Do you think American soldiers are put on too high of a pedestal

[Thumpalumpacus]

Not trying to be too politically correct about it. For example, pilots flying overhead would see the enemy, but because they were in a particular location or weren't particularly doing anything threatening, they weren't allowed to target them.

Erm...I wouldn't call things like rules of engagement or limits to what the military can do as being 'politically correct.'

In that war, target lists were developed that made no military sense -- for instance, we couldn't attack shipping bringing replenishment SA-2 missiles into Haiphong, but on the target lists were sites where the batteries were operational. The best place to defeat any weapon is in the supply chain, before it may be brought to bear on your soldiers, airmen, and sailors.

That targeting decision was politically motivated, as a result of the policy of gradual escalation, and dictated from DC. It's an easy priority to establish when it ain't your ass flying into a barrage of SAMs and 23-mm fire.