This is a place for vererans of the Vietnam War to exchange information. Other people with a connection or interest are also welcome to participate or just browse.
Veterans from more recent actions (Iraq, Afghanistan, etc.) or their friends, family or associates, are welcome to browse or participate, too.
The site name "4-21grunts" is a combination of 4/21 for the 4th Battalion of the 21st Infantry and the nickname Grunts is slang for Army Infantry or Marine foot-soldiers.
The site's owner was drafted into the Army during the Vietnam war (1967) and became an Infantry soldier in D Company 4/21, which was part of the 11th Brigade and attached to the Americal Division. The time served in Vietnam was April 1968 to April 1969.
At that time (1967) the Americal Division had been inactive since WWII. Over a period of 6 months or so, a battalion was trained and reformed at Schofield Barracks on the island of Oahu, Hawaii. More soldiers were added as they completed AIT (Advanced Infantry Training) from several training locations across the United states. This process of build-up and training in Hawaii completed around April, 1968, and the full Battalion-sized unit was sent over to Vietnam, en masse.
The site's owner and most of those he served with were part of this, blind-leading-the-blind, group of combat novices.
These pages are to allow Vets a place to share and keep in touch.