Amazing interview - Vietnam

[stealthn]

There is a lot we can learn from this..and yes that was my hairdo in the 70’s too.


Please embed

https://youtu.be/tixOyiR8B-8

[flatbutt]

[stealthn]

Thanks man!

[ckelly78z]

The media never portrays what is ACTUALLY going on. In the past, they didn't want to alarm the public with graphic pictures, and descriptions. Now, the narrative seems to be to keep the people scared, and compliant.

It's good to get a first hand account from someone that has no reason to lie.

[Danimal16]

Thanks for sharing. It is his eyes that tell much of his story. The "harder" part.

[Otter74]

Guy looks like Lewis Grizzard with a COVID haircut.

[tevake]

I was interested to hear his description of the difference between what he was experiencing there on the ground versus the story as it was being told back at home.

One time here I shared some of my experiences while in country, and was roundly chastised by folks that had apparently bought into the story as it was being presented back hom. Fair enough I guess we can only understand things as we get to see them.

But Ill admit that it did sting a bit.

Cheers Richard

[Baz]

I had the honor yesterday of meeting a Vietnam vet who was awarded three purple hearts and a bronze star.

He's a friend of my oldest brother in Virginia who, along with his wife, were traveling and camping in their RV.

We met so I could pass along a trailer cover my brother purchased here that he could take with him back to Virginia.

We met at the local Popeye's chicken parking lot.

I had no idea he was a vet - had never met him or his wife.

When he left the service he went to school and became a master tech level mechanic and worked on GM products. Finally retiring at age 68.

We chatted a bit about my Silverado and also a little politics.

I won't get into the politics part but was very happy to hear some of the things he said - that his opinions were in sync with mine.

Funny thing though.....he said enlisted in the Navy to avoid the mess in 'Nam and they made him a corpsman and assigned him to the Marines anyway.

My family and I will always be grateful to our armed forces. No matter what their politics....

[MRM]

Where you served and in what capacity also had a lot to do with how individuals saw or understood the war. I have an uncle (my aunt's husband) who is an identical twin. His brother got called first and served in an infantry unit sometime around 66 or 67. He saw very bad things and came home a different person. My uncle was called up later, I believe he was in Vietnam in 1969-1970. He later told me that he was pretty apprehensive going in, given his brother's experience, But my uncle ended up teaching English to the locals on the edge of one of the large urban areas He made lifelong friends and came home with incredible experiences and indescribable memories.

After active duty he went to the seminary and became a Lutheran pastor. A few years later he rejoined the reserves as a chaplain. He stayed in long enough to do a couple of tours in Afghanistan before retiring, I believe as an O-5. A very interesting guy, he was then and remains one of the more left-leaning members of our extended family. He is very quiet, but he is known to note wryly, when drawn into a debate with the more interventionist members of my family, that although many of them did serve, he is the only one of them to have gone to Vietnam, let alone serve in two wars. My understanding is that his time in Afghanistan was more unpleasant than his time in Vietnam. He doesn't talk about it much.

[flipper35]

One of dad's good friends had a mortar land between his feet. Good thing it was a dud.

[Seahawk]

Originally Posted by MRM

Where you served and in what capacity also had a lot to do with how individuals saw or understood the war.

My Father was early to Vietnam, 66 and 67. He was a Major at the time, West Point 1952 and he resigned his commission when he got back.

He felt that the effort was misplaced and misguided.

He found honor in serving and never disparaged those who followed him in Vietnam. Those men were and are very different people, equal to any greatest generation.

[flatbutt]

I think that guy was in the Burns Viet Nam documentary.

[Danimal16]

This is my Dad! He was the first SGTMAJ and the very first member of the Squadron. I sure miss the heck out of him.


https://www.quantico.marines.mil/News/News-Article-Display/Article/518324/hmlhmla-167-honors-fallen-with-memorial/

[Baz]

Originally Posted by Danimal16

This is my Dad! He was the first SGTMAJ and the very first member of the Squadron. I sure miss the heck out of him.


https://www.quantico.marines.mil/News/News-Article-Display/Article/518324/hmlhmla-167-honors-fallen-with-memorial/

Much to be proud of there, Dan.....

[Danimal16]

Originally Posted by Baz

Much to be proud of there, Dan.....

Thanks Baz, so much he never told us. His many, many friends filled us in. Miss him.