As bad as it was, I wouldn't trade the lessions I learned there. That little trip made me what I am today. I learned good and evil and what evil men can do to each other, and what good men can do for each other. Men can love and die for other men without being.....well you know.
Amen.
Sure, there are always a few bad apples in the barrel. But, most of the men I knew and served with there were some of the finest, most dedicated and best people I have ever had the privilege of serving with. We worked out tails off. We fought hard when we needed to and played hard when we could. We weren't saints - we were just everyday Americans trying our best to do our jobs right and stay alive.
In our hearts and in the field we prevailed, even though we well knew at the time we were being sold out by the politicians and anti-war crowds at home. But the enemy never really beat us as hard as they tried. I also have to say, they worked and fought hard too. We didn't like them for it but grudgingly respected them for it.
The ones I distain even today are those who fought against us here and sold us out at home. So, when we get a loser like Wellstone being eulogized to high heaven for his "principled" anti-war stance, my blood boils. I honestly would rather shake the hand of the average NVA trooper than his or any of his slavering sychophants.
Dear Ann: Does that make me one of those psycho Vietnam Vets?