Les Dykema, Veterans Oral History Project, Vietnam War

This was a great story.

Misanthrope joins the Army and hijinks ensues. PROFOUND. Whats next Atheist goes to temple.OR Whitch Doctor dose an operation. I'd be the first to THANK THIS MISANTHROPE FOR NOT SERVING!!

This guy is the best

Les, thanks for your service! I saw your name and wondered if you were from Grand Rapids. I was raised there and went to concerts at Grand Valley. I enjoyed your story about your time in country!

He's really arrogant. He likes the sound of his voice so much, he barely gave the interviewer a chance to ask any questions 😮

A good story teller but a very disturbed man.....he still hasn't recovered from the war mentally 😢

Sounds a bit disjunct but what the heck its His story

“Takes a licking and keeps on ticking.” The America that I grew up in used to be full of guys like this. Gone with the Wind.

No anacondas in Vietnam

Les thank you for your story. Youre my dads age and i respect the hell outta everything the vets have done. I have Ptsd not feom war but from severe abuse. The self medicating. The depressions, the uncontrollable rages, the suicidal thoughts are hell. The worst oart of it is never being able to relax without some kind of mind altering substance. Im 41 and i will say ptsd open up the door for every other mental ilness to come in and consume a person. Im constantly in a state of amxiety fight or flight. Cant hardly sleep. I really feel for any vet that has seen the worst of humanity. The things that haunt me are nothing compared to what these guys have seen. God bless any vet. And thank you for your service. It pisses me off to see these purple hair sissy whiny crybabies that cry about such bullshit insignificant things like stupid fucking pronouns. I think all of those entitled millenial crybabies that are " so oppressed" should be required by law to watch what these men went through just so you can be ungrateful and call it assault when a guy like wont call a man a woman. These men know what true assault is like. So shut up and be grateful , respect youre elders and hopefully one day youll see how ridiculous the things you cry about are

I arrived in Nam October of 1969 and got back in June 1971.

It would be helpful if you would ask the interviewee the year they were in Nam and COR location. Thanks

This is one of, if not the absolute best interview that I’ve ever watched. Listening to his story makes me feel like I was right there experiencing his story, just like reading a good book. I feel like I know every detail of his story.

Thank you for your service sir !🙏🇺🇸🎉

I want to learn more about Jimmy Parker.

He is a man to tell the tales. I could listen to him forever. I’m glad he is able to tell about his experience. So many soldiers just can’t .

My grandfather is a ww2 combat engineer .He took basic training in Mississippi I believe ,he said he got put on KP feeding a boiler with coal to heat the camps water he wanted to see how hot he could get it and that morning his boss came to him and said Holland what the hell are you doing the water is so hot the men can’t take showers ,he never had to do it again.

This is an absolutely incredible listen. I’m an hour and a half in and this may be the best war story/personal account I’ve ever heard. Watch this, or just listen

This interview is number one of my list I am blind, totally blind, he was taking me to places in my mind. Incredible, the stories he was telling so descriptive, is like I was visualizing everything in my mind how he was saying about all the snakes, though things he was doing, he was totally explaining like if you were watching a movie love it this is my number one top, this gentleman was freaking awesome
I laid in my bed and listen to the whole two hours and 36 minutes I think of this interview, but wow, impressive as a blind individual that I am, I could sit next to this man and hear his stories all day, and I wouldn’t get tired.

Best Nam story I have heard! Where is the movie?

I operated out of Phuoc Vinh and Song Be with the CAV. 69-70. Never saw a .50 Cal on a slick that I can remember?

When did you get to Vietnam?
Oh, about 3 o'clock

ShitBurning detail= Enlisted Man BarBQue

This is one of the most honest interviews.

3rd Batt. 7th Marines ChuLai,RVN 10/65-11/66

This is quite a story, unbelievable!

I could listen to you Les for days.
Thank you Les for your service.

Les is very animated.
His stories of combat life are very colorful very descriptive.
Thank you Les for your service to support our freedom.

God bless all these heroes that have been judged by ignorant people who could never fathom what they've lived through

👁️👁️⚖️✝️🪔🍞💧🌡️😡🌪️🌋👀👂🙏⏳; awh Les; repent and go to church on GOD'S SATURDAY SABBATH (no religion Jews in them days )

👁️👁️⚖️✝️🪔🍞💧🌡️😡🌪️🌋👀👂🙏⏳; Marine David Goodine, killed by friendly fire, Da Nang 1969 ? Anyone know anything

Wake is an Air Force refueling station I stopped there in 76-77 from Mtn Home to Eielson AFB to wake to South Korea 😮

Da Lat is now one of the most desired retirement destinations for ex-pats

Wait a minute. Near the end, Les talks about flying into Cambodia. Was he in support of SOG on that mission? He talks about “mostly green troops”.

This man is an amazing storyteller

"so anyway I started blasting"

Psycho with adhd, should have been a marine.

Wonder what he did in the civilian world…. Probably worked on assembly line at GM.

This guy is an ass. Shouldn’t have given him the time for this interview, dishonor now has a face.

Wow!! I love the no filter. Honesty is the best. No remorse for doing what you did , it was war and every minute could have been your last. I don't mean that in a condeming or accusing way at all. I respect it.
Welcome Home Les.

Great story teller. Some contradictions! He speaks of a situation where he told a fellow soldier to stop yelling and die like a man. However, prior to that situation he himself speaks of his being frightened by an injury that he cried about. He speaks of several admissions to wanting kill his brother soldiers; one over someone playing Marvin Gaye music. Really killing an American soldier over music!? I know of one other soldier that can embellish a story as well as this guy. Very entertaining interview in so many ways.

To date, I have never heard a Vietnam story like this before! No mention of R&R. Based on his story, he certainly could have used one.

I'm here to tell you that Les is as genuine as they come. I'm also proud to say that he is my friend. Nothing but Respect for Les Dykema.

สาเหตุน่าจะเกิดจากพวกที่อยู่เกาะสมุยนั่นแหละคือมันไม่ยอมต่อสัญญาตัดไมตรีกับเขาเขาก็ไม่อยากเสียคนพวกนี้ไปคนพวกนี้ก็วนเวียนอยู่กับฉันนี่แหละ

What a dick. Shut up

This guy is a trip…he tells it like it is with no filter! He is a raconteur. Tip of the cap to you sir.

Probably one of the most captivating Vietnam war experiences Ive heard… and im talking about his emotions in the telling of the story. I was totally drawn in.

You got patience,man.Trying to listen to that for a half hour''

Don't forget they were called BABY KILLERS because that's what they were. I spit on them all💩🇺🇸💩🇺🇸💩🇺🇸💩🇺🇸