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plastic ammo bag
- Thread starter dano1917
- Start date
V40
Well-Known Member
Dan,
It was made for troops who wanted their 20 rounder mags to be somewhat waterproof. Once you tore that plastic away at the top you were suppose to leave it right were you are or just sprinkle them across trails and hamlets. Here is what it says in English:
"Open Arms (Chieu Hoi), Returning Chieu Hoi (The Bag) will help you to again see your parents and family in a peaceful and democratic South Vietnam."
In other words if the VC/NVA wanted to defect to our side, he/she would just pick it up the "Pass" and he could present that "Pass" to any AMERICAN in order to get "Safe Passage". It was hoped that the defector would present it to any American and to not give the pass to any ARVN's at that time.
If you, VC/NVA, were caught at any time possessing one on your person and/or on your equipment. You were brought before a tribunal with everybody that they could scrounge around you and then the Communist Political Officer would tell you of your fate. Nine out of ten times you were tortured with knives and bayonets until you were dead.
Here is some more terminology that we used in Vietnam that I know from the top of my head not yet addicted to as of now:
) "Di Di moa" Means very fast
) "Do mah May" Means well, Go F___K Yourself Charlie.
) "Ti ti" Means very little
) "Bac Shi" Means Doctor
) " Troung Si" means Lieutenant
) Give some more time and I'll get more as my memory comes back to me after a studying situation with two books I am trying to read all at a one time.
I know more but I am under a time restraint for now.
The above words in Vietnamese still say the same to us and are Allies. They are also "Vietnamese" words themselves. This is for them to use against us too. Also, every Allie that came to fight with us in Vietnam were given a briefing on what special words mean by themselves and what they mean together such as in sentences and phrases.
It was made for troops who wanted their 20 rounder mags to be somewhat waterproof. Once you tore that plastic away at the top you were suppose to leave it right were you are or just sprinkle them across trails and hamlets. Here is what it says in English:
"Open Arms (Chieu Hoi), Returning Chieu Hoi (The Bag) will help you to again see your parents and family in a peaceful and democratic South Vietnam."
In other words if the VC/NVA wanted to defect to our side, he/she would just pick it up the "Pass" and he could present that "Pass" to any AMERICAN in order to get "Safe Passage". It was hoped that the defector would present it to any American and to not give the pass to any ARVN's at that time.
If you, VC/NVA, were caught at any time possessing one on your person and/or on your equipment. You were brought before a tribunal with everybody that they could scrounge around you and then the Communist Political Officer would tell you of your fate. Nine out of ten times you were tortured with knives and bayonets until you were dead.
Here is some more terminology that we used in Vietnam that I know from the top of my head not yet addicted to as of now:
) "Di Di moa" Means very fast
) "Do mah May" Means well, Go F___K Yourself Charlie.
) "Ti ti" Means very little
) "Bac Shi" Means Doctor
) " Troung Si" means Lieutenant
) Give some more time and I'll get more as my memory comes back to me after a studying situation with two books I am trying to read all at a one time.
I know more but I am under a time restraint for now.
The above words in Vietnamese still say the same to us and are Allies. They are also "Vietnamese" words themselves. This is for them to use against us too. Also, every Allie that came to fight with us in Vietnam were given a briefing on what special words mean by themselves and what they mean together such as in sentences and phrases.
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V40
Well-Known Member
Well, I guess not everything made the transfer?:tinysmile_angry_t:
The aforementioned Vietnamese phrases are not necessarily all Vietnamese. They sometimes would mix some French words into the soup of their language being this because of a lot of years under French Colonial rule.
This little bag idea was a neat little idea from the people of the Rand Corporation, which is what I was told by someone who is a Secret Squirrel from way back then. I do not really believe it to be so myself. None-the-less it is kinda neat and collectible.
The reason for not giving one of these passes to the ARVN was because a lot of times prisoners were given to them only to have been executed somewhere on the way to a holding facility. This was especially the case with VC who attempted to defect. If they were all on the same piece of ground and the other team was full of ARVN's and a VC or more than one VC had decided it was the right time to defect with his pass in one of his hands and his other hand outstretched with his rifle usually disarmed, via no magazine in the weapon and his rifle in the other hand as to show them he really meant it and included the rifle with the magazine out of the weapon indicating that he was probally telling the truth that he is ready to go to them. They were immediately executed right there on the spot.
The aforementioned Vietnamese phrases are not necessarily all Vietnamese. They sometimes would mix some French words into the soup of their language being this because of a lot of years under French Colonial rule.
This little bag idea was a neat little idea from the people of the Rand Corporation, which is what I was told by someone who is a Secret Squirrel from way back then. I do not really believe it to be so myself. None-the-less it is kinda neat and collectible.
The reason for not giving one of these passes to the ARVN was because a lot of times prisoners were given to them only to have been executed somewhere on the way to a holding facility. This was especially the case with VC who attempted to defect. If they were all on the same piece of ground and the other team was full of ARVN's and a VC or more than one VC had decided it was the right time to defect with his pass in one of his hands and his other hand outstretched with his rifle usually disarmed, via no magazine in the weapon and his rifle in the other hand as to show them he really meant it and included the rifle with the magazine out of the weapon indicating that he was probally telling the truth that he is ready to go to them. They were immediately executed right there on the spot.
V40
Well-Known Member
Dan,
you are very welcome my friend. Just sorry for the long post as usual.
I want to give you more bang for your buck here. I love to help people out when it comes to these items which you have displayed. The usual "Yes" and "No" answers do not fight my Character. Too simple to say and then come up with a short answer when their is a plethorea of information out there, at least I think so.
you are very welcome my friend. Just sorry for the long post as usual.
I want to give you more bang for your buck here. I love to help people out when it comes to these items which you have displayed. The usual "Yes" and "No" answers do not fight my Character. Too simple to say and then come up with a short answer when their is a plethorea of information out there, at least I think so.
dano1917
RIP
Mark, Not to expand on what you said, but to contract it down a bit, here is a mini write up I found on these bags. And seeing it, everything you wrote makes PERFECT sense. "Vietnam War US Army Chieu Hoi plastic magazine protective bags used to protect Colt M16 magazines with Chieu Hoi open arms message was a massive Psy-Op's campaign aimed at persuading Viet Cong guerrillas to change allegiances". Dano
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