Not forced from his adviser position I have deleted the above claim from the Vietnam War Service section If you restore it please give an appropriate citation it s been marked citation needed since Dec 2011 As explained in Sheehan s book Vann s commander Harkins wanted to fire him but relented on the advice of his other officers Vann had just won the Distinguished Flying Cross and firing Vann right after decorating him was awkward and would certainly make the scandal in the press that much worse Sheehan 330 Thus Vann served out his full one year tour 331