Welcome Home!
A truly TALL thing is gonna be happening:
There were no parades celebrating the bravery and perseverance of the 2.7 million young men and women who donned a uniform and served in some of the most difficult and dangerous conditions on earth. Until the Vietnam Veterans Memorial — known as the “Vietnam Wall” — was dedicated in 1982, public accolades were sparse, and ceremonies outside the confines of a military base, an American Legion hall or a Veterans of Foreign Wars post were practically nonexistent.
I won’t be there for this. I no longer drive much. I, and some friends did put together GoE, and other similar events which, hopefully spared you that?
You young folks might acknowledge our effort, or not? I DO hope that you encountered some odd geezer that said “Welcome Home”?
Been there, done that has some merit in this case, I think.
Got spit at, and I don’t think you young folks have had to experience that?
Category: Geezer Alert!
No I never did have to experience that, not even close. I absolutely remember being welcomed home by some Old Timers at Dallas Ft. Worth, then at my local airport in CA.
I truly appreciate everything veterans of past wars have done for my generation of vets. I dont know how to thank you guys other than remembering and doing the same/similar things for vets that will come after my time.
Zero, you and your friends did an amazing thing with GoE.
No one can take away your experience of being spit at…but I CAN thank you for all you’ve done, and all you continue to do. Nothing can touch how special you truly are.
Great reminder, Zee!
A school chum was on the Hamburger Hill mentioned in the linked article during those days. He managed to do such a good job that he was featured (names changed yada yada) in subsequent films. Point being that he did not even admit his involvement until decades later even to his closest friends.
It was embarassing to those of us old enough to remember what happened then when we returned from DS/DS/DS. The VietNam vets welcomed us then, asked us to accept the accolades on their behalf and we all joined in our resolve to never again let it happen to our warriors.
On behalf of Ron and all the others who are no longer with us, we continue to say, and with just a bit of luck have passed along to another generation of warriors, “Never Again.”
OWB, Ron? Winters? Zero, if hadn’t been for SWIFT Boat and GOE there is a real slim chance in hell I’d never of met, you, OWB, 1stCAV, Rurick, Lilyea, Doc Ford (wherever he disappeared to) or anyone else. *salute* my brothers and sisters in arms!
Streetsweeper #4: Welcome home!
Street – Ron was my friend from grade school and high school who was the real deal and then some. He was in so many ways typical of the era. Came home. Took care of business. In other words, continued to act honorably in spite of it all. At least towards the end of his life, all his awards and deeds were publicly recognized. (The little town near which he lived rather came unglued when the suits started showing up to get his story.)
Any that might be keeping track? OWB handled security, and I handled commo.
Many people use the “we band of brothers”, but I believe that for Nam vets this Henry V quote is very true.
“We are but warriors for the working-day;
Our gayness and our gilt are all besmirch’d
With rainy marching in the painful field;
There’s not a piece of feather in our host–
Good argument, I hope, we will not fly–
And time hath worn us into slovenry:
But, by the mass, our hearts are in the trim;
And my poor soldiers tell me, yet ere night
They’ll be in fresher robes, or they will pluck
The gay new coats o’er the French soldiers’ heads
And turn them out of service.”
The 82nd. is going to have a welcome home celebration for us Vietnam vets to coincide with a brigade coming back from the Stan.
Watch out, Zero – you are putting me down memory lane, all OVER the place here!
Perhaps the most magnificent thing about GoE was the synergism of the players. So many contributed so much in such a variety of ways. And it took every bit of effort from everyone to make it happen. Perhaps some of the most significant contributions were never even recognized or understood by any of us. Sort of like so many of us experienced in our military careers. 😉
Maybe the most important thing I observed was the healing that took place. Proud to have been a small part of it. Wonderful friends, old and new.
@ #8 james, gonna have to read through that quote a time or two more, but I think I like it!
” . . . encountered some odd geezer that said “Welcome Home”? ”
Mr. Ponsdorf — it was you — and you JUST SAID IT !!
An earlier comment by you leads me to believe you returned home about The Year 1969 —
anyway, Thanks — from you, it MEANS SOMETHING .
(I have NOT yet checked “GoE” — but I will .
Worked for OWB and that was one hell of a crew that was you assembled…hehe! I still consider it a privilege, life changing and humbling experience. And to Doc Brett! Welcome Home!
garryowen
Mr. streetsweeper :
I thank you much .
I even favor the old Errol Flynn movie about Garry Owen .
Thank you for the welcome home! I will be going to Scottsdale AZ over the Memorial Day weekend for a get together of my Charlie Co. 2-35th Infantry Reg. Nothing better than seeing some of the guys that shared an OP or LP on those hot long muggy nights! Welcome Home to all of my brother warriors from all of the wars! Our guys today make me so damn proud to be an American!
I was welcomed home from my first deployment by a group of Vietnam vets. I will remember the feeling for the rest of my life. Stepped of a plane in Colorado springs dragged my sorry ass my gear my rifle a couple hundred feet. A line starting forming and in good military fashion I got in step and was saluted hugged and hand shaked. The last three vets held out big macs, cokes, and American marlboros respectively. Was like being handed little pieces of america. Gave me a lump in my throat…made me so fucking proud to be a soldier and made me love Vietnam vets so so so much more than my boyish hero worship I already had. With that said in some parts of California I have been spit on, my car vandalized, and been called baby killer. The situation is so much better than when my uncles biological and metaphorical returned but it is far from perfect out here in hollywierd. God bless America and godbless every single bamf vet.
Forgot to type above. WELCOME HOME!
Zero,
I headed up the road to DC for GoE-1 not knowing what to expect. I met up with several other vets on the DC Metro that morning. I think all of us felt a moment of awe when, at about 0800 we turned the corner onto Constitution Ave and saw several hundred vets already in attendance. I think everyone was blown away at the final numbers (30,000) … I know I enjoyed the fear that was in the eyes of the libturds in the other demonstration during their march around the Wall. I had a silent laugh when the Park Police turned a group of 10 away from the Wall telling them that the Park Police could not guarantee their safety and the best thing they could do was return to their own side of the street.
Many believe GoE to be dead but it is not. GoE Hawaii has donated over two tons of Kona Coffee to troops in Iraq and Afghanistan and is still a very active chapter of GoE. Laptops for the Wounded has donated over 100 laptops to our troops from Walter Reed, to Ft Bragg, to Ft Hood. GoE New York is still active in helping vets in need of assistance.
The active numbers may not appear to be large but the ‘reserves’ are still in touch and active in their own right.
Thanks a ton for starting GoE and putting many vets back in touch. We still are there and still in touch … for many March 17, 2007 was the first time to re-establish contact since the 60s and 70s. Priceless.
Never Again
I will always regard the way some elements of our society treated Vietnam veterans a national shame.
Soldiers do not choose the wars they fight. Rather, they merely fight those wars the country requires them to fight. Duty and honor demand nothing less.
A belated welcome home, my elder brothers in arms. And my abject apologies for the way some nekulturney zhopa treated you on your return.
I related on another post how I was greeted in Philly, by a smelly hippie. I soon got over that. The two stewardesses on my flight home made sure my glass never got emptied, made sure one of them was close by the whole time, and I got the first class meal, free. That was in 68. Thanks, ladies, I’ve forgotten your names, but I hope that you still remember. I truly appreciated it.
No. 18 Hondo:
” . . . nekulturney zhopa . . . ”
What is it ??
Is it the opposite of APOHZ YENRUTLUKEN ??
I’ll never forget GoE 1. It was such an elation to see the tremendous turnout in DC that icy cold morning. And let’s not forget all the preperation, emails, and blogging by so many. Including Capt Larry Bailey, Col Riley, and Kristin of FR. Just so many to thank. Truly a major turning point in pulling so many Vietnam Vets together to save our country. And as mentioned above, GoE is still doing excellent work. Way to go Bob in Hawaii.
DR_BRETT: if I understand correctly “nekulturney” (sometimes rendered as “nyet kulturney” in the Roman alphabet) is Russian, rather pejorative, and translates roughly as “uncultured” or “barbarian”. The closest English equivalent is probably “no class”. “Zhopa” is a less-than-polite Russian term for the anus.
Thanks, Hondo — I attempted the on-line translators, for I suspected Russian, but the translators did no good deed .
Welcome Home Zero, and all of my Viet Nam Brothers,
My gratitude is eternal to you and your generation, not only for your strong defense of this generation from the peaceniks, but also the lessons learned during your time in combat, and the price you paid on our own shores for your sacrifices there.
I grew up in the cloud of a culture that taught that your generation had lost, and were unhonorable, yet it was important to learn those lost lessons. As I studied your battles, I found Victories and Valor. I learned lessons that I applied throughout my career.
I knew the stories of your returns to “the world,” of the abuses, and know those that experienced them. It did not surprise me that the tide turned against Our Troops again, and steeled myself for it. I knew your generation was fighting back against it. I began seeing the name of GoE, but until today, I didn’t know of YOUR role in it, Zero.
Thank you Zero, and all of those that joined you in turning back the tide.
I’ve not met any of your members, but I’ve known of their fight, and I know it was key to preventing the re-experience of your history.
Another Old Fart from GoE logging in here.
I’ve reupped with Patriot Guard Riders, and out here in SoDak we do not only the funerals, but also flag lines at every deployment and homecoming, both of units and individuals, if known. I make every one of them unless I’m strapped down to a colonoscopy table. I remember my second oath – “NEVER AGAIN will one generation of veterans turn its back on another.” (And no, I’m too clumsy to bike, but I drive the cage carrying the flags.)
Hondo,
Even worse was Ms smerdyashaya pizda.