Tunnel rat

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This article is about the team of soldiers involved in underground missions. For the group of urban explorers, see The Tunnel Rats. For the G.I. Joe character, see Tunnel Rat (G.I. Joe).

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An infantryman is lowered into a tunnel during Operation "Oregon",1967

Part of the tunnel complex at Củ Chi.

Tunnel rats preparing to place charges and make connections for detonation

The tunnel rats were American, Australian and New Zealander soldiers who performed underground search and destroy missions during the Vietnam War. According to R. Lee Ermey of Mail Call, "Tunnel rats were the smallest guys with the biggest Kahunas." In the course of the war, the Viet Cong created very extensive underground complexes. Whenever troops would uncover a tunnel, Tunnel Rats were sent in to kill any buried enemy and to plant explosives to destroy the tunnels. A Tunnel Rat was equipped with only a semiautomatic M1911 (.45 caliber) pistol and a flashlight, although most tunnel rats were allowed to choose another pistol to arm themselves with.

The tunnels were very dangerous, with numerous booby traps and enemies lying in wait. Often there were flooded U-bends in the tunnels to trap gas. Guards manned holes on the sides of tunnels through which spears could be thrust impaling a crawling intruder. Not only were there human enemies to deal with, but also different creatures such as snakes, spiders, scorpions, ants, and bats.

Due to the confined space, the tunnel rats disliked the massive muzzle blast of the M1911 pistol, which would often leave the tunnel rat temporarily deaf, and it was not uncommon that they used whatever alternative handgun they could come across. The Soviet-made pistols the enemy carried were particular favorites, but they were extremely rare, and the soldiers would often have someone at home send them a civilian pistol or revolver. Among the favorites were the German Luger and Walther pistols, many of which were brought home by returning American troops. Others would trade their pistols for revolvers used by other personnel. Many used improvised suppressors on their pistols to further reduce the noise.

Tunnel Rats were generally men of smaller stature and, almost exclusively White or Hispanic soldiers, and the majority were Puerto Rican and Mexican.^[1]