How Many Viet Nam Vets Here?

'65-'67 Started in the 101st ABN 2/502, C Company. Yeah, it was my C.O. that called in a B52 airstrike and dropped napalm on his own guys. Before the year was up I transferred to 5th Special Forces to be a Tunnel Rat. Got messed up, shot up, blown up, chewed up and spit out. Came home 100% disabled. But that was long long ago, and far far away. Disabled you say??? B.S.... Drove 18 wheeler for 33 years. Now, like the rest of us, I'm in my sixties, reliving my lost youth, and enjoying every minute of it.
 
Welcome home to all, and Thank You for serving.
In country '69-'72 USMC with MACV-SOG CCN out of DaNang. Landing in Saigon on 25 Dec '69. What a Christmas present. huh?
I am not going to complain about VN or anything else. I volunteered (dumb) to go over but with my MOS I was going to go any way.
RIF'd out of the Corps, joined the Army, and stayed in until retirement.
Best thing I did because to train your troops on how to survive, you had to talk about your experiences. Great therapy (talking about it).
I did how ever get crap thrown at me when we came home. Spent 2 days in the brig for beating the crap out of the guy that threw it.
No matter when or where we or those before or after us have or are still serving, we need to show our support for them. Many of you do that with "hands-on" support with USO, Legion, VFW or other organizations. For those that are hesitant to get really involved, just saying Thank You to those you know have served, IS supporting. Check out the organizations like "Red Fridays. org", "Beyond the Yellow Ribbon", "Blue Star" banner for your family that are serving, etc. It is all greatly appreciated.
Now I'll get off my soapbox.

Ride safe. Pops

Lakota, thanks for being there. I hated those damn tunnels. More than snakes. But, snakes in the tunnel.............
 
It warms my heart my brothers to know there are a lot of you here! Like most, I really don't want to talk about it, but am accepting it after all these years. A lot of you had it a lot rougher than I did but it just don't matter! Many of you I hope to cross paths with in the future. Yes, sometimes I think I'm trying to recapture my lost youth but you can never go back. I don't ever expect to think of myself as any kind of a hero but at least now I don't feel like a bad person for serving...
 
I still get pissed when some of you say the AF are not Nam vets because we didn't have boots on the ground. How the fu!!k would you know!! You we're not there with all of us!!!! I was I in Mekong Delta in the ****!! There were AF combat there too. Maybe I took something the wrong way but don't think so. We got shot at, mortars thrown at us as well as 107 and 122 rockets fired on us! As you know these things kill. I had to go out in the boonies also!!!!! Then when you tell people you were there in 70-71 they say, oh you there when it was clean-up. Excuse me but people were still going home in body bags then. Would have been there in 68 but enlisted instead of getting drafted. So was in 4yrs. instead of 2yrs. Plus not everyone was a grunt. Sorry about going off but i'm tired of hearing these.
 
jcolson said:
I still get pissed when some of you say the AF are not Nam vets because we didn't have boots on the ground. How the fu!!k would you know!! You we're not there with all of us!!!! I was I in Mekong Delta in the ****!! There were AF combat there too. Maybe I took something the wrong way but don't think so. We got shot at, mortars thrown at us as well as 107 and 122 rockets fired on us! As you know these things kill. I had to go out in the boonies also!!!!! Then when you tell people you were there in 70-71 they say, oh you there when it was clean-up. Excuse me but people were still going home in body bags then. Would have been there in 68 but enlisted instead of getting drafted. So was in 4yrs. instead of 2yrs. Plus not everyone was a grunt. Sorry about going off but i'm tired of hearing these.
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I'm with you, I was an RTO 4th Div 66/67 And had an Air Force FO with me for awhile, ThumbUp He knew planes, I knew 105's
 
I was in DaNang from Aug 70 until Sep 71. 390 TFS Wild Boars. Was a crew Chief on the F4D. I lived in Gun Fighter Village.I lived thru a lot of rocket attacks after the Marines left. I was never in The bush But I have had several Army/Marines tell me they were glad to see those F4s show up.I am so glad to see the Wounded Warriors for the returning Vets of todays Vets. If we had that support when we come home there might not have been as many noncombat casualty's the last 40 years.
 
I read this quite often and the big difference between the way Vietnam vets were treated and today vets are treated makes a huge difference in how the rest of someone's life is going to be, like will there be a lot of anger issues, drugs, alcohol, so many things that can effect the rest of your life.
 
I sometimes think one of the reasons why current vets get treated differently is because us Vietnam vets remember how we were treated and will do everything we can do to make sure it doesn't happen again!!

BTW as far as the AF my feelings are that you served as well and without your support we would have been in deep doo! You are Viet Vets in my eyes!!!
 
jcolson said:
I still get pissed when some of you say the AF are not Nam vets because we didn't have boots on the ground. How the fu!!k would you know!! You we're not there with all of us!!!! I was I in Mekong Delta in the ****!! There were AF combat there too. Maybe I took something the wrong way but don't think so. We got shot at, mortars thrown at us as well as 107 and 122 rockets fired on us! As you know these things kill. I had to go out in the boonies also!!!!! Then when you tell people you were there in 70-71 they say, oh you there when it was clean-up. Excuse me but people were still going home in body bags then. Would have been there in 68 but enlisted instead of getting drafted. So was in 4yrs. instead of 2yrs. Plus not everyone was a grunt. Sorry about going off but i'm tired of hearing these.
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I don't care if the Air Force had boots on the ground or not. I just know that we (grunts) were happier than a pig in mud when those fast movers went over head and did their thing. Kept or got our butts out of alot of s**t. When those 52's went over head, there was always a lot of big grins on the ground:D:D
In my book, you guys are Viet Nam Vets, and you should be proud of it. From one Nam vet to another, Semper Fi, and thank you for being there for us grunts.

Eagle1, now I know who to blame for dropping that crap on us.

I had to pay for my poncho 'cause it ate holes in it.

Ride safe

Pops
 
I've read a few posts from you guys. I thank you as I do my Australian ex defense personnel for their service.

Stick together guys. You were all a piece of the jigsaw, all important and all appreciated. I love you guys. I'm so proud of you all.

I joined the RAAF in '73, worked the prison system as a warder etc. Spent my working life working alongside returned servicemen with coping issues. Perhaps my feelings can be shown in this way

LUCKY LIVES


I ponder my lucky life
As I pass my middle age
And think of what I haven’t done
To turn another page

I haven’t felt the ‘G’ forces
In a spitty’s flying suit
Bullets in my belly
By a 109 pursuit

I haven’t worked a rail line
Nor had an empty gut
And haven’t had my limbs amputated
In a stinkin’ Burmese hut

I’ve done a lot of labor
In a Telecom trench
But I haven’t dodged a bullet
In the ‘Somme’ of stench

I’ve basked in the tropical sun
Without worry or care
But I haven’t searched for a man trap
In the Vietnam orange air

I’ve watched the desert storm
And worried about diggers fate
But I haven’t heard a martyr
Before he detonates

I’ve marched as a rookie
To protect the human race
But I didn’t return from ‘Nam
With tomatoes in my face
-a disgrace

As I ponder my lucky life
I wonder how it can be
Then salute our fighting soldiers
That made our lives so free

It only takes a moment
To thank them for our lives
That shaped our country’s future
And filled us with our pride….

Tony Russell Dawson
Strathbogie Victoria Australia
 
Viet Nam 69-70 was a RTO.. talked to the pilots a few times.... they were on the money and saved our asses a few times and would like to shout out to them...

WELCOME HOME... fellow Brothers in Arms.
 
Saigon Evac. '75. Enlisted in '73<i> because war was over</i>. Went TDY attached to 5th Marines because I held a "critical MOS", 92DP. Flew Medevac to Tan Son Nhut and Saigon off the Big E. War was over...my as#. Never reflected on DD214, frickin politics. Bitter? Still. Recently joined PGR.
 
Krautster said:
Viet Nam 69-70 was a RTO.. talked to the pilots a few times.... they were on the money and saved our asses a few times and would like to shout out to them...

WELCOME HOME... fellow Brothers in Arms.
Click to expand...

I was an RTO [66] Just wondering if you did the same?, When i was resupplied with extra battery's
every one wanted the plastic bag they came in , So i worked out a deal, they would carry the extra one, And then when i needed a fresh one they kept the bag... Had to save weight some how..:laugh:...
 
Vietnam vet here, 1967 1968. Can still see the image of LBJ and McNamara hunkered over a map of Vietnam picking out targets. Coming back to the states, we were told to NOT wear our uniforms and try to "blend" in with the public. I am still resentful.
 
Just joined the club this week. I am a Nam Vet from 1970-71. Americal Division in Chu Lai. Was a Classified Courior/Tower perimeter guard for the Marines when they came in for a 48hr rest. I was Army Sp4/3 years service.1969-1972. I grew up in the Military. Dad was a Lifer in the Navy.
 
Wow. Can't believe I haven't responded to this thread, till now. I served From "73"-"75" active. Of course we were pulling out of Nam during 1973, and I served on board a destroyer tender with the 6th fleet. So unlike many of you I wasn't in the action of it all. Drafted the last year of the draft and after active duty stayed on as a reservist for 5yrs.
I am a member of a motorcycle group that honors veterans of all branches and does rides to honor them. Anyone here can participate with your local group if you wanted to celebrate the event's for our veteran's.
The group is called, "Warriors' Watch Riders".
I'll be riding this Thursday the 26th In Newtown Pa. im memory of those vet's buried and who's graves were not visited.
cooltech:cool:
 
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