Posted on 08/28/2010 6:47:31 PM PDT by SLB
Well, the scathing lack of respect and consideration Nam Vets received now make you the perfect teachers. You’ve seen it, know it, and call it by its right name. In a way the WWII vets can’t do today.
No, I didn't, because the F-102, F-101, and F-106 didn't have a gun either, well before the F-4.
There was a guided tour of Fort Knox; a series of speeches by Adrian Cronauer (Good Morning, Vietnam), the commanding general of Fort Knox, and at least one Medal of Honor recipient; and finally the annual "Heartland Festival" parade (which was held this morning) was dedicated to them.
Several hundred veterans, my father included, either marched or rode through the streets of E-Town to a fusilade of cheers and applause from the crowds. It was quite a sight.
http://www.war-stories.com/aspprotect/warstory-classic-1.asp
These are their stories.This is what they are.
Oh geeez....I just re-read the lead post and realized that this is your personal composition. Thank you so much for writing it. It’s really moving.
And, thank you for your service to our country.
Dang, everything seems to make me teary today. What a beautifully written reply. With your permission I’d like to save it and share.
Well, all I can say is thank you all. Out of respect for family, not going to name, but childhood friend and honorary big brother enlisted.. college educated, had deferment but wanted to serve his country.. 101 airborne, Quang Tri, 1968.
I will never forget, always honor and love and named my son after you.
Welcome home brother and thank you for your service
God Bless America
Phan Rang 67-69
Good post, Ansel.
A buddy of mine was drafted into the Army in 1970 with a degree in Mathematics. Although he spent his hitch as an enlisted man, he served his entire term at Aberdeen Proving Ground, working on artillery and mortar firing tables with the (at the time) supercomputer they had.
I’d like to see how many degreed people volunteer as enlisted in today’s armed forces. I’m sure there are some.
And from one too young to have been drafted or to have volunteered, let me thank all of you Vietnam Vets, and all the other veterans of other campaigns in the “Cold War”. (Personally, like Norman Podheretz I’d rather call it WW III, even if it was fought in slow-motion and the principals—the U.S. and Soviet Union—never went toe-to-toe. In the end we won WW III: the Soviet Union is no more, and the idea of Communism is essentially dead—the remaining “Communists” are all really fascists now, the bizarre Stalinist dynasty in North Korea excepted.)
The E model had the M61A1 20mm Vulcan cannon. I on the other hand had only two M-60s and two brave souls to cover my young behind.
“I played Army Guard in the mid 90s and the few Vietnam Era types in the unit were the best ones to hang with.”
I think for most folks who’ve been in combat zones, a realization comes like a gob smack that you are going home in a body bag. I know it came for me. After that moment, the rest of your time in country is easy since you already know you’re going to die. You just enjoy and excel in your time remaining.
What I’m saying is: experiencing war up close changes a person; that’s probably why you like hanging with those guys. They have been there and can speak and feel the truth of the whole thing.
My father was career Navy. A veteran of WWII and Korea. A fiercely patriotic man. Because of his influence, I joined in 1966 at age 17. Gave up a full-ride acholarship. Volunteered for flight duty in Danang at age 19. Spent 9 months flying recon with VQ-1 Det Bravo. Was very disheartened when I returned stateside on my way to my next duty station in the UK. I got spit on and called names. At age 20, I didn’t understand why my country blamed me for the war. I was finally medicalled out after 12 1/2 years of service for injuries sustained in the war. I wore my uniform proudly and would have done 30 yrs had I been able. As I grew older, wiser, and more educated, I began to hate the politicians and beaurocrats who caused and prolonged that war. I wanted McNamara personally charged with 58,000 counts of reckless endangerment and homicide. I would have executed him myself. I still rabidly love my country and our armed forces. Looking back however, I do wish I could have taken a pass on that little bit of American history. By no stretch of anyones imagination, was that a righteous war.
To the sailors, soldiers, marines, and airmen worldwide - God Bless You All. Amen.
I have no difficulty with that figure whatsoever...
Granted, the majority of V.N. Vets returned home to full productive lives.
However, the true numbers of those who took their lives upon returning will never be verified. I personally know some I served with that never recovered from the trauma of combat and the horrific treatment they encountered when they came home. Some swallowed bullets, many drank and drugged themselves to death. Both are a form of suicide in my book.
I totally agree. A lot of the rest of that crowd were always NG types (not to knock on them all) that never did anything more than the weekend/2 week thing. In some respects it was like being in high school again since most of them stayed in the same town after graduation. The unit got disbanded and I went back to Naval Reserve.
For those interested...
Society of Wild Weasels
http://www.wildweasels.org/
Recommended readings...
MAGNUM! THE WILD WEASELS IN DESERT STORM
The Elimination of Iraq’s Air Defence
by Braxton R Eisel and James A Schreiner
First In, Last Out
by Colonel (retired) Edward T. Rock
Ed Rock brings the reader Wild Weasel Stories from more than 40 authors, mostly Wild Weasel pilots and Electronic Warfare Officers (EWOs). These are the true, first person, accounts written by the men whose primary mission was, and is today, to find, attack and destroy enemy Surface to Air Missile (SAM) sites and other radar directed weapons systems. They fly into the enemy heartland through skies filled with MiG fighters, SAMs, and Anti-Aircraft Artillery (AAA). Losses are heavy and courage and heroism are commonplace. The stories also include accounts by a cross section of Wild Weasel associates without whose support the mission could not have been successfully performed including a contractor, Flight Surgeon, Chaplain Maintenance technician, and the wife of a pilot killed in action (KIA). Some are shot down and rescued, others captured or killed, and many successfully complete their missions. All wonder if there will be a tomorrow. The stories take place in peace and war. Many are thrilling accounts of combat action, some are funny, others tragic, all are interesting. It is a moving testament to all Wild Weasels and their families especially to those that paid the ultimate price with courage and honor.
Additional stories/books/references:
http://www.pprune.org/military-aircrew/241882-desert-storm-wild-weasel-tales.html
Find out your folk’s unit and when they served, important, you’ll be glad you did. They may not talk much about it but when you find out their units, surf the web and dig out the history of those units, then you’ll start appreciating them even more.
Regards,
Well said.
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