Won't accept the wearing someone else's hat story. They wouldn't get the credit....it would be like anyone of the thousands that were granted amnesty wearing Vietnam vet hats...
Good friend of the family got lost/separated from his unit for 10 days in Vietnam and we got that story from his mate.
Suffice to say Vets who have seen combat generally don't want to talk about it, some will but not so much about the ugly parts. my neighbor when I bought my house was a B-17 Ball Turret gunner who flew 25 missions over Europe in ww2 and came home without a scratch. he and I chatted about it quite a bit though he was in a bomber not on the ground his name was Frank reese Mays, he wrote a book "and not even a purple heart" was the title. I pre edited it before he sent it off to publisher (where they edited it heavily) frank passed several years ago, I sure miss the guy
NAM is a tough topic for those that were there. Never mind the political bullcrap that surrounds it. Think about how these veterans were treated by this country on their return. Think about how they felt when the first Gulf War vets came home to a victors reception. NAM vets have been chit on over there and at home. Can you image being drafted into a war where your own government ties your hands behind your back? Can you imagine being spit on by your fellow countrymen upon your return? Vietnam was the first live and in living color war brought to the public via TV. This gave the public a view of war they've never seen.
Went to a graveside service for a Vietnam veteran friend. He was in our Vietnam combat support group. His life after nam was full of anxiety, nightmares and despair. It was so sad seeing his casket going down into the ground. For him, it is closure or a very hard life. We had a good turn out of fellow nam vets. Chilling knowing we will repeat this over and over. The war never ends for us.
My aunt's ex-husband served in Vietnam, it affected him. My Grandmother's step-brother, brother-in-law and few others served in WW2. They never discussed it, save a few stories. It was not something they ever bragged about.
Larry, I hit the like button because "I" know this to be true for a lot of you men and ladies. I'm a baby boomer but didn't quite make it, "a bit to young" but I have many family members who were there. The only thing you can do is just remember who loves you, your family bond, and your friendships with good memories! Build with those tools as life goes on and things seem to get a "little" easier.
True, esp. the family. they are the glue that holds us together. But, even then, it takes a lot of getting our heads in the right place. That is way I will tell all veterans, "Enough with this silence stuff. Get help. Be open about ti. We have a lot of brothers out there who are very willing to help. The silence, the denial, the avoidance is just pouring gasoline on the fire. I used all those all three of those methods and they nearly killed me. When I look into the eyes of my grandchildren, I know my time here is not over. The struggle is always there, but it doesn't have to be with the Grim Reaper.
I worked with a guy years ago that was a sniper in Nam. He would talk about it some. He said he was 11 for 13 with the closest at 1100 meters. Over the years I have worked or known a few others that would not really say to much. Gary
I worked for a popular stuffed animal company, traded in hundreds of non selling items. I met up with a retired Marine gal that shipped 7,000 of those stuffed toys overseas over a few years. She is head of the Marine Auxilliary Corps, but also assisted in funerals for the other branches. I wonder if any of you could benefit from talking with her? Let me know, I can get you in contact She spoke at my girlfriends husband's funeral (Army) a few hours away. I wish there were one of her in every city.
OH, I couldn't agree more!!!! When my older brother came home and we saw that he was very down and depressed, he just wouldn't open up at all! We tried and tried to help, he would just get mad and leave the house.
When I came home, my wife was the one person who welcomed me home. The rest, well, it was like I had been gone to get a quart of milk. A week later she had morning sickness and nine months later our first of four was born.
I was not in VietNam but I was in the USMC during it. From early '71 to early '75 and had the good fortune to have trained as an electrician. I do not nor will I ever claim to be a VietNam Veteran. However, when I was in uniform in the public arena I too was treated with the same distrust, dislike and disgust in the face of (some) strangers as those that truly served over there. Not everyone hated all military, but we were never 'gladhanded' by a random person in a crowd either. When in uniform we were all the same to the zealots in the civilian world and to this day I have never stood to be recognized during school programs on Veteran's Day while my three kids were in school. Nor will I ever at any function anywhere. I am supremely proud of the little bit of service I performed as an electrician in the Marines and was stationed in MABS 24 support squadron of MAG 24 in Kaneohe Bay Hawaii where electricians, plumbers, motor transports, mechanics and others were deployed from and attached to units going to VietNam either from Hawaii or stateside. I was one of the lucky ones whose name just wasn't selected. I don't wear USMC hats or jackets or have a tattoo and I seldom talk about my time in service either...but it is not for the same reasons those that actually served over there have. Just the realization of being hated back then by so many people just for wearing the uniform of our country is enough for me. I refuse to forget it. In '013 I rode from Missouri to Sturgis S.D. with another old Marine for the rally and our campsite (Buffalo Chip) hosted the travelling wall. You can ride your bike in and around through the field of a thousand american flags and/or park and walk the wall. It was one of the most moving experiences I ever had on two wheels. Just riding through the sea of Red White and Blue then parking and searching for names of buddies on the wall was almost too heavy to handle. 58,000 men gave their lives during that time so that the civilians back home would have the priviledge of professing their hate for fellow Americans in such a manner as the returning service personnel were treated whether they were over there or not. .....and its for these 58,000 men that I won't forget the hatred. This is absolutely the greatest number of thoughts I've ever put in one place concerning this topic since '75. Thank you for allowing it. Disclaimer: I do have a Tervis coffee cup that has a Marine emblem on it that my daughter gave me. I use it a lot, but keep the logo pointed backwards. I also have a USMC hat gifted to me that I did wear once. It just didn't feel right wearing it in town even after all these years. Semper Fidelis, fellow Marines.
Tractorman44, put that hat on and where it with "PRIDE"! You can't be responsible for others ignorance and you should be proud of your service. Yes, many brothers in arms did not come back but I truly don't believe they wouldn't want you to be proud of being a Marine! I have a brother in-law who "QUIT" the Marines because "what he says" breach of contract was in about a year back in 1981 "now" he wheres the hat and jacket like he did 20+ years. He is a "PIECE of S#!T" in my book. You were discharged honorably, Where that hat with pride Marine!
As stated above I am SUPREMELY proud of what little bit of service I performed. With a draft # of 272 (IIRC)and no real chance of ever being called to duty I am also proud that I enlisted in contrast to the draft dodgers that crossed the borders and others that applied for college waivers to keep from entering service, not just legitimately seeking higher education. There's opposing ends of the spectrum such as myself and your brother-in law I suppose. Thank you WeldrDave, for your comment as well as that of EricVW above. No disrespect to you but my hat will remain at parade rest....
I wonder how he managed that? When I was in (93-97) the only quick way out was failing a drug test. That would get you a disgraceful company formation, followed by a ride to the back gate where you were unceremoniously kicked out on the side of the road, within a month. Otherwise, you do your time. Even if you ended up in the brig, when you got released you had to finish your contract. I was once on a working party with a guy that had been UA (AWOL) for 19 years. He said he had to finish 2 years of his 4 year contract, after he did his brig time.
I'll give you the explanation "I" got. He was on a "A" school waiting list for electronics repair after boot camp and "SUPPOSEDLY" they skipped over him and filled the class for some reason. Let me say I know "nothing" about Marine corp schools so it's all what I was told by his Mother at the time. He was then told he would have to wait another year for the school to re-convene and he would be put in that class. He didn't like that answer so his "MOMMY" got him a lawyer because he was sad and he was discharged. "NOW" here's what I think,.. I think he may have got in some trouble, got pulled from the list, "which happens all the time" and eventually got out under unsuitability. "just my take"! Either way, He's a piece of S#!T! Sadly, he did make it through boot camp so if there is any respect it's "ONLY" because of that.
My Dad served in 67/68 in the Navy. He was lucky to have pulled Atlantic fleet duties. He signed up, no draft. Told me once that every other SSI# was Pacific/Atlantic theater. Although he was never in combat, he is extremely proud of his service. Sometimes I feel like I let him down by not enlisting....I know he wanted me to, but didn't push it. Both my Grandfathers were vets also in the Army and Navy. I had somewhat of a "problem with authority" at usual enlistment age and thusly decided I'd be better off not joining rather than joining and getting kicked out. Thank goodness I grew out of that...eventually. I think a lot of Vietnam Veterans did and saw some pretty horrifying stuff in combat. We always think of our soldiers as "fighting the good fight" for our side. I'm sure that this sometimes means that our servicemen have to do some pretty unspeakable things to the enemy as well at times witness similar acts from the enemy onto themselves and their friends. On top of that, as mentioned there were many here who called them "baby killers", etc...ignoring the fact that these soldiers were doing what was asked of them by their commanders. I can totally understand why they are reluctant to tell the tales of their tours.
