Table of Contents
Are tunnel rats still used today?
Today, some of the tunnels used in the war still exist, preserved and maintained by the Vietnamese government. Visitors can crawl through sections of the tunnels used by Vietcong troops and Tunnel Rats alike – but now, at least, there are no mines, booby traps or poisonous snakes to contend with!
Were combat engineers tunnel rats?
American “tunnel rats” were combat engineers on underground search and destroy missions — small, thin and highly skilled in hand-to-hand combat, armed only with flashlights, knives and pistols.
How were the tunnels cleared during the Vietnam War?
During the Vietnam War, ANZUS troops uncovered a great number of enemy tunnels while patrolling or conducting larger operations. Consequently, some preferred to clear tunnels armed with a . 38 Special revolver equipped with a sound suppressor and other non-standard weapons.
What was the mission of the Tunnel Rats in Vietnam?
”The Tunnel Rats were combat engineers,” Mangold says. ”They had to be small and thin, volunteers, and highly skilled at hand-to-hand combat. The job was to kill, capture or entomb Viet Cong with explosives.
Who were the Tunnel Rats in Vietnam?
The tunnel rats were American, Australian, New Zealander, and South Vietnamese soldiers who performed underground search and destroy missions during the Vietnam War. Later, similar teams were used by the Soviet Army during the Soviet–Afghan War and by the Israel Defense Forces in campaigns in the Middle East.
Why were the underground tunnels so valuable to the Viet Cong?
The tunnels were used by Viet Cong soldiers as hiding spots during combat, as well as serving as communication and supply routes, hospitals, food and weapon caches and living quarters for numerous North Vietnamese fighters.
What is a tunnel rat in Vietnam?
During the Vietnam War, “tunnel rat” became an unofficial specialty for volunteer combat engineers and infantrymen from Australia, New Zealand, and the United States who cleared and destroyed enemy tunnel complexes. Their motto was the tongue-in-cheek Latin phrase Non Gratus Anus Rodentum (“not worth a rat’s arse”).
What happened to the rats in the Vietnam War?
In the years since the Vietnam War ended tunnel rats have suffered from a high percentage of Agent Orange injuries and diseases due to soldier’s exposure to the chemicals on the ground, or that leeched from topsoil into the tunnel environment. While in the tunnels, soldiers were breathing air heavily saturated with Agent Orange.
Do the tunnels in Vietnam still exist?
Today, some of the tunnels used in the war still exist, preserved and maintained by the Vietnamese government. Visitors can crawl through sections of the tunnels used by Vietcong troops and Tunnel Rats alike – but now, at least, there are no mines, booby traps or poisonous snakes to contend with!
What did the Viet Cong do in the tunnels?
The Vietcong would also pump poisonous gases into tunnels in which they suspected a Tunnel Rat was skulking. A Viet Cong soldier crouches in a tunnel with an SKS rifle. Because the Tunnel Rats had to operate in such cramped conditions, they could only go in very lightly armed.