Jordheim, Roger

Army

"The days went by remarkably fast."

Description of Interview:

Mr. Jordheim describes his adventures in Duc Pho as a Phoenix Program adviser, 1970-1971. Having grown up on a farm in North Dakota, hunting, fishing, and riding horseback, he developed a set of skills that “came in very useful in the jungles of Vietnam.” He discusses many of the fascinating missions in which he participated. He reflects on the Vietnamese people, the ARVN, PRU, RF/PF. And he recalls his work with the ROK Tiger Brigade, the Aussies, CIA agents, and the men he called friends. Mr. Jordheim also comments on rats and spiders, beer, the Viet Cong infrastructure, homesickness, his nickname Lieutenant VCK (Viet Cong killer), intelligence gathering, eating monkey brains, and the “incredible amount of luck associated with surviving combat.” His motto now, having made it through, which he wants etched on his gravestone is: “Anything worth doing is worth overdoing.”

Key Words: Key Words: Fort Holabird, Phoenix Program, Viet Cong infrastructure (VCI), intelligence, Chieu Hoi, Provincial Reconnaissance Unit (PRU), nuoc mam, dysentery, rocket propelled grenade (RPG), Claymore mine, Apocalypse Now, Civil Operations and Revolutionary Development Support (CORDS), District Intelligence Operations Control Center (DIOCC), informants, military advisory team (MAT), Regional Forces/Popular Forces (RF/PF), Duc Pho, ROK, Tiger Brigade, Montagnards, Pathet Lao, escape and evasion (E&E), Foreign Services Officer (FSO), CIA, Christmas 1970, Spooky, PRC-10 radios, punji pit, booby traps, informants, Tapan Nam, William Colby, LZ Debbie, LZ Liz, Bronze Star
 
Key Names: Bill Ward, Charlie Sheen, Martin Sheen, William Colby, Tom Moore, Colonel Chung, Dave Turilla, Pete Barili, Bruce Bower, Sergeant Morton
 
Interview Date:
March 26, 2019
 
Service Date:
1969-1971
 
Unit: 
Military Assistance Command – Vietnam (MACV) Advisory Team 17
 
Specialty:
Intelligence, Adviser, Phoenix Program
 
Service Location:

I Corps, Duc Pho District, Quang Ngai Province

 
 

Read the Complete Transcript of this Interview.