Posted on 07/29/2016 4:42:13 PM PDT by dontreadthis
CLEVELAND, OH (WCMH) – A discussion over politics ended with a man being shot at a Cleveland bar.
It happened Monday night at a neighborhood bar on East 131st Street.
Sixty-year-old Vietnam veteran Paul Jones told WEWS-TV was discussing the election with a friend and said that he supports Donald Trump.
Jones said that a man overheard the conversation, went out to his car and came back in with a gun. He then shot Jones in the leg and walked out.
Jones said the man wasn’t even a part of the discussion, saying, “Somebody who was butting in on the conversation. The conversation wasn’t directed at him or to him.”
Latosca Jones, Paul’s mother says her family has always discussed and debated politics.
“People today, if you don’t think like they do, they’re ready to cause problems,” said Latosca.
Police are still searching for the suspect.
Wondering how his Nam service status entered the picture.
73 ceasefire ..... still on the ground in 75 we had very small number of troops there, mostly USMC with small Army SF and USAF MAPS & SPS footprint at the air base . My time in vietnam was during the evacuation when we were hauling refugees to tent city on Clark AFB in the Philippines ... I was on the ground maybe 22 minutes at Tan Son Nhut packing women, children, reporters etc into C130’s. 200 plus humans stuffed into a C130 during those flights. Last 3 or 4 FIXED WING flights seem more like 300 plus passengers as we did not allow any luggage ..... tarmac was littered with duffel bag size bags, luggage, boxes etc we later found out some were stuffed with cash.
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Operation_Frequent_Wind
I am also confused about the “Vietnam Vet” thing.
In 1973, I was 17 and a senior in HS. Just barely able to enlist at age 17 with parental permission.
I am 61 now. . .older than him, and to me his dates don’t add up unless his VN service is because of the official dates of the conflict and he possibly lied about his age and dropped out of school. My uncle did that in WWII, enlisting at age 16 and having his older brother sign the permission paper.
Vietnam Service Dates:
Vietnam Service Medal (VSM), July 4, 1965 to March 28, 1973
Vietnam Evacuation (Operation Frequent Wind), April 29, 1975, to April 30, 1975
Vietnam (including Thailand), July 1, 1958, to July 3, 1965
That is a far distance from actually being an in-country vet.
I’ve referred to myself as
Vietnam Era Vet.
State side Radio tech.
Discharged 1972,
Almost join Pararescue,,almost.
In line with what you did, my small interaction with Vietnam was I was a Red Cross volunteer at Camp Pendleton during the evacuation of Saigon/S. Vietnam, when they set up the large refugee camps. I worked mostly in the supply tents where we helped to pass out things like blankets, food, canned goods, etc. to the refugees. They had a lot of student volunteers from the southern California colleges, and they bused us in and out. My memory was this was like April through June of ‘75.
My memory of most of the refugees is that they were very nice. The exception was those in the “ruling class,” mostly generals, who got put in their own VIP camp. They used to come into the tent accompanied by a Marine officer attache and start ordering everyone around and demanding more than their fair share of supplies. One time the volunteers started to get upset, but the Marine officer started giving quiet hand signals to us to just stay cool, and so it worked out. I remember the Marine was often dressed in a civilian suit and tie, but you knew he was a Marine because he was wearing a Marine Corps globe-and-anchor tie clip.
Yep lots of corrupt criminals , hookers, drug lords, and as you say officers whose corruption and personal greed lost the war, their country and any due respect they never earned. My view of all of em was biased as it was a tsunami of fear, desperation and panic to get out of hell. Males were knocking down kids, elderly etc to get on anything flying or floating ..... never experienced such an event till then and never since. I’m sure there were good in the crowd but I saw em at their worst.
Thanks for your service as well !! Stay Safe .
The war officially ended in 1975. I was 15 at the time so he would have been 18 or 19 probably mopping up.
“Vietnam Era Vet” is certainly a honorable and accurate description.
“Vietnam Vet” implies in-country service, if not combat, I think.
Appreciate your service, especially during that time.
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