Nam Vets in DU

[1stCav]

Nam Vets, stand up and be counted here in DU. 1st Cavalry Div. 2nd of the 7th (Gary Owens) Vietnam 1967 - 11B20

[AllegroRondo]

1. Not a Nam Vet -

but a 1st Cav vet, 2000-01.

Welcome home, soldier!

[soldier101]

6. Not a Nam Vet either, too you

But my Dad was.

My tour was in Afghanistan in 2002.

Screaming Eagles. :toast: :patriot:

[1stCav]

10. To you and your Dad

Afghanistan 2002, were you with the 101st or was your Dad? We had another 101st Nam Vet in here who was not afraid to say his piece or call it like it is, Bammo. He has a great site Bammo's Bunker, saved it. Put that name in a search engine and you will get there. Really worth the time. Hardcore Democrat and anti Bush and his BS Policies. Never did get his e mail addy . The one on the site doesn't work, keeps coming back. Good to meet you and tell your Dad welcome back. Who was your dad with in Nam?

[soldier101]

15. I was in the 101st

My Dad was in Nam, but never with the 101st (for that matter anytime in his career). He was also in Korea and WWII.

I had a weird assignment, I was part of the 101st, detailed to special ops, then detaled for be the liaison for the SOF back to the 101st. So while I was with the 101st in Afghanistan, I was really working for SOF. This happened cause there was a major SNAFU in the assignment, and the SOF had no idea I was coming, and no idea what to do with me.

[1stCav]

9. First Team

2000-2001 First Team member. Glad to meet you. The welcome home wasn't all that good from what I remember in 1967 and after. Another BS war that the G.I. got the blame for. Same thing will go down here in the Bush BS in Iraq, watch and see.

[BOSSHOG]

2. Welcome Aboard Teammate

and thank you for your service.

I joined the Navy in October 72, served 24 years but did not serve in NAM.

[1stCav]

11. Bosshog

Thanks for the welcome and you definately did your time sailor. Good to see honest Veterans in here. Glad your onboard sailor.

[Dhalgren]

3. Welcome to DU! You're among friends here!

I was in the Army from 1972-75. Wasn't sent to Vietnam, but was scared every day that I would be. :hi:

[1stCav]

12. I hear you

Dhalgren, definately know the feeling. Didn't make my full tour before I got hit in 1967. Glad to see that this DU is Veteran freindly. Glad to meet you Dhalgren.

[unhappycamper]

4. .

Class of 67~68

Class of 70~71

[1stCav]

8. Welcome back

198th LIB and the electric strawberry 25th Inf. Div. Welcome back, got a lot of work to do here in the land of the Bush. Time us Nam Vets get off our ass's and let our voices be heard on this Bush BS.

[Gary173]

5. Skysoldier

173rd Airborne Brigade RVN 1967/1968 Welcome home Nam Vets

[1stCav]

13. The Herd

173rd, very proud bunch and some damn good fighting Skysoldiers. Welcome back Gary173. Gary173, check this site out http://www.173rdairborne.com/menuvietnam.htm

[exlrrp]

19. Like, AIRBORNE, dude

I was airborne also, see below. I had many good friends in the Herd, a fighting outfit

[1stCav]

22. All the Way

exlrrp, good to meet you. A LRRP, ours in Nam went out in 6 men teams any change in that scenario today or what? Your right about the herd sxlrrp, some fighting skysoldiers for sure. Very proud bunch and they got a right to be. All the way exlrrp.

[Lowell]

7. Fifth Infantry Division

1/61st Infantry 68-69

[1stCav]

14. Red Diamond Division

Lowell good to meet you. 5th Inf. Division the Red Diamond Division, another proud outfit that fought nobily. Welcome back Lowell.

[Lowell]

20. Thanks and welcome home yourself

I was a red devil. We set up on the beach first, then later I moved to A4C2. It was a tour to remember.

[1stCav]

23. Definately a tour to remember

I was an 11bravo with the 1st Cav Lowell. Got hit during my seventh month there. Hell, Lowell if that was this Bush War, after they patched my ass up, they would gladly send me back for another one. How much do these chickenhawks want from the G.I.? Some are on their 3rd tour for a liar Lowell a damned liar. I know orders are orders but these Bush War orders suk, if you know what I mean.

[exlrrp]

16. 101st Airborne and MACV Lrrps

I served 3 years as a US Army paratrooper (MOS:11B2p-infantry, airborne)
One of those years was in Vietnam where I was a 101st Grunt (1st/327) then volunteered for Reocndo school (an Abbrevieated Ranger school) and then serevd my last month walking point on lrrp team along the Cambodian border of what was then called II Corps.
You can see pictures of me doing this at: http://www.hackworth.com/photo0022.html
I went there gungho, came back knowing we were going to lose, or at least not win. Like George Bush, I got an early out for colleghe although his was 8 months and mine was 3 months. I guess the miolitary needed me a lotr more than a "pilot" with NO qualifications at all (see his discharge: -Qualificatuions: "NONE")
I proteted the Vietnam War when I was discharged, including being on the Mobe committee for the college I was going to. I also helped organize dances/ rock concerts with the money going to the Mobe. A very small amopuint of protest for sure but what I could do.
I wnet back to Vietnam in 2003, toured the places I'd been in, including the Highlands (Ban Me Thuot to Pleiku and KonTum. Then In knew I was right to protest the war. What that country needed was not war but peace. 30 years time has made it a place wherere Americans can travel safely and en joy themselvees. None of our war efforts made it so.
One of my greatest moments ever was doing taichi with hundreds of Vietnamese in a park in Saigon. I was in tears, knowing the war was over and that I was welcome in a country that I had fought. Then I knew I was right to protest and was glad I did, a lot prouder than having fought there
I wonder what it will be like in Iraq for returning vets 30 years from now.

[exlrrp]

17. Check Bush's discharge

I didn't mean to post his dischargfe, only a reference to it but it al;l came up.
Take a look at it, there's a lot of informatiion to glean.
BUSH WAS DISCHARGED COMPLETELY UNQUALIFIED TO DO ANYTHING IN THE MILITARY!!!
TRhats right, our Commander in Chief was dicaharged completely unqualified to ANYTHING in the military, not even paint rocks white!! Thats what having "NONE in your Qualifications box means. This is incontrovertible proof that Bush pissed away that million $$$ pilot training he got.
BUSH ALSO HAS NO MEDALS AT ALL!! according to this discharge! He was awarded 2--the NDSM (for 6 months active duty) and a marksmanship badge but they do not show up at all on this final discharge.
BUSH WAS STRIPPED OF ALL MEDALS AND QUALIFICATIONS WHEN HE WAS DISCHARGED!!

This is a kiss of death discharge, look at how sloppy its typed, This discharge was never meant to be shown to anyone its a disgrace!! and the USAF made it so.
Its also been whited out and retyped!!
look at the Remarks box: look at the marks and stray letter on the left. Look at the way the m argins are diffrent from the res odf the page and the lines run at different angles to the rest of the page!! THIS HAS BEEN WHITED OUT AND RETYPED!!
Think it originaly said something like: "Officer has not completed his obligation?" Thats what "officer has completed 5 years 4 months and 5 fdays of a 6 year commitment" means. When they say "5 months, etc" they are counting at least a year of time when there is no record of Bush having served at all, a whole year
This is the discharge that Bush waves around to "prove his honorable service"
It proves nothing of the kind, it proves he was dischharged stripped of all qualifications and medals. Is this the man to lead our armed forces? Not hardly.

[exlrrp]

18. TAFCS and TAFMS are NOT medals

The TAFCS and TAFMS you see in Bush's Awards box ARE NOT MEDALS!!
They stand for, respectively, Total accumulated Federal civilan servic e and Total accumulated federal military service. These are supposed to be tallies of days served in that category, there shouold be a colon and a number indicating days ijn category.
AND THEYRE EMPTY!! There's no total of days on Bush's discharge where they should be.
That makes this discharge incomplete and Did you ssee that Bush didn't even show up to sign his discharge?? Whatr GI misssed THAT day? Hard to say you were there for the important days when you didn't even show up to sign your discharge!!

[AbsoluteArmorer]

37. thanks for the extra explanation concerning faker Bush

Glad to meet with you here exlrrp, we dealt a lot with many Rangers in I Corps where I ended up in RVN.

I enjoyed your post exposing another war vet faker in GW Bush. Not that he claimed to be a war vet, but he sure made his actual T-Air Guard playboy follies sound like one hell of a fighter pilot protecting America. Yeah sure.. like how he's protecting us today... the scumbag! I got a kick out of what you showed here in the thread... salute to you brother.

:patriot:

[Name removed]

41. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[AbsoluteArmorer]

42. IT IS WRONG!!!!

You know 1stCav, I never realized in that those who were in the Philippines were neglected any support medal for the Vietnam War. Do you know if they got any South Pacific campaign medal for their support efforts?

This touches a personal spot with me about RAs who were in another country that actually were recognized by our govt as 'equals' to in-country war vets 1stCav. I think I brought something like this up in my real war vets vs wannabes thread (which was locked)in here about this crossing over th e line about those who really served at war vs. those who didn't but yet they get the same Vietnam medals as the war vets got. I'm not happy with that one 1stCav. I think Congress should have determined those support countries as 'JUST THAT' for the Vietnam War and NOT as being the same as the Vietnam War. That's how I truly see it 1stCav.

I think I heard or saw this Thailand thing came up somewhere else in which somebody claimed to sport Vietnam medals but yet wasn't in Vietnam. I'm sorry but I can't back that action. I'd never claim to be a part of anything else that I wasn't directly involved with and certainly would not go around bragging about such medals that I really never earned. I believe that as some point, one's conscience should act as their guide and they not disgrace real war veterans with their own selfish acts of 'braggin' rights that doesn't belong to them.

I know this also became an issue with the Iraq Wars (I&II)and it's surrounding support countries getting seperate set of medals I believe.

[Loneranger]

43. Not a Viet Nam Vet

Not a Viet Nam veteran here but was in the U.S. Army stateside after the Korean War. I did not know that those that were not in Viet Nam or the air or water of Viet Nam were entitled to wear Viet Nam service and campaign medals. In my honest oppinion I do not think it is right for the soldiers that did serve in country, air and sea that anyone else, even if in support should be given permission to wear these medals. Did I see this subject AbsoluteArmorer come up in another supposidly Democratic forum, and this subject was not much admired by the administrator of that forum. It was only discussion and no one was singled out or chastised but this other administrator took this subject personally. Why, I have no clue as to the answer. I say these soldiers that served in other places except Viet Nam should not have been given permission to recieve these awards. AbsoluteArmorer, stuff like this happens all the time and reminds me of politics, quite a bit. Every soldier that served in the military in time of a war is in direct support of the soldiers in that war. What about the drill Sgt. who trained these soldiers or the instructors that trained them as well, the cooks that fed them so they could go over there etc., etc. Are they able to wear these Viet Nam medals? No they are not, what is the difference to those that served in Thailand and never set foot on the ground in Viet Nam? But those that served in Thailand were granted the right to recieve Viet Nam Medals http://www.history.navy.mil/medals/vsn.htm. Just sharing my freedom of speech here and not trying to put anyone down. But I totally disagree with that policy AbsoluteArmorer and 1st Cav.

[AbsoluteArmorer]

44. my salute to a Korean Vet

Glad to meet a Korean Vet here. I still considered myself a newbie here in DU but so far I have not met any Korean Vets in here, so great knowing you Loneranger.

I too agree with you concerning who gets what medals Loneranger. Medals for the most part doesn't mean all that much to me, but when they are brought up in discussions, I feel that some real war vets may feel shafted by those who did not set foot inside a war zone and yet they claim their fame to those same medals. I have mentioned that it pretty much boils down to one's own conscience in what's right in what they declare as it is they who has to live with 'borrowed honor' and themselves by the end of each day. I've personally known some fellas who have lied so much for so long about their fake military service that it finally destroyed their own personal family life. I'm sure in some cases, it may even cause some to feel so bad about themselves that they also lost what little that was left of their sanity.

I'd like to hear some war comparisons between the Korean War with the Vietnam War and also the Korean War with the Iraq War whenever you get the time to do that Loneranger. Heck, tell us sometime about any of your VHA experiences too.

:patriot:

[Acebass]

45. Sorry but I don't believe you...

I served in Thailand as did many of my friends I proudly wore my ribbons. What gives you the right to say who can and cannot wear their ribbons...

I have yet to meet a Vietnam Veteran that says they won't wear their ribbons no matter where they served...

You didn't fight that war by yourself pal!...

[1stCav]

39. Hear you loud and clear

Like I said exlrrp, Bush was a scammer who wants recognition for being something he is not and that is a Vietnam Vet.

I do hear you loud and clear exlrrp. Wonder if they got a medal for liar? If so he should have quite a few of them. Another fortunate son exlrrp and here we are stuck with this scamming liar as Commander and Chief or is it Thief?

[Acebass]

46. You sound so familiar sometimes...n/t

[mvd]

49. He has been banned

Just so you know.

[1stCav]

25. That Bush is a scammer

It's now well established that George W. Bush never showed up for National Guard duty for a period of approximately one year, possibly more, in 1972-1973. Despite all the talk about "honor and dignity," Bush seems to have a problem meeting his commitments.

"Those of us who were in the military wonder how it is that someone who is supposedly serving on active duty...can miss a whole year of service without even explaining where it went," said Kerry.
(Source)

http://www.awolbush.com/



(That was Bush's Discharge ? Was really wondering about it exlrrp but seen a lot like it at the VAMC and Vet Centers - scammer discharges, people adding BS, medals, all kinds of crap.)

That disharge was worth posting, chickenhawk scammer exlrrp. Your right the little Texan did nothing, not a damn thing.

[1stCav]

24. Served With the Best

exlrrp, Hack was a soldiers soldier, the best. Read his book About Face, very good. Great pictures exlrrp, really sharp. I too protested the war in Nam after I got out of the VAMC with the VVAW and have no regrets at all exlrrp. In fact I am damn proud of what the VVAW did.VVAW:

Where We Came From, Who We Are

VVAW quickly took up the struggle for the rights and needs of veterans. In 1970, we started the first rap groups to deal with traumatic after-effects of war, setting the example for readjustment counselling at Vet Centers now. We exposed the shameful neglect of many disabled vets in VA Hospitals and helped draft legislation to improve educational benefits and create job programs. VVAW fought for amnesty for war resisters, including vets with bad discharges. We helped make known the negative health effects of exposure to chemical defoliants and the VA's attempts to cover-up these conditions as well as their continued refusal to provide treatment and compensation for many Agent Orange Victims.

Today our government is still financing and arming undemocratic and repressive regimes around the world. Recently, American troops have been sent into combat in the Middle East and Central America, for many of the same misguided reasons that were used to send us to Southeast Asia. Meanwhile, many veterans are still denied justice -- facing unemployment, discrimination, homelessness, post-traumatic stress disorder and other health problems, while already inadequate services are being cut back or eliminated
http://www.vvaw.org/about/

Quite a DD 214, Security Clearance and they didn't enclose a whole bunce, did they.

Welcome back exlrrp, you were with some proud Screaming Eagles there.
And went back to the Nam in 2003, good for you. Know a few Nam Vets that went back to Nam like you did. Had to be an experiance of your lifetime. I hope someday, I as well can go back like you did and see what Nam is like today and mend some wounds.

[AbsoluteArmorer]

21. 158th

Ghostriders of the 158th, 101st fellow brothers. I Corps RVN.

[1stCav]

26. 158th

AA, 158th Ghostriders, check this link out. The 158th is in here AA http://www.vhfcn.org/unitlinks.html scroll on down the page AA. Welcome back G.I.

AA you met some of those scammers I was talkin' about with exlrrp, haven't you? A lot of them out there AA.

[AbsoluteArmorer]

27. ScamJobs vs Real War Vets

Yes sir Bammo....I have run into a few of those 'scammers' you speak about. As you know, and as we have net here in DU, that was brought up in my now locked thread, Real War Vets vs Wannabes. We touched on that a little before it was closed which bothered me some, because it is a real topic matter that is bothersome to some real war vets. As I explained in my thread in the wannabe topic, I again express how it's not what one really did in their military service that yanks on my dog tags, but how they put claim to how they closely associate themselves as the same mix of soldiers in war/combat zones. Then of course there are the full blow 'fakes' who are out there disgracing all service personnel. I feel in what happened in my 'wannaba' closed thread was that you, Bammo, may have touched on a sensitive subject matter in knowing somebody who currently does this. Inquiring minds need to know and learn why we, war vets, have this problem with scammers.

Appreciate that outstanding 101st unit site Bammo! Hell of a page to locate your unit by. Thanks beaucoup for that!

[AbsoluteArmorer]

28. mistaken identity.... my goof

Sorry 1stCav,

looks like I got off on another subject about 'my' closed thread concerning the subject of scammers that you brought up in this thread, 1stCav. So I started replying to Bammo here who I haven't seen around for awhile by the way. Anyways, my mistake... I simply got on the subject of wannabes and responded to Bammo in my mind with my last response to you. The same goes for you, 1stCav, as what I reported with Bammo about scammers involving the military. Good point always!

You get still get full credit for that 101st unit site as well. :patriot:

[1stCav]

32. No Sweat AA

No big deal AA at all. Got to ask you AA you know Bammo and where he is. I kind of miss his in your face Nam Vet attitude. Reminds me of the Nam Vets that used to be in the VAMC in the early 80's with me AA. If you ever get Bammos e mail address send me a message with it, so I can try to contact the brother. AA, I really liked his web site Bammo's Bunker, got it saved. That web tv address on their rebounds back to me. Bammo was not a Bush fan AA, thats for sure.

[Acebass]

48. Now that was funny...n/t

[Acebass]

47. Bammo...where the heck is Bammo?... n/t

[vickitulsa]

29. A big WELCOME HOME to all you Nam Vets here at DU!

I'm not a vet, but have been a staunch friend and supporter of you all from then till now. My daughter's biodad was a doorgunner on Stingers' gunships with the 116th AHC, Cu Chi, and then the 187th AHC, Tay Ninh. He was incountry from June 68 to July 69.

Long story on how we met again 30 years later, in 1998, after our daughter at age 29 finally wanted to know about him and located him.

I hated and protested the war but loved and supported the soldiers, and I love the vets still! From late 1997 when I first went online to 2002 almost everyone I knew online was a Vietnam veteran. I was thrilled to be able to FIND a lot of you guys here on the Net, and for those five years I hung out in the Nam Vets' chat/support groups -- the ones that allowed friends and families of vets aboard, that is.

I attended several reunions and in 1999 made my first and only trip to D.C. on Veterans Day to meet in person many of those I'd come to know online, including many women vets from a group called Sanctuary. Being with them and visiting The Wall was the most profound experience of my life -- well, second only to giving birth to my daughter!

I've only been at DU for a few months but decided today to try to find some Nam Vets here, and saw this thread. Just wanted to give you all a big HUG :hug: , :loveya: , and WELCOME HOME. And to let you know I'll NEVER FORGET YA!

[AbsoluteArmorer]

31. tip of the helmet to ya....

It is not usual for myself or other Vietnam vets I've known to hear or read such kind caring words such as you have written here in DU. We're just not used to this... and even as I read it I almost was waiting for a punch line to pop out at almost anytime to negate your caring words. I have two things in response to write.

1) I know many wives and girlfriends of Vietnam Vets who have lived their own hell along side of their special one who came back. Many of their offspring as well witnessed and suffered the same traumas dished out by the vets in their own agony and hell within themselves. For that, you deserve as many medals and recognition for what you also endured all those years.

2) Beaucoup Thanks to all of you who holds such an understanding and sincere heart after all these years.

:patriot:

[vickitulsa]

34. Aww, AA, just reading your sweet reply to my post

made me cry! There's just something in me, deep down in my soul, that has always cared so much for you guys whom so many American citizens treated so badly. How well I understand that most of you are not used to being loved and respected, especially by people who don't even know you personally, but I'm glad you could tell I really do mean it! :hug:

And I know you're right about many families and loved ones of Nam Vets deserving "medals and recognition" for the high price they have paid over the years, too. I happen to be a singer/songwriter, and I wrote a song especially about the children of Nam Vets, how hard it must be for those who grew up with a dad whose agony they cannot comprehend or even imagine. If you'd like to read the lyrics to that song, a poet friend of mine, ArmyMom, put them up on her Website here:

http://armymom.ozbard.com/z_spencerv/on_the_e.htm

I wrote that song after an emotional visit in 1987 to the home of my long-ago best friend, whose husband Nick was hit by a mortar round at Khe Sanh in '68 during the siege. Nick survived, but I could tell he was one of those who never talked to his family about his time in Vietnam; he only showed his emotions about it in his splendid art projects.

Therefore Nick's 17-year-old daughter Nikki was clearly moved but also surprised and confused by her dad's outpouring of grief as we all watched a TV movie that night about Jan Scruggs' effort to get the Vietnam Veterans Memorial (The Wall) erected in D.C. I learned later from Nick's wife that it was the first time he had been able to watch any movie about Vietnam.

I have written quite a few songs and poems about you Nam Vets, my beloved ones. I'm going to post a link to one special poem I wrote after going to The Wall in D.C. in 1999, but I'll have to do that tomorrow when I reply to 1st Cav's last post because it's past 1 a.m. here and I'm too sleepy to do it right now! :)

Love you guys! More tomorrow....

[1stCav]

33. You did right vickitulsa

You know vickitulsa, I have to thank you for the welcome home, but a lot of us that did make it back here, never came home. We did not fight in Vietnam for anyones freedom or rights. We fought bled and was scared for each other our brother Nam Vets. All that other bull is for those that swill beer at their local Vet club and tell war storys and like to be noticed in some parade or a dinner dance.

116th AHC vickitulsa http://www.1stavnbde.com/Artcles/116art1.html



187th AHC http://www.187thahc.net/ (turn on your speakers)



You did the right thing protesting the war vickitulsa, as long as you protested the government and the people that were letting Vietnam go down. A lot blamed the soldier who fought the war, orders were orders and there was no choice.

Glad your here vickitulsa, welcome and I as a Nam Vet are glad your posting here.

Nam was a bad time that was straightened out after 58,279 names were etched on a black wall in D.C. The big start of the NeoCons (Nixon)

This Bush War is a bad time and unless the people in this country do not rise up and say enough it will get worse before it gets better.

And again vickitulsa, who will take the blame? The soldiers that Bush and his chronies sent over for their lies.

Glad to meet you vickitulsa, your in the right place girl.

[vickitulsa]

36. Thanks so much, 1stCav

for the Website links and that excellent photo of the Hornet bird in action. Dig that nose art! Although I personally liked the Stingers' nose art even better as it was a bit more readily recognizable for what it represented. :)

I'm sure the grunts in the 2/25th ID were very glad to see those slicks come to pick them up, but from what Joe tells me, the Stingers' gunships were a welcome sight to many on the ground too.

As for the Crusaders, I'm very familiar with that "Ye Holy Land" Website... it's where I first saw photos of my own "G.I. Joe" after 30 years of knowing nothing about what happened to him. I knew his name was not on The Wall, but that didn't prove he made it home alive.

Then when our daughter located him and brought us together again, we had a first phone call but then communicated mostly online for a while. I was wary, at least a bit, but I was eager to learn all about him too, so he sent me to that 187th AHC Website where I got the shock of my life to see the same Joe I remembered in 1968 standing by a crashed bird he'd been in (he was in 13 crashes total, but "only three of them hard landings" as he put it). Just one difference in his appearance from what I remembered was that he had grown a mustache! Then there was a recent photo of him as well beside it, and I couldn't help wanting to find out what he was like in 1998.

Eventually he drove from Arkansas to Tulsa and we had a crazy time together for a few months before he "opted out" just like he'd done 30 years before, but I have never regretted either of my encounters with Joe Skarda, my daughter's biodaddy. Those encounters with him weren't easy, but I think getting a chance to get to know the mature Joe actually helped me to heal from a lot of the emotional wounds I had from the war years ... and I suspect I did a lot to make him feel better, too. He said he had "ruined my life," but I didn't see it that way.

I guess I was one of the very few anti-war protesters who NEVER thought we should be against the troops. In fact, I had some serious arguments with my anti-war pals and eventually stopped going around them because of their mistreatment and blame laid on the soldiers -- both those headed to Vietnam and those who returned. It wasn't fair, it wasn't right, and apparently it took about 20 years (at least) for many of them to realize just how mistaken they had been in their treatment of the troops!

Of course, the same was largely true for the greater population, and that's unforgivable in my eyes, too.

Here's a link to that poem I mentioned wanting to share with you guys, which I wrote not long after my visit to The Wall in D.C. where I met in person many vets I had gotten to know online.

http://armymom.ozbard.com/z_spencerv/do_you_w.htm

As I said, that was such a wonderful experience, meeting dozens of Nam Vets and even dancing with many of them at the DMZ to Delta dance! Wish I could go to D.C. again, but I'm too disabled now. I used to ride a motorcycle and would LOVE to have ridden in Rolling Thunder just one time! :) You can tell from that poem that I do understand how difficult it was for you vets when you came "home" only to find it wasn't quite home anymore....

Oh, and btw, you might like to read some of the beautiful veteran tribute poetry by ArmyMom on her Website, too -- she's a far more gifted poet than I am (but she doesn't write songs! ;)), and she has devoted her life to the Nam Vets and active duty troops, of which her son is one (a Screamin' Eagle). He is presently stationed in Iraq even though he is nearing retirement, but he had grown sick of the recruiter job his superiors had stuck him in for five years so he volunteered to go back into the RA and rejoin his unit even if it meant going to Iraq. Says something about those recruiting tasks these days, if you ask me....

Anyway, I'm just glad to have met some of you vets here at DU, and I'll be sure to remember your names when I see you posting on other threads~!

**SALUTE!**

[1stCav]

38. Do You Wonder

DO YOU WONDER?
Do you stand like me back from the Wall
For the Nam Vets in DC?
And watch the raw emotions
Of the veterans you see?

Do you cringe with pain as I do
Feeling empathy for them
And all the while still holding back
What we too feel within?

Do you wonder at the way the tears
Come rushing like a flood
To the eyes of aging soldiers
Now remembering the blood

Of buddies lost while over there
And wounded ones sent home
-A place no longer home to them
They were each in hell alone

And do you wonder why it took
So long for them to come
To be here with their fallen kin
Where they could come undone?

Why is their grief so raw and strong
So many years gone by?
I think it is because of how
They've kept it all inside

How many years were they denied
The healing they must need
Their memories of pain and loss
Lay dormant like a seed

A nation wished to know them not
Respect was seldom shown
And they were robbed, our valiant ones
Of the feelings that they owned

Until at last when now they meet
They're brothers, sisters all
They grace us with their pain and tears
Here at the soldiers' Wall

They touch the names of those they've missed
Their agonies emerge
And they hold on to each other
While strong emotions surge

They need each other -- we need them!
And all of us need Grace
To bear the grief so long delayed
To offer our embrace

They are our brothers too, I see
And sisters, we have shunned
They served with valor in the war
But here they were outgunned

So if you wonder why they weep
Those warriors who've hung on
Remember theirs is pent up grief
They've held it in too long

So now let's show them that we care
As now they come to weep
The tears that will bring healing
And let's all their vigils keep

And nevermore leave them alone
But rather hold them tight
Within our arms, as in our hearts
At last let's treat them right


©Copyright May 2000 by Vicki Spencer
For the Veterans - Memorial Day, 2000

vickitulsa, that poem of yours deserved a post in here. Very good, vickitulsa, excellent job. Will definately check out Armymom vickitulsa http://armymom.ozbard.com/ .

Being a grunt I can tell you that those slicks, gunships were appreciated very much. Those medivac jockeys had some hardcore courage as well.

Sorry to hear your relationship with your Vietnam Vet did not work out vickitulsa. A lot of Vietnam combat Vets have problems with commitments vickitulsa. You know the story, I do not have to tell you nothing.

Somethings are for the best vickitulsa, guess thats the best way to look at it.

Great poem vickitulsa, thanks for sharing the URL with us here.

[Acebass]

35. That was beautiful...

I just hope it's appreciated...

You see I too am a Vietnam Veteran. I spent 18 months in Southeast Asia. 6 months in Guam and a year in Thailand. I served my country from May 68-March 72. I was part of ArcLight, in direct support of B52 bombing campaigns throughout SEA. I flew, in aircraft, all over SEA.
No I wasn't involved in hand to hand combat, at least not while I was overseas, but I lost friends in Vietnam, and have friends that returned with their own story to tell.
I had the feeling, until recently that we were all brothers who served, we did our part to make sure we all got out alive, but I've come to a different realization recently.
To some my servce was somehow subpar not worthy of mention, service to be ridiculed. There are some who will weave a tear jerking story just to appease their own ego or win your heart and mind. Beware!
I don't feel comfortable posting in military forums anymore. Excuse me if I don't feel all warm and fuzzy by some peoples stories of their exploits

"We All Gave, Some Gave All" you made it back, be thankful!...

[mykpart]

30. Did you go to the 1st Cav reunion last year?

I'm not a vet, but my hubby was in Viet Nam, and also was 1st Cav.

[1stCav]

40. Nope Didn't make reunion

mykpart, I did not make the 1st Cav reunion. I am not good at those type of things mykpart, but do not get down on any Nam Vet that does go to them as long as they are doing the Vet and his or her family if they have one some good.

Tell your husband from the 1st Team this old Gary Owen's G.I. sends his best.

Glad to meet you mykpart.

[mvd]

50. Locking

No use in continuing the arguments when the thread starter has been banned.