Hey, DU Vietnam Vets....

[CanuckAmok]

How do you feel knowing it's exactly 30 years since the Fall of Saigon?

Wow.

[WannaJumpMyScooter]

1. Oh, I dunno... how's this?

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=3152451&mesg_id=3152451

[johnnie]

3. I got ya covered man

I was a second too late though.

[CanuckAmok]

4. pretty incredible. Wow.

Just wow.

[johnnie]

2. I'm sure you read this

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=show_mesg&forum=105&topic_id=3152451&mesg_id=3152451

I think it deserves a few more recommendations

[Redstone]

5. Pretty fucking lousy, actually. Listen to this:

http://www.npr.org/programs/lnfsound/stories/000421.stories.html

Mike Baronowski was my next-door neighbor, and my "big brother," and the reason I did many of the things I did, including the thing that qualifies me to answer your post.

I'm going to go have a drink now.

Redstone

[GalleryGod]

6. My Best Friend Survived Khe Sahn

He did Two Yours of Duty...I lost 3 others, though:patriot:

I thought this thread was couched in questionable taste.

Have one with ice for me, 'Stone!
:grouphug:

[CanuckAmok]

8. no distaste or offense intended...

I've been listening to the NPR programming all week about Vietnam today, and the memories of "The American War".

My 'wow' is genuine. I'm 37 and I remember watching the Fall of Saigon on TV when I was 7. It seemed like a part of my present (althouhg it goes without saying that I can't imagine what being there must have been like), but the fact that it's 30 years ago is making it seem more historical somehow.

That and one of my younger co-workers saying "who was Richard Nixon?" today at lunch... welcome to the history texts.

[Redstone]

9. Thanks. I had a nice Maker's Mark, on the rocks.

It was good.

Redstone

[leftofthedial]

7. My thanks to all you vets.

My hat's off.

[Richardo]

10. Wanna JumpMy Scooter, I salute you and all DU vets.

I wonder if I saw you on the television coverage we were watching in the dorm's common room at UCLA.

I had just turned 18 the past November, my draft card was still in my wallet, my lottery number picked, and I was very thankful that I would not be going to Vietnam. But, I knew that sacrifices that had been made by those who went before me.

I'm glad you made it out of there, and again, thank you and all vets for your service. :patriot:

[StaggerLee]

11. another salute

To the men and women that served in southeast Asia during those terrible times.

:patriot:

[BikeWriter]

12. Pretty damned lousy, considering the friends I lost.

I hate it another generation is having to go through the same thing for oil and Halliburton's profits.

[JimmyJazz]

13. I'm sorry.

:hug:

[BikeWriter]

14. Thank you, Sweety. It's so damnably frustrating not being able to help...

those troops over there now. I know it's not logical to feel guilty for what they're going through, but I do.

[JohnKleeb]

18. They're just kids

So I bet you can see how enraged I get when I see people in GD calling them fascist murderers. I am sorry you left so many friends behind there in Vietnam, I was reading an article today about an 18 year old woman who was KIA in Iraq, just graduated last spring, sigh all these people getting killed over there have their whole lives ahead of them and they're cut short, its just sad. I sometimes don't think we learned any lessons from Vietnam at all.

[BikeWriter]

20. You're right, Pard. The military teaches troops to fight, indoctrinates..

them on patriotism, and then sends them to a war zone. Many of our troops are in situations better suited to a good cop, but they've only been trained to kill.
Just as in VietNam some of them are gung ho, others get vicious when they see their friends killed, and most are justifiably scared shitless of car bombs and those willing to blow themselves up. It's a damned tragedy for all of them.
I recently held the hand of one bro who was 82nd Airborne in VietNam as he cried. He got his legs shot up in his first tour and lost most of his squad, he went back as a door gunner for another tour to give them paybacks. His memories torture him now. :-(

[mark414]

15. yr doin yr best buddy

:toast: here's to you

[BikeWriter]

16. Thanks, Mark. Mere words can't describe the enmity I feel...

for the chicken shit chicken hawks who start these stupid wars. :(

[Ernesto]

17. Ol' Ern seconds that.......... Damn the chickenhawks! n-t

[BikeWriter]

19. Thanks, Pard. If our hate could kill they'd already be buried.