Nobody has to thank me for having done my duty, especially belatedly.
Given that LBJ, et al deployed US combat troops in the full expectation that the best that could be hoped for was something akin to the final peace settlement and that the US Congress essentially abandoned our ally in the face of the enemy rather than honor the Nixon commitment for continued support with military equipment/supplies (thus dooming the ARVNs to sure defeat from the North’s final invasion), perhaps something more akin to an apology would be appropriate.
I agree with you. We went, We served, We made it back.
Thank you for your service not only from my behalf but on the behalf of many young (20 something yrs old) Vietnamese in Saigon today. I went there recently and somehow they know the truth and understand our real objective and even though they cannot go out in the streets and publically proclaim it, they wished it had gone the other way.
In some ways it has in recent years. Today the word “Communism” is used as a symbol which represents the defeat of the United States more than it is as a system. They (the people)are opening businesses now and I had to laugh inside when I saw one stand on the street selling “US War memorabilia” celebrating the “defeat” of the US with insrciptions on cigarette lighters. Laugh, because they were using capitalism and the free market to sell their products. Only in America... oops... I mean only in Vietnam.
Those Vietnamese people probably had less of a problem opening up their small business than Americans do today under this Obama administration. THAT, my friend, is the saddest part of it all.
....it always pissed me off that they quit!....
years ago I used to wear a T-shirt that said...
"What do you mean we lost the war?
We were winning when I left!!"
(Class of 67-68-69...Cav Ho!...Scouts out!)
Good post.
“...something more akin to an apology would be more appropriate...”
Absolutely.
They can keep their recognitions. Every time they do it (as they did in the 1980’s) they make themselves feel better about their treachery.
Never, not even once, was there a demonstration against Communist aggression, subversion and murder; not once.
There were always demonstrations against an “unjust” war and “baby-killer” Americans.
More appropriate would be a visit to the grave of every single American who fell, by those who denigrated them.
There, apologies should flow to the occupants of those graves, their parents, their children, and their spouses for the smearing of thier honor with accusations and insults.
(One should also bear in mind that this is an election year.)
IMHO