In January 1968, 50 years ago, a truce was called in the middle of the Vietnam War in honor of the Lunar New Year, or Tet. In spite of the agreement, the North Vietnamese Army and Viet Cong troops launched a surprise, full-scale offensive on cities across South Vietnam.

One of these targets was the remote Marine base at Khe Sanh in the Quảng Trị Province, where 40,000 enemy troops faced up against only 2,500 Marines.

Among those fighting at Khe Sanh was the 1st Battalion 9th Marines, also referred to as “The Walking Dead” battalion due to having the highest casualty rate in Marine Corps history. Of the nearly 3,000 Marines who served with the 1/9 in Vietnam, more than 25 percent would be killed in action. One young squad leader, Sgt. Bill Rider, survived, but the memories of those he lost in Khe Sanh have haunted him for decades. It wasn’t until 1999 that he was diagnosed with post-traumatic stress and began to find healing.

Inspired by his journey, Rider founded the American Combat Veterans of War (ACVOW) in 2001 with the mission to help those Veterans who have experienced the trauma of war.

For his service in Vietnam, Bill Rider was awarded the Purple Heart, Presidential Unit Citation and Naval Commendation with a Bronze “V” for valor, among other commendations, and was nominated for the Silver Star.

Rider’s story will be told by Academy award-nominated actor Graham Greene of Dances with Wolves fame during  PBS’ National Memorial Day Concert  in a segment remembering the  Battle of Khe Sanh and honoring Vietnam Veterans.

The concert will air live on your local PBS station Sunday, May 27, 2018, from 8 to 9:30 p.m.


About the author: Capital Concerts is the nation’s leading producer of live patriotic television shows, including PBS’s highest-rated performance specials: National Memorial Day Concert and A Capitol Fourth, the premier celebrations of America’s most important holidays broadcast from the U.S. Capitol in Washington, D.C. For more than 35 years, these two award-winning productions have become national traditions, bringing together Americans to celebrate freedom and democratic ideals and to pay tribute to those who defend them.

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4 Comments

  1. DALE H LAYTON May 27, 2018 at 11:06

    SEMPER FI, THE MARINES, THE BATTLE OF KHE SANH WAS VICTORY, SAD OF THE LIVES LOSES.

  2. Jeff Conley May 25, 2018 at 19:13

    The WW2 term “shell shocked” certainly applies to anyone who was at that forward combat base during Tet. They were buried with incoming for extended periods. My complete respect for any Marine or Corpsman who went through it (KIAs or survivors). Being surrounded on that little hilltop by 40,000 enemy troops with artillery and tanks was definitely a creator of PTSD. (I tried posting a different reply but it didn’t seem to get posted??probably my goof up)

  3. former Cpl Jeff Conley May 25, 2018 at 18:48

    Just recalling Khe Sanh (I was south of there at the time and wasn’t buried with incoming), gives me the shakes. Any marine or Corpsman who was there during the siege has my utmost respect (KIAs and those who survived it).

  4. Charles j. Bongers May 25, 2018 at 12:24

    And i’ll bet a lot to say that no one will be taking a knee. I was a Navy Corpsman with B/1/9/3 and didn’t make it
    to Khe Sanh that time. We were in Leatherneck Square and Con Thien at that juncture. It was pure chaos and my hat goes off to anyone who served in RVN and all my buddies and friends who didn’t make it back to the “world”! You have my complete understanding and support.

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