# How do I check my Dad's Vietnam war story?

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-check-my-dads-vietnam-war-story/515375>\
**Category:** Factual Questions\
**Created:** [October 27, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-check-my-dads-vietnam-war-story/515375 "2009-10-27T23:51:21Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 3\
**Page:** 2

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**Author:** ![UncleBill](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/d26b3c/32.png) [@UncleBill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/UncleBill)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 4:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-check-my-dads-vietnam-war-story/515375/21 "2009-10-29T04:23:28Z")

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Reports I have read say fragging was MUCH more common in rear areas (2 to 1 ratio) and much more in the Army than the Marine Corps. [This cite](http://books.google.com/books?id=sgkbAbwcLfAC&pg=PA602&lpg=PA602&dq=fragging+usmc+vietnam&source=bl&ots=hXhddjtc8l&sig=691eIfMWrkDnqN6T6PLmDUEGPwE&hl=en&ei=oxbpStHmIYXd8Qau5sWKDw&sa=X&oi=book_result&ct=result&resnum=2&ved=0CA8Q6AEwAQ#v=onepage&q=fragging%20usmc%20vietnam&f=false) says in 1970 US Army rate was 0.91 attacks per 1000 soldiers, while the 1st Marine Division had 0.2 attacks per 1000 Marines. The Marines took steps to stop them, and the reported rate dropped in 1971, while the Army rate doubled to 1.8 per 1000 soldiers.

While it not impossible at all the story has a ring of truth, it would be statistically much more likely if he were an Army veteran, or a Marine in the rear (support forces, non trigger pullers).

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**Author:** ![Monty](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/monty/32/47_2.png) [@Monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Monty)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 6:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-check-my-dads-vietnam-war-story/515375/22 "2009-10-29T06:00:48Z")

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> [@Chefguy](#):
>
> He would have ended up in Leavenworth, or been executed for treason.

I doubt treason would be the appropriate charge. Murder would be the most likely charge.

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**Author:** ![Sampiro](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2acd7d/32.png) [@Sampiro](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sampiro)\
**Post date:** [October 29, 2009, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/how-do-i-check-my-dads-vietnam-war-story/515375/23 "2009-10-29T18:44:20Z")

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> [@Loach](#):
>
> Not exactly true. Anyone can make a request for someones military records under the Freedom of Information Act. It won’t be the full record but you can get the basic information. The OPs father may be completely full of shit and his record may prove he was not where he said he was. Or it might.
> 
> [Cite](http://www.archives.gov/st-louis/military-personnel/public/general-public.html)

Interesting- I stand partially corrected. Still though, I don’t think you would get anything that would prove or disprove your dad’s claims short of interviewing his fellow unit members, who if he’s telling the truth would essentially be confessing to a total stranger that they were complicit in a murder.

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