David H. Hackworth
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David H. Hackworth (November 11, 1930 – May 4, 2005) known affectionately as "Hack", was a retired United States Army colonel and prominent military journalist.
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Early life and entrance into the military
Hackworth suffered a rough childhood, and ran off to join the U.S. Merchant Marine at age 14, towards the end of World War II. After the war, he lied about his age (15) to enlist in the U.S. Army, and was assigned occupation duty in Trieste. The start of the Korean War found him a sergeant and he volunteered for duty there.
In Korea, Hackworth fought with the 25th Infantry Division, winning a battlefield commission as a lieutenant and several medals for valor along with multiple Purple Hearts for being wounded several times. He subsequently volunteered for a second tour in Korea, this time with the 40th Infantry Division.
Vietnam service
Demobilized after the cease-fire in Korea, Hackworth quickly became bored with civilian life. He managed to get back into the expanding "Cold War" model U.S. Army, which had changed substantially from the army he had known. He was among the earliest volunteers to go to Vietnam with the Special Forces.
In 1965, he returned to Vietnam as the Army's youngest full colonel. He served as a battalion commander in the 101st Airborne Division. He quickly developed a reputation as an eccentric but effective soldier. Hackworth co-wrote "The Vietnam Primer" with General S.L.A. Marshall. The book adopted some of the same tactics as Mao Zedong and Che Guevera and the Viet Cong in fighting guerillas. He described the strategy as "out-geeing the G."
But Hackworth was not just a theoretician. He put his theories to work most famously with the 4/39 Infantry division in the Mekong Delta. It's said that the role of Colonel Kilgore in Apocalypse Now was modeled after him.
His time on staff duty at the Pentagon soured Hackworth on the Vietnam War. Even so, he refused to resign, feeling it was his duty as a field grade officer to wage the campaign as best he could.
Hackworth was assigned to a training battalion and then returned to Vietnam to lead elements of the 9th Infantry Division. He next served as a senior military advisor to the South Vietnamese. His view that the U.S. Army was not learning from its mistakes, and that South Vietnamese ARVN officers were essentially corrupt, created friction with Army leadership.
Hackworth's disgruntlement ultimately culminated in a television interview with the ABC. On June 27, 1971 he appeared on the program Issues and Answers and strongly criticized U.S. commanders in Vietnam, said the war couldn't be won and called for U.S. withdrawal.
The interview enraged senior U.S. Army officers at the Pentagon. Hackworth was nearly court-martialed for giving the interview, and found himself ostracized in the defense establishment. At the same time, he was experiencing personal problems that culminated in divorce. He soon retired at the rank of colonel, and in an effort to rebuild his life, Hackworth moved to Australia.
Hackworth the businessman
Settling on the Australian Gold Coast near Brisbane, Hackworth soon made a fortune through savvy real estate investing, a profitable duck farm, and a popular restaurant called Scaramouche. He was also active in the Australian anti-nuclear movement.
Hackworth the Journalist
Hackworth returned to the U.S. in the mid-1980s and began working as a contributing editor on defense issues for Newsweek. He also made regular television appearances to discuss various military-related topics. His commentary on the psychological effects of post-traumatic stress disorder, based on his own experiences in overcoming the disease, resonated with disabled veterans.
In the mid-1990s, Hackworth interviewed Admiral Jeremy Michael Boorda, then Chief of Naval Operations. Hackworth questioned Boorda's wearing of potentially unauthorized V (Valor) devices on his Navy Achievement Medal and Navy Commendation Medal, generating much controversy. Boorda committed suicide during the ensuing media frenzy.
Later, CBS had a similar report about Hackworth wearing unauthorized decorations. Hackworth responded with an U.S. Army audit confirming his medals, and CBS admitted to an error in reporting.
King Features Syndicate distributed Hackworth's weekly column "Defending America" until his death from bladder cancer in May, 2005. Associates believe that his cancer was caused by exposure to Agent Blue; a defoliant used in Vietnam, and are lobbying the United States government to have the substance acknowledged as a known carcinogen like the more famous Agent Orange.
Hackworth passed away on May 4, 2005 at the age of 74 in Tijuana, Mexico. He is survived by his wife, Eilhys England, a stepdaughter, and four children from his two previous marriages.
Military decorations
Hackworth earned over ninety decorations, including numerous individual citations for valor as well as unit citations earned by units he served in or commanded. He was proudest of his Combat Infantry Badge, which he frequently wore on the lapel of his civilian sportsjackets in retirement.
Individual decorations and service medals
- Distinguished Service Cross (with Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Silver Star (with nine Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Legion of Merit (with three Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Distinguished Flying Cross
- Bronze Star Medal (with "V" Device & seven Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Purple Heart (with seven Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Air Medal (with "V" Device & Numeral 34)(One for heroism and 33 for aerial achievement)
- Army Commendation Medal (with "V" Device & 3 Oak Leaf Clusters)
- Good Conduct Medal
- World War II Victory Medal
- Army of Occupation Medal (with Germany and Japan Clasps)
- National Defense Service Medal (with one Bronze Service star)
- Korean Service Medal (with Service Stars for eight campaigns)
- Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal
- Vietnam Service Medal (2 Silver Service stars for 10 campaigns)
- Armed Forces Reserve Medal
Unit awards
- Presidential Unit Citation
- Valorous Unit Award (with one Oak Leaf Cluster)
- Meritorious Unit Commendation
Badges and tabs
- Combat Infantryman Badge (with one Star; representing 2 awards)
- Master Parachutist Badge
- Army General Staff Identification Badge
Foreign awards
- United Nations Service Medal (Korea)
- Republic of Vietnam Campaign Medal with Device (1960)
- Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (with two Gold Stars)
- Vietnam Cross of Gallantry (with two Silver Stars)
- Vietnam Armed Forces Honor Medal (1st Class)
- Vietnam Staff Service Medal (1st Class)
- Vietnam Army Distinguished Service Order, 2d Class
- Republic of Korea Presidential Unit Citation
- Republic of Vietnam Presidential Unit Citation
- Republic of Vietnam Gallantry Cross Unit Citation (with three Palm oak leaf clusters)
- Republic of Vietnam Civil Actions Honor Medal, First Class Unit Citation (with one Palm oak leaf cluster)
World War II Merchant Marine awards
Works
Books
- About Face: The Odyssey of an American Warrior
- Steel My Soldiers' Hearts
- Hazardous Duty
- Price of Honor
- The Vietnam Primer (with General S.L.A "Slam" Marshall
Journalism
Hackworth authored articles for:
Hackworth was also a founder of Soldiers for the Truth, an advocacy group focused on military reform, both in terms of capability and treatment personnel.
Sources
- David Hackworth (http://www.guardian.co.uk/obituaries/story/0,,1479323,00.html) - Obituary by Michael Carson, The Guardian, May 9, 2005
- David Hackworth Dies; Esteemed Army Colonel Defied Military Brass (http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/05/05/AR2005050501110.html) - Obituary by Joe Holley, The Washington Post, Friday, May 6, 2005; Page B07
- David Hackworth: Unforgettable Soldier (http://seattlepi.nwsource.com/opinion/223802_hackworth12.html) - Commentary by W. Thomas Smith Jr., Seattle Post-Intelligencer, May 12, 2005
External link
- David H. Hackworth's website (http://www.hackworth.com/)
- Soldier's For The Truth (http://www.sftt.org/)de:David Haskell Hackworth