Harry P. Posted March 30, 2014 Posted March 30, 2014 But really, how do you expect a bunch of over-the-hill guys who killed and were killed in defense of the ideal of freedom to compete with something as overwhelmingly important as March Madness? Ok, here's the other side of the coin... and I mean no disrespect to Vietnam vets, just putting it out there for debate... We already have Veteran's Day. It honors all veterans of all wars. The revolution... the civil war... the war of 1812... the Spanish-American war... World War I... World War II... Korea... Iraq...Afghanistan... you get the point. Why do we now have a separate "veteran's day" for one specific war? Again... no disrespect meant. Just wondering...
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 30, 2014 Posted March 30, 2014 (edited) Vietnam Vets were often treated pretty poorly. They were spat on. They were called baby killers. Unlike any of the veterans of the other conflicts you mentioned, many Vietnam vets had no idea of why we were even there; nor did most of the American public. Singling out a day for this particular conflict is just part of an attempt to undo some of the wrongs done to a group of people who took duty seriously, and were in return shunned by the very people whose ideals they thought they were fighting and dying for. Edited March 30, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy
Harry P. Posted March 30, 2014 Posted March 30, 2014 Vietnam Vets were often treated pretty poorly. They were spat on. They were called baby killers. Unlike any of the veterans of the other conflicts you mentioned, many Vietnam vets had no idea of why we were even there; nor did most of the American public. Singling out a day for this particular conflict is just part of an attempt to undo some of the wrongs done to a group of people who took duty seriously, and were in return shunned by the very people whose ideals they were fighting and dying for. I agree that Vietnam vets were treated very poorly back in the day. I know they were reviled, they were marginalized and looked down on back in the '70s, when the anti-war movement was at its peak. And I agree that of all US vets, they got the short end of the stick as far as respect goes. But given that, I still can't believe that a guy as media-savvy as I am has never heard of Vietnam Veteran's Day until now, regardless of how deserving it may be. You'd think I would have bumped into it somehow, somewhere by now... even if by accident.
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 30, 2014 Posted March 30, 2014 (edited) Well, read the Prez's proclamation. It states it's commemorating the 50th anniversary of the war. It has now been only 41 years. If the Prez hisself can't even get the math right, well... If you count from the first 'official' mission on Jan 12, '62, you're at 50+ years...but why make the end of the war day (41 years ago) the "50 year anniversary" when it's really Jan. 12? Edited March 30, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy
Harry P. Posted March 30, 2014 Posted March 30, 2014 Well, read the Prez's proclamation. It states it's commemorating the 50th anniversary of the war. It has now been only 41 years. If the Prez hisself can't even get the math right, well... Same prez who once said he's visited all 57 states... Oops... we better watch it. No politics allowed here..
Ace-Garageguy Posted March 30, 2014 Posted March 30, 2014 (edited) Same prez who once said he's visited all 57 states... He musta been lookin' at a Heinz ketchup bottle at the time. Numbers are hard. Personally, I've always thought of the fall of Saigon on April 30, 1975 as the real end. But that's just me. "No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much. Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic." [Nixon] Fall of Saigon 1975 Edited March 30, 2014 by Ace-Garageguy
Agent G Posted March 30, 2014 Posted March 30, 2014 (edited) In case some of you haven't noticed, Vietnam Veterans are different. We weren't welcome home by our country, so we held our own welcome home parades in Washington, DC, New York, Chicago, and LA. We wanted a memorial, not to war, but to our buddies who were killed in action and those still missing, so we built the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington, DC. The MOST visited memorial in the city, by the way. We didn't want future Veterans to be treated the way we were, so we changed the entire country's attitude towards servicemen and women. We shake hands differently than "normal" people and we do a whole bunch of hugging other Veterans and their families. We like to sit facing doors or windows so we can see what's there, but if we're with other Veterans, it's OK because we know they'll have our "6" (back). Agent Orange gave me prostate cancer and the war messed up my mind but the government recognizes PTSD and give me free money every month to make up for it. I've gone through 2 marriages because of my disabilities. And you know what? I'd do it all over again just to be able to say that I volunteered to serve my country and signed the blank check to take everything, including my life, if it were necessary. Yeah- I'm darned proud to be a Veteran of the greatest country in the world. Well said my friend. My brother's pension makes his motorcycle payment every month. I now have numbness in my left hand and arm, the scars always been there on my left chest. The left ankle gets stiff and I can predict the weather with my left knee. I can say with certainty the experiences I had led me to the police department. We had our own brand of group therapy, because we all had been through it. When I got a bit "out of hand" with the idiot oil a few decades ago I was the receipient of a little "tough love" reinforced by positive peer pressure from my co workers and fellow vets. They were so persuasive I quit drinking for twenty years. Even now I temper my intake just thinking of that. All we had then were each other. All we want now is that no other group be treated as we were. I believe we have been successful and that makes it all worth it. Go back? Do it again? Well we jarheads are fond of saying we never left the Corps, we're just at a different point in our career. The Commandant says so too. G Edited March 30, 2014 by Agent G
Madd Trucker Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 Iam a Viet Nam vet 1968 - 1969 1ST Air Cav Division . was oneposted about I was also one spit on by Americans and called a Baby killer . Welcome home to al who served there and came home to to theones who didnt make back alive and to those who are still being found. I am proud I served my country and it tookme 44 years to admit I was even there.
Kris Morgan Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 A bit ashamed to admit I did not know this. Seems to me I should have known. As others have stated, I simply did not know. Thank you and bless you to all that served.
Dave Ambrose Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 Several of my highschool classmates served in that war. Viet Nam was terrible in so many ways. Everyone who went gave more than we should have asked for. So, my deepest thanks to all who went. I appreciate your sacrifice more than I can say. Hopefully, the life I've lived will be worth protecting.
charlie8575 Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 I missed this one, too, and my dad works at the VA! I wonder if he's aware of this? To all Vietnam Veterans- I'm a little too young to have seen what you went through (I was born in August of '75,) but I've known so many veterans of this conflict that I understand what you've gone through, and to still see some of my own generation (and younger) harboring ill will towards our armed services makes me want to react in a very negative manner towards those specific individuals. I remember when I was in second grade, and my school got its POW-MIA flag. It was a beautiful spring day in 1983 and a group of Vietnam veterans came, and explained to us bunch of little kids what the flag was about and why it was important. None of my friends got it, but I, growing up in a family that had a long history of military service (Dad couldn't due to severe allergies and I have some limitations that would mark me 4-F,) so I got it every almost every word they said about men who never came home and why it was important to remember. Thank you to all of you. We must never forget to be grateful to those who sign on to protect our liberties, from all enemies, foreign and domestic. Charlie Larkin
Modelmartin Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 A slight counterpoint here in which I mean no disrespect for any veteran whatsoever. My family and I were anti-war. We protested. My parents caucused as anti-war. I had many friends who were anti-war. I was too young by a few years to get involved in the draft. I do not remember anyone speaking ill of drafted or even enlisted soldiers. We all thought they were as much victims of the politicians and military brass as the Vietnamese civilians and soldiers. The stories of returning soldiers being spit on and being called baby-killers were extremely rare and did not reflect the feelings of the vast majority of the anti-war crowd. You know how it goes - a few idiots in every group of humans. We had a few spitters - veterans had Lt. Calley. Even a cursory reading of the history of the conflict in Indochina reveals we should never have been there in the first place. All Americans were lied to and very, very sadly too many young American men paid with their lives. I have been to the Memorial and found it incredibly moving. A good read on the subject is Bob Green's 1989 book Homecoming. I wish all veterans peace.
crazyjim Posted March 31, 2014 Author Posted March 31, 2014 I can appreciate your views, Andy, while I keep in mind that American men & women have died in wars to protect your right to protest.
Harry P. Posted March 31, 2014 Posted March 31, 2014 And there you go... both sides heard from. But this is a little too close to politics to keep open.
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