[canadian1971]

Hello people

I've seen this question raised a few times in this site...."Did Canada have troops in Viet Nam?" Once again today I talk to a friend named Robert who was with the 442 squadron(pretty sure thats the one), then transfered(or was transfered) to CESUS(?). He said he was in Viet Nam, and that Canada cycled through a full divison there.......I told him how everyone says that there were no Canadian troops in Viet Nam..his response.."I could have told you that"...I've known him for over a year now, and am pretty certain that he would not lie about something of this magnatude.(mind you he is full of shit at times!LOL) He says he will bring me a book on Canada in Viet Nam....as soon as I know more, you will know more.

I'd really hate to think that, that bitch Ann Cunt-n-a was right, and our own boy wrong.

[hormel26c]

No, Canada did not have troops in Viet Nam. There were Canadians who enlisted in US forces and served there, but they were US servicemen and not Canadian.

Canada did have a presence throughout the Viet Nam conflict on the ICCS (International Control Commission). It consisted of a maximum of three people up until the US troop pullout, at which time it increased to about 150. They left shortly afterwards. The Canadian navy had a destroyer in the area during that short period as an emergency evacuation ship, should it have ever become necessary.

There was never anything close to a Division at any time or which cycled through. Your friend was either on the ICCS team or he was a member of US forces. Too often Canadians who enlisted in US forces go about telling people that "Canada was there". Nothing is further from the truth.

I would like to hear more about this book. You might also insist on some personal pictures from the area.

By the way, you cannot be transferred from 442 Transport and Rescue Squadron, an element of the Canadian Air Force to CSIS under any circumstances.

Ann Coulter, the blonde bimbo with the mis-employed mouth was dead wrong.

[canadian1971]

OK, the book is called Shadows of War, Faces of Peace; Canada's Peacekeepers by J.L. Granatstein/ Douglas Lavender

Alot more than 3 people. 3 ambassadors to head its teams, diplomats and the requisite staff, 83 officers, including 3 major generals, along with 31 other ranks.

The first Canadians arrived in Vietnam in August 1954, we finally left in July 1973. 1 Canadian officer was killed when his helicopter was shot down, others were captured by the Viet Cong, but were later released.

Thier job was with the ICCS, to supervise the withdrawl of forces and movement of refugees in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.(Former Indo-China) They were appointed twice by "the Great Powers" in Geneva, along with communist Poland, and neutral India,(Tried to keep a balance for fairness) without being asked. In Laos and Canbodia, the job was done fairly quickly, but because Vietnam was divided into a communist north and a non-communist south, it was more difficult. Then the war began, and everybody took sides so to speak. Poland leaning towards the north, pointing out the violations of the south, Canada towards the U.S.(once they became involved heavily), and the south, pointing out the violations of the north. India tried to stay neutral.

The second time we were appointed, it says "Once more Canada found itself pulled (this time kicking and screaming) into Vietnam." and "forced to participate by American insistence"

I cant find any info on the dates for the 2 appointments,or if there was a gap in between, but it finishs off by stating "The Canadian experience in Vietnam, 2 decades long, was completely fustrating."

[Smoky]

CSIS is what its called canadian secret intel service and canadians didnt "oficially" go to nam there were canadians who joined the American
military and went to nam thats all i have to say

[SprCForr]

Canadians DID go to Vietnam "officially". See the post above WRT the ICCS.

Secondly the proper term is Canadian Sercurity and Intelligence Service. The term "intel" is an Americanism. The Canadian term for intelligence is "int".

[Tman1]

SprCForr wrote:

Canadians DID go to Vietnam "officially". See the post above WRT the ICCS.

Secondly the proper term is Canadian Sercurity and Intelligence Service. The term "intel" is an Americanism. The Canadian term for intelligence is "int".

Err I think its Canadian Security Intelligence Service without the "and".

[canadian1971]

Thank you...a bit of recognition for those guys that were there.

Quote:

There was never anything close to a Division at any time or which cycled through

A missunderstanding on my part here!

[hormel26c]

There is a serious misconception at work here. Canada did not have a military presence in Viet Nam during the core of the conflict involving the USA. In other words, we were NOT there during the fighting. Canada joined the ICCS after the Paris Peace Accords were signed. The organization which the ICCS superceded was the International Control Commission, established in 1954 to supervise the peace between a newly separated Indochina. Canada maintained ICC offices in Vietnam but they were part of the International observer system and NOT under a combat liability.

[Nate_7]

The topic of this thread sort of interests me because I know a guy named Gerard who also claims that he was in Nam, but he doesn't really elaborate on it (not because it's didn't happen, but probably because he can't tell me). All I've been able to get out of him is that he was an infantry in the army for afew years, then got taken out and put through "Special training". He also said he later worked for CSIS.

I know he's not lying because he showed me scrapes all over his back that was from shrapnel.

[hormel26c]

Spies 'R Us

[canadian1971]

Quote:

Canada maintained ICC offices in Vietnam but they were part of the International observer system and NOT under a combat liability.

But they were there.....that's all I'm trying to say....when we as Canadians say "we were not in Vietnam"...well...yes...we were....they were not combat soldiers...but we were there...that's the only point I'm trying to make.

Quote:

There was never anything close to a Division at any time or which cycled through

A rather LARGE mistake on my part...please forgive

[hormel26c]

canadian1971 wrote:

Quote:

Canada maintained ICC offices in Vietnam but they were part of the International observer system and NOT under a combat liability.

But they were there.....that's all I'm trying to say....when we as Canadians say "we were not in Vietnam"...well...yes...we were....they were not combat soldiers...but we were there...that's the only point I'm trying to make.

We were in Ghana in 1979 during the Rawlings coup, but the people there were part of an international military training program. They were not a part of the force that went in to solve the Ghana problem.

So, you saying Canada was IN Viet Nam during the actual conflict is patently incorrect. We maintained a diplomatic mission in Saigon which was often closed and unoccupied. There were no troops, as such. They were assigned to the diplomatic mission. That is the same as the CF personnel assigned to the Canadian embassy in Iran when the Khomheni take-over occured. You won't hear people saying we had troops in Iran.

We were NOT in Viet Nam.

[canadian1971]

Quote:

OK, the book is called Shadows of War, Faces of Peace; Canada's Peacekeepers by J.L. Granatstein/ Douglas Lavender

You know I'm looking at this book right now.....nowhere do I see the word Fiction? I look in this book and, at a glance I see 2 pictures of officers, in white shirts, with a Maple Leaf on the shoulders. Here's a caption from below said pictures as I read it.....Canadian officers chatting with a Viet Cong soldier at a POW exchange(above), and keeping an eye on Viet Cong prisioners changing out of prision gart(below left), in 1973. Monitoring the "cease-fire" and surpervising exchanges of POWs and detainees were the ICCS's main task.

Wish I had a scanner. Maybe then you could see what I see.

....or maybe track down a Major Pat Dillon....A Canadian Officer...Probably ret. by now....ask him where he was in 1973.


P.S....As I look even closer at some of these pictures I notice a patch on top of the shoulders with the intitals R.C.D...........and 2 stripes below....That would be Regiment and Rank correct? If so which reg. and what rank does it indicate.

[Nate_7]

Exactly. What some people need to realize is that our little perfect world that we are made out to live in isin't all what it seems to be. The Canadian government could have sent a small number of 'special' troops over to Vietnam at any point during the war, but they just didn't acknowledge it. Stuff like that happens all the time all over the world, even in good 'ol Canada. We probably have JTF-2 soldiers operating in 2 or more countries right now (There would be more if their numbers were higher).

[canadian1971]

Quote:

The first Canadians arrived in Vietnam in August 1954, we finally left in July 1973. 1 Canadian officer was killed when his helicopter was shot down, others were captured by the Viet Cong, but were later released.

Thier job was with the ICCS, to supervise the withdrawl of forces and movement of refugees in Laos, Cambodia, and Vietnam.(Former Indo-China) They were appointed twice by "the Great Powers" in Geneva, along with communist Poland, and neutral India,(Tried to keep a balance for fairness) without being asked. In Laos and Canbodia, the job was done fairly quickly, but because Vietnam was divided into a communist north and a non-communist south, it was more difficult. Then the war began, and everybody took sides so to speak. Poland leaning towards the north, pointing out the violations of the south, Canada towards the U.S.(once they became involved heavily), and the south, pointing out the violations of the north. India tried to stay neutral.

The second time we were appointed, it says "Once more Canada found itself pulled (this time kicking and screaming) into Vietnam." and "forced to participate by American insistence"

Read carefully please....we would have prefered to have absolutly nothing to do with Vietnam....and they were not "special" troops......in no way shape or form were the combat soldiers.....I don't even see them carrying weapons in these photos!