does anyone remember Vietnam?

[Seabeescotty]

Never M1, so long as I breathe, will I allow willful abuse of returning personnel. I will calmly step in the way, and explain that those kids have done nothing more than serve their country, to the best of their ability. End of subject, and end of conversation!

[neophyte]

Something that amazed me then as it does now; reading along with these postings.
Something forgotten or they were too stupid or delusional to realize.

95% {I don't know thats a fact} Were 'drafted'.
We weren't running by the droves to be a part of any military.

I for one thought about Canada, Switzerland, Denmark. I thought about the ways to not get involved. "Mom" said; do what is right for you. Now that she put me in my place.
Off I go to be GI Joe, being contemplative didn't help me a bit.

The stories are here; scars, mental and physical, learning a lot, challenging myself, not to get dead. Remembering the "chaps"; smilingly knowing; they didn't get dead either.

We were Drafted

[Seabeescotty]

I think that's a bit high. I knew a lot of guys who joined one service to avoid the other. But I also knew a bunch of guys who joined to serve, and I was one of 'em. Took my entrance exam, and physical at sixteen.

[neophyte]

SeeBee: Sir; I should have just kept my mouth shut. Yes; my numbers are probably way off.

I had a moment

[Marine1]

Originally Posted by Seabeescotty

I think that's a bit high. I knew a lot of guys who joined one service to avoid the other. But I also knew a bunch of guys who joined to serve, and I was one of 'em. Took my entrance exam, and physical at sixteen.

I took mine, and joined the Marine Corps @ seventeen.. (my parents had to sign, as I was under-age) and off to boot camp (2) days later.

[Seabeescotty]

Craig , it wasn't a problem, and don't keepyour mouth shut. Your opinion is valued, by me anyway. I did a bit of research, after all the BS about that war, and discovered that a lot of it was propagand, to make the whole thing look like a fiasco. Most of the guys I knew were there to do the job, for their country. I also met draftees who felt the same, and did the job with honor. We had some bad apples, like any generation, but the people who reported, and wrote about Vietnam, wanted to paint ALL of us with a bad brush. And it just isn't true.

[neophyte]

SeeBee: Sir; after 'mother' put me into my place; I competed, did well by their standards.
My issues then and now; Screw the propaganda; screw the press; screw the politicians; my 'chaps' asses meant more to me than any numbers game.

Velcro was invented for me. My shirts looked like crap until I had it put on my T's too.

We based in a country about the size of SC. and we lost. Sir; there wasn't any reason to loose. Given my ?base? knowledge skill; [there were more like me] things could've been different.

Many of us ?grew up? during our country's ''baby boomer'' years, I agreed with every one of the ''disgruntled young people''; that didn't change.

When we were given a ?job? it was is my intentions '' not to get dead ''
there-by causing grief to some Officers. We accomplished; on time; sweated out, and didn't get dead.

Sir; without question; a rough time in our lives. I believed then as I do now.
Fighting is all about winning, it's not about playing "namby-pamby" games.

The folks NOW; protecting us; I say a prayer for each and every one every day.
You are much more the "Professional" than I ever could have been. You are more the reason for a "Professional Military" you are the best.

My fear; South East Asia all over.

SeeBee; Sir; at some point; I'll share some stories for our
comic loving crowd

I'm done with this. Thanks and mean no disrespect

[Seabeescotty]

I knew that, and none taken. We did our best, and the politicians let us down, and tied our hands behind our backs. They can all kiss "rosey", I have no use for them. But I will always have pride for my fellow vets, and respect them, and honor them. For we are brothers....

[rice paddy dadd]

Originally Posted by neophyte

SeeBee: Sir; I should have just kept my mouth shut. Yes; my numbers are probably way off.

I had a moment

go here: www.ussboston.org/VietnamMyths.html

[neophyte]

rice paddy dadd: Sir; good find. Thanks

[sbowers5]

Scotty i guess i'm different As you know i went on my own and spent many months in Nam and although i have many scares from that time, I talk about it every chance I get because I want the uninformed to know what we went through and all of the trauma that I left us with and that we are PROUD that we served our country, and it is also my way of dealing with my demonds.

and by the tk2 i also was one that got spat on but the dude layed down right after he did it.
steve

[F1609]

Originally Posted by Seabeescotty

Craig , it wasn't a problem, and don't keepyour mouth shut. Your opinion is valued, by me anyway. I did a bit of research, after all the BS about that war, and discovered that a lot of it was propagand, to make the whole thing look like a fiasco. Most of the guys I knew were there to do the job, for their country. I also met draftees who felt the same, and did the job with honor. We had some bad apples, like any generation, but the people who reported, and wrote about Vietnam, wanted to paint ALL of us with a bad brush. And it just isn't true.

Reporters can be just plain horrible. Everything they usually say is completely wrong. I'm not sure if anyone here used to watch Over There when it was out on TV. There was one episode where one soldier "Smoke" had an episode where a kid ran out in front of him firing a SAW during a fire fight and he killed the kid, a reporter was there and when he sent in his video the News Company edited it too seem like Smoke purposely shot the kid when he ran out into the open. Vietnam, and Now would both be completely different wars if the news reporters weren't as ignorant as they are and would show the true truth.

[samuel]

Originally Posted by F1609

Reporters can be just plain horrible. Everything they usually say is completely wrong. I'm not sure if anyone here used to watch Over There when it was out on TV. There was one episode where one soldier "Smoke" had an episode where a kid ran out in front of him firing a SAW during a fire fight and he killed the kid, a reporter was there and when he sent in his video the News Company edited it too seem like Smoke purposely shot the kid when he ran out into the open. Vietnam, and Now would both be completely different wars if the news reporters weren't as ignorant as they are and would show the true truth.

About the only war stories I have heard were from saigon commandos and the millions that were never there.The 10 percent out of two and a half million that were there and saw action don't talk about it.They don't have to.So many that never fired a shot in anger are telling all about it. sam.

[sbowers5]

I hope that i'm not being called a siagon commando.!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!.
steve

[Cyrano]

Scotty, sbowers, Troy: There is a book you ought to read.

Homecoming: When the Soldiers Returned from Vietnam, by Bob Greene. You can find it on Amazon.com, here:

Amazon.com: The Homecoming: Bob Greene: Books

It all started when Greene, a columnist for the Chicago Tribune, was exploring urban myths in the late 1970s. One such was the tale of troops returning from Vietnam being spit on by hippies. He thought it was a crock. He ran a column telling the story as he'd heard it and asking any vet who could shed light on the veracity of the story to write him.

He was inundated by mail, from both sides of the issue. He quickly realized there was a lot more to the story than whether it was an urban myth. So, like a good reporter, he put ads in major papers around the country asking Vietnam vets to write him about their experiences when they got back from the war. He got more replies, ranging from "It happened to me" to "Are you kidding? I got back and people helped me."

He winnowed down the responses to the ones that seemed most real, and wrote to those men and women. Based on the replies he got, he winnowed further, and repeated the process. He had a contact in the military who was in a position to verify whether or not the letter-writers that made the final cut had served, and if they had, if they'd served in Vietnam; but he could only go to the well a few times. Greene made his final selections and his contact verified their service. He then, acting mostly as the Greek chorus of a play, or perhaps the Stage Manager from Thornton Wilder's Our Town, put the responses into book form. He tried to make the presentation as balanced as he could.

He had letters from soldiers, sailors, Marines and airmen. He had letters from troops who were spit on, and those who weren't. He had reports of American citizens treating their soldiers with disdain and contempt, and others who could not do enough for them. He had descriptions, in their own words, of how those who were spit on felt about it, how it affected them and continued to affect them. The writers ranged from barely literate high school dropouts to officers writing with precision. Some letters were elegant, some were crude. A few are humorous; a few tear your heart out. The letter-writers ranged in rank from roll-in-the-mud grunt privates to bird colonels; from infantrymen to nurses, pilots to doctors, from front line soldiers to rear echelon pogues. The book is as complex as the feelings of those who fought the war.

I hope it won't open old wounds for you if you choose to read it. But one thing I'll guarantee if you do: You'll have a better understanding of that particular issue about the Vietnam War; and perhaps some insight on why you don't hear of that kind of behavior happening today.

[tbonecpk]

Bein 20 years old obviously I was not involved in Nam.. Like Seabee74 my family has a long history of military service. My Great Grandpa Mitchel was a GM aboard a battle ship in WW2, my Granpa Dave was the dual 50 gunner on the PBR's in Vietnam, My biological father was an HT1 and my step father is currently a Nuke EM1 and I am about to join their ranks as a GM (e-3). All I can say is that I thank all of you that serve and hope to one day call you guys shipmates. Like most of you I join not for petty reasons like oh I hope it'll help pay for college and what not (though a perk). I join because I want to actualy do somethin in my life. To say that yes I gave a part of me so that you can rest your head at night knowing that nothing bad will happen to you. To truely say "I may not agree to what you are saying but I will fight to the death for your right to say it."

[Seabeescotty]

Cyrano, I'll prb'ly read that book, but will have to stay away from the public for awhile, which is pretty easy, out here. I can usually pick out the real deal , from the BS, and we have a buncha real deals on this forum. I don't have to name 'em, they know who they are, and they can read me just as well. It comes from being there, you can see it in the eyes, for the eyes ARE the windows of the soul. The first time I decided to use my VA privileges, the Army vet, behind the counter asked me where I had served. I looked right through him, and asked him how he could possibly know where I had been. I had been hiding in plain sight, for twenty years or so. The man smiled gently, and said it came from my eyes, a certain, haunted long range stare, not looking anywhere, and yet looking everywhere. That was the beginning of the healing process for me. God bless all, but especially my fellow Nam vets!

[rice paddy dadd]

Originally Posted by samuel

About the only war stories I have heard were from saigon commandos and the millions that were never there.The 10 percent out of two and a half million that were there and saw action don't talk about it.They don't have to.So many that never fired a shot in anger are telling all about it. sam.

Trueism #1 - It's like schoolboys talking about sex. The louder they talk, the less they've done.
Trueism #2 - The difference between a war story and a fairy tale is: one starts out "Once upon a time", and the other starts out "There I was"..........

[MemphisJim1]

Every now and then I straighten up some old mementoes and come across the photo I intended to send as my Christmas card in 1967: Photo is me armed to the teeth smiling at the camera. Caption was to be: "Having an exciting time. Wish you were here to share it." Always regretted I couldn't get it printed.

[Burke]

I remember the pullout in 1975 on TV.

I also remember Vietnam every time my step mother calls me and says that my Father has had another "episode".

He's been married 5 times.

PTSD was to blame for every one of his divorces including my mothers.

I remember it, but my Father remembers it every day.