Vietnam War

Vietnam War
First mentioned:	War Buddies, Part 2
Date of event:	1959 - 1975
Location:	Vietnam

Dallas and Austin fight alongside other soldiers during the Vietnam War.

Notable Participants

• Amarillo
• Au Co
• Austin
• Dallas
• Loredo
• Danny Pine
• San Antonio
• Skyhawk crew
• Viet Cong informant

About

The Vietnam War, which began in 1959 and ended on April 30, 1975, was fought between the Democratic Republic of Vietnam (North Vietnam) and the United States along with South Vietnam. The terms of the Paris Peace Accord of 1973 stipulated that the United States withdraw from Vietnam. It is generally accepted that Communist North Vietnam emerged victorious from the conflict, despite having an estimated five million casualties; the United States had about 58,000 casualties.

Graphic Novel:War Buddies, Part 2

On November 8, 1968, five soldiers with codenames embark on a top secret mission to recover a downed A4 Skyhawk. Their mission takes them 40 miles into enemy territory, along the Mekong River. On November 15, their position becomes compromised, and they are ambushed by enemy fire. Amarillo, Loredo, and San Antonio are killed, and Dallas is badly injured (but quickly healed). Austin appears to receive no injuries.

Graphic Novel:War Buddies, Part 3

On November 20, 1968, Dallas and Austin continue the mission to find the downed crew. After finding a Viet Cong informant, Dallas interrogates the man, ordering Austin to heal him several times. Finally, they find the crash site where the crew has been killed. Dallas, realizing that they are close to the Skyhawk's target, wishes to proceed with the destruction of the village.

Graphic Novel:War Buddies, Part 4

Austin and Dallas destroy Au Co, Vietnam, killing many villagers. After a woman cries to a girl named Au Co, Dallas realizes the mission was not regarding the village, but the girl.

Graphic Novel:War Buddies, Part 5

Dallas shoots Au Co; Austin tries to heal her, but she is already dead. The two soldiers receive silver medals for their actions. When Dallas is discharged home, he feels that his whole life is pointless. Later, Austin tells Dallas that he learned an important lesson during the war: great men sometimes make sacrifices to save the world.

Graphic Novel:War Buddies, Part 7

Even after returning home, Linderman is still haunted by the war. He later tells Linda Tavara what the war was like during a night of camping together.

Villains

Meredith and Mr. Thompson pose as representatives of the Veterans of Foreign Wars. They approach Danny Pine, a veteran, and tell him they want to move him from his shanty to better housing.

Notes

• The Mekong River area of Vietnam was a popular battle site during the Vietnam War.
• Dallas mentions that "politicians were in Paris trying to broker peace". In reality, the Paris Peace Accords began in May 1968, but were not finally signed until 1973.
• Dallas and Austin receive silver medals for their Vietnam War actions (War Buddies, Part 5). The medals' design is identical to the Silver Star medal with one exception: the Silver Star is mostly bronze, yet the medals in the graphic novel are silver.

Gallery

• 
  Dallas is suddenly shot through his abdomen.
• 
  Loredo takes a bullet to the head.
• 
  While fighting back, Amarillo is shot in the side.
• 
  San Antonio lies dead next to an ailing Dallas.
• 
  The soldiers find the Skyhawk men killed.
• 
  Dallas orders Austin to remove the munitions...
• 
  ...and use C4 explosives...
• 
  ...for the destruction of a farming village.
• 
  The Vietnam War claims another victim.
• 
  War knows no boundaries: A young girl is shot and killed.
• 
  Dallas and Austin receive silver medals for their wartime actions.
• 
  After the war, Linderman remembers the horrors of losing his friends in battle.

External Links

• Vietnam War -- Wikipedia
• A4 Skyhawk -- Wikipedia
• Paris Peace Accords -- Wikipedia