During the Vietnam War , between 1964 and 1975, a curious and dangerous phenomenon occurred within the US Army... the so-called Fragging (act of attacking a superior in the chain of command with the intention of frightening or killing him, usually using fragmentation grenades; hence its name). The use of these grenades, which has nothing to do with friendly fire, to intimidate or kill officers was due to the difficulties in finding out who had been the author, especially if it occurs in the heat of battle, and unlike use a bullet.
In the early years of the Vietnam War, the US Army was totally convinced of the necessity of that war and was united and disciplined. As the war dragged on, morale and discipline deteriorated. The same thing happened among the American civilian population that contemplated the horrors of the first war broadcast by the media. At the end of the 1960s, two events took place that marked the progressive decline in morale and the increase in the irascibility of the troops:first, the Nixon Administration, seeking a dignified solution for the US from the conflict, decided to progressively withdraw the troops -although in in practice men continue to be sent and soldiers continue to die; and, second, the assassination of Martin Luther King sparks racial violence. The discomfort of American society is transferred to the battlefront:orders are questioned and disobeyed –risking your life for a lost war? -, desertions begin, racial militancy makes Afro-Americans suspicious... and the Fragging phenomenon begins . The potential victims of this phenomenon were incompetent officers who put their subordinates in danger, fanatics or suicides who, seeking glory, dragged their troops, racist officers... At first in the form of warnings (a grenade pin on the bed) and if the The officer continued with his attitude… he was assassinated.
It is estimated that between 1970 and 1971 there were 363 cases of explosive devices against American officers in Vietnam. Although most of the perpetrators were never identified or punished, 71 cases of soldiers convicted of these crimes have been recorded. The fragging phenomenon occurred during an unpopular war, with low troop morale, drug abuse, racial tensions, and the rebellion of American youth.
Sources:New America Media, History, Salem News