David H. Hackworth
| David Hackworth | |
|---|---|
|
|
| Nickname(s) | "Hack" |
| Born |
November 11, 1930 California, United States |
| Died | May 4, 2005 (aged 74) Tijuana, Mexico |
| Buried at | Arlington National Cemetery |
| Allegiance | United States of America |
| Service/branch |
US Merchant Marine United States Army
|
| Years of service | 1945–1971 |
| Rank | Colonel |
| Unit |
88th Infantry Division 25th Infantry Division 40th Infantry Division 101st Airborne Division 9th Infantry Division |
| Commands held |
Tiger Force 4th Battalion, 39th Infantry Regiment |
| Battles/wars | Vietnam War |
| Awards |
Distinguished Service Cross (2) Silver Star (10) Legion of Merit (4) Distinguished Flying Cross Bronze Star Medal (8) with "V" Purple Heart (8) Air Medal (34) with "V" |
| Other work | Author, journalist and restaurateur |
David Haskell Hackworth (November 11, 1930 – May 4, 2005), also known as "Hack," was a prominent military journalist and a former United States Army colonel who was decorated in both the Korean War and Vietnam War. Hackworth is known for his role in the creation and command of Tiger Force, a military unit which was formed in South Vietnam to apply guerrilla warfare tactics against Viet Cong guerrilla fighters.
Hackworth is also known for his assertion in 1996, into the accused improper wearing of two unauthorized and esteemed service ribbon devices denoting combat participation on Admiral Mike Boorda's uniform awards. Boorda, who was the Chief of Naval Operations at the time, and had served off the coast of Vietnam in the 1960s, committed suicide during Hackworth's investigation.
David Hackworth joined the U.S. Merchant Marine in early 1945 at age 14, towards the end of World War II, when teenagers routinely entered the armed services before their 18th birthday by lying about their age. The following year, he lied again to enlist in the United States Army at the age of 15. He was assigned as a rifleman to the 351st Infantry Regiment, 88th Infantry Division, and stationed on occupation duty in Trieste. His unit, part of Trieste United States Troops (TRUST), at times served under British command, and his duty as a private gave him many of the lessons that he would later draw on as a non-commissioned officer and a commissioned officer, including his belief that U.S. units should never be placed under operational control of foreign militaries. It was under Sergeant Steve Prazenka that Hackworth learned the value of hard training and the quest for perfection. In the Korean War, he became a sergeant, volunteering again to serve.
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Wikipedia