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Vietnam Vets............so true.

Great video. It is a shame that it took us so long as a nation to come around.

When I was a 17 year old kid, my brother drove me to South Boston 4 days after I graduated high school and said " You will be alright, it is a different Marine Corps now". It took me a long time to figure out what he really meant, and he was right.

He served two tours 68-70. Was hit twice and came home with two purple hearts and a bronze star. He also came home partially deaf with a heroin addiction. He has been trough three wives and at least twenty jobs and still does three bong hits with his morning coffee, and he is still my hero.

His Birthday is in October, but I still call him without fail every November 10th to wish him a happy Birthday and every year he answers the phone the same way. Semper Fi !
 
mark056 said:
I really think that the people that stayed in fared, in many cases, much better than the people that got out.
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I don't know...........My older brother did 22 years and retired as a Major. He didn't fare any better when he "came home."

As for me........I just never "came home."

I may be here, but my spirit is still in Vietnam.
 
I did not serve in Viet Nam but had many friends and relatives who did. It was beyond belief the kind of "racism" ( for lack of a better word ) these men faced and the mental and emotional damage that was done. As much as any other "conflict" the atrocities and life altering circumstances endured by these vets did more damage than we could ever possibly know. They are finally getting their due, and though way too late it is better than never. It makes me weep to think of the sacrifices and hardships they lived or died through only to come home and be treated like criminals, BY THE VERY PEOPLE THEY WERE REPRESENTING! My love, respect, and complete gratitude to ALL who served, wherever and whenever. As bad as things often seem America is still the best place on Earth thanks to the men and women who served. God bless you all![iwojima]
 
I still tear up everytime I see a Vietnam documentary and people talk about being spit on when coming home. Absolutely disgusting. I will never get the mindset behind it. My dad was a Korean war vet and would eat and get free drinks when he went into a diner in uniform in his day. I was always treated well by people when I was in uniform as a Gulf War vet.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk
 
ericcif said:
I still tear up everytime I see a Vietnam documentary and people talk about being spit on when coming home. Absolutely disgusting. I will never get the mindset behind it. My dad was a Korean war vet and would eat and get free drinks when he went into a diner in uniform in his day. I was always treated well by people when I was in uniform as a Gulf War vet.

Sent from my BlackBerry 9810 using Tapatalk
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My father in law was a Korea War Vet, and my husbands uncle a 2 tour Viet Nam Vet. I have always had alot respect for all of our Vets. I grew up with the Viet Nam War. I also went into the service after the war was over. 82. I can tell you traveling in class A's at that time I got some really nasty looks. No one ever had the guts to say anything to me. The tides turned right after the Beirut bombings for us.
Now since we live in the happy valley part of MA, my son has had horrible treatment after he came back from Iraq. He and a couple of his buddies came of of DD and had nasty words said to them and been spit on.
As he said he was in uniform and couldn't do anything about it, or he would have.
I remember how our Viet Nam Vets were treated, and I do what I can to make sure that doesn't happen again.
 
MrsWildweasel said:
My father in law was a Korea War Vet, and my husbands uncle a 2 tour Viet Nam Vet. I have always had alot respect for all of our Vets. I grew up with the Viet Nam War. I also went into the service after the war was over. 82. I can tell you traveling in class A's at that time I got some really nasty looks. No one ever had the guts to say anything to me. The tides turned right after the Beirut bombings for us.
Now since we live in the happy valley part of MA, my son has had horrible treatment after he came back from Iraq. He and a couple of his buddies came of of DD and had nasty words said to them and been spit on.
As he said he was in uniform and couldn't do anything about it, or he would have.
I remember how our Viet Nam Vets were treated, and I do what I can to make sure that doesn't happen again.
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Give these "spitters" a taste of combat and they will be crying for your son to come and save them!
 
bigtig50 said:
Give these "spitters" a taste of combat and they will be crying for your son to come and save them!
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Yeah, I know. Just thought all of that was over. They even had protesters when they were finishing up their paperwork before deployment. The happy valley sucks.
 
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Pilgrim said:
I got all kinds of dirty looks, looks of disgust.

When I was at Ft Devens in '67, we were told we'd be better off if we didn't wear our uniforms off base.

Thanks for posting that. My cheeks are wet.
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I was stationed at Fort Wolters, Tx, after Vietnam and then Fort Rucker, Alabama. Even in the south we were not allowed to wear the uniform off post other than for travel between post and home of record. No stops in between. Go figure. It was ugly there as well. I'm talking late '60's and most of the 70's.

The rediculous part of it was that long hair was in and we were required to have the high and tight cut. There was no way to avoid sticking out like a sore thumb. I know of a couple guys who actually bought wigs to avoid being spotted. How sad is that?
 
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Thanks for posting, I never went over but did process a lot of guys on their way.

USAF 69-73
 
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My dad was a Vietnam vet. He passed when I was 2 at the age of 38. He never spoke to my mom about the war. Ever. He was part of that group that never got the "thank you for your service" treatment. Every time some one "thanks" me, I think of him.

He died a pill popping drunk who couldn't hold down a job or keep a family together. But he will always be my hero.
 
bubbaj said:
My dad was a Vietnam vet. He passed when I was 2 at the age of 38. He never spoke to my mom about the war. Ever. He was part of that group that never got the "thank you for your service" treatment. Every time some one "thanks" me, I think of him.

He died a pill popping drunk who couldn't hold down a job or keep a family together. But he will always be my hero.
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The video didn't make me cry...but this made me shed a tear....

I learned something from you....and just wanted to say thanks.

We all have relatives that have let us down....

But it takes a strong man to love those relatives anyway.....no matter what their demons.

Thank you for teaching me that lesson.

If you ever get to Mansfield, MA.....call me and I will buy you a cold beer.

(PM inbound)
 
Good video; I have nothing but respect for you "old" guys and gals. I can't... or maybe I just don't want, to imagine what it was like for you all.

Thank you all for your service, you are the soldiers we try to be.
 
Eff that. Cried and not ashamed to say it. Someone finally got it. I think anyone who has served in the military know we all did what we were sent or told to do. The difference is, one particular group of us got shit on for doing " our jobs". It was wrong, it still is wrong, and it never can be taken back. All the current and future generations can do, is make damn effing sure it never happens again. I am here today because someone like this gentleman wrote his check just before I was born. Its a debt that I can never adequately repay to anyone who served before me, other than to make sure that I do my part, and that my children do the same. Thank you Gentlemen and Ladies for your service, when your country shunned you. On a side note, I always feel somewhat ashamed and embarrassed at the amount of thanks shown to me and to current military members. I appreciate it when its" on the house", but I completely get this video. We say the WWII vets were the " greatest generation" and I dont want to take that away from them. To me, greatness lies in being able to face adversity both on and OFF the battlefield. I would have to respectfully say, that America's veterans of Vietnam, are just as worthy of the title GREATEST generation.

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hurley431 said:
Good video; I have nothing but respect for you "old" guys and gals. I can't... or maybe I just don't want, to imagine what it was like for you all.

Thank you all for your service, you are the soldiers we try to be.
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May I steal this quote? You are the soldiers we try to be is one of the BEST ways I could ever say thank you to a vet who went before me. period. Thank you for coming up with something like that!
 

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