Vietnam Veterans Day. So declared on 29 March 2017 by President D. Trump. It's nice. 50 years after the end of an era of a non-declared war. A police action in which 58,168 soldiers were killed in action and thousands were left physically and mentally wounded. Thus far, we have the Vietnam War memorial (the wall), the portable wall, the Three Soldier Memorial, and several other state subsidized dedications and now......our own day of remembrance. Gosh, that's nice. Personally, I do not want any statues or special days other than those such as memorial day and vets day. That seems plenty to me. Perhaps the statues and memorials will serve some special purpose to another era, another generation. But will they accurately serve to report the history of the conflict that separated the soldier from being an honored American citizen? Heck, even the VFW didn't accept us until their numbers were dwindling and had to up their membership, but I digress. No, the statues will just sit silently and the special day will turn into another day to BBQ like Memorial Day. I have talked to hundred of vets and nearly all of us agree on one single principal. We all remember the past and how our country treated us upon our return, our memories will always be as they are but we can't change the past. We have to live with today, every day. An important thing in a Vietnam Vet's memory is the fact that the politicians would not declare it a war, and we were NOT ALLOWED TO WIN in accordance with our training and American military tradition. More important than that, because of my own memory, I would never wish our military of today or tomorrow to be so crippled by politicians (who have never served) that there is no declaration of victory but simply....the end. A statue nor a special day will ever serve as a politician's apology nor his or her misunderstanding of what it really means to win something other than a political position in which their own back pockets are enriched. March 29.......a special day. that's nice..............I'll try to remember it.
This is the first I've heard about this. People do say "thanks for serving" to me and I appreciate the comment, but many didn't serve voluntarily, they were drafted. I enlisted so I wouldn't be drafted. And, even though some do call it the Vietnam Conflict, documentaries call it the Vietnam War. It was never declared a "war", so don't know where that word came from. And, since we pulled out, not being allowed to actually "win" this Conflict, all of Vietnam is now under communist rule. I have no idea why American's, like a classmate of mine and her husband, would even want to visit the country. As for wife and I, even if we could financially, we wouldn't visit any Communist country. But, like you @Bobby Cole, will honor and celebrate Veteran's Day and Memorial Day, but March 29, I'll try to remember it.
I only want to say that I can't say much because I wasn't in your boots @Bobby Cole I feel a true sense of shame towards those involved in turning their backs on all our people that served I was so busy partying myself "stupid" that I didn't realize what all was going on. But the horrors I learned of later will effect me all my life. And my heart will always be for all veterans, but Vietnam was my generation, so, a special place in my heart for all of you.
I think that everyone in the Vietnam Conflict should get a law suit against the government for putting them in harm’s way based on a lie made by the USA government. The USA just had a large military and had to use it even if it was not justified. The way they chased down people who did not want to support this lie and the people killed and injured and then disrespected when they returned.
Please forgive my ignorance as I honestly do not know. Here in Canada we have what is known as Remembrance Day. Do you have this in the USA? While not an actual holiday, most workplaces, stores, etc have a moment of silence. I am often appalled at those who refuse to take that short time to think about the sacrifices made and instead continue on about their business.
This would probably what we call "Memorial Day" here in the United States, @Missy Lee . It started out as a rememberance day for those family members who were killed in the wars; but then it evolved into a day where flowers were put on all of the graves, whether they were soldiers or just family who had passed on. Sadly, now it is just a "4-day weekend" for many people, and another time to drink and party with no thought to the actual purpose of the day. Here, it is an official holiday that most workers get off, unless they work in food service or one of the other occupations that just works though all of the holidays. Since it comes at the end of May, school is sometimes out (always was back in my school days) and this was when families took the first vacation of summer. As a child, we always went to the cemeteries and put fresh flowers on all of the graves of the family who had passed away, and most of the veterans of wars also had little flags on their graves.
In my first post, I gave the number of "American" soldiers killed in action but I did not include those countries who sent soldiers to serve (and die) along side of us. Just off the top of my head there were the; Australians Canadians S Koreans the Brits Turks S. Vietnamese Cambodians Laotians Montards And in the early years, the French I am sure there are others but at the end of the day, like @Cody Fousnaugh posted, the politicians turned everything over to the Communists including the rubber trees and sugar cane plantations which is what it was all about to begin with.
well it didn't work that way. back then we something called the selective service system or the draft. when you turned 18 it was mandatory, by law to register. I think the SS was established in 1917. so if you fail to report expect a knock on you're door. some guy with handcuffs. and off to Levenworth. youngsters today still have to register but not drafted. in my time many took off for Canada rather than serve. I volunteered to go because of a family tradition. my dad and uncle served in the USN in WWII, so when my war came there was no argument. as far as know law suits are still pending from the use of agent orange. another story the Selective service link
Yes I am a Canadian and remember the people fleeing the draft in the US and some still live there to-day. The way they treated the solders that came back maybe it was not such a bad idea.
may be. I think it was Carter who declared amnesty. how many came back and stayed i have no idea. but it wasn't all that bad for us. I was 18 when i left and I wanted to go to sea. going to other countries is what its about. new cultures, people, their way of life is something ill never see again. and I have a lot of benefits I use. they didn't spit on us all. but we had our fun at their expense. they sit outside the main gate waving their signs. when we went by on the buss we dropped our pants and mooned em. maybe Nam set a new trend here. I did see a vid of Iraq vets spit on.
What I've learned is........the reason not everyone celebrates Memorial Day and Veteran's Day like active duty, retired and former Vets do: If people don't know anyone who is a former (Vet) or active duty military member, they don't just don't celebrate the two holidays like active and Vets do. I can understand that. When I got my discharge from the Navy, I walked out of the Long Beach Naval Station in my "civi's" (civilian clothes) and had no problems. No protestors or anything. For those who had served in the Army or Marines, that flew back home after their discharge, wearing their uniforms, the uniform drew the attention and that's where the problems happened. When I reported to my first ship in Sept. 1968 in San Diego, no "civi's" were allowed onboard. When going on Leave or Liberty, a sailor had to wear the "Uniform of the Day" on or off the ship. When Admiral Zumwalt took over as Chief of Naval Operations, a number of things changed dealing with enlistees. One of those things was, having "civi's" onboard ships and wearing them off and back on, if choosing to.
I went to boot at RTC in Diego in 66. went back in 68 for school. and we were there every year for ORI training. nice town and really great people.no trouble with the civil population at all. we were also down there when Johnson resigned and also when Bobby Kennedy was killed.