Thank you to all veterans Past and Present. We do not know how war affects those that serve

[demtenjeep]

The local news did a segment last night about a guy who flew bomber planes during WWII. He still cries and says that he hopes God forgives him for that. He says he doesn't know if they hit hospitals or playgrounds or other things. He is haunted by it to this day.


Broke my heart. We do NOT know how it affects those that serve. Even doing what they know is right for their country, they know that they have taken other lives, and it hurts them inside.



Today they read my father's name at our local cemetary. Always makes my heart hurt

[Synicus Maximus]

1. Different people react and feel differently. There is no "they all

feel this way or that".

[demtenjeep]

2. true

very true, sometimes we don't ask.

[handmade34]

3. VT Cemetery

[thelordofhell]

4. "We do not know how war affects those that serve"

Yes we do, but we want to ignore it and our government tries to hide it. God bless our troops......God damn our wars.

:cry: :grouphug:

[Skittles]

5. war affects many, many more people than just "those that serve"

just ask my mum, survivor of WWII bombing

[11 Bravo]

11. Or my, Mom, who did not sleep for more than a few minutes at a stretch ...

the entire time I was in-country ('70-'71).

[Skittles]

13. yes

exactly - war's horrific effects are deeply felt and I believe they last forever - it changes people

[USArmyParatrooper]

6. Thank you for this

Yesterday I made a decision to leave Dailykos after being a longtime member. Someone posted a diary disparaging military service and it made the rec list. An argument started between those who found it disrespectful and those who agreed with it. A few of the posters even bluntly said the hate the troops, called us a-holes, one said we should be segregated from society, etc. Markos is a stand up guy, as are most DK members. But the fact that it made the rec list on Memorial Day, and some members we're allowed to post hateful, insulting remarks with impunity was the final straw for me.

So I left and decided to give this place a try.

Peace

[rasputin1952]

7. We have a lot of vets here...

Those of us who served know, many of those who didn't have close one's that have served or are serving today. Memorial Day is different from other "holidays", it is not celebratory as is, say the 4th of July, but a time for reflection, a time where we remember those who are forever young, in graves and beneath the sea. The sacrifice these men and women made was the ultimate sacrifice, and we need to remeber that.

Very few here support the current wars brought on by bush...but there are even fewer that disparage those who serve.

Welcome to DU...:patriot:

[Old Troop]

15. Well said Rasputin. I'm a very lucky combat infantryman -- I have the

dreams very infrequently. My father-in-law, however, was wounded in the Battle of the Bulge and, after he returned home, could never travel outside the town he settled in. He had horrible panic attacks if he had to travel even a few miles from home.

[rasputin1952]

16. 11B?

I was 91B, Medic. Started out as a Groundpounder though...I should have gone into the CG...:D

[handmade34]

8. Thanks Paratrooper

not too many disparaging remarks about veterans here... only frustration with unnecessary war. One day last year, veterans here were asked to post and I was delighted at how many are here. I am not, but my history starts with a 7th grandfather removed that was a Hessian Soldier come over to fight in the Revolutionary War. He defected, switched sides and settled in PA. My grandfather was Army WWI and died early. My Father was Army WWII and fought in Japan. My deceased husband was a Marine and my current partner was a medic in Vietnam. I love them all.

We should not be proud of the fact that GW got us involved in wars where we didn't belong, but I love and appreciate all people willing to serve our country in any capacity.

[flpab]

9. Paratrooper

Welcome to DU, I am a Navy wife but my Dad was the first to jump in combat during the second world war in northern Africa. He was in the 509th, shot twice, broke his back behind enemy lines in one jump, fought at Anzio and the Battle of the Bulge where he was awarded the Silver Star. He is still alive! He can't even talk about Anzio and some other places. We retraced his steps at the Battle of the Bulge last year. It is amazing the amount of respect they have for the troops in Belgium. Makes us look bad that it took so long for the US to get a memorial. I work at an airport and see troops coming and going everyday, it is very hard when they are going back for their third and fourth time.

[11 Bravo]

12. This old leg says welcome, bro.

You will find a few reflexive military bashers here, but they are in the minority.

[demtenjeep]

17. My brother in law is currently serving his second stretch in Iraq

I pray he comes home safely and that this war ENDS

[niceypoo]

10. My Grandfather woke up screaming a few times a week for 50 years

He spent most of the WWII behind German lines setting up radio beacons that Allied bombers followed to their targets. He said that after the Allied invasion there were bloated German bodies every 50 or 100 feet from the Normandy coast all the way to Paris, as far as the eye could see in all directions.

He did a lot of historical stuff but it was like pulling teeth to get him to talk about it. He was one of the first three Americans to set foot in Berlin. Him and his two buddies were captured by the Russians after swimming a river near Berlin to set up a radio beacon on the other side. The Russians held him for two weeks, feeding him steak and such. They were the first contact on the ground between allied and Soviet forces in Europe in WWII.

When they had the 50th anniversary of Normandy with all the old vets going to France to celebrate and jump out of planes, he reacted with disgust and refused to watch it on TV. The war ruined him but he never really complained about it. Back then vets just bit the bullet and lived with the aftermath.

[bigwillq]

14. K and R (nt)