Any Vietnam vets? Got a question.

CasterTroy said:
What kind of drawing? (I find this topic rather fascinating) I assume diagrams A-la football plays sketched on whiteboard by coach to players?
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Along these lines...
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Wes said:
I’m not sure why guys want to embellish. If you served, be proud of what you did. No need to lie. For some reason everyone who embellishes was a “sniper”. That’s when I say “sweet, so you drew and took pictures for a living”. 99.9% of sniping is reconnaissance and overwatch for others. You snoop around and take pictures, upload them, label them, and send them back to whoever. Most missions you never take a shot. Bunch of drawing, pictures, walking, and dicking with commo equipment. Every now and then it gets sexy.
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Paint the picture of the battlefield is how it was expressed for me. I never went to sniper school, few good friends did. They showed me some cool stuff, but I wouldn’t ever tell anyone I was a sniper. Hell I wouldn’t count on me to hit something past 600m on my first shot. My personal favorite of mine was a “Ranger” I met in a metallurgy class in college. Asked if he has a tab or a scroll and the dumbfounded look on his face answered that story. He literally described the plot of the peace maker when he tried to tell me what he did in the Army. I’ve had another try and use the plot of clear and present danger claiming to be a SEAL. An arm triangle tapped him out in less than 10 seconds, I’m not even a belt holder in BJJ. However, I know that dude was actually in the Navy. Makes no sense at all to me. You’re already in the 3% of the country who served, why not be proud of that?
 
What I have found most about those who were in Combat. is that most don't talk a lot about it. At least not with those who didn't serve. My father was in WWII, what little he talked about it, wasn't about the combat. What I remember most was the funnier parts he would tell, and while wounded in the Philippines, he had great admiration of the philopena men. As they were the ones who carried him miles from where he was wounded, to where he was able to get medical aid, other than the initial wound care on the battle field. Like I said, I didn't know a lot about him as far as what all he did. When my mom passed back in May, we found his document of separation from the Army. In this document, I found out that he did get a few metals. A good behavior ribbon, a purple heart(which I knew about) and a bronze star.
 
Grandfather was in WWII and landed at Normandy and survived. He really only told 2-3 stories about that war. My dad served in Vietnam and flew Huey gunships. Again, he only tells 2-3 stories but has a large amount of picture albums etc from his time in country. He's got a couple of vet hats etc that he wears from time to time but thats about it. His unit(57th AHC) gets together every year and does a reunion someplace nice. He's also gotten involved with the NC Vietnam Helicopter Pilots Association where they take Hueys and other birds around for demos etc. Stolen Valor really, really pisses me off. Be proud that you served, no need to embellish it or flat-out make something up.
 
I just caught up on this...

CasterTroy said:
For anyone to even attempt to lay claim to "Vietnam Vet" for serving anywhere during that conflict without having set foot on that soil is a disgrace
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I will have to challenge you on that. If you look at my avatar you will note 3 campaigns, plus two bronze stars on the Vietnam Service Ribbon. I never set foot on shore (land), but I well remember the days at general quarters in Cam Rahn Bay wondering if we would make it back out alive. I am not ranting, but I do believe you to be wrong on this one.
 

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Granny said:
I do believe you to be wrong on this one.
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Yeah my Buddy Carl reminded me last night that he and his crew never set foot over there, but laid all kinds of support down for those who were deployed. I always forget about the Naval support. For that I apologize profusely
 
amcjeepman said:
My FIL will tell you he served (Navy) during the Vietnam War time, But not in the War. Never claimed to be a Vietnam War Vet.
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I felt that way for many years. A couple years ago I was at the VA (Salisbury) and made a similar statement in front of several well-seasoned Vets. In a nutshell, I got a severe ass-chewing for even thinking such a thing, and was clearly told that I was just as eligible for a body-bag as anyone else who was over there, and I needed to get that stupid notion out of my head. They later apologized for being so blunt, but told me I needed to think about it. Since then I have thought about it. They were right... it's just the luck of the draw... some will be lucky... some won't. I was one of the lucky ones.
 
Don,was I correct in saying you were part of the brown water fleet? Had a set of brothers I reenacted with who's father did the river patrols I believe they said for 2 tours.
 
ord.sgt.26NC said:
Don,was I correct in saying you were part of the brown water fleet? Had a set of brothers I reenacted with who's father did the river patrols I believe they said for 2 tours.
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No Jimmy, not at all. I don't know much about them. I have heard some wild stories, but that's about it.
 
Granny said:
I felt that way for many years. A couple years ago I was at the VA (Salisbury) and made a similar statement in front of several well-seasoned Vets. In a nutshell, I got a severe ass-chewing for even thinking such a thing, and was clearly told that I was just as eligible for a body-bag as anyone else who was over there, and I needed to get that stupid notion out of my head. They later apologized for being so blunt, but told me I needed to think about it. Since then I have thought about it. They were right... it's just the luck of the draw... some will be lucky... some won't. I was one of the lucky ones.
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Very well said!
 
Granny said:
I felt that way for many years. A couple years ago I was at the VA (Salisbury) and made a similar statement in front of several well-seasoned Vets. In a nutshell, I got a severe ass-chewing for even thinking such a thing, and was clearly told that I was just as eligible for a body-bag as anyone else who was over there, and I needed to get that stupid notion out of my head. They later apologized for being so blunt, but told me I needed to think about it. Since then I have thought about it. They were right... it's just the luck of the draw... some will be lucky... some won't. I was one of the lucky ones.
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Growing up, we knew that my dad went to college on the GI Bill right after WWII, but other than that, he never really mentioned his service in the Army. He was very young when WWII started and his draft number came up three times during it. Each time, he would arrive at the draft location, only to be sent back home because he was legally blind in one eye and had very poor, but correctable vision in the other. Each time he would come back hoping for a different outcome, but vision is very important to a soldier. Finally, the draft dude told him, "There must be a reason your number keeps coming up", so they handed him a typewriter and sent him to work at various bases stateside providing organizational support to make sure that various support facilities got the weapons, ammunition, and equipment they needed from their requests. At the end of the war, it was his job to consolidate stuff down that was no longer needed. Even though he never fired it, he was allowed to keep a rifle that was issued to him. I never got to see it, but my older brothers did.

My mom was a few years younger than he was, and her older brothers all fought in the war. Her image of a "veteran" was what she saw from them, with photos from overseas, combat and occasional furloughs. Because he never saw combat, he never thought my dad's service was important, so he never discussed it. After my mother passed away, he remarried a woman who was a nurse in Korean war era. She took him to some of the AMVETs meetings she would attend and he heard a very similar sentiment from the fellow WWII and Korean war vets. One thanked him for being "the guy that made sure he had bullets", "because when he had bullets, he had hope." He gave my dad a WWII Veteran ball cap and my dad wears it all the time. To a lot of guys who were on the front lines, with scars and missing limbs - or worse - his wearing that hat is sacrilege. To my dad, it's just a cool "thank you" for something he was willing to do, but not able to do.
 
In my teens my dad and I did not get along, he was an alcoholic and would sometimes come home in a rage.He was almost never physical, but very verbally abusive to me, my brother and my mom. He and I got physical a few times and I about hated him for a while. I got a job working for a neighbor 4 houses down the street @ his garage in Cary when I turned 15. He was a Nam vet. and became a mentor to me as I was avoiding my house and father after school and the weekends. Alan was a very funny,sarcastic,wise,hard working,pot/marlboro red smoking dude who had no filter at all in his conversation w 90% of the people he spoke to. He never wore a Nam hat,patch/vest etc. He taught me a lot about life and mechanics. I felt like I was honored to work for and hang out w him for his wit and real world knowledge, opinions. He drove me to work and back and almost always took me w him to get parts and/or go to lunch. His wife was blind so he did all the shopping on our way home. He would often chat up any half attractive woman @ lunch or the grocery store and almost always get laughs, smiles and conversation. I learned a few things about talking to women from him that worked for me later and I thank him for that. I knew he was a Nam vet. but he did'nt talk much about it. About 3 years later he fell ill and it was cancer. He blamed it on agent orange and told me they sprayed that shit all over him and his buddies more than a few times in the jungles. He did not drink and I think he never went to the VFW unless his friends had a GTG. He never talked much about that war until he was dying. Then he talked about some of the stuff. He never bragged about anything, just facts, the bad shit and BS, the misery, etc. A bunch of his Nam buddies came to his house to visit him for months before he died and I met a lot of them. I felt honored to sit w them around his kitchen table and hear their stories and see the love they all had for each other. I miss Alan Clark, he was a great man and friend I miss :(
 
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This post reminded me of my Dad who passed away back in 1999. He was in the Army during Vietnam but never went there. He was sent to Germany instead. I was confused when his Grave Marker said Vietnam on it and knowing that he never was there. It was because he served in the Army during that time that the War was going on.
 
My father was in the Army at the time of Vietnam. He continued to serve through the 90's , attending the war college and finally retiring as a Colonel. He never saw combat, never claimed to and surely isn't someone who rolls around telling everyone about his military career. When my brother graduated from basic at Ft. Benning his Sargent was extremely pissed that my brother hadn't told him his father was a Colonel and would be the highest ranking officer at the graduation. My father didn't like being in the spotlight and my brother appreciated that. He has said many times the combat vets. were the heroes and the ones to be honored, he was just a "suit" making decisions.
 
My lowlife stepFIL as big a turd as he was didn't even claim to be a Vietnam Vet even tho he was in the Army during the war.
He said he was a veteran of the Vietnam War.
He was a cook in Germany.
 
CasterTroy said:
My father fought and essentially died in Vietnam (he made it home physically, but never regained any semblance of normalcy once home....later they called it "Vietnam syndrome")

He told me stories....the kind of stories that make "Full metal Jacket" seem like a Disney movie.

For anyone to even attempt to lay claim to "Vietnam Vet" for serving anywhere during that conflict without having set foot on that soil or delivering supplies/providing air or water support is a disgrace



This!

My best friend was stationed in Germany during the first Iraq war. He would sooner denounce being in the Army at ALL than ever lay claim to being an "Iraq veteran" because that would spit in the face of every Vet that is suffering from that anthrax vaccine they made them all get.
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Same my Dad served a few tours , never ever knew him before but after you could tell he was a shell of what he use to be , I heard stories that make me say damm.
His last days over there where spent in a field hospital with apiece of metal stuck in his head. I can remember waking up with him screaming and pulling me by my feet . When younger I always blamed it on his alcoholism , but as I grew I understood it was the shit he seen and done.


small world fact he is from VA and my son who shares his name lives here in NC ran into a older man that when he heard my sons name said he served with A SAM Crouse , I put 2 in touch they have not spoken since 1974 .. crazy[/QUOTE]
 
Papa_Jon said:
When younger I always blamed it on his alcoholism
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That was me. He and mom split when I was 2 because it was best for me. He went back to Elk Creek Va to live with HIS mother. He'd come down to Winston and TRY to be normal every few years, but had to drown himself to sleep past the night terrors. Eventually granny died and he went into assisted living in Galax until his throat disintegrated from esophageal cancer in 2005. Once he lost control of his bowels he stepped out on the back porch and put a .38 in mouth.

I use to blame to alcohol. I wasted a lot of years on being angry at my dad. Until I went to find him and demand answers when I was in my 20's. I was fulla piss and rage, and I was going to give him a piece of my mind.

Instead he shared ONE story. A story where he was rushed thru Army basic and trained to drive a truck. No typical "Paris Island boot camp" where you're conditioned and actually TRAINED to shoot, kill, and win. The way he described it, was more like a weekend JROTC camp. He was then shipped over and assigned a truck to run supplies to the front. He did that for a while, then one delivery they yanked him from a truck, shoved a gun in his hand and said "kill everything"
That wasn't bad..the BAD part was forming these amazing friendships, then being on "Bag duty" the next morning, where you took this big sack out and picked up all the body parts of those amazing friends who had to serve overwatch the night before.
Then to come home to a world that hates you, and calls you "baby killer" all while every time you close your eyes, all you see are your friends being killed, and picking up their pieces to send home.

That was just ONE story. He had several more, that played like a 4K movie in his mind every time his eyes closed. With absolutely no recognition, nor help from the V.A.

I use to blame him....and the alcohol. Now I blame the V.A.
 
@Granny and @ManglerYJ those perspectives are very important to consider.

One of my Grandfathers served in a Submarine in WW2. He told some stories of being depth charged and working shift in his skivvies in the engine room. Poor fella volunteered for the duty because other draftees where leaving some staging area every morning. He wanted part of that so he stepped forward. They had declared to "submarine duty" but him being a dirt poor farmer had no idea what it meant.

The other was a Chauffeur, a driver for some officer. Really. He was fit, well rounded and all....but of all things a driver. I now regret not asking him more questions when he was living. I do know he was part of a motor pool. I never thought less of him as a person, but sort of wrote off the service.
CasterTroy said:
That was me. He and mom split when I was 2 because it was best for me. He went back to Elk Creek Va to live with HIS mother. He'd come down to Winston and TRY to be normal every few years, but had to drown himself to sleep past the night terrors. Eventually granny died and he went into assisted living in Galax until his throat disintegrated from esophageal cancer in 2005. Once he lost control of his bowels he stepped out on the back porch and put a .38 in mouth.

I use to blame to alcohol. I wasted a lot of years on being angry at my dad. Until I went to find him and demand answers when I was in my 20's. I was fulla piss and rage, and I was going to give him a piece of my mind.

Instead he shared ONE story. A story where he was rushed thru Army basic and trained to drive a truck. No typical "Paris Island boot camp" where you're conditioned and actually TRAINED to shoot, kill, and win. The way he described it, was more like a weekend JROTC camp. He was then shipped over and assigned a truck to run supplies to the front. He did that for a while, then one delivery they yanked him from a truck, shoved a gun in his hand and said "kill everything"
That wasn't bad..the BAD part was forming these amazing friendships, then being on "Bag duty" the next morning, where you took this big sack out and picked up all the body parts of those amazing friends who had to serve overwatch the night before.
Then to come home to a world that hates you, and calls you "baby killer" all while every time you close your eyes, all you see are your friends being killed, and picking up their pieces to send home.

That was just ONE story. He had several more, that played like a 4K movie in his mind every time his eyes closed. With absolutely no recognition, nor help from the V.A.

I use to blame him....and the alcohol. Now I blame the V.A.
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This and exposure side effects from chemicals is why the Vietnam wall should change and include many more good people.
 
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