[4 eyed six shooter]

I was not in Nam, I was one year too young when it ended, but my father was there 3 times. He was one of the luckey ones who returned alive and in one piece. To this day he still does not talk much about what he experienced. I saw the way vets were treated upon their return and it sickened me. I just want to say Thank You to all who went. I was proud of you at the time you were there, and am still proud of you. Many of your fellow Vets did not make it back, some of you came back missing arms and legs and most came back with the nightmares of the horrors they had seen.
You are not forgotten by your fellow Americans.
God Bless you all, John K

 

[rooter]

John K., that seemed to be a sincere, heartfelt, tribute to Viet Vets--I say thank you and I hope others who read your words tell you also of their appreciation. Perhaps someday your father will tell you about 'his war'---the colors and the sounds and the smells--probably, more than the number of nights he cares for them to come, the 'mares come galloping thru his dreams---just maybe his escape it not to talk about them during waking hours. Wilborn

 

[Jay]

Thanks, John.......I didn't say much either till I met and married a lady 33 years ago. Sometimes it's hard to talk until you find someone who knows how to listen.

 

[ruffitt]

4 eyed six shooter -

Thanx for your kind remarks and the remembrance of us who had our boots on the ground over there so long ago. Your thoughts and words are deeply appreciated.

 

[Marlin]

Well put, John.

It is criminal how the Vietnam Vets were treated from the word go by many. Rest assured that not all in this great country were fixated on the negative. Even realizing that this was an impossible struggle, there were those of us who felt even more deeply the value of sacrifices by our fighting men and there families.

God only knows how very much we all appreciated what was done. Words cannot express my appreciation for anyone that puts it on the line for others, no matter whether or not one feels there is a just cause. Right is right and has always been right. Our folks on the front line should not have suffered due to some very gross political errors and idiotic decisions. One is just as wounded or dead no matter.

Thank you, gentlemen, from the bottom of my heart and, incidentally, everyone with whom I am acquainted.

 

[Hope 69/70]

Jay,

You are so correct, my husband says the very same thing. However, in this case the both of us are Nam Vets and it makes it easier to express what we are trying to convey.

John K, It doesn't have to be that you were there, a good ear, a little time to give can sure help the vet tremendously. Especially, when those memories find their way to the surface and begins coming out, there is nothing like a friend or loved one to tell it to.

If anyone ever wants to chat, we are here and the same goes for your wife Jay, she is very welcome. The family gets left out sometimes and it is good they get to talk about it also.

We do not push or pry on here.....each individual has a time and sometimes the time never comes but if it does....here we are, ready to listen and help if asked to do so.



Welcome Home Everyone!

Hope

 

[SouthernMoss]

I echo the sentiments of everyone else. The Vietnam vets were terribly mistreated when they returned home, and it's good that they are finally getting the recognition they deserve. To any vets that read this: Please know that there are those of us that have the utmost respect for you and for your service. It will not be forgotten.

 

[4 eyed six shooter]

Thank you for the thank you's. My father has told me of some of the horrors he experienced. Dad was a Navy Chaplain. He was on Destroyers for two tours, then 13 months with the 5th Marines outside of Da Nang. He was awarded the Bronze Star with combat V as well as other metals for pulling back wounded to safety on numerous occasions during attacks . He also put more miles on his jeep than any other Chaplain going to remote fire bases. As you can see I am very proud of him. In between tours he was at Oak Knoll Navy hospital. There I got to know many amputee's. They were some of the bravest men I have ever met and tought me much about courage.
On Memorial Day this year I went to visit my father and he invited me to go to a Flag burning ceremony with him (old damaged one's). There were Vets from WWII to Golf war Vets there. The bond those men had and the memories of lost friends they shared as they dedicated the flags to them was one of the most touching things I have ever witnessed. I was a police officer fighting gangs on the streets of San Diego for 15 years. I thought I knew the bond that Vets feel as Police Officers experience similar bonding. I saw that it was much deeper and emotional than anything I had felt.
It was a lousy war, one they would not let you win, but every one of you stood up for your love of country and gave your all.
Thanks again, May God Bless You and your fallen friends.
John K

 

[Admin]

I'd like to step in here and say that communication/participation
in here is a very special thing, and I can't even begin to thank
all of you enogh for doing so.

Please do participate, the Vets in here appreciate it more than
you can probably imagine, as do the non-Vet regulars & supporters as well.

What a pleasant surprise, thank you all so much, please continue!

Carry On Folks!

 

[rooter]

John K., being that your Dad was a Navy Chaplain, may I invite you to read a story that I wrote about a Navy Chaplain I served with in Vietnam---we were together there twice. The story is titled KHE SANH and it is down in my story section JD allowed for my remembrances. If you have time, as it is rather lengthy, Part II is about The Padre---that's what I called him---Thanks. Wilborn

 

[4 eyed six shooter]

Rooter, That was a great story. I really enjoyed it-sent it to my father. If you have the time, you should write a book. You have a great writing style. Let me know if you do, I'll buy the first two copies. I'm new to this forum. Joined it because I am a gunsmith and found the Viet Nam section as I was exploring. I look foreward to reading all the posted stories as I have the time.
My father has spoken many times with fondness about his assistent/driver. He was a Marine from the south. Dad picked him because he could drive like a whisky runner and could shoot the nads off a nat at 300 yards. That Marine got them thru numerous ambushes on the way to the outlying fire camps. He always took good care of that kid. Thank you for sharing your stories.
My best to you, John K

 

[Hope 69/70]

Thank you SouthernMoss and good to see you and the others here with us.

I have to agree with JD (very unusual for me to do that...LOL) but it is nice to see others from the TFF come and visit us here at the VMBB.

4 eyed six shooter, the Sn. Chief does have a lot of stories that he has written and makes for some interesting reading. I believe he does have enough memories to fill a few volumes.




Hope

 

[Salvage33]

John K. thanks for the kind words about us. And thank your father for his service and bravery. I know that there were times when I didn't think we would make it back, but someone said a prayer for us somewhere, and would like to think maybe your father fired one off just in the nick of time for me.

John

 

[Jeri C]

I was not in Nam, I was one year too young when it ended, but my father was there 3 times. He was one of the luckey ones who returned alive and in one piece. To this day he still does not talk much about what he experienced. I saw the way vets were treated upon their return and it sickened me. I just want to say Thank You to all who went. I was proud of you at the time you were there, and am still proud of you. Many of your fellow Vets did not make it back, some of you came back missing arms and legs and most came back with the nightmares of the horrors they had seen.
You are not forgotten by your fellow Americans.
God Bless you all, John K

My husband never wanted to hear about other wars because of how Vietnam Vets were treated when they came home. It upset him a lot that there was no ticker tape parade--nothing. When desert storm was going on I made a comment about a man I worked with at a newspaper office that he was going over to desert storm. He said to me "I dont want to hear about this war". He was on a hospital ship--not on the land--but he saw the deaths because of being on a hospital ship. We had friends -another married couple- that the man was in the army in Nam. He died a rough death from the effects of agent orange in 1993. He already had PTSD and the agent orange went to his brain before he died. His wife told me she was ready to walk away because his nastiness from the brain cancer really got bad but she stayed with him til he passed. I am glad my husband did not know he was in fact exposed to it til he passed away. I am thankful he didnt go through what our friend went through. I agreed with my husband Vietnam we felt was the worst war the USA fought.

 

[rooter]

My husband never wanted to hear about other wars because of how Vietnam Vets were treated when they came home. It upset him a lot that there was no ticker tape parade--nothing. When desert storm was going on I made a comment about a man I worked with at a newspaper office that he was going over to desert storm. He said to me "I dont want to hear about this war". He was on a hospital ship--not on the land--but he saw the deaths because of being on a hospital ship. We had friends -another married couple- that the man was in the army in Nam. He died a rough death from the effects of agent orange in 1993. He already had PTSD and the agent orange went to his brain before he died. His wife told me she was ready to walk away because his nastiness from the brain cancer really got bad but she stayed with him til he passed. I am glad my husband did not know he was in fact exposed to it til he passed away. I am thankful he didnt go through what our friend went through. I agreed with my husband Vietnam we felt was the worst war the USA fought.

Hello Jeri...With my 2 tours to Vietnam, the first during the dangerous 1968 period of TET, I have
often contended that our country was honoring treaties that were never should have entered into.
I was with naval construction forces called SEABEES and our mission caused the serving with
the Marines on their building requirements. Best Regards. Chief

 

[cpt-t]

We went to Viet Nam because Our Country said the South Vietnamese People desperately need our help, and that it was the right thing to do. And American just always do that. But mostly it was Young Boys from low income poor family that were drafted and went to Viet Nam with a MOS of an 11B. I didn`t know any rich or politically connected peoples kids that were there, very few if any were. But I knew personally many National Guard & Reserve Units in many states that were 300% and 400% over strengthed because the kids that were in these Units that were nothing more than legal Draft Dogers there because their wealthy family paid big bucks and called in political favors to buy their Sons a position in those slimy types of Units. And believe me I never knew of a National Guard or Reserve Unit that was not that way. When I went to the Army's Flight School in 1970 the Army was absolute desperate for Helicopter pilots because of the extremely high attrition and causality rate in Viet Nam. My Flight School Class was 1/3 Army National Guard, 1/3 Army Reserves, and 1/3 Active Army which I was one of. The Army Reserves & National Guard student pilots use to complain constantly about why they had to learn to land in a small confined areas between the trees and beable to preform other tatical problems that a Helicopter pilot had to not only know but be very proficient at doing. Because they were not going to Viet Nam and would never need to know any of that, as they put it that Stupid Ridicules Stuff. And they were right, they weren`t going to Viet Nam they were going back to their states aviation units and strut around in their Nomeix Flightsuits. Many times I personally saw and heard the Command Staff at both Ft Walters Tx & Ft Rucker Al tell our Flight School Class just how bad the Casualty Rate was in Viet Nam and how bad the Army needed Helicopter Pilots over there. And they would plead with the National Guard & Army Reserve student pilots to volunteer for active duty. I personally never saw any of those worthless cowards volunteer to go to Viet Nam, not one of them. We the Active Army learned to despise the National Guard & the Army Reserves. And the South Vietnamese were a nation of Thieves, Liars, & Cowards. And I never personally never seen a Arvin Unit stand fight in the 2 tours I was in Viet Nam. IMPO none of the South Vietnamese should have ever been brought to Our Country. They hated us then and they still hate us now, never trust one of them.
ken

 

[Jeri C]

Hello Jeri...With my 2 tours to Vietnam, the first during the dangerous 1968 period of TET, I have
often contended that our country was honoring treaties that were never should have entered into.
I was with naval construction forces called SEABEES and our mission caused the serving with
the Marines on their building requirements. Best Regards. Chief

TY Chief.

We went to Viet Nam because Our Country said the South Vietnamese People desperately need our help, and that it was the right thing to do. And American just always do that. But mostly it was Young Boys from low income poor family that were drafted and went to Viet Nam with a MOS of an 11B. I didn`t know any rich or politically connected peoples kids that were there, very few if any were. But I knew personally many National Guard & Reserve Units in many states that were 300% and 400% over strengthed because the kids that were in these Units that were nothing more than legal Draft Dogers there because their wealthy family paid big bucks and called in political favors to buy their Sons a position in those slimy types of Units. And believe me I never knew of a National Guard or Reserve Unit that was not that way. When I went to the Army's Flight School in 1970 the Army was absolute desperate for Helicopter pilots because of the extremely high attrition and causality rate in Viet Nam. My Flight School Class was 1/3 Army National Guard, 1/3 Army Reserves, and 1/3 Active Army which I was one of. The Army Reserves & National Guard student pilots use to complain constantly about why they had to learn to land in a small confined areas between the trees and beable to preform other tatical problems that a Helicopter pilot had to not only know but be very proficient at doing. Because they were not going to Viet Nam and would never need to know any of that, as they put it that Stupid Ridicules Stuff. And they were right, they weren`t going to Viet Nam they were going back to their states aviation units and strut around in their Nomeix Flightsuits. Many times I personally saw and heard the Command Staff at both Ft Walters Tx & Ft Rucker Al tell our Flight School Class just how bad the Casualty Rate was in Viet Nam and how bad the Army needed Helicopter Pilots over there. And they would plead with the National Guard & Army Reserve student pilots to volunteer for active duty. I personally never saw any of those worthless cowards volunteer to go to Viet Nam, not one of them. We the Active Army learned to despise the National Guard & the Army Reserves. And the South Vietnamese were a nation of Thieves, Liars, & Cowards. And I never personally never seen a Arvin Unit stand fight in the 2 tours I was in Viet Nam. IMPO none of the South Vietnamese should have ever been brought to Our Country. They hated us then and they still hate us now, never trust one of them.
ken

Hello Jeri...With my 2 tours to Vietnam, the first during the dangerous 1968 period of TET, I have
often contended that our country was honoring treaties that were never should have entered into.
I was with naval construction forces called SEABEES and our mission caused the serving with
the Marines on their building requirements. Best Regards. Chief

TY Chief.