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Thanks for your good work to keep safe the man next to you. discntnt_irny_srcsm May 2015 #1
Couldn't have said it better myself. GGJohn May 2015 #2
I didn't understand why we were there erlewyne May 2015 #114
I enlisted because I then truly believed that we were helping the S. Vietnamese govt. GGJohn May 2015 #117
Stop the spread of communism erlewyne May 2015 #126
My brother, rest his kind soul... malokvale77 May 2015 #137
Ain't it a tragedy that those that voted to send us to war GGJohn May 2015 #139
They never do GGJohn... malokvale77 May 2015 #142
Earlier I pulled out some of my old photos of friends I served with, GGJohn May 2015 #143
I share that downer with you. malokvale77 May 2015 #152
This a great post, and maybe the saddest great post I've ever read. man4allcats May 2015 #138
Recommended. H2O Man May 2015 #3
Until most of its veterans have passed, sarge43 May 2015 #18
Slight disagreement and that is by degree nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #77
This right here nadin... malokvale77 May 2015 #140
Exactly, Hubby retired from the USN as a Chief nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #144
Mitt Romney comes to mind. GGJohn May 2015 #145
And so does W nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #146
And W also. GGJohn May 2015 #147
Two movies that are worth watcing that sort of explain nadinbrzezinski May 2015 #148
You failed no one. Your nation failed you. The Vietnamese are a beautiful people. America's loss. Fred Sanders May 2015 #4
Fred Sanders, I totally agree with you. Bet you never thought you'd see me say that. rhett o rick May 2015 #103
I rarely agree with you, GGJohn May 2015 #104
Well said! nt City Lights May 2015 #108
John Fogerty said it best: KingCharlemagne May 2015 #5
I sent this to my brother TNNurse May 2015 #6
Day of Shame dpatbrown May 2015 #7
For me, it's a day of remembrance, GGJohn May 2015 #8
Well said. H2O Man May 2015 #13
Agreed dpatbrown May 2015 #26
Thank you, and I agree, GGJohn May 2015 #27
I'd rec your post if I could. nt cwydro May 2015 #39
Memorial Day began as a day to remember the Union dead who died to free the KingCharlemagne May 2015 #9
If you're talking about how corps. have used Memorial Day to sell their goods, GGJohn May 2015 #10
You and I may disagree on many matters large and small, but on this I believe KingCharlemagne May 2015 #46
GREAT POST!!! GGJohn May 2015 #47
Again GGJohn... malokvale77 May 2015 #149
My heart goes out to you and your family. GGJohn May 2015 #153
I thought that military service would end with my children. malokvale77 May 2015 #155
my lifetime dpatbrown May 2015 #29
The draft Rolando May 2015 #124
83, wow, welcome to DU! steve2470 May 2015 #128
No shame to those who served. Those who sent them, however... malthaussen May 2015 #11
Thank you!!!! eom. GGJohn May 2015 #12
The battle interlude in the long version sets up the impact for the last two stanzas. John1956PA May 2015 #55
I alluded to that in another thread. malthaussen May 2015 #57
No shame here.. My husband enlisted in 1969 mountain grammy May 2015 #14
Government dpatbrown May 2015 #35
agree.. mountain grammy May 2015 #37
Reinstate the draft, and we just get more warm bodies to throw into stupid wars Scootaloo May 2015 #90
I am 20 years old, and would be the first of the first to be drafted. F4lconF16 May 2015 #132
So us old combat vet farts wouldn't have a say on going to war or not? eom. GGJohn May 2015 #133
No. F4lconF16 May 2015 #159
That's bullshit. GGJohn May 2015 #160
I fully admit I could be approaching this the wrong way. F4lconF16 May 2015 #161
I didn't take it as disrespect. GGJohn May 2015 #162
I suggest an alternative. malthaussen May 2015 #172
Soldiers and innocent civilians who die so as to make rich people richer. nt valerief May 2015 #56
Welcome to DU, dpatbrown! calimary May 2015 #75
Thanks very much dpatbrown May 2015 #122
My Father was MIA Feb.1942 off Java WHEN CRABS ROAR May 2015 #97
I tend to agree with you Brainstormy May 2015 #118
Memorial Days and Veterans Days always make me feel weird. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #15
+1000!!! eom. GGJohn May 2015 #17
Well said. truebluegreen May 2015 #19
Spoken from the heart malaise May 2015 #20
I don't think you need to be forgiven... malthaussen May 2015 #28
Exactly 7962 May 2015 #168
"When Will We Ever Learn?" nt Duval May 2015 #36
Someone gave my husband a ballcap mountain grammy May 2015 #40
A few years ago My Favorite Wingnut took me to a wingnut restaurant Jackpine Radical May 2015 #45
That sounded so familiar Populist_Prole May 2015 #83
Was he an actual combat vet? GGJohn May 2015 #84
Helicopter pilot Populist_Prole May 2015 #86
That's weird. GGJohn May 2015 #88
You helo pilots were as crazy as they come. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #105
Luck my friend, pure luck. GGJohn May 2015 #106
My husband was a crew chief on a Huey.. mountain grammy May 2015 #123
Do you know what outfit he was with? eom. GGJohn May 2015 #127
1st Aviation Division, Army. In Vietnam 1970-1971 mountain grammy May 2015 #129
A Co. 101st AVN Bn. for me. GGJohn May 2015 #131
He says thanks mountain grammy May 2015 #151
I saw a TV documentary about a helicopter pilot, who took out a helicopter Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #167
I've always heard door gunners were even crazier. malthaussen May 2015 #174
There were always a lot of openings for that position. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #177
When I was driving slicks, GGJohn May 2015 #178
My dad was a rear gunner on a Mitchell (B25) bomber during WWII dflprincess May 2015 #156
You're very welcome. eom. GGJohn May 2015 #157
Sounds like mad Walter in The Big Lebowski. Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #113
That made me cry, Jackpine Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #42
Thank you for your service to the least among us JR. nt raouldukelives May 2015 #66
Thank you. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #69
+1 you hit all my spots. n/t jaysunb May 2015 #101
Thank you so much for writing this post. I have never felt comfortable telling vets "Thank you for rhett o rick May 2015 #109
If you have the time, why not stop & talk? Jackpine Radical May 2015 #110
I would love to stop and talk. Thanks again for the post. nm rhett o rick May 2015 #130
If you saw me in a store, on the street, at a function, GGJohn May 2015 #112
You do not need anyone's forgiveness jackpine. But, yes, thank you for serving in a movement to stop merrily May 2015 #164
I have been trying to say this ewagner May 2015 #16
I dunno, ewagner, but my impression is that a whole lot of the people Jackpine Radical May 2015 #23
Is it your impression that most combat veterans do not indulge this feeling... malthaussen May 2015 #59
The short answer is "Yes." Jackpine Radical May 2015 #60
REMFs... ewagner May 2015 #74
REMF GGJohn May 2015 #80
REMF a very unfair term DustyJoe May 2015 #85
Sorry, but I don't equate chopper pilots with rear area clerks, we were in just as much danger GGJohn May 2015 #89
Misunderstood Sir DustyJoe May 2015 #91
My apologies, I read your post wrong. GGJohn May 2015 #92
Definitely no Apology needed DustyJoe May 2015 #94
Thanks for the link. GGJohn May 2015 #95
... GGJohn May 2015 #93
.... DustyJoe May 2015 #96
And don't forget the mortuary guys. That was a tough job, too. MADem May 2015 #99
Ive heard it said it takes 10 in the rear to support 1 on the line 7962 May 2015 #169
yeah and while heaven05 May 2015 #175
I am in agreement... malokvale77 May 2015 #154
My dad joined for that reason - TBF May 2015 #73
My husband is a vietnam veteran donnasgirl May 2015 #21
I don't believe you need permission from the OP for your hubby to write GGJohn May 2015 #22
He doesn't need permission! MoonRiver May 2015 #24
I was in the BRO from 2003 - 2006 Victor_c3 May 2015 #25
. deutsey May 2015 #32
Just know that you're not alone. For one thing, there are a lot of combat vets on this board. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #33
My heart goes dpatbrown May 2015 #38
This probably won't help much, but I spent two-three times\week from 2001-09 KingCharlemagne May 2015 #50
Thank you for your contribution to trying to bring our service people home from an unjust war. GGJohn May 2015 #52
I was as much or more a failure as anyone on this thread, but I do appreciate your KingCharlemagne May 2015 #58
... stage left May 2015 #63
why the eff are they locking you up? redruddyred May 2015 #68
You're right, they usually don't. Victor_c3 May 2015 #98
I don't feel taken out on tho redruddyred May 2015 #181
may your heaven05 May 2015 #81
Heartbreaking to hear of your experiences. Dems to Win May 2015 #107
While Nixon opened up US trade with China while they were supplying weapons to the North Vietnamese. EndElectoral May 2015 #30
The main difference between conscripts and volunteers... malthaussen May 2015 #31
Anybody know if Zwoof is our old DU compatriot Jackpine Radical May 2015 #34
And I didn't take part in all those anti-war demonstrations to spit on soldiers. Paladin May 2015 #41
I don't think there were many actual, documented cases Jackpine Radical May 2015 #49
BTW, GGJohn May 2015 #51
Back atcha, Bro. Jackpine Radical May 2015 #53
For all who died from war... Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #43
If I could, I'd rec. this a million times. eom. GGJohn May 2015 #44
Me too Dont call me Shirley May 2015 #176
Thank you Dont call me Shirley. GGJohn May 2015 #179
My story is very nearly the same as yours rock May 2015 #48
Proudly Anti-War since 1967...when I went to college. Whittier College, Nixon's alma mater, libdem4life May 2015 #54
Thanking former military for their service started after 911 treestar May 2015 #61
You were more honorable than the country that sent you sir workinclasszero May 2015 #62
I would change "country" to "politicians," or possibly "government." malthaussen May 2015 #64
I see no honor in what this country did in Vietnam workinclasszero May 2015 #65
Then we differ. malthaussen May 2015 #67
No shit! Of course the vets are honorable! workinclasszero May 2015 #78
My point, which I shall retiterate... malthaussen May 2015 #170
I can agree with you that there was no honor what our country's politicians did in Vietnam, GGJohn May 2015 #70
Recent attempts at revisionism have challenged that. malthaussen May 2015 #71
I can only rely on my unit's experience and those we supported in the field. GGJohn May 2015 #72
I agree. Just as in any other war. Vietnam just got the most exposure. 7962 May 2015 #173
It all depends salimbag May 2015 #87
Celebrating Memorial Day does not mean embracing war. Buzz Clik May 2015 #76
neither did I heaven05 May 2015 #79
Pretty much the same for me, GGJohn May 2015 #82
I served for all the same reasons. jaysunb May 2015 #100
. GGJohn May 2015 #102
Wow! To me, that reads like a classic of war poetry. Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #111
K&R woo me with science May 2015 #115
You weren't alone, brother. There were thousands, perhaps hundreds of thousands of us.... Hulk May 2015 #116
... GGJohn May 2015 #119
Yup. Every day, every week, every month, until it was time ... 11 Bravo May 2015 #120
That big ass freedom bird sure did look good. GGJohn May 2015 #121
In Remembrance pinboy3niner May 2015 #125
+1000. GGJohn May 2015 #134
Didn't go to 'Nam but was drafted during the mess. Elwood P Dowd May 2015 #135
I feel that young people sent to fight in Vietnam were misused by the government, but Arugula Latte May 2015 #136
To a point I agree with you on the current military dflprincess May 2015 #158
That's true. I guess I have mixed feelings. Overall I understand the incentives to join. Arugula Latte May 2015 #163
I agree completely with you on that "thank you for protecting us" dflprincess May 2015 #180
Abbie Hoffman was right. Major Hogwash May 2015 #141
Thanks for trying. Glad you got back alive. Ken Burch May 2015 #150
Let's remember those who bravely chose to Not serve and Oppose the Illegal war billy_j2 May 2015 #165
My stepfather (when I as growing up) said he thought the bravest men were Joe Chi Minh May 2015 #166
I enlisted in the Navy in 1969 to avoid the draft and Vietnam. It worked, I B Calm May 2015 #171
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