March 29

[db-2]

The peace, joy and gratitude of hearing welcome home were two words not often spoken back 50 years ago.
Upon leaving Fort Lewis in 1970 to end my career in the Army, i was told to shed my military clothes as soon as possible and replace with civilian clothes. Did not understand why as i was proud of that uniform and what i had done over the last 22 months but upon my first visit out in public i soon understood.
Vietnam was a conflict riddled with drugs, unobtainable goals, filled with protests dividing this country and somewhere along the way the cause was lost as was the battle itself in the end.
However, for all who served, it had its purpose, reason and meaning. For me it was the honor of serving this country, the honor of doing battle for what our elected leaders thought just and doing what i was trained to do. Not all have been privilege to that honor.
At that point, i had a new future awaiting me, a new life in the world, a wife to find to share it with and a job with little thought of that time in 69-70 until now.
Today the words thanks for your service are said.

However, I find myself longing for the welcome home being said.

On March 29, and as a Vietnam Vet, i will provide a hug, handshake, pat on the back or whatever one is comfort with upon returning home at our local bar. I will ask for your brand of beer and put one in your hand and say WELCOME HOME SOLDIER. Glad to see your back home. Let's visit about the past and talk about the future that awaits you.
I know it is late to issue those words and cannot make up for what was not said back then but it is the best i can do for the two of us today.
You and i now know and have experience that future and dreams that awaited us upon our return home back then. I hope it went well.
Maybe a walk down main street will come to play. db

 

[1lessdog]

What is the name of the bar you will be in?

 

[johnr]

Never served, but would like to come up and buy you one, however the 29th is out. Maybe some day.

Welcome home db

 

[db-2]

I know this topic is not hunting or fishing related but found the need to post. Not only for Vietnam Vets but for all vets no matter where or when they served. It is hard for me to imagine it has been 53 years as the memories are still so fresh and vivid. They flash across my mind every time i think about it.

The one i remember well is getting my orders to go back home. That day came and then went and i found myself still shooting a cannon on fire base JJ Carroll. No idea how to get home.
After a mission in the middle of the night i was sitting around the gun with another beer drinker, drinking rusty steel cans of black label (i think) and the rest of the pot head crew smoking pot. Talking stupid talk. After a few minutes a familiar sound rang out, that being the sound of rockets leaving their pads in the distance and, in a few seconds, we knew they will be coming down on us. Enough time to lay on the ground.
In time the sound of two medic choppers coming and i watch as a hand full of GI were carried to the pad not knowing if they were alive or dead. Never did ask.
That morning i finally stop being stupid and felt the urge to leave. I ask the clerk how to leave and he got me the first 20 miles down the road. From there it was a hop, a walk in the bush with no rifle, a jump, a decision on a side stop to Bangkok and many adventures but after a number of many, many days from the date i was to leave, i was home in the house i grew up in.

So, if you see a vet tell him thanks for the job well done, glad to see you home. A thank you is not needed as he/she already knows that and today it is said way too much IMHO. db

 

[db-2]

I am not sure but i been told there is a walk going on in Rolla at 1:00.
Yea, that is for sure. db

 

[Fester]

I was not alive during these times and hearing about Vietnam and the way soldiers were treated when they returned…to me is horrible. I really never could understand this mentality and why the soldiers were treated like this. I also hope it never ever happens again. Our military has been there to provide the life I currently have and I owe everything to them. My way of life my family all of that would more than likely not be here if it was not for our soldiers. The people that treated them horribly should be ashamed! My grandfather served in Vietnam and really won’t talk about it and I respect that. I do know for generations that never were there or experienced Vietnam….the more Vietnam vets speak about it the more we learn and can make sure the way they were treated never happens again, so I do wish my grandpa would talk about it but I do understand why he doesn’t. Reading about in history books is completely different than real world experiences. The experiences whether good or bad help younger generations understand and give an insight into what took place with the hope of never repeating what took place. DB..thanks for sharing, welcome home. Thank you for your service. Thank you for the freedom I currently enjoy. This goes to all military..vets..and currently serving. You have my utmost respect.

 

[1lessdog]

Back in the 70's when GI's were coming home it was not the newspapers and local news that were the bad guys portraying them. It was the Hollywood actors that was speaking out about the war and calling them baby killers. Then the ball started to roll and people jumped on the band wagon. And it was a snowball effect. A lot of the parents didnt even know there Sons were coming home. For the most part there was no one to welcome them home. And you had the Hippies coming out in droves. It was a different world back then. Some for the good and some for the bad.

 

[db-2]

onelessdoad and fester you both spoke well with Insite and i do thank you. Maybe your grandfather was involved in some things he wants to bring to his grave but i to wish he would share some with you. Some time ago a person told me to write it done so i have a 7-page type story. Have not share with only some of it on here and parts and one day family will see it when i am gone.
Overall, i was lucky and did have one moment as of recent but was able to, in time, deal with it. db

 

[dukgnfsn]

As a fellow VET if I ever have the pleasure if running into you on or at some occasion it would be my honor to tip one with you and say in person thank you and welcome home, salute to a fellow VET

 

[Fester]

onelessdoad and feter you both spoke well with Insite and i do thank you. Maybe your grandfather was involved in some things he wants to bring to his grave but i to wish he would share some with you. Some time ago a person told me to write it done so i have a 7-page type story. Have not share with only some of it on here and parts and one day family will see it when i am gone.
Overall, i was lucky and did have one moment as of recent but was able to, in time, deal with it. db

I wish we knew why he wouldn’t but I don’t even know what he did in the military. Grandmother really wouldn’t talk much about either. I respect it..it his life. Maybe he can’t talk about it due to top secret or maybe it’s how he deals with it, I am not sure. I just know for generations such as myself and kids it helps us tremendously. It’s things I can teach my kids (with the help of the vets)on how the world works by hearing vets and there stories. It is probably selfish on my part to want to know but it’s definitely not to just hear a story. It’s the real world and we are sheltered here. It also gives a great incite into our political systems and where support comes from.

 

[lunkerslayer]

Where is home db-2?

 

[db-2]

I am close enough to go see the walk in Rolla and get a beer bought for me as i buy for others.

Fester, maybe copy this topic after it has had its share of comments and let him read. For me not everything needs to be share but i have enough pride in what i did to answer all those who critic what i may have done or not done. i did what this country trained me to and asked me to do.
Yes, it was a bunch of crab and i feel sorry for all the innocents especially the children in Nam but war is hell unless one sits in Washington or Hanoi and is far remove from what happens. It is not pretty at times.
db.

 

[BrokenBackJack]

I know and have known many Vietnam vets and WW 2 vets. Some talk, some don't, the ones that do have some horrorific stories. I didn't serve but I did sign up for the Marines, for Vietnam, and failed my physical. Really pissed me off but such is life.
One thing about Nam vs WW 2 is the WW 2 vets had some time to decompress as most of them came home by ship. Vietnam vets most were flown home on a jet and in a day, you were home. WW 2 people were happy and respected the returning vets and not so much for the Nam vets.
It was a bad deal and I feel sorry for them, but can't change it at all.
Be happy to buy you a beer or 10, if and when we ever meet up DB.
Take care my friend!

 

[wslayer]

If I was in your neck of the woods , I would certainly belly up to the bar with you.
Thank "you" , and everyone else that served and are serving our country. You should never be forgotten !

 

[Jiffy]

It ain’t nothing, never has been, never will be. Thanks or no thanks, those that do will keep doing.

Thanks Db

 

[bucksnbears]

I sure admire folks you you DB.

Keep on keeping on.

 

[CatDaddy]

I wish I was old enough during the 'Nam era to welcome you and other soldiers home. It would've been open arms and true gratitude. DB, WELCOME HOME SOLDIER!

Grandpa was WWII and didn't talk about it. Deployed Army infantry in some of the major battles, when he returned home he allegedly would "hit the deck" when a commercial airliner flew over his house. He was "normalized" by the time my memory serves me and I never witnessed it happen.

Dad was 'Nam but served as airplane mechanic in Thailand. Never saw battle - likely way different experience than you had yet still never talked about it. Maybe for different reasons....

Thank you for your service DB. I won't be in your neck of the woods any time soon, but please know I'd happily buy you an Old Mil' or two if I were.

 

[Davey Crockett]

Thank you for your service db and everyone else reading this who served. There were so many mixed emotions back then, every evening there were scenes from the front lines on the evening news , I waited for it and my Dad didn't want me to watch it. I'll still never understand that. Some hated war and some embraced it I guess . Thanks again.

 

[Wall-eyes]

DB great write up. I salute you and all vets for the freedom we have in this world. Thank you. We all have family and or know someone that was involved. I have some friends gone and some still around that are affected everyday of their life, some with drugs and some alcohol which I understand. Recently lost a great fishing friend that would sleep with his boots on all the time. Some talk about it some do not it was war and nothing is good with that. I always buy my friends and family a drink when those times come around.The sad part is how the government does not take care of you and all after these wars it is crazy how many great men are lost every day to those challenge's. God be with you. Cheers.

 

[Rowdie]

After my dad passed my mom was going through the old letters he wrote her when he was in Korea. She let me read a couple about when he went out on some opps. They were pretty detailed and he never told us kids those stories when he was alive. He earned a few medals over there, and one medal was for what he did in the stories he shared in a letter.