What is a punji trap?
A very sharp bamboo stake that is concealed at an angle in high grass, in a hole, or in deep mud, often coated with excrement, and planted to wound and infect the feet of enemy soldiers. Also called punji stake.
How did Vietcong avoid their own traps?
In order to avoid falling victim to their own simple but effective traps, they created a system to clandestinely mark the traps. So whether it’s the “Grenade in a Can,” “the Mace,” or even a simple snake pit, they developed a way to warn themselves and other VC as well as show them a route to avoid the trap.
What is a 105 round booby trap?
The trap, a 105-millimeter howitzer round rigged to explode, detonated with enormous force. It killed Bonner instantly and mortally wounded four others in the platoon. Communist-made improvised mines, weapons, and explosive devices became infamous during the Vietnam War.
Are punji sticks banned?
The use of punji sticks in any act of conflict is banned from use under the 1980 Geneva Convention. Among the 13 Extremely Dangerous Weapons that are banned in Wars, the Punji Sticks stands at the tenth position in the list of dangerous weapons and poisonous substances.
What traps did the Viet Cong use?
8 of the Most Dangerous Viet Cong Booby Traps
- Punji sticks. Punji sticks were the most infamous of the booby traps used, said to account for 2% of wounds to American soldiers.
- Grenade Traps.
- Cartridge Traps.
- Snake Pits.
- The Mace.
- Tiger Traps.
- Pressure Release Traps.
- Bamboo Whip.
How many soldiers died to booby traps in Vietnam?
Counting US forces alone, there were over 300,000 wounded in Vietnam. That means about 45,000 men were injured by booby traps. Of these wounds, 2% came from punji stakes, the most infamous of all the booby traps employed by the Vietnamese during the war.
Why is it called a booby trap?
The term “booby trap” gives rise to the idea that an individual with the misfortune to be caught in the trap does so because the individual is a “booby”, or that an individual who is caught in the trap thereby becomes a “booby”.
Why are punji sticks banned?
The Convention on Certain Conventional Weapons was signed on April 10, 1981. Protocol II: Mines, Booby Traps and Other Devices declares Punji Sticks to be outlawed by the Geneva Convention.
Who were the Tunnel Rats in Vietnam?
Vietnam War. During the Vietnam War, “tunnel rat” became an unofficial specialty for volunteer combat engineers and infantrymen from the Australian Army and the U.S. Army who cleared and destroyed enemy tunnel complexes. Their motto was the tongue-in-cheek Latin phrase Non Gratus Anus Rodentum (“not worth a rat’s ass”) …
What is the difference between a booby trap and a trap?
A Competing Theory In the late 17th Century, hungry sailors would set a trap for a seabird known as a booby. The term booby trap was literally a trap for a booby. However, it has evolved to mean a harmful device designed to be triggered by its unsuspecting victim.
How many US soldiers died from punji sticks?
1000 US soldiers
Less than 1000 US soldiers died from Punji Sticks, but the soldiers who survived these traps were normally crippled for life.
What traps did the Vietcong use?
Were there mercenaries in the Vietnam War?
Most believe that the United States battled the spread of Communism alone in distant lands. However, the US did not fight exclusively in Vietnam. Over 300,000 South Korean Soldiers were hired as a mercenary force in service to America.