Monday is the day to honor our Vietnam heroes.
https://www.google.com/search?q=tribute+to+Vietnam+veteran+video&oq=tribute+to+Vietnam+veteran+video&aqs=chrome..69i57j33i22i29i30l4.-1j0j16&client=ms-android-verizon&sourceid=chrome-mobile&ie=UTF-8#fpstate=ive&vld=cid:545e82fb,vid:MjGu5z2C4Ag,st:0
Bob… I stand & salute you &
all Vietnam vets…
22 life’s a day
Well what about that. Thank you sir.
I’m with you OTC. Great Post.
I remember well the scream of my father waking me many nights as a youth. The whole fiasco of the Vietnam conflict ruined many a good man. They gave my dad 5 years to live in 1982 due to issues from agent orange. He will be 88 April 4th. Not kicking real high now a days, but making it. Two bronze stars, 3 purple hearts, and many physical and mental scars. Dad along with four of his brothers are Korean and Vietnam Vets all putting in over 25 years. His two sisters married Military men as well who retired and are Vietnam vets. I was born while Dad was there.
God Bless all our Veterans!
There’s no hard numbers that state how many Vietnam vets have passed from their war injuries. Mental and physical.
22 life’s a day
My dad served 2 tours as a Naval aviator. He said very little about his time over there with the exception of one funny story and one not so funny.
He was in anti-submarine warfare and flew a Grumman S-2F. Since there really was no enemy subs to deal with at that time, they equipped the S-2s with rockets and they would be given targets to hit. He said in flight school, they were told never to fire all 8 rockets at one time (apparently no one asked why). When they went out on a mission, from time to time, they would find themselves returning with ordinance and you do not land on a carrier WITH ordinance so they had an alternate site they would drop everything on, a small island off the coast reportedly used as a supply dump by the NVA.
As they were approaching this island, my dad (the pilot) told the co-pilot, “away all rockets”. The co-pilot said, “I thought we weren’t supposed to fire all 8 at once”. But, my dad said, “what’s the worst that can happen?” so, they fired all 8 rockets at one time. He said they went from approximately 120 mph to almost 0 and dropped in altitude a good bit before resuming forward speed. They looked at each other and said, “****, THAT’S why you don’t fire all 8 rockets at once”.
All I remember saying was, “that sounds like something I would have done” and it kind of made me feel better knowing dads can be not so smart sometimes just like the rest of us.
The other one was when the CIA came aboard his carrier recruiting pilots for the CIA “air force”. They were offering about triple what my dad was making at the time and it was very appealing. He wrote my mom about it, saying he was giving it serious consideration. Several guys in the various squadrons on board joined up. Before he received a letter back from my mom, they received a report about 2 former squadron mates getting shot down and they were found mutilated and beheaded. My dad decided to stay in the Navy and retired after 20 years. These are the only stores I can really remember him t
Thanks for posting that dfreedom. My Dad has told us brothers little. He was drinking a bit and started talking some about 1965 when he was stripped of all personal Identification and placed … somewhere… he clamed shut. Many service members that are still alive are held by sworn oaths to Silence.
God Bless our Military!
Went to the Vietnam memorial here in Greenville for the ceremonies this morning.
Fairly good turnout maybe close to 100 people. It’s too bad the majority of the folks that were there was the Vietnam vets. Probably was not a soul there under 50 years old.
Pretty gut wrenching when the speakers has a hard time getting through his speech…
They should have the schools take field trips to the ceremonies… these kids see somebody like their grandfather / great grandfather with tears rolling down their face.Maybe they have a better understanding and more respect for these folks
22 life’s a day
One of my heroes passed today. Steven (buddy) Williams.
Staff sergeant United States Marine corps.
Vietnam 1/9 The walking Dead. He was part of operation Buffalo. Google it.
Buddy battle cancer most of his life after returning from Vietnam. Met buddy when I was 16 years old. Told him when I turned 17 I was going to join the army. He said oh BS. If you’re going to serve you need to be a Marine. With my dad’s permission he carried me to the marine recruiter. On my 17th birthday he and my dad took me and I signed on the dotted line. He even came to my graduation at Parris Island.
Simplify buddy
22 life’s a day
I have stood on that very spot. Vietnam was a worthless war and everybody there knew it. It was none of our business what kind of government that country had and Ho Chi Mien made us pay a high price for our interference.
My brother in law died from agent orange exposure . Was a type of brain cancer typical of agent orange . He flew medevac helicopters’ and saved many lives by getting them to help quickly. Before his death he told of flying thru vast chemical clouds
I salute those that served and those we lost
so sorry for your loss OTC. Takes a special human to become a Marine.