# National Vietnam War Veterans Day



## PamfromTx (Mar 29, 2021)

*March 29, 2021 is our National Vietnam War Veterans Day which recognizes our veterans who served in the US military during the Vietnam War. Thank you for your service and sacrifice.

WE SALUTE YOU! To those who served, we say thank you, and welcome home. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			






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## PamfromTx (Mar 29, 2021)

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## Glowworm (Mar 29, 2021)

A lot of young men and women died serving in Vietnam and many more returned home injured and/or traumatised. Sadly many were badly treated by their fellow countrymen. Nobody, irrespective of race, creed or color who has been sent to fight in any conflict in a foreign country deserves to be looked upon in that way. They all deserve our respect and thanks.

I've visited the Vietnam War Memorial and Tomb Of the Unknown Soldier in Washington as well as many war cemeteries in Europe including the one above Omaha Beach and I've always been deeply moved and humbled.


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## PamfromTx (Mar 29, 2021)

I, even though was young during the Vietnam War will forever be grateful for their service.  I've read alot about this war and it saddens me to read how the Veterans were treated and continue to be treated.  God bless them all.

I can remember when we'd hear about our local boys (yes, they were boys to us) were killed.  Our little town still mourns their tragic deaths.


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## Llynn (Mar 29, 2021)

Thanks Pam and Glowworm. Very kind of you.


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## SetWave (Mar 29, 2021)




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## PamfromTx (Mar 29, 2021)




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## PamfromTx (Mar 29, 2021)




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## Don M. (Mar 29, 2021)

I was sure glad that I was in the USAF, instead of the Army or Marines.  All I did was fix broken F-105's...almost like a regular 8 to 5  job.  I spent 1967 in Thailand, and saw dozens of aircraft come back with major damage.....and there were several which Didn't make it back.  Many of us were disgusted at the "games" being played by the politicians instead of them trying to end this conflict.  We had the means on base....non-nuclear....for several weeks that would have changed things drastically, but they were eventually packed up and shipped back to the States.  That's when we knew that the thousands of lives lost, and thousands more who would carry their nightmares with them forever...was all in vain.


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## PamfromTx (Mar 29, 2021)

Don M. said:


> I was sure glad that I was in the USAF, instead of the Army or Marines.  All I did was fix broken F-105's...almost like a regular 8 to 5  job.  I spent 1967 in Thailand, and saw dozens of aircraft come back with major damage.....and there were several which Didn't make it back.  Many of us were disgusted at the "games" being played by the politicians instead of them trying to end this conflict.  We had the means on base....non-nuclear....for several weeks that would have changed things drastically, but they were eventually packed up and shipped back to the States.  That's when we knew that the thousands of lives lost, and thousands more who would carry their nightmares with them forever...was all in vain.


You and my uncle may have been together in Thailand... for all we know, @Don M.


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## tbeltrans (Mar 29, 2021)

Thanks to all participating in this thread...

Tony


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## old medic (Mar 30, 2021)

I'm riding today for a Nam vets funeral escort with the PGR. over an hour away. about 40 degrees starting out.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 30, 2021)

Don M. said:


> I was sure glad that I was in the USAF, instead of the Army or Marines.  All I did was fix broken F-105's...almost like a regular 8 to 5  job.  I spent 1967 in Thailand, and saw dozens of aircraft come back with major damage.....and there were several which Didn't make it back.  Many of us were disgusted at the "games" being played by the politicians instead of them trying to end this conflict.  We had the means on base....non-nuclear....for several weeks that would have changed things drastically, but they were eventually packed up and shipped back to the States.  That's when we knew that the thousands of lives lost, and thousands more who would carry their nightmares with them forever...was all in vain.


It was not in vain, IMO, and it’s an insult to say so.  Those who went and fought, those who died in those jungles, all those who served in that era, including yourself and myself, answered the call of their country, and served with pride and honor.

That service was not in vain, it stands as a shinning example for generations to come that good men and women will always answer the call no to duty, no matter what political games are played by lesser men and woman.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 30, 2021)

I remember when we were stationed at Camp Pendleton and the Vietnamese were evacuated from Vietnam and placed down below where our housing was.  I remember how the MP’s were stationed all around that area so our husbands, who fought so hard in that war that was not a war, would not have access to walk down there, and kill them all.

I remember when I got orders to go to Vietnam when I was 19, and stupid, and gun ho.  I remember my disappointment when those orders were canceled.  Woman had to be 21 to serve in a war zone.  I remember being ordered NOT to wear my uniform into town.

I remember when my husband, a combat vet in Vietnam, and I were asleep in bed when the freedom train went by and blew its whistle to announce its arrival.  It was 2am.  My husband jumped straight up, came back down, rolled out of bed, and under it.

WOW, he was a big guy even then, had no ideal he could fit.  I rolled to the end of the bed, looked under it, and asked “what are you doing?”.  He replied “air raid siren”, hmm, nope “freedom train whistle”.  In those days it was funny.  As time went by, such actions became less and less funny.

I remember about 2 years ago when a young grocery store bagger came up to my husband, shook his hand, thanked him for his service, and apologized for the way his parents treated returning service men from Vietnam.  Awesome!

I remember the pain and agony of all the vets I met over the years and all the vets that didn’t come back.  I remember.

But I’d rather not.


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## Glowworm (Mar 30, 2021)

Far too many have been lost in far too many wars through the years. There's part of a poem that's used at remembrance services in England. It's from a poem called For the Fallen and was written at the time of WWI but it's still relevant today:

They shall grow not old as we that are left grow old,
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun and in the morning,
We will remember them.

Very often a service is ended with the words

When you go home, tell them of us and say
For your tomorrow, we gave our today.

Just about says it all doesn't it?


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## Pepper (Mar 30, 2021)

Where have all the flowers gone?


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## SetWave (Mar 30, 2021)

Thanks for your words, Aneeda.
The many guys I met in my veterans group tended to agree we were betrayed and felt the old It Don't Mean Nothin'. 
Thankfully, I learned to be proud that I raised my hand and volunteered.


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## Sassycakes (Mar 30, 2021)

*One of the first funerals I ever attented was for a classmate that was killed in Viet Nam. It was heartbreaking and I will remember it forever. My husband also served during the war,and thankfully he was in the Navy on a land base.*


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## SetWave (Mar 30, 2021)

Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines: All gave some; some gave all.


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## Aneeda72 (Mar 30, 2021)

SetWave said:


> Army, Navy, Air Force, Marines: All gave some; some gave all.


I have this saying on a stone memorial in my memory garden which contains a statue of a marine and a WAC.


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## Nathan (Mar 30, 2021)

My wife told me yesterday, I had forgotten that I had previously heard of VN vets day, maybe last year.   It is very kind of you all to acknowledge the service of the Vietnam veteran, I for one am appreciative.     And for those who spent their tours in Thailand or Guam or aboard a vessel in the South China Sea- your contribution to the effort was just as valuable.

We did not 'lose' the war, and no one's sacrifice was in vain, we did the job that our country sent us to do.


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## PamfromTx (Mar 30, 2021)

Nathan said:


> My wife told me yesterday, I had forgotten that I had previously heard of VN vets day, maybe last year.   It is very kind of you all to acknowledge the service of the Vietnam veteran, I for one am appreciative.     And for those who spent their tours in Thailand or Guam or aboard a vessel in the South China Sea- your contribution to the effort was just as valuable.
> 
> We did not 'lose' the war, and no one's sacrifice was in vain, we did the job that our country sent us to do.


Beautifully said, @Nathan .


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## PamfromTx (Mar 30, 2021)

PamfromTx said:


> I, even though was young during the Vietnam War will forever be grateful for their service.  I've read alot about this war and it saddens me to read how the Veterans were treated and continue to be treated.  God bless them all.
> 
> I can remember when we'd hear about our local boys (yes, they were boys to us) were killed.  Our little town still mourns their tragic deaths.


Someone from my hometown posted a copy of a pic in FB with all of our deceased Vietnam heros.  I had forgotten a couple of them.


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## cdestroyer (Mar 31, 2021)

I was in the navy. both blue water and brown water. in the tonkin gulf on sar station three times and after reinlisting went incountry in the mekong delta and then on guam when it came to an end. the subject raises so many different emotions it is difficult to make a decent conversation one way or the other. so rather than raise the hackles on my neck over something that happened 50 years ago I will just leave it as it is. oh and thanks to you that were grateful for our service. not everyone was.


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## fuzzybuddy (Apr 15, 2021)

The most moving experience, I have ever had, was touring the Collections Of The Vietnam Memorial Items, in DC. It is a display of what people left at the Memorial. Some of the items........... words don't do justice. After you go through the collection, you come out into a courtyard. Everybody, who comes out, finds a place on the wall to hold onto, and sob. It's not only tears, but sobbing aloud, the emotions are is so intense.


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## oldman (May 3, 2021)

A lot of feelings and people’s perspectives have changed about this war. When I came home from Vietnam, no one seemed excited to see me, except a girl that I had been dating before I left. I lost a few friends in this war and some fellow Marines from my Platoon. At first, it was hard for me to sleep. I kept thinking about the guys that I left behind and wondering what they were doing now.  Sometimes a memory would bring a smile to my face or make me laugh. A few times I would wake up not knowing where I was. After a month or so, it was mostly all good.

It was a long 14 months.


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## 911 (May 4, 2021)

oldman said:


> A lot of feelings and people’s perspectives have changed about this war. When I came home from Vietnam, no one seemed excited to see me, except a girl that I had been dating before I left. I lost a few friends in this war and some fellow Marines from my Platoon. At first, it was hard for me to sleep. I kept thinking about the guys that I left behind and wondering what they were doing now.  Sometimes a memory would bring a smile to my face or make me laugh. A few times I would wake up not knowing where I was. After a month or so, it was mostly all good.
> 
> It was a long 14 months.


I'm with you on this one. I still wonder what happened to the guys I left behind that were in my Platoon. I have met with a few that I was over there with at one of the reunions that someone arranged and also visited a few when on vacation. One guy was still fighting the war in his head after 45 years. 
Why were you over there for 14 months?


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