My heartfelt thanks to all of our Vietnam Veterans.
I have friends who I saluted today. Plus I told them how sorry I was for the tough days
One young man, had he lived, might have become a relative.
Mike
1968
Friendly Fire
A crusty howdy from a Redcatcher in Texas.
My heartfelt thanks to all of our Vietnam Veterans.
A statue honoring Vietnam veterans was dedicated at the Richard Nixon Presidential Library today. The statue depicts a Marine on patrol in a Vietnamese rice paddy. The sculptor addressed the audience and noted that he strove to get the details of the Marine’s uniform and gear meticulously accurate.
Later, Robert Wilkie, President Trump’s Secretary of Veterans’ Affairs gave the keynote speech. During his talk, Wilkie quoted the movie actor Bob Hope, who, when interviewed by TV host Phil Donahue, likened the Vietnam veterans to the soldiers he met during WWII who fought at Eniwetok, Saipan and Okinawa.
Dozens of Vietnam vets were in attendance, and they were treated to a free lunch afterwards.
Greetings to all of who served with us - and the families who stood by us - and all the Vietnamese we did our best to protect.
Semper Fi
From earlier in the day.
https://freerepublic.com/focus/f-chat/4141751/posts
They should get more than one day IMHO.
AND ALL THE OTHER VETERANS AND TO ALL THE FAMILIES THAT LOST THEIR SONS TO THAT CRAZY WAR.
When I was kid my next door neighbor enlisted fresh out of high school. Steve was five years older and a great friend. He was the one who taught me how to play baseball. I don’t mean to be a downer on your thread but it got me thinking about my friend again. Steve lasted three weeks in country. His mother never recovered from the loss.
Steve Crawford of Portsmouth, Ohio
D CO, 1ST BN, 14TH INFANTRY, 4TH INF DIV, USARV
CASUALTY DATA:
Start Tour: 04/22/1968
Incident Date: 05/16/1968
Casualty Date: 05/16/1968
GOLDEN DRAGONS continued to defend LZ Roberts. Early in the morning LZ Roberts received 12-15 rounds of 82mm on the NW portion of hill. Rds landed outside the perimeter, neg damage. Charlie Co CA to LZ Bunker Hill OPCON 1/12. Delta Co while OPCON to 1/12 had 1 KIA and 6 WIA due to mortar and BR fire.
Thank you for this post. I was unaware of this well deserved commemoration, not surprisingly signed into law by president Trump. I will observe it properly in the future.
Our brother was KIA on 04 NOV 1968 near Mo Duc. He was a draftee PFC Army medic in theater for ~90 days. I was 6 yrs old at the time. Life for our family was forever changed. We visit and decorate his grave often. He is not forgotten.
I proudly wear POW/MIA caps and display POW/MIA plates on my truck. I wasn’t there, but I still care. All gave some, some gave all. I thank all vets I encounter with a handshake and gratitude for their service. I tell them about my brother, and add that I’m glad they survived.
May the survivors of that (and all) war and their families be blessed, and may those KIA and their families be continually comforted. Their lives were not given in vain. God love them all, may they rest in peace.
Tail end pathetic boomer here. When I was a young Marine, some of the most memorable characters I served with were Vietnam vets, senior NCOs and officers, and they had a habit of making an impression when they wanted, my version of “Old Corps”.
Years later when I got deployed during OIF, we brought in Vietnam vets to give their input on how they got home and what could have been done better as we REMFs planned for the return of our warfighters.
My view of Vietnam vets is one of mentors and helpers, and for that I’m grateful on this day.
What amazes me is how few anti Vietnam war people I find in my generation. When I came back from Nam everybody was antiwar and shunned Vets. Now they pretend that never happened. They all supported the Vets. Lol.
Lat month someone called me a ‘typical self-centered baby boomer’
The VA has jut determined that I indeed was exposed to agent orange and that I’m entitled to some benefits. I’d rather have my health bqck, but it ois what it is!