Remember the difference?

Question

In 65, we counted the VC dead. I served from 63 to 75 and my last contribution was flying the evacuation.

Now we count the American Dead. That SUX. We are losing youth. Even if we could see it wasn't the thing to do it does not bring them back. I would trade with one of those sons, daughters and parent to bring them back.

I did my time thinking this would not happen again. Just like my Father did in the 35th Calvary in WWI.

Yeah I don't have a question. Just. tears. Been there. Done that. Don't think it's gonna get better.

When I was just young and Gung Ho, I remembered the most we had in Nam was 500,000. The most in the front at any one time was 50,000. Means a lot of REMF. Rear Esultion MU..F...rs. Or something like that.
Yeah we lost about 50K and we that were there took it as a k and those that did were not there dicn't know what a REMF was cuz that's who they generly spoke to because to they were 1:10.

Answer 1

We never learn, do we? Or, should I say, our leaders never learn. It seems that every 20 years or so our country has to involve itself in some country somewhere in the name of "Freedom" and "Democracy".

We prop up puppet governments, insinuate ourselves in their politics and government. Totally pi** people off with our high-handed, self-righteousness.

What you went through - and others went through in that terrible jungle war should have taught us a lesson. How quickly we forget.

I had 3 brothers who fought in that awful place for "god only knows what". One was career Airforce with 18 years....he resigned before he would go back to Vietnam for a 4TH tour...One took 2 tours and came back physically OK but mentally and emotionally scarred. The third brother was MIA/POW for 2 years and came back alive - barely. Oh, he was a casualty alright....it just took him 10 years to die. The areas where he was held - and tortured - and starved were sprayed over and over with Agent Orange.... He developed inoperable malignant brain tumors. The military never acknowledged that his problem was due to his service....even though their own doctors knew it. Slowly these tumors ate away at his life until he mercifully died at the age of 42 leaving a wife and 4 kids. Oh, the military DID help then - they paid $500.00 towards funeral expenses.

Those young soldiers in Iraq will never be the same. Even in a "just" war, soldiers come back with an unbearable burden...ask any WWII vet - or like your dad.

Our leaders send these young, enthusiastic soldiers into hell. They keep throwing more and more of our soldiers at an enemy that can't be identified, can't be found. The "enemy" has no uniform, no bases, no leaders, no weapons except guns and crudely made (and effective) bombs. When these young ones come home, they will be kicked to the curb just like the Vietnam vets were.

I appreciate what you and others did over there. It was a lesson in futility for our country but it doesn't lessen the contribution and efforts of our soldiers who did their best under the worst conditions. Same in Iraq. When you are in the military, you go where you are told....you don't have any choice but to go and do what you are trained to do - to the best of your ability. It isn't the soldiers fault that Iraq (and Vietnam) turned into a killing field of the worst kind. It is our leaders fault..it always is.

What was I doing during that awful Vietnam war? I was in my 20's and on the streets protesting that mess...demanding that our leaders end it and bring our guys and women home! It wasn't always pretty, it was ugly sometimes, but eventually, it was effective. I wanted my brothers and my friends to come home. I wanted the slaughter to end...

I wonder, sometimes, where are the young people today? Where is the outrage? Why aren't the streets filled with "the people" demanding an end to the fruitless and unwinnable Iraq mess - demanding that the slaughter of our soldiers end...? Is it because there is no draft? Is that the reason we don't care enough to hit the streets?

It seems as though the war is just some political football that can be kicked around in front of the TV cameras. On forums like this, you have people (who have no clue) supporting our illegal invasion and calling those of us who don't support it traitors, unpatriotic, cowards,etc. If it was their butts in uniform being thrown on the battlefield, I wonder what their attitude might be.

Anyway....thank you for your service, thank you and all the others for your bravery. You did the impossible at the bidding of our self-serving leaders and did it well.

Meanwhile, you and I - and others who lived it, remembers it and knows how it will end; we will have to stand by - again - and watch it happen - again. My heart hurts for those young ones.

Later.....

Don't you find it interesting that someone has read through this post and somehow found a reason to give it all a thumbs down? How very sad. Either this pitiful person is very, very young and has no understanding or is terribly fearful of the truth.

Answer 2

Employers keep a HS degree in additional esteem - as do such a lot humans. Not all 4 yr schools will be given a GED And you anticipate you are going to move the GED and move with a tight ranking. IF your grades are terrible you will not be ready to move the GED. because of this you are going to be a drop out and not using a HS degree and no GED. don't anticipate the GED scan goes to be handy for you employers are going to marvel why your dropped out of HS. a GED has slightly of a stigma to it. You are a quitter. why could not manage top college stage categories. If you do drop out at any factor-do be certain to take the GED examination. and not using a HS degree you are going to have to get a GED

Answer 3

I used to know the number, but around 53,000 of our people died in Nam. About the same as the total for both sides at the battles of Gettysburg.

It's not numbers that count. People count. One death for the purpose of fattening or reelecting a politician is too many.

Answer 4

Thank you for your service!

it is hard when we focus more on the trees rather than the forest. My hubby is military (AF) and has been over to the desert 3 times and Korea twice so i know how you feel. he has been spat on, punched and yelled and screamed at.

Answer 5

Brave young men it breaks my heart too I often wonder how the veterans of the two world wars feel thinking that they fought the wars to end all wars we don't learn do we.

Answer 6

first off, respect..

but didn´t a lot more troops die in Vietnam? there would be months that had higher death tolls than the entire iraq war...

i think we´re getting pretty efficient