vietnam vet

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So I started a new job this wednesday. Anyways this guy who served in 69 vietnam Air Cav, starts telling me stories of how he use to get orders to search VC tunnels and set det cord through out and how almost every foot patrol ended in an ambush. Throughout the year he spent in country. Anyways it really humbled the way I viewed combat veterans, I did a year in Iraq and as a whole and I dont think it could compare to what these old school Vets expierienced.

The reason im writing this post is I have really been humbled and put in place by the sacrafices of our senior generations have made.
 
Amen brother.... I did convoy security and riding around the streets of Bagdhad in 53,000 pounds of armored truck just dont compare to what the guys in previous years and previous conflicts had to endure... Im not worthy!!!! .....
 
i tend to NOT beleive anyone who tells excessive war stories..

but i'm funny like that.

Some Vietnam Vets bullshit alot, some don't. Unfortunately, only other Vietnam Vets can tell what is true and what is bullshit about our war.

If he was in the 1st Cav during 1969, he was in the thick of it!
 
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i tend to NOT beleive anyone who tells excessive war stories..

but i'm funny like that.

I find some more willing to talk than others. My dad was a WWII veteran and talked very little about his experiences. My Uncle who is also a WWII veteran is a bit more willing to talk about what he has been through.

At my prior house we had neighbor that was a disabled Vietnam Vet. He was a bit more willing to talk about things, but only to an extent. He became disable trying to drag a couple of he buddies out. He made it (but was seriously injured) his buddies weren't so lucky. To this day he still has medical issues from his injuries.

I find how willing someone is to talk depends on the person doing the talking and who it is their talking to.
 
Amen brother.... I did convoy security and riding around the streets of Bagdhad in 53,000 pounds of armored truck just dont compare to what the guys in previous years and previous conflicts had to endure... Im not worthy!!!! .....


Oh yes you are! Never think that. Thank you for your service.
 
My father was in Vietnam, and in my 39 years of life I've never once ever heard him talk about it. Alot of other vets from the American legion,have told me he was in some serious $#|t, but never from him. Just a strange thought...
 
i tend to NOT beleive anyone who tells excessive war stories..

but i'm funny like that.

Agree. I've been asked several times over the years about the Dustoff Association sticker on the back window of my truck and my PH plates. Other than that, like most other Vietnam Vets, I only discuss Vietnam with those who've been there. The media did a good job of skewing the real story and it's just too involved to try and straighten out their many stupid myths.
 
Agree. I've been asked several times over the years about the Dustoff Association sticker on the back window of my truck and my PH plates. Other than that, like most other Vietnam Vets, I only discuss Vietnam with those who've been there. The media did a good job of skewing the real story and it's just too involved to try and straighten out their many stupid myths.

You got that right!
 
I was really screwed up when I got out. I had spent a long time in the Army hospital and my mind had blocked out all memory of ever being in the Army. It was so bad I moved away from my family and friends so I wouldn't have to talk about it. About a year later I was living in Natick and my roomates threw a party and a few people stayed over.

In the morning there was a knock on the door and when I answered the door there was a 1st Lt standing there in his class A's with no medals. He told me He was there to pick up some girl who had called and asked him for a ride to work at the Natick Labs.

A few minutes later He was sitting in the kitchen with every one and He gave me this smart ass remark, How come you never went in to the service, our Country is at war if you don't know.

I didn't say any thing and walked in to my bedroom and pulled my old suitcase out from underneath the bed and put on my old class A's and walked out in to the kitchen. It had my 101st Airborne patches and all my medals. I had spent almost a year in the Ashua Valley and more time down south in the rubber plantations .

The room went silent and every one was in shock. The jerk just stared at me He didn't know what to say. I said to him does this change you're mind about me?

For me it was a good thing that it had happened to me. I realised that I had badly I had treated my family and friends, so I moved out at the end of the month and went home. Shortly after that I started therapy and that helped a lot.
 
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I don't talk about Vietnam with anyone but fellow Vietnam Vets......nobody else would understand or believe it!

I agree with Skysoldier; no one else would understand or believe it, who wasn't there!

USMC MATCU62 '69 - '70- Khe Sanh, Dong Ha, Chu Lai, Marble Mountain
 
While we are on this subject, I would like to add one message to all the other Vietnam Vets here....

"Thanks for serving with me! I really appreciate it!"

(I won't say "Welcome Home", because that phrase means nothing to me! It came too damn late to sound anything but hypocritical.)

And to all the others who have served, and especially those serving now......"You have no idea how much I appreciate it!"
 
First off, I am very grateful to all who have served....thank you!

I do wish however that those who are able to talk about their experience did so more often, and here is why. I am in my early 30's and have never served in any capacity, neither have any of my close friends. My grandfather served in WWII and only talked about his experience once for about 10 minutes. My father never served in Vietnam as he was injured and discharged. 98% of what I know about any war is from the newspaper, tv, movies, or books (books becoming more and more my source). I get involved in events and organizations to help veterans because I feel like they have sacrificed so much for all of us, giving some of my time and money is the least I can do. I often hear from veterans that the books, tv, movies, and newspapers are all wrong about the wars, specifically Vietnam. I wish more of the veterans would share their experience so that the rest of us could learn the true history of what happened.

Maybe I'm being selfish for wanting to know and if you feel that way I apologize. I just feel like those who gave their lives and sacrificed so much deserve for the truth to be heard, recorded, and taught for all future generations.

Thanks again to everyone for their service.
 
First off, I am very grateful to all who have served....thank you!

I do wish however that those who are able to talk about their experience did so more often, and here is why. I am in my early 30's and have never served in any capacity, neither have any of my close friends. My grandfather served in WWII and only talked about his experience once for about 10 minutes. My father never served in Vietnam as he was injured and discharged. 98% of what I know about any war is from the newspaper, tv, movies, or books (books becoming more and more my source). I get involved in events and organizations to help veterans because I feel like they have sacrificed so much for all of us, giving some of my time and money is the least I can do. I often hear from veterans that the books, tv, movies, and newspapers are all wrong about the wars, specifically Vietnam. I wish more of the veterans would share their experience so that the rest of us could learn the true history of what happened.

Maybe I'm being selfish for wanting to know and if you feel that way I apologize. I just feel like those who gave their lives and sacrificed so much deserve for the truth to be heard, recorded, and taught for all future generations.

Thanks again to everyone for their service.

Ummm, I can tell you from my experience, unless you have served most will not talk about it with a civilian. Mainly because they wouldn't understand. We bring Our WWII Willy's Jeep to various events, and alot of of Vets will stop and talk with us once they find out we both served. Some of the stories we get are great, and alot of them tell us their families have never even heard them.
What you have to remember is the WWII vets came home and had to get back to normal life, stuffed all their feelings, etc to do that. Viet Nam Vets came home to some (putting it nicely) not very nice reactions, so why would they want to talk about it after the treatment they got. My father in law was a Korea War vet and until hubby and I came home on leave did he start to talk to us about his service. My son a currant vet won't talk about much of anything unless it is with the guys he was over in Iraq with.
There are things as a civilian you wouldn't understand. Maybe a few others will chime in, but that is the norm.
 
It think it has to do with the fraternity.....whether you were in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other of the smaller conflicts in between.

We know that the only ones that understand our conflict are those that were there with us.

I remember coming home and going to the VFW.....and the old guy's from WWII didn't want to hear our stories. Now that I am an old man, I think I understand that.

It's kind of like......"That was your War, this was my War." I don't feel a connection with the younger generations serving now. It's kind of like you can only share the commonalities from your own war with those that served with you, because they know the common truths you do, and there is no bullshit!

The one truth I have learned is this......each war becomes less barbaric and horrible that the previous ones. Vietnam Veterans will have to admit that our war wasn't nearly as bad as our Dad's during WWII. And those serving today would have to admit that there war is not as hard as we had it in Vietnam.

And there are also exceptions to this rule.....the Rangers in Somalia comes to mind.....

I guess what I am trying to say is.......each generation has their own conflicts and stories....and you can only share the stories with those people you know from your own conflict to be totally honest, and not get distracted with bullshit stories and posers.

Because ever generation has it's Posers and Bullshitters!
 
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It think it has to do with the fraternity.....whether you were in WWII, Korea, Vietnam, Iraq, Afghanistan, or any other of the smaller conflicts in between.

We know that the only ones that understand our conflict are those that were there with us.

I remember coming home and going to the VFW.....and the old guy's from WWII didn't want to hear our stories. Now that I am an old man, I think I understand that.

It's kind of like......"That was your War, this was my War." I don't feel a connection with the younger generations serving now. It's kind of like you can only share the commonalities from your own war with those that served with you, because they know the common truths you do, and there is no bullshit!

The one truth I have learned is this......each war becomes less barbaric and horrible that the previous ones. Vietnam Veterans will have to admit that our war wasn't nearly as bad as our Dad's during WWII. And those serving today would have to admit that there war is not as hard as we had it in Vietnam.

And there are also exceptions to this rule.....the Rangers in Somalia comes to mind.....

I guess what I am trying to say is.......each generation has their own conflicts and stories....and you can only share the stories with those people you know from your own conflict to be totally honest, and not get distracted with bullshit stories and posers.

Because ever generation has it's Posers and Bullshitters!

Yeah, a Viet Nam Vet was helping my son out when he got home, but like even he told my son, he could talk about what he did, and the jungle etc, and wouldn't be the same as what my son did. Some thing you have a commonality and others you don't and unless you were there wouldn't have any meaning.
 
As my father used to tell me: "You'd have to walk a mile in my shoes to understand".

My father was born in 1896 and served as an Infantryman in WW1. He was wounded in France...shot right in the cheek which knocked out half his teeth. To his credit, he lived a full productive life but believe me, I know what PTSD is up close and personal, having lived with him.

I was always fascinated with the military and war and used to ask him frequently about his experiences. The only things that I remember him telling me concerned the muddy trenches often filled with bloated stinking bodies and going "over the top" for another charge. He used to lament how silly those constant charges were but that orders were orders. He also told me that he met Joyce Kilmer the author.
 
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