV here: https://try.magellantv.com/simplehistory. Many knew him over the last decade and a half of his life as a nameless little homeless guy in Hallandale, but he was much more than that. However, Bowman said that he was never that scared of the tunnels; he was so young he believed he was invincible. To learn more or comment about Captain Flaherty please visit The Giant Killer Facebook page. Flaherty and Yuzuk were friends for roughly 15 years before he felt he could share his story with the officer. War is hell. A young man emerging from his journey in a Viet Cong tunnel. While tunnel rats often wanted to wear hearing protection to help lessen the consequences of this noise and avoid damage to their eardrums, they risked not being able to hear the enemy approaching. In September of 1966, Rep. Donald J. Irwin of Connecticut got in touch with the U.S. Army Surgeon General, who recommended a waiver for Flahertys height. His friend decides to investigate and finds a passport that shows Flaherty was secretly traveling to dangerous locations like Jordan, Iraq, Thailand, Vietnam, and Venezuela while living as a homeless man. Giant Killer: The incredible mysterious life of the shortest US soldier A dwarf, a Vietnam hero, a CIA operative, and a homeless man the almost unbelievable life of Richard James Flaherty. Special Forces Soldiers from the U.S. Army's 10th Special Forces Group (Airborne) exfiltrate a Counter Improvised Explosive Device lane in a via MRZR off-road utility vehicle at Panzer Local . Talking of booby traps, Lt. Jack Flowers recalls how the Viet Cong used tripwires to release boxes of scorpions into the tiny confines of the tunnels. After completing basic training, he qualified for Officer Candidate School, from which he graduated as a second lieutenant, before receiving orders sending him to Vietnam. The World War Two story of David and Goliath - an Allied 5ft 3in soldier who captured Germany's tallest soldier at 7ft 6in has been uncovered. Several Viet Cong members knew the American soldiers had boots with plated soles to help prevent injury to their feet. October 2001 to 2016. He graduated the year before me from Stamford Catholic High School, now known as Trinity Catholic High school. If the army located an entrance and needed it explored, the team lowered a tunnel rat into the area to scout out the surroundings. Be Truthful. After his service in Vietnam, Richard Flaherty applied for Special Forces training at Fort Bragg, North Carolina. It included an article about Flahertys tragic death in Aventura, Florida. He was killed in a hit-and-run accident in 2015. Naturally, their opponents were equally as skilled in this department and so tunnel rat soldiers were careful not to clean too much, or use certain products in case their enemies smelled them coming. In the late 1970s, he was sent to supply the Contras in Central America with weapons and cash. or anything. However, they were not popular among tunnel rats as the light was unnecessary, and the silencers were too long and did not function well. 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