Vietnam veteran discusses deep respect for service

For Arthur “Chip” Rohde Jr., there is no service higher than service to your country. 

“You can have a job, and many people have great jobs and make a lot of money,” he said. “You go in the military, and you are serving and thanking the country that provided for you growing up. We take freedom for granted.”   

The 77-year-old Rohde, of Grosse Pointe Farms, grew up in Grosse Pointe Shores. His late father, Arthur Rohde Sr., served in World War II and has his name on the World War II Honor Roll plaque located inside the Alger House at The War Memeorial. His father isn’t the only member of the family honored at nonprofit organization, as Rohde’s name is listed on the Vietnam War Honor Roll plaque.   

Already with a degree from the University of Michigan, Rohde was commissioned as an ensign in the U.S. Navy in December 1969.  

In January 1970, he went to Panama City to join the Naval Research and Development Lab, where minesweepers were assigned. About a year and half later, Rohde was assigned to a flotilla that was capable of doing minesweeping operations anywhere in the world.  

Minesweepers in the Vietnam War were tasked with clearing underwater mines from waterways. Rohde described the mines as bottom mines, like torpedoes. 

“Navy jets would drop them in the water,” he said. “The mines hit the water and sit on the bottom.” 

Rohde said the Navy mined every harbor in North Vietnam so that ships bringing resources like food and fuel to enemy forces could not come through. He arrived in Vietnam in December 1972 on the USS Dubuque, an amphibious transport dock. Rohde spent six months in and near Vietnam, part of Operation End Sweep. 

“Before that, jets would fly in with half a dozen mines under the wings and they would fly in and know where the drop points were,” he said. “We put them all over the place. It was an active war zone until the peace agreement was signed.” 

The Paris Peace Accords officially ended the war and were signed on Jan. 27, 1973. 

The job of the Mobile Mine Counter Measures Group Task Force, which Rohde was part of, was to remove the mines from harbors.  

“The day it was signed, we got orders to go in sweeping the mines,” Rohde said. “You’d have 100 men on a ship going through a live minefield. A helicopter with a pilot and co-pilot would drag a sled through and it would have the same effect as a ship going through.”  

A highlight of Rohde’s military service came in February 1973 when he had the chance to brief the chief of Naval operations, Admiral J.L. Holloway III. 

“He came out because it was such an important operation,” he said. “As part of our team, I got a chance to brief him. He was interested in how we were doing, what we were doing and how we were doing it.” 

Reflecting on the Vietnam War, Rohde, who was honorably discharged in May 1973 as a lieutenant, said that war is terrible. 
 
“When countries decide they are going to take on each other, both sides lose,” he said. “There was no winner in the Vietnam War. What we should learn from that is that before engaging in combat, you look to alternatives to settle disputes. The war will end eventually, but at a very high price.” 

Interested in hearing more stories from the Vietnam War? For the Vietnam War 50th Commemoration, The War Memorial is embarking on a yearlong series to honor those who served in the conflict, and educate the public on the war through several events and programs in 2025. For more details on the commemoration, click here.   

*This story originally was published in the March-April edition of Live Inspired Magazine, a War Memorial publication.