March 8, 1965 - The first U.S. combat troops arrive in Vietnam as 3500 Marines land at China Beach to defend the American air base at Da Nang. They join 23,000 American military advisors already in Vietnam.
Seaman Apprentice (E-2) Douglas B. Hegdahl is a former United States Navy sailor who was a prisoner of war (POW) during the Vietnam War. After his early release by North Vietnam, upon returning to the United States, he was able to provide the names and personal information of about 256 other POWs as well as revealing the conditions in the prison camp.
In the anti war song, I guess they use the same famous number but for the Viet Cong prisoners instead.
March 8, 1965 - The first U.S. combat troops arrive in Vietnam as 3500 Marines land at China Beach to defend the American air base at Da Nang. They join 23,000 American military advisors already in Vietnam.
Source: http://www.historyplace.com/unitedstates/vietnam/index-1965.html
That should be the origin of the 3500, not anything about number of casualties.
The number 256 must be about this man who was a prisoner of war: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doug_Hegdahl
Seaman Apprentice (E-2) Douglas B. Hegdahl is a former United States Navy sailor who was a prisoner of war (POW) during the Vietnam War. After his early release by North Vietnam, upon returning to the United States, he was able to provide the names and personal information of about 256 other POWs as well as revealing the conditions in the prison camp.
In the anti war song, I guess they use the same famous number but for the Viet Cong prisoners instead.
@skunkjobb Thank you
@skunkjobb Thank you