Vietnam Vet gets his Thank You

[mrortega]

My dad was a WWII vet who served in the Pacific with the Ind 38th Division. He died in '95 and I did really well at his funeral....until the honor guard fired their salute at the cemetery. That sudden burst of gunfire just pulled the emotion out of me. The thought that he was being honored in such a way was overwhelming. As the eldest son the guard commander handed me the blank shell casings in a small velvet bag. That broke me up again. Thanks to all of you who put in the time to honor vets at their funerals.

 

[repeter1977]

Have shared this in a couple of the veterans groups that I am in, so should be making its way around facebook soon.
mrortega, My grandfather was a WWII veteran as well. He passed away when I was in 4th grade, so I was never able to ask him so many things. I do have his diary of before WWII and some of the things that he went through, up to and including the Invasion of Normandy (he was not a part of, just mentioned it in his diary). Then because of OPSEC, he closed the journal. I wish that I could have asked him so many things. I just hope now, while I am serving, that I make him proud, and do a service to our family name.

 

[mrortega]

Have shared this in a couple of the veterans groups that I am in, so should be making its way around facebook soon.
mrortega, My grandfather was a WWII veteran as well. He passed away when I was in 4th grade, so I was never able to ask him so many things. I do have his diary of before WWII and some of the things that he went through, up to and including the Invasion of Normandy (he was not a part of, just mentioned it in his diary). Then because of OPSEC, he closed the journal. I wish that I could have asked him so many things. I just hope now, while I am serving, that I make him proud, and do a service to our family name.

Repeter, you have the good attitude and good heart. Thank you very much. I've run into a lot of Viet vets and more and more of them are starting to say, "welcome home, brother." I never thought of doing that but I should. I never was spat at. Coming home I left Oakland Army Terminal in the early morning and took a cab to SF international. Several of us were in a group and going as far as Dallas/Ft. Worth together. We were so exhausted from processing out (I ETSd out of Viet Nam) that we took turns staying awake at the airport so we didn't miss our flight. It left too early for the riff raff to be up hassling us, I guess.

Most of us Army were draftees then and had little or no respect for the "lifers." Now I wish I could go back and thank some of the officers I served under. Most of them were fine men doing their job. When my wife and I were in Phoenix visiting our son a couple years ago I ran into an army major at a sub shop. I thanked him for his service and paid for his lunch before he could object. That was a little guilt relief for me.

Keep up the good work.

 

[Ted]

I have kept this inside me for years, and made no plans to share it with anyone .... ever. Something of that video tugged at my heartstrings and I feel the need to share it now.

I was much too young to serve during that period of time, but vividly recall the news reports from that part of the world.....and particularly that of the tragic casualties that occurred from that war. I remember watching news footage of people that I was raised to respect, that included uniformed soldiers, were being spat upon by crowds of strange looking, angry people; while people of apparently little substance, were worshiped for behavior that would have warranted my father taking his leather belt to my backside.

My father wore a stainless steel POW bracelet of a infantry soldier's name engraved upon it, until that soldier was reported to have died of disease while in captivity. Despite not knowing this man, Dad was not himself for some time after receiving this news.

I visited the Washington Mall 10 years ago, and made it a point to spend time not only looking through the names upon the Viet Nam Memorial, but respectfully look among those things that its visitors left behind. I was overcome with feelings that I was able until that day, bury deep inside me.

That visit was an incredibly moving experience, and it was all I could do to publicly contain the emotional turmoil that had apparently laid dormant inside me for all those years. I only realized then, that the scars of this war that ran deep in the hearts of my countrymen, somehow had worked themselves into my heart as well.

Nearly 30 years after the end of hostilities in that part of the world, America is still yet to heal from that particular war. Its time to end the BS, and do whats right in exactly the same spirit that this video portrays.

/ rant.

 

[DocSkunk]

I just lost my father a few months ago. he was my hero, he was a marine, he was a Vietnam vet, and was my dad. i shed some good tears watching that. Great video.

 

[OWGEM]

Touchy subject for some. My four brothers and I served in various services during that period. The middle brother received the scornful unpleasantness, spitting and taunting, upon his return. He is still bitter. I was spared the taunting due to returning on a medevac. I'm not sure who suffered the most, he or me. That was 1968.

It was the early 2000's the first time someone thanked me for my service. I was literally jolted. Caught me completely off guard.

That video hit home.

 

[MrSmitty]

Dang pollen here in Virginia too!!! If you see a vet, or service member, thank them, and the Vietnam vets, welcome them home...they never got that!

 

[BE Mike]

WWII vets tried to talk me out of enlisting, because they thought the war wasn't worth it. I wasn't treated shabbily upon my return. I did have some "fat cats" give me "the look" and whispers when I boarded in first class for a flight from Chicago to Louisville on the final leg of my return home. I had paid for the upgrade, since coach was full. I was seriously quizzed about whether or not I was a doper, "We saw on the news how so many of you are hooked on drugs!"

While on R&R in Hawaii with my wife, the people there really made me feel welcome. I still have a special place in my heart for the citizens of the 50th state.

Frankly I didn't serve for accolades and still, to this day, have no regard (yeah I can hold a grudge) for the people who demonstrated against the soldiers. Don't get me started on Hanoi Jane. An assault of a citizen, by spitting or worse, whether or not they are a service member is not protected by the constitution.

I feel honored to have been able to serve my country. Not everyone who was willing to serve was able to qualify. Some folks I know who didn't serve to the utmost, are not happy with their decision and some are proud that they did everything possible to avoid service. We all have to live with ourselves. I wouldn't have been able to live with myself if I hadn't tried.

I thought the actor in the video portrayed a sense of jealousy or bitterness with the treatment of the soldier actor. I am neither. I am proud of the sacrifices of our service members. I have been in the company of several young disabled vets and I am humbled by their courage. My time is past and what is done is done. We need to do all we can to support our troops now, by donations to your local church project, USO, Wounded Warrior Project or other worthy organization.

 

[Shroom]

Damn I won't lie I was deeply touched by that. I just turned into a weaping mess after that. Glad you posted that maybe it'll let a few remember that a lot more have sacrificed and done their duty for all of us to be here.

 

[U.S. Patriot]

Our Vietnam vets where the most hated and mistreated. It pisses me off to no end. I do not care what branch you served in, rather if you deployed or not. Every Veteran deserves a bit of gratitude. I do not look for people to say thanks, but it's much appreciated when they do.