Homecoming, Did the US spit on Viet Nam Vets?

In 1989 Bob Greene wrote the book “Homecoming.” In it he researched the question “were you spat upon by anti-war protesters. When you returned?” He asks the question to let the American People know if it was a myth or fact.

In my case it was a figurative spit. I had just finished my time at Lowry AFB in Denver, Colorado where I was a shift supervisor in an Emergency Room. As most solders returning to civilian life I went looking for a job. At an employment agency, I told the lady behind the desk about by time in the Air Force, and how I was trusted to run an Emergency Room. She looked at me and said, ”Well that is nice, but what kind of real work experience do you have?” I was totally crushed. Four years in the Air Force and it counted for nothing. Later that week when I told the story to the boyfriend of a girl I had know before I went into the service. His comment was even worse, for he said, ”Well what do you expect, you were a fool for going. You should have been brave and fought the draft board.” Needless to say, I never talked to her or him again.
Exton

“For the record, I was t two-tour Vietnam vet, 1969-1970 and 1972-1973, In April 1970, when I was returning home from Vietnam, a “lady” spat at me in the airport in San Francisco. She also called me a baby killer, which was probably true.
Do not kid yourself; the peace movement was not just against the government, but also against us fools who served this country loyally.
The American people can go to hell before I or my sons fight another war for them.

I attend a military reunion in New York in 1968. I was standing in front of the Waldorf waiting for a cay when a young girl walked up to me and spat. She said something and walked away.
The doorman told me that it was not a “good idea” to wear a uniform in New York.

Yes, I am a Vietnam veteran who was spat upon-literally and figuratively. San Francisco International Airport on October 11, 1971 at 3:15 p.m., and yes , I was sill in uniform. To be exact, it was the same uniform that I wore during the last Fire Support Mission I was involved in, just 36 hours before landing in SF. No, I didn’t have mud, dir, or gunpowder on my uniform. A very kind Vietnamese woman at the Transit Company washed and ironed it for me so that I could come home to the country I love, looking nice. This was one hell of a lot more than I received upon arrival.
If I were the only one to be spat upon, the score would be: not spat upon, 1,999.999, spat upon 1. Of course, I know this score to be wrong. Literally because I saw others spat on, and figuratively because to spit on one Vietnam veteran is to spit on them all.
The person who spat on me was wearing a shirt that said “Welcome Home Baby Killer.” Now I am sure that this person did not represent all people in the US. In fact, I know this, because my wife and family didn’t spit on me and call me a baby killer. Of course, why would they. They know me. They know I was only doing what my country asked me to.
I was young, 20, when I went to Vietnam: I was there for a year and came back 21 going on 50. No joke intended here. I was so confused when the girl in the mall asked me if I just came back from Florida because I had such a nice tan. Then she moved a couple of steps away from me and stopped talking when I said, “No, back form Vietnam.”
Did you see “Platoon?” Try living what you saw in “Platoon” for a year. Go from that to McDonald’s hamburgers, fast cars, and flush toilets in just 36 hours. Have you ever had a 12-year-old kid ask you, “how many people did you get to kill, mister?” Try a few scenes like that and see if you feel spat upon.
I am sure by now you thing I am probably one of the Vietnam veterans who sit in a bar all day and can’t hold down a job. WRONG. I own an auto repair business and employ six other people.
About that image of a burly Green Beret walking through the airport and being spat upon by a war protester-let’s also remember that most war protesters or hippies or whatever name you want to attach to them were also becoming very aware of their rights as US citizens, and they knew that if this burly Green Beret did nothing they (protesters) had won, and if the burly Green Beret retaliated, they (protesters) still won. How could they lose?
For fifteen years I put Vietnam behind me by working 12 hours a day and telling myself that it couldn’t get to me because I wouldn’t let it. Then the tough guy started to fall apart. My wonderful wife of sixteen years couldn’t do anything right, and I was about to lose her and my three children.
After some of my friends (Vietnam veterans) told me that it wasn’t her that had change, it was me, I went to three doctors to find out what was happening to me. I ended up at a Veterans Clinic talking to psychiatrist, who told me this was very typical post—traumatic stress and depression from Vietnam. My wife (very understanding and supportive) and I are working on putting things back together while I am trying to learn to deal with my problems. Yes, my problems-not yours, or the US government’s, or that hippies’, or the war protesters’, or the girl at the mall’s, or my employees’ or my customers’, or my children’s. For God’s sake and by His Grace, never my children’s, yours, or anyone’s.

The book tells of hundreds of stories like this. I pray that it is not repeated in this war.

From just one simple person, I say thanks to all. It has been tough but 30 some odd years has helped.

I was going to talk about the V.A. but got distracted with this:

While looking for a pin called "Vietnam Brothers Forever", I found this. You can bet this company will not get my money. (the red and large font) is mine!!

Hat American Eagle Direct Embroidered
~~$18.00~~ $16.00 On Sale!
Dirert Embroidered American Eagle with Flag, USA on the bill, Quality CraftsmanShip, Produced for US Companies, Made in Vietnam--

I generally buy a handful of "Vietnam Brothers Forever" hat pins and when I go to the V.A. hospital, give them away. The guys love them.

This is off topic but something I wrote about the V.A.

MY DOCTORS APPOINTMENT-

All of this is true-

Got into the VA hospital for a routine exam, but as the day turned out, it was anything but routine.

Decided that the first order of business was a cup of coffee and a donut. Went down to this little alcove where they give away coffee for donations. There was this little old lady, about 80, pouring coffee into the pot. A guy in a wheel chair asked for one of her donuts. She laid into him, calling him a poor imitation of a man, telling him to wait this turn, etc. He said “excuuuuuuse MEEEE”, with sarcasm. Then she let into him, me, 3 other guys, and another lady. She said “we never get any tips for all the coffee we make, the napkins we give away, the cups, or anything”. Unfortunately, I started laughing, and she noticed it. Then it was my turn. She turned her wrath on me. I listened until she ran down (about a min or two). When she paused to take a breath, I quietly asked her what she was like when she had a bad day? That brought down the onlookers, everybody just roared. Smoke started coming out of her ears. She said that she wasn’t going to volunteer any more Mondays. And she tottered off down the hall.

My appointment came. The nurse called me into the room, gave me one of those paper dresses they call a gown, and told me to strip to my skivvies. I did. Got on the examination table, laid down and waited. Guess what, a lady doctor walks in, introduces her self as Dr. XXX, from the Middle East. I’m not going to say anything, but thoughts did go thru my mind.

Dr. XXX starts typing on the computer, with her back to me. I noticed that the exam table had stirrups on the end, so I stuck my heels into them. She turned around, saw what I had done, and said “I don’t think that is necessary”. It went down hill from there.

She listened to my heart, heard a murmur (I have had it all my life) and asked me what the source of the murmur was? I was at a loss for words, couldn’t remember the correct word, so I said “ Genital?”. She said, in her accent “you mean congenital?”. After I quit giggling, I said “yes”.

As she was pulling on the rubber gloves and coating them with KY jelly, she said “ jump off the table, and pull down your underwear”. Not wanting to get ahead of her, I waited for the dreaded words “bend over”. She said them, and I did. She said “spread your cheeks”, soooo, I reached up and pulled the cheeks on my face apart. Bad mistake, this lady didn’t have a sense of humor at all. After I started obeying her commands, I found out why she used the KY jelly all over the glove. It is a good thing she wasn’t wearing a watch.

She said, “pull up your underwear”. I did, she then said “get up on the table“, I started to, when she said “ wait I want to see....”. She only got that far, when I pulled down the underwear, knowing she was going to check out other parts. She finished her sentence “..... your feet and legs”. Then she giggled. There is one thing a man doesn’t want to have happen. Stand in front of your female Doctor, naked, and have her giggle.

This Doctor had no tact. Her next question to me was if I wanted a prescription for Viagra? I couldn’t have been more embarrassed, so I said “sure, bring it on”. She asked me how many I needed in a month, I said 15. She looked at me sternly and said “ now, realistically, how many do you need in a year?” I said “realistically, give me 3 for the year, I can throw away the 2 left over”.

Exam was over, so I went down the hall to the coffee pot. The volunteer wasn’t there, so I got a cup of coffee, went to the phone, to set up my next appointment. Damn, the volunteer was there, by the phones. She told me in no uncertain terms that I wasn’t allowed in that part of the hospital with coffee or food. I innocently asked her why she had coffee on her cart then. She told me that it wasn’t any of my business, but she was delivering coffee to the nurses. I asked her for a refill, but she refused.

Went out to the courtyard for a cigarette. Doc XXX was there, being served coffee by the volunteer. Dr. XXX asked me why I didn’t tell her I smoked. I said “after 20 years in the Army, I don’t volunteer anything; besides, I like to smoke.” She said “when you are sucking oxygen off a little roll around cart; I’ll have a bumper sticker printed up that says ”I LIKE TO SMOKE””. She put me on a no smoking program, right then and there.

I was spat on while waiting for my flight home...San Francisco Airport Sept 1969

We were told that it would be a good idea for us to change into civilian clothes as protestors were attacking returning Vietnam vets..

The protestors were waiting for us at the airport ...they were somewhat restrained by the police but many would break through the barracades to throw stuff at us...As I recall they were throwing dog crap wrapped in sandwitch bags and the occasional rock.

A Marine and I were both hoping to catch a standby ride to Chicago and were waiting to hear if we could get on the next flight out..when a very pretty young blonde girl in a blue flowered dress came up to us and asked us if we had just gotten back from Vietnam ...we both enthusiastically said yes..(she was really pretty) ...she frowned called us "baby killers" and spat on both of us.

The Marine was closer and came out of shock quicker than I did and hit her in the face...with the back of his hand...she went down pretty hard and the next thing I knew there were cops all over us...in the end they hauled her away and he and I sat there for a while and were pretty upset not believing what was happening in our country...

We had just about giving up on trying to get a standby flight as everything was booked..when we were told the airline was bringing a Chicago bound flight back to the boarding area..They kicked two hippies off the flight who were flying standby and who had gotten into first class...The hippies were told that military standbys had precedence...and were ranting and raving as they had to give up their seats to us... (explative deleted)...

The passengers cheered as they were kicked off and we boarded.. bringing big smiles to us both..

I've pretty much disliked UC Berkeley students ever since...Univ of Wi. Profs werent much better they just learned to spit with their grade books

Little did we know then that these same bastards would take over the Democratic party and one of their kind would actually be elected President..and many more would help themselves to positions of power as congresspersons, senators ,heads of state, and take over the top law enforcement jobs and even serve as intelligence agents..

Yep...it happened to me and a lot of my pals as well. I did not go to Nam but many of my friends did. I was in uniform,(SGT. USAF 72' to 76') and my two brothers as well, (Lt. Army older Bro.) and (SGT. USMC younger Bro.). I was called a Baby Killer and spat upon many times and some of my pals were even mugged by groups of people during those years. I had rocks thrown at me too and was cornered one night by five guys while in uniform. One of them had a .32 cal pistol pointed at me and another had a knife (Bowie 8" Blade). I walked away from that one without a scratch and this is all I will say about that.

The first time I went home by bus I started walking from the station to my home. I was in my class A's and carrying my duffle with everything that I owned. I walked for hours as people passed me by and about 1/2 mile from my home a car stopped right next to me and the driver asked if he could give me a ride. I looked at him and recognized him as a two tour Army Vet of Nam and a family friend for a long time. I realized at that point that there is still hope in this world for those that really believe in freedom. I guess you just had to be there to understand this as this man had sufered the same thing and he had really seen combat in the NAM.

I had not gone thru what he had seen but we had both suffered the same thing here at home and he understood that and he has my salute to this day and always will. Not because of his kindness that day but because of his sacrifice for his country and his understanding. This man had endured friendly fire to his own unit on more than one occasion and understood this. He had had his canteen shot of his belt and a hole in his helmet without getting a scratch from it and he didn't hold back a bit and he had people spit on him too.

No one else would stop and offer me a ride but another who had been through much worse than I stopped and gave me a ride
that day. Both my brothers survived that WAR and I thank GOD for that too..we all lost some very dear friends during those years and it seems that our real enemies were mostly here at home. We did what our country asked us to do at the time and the ones that opposed that called us the enemy and treated us in that manner.

I am glad that my father (SGT. "Big Red One" WWII) had a celebrated coming home for his/their efforts as I and maybe we would not be here without many like him and I thank GOD for them all in the sacrifices that they made. They were celebrated for their efforts and they deserved it too...so did the uniformed of the NAM ERA..their sacrifice was no less and their dedication to their people no less. They got this from their fathers before them, just like I and my brothers and my friends...my father was very sad to see how I and my brothers in arms were recieved by our so called fellow Americans at the time.

I hope this helps to answer your question and if you need any help..please call as you will probably not get it from the majority of the populis on this day as they have no clue.

GOD BLESS,

RAWGUY

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