On "South Park", which war was Stan's uncle's buddy in?

On “South Park,” Stan’s uncle’s buddy was in the Vietnam War. The buddy is Ned Gerblansky, a recurring character introduced alongside Jimbo Kern in the early episode “Volcano.” Ned is portrayed as a veteran who lost his right arm and speaks through an electronic voice box, while Jimbo is his longtime hunting companion and best friend.

The Vietnam War lasted from the 1950s until 1975 and involved North Vietnam and its allies opposing South Vietnam and the United States. Ned and Jimbo’s veteran status helps explain their exaggerated survivalist attitudes, familiarity with firearms, and darkly comic approach to danger. “Volcano” uses their hunting trip to parody macho outdoor-adventure stories and disaster movies.

A common mix-up is confusing Ned’s war with the Korean War or the Gulf War, since South Park frequently references American military culture across different eras. In this specific character description, however, Ned is identified as a Vietnam War soldier. The answer is therefore the Vietnam War, not merely “a war in Southeast Asia.”