Happy Veterans Day !

[Motza]

I was only 12 when they signed the treaty to end the Vietnam War, but I was very aware that it was a war. I even wore a POW bracelet for a very long time. I used to watch the local newspaper every Sunday looking for my POW's name on the list of men returning home. It never happened and one day the bracelet broke. I wish I still had it or could remember the soldiers name but unfortunately I can not. But have it known, that everyone was not against the men who fought in Vietnam. Everyone did not treat the vets badly. I was raised to be proud of our flag and our country, to stand and be respectful during the National Anthem and to be thankful for our troops. My father was in the Air Force at the very earliest stages of Vietnam, I had one grandfather in WWII and one in Korea. No one should ever lump a group of people that is supporting our troops and saying thank you into a category and label them as hypocrites. I am very thankful for every member of our armed services and every war and skirmish they may have to participate in. I also wish the schools still taught and said the Pledge of Allegiance every day like they did when I was in school. So here in honor of our country and service people:
YouTube- Red Skelton's Pledge of Allegiance

that was great :2thumbs:

 

[BeRight]

Where were all of you Hippocrates back in 1968. You can never make up for what you did to us Vietnam Veterans when we came home. You people. You know who you are. We where Shunned by the public. No place to go for help. I could go on and on. In the 200+ years this beautiful country has had service men. They all arrived home as HEROS. This crap that we are fighting is just another Vietnam with another name. I am proud of my brothers and sisters in the Military. All Vietnam Veterans are proud of them also. And the rest of you Hippocrates can EAT Sh-t
Sgt.S.L. Allan "B' Btry 5/4 Arty. 5th. Inf Div. Mech. I Corp. DMZ.

PS
We will never forgive the American people. You don't kill the messengers. :cus::cus::cus::gaah:

I can relate, somewhat, to what you are saying. USN, ETN2, 1965-69. Because of the horrific way the public and government treated us Vietnam era veterans at the time, is why it will never happen again.

The war protesters back then confused those who declare war (president/politicians) and those who served their country (many of whom were drafted and chose not flee to Canada).

Give up the hate - for your own sake - public/people can and have changed - they realize their mistakes of the past.

 

[SpyderWolf]

Thanks for posting the Red Skelton video. That should be a powerful reminder to everyone. :thumbup:

 

[obiwanbill]

Thanks for the honest gratitude...it makes up for some of the crap we took back in the 60's and 70's when returning from SE Asia.

Holding a grudge just gives Kerry and all those other idiots free rent in my head.

:2thumbs: :thumbup:

 

[Spyder#353]

I was not addressing the wrong people. As I said. You know who you are!! My son, his mother, my father and mother know what it did to me. Other parents and the children of a Vietnam Vet know how important it is to honor American troops. If you were in collage 1966,67,68,69,70,71,72,73. I have no respect for you. If you ran to Canada I have no respect for you. Would you riot to stop a war. Then blame the troops for the war. As an American we where only doing what our country asked us to do. My brothers and I were only 18,19,20 years old. I know what these kids are going through and I praise them for there service and pray for there safety. I only have issues with the people that didn't well-come home the Vietnam troops. Those same people are now standing on the band wagon. Only because there children and grand children are over sea's fighting. Can you see now, why I call those people hippocrates..

 

[Spyder#353]

Thank You!!

I can relate, somewhat, to what you are saying. USN, ETN2, 1965-69. Because of the horrific way the public and government treated us Vietnam era veterans at the time, is why it will never happen again.

The war protesters back then confused those who declare war (president/politicians) and those who served their country (many of whom were drafted and chose not flee to Canada).

Give up the hate - for your own sake - public/people can and have changed - they realize their mistakes of the past.

Thank you for your understanding:helpsmilie:I can't let it go. God knows I've tried. VA has my meds almost dialed in. They just slowed my hate and anger.

 

[BajaRon]

If you were in collage 1966,67,68,69,70,71,72,73. I have no respect for you. ..

Not everyone who went to college in those years did so to get out of going to Viet Nam. I went to college in 69 & 70 to get an education. My draft number was 344. That's just the way it was.

I still choose to have respect for you because of what you did and what you sacrificed for your country.

I only have issues with the people that didn't well-come home the Vietnam troops. Those same people are now standing on the band wagon. Only because there children and grand children are over sea's fighting.

You know, people live and learn. Anyone can have a genuine change of heart. If someone decides they were wrong and try to set things straight, isn't that a good thing?

We'd all love to go back and do some things over again. But all we have is today.

Can you see now, why I call those people hippocrates..

No, I'm sorry, I really can't see it. Though it is important to rememer the past, it is at least as important to give people credit for what they are doing now. Especially, if it is the RIGHT thing.

To harbor hate and brand people as they try to thank you from the bottom of their heart will only bring you more grief. Living in the rear view mirror guarantees you will always be running into obsticles.

Here is the way I try to look at it. "Vengence is mine, sayeth the Lord." and "Be content with such things as ye have."

Great advise is like medicine....You have to take it for it to do any good.

All the best to you and your family. And once again, thank you and all those that have served our country. I apprecaited you then and I appreciate you even more now.

 

[tjfischer]

"The weak can never forgive. Forgiveness is the attribute of the strong."
Mahatma Gandhi

 

[QuadManiac]

353, I thank you for your candor and I apologize for my quick, angry response. In your statement, even if we feel it undeserving, you have done something for us all... you've made us look at Veterans day a little bit harder with perhaps a bit more thought than we might normally do.

May you come to grips with your pain and find the happiness that resides within.

QM

 

[bjt]

Not everyone who went to college in those years did so to get out of going to Viet Nam. I went to college in 69 & 70 to get an education. My draft number was 344. That's just the way it was.

I still choose to have respect for you because of what you did and what you sacrificed for your country.



You know, people live and learn. Anyone can have a genuine change of heart. If someone decides they were wrong and try to set things straight, isn't that a good thing?

We'd all love to go back and do some things over again. But all we have is today.



No, I'm sorry, I really can't see it. Though it is important to rememer the past, it is at least as important to give people credit for what they are doing now. Especially, if it is the RIGHT thing.

To harbor hate and brand people as they try to thank you from the bottom of their heart will only bring you more grief. Living in the rear view mirror guarantees you will always be running into obsticles.

Here is the way I try to look at it. "Vengence is mine, sayeth the Lord." and "Be content with such things as ye have."

Great advise is like medicine....You have to take it for it to do any good.

All the best to you and your family. And once again, thank you and all those that have served our country. I apprecaited you then and I appreciate you even more now.

:agree:

People can change. Heck, I'm not the same person I was just a few short years ago, let alone 30 years ago. Maybe it does take something like having one's family member in a similar situation now. Should we discount why they changed or be thankful for the fact that they did change? BTW, I was only 2 years old in 1966.

 

[Trickie Dick]

Thank you

I wanted to jump in a few days ago when the good wishes and thanks were offered to us veterans. It became difficult when 353 jumped in with his experiences of so many years ago. It brought back memories of many of my fellow soldiers who experienced many of the same bitterness that 353 experienced upon his return to a civilized world. I was fortunate that I didn't go through much of that when I came home in 1966. I suppose, in a way I was fortunate that I was over and back early in the war. I think our country has learned from that experience and the way it honors it's veterans now is probably unequaled in the world.
Cutting to the chase, as a veteran, thanks for your recognition and I want to add my thanks to those before me and those since.
Semper Fi

 

[Spyder#353]

I don't really care what you think. I hate them for what they did to us as kids. You can keep your bible belief's. Do not preach to me. I would not be like this if I had some one to talk to. For 10 yrs. VN Vet's had to hide the fact that they went to Vietnam. The POW were the only Hero's in that war. Until that time the troops were invisible and the country didn't care about us. You will never change my opinion on this subject. So please don't reply anymore to this post. You let it go. So I can let it go. ray:

Not everyone who went to college in those years did so to get out of going to Viet Nam. I went to college in 69 & 70 to get an education. My draft number was 344. That's just the way it was.

I still choose to have respect for you because of what you did and what you sacrificed for your country.



You know, people live and learn. Anyone can have a genuine change of heart. If someone decides they were wrong and try to set things straight, isn't that a good thing?

We'd all love to go back and do some things over again. But all we have is today.



No, I'm sorry, I really can't see it. Though it is important to rememer the past, it is at least as important to give people credit for what they are doing now. Especially, if it is the RIGHT thing.

To harbor hate and brand people as they try to thank you from the bottom of their heart will only bring you more grief. Living in the rear view mirror guarantees you will always be running into obsticles.

Here is the way I try to look at it. "Vengence is mine, sayeth the Lord." and "Be content with such things as ye have."

Great advise is like medicine....You have to take it for it to do any good.

All the best to you and your family. And once again, thank you and all those that have served our country. I apprecaited you then and I appreciate you even more now.

 

[BumbleBee]

I just want to send a big salute to all our veterans and active duty - the Brave men and women of United States Military. We all owe a huge debt of gratitude for those who have made sacrifices for our freedom. May God bless them and their families. While it's nowhere near enough, I want to say Thank You !!!

:agree:

As a American Legion Rider, we were in the parade that day. xpeschon and I rode side by side with our spyder's. What a great day we had promoting the spyder :thumbup:

 

[2Gunns]

APOLOGY for the post highjack

My prayers continue for our men and women in the U.S. Military.. everyday is Veterans day in my house,,,and for the record, I was 6 in 1968 :

Father - 32 years USN (WW2, Korea, Vietnam)
brother - 20 years Army (Vietnam)
brother - 8 years Army (Bosnia)
sister 16 years USN

fateher-in-law - 20 years Army (Vietnam)

God Bless America !

 

[BeRight]

I don't really care what you think. I hate them for what they did to us as kids. You can keep your bible belief's. Do not preach to me. I would not be like this if I had some one to talk to. For 10 yrs. VN Vet's had to hide the fact that they went to Vietnam. The POW were the only Hero's in that war. Until that time the troops were invisible and the country didn't care about us. You will never change my opinion on this subject. So please don't reply anymore to this post. You let it go. So I can let it go. ray:

I feel your pain - brother. Those that did not have our Vietnam experience do not and cannot fully understand post war trauma and being hated/isolated by most USA citizens and the government upon returning home. Nor should they be judging the feelings of vets..

I am one of the lucky ones: the nightmares & tremors stopped after a few years and shortly after that I was able to let the anger go.

My prayers and wishes are with you to be free and at peace - as you were before the war. ray:

I truly appreciate hearing the "thank you's" given to vets and active duty personnel. :2thumbs:
We as a country have learned from some of our mistakes, and I am lucky to have lived long enough to see it happen.