Just In Case Ya Missed It…
Today is a “special” day. Among many it means little, still it matters to some.
“Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day is Monday”
For those who haven’t heard my grumps… I was spit at and called a “baby killer” when I came through SFO in ’69 while in uniform. The first welcome I experienced was in Hawaii. There was a parade for Gulf War vets and THEY decided to include us. Members of my Rap Group were of a mixed mind. I said “What the hell” and showed up.
It was in Waimea on the Big Island where the wife and I were living on the side of a volcano.
Trivial crap for some, perhaps, but it did set the stage.
Forget my take, I had met ‘Nam vets who had shunned any form of public endeavor. A coupla of them were even there for the parade.
For me, when I finally stood in front of The Wall in DC I was thinking about those guys.
I dunno all the details behind This Day. Part of me is still angry. Still I simply can’t divorce the way many were treated from my own trivial memories.
But… Using this loud pulpit, I hope you each take a look around, and maybe find one other of us and shake his hand.
Category: Geezer Alert!
Welcome home again. 3 of my uncles were in Vietnam, 2 in the USMC and 1 in the Navy. They actually talked about the war with me when I was younger. Never occurred to me to ask about coming home. 2 are still alive. I think I’ll have that conversation soon.
I know that I have learned a lot over the years since my discharge at Ft. Dix and subsequent (similar) experience traveling through Penn Station, NYC, another center of leftist “hippy-ism.”
Had the spit landed on me back in November 1968 I guess I’d be considered right about now for parole for the homicide I would have committed. (yeah I know, big talk).
The self-censorship over these last four-plus decades doesn’t help for closure, whatever that is……I talk at my Vet Group to a bunch of fellow combat Vets with similar difficulties, but to be honest coming here and being among friends is more cathartic than anything….I guess the anonymity helps a little. Nobody here, with a few exceptions, knows who I am.
God Bless America!
Verde Valley Az – 3/29
Huge VVets motorcycle ride from Sedona down to Clarkdale for free food and music .. only marginally interrupted by politicos telling us how great they were.
Fell into chow line behind a guy with a Currahee ball cap and had a nice time talking about how C-47s didn’t like paratroopers.
Flag raising @ 13:00 with a good bugler.
Tents up from the VA, VFW, AL, CAP and of course the Marine Association.
Good time had by all
@ 91A10, Et Alii:
“Tents up from the VA, VFW, AL, CAP and of course the Marine Association.”
________________________________
Why did all those guys tense up?
Why couldn’t they just relax and chill out?
Well .. the Marines were tense .. too many ARM-Y types about…
BIG Welcome Home to my Dad my uncle Bob, Skip, Gary, Larry, Thank you all for your sacrifices you service to this great country. And to my Dad I’m sorry I never got to meet you. But you will always be a hero to me, thank you for giving your life for your buddy’s, and for making America a better place your son Paul 🙂
Also a thank you to all TAH Vietnam Vets. For your service and sacrifices. 🙂
Missed the Senate proclamation, but mox nix. Here in Corpus Christi we had our ceremony honoring Viet Nam vets on Friday. Didn’t go because of health reasons and now wish I had.
http://www.kristv.com/clip/11283610/vietnam-veterans-day-in-nueces-county
Welcome Home,to you sir and all the TAH readers who are Vietnam Vets! THANK YOU!
Consider your hand shook, Zero.
Looking through the Mpls. Star and Sicle yesterday, not a peep. Watching the local news last night – nada. Goofy Gov. Dayton did offer a Vietnam Veterans Day deal, so ther’s that.
Seems like they still can’t give a rip about you boys and girls. As stated before, I didn’t go to where I would’ve earned a CIB, but I came home to the same sullenness as you.
Thank you all.
OC
Not a peep in the local paper. I wouldn’t have known about it at all, if I had not seen it here.
Damn, I was all set to be part of the next best, greatest generation! Then nothing, oh well, it’s been this way for forty plus years. I should be used to it.
I arrived at Oakland in June,1966. We were told there would be people there that didn’t like VN vets. Personally, I didn’t give a crap. I was happy to be here, where the only thing going by my head was spit. I did get spit at, but not on. When I arrived in Houston, I was walking down a terminal to luggage when a man stopped and asked if I was getting home from Vietnam. Not expecting what happened, I stuck out my chest and proudly answered yes. He got a hard look on his face and told me I ought to be ashamed . I didn’t quite grasp what he meant until I got that shit eating grin off my face. I told him to fuck off and get out of my way. I walked on to luggage with a different attitude of being home. I still wasn’t safe as I should have felt in the U.S.
While I appreciate the concern and efforts by people today to recognize Viet Nam veterans’ service:
I came back in August, 1966, and I’ve been here ever since. If you didn’t notice until now, that’s your problem. Please don’t tell me “welcome home” today.
I wasn’t the spitter, I was the thirteen year old girl who had flowers in my hair and said “glad your home” I married a fella in the Army and 14 years later (I called him and said put your key in the door and I will unload my 9mm and send you to hell.
Charles F.Morrison 2/29/48
Escondido, CA now living in Carson, WA molested and raped our oldest daughter from 2-11 when she told. Rat bastard still afraid to come to California. You will get yours….dog shit punk
The climate stateside in the late 60’s and 70’s wasn’t really comfortable for viet vets (actually pretty damn hostile).
I stayed under the radar, kept my mouth shut, tried to support my family as best I could and fought the demons myself.
I just don’t know how to react to being welcomed home by a grateful nation after being treated as an unwanted and abandoned bastard child. It just seems disjointed from reality.
I am grateful I served.
I am grateful for those I served with.
I am grateful for the life I’ve led.
I am grateful to be here today.
In the not too distant future I’ll pass on as all previous veterans of wars. Whether they were Generals or Privates the “welcome home” that we all yearn for will be spoken by our Lord.
Now that’s the welcome home I desire — so much more than any acknowledgement by any man who has not served his Country or his God.
Well now……. that was therapeutic.
I came back from Vietnam twice, once to Sea-Tac and once to Travis AFB. I never saw a single protestor. I did, however meet an older couple from Denver at the airport in San Francisco who insisted on buying me a drink(s). They just wanted to welcome me home. Funny afte all of these years ther are 5 times as many people claiming to be Vietnam veterans as were actually in country, but you can’t find a soul who spit on GIs or called them baby killers.
No one said shit to me when I came home in 69 beside my mom and dad and brother.
amd no one said shit on monday so fuck them all the long and the tall.And to all my brothers I hope life has been good to you and yours And hey I cant fine my p38
Check your keychain. And if it ain’t there.
Here you go.
http://www.amazon.com/U-S-Opener-Pack–Military-Issue/dp/B00DMSQT5M/ref=sr_1_4?s=home-garden&ie=UTF8&qid=1427819136&sr=1-4&keywords=P-38