submitted by Gail Smith
The Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Celebration task force is pleased to announce that George M. Driscoll, who served in the National Guard in 1956-57 and the United States Air Force from 1957-1964, has been selected as the Grand Marshall for the Town of Hoosick Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Parade on Saturday, August 8.
[private]
Driscoll, who is a Hoosick Falls native, served with the U.S. Air Force Special Operations Corp which provided support services for “secret spy flights, among other things.” Driscoll was an air rescueman and was stationed in Laos, Thailand and Burma, the Middle East and India. During the Vietnam War, the small but dedicated force he served with (called P.J.s) went into hostile areas and rescued downed American pilots who were spared death or capture.
In 1958, when 18 year old Driscoll was helping to train the South Vietnamese, he and 32 others were ordered to leave Vietnam and were rushed to defend what is now Taiwan, from attacks from mainland Communist China.
Uncle Sam had quietly deployed 9,000 airmen, sailors and Marines to provide assistance to Chiang Kai-Shek’s embattled forces. It was kind of hush-hush, a “vest-pocket thing.” The troops were ordered by President Eisenhower to form a protective gauntlet around the islands of Quemoy and Matsu and the main island Taiwan, as they were threatened with invasion by a million Communist soldiers.
On August 23, 1958 Chinese Communists blockaded Quemoy. During the 44 day artillery bombardment that ensued, more than 125 U.S. warships were positioned in Formosan waters. Five-hundred eighty-five nationalist troops and 80 civilians were killed; 26 Communist boats were sunk; there were 12 air battles and 31 Communist planes downed. Driscoll’s job was to call in aircraft and rescue and take care of downed and hurt Marines off the carrier U.S.S. Midway.
Vice-Admiral Wallace Beakley, 7th Fleet Commander called it “the largest naval force ever assembled in peacetime history.” The shelling of these islands was known as the “Vest Pocket War,” a story that the American people didn’t learn about until decades later.
“The scariest part of being on Quemoy, said Driscoll, “was huddling in foxholes and hiding from the Chinese heavy artillery, not knowing where the next shell would land.
“It was just constant, constant, constant bombardments,” Driscoll said, remembering the teeth-chattering impact of the shells. “I have never been so scared in my life. As you know, there are no atheists found in foxholes, so we prayed a lot. The problem was you never knew which hole to be in, so you ran from foxhole to foxhole, hoping to get away.”
Because the operation was considered a politically and diplomatically sensitive issue, the participants were asked not to speak about it. Even Eisenhower reportedly didn’t even mention the incident in his memoirs. It wasn’t until after First Lady Hillary Rodham Clinton traveled to China and reportedly called for a unified China, that the long-quieted veterans who defended Taiwan’s freedom broke their collective silence.
For their courage under fire, Driscoll, who had been an Airman Second Class, and 24 others were honored on October 8, 1998, the 40th Anniversary of the campaign and the 87th National Day of the Republic of China. The men received the “8-2-3 Campaign Badge of Honor” from the Taiwanese Ministry of Defense at the Boston Park Plaza Hotel with over 2,000 gathered in attendance. The servicemen were recognized and presented awards for their support of Taiwan in the August 23, 1958 bombardment and threat of invasion by the People’s Republic of China.
Ministry of Defense’s Director-General Thomas Cheng said on that occasion, “You courageously travelled to a distant land to fight unselfishly so others could be free. Your brave service ultimately helped pave the way for the thriving democracy of Taiwan today.” That was about 20 years ago.
Each of the individuals involved in this incident became eligible as the nation’s first recipients of the then newly-created Armed Forces Expeditionary Medal, concurrent with those who were involved in the activities in (then) Republic of South Vietnam. Driscoll was also the recipient of the NYS Distinguished Service Military Award, and many others.
But for George, being a “highly decorated” soldier wasn’t enough. In 1977, he also received the Rensselaer County Distinguished Citizens Award for Valor after he pulled a drowning 5 year old boy’s body from beneath the icy waters of the Hoosick River in February of 1974. This was the natural thing to do for this para rescueman. Rescuing was what he and his crew did.
Driscoll reminisced about his war years, “It’s sad. Just a lot of young kids in the wrong place at the wrong time.”
How did he get through it? “You rely on the guy on your right and on your left and they rely on you, and that strong chain will keep you alive. That outfit made me do things I never thought possible. You push yourself to the limit. They get you to love your country and the guys you are with.”
Subsequent to his active service, George remains connected through his involvement in various veterans’ organizations. He served as a past Commander of the Veterans of Foreign Wars in Hoosick Falls from 1967-1970; and started and was instrumental in building the V.F.W. Post club rooms there.
He is a member of the Disabled Veterans, ROC Medal of Honor Association, 13th Air Force Jungle Squadron, Air Rescue Service, American Legion, Taiwan Veterans, Vietnam Veterans and Air Force Veterans Associations, Beirut-Lebanon Assoc. of America. He is also one of our faithful Coffee & Camaraderie Vets.
Of his involvement with veterans’ organizations, including Voice of a Vet, George said, “You can talk about things that others don’t understand and get a camaraderie that will never break.”
Please join us in congratulating George for his selection as the Grand Marshall of our Vietnam Veterans Welcome Home Parade.
Marvin Aldridge was named Honorary Grand Marshall. Guest speaker for the day will be John Ostwald, a Vietnam Era Vet who served in the U.S. Navy. [/private]