Friday, June 12, 2015

Welcome Home

Thought for the day: Better late than never.


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Smarticus and I had a new, but welcome, experience on Tuesday night. He was invited to an American Legion hall to receive a Certificate of Appreciation for his service in Vietnam. Never mind that my favorite grunt (i.e. infantryman) came home from there forty-five long years ago; someone finally wanted to welcome him home now. They wanted to say... thanks. For a job well and honorably done.

Plus, they were gonna (ahem)  feed us. So we went.



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At the end of World War II, troops were welcomed home with ticker-tape parades, and with lots of cheering and speechifying, all signifying universal appreciation and respect. The sign over there -----> represents just a smidgen of the appreciation and  support that has been given to soldiers returning from tours in the Gulf War, and from Iraq and Afghanistan. (And that's a good thing. Definitely a good thing.)

But Vietnam vets? None of that. My father-in-law, A WWII vet, made and hung a huge Welcome Home banner across the front of the house for Smarticus, but our country as a whole met our soldiers returning home from Vietnam with silence, and even worse, with disdain. Their sacrifices went largely unappreciated, and were dismissed, or even insulted, by a population that was, for the most part, grossly misinformed.

No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much. Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic.  [Richard Nixon]

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Yeah, I know. Nixon said that, so it isn't exactly a recent quote, but that doesn't make it any less true. The fact is, the media got so many things wrong back then, a proliferation of half-truths and myths became accepted by most Americans as facts, and further inflamed raging anti-war sentiments, sentiments which led to the shameful treatment of those who served their country by fighting in it.

I could go on a major tirade here, and tell you about some of the blatantly incorrect and misleading reports and myths from back then, but that isn't the point of this post. The point of this post is that our country is finally trying to set things right.

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It's finally considered appropriate to thank our Vietnam vets. In 2011, the U.S. Senate unanimously passed a resolution designating March 30 as Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day. (Funny, but I didn't hear anything about it. Did you?) The idea was to spur a national effort to recognize the men and women who were denied a proper welcome upon returning home more than forty years ago.

Since then, more and more states have passed similar resolutions and laws, naming either March 29 or 30 as Vietnam Veterans Day. (When U.S. troops left Vietnam in 1973, the date was March 29 in Vietnam, and the 30th here at home, so either date is considered acceptable.) Besides, the date doesn't matter nearly as much as the sentiment.

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Combat troops were first sent to Vietnam in 1965... fifty years ago. That fifty-year milestone is now spurring an increasing number of demonstrations of appreciation around the country for veterans of that conflict. Later this month, Ft. Stewart, in south Georgia, is holding an official welcome home ceremony for Vietnam vets, with lots of pomp and circumstance, just like the ones they've been holding for soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan. Other bases around the country have already held such ceremonies, or will be doing so at various times throughout the year. And some governors, aided by organizations like the American Legion, are even providing certificates and medals. Like in Tuesday night's ceremony, where the state senator presenting the certificates and medallions said, It is never too late to say thank you.


That's Smarticus in the front row, third from the right. It was truly wonderful to see him and these other vets finally get some recognition, and to finally get that thank you and welcome home they all deserved. And as the wife, and sister, of Vietnam vets,  I hope you'll forgive me for saying it, but... It's about damned time.

Little-Known Facts About the Vietnam War

  • Although many people think it was a war fought by draftees, a surprising 2/3 of the soldiers serving in Nam were actually volunteers, as opposed to WWII, when 2/3 of the soldiers were draftees.
  • Although the average age of the soldier serving in Nam has often been reported as nineteen, it was actually 23.11. The youngest was sixteen, and the oldest, sixty-two. (The average age of those serving in WWII was twenty-six.)
  • Thanks to the mobility provided by helicopters, the average infantryman serving in Vietnam saw 240 days of combat in a year. By comparison, a WWII infantryman serving four years in the South Pacific saw an average of forty days of combat. 
  • Vietnam vets were the best-educated our nation had ever sent into combat. Seventy-nine percent had a high school education or better. 
  • From 1965-1972, 8.7 million Americans served in the military. Approximately one-third of them spent some time in Vietnam. Of those, only about twelve percent were in combat.
  • Of the many men and women who lost their lives in Vietnam, 86% were Caucasian, 12.5% were black, and 1.2% of some other race. 
[Sources: General William C. Westmoreland, Lt. Gen Barry R. McCaffrey, and the CACF (Combat Area Casualty File)]

Infantry duty is a rough business, even in peace time. [James Dunnigan]

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So is there someone YOU need to thank? Certainly, we all owe gratitude to our vets, but who else? A spouse? A parent? A sibling or friend? A child? A teacher or minister who encouraged you when you needed it the most? Somebody. Surely, there's somebody. Don't assume that person already knows how grateful you are. You've gotta say it. Or write it. Because, despite what that state senator said, sometimes it is too late, so don't put it off, especially not for fifty years. Say it today. 

Feeling gratitude and not expressing it is like wrapping a present and not giving it. [William Arthur Ward]

Among the things you can give and still keep are your word, a smile, and a grateful heart.  [Zig Ziglar]

Appreciation can make a day, even change a life. Your willingness to put it into words is all that is necessary.  [Margaret Cousins]

So, all of you... thank you. Thank you for taking the time to visit my blog, and thank you for your terrific comments. You guys rock.

                                     Until next time, take care of yourselves. And each other.


P.S. For anyone reading this post on the afternoon of the 17th or later, I apologize for the unusual header picture. Because I won't be around tomorrow to change the header pic for Friday's post, I opted to remove the more appropriate picture of a vet leaning against the Vietnam Memorial, and to replace it with a pic that complements Friday's post.

68 comments:

  1. All three of my brothers were called up for Vietnam. None of them served, for which I am thankful.
    And our Vietnam veterans were also treated shamefully. And are still not given the honour that other veterans are. Steps have been made in the right direction. Strides are needed.
    I am so glad to hear that your Vietnam Vets are finally being thanked. As they should have been all those years ago...

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    1. I can understand you being thankful your brothers didn't have to go to Vietnam. I would have been, too.

      I hope Australia gets onboard and starts recognizing her Vietnam vets soon, too. To tell the truth, I didn't realize your vets were also treated shamefully.

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  2. It was disgraceful how those veterans were ignored and or held in distain. The probable reason was the war was such a mistake and the sacrifice so wasted.

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    1. Yes, it is disgraceful how they were treated, but a lot of people would argue over whether the war itself was a mistake, or the sacrifices a waste, including those who fought in it.

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  3. Expressions of gratitude, such as designating Vietnam Veterans Day (and observing it) and the assembly in which you and your husband participated, help heal hurts and give onto a better future. Your excellent and moving post is certainly deserving of gratitude as well. Thank you.

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    1. I think the move to finally recognize those vets will go a long way toward healing some of the wounds.

      Thanks, dude.

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  4. My husband was in the Army during Vietnam but he was never sent overseas. For that, & for the many who were, I am grateful!!

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    1. I would have been very grateful if Smarticus had missed out on the experiences of Nam, too, so I definitely understand how you feel. The same way I feel about our Special Forces son being discharged from the Army before our soldiers were sent to Iraq and Afghanistan.

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  5. I remember writing my first letter to white house during that time, (yeah, I know, they have a folder with my name on it) in defense of our soldiers. It was a horrid time and as always the wrong people paid the price. So happy to see the men finally being acknowledged. Congrats to you and hubby!

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    1. Good for you. I love that you wrote in defense of the soldiers. A month or so before Smarticus came home from Vietnam, we found out that, following his leave, he was going to be stationed at Ft. Riley, Kansas for the duration of his time in the Army. Nothing against Kansas, but the idea of him going there for six months, and me either quitting my job and moving out there with him, or us being separated for yet another six months was pretty darned upsetting. So I contacted our senators, to see if they could pull any strings to get him stationed at one of the many bases in Maryland. They responded with flowery letters, saying they'd tried everything, but it was IMPOSSIBLE to get his orders changed. After Smarticus got home, while he was on leave, he went to the Pentagon. In person. Prior to going there, he visited a local base, and got a written paper from the top, saying Ft. Meade had openings, and would be pleased to have my hubby serve there. Long story short, by the time Smarticus got home from the Pentagon, he had new orders in hand... re-assigning him to Ft. Meade :) For those last six months, we lived off-base, and he commuted to base.

      Thanks.

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    2. At one time I was a spit fire - determined to make a difference, stand up for the downtrodden, etc, etc. Long story about how all that changed.
      How wonderful that it worked out for you. Back then a senator getting involved was a real long shot, today I think it'd be different because showing the love to our fighting men and women is the in thing, (you know the photo shoot of saying thanks and shaking the hand) but giving financial, emotional, medical support - not so much! I'm glad that locally they honored your hubby, just wish there was MORE that really counted on the federal level! Give hubby a big thank you from this silly blogger - it's so little but so sincere!

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    3. I hope you held on to some of your spit fire tendencies. They sometimes lead to heartache, but it's such a precious personality trait to have.

      You've got that right. Politicians are all about talking a good game, but forget it when it comes to apprpriating the money to make it happen.

      No sincere thank you is ever "little." :)

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  6. I remember the time very well. Mine was a military family. We did not live on the bases (Mom and Dad decided early on that it would be better for the kids not to be isolated, as bases sometimes were). It was interesting to hear, at school, how people like my father were murderers. Sometimes I think they need a memorial to the families of all the veterans, as well.

    Excellent post, Susan!

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    1. I know what you mean. What's that line...? "They also serve who sit and wait." Or something like that. It was tough working with guys who did everything they could to beat the draft, and with a gal who complained all the time about having to do something-or-other with her husband's uniform... her husband who was stationed in New Jersey. But we all survived, and I'm hopeful the new efforts to right old wrongs will help.

      Thanks! I'm glad you liked it.

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  7. Both my husband and brother were Vietnam era military and were both fortunate to serve stateside. Neither of them were drafted, but volunteered. It was such a frightening time as for the first time a war was played out each evening on the nightly news. It changed America forever as it took us all to the battlefields and the horrors that were happening. How traumatic that must have been for those who had loved ones serving our country in that far-away land. That the returning soldiers were sometimes treated with disdain was disgraceful.

    We thank all our military who, for over the centuries of too many wars, have served our country and protected our freedoms. Bless your husband, bless them all.

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    1. Yes, it was frightening. I'm sure I wasn't the only one who stared at the TV news every night with mingled emotions of hope and dread ... praying to catch a glimpse of him, but terrified of what it might mean if I did.

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  8. My mother bought a bracelet for support of the troops. (It was silver and had a name engraved on it.) Our soldier was Captain Mitchell Lane. I don't believe he ever came home. (Although, truth be told, I don't remember. I should probably look it up.)

    Vietnam was an atrocious war. Although, any war is atrocious, and if the foolish governments want to go to war, the presidents or ministers or whomever runs the country should just put on boxing gloves and go 10 rounds with the leader of the other country. That way no one other that the original stupid head is involved.

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    1. The only bracelets I remember from back then had the names of soldiers who were MIA, and presumed to be POWs.

      Too bad heads of government can't play a game of chess to decide their disputes. It's appalling when human lives are treated like expendable game pieces.

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  9. As you say, better late than never.

    I really wish that our government appropriated funding differently to support vets who come home from these wars. So many suffer from PTSD that they need help getting back to a healthy place. Too much of our homeless population is vets who simply didn't get the help they needed.

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    1. Theoretically, the government does allocate a lot of money in support of veterans' affairs, but that money doesn't necessarily make its way to where it can do the most good. And unfortunately, many of the vets who need help refuse to seek it, or to accept it.

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  10. Like many of the other people commenting here, I think our country still does not give much thanks or support to our veterans. Our government has never supported their health care needs or given enough support to their widows/widowers/children. Sadly, this goes all the way back to the American Revolution, when Congress just didn't bother to pay the Continental soldiers. :( They set the precedent.

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    1. In 1985, there was a tremendously powerful show on PBS, "By Vietnam Veterans, For Vietnam Veterans." One of the vets cited a George Washington quote, which went something like this: "The willingness with which men serve our country shall be directly proportional to how they see our country treat those who served before them." Another vet on that program said, "The lesson of war is... no more war."

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  11. About damn time indeed. Never knew the facts, 240 days is a lot.

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  12. Kids listened to songs rather than 'The News'. Many of the anti-war songs were very powerful, and the propaganda soon won. As is often said "the first victim of warfare is truth".

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    1. "The first victim of warfare is truth." Terrific saying.

      Unfortunately, the media-propagated propaganda continues. It seems like the "news" people aren't as concerned with reporting the news accurately as they are about being first to report it, even if they have to make it up. I remember learning about "yellow journalism" when I was in school. Now, that's just about all there is.

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  13. I am in tears over this.
    I remember all the news that just brought it into our homes every night. So different. Worst of everything in your face no matter what happened.
    So agree with what you and Cro said.
    When I lived in Laguna Beach the bastion of liberal PC culture every big time. Every Feburary we had a small town parade. school bands, gardening club, dog groups, fire trucks the crazy Shiners on tiny motorcycles you know the kind of parade. Of course this was 30 years ago but seems like yesterday.
    The big news was one of our councilmen was a Vietnam Vet and he wanted to march in the parade.
    OMG the uproar. This just won't do the PC crowd said.
    Well he and maybe 10 others walked in the parade. So many of us gave them the biggest applause all the way down the tiny route with our flags waving !
    Go America, Go Veterans love you all.
    I have been to the Memorial and it is heart wrenching !
    Tell Smarticus I am happy he made it home.

    cheers, parsnip

    PS.... plus health care for any vet. Where I live the liberal party throws money at the illegals who walk across the border and produce a baby for money and votes. But for a vet in Phoenix he has to wait a year for a doctors appointment and will die before he gets to see one.
    Not good, our priorities are skewed !


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    1. Sorry I made you cry, but I was teary-eyed while I was writing it, so maybe it's only fitting that people who read it should get a little misty, too.

      It's horrifying to think people were in an uproar because the councilman who wanted to march in the parade was a Vietnam vet. I'm glad he and the others marched, anyway, and even more glad that they got some well-deserved support.

      I agree about the Memorial. It rips our hearts out every time we go, but the first time was the hardest, when my husband looked up the names of people he knew. Seeing their names brought back the memories, big time.

      You're right. Priorities are definitely messed up.

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  14. So glad that your husband and others like him are finally getting the attention and appreciation they deserve.

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  15. I'm so glad that Smarticus finally got the recognition he deserves (as well as a free meal). Those people now living, who weren't around during the Viet Nam War, have no idea how strongly it affected all of us. I knew several soldiers who were killed there. I knew other men who were imprisoned for refusing to go to war. And I knew many who returned from the war and were never the same - emotionally or physically.

    A great post, Susan.
    My comment seems insignificant after all the others....

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    1. The war had a tremendous and long-lasting effect on all of us, didn't it?

      Thanks. I'm glad you liked the post, but your comments are NEVER insignificant.

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  16. I thank my wife for putting up with me all these years! :-) Congrats to your hubby! :-)

    Greetings from London.

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    1. Something tells me she doesn't feel like she's been "putting up"with you at all, but I'll bet she'd still love to hear you say that to her.:)

      Greetings back atcha.

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  17. Congratulations to Smarticus on receiving his Certificate of Appreciation for his service in Vietnam.
    I never truly knew the history of how Vietnam vets were treated but I knew that they weren't supported in the same way as past war veterans. Such a travesty. It's fantastic that they are now finally getting the recognition that they deserve.
    Thank you Susan for enlightening me on a subject I knew so little about.

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    1. I already knew how vets were treated here in the U.S., but now I'm learning other countries treated their vets returning from Vietnam just as horribly. You're right. It was a travesty. A big one. And one I hope the world never repeats.

      You're welcome. Thanks for visiting. :)

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  18. It's 45 years since my grunt came home too. I didn't know him before, I met him when he'd been home a few months, our mums arranged for us to be at the same dance on the same night. one of those dinner-dance affairs at the local rowing club. He was a little messed up, shell-shocked,traumatised, had nightmares for several years. I think it helped him to stay in the army with its routines.
    I think it's wonderful Viet Vets are finally being thanked, it's long overdue in my opinion.

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    1. Since you didn't know your grunt before he went to Vietnam, you weren't aware of how he'd changed, but I'll bet his experiences changed him a lot. How can they not? It took a lotta years before my husband finally reverted to being the (mostly) easy-going man I'd married.

      I hope Australia is finally starting to recognize her Vietnam vets, too.

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  19. The war didn't happen during my time, but I remember reading about the disdain and how I thought it was unfair. Servicemen and women and veterans should always get full support and a welcome back.

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    1. The way our returning vets and their families were treated was, in my opinion, a shameful chapter in our country's history. We can't change it, but I'm glad they're finally trying to make up for it.

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  20. thanks to your husband for his service and glad he got recognition (and a meal). That is nice. Ray's uncle suffered after his Vietnam service - was just never the same. So we are very sympathetic to the difficulties of that war and time. Thanks for this post and the reminder of young Americans back in the day.....

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    1. Thanks. Yeah, they fed us some pretty good BBQ with all the fixings. Not bad at all, and the people there were very friendly. It was a good experience, all the way around.

      My heart goes out to Ray's uncle. Lots of guys were never the same after going to Vietnam... or to any other war. What made our Vietnam vets different is the way they were treated when they came home. None of that, "When Johnny comes marching home again, hoorah, hoorah" stuff for them

      Hey! Whattaya mean "reminder of young Americans back in the day..." ??? We're STILL young, dammit. (At heart.)

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  21. I can imagine you were teary-eyed writing this post!

    And I believe that no matter how you feel about a war, you should appreciate the service of those who were there...and provide for any needed care after they return home.

    "The lesson of war is... no more war." What a great quote!

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    1. You know me too well. Yeah, I was... a little.

      Absolutely! I couldn't agree more.

      I agree. (That PBS show was fantastic!)

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  22. My dad fought in Vietnam. He was not welcomed when he came home. It would be very nice, if all those vets who were given the cold shoulder would have a respectable thank you!

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    1. Ah, so this post has some personal meaning for you, too. You're right; it would be very nice if all our vets received the respect and proper thank you that's owed them, but I'm not holding my breath. After all this time, it's too late for some of them; they no longer want to hear it. Too little, too late.

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  23. Please extend my thanks and sincere appreciation to Smarticus, and congratulate him on the long overdue recognition.

    Both my older brothers served. I don’t need to say how grateful I am they returned home. The majority of Americans realize how poorly Vietnam vets have been treated, and they don’t want to repeat the mistake with soldiers returning from Iraq and Afghanistan—a good thing, indeed. To blame those who serve in an unpopular war is nothing short of inhumane. Many Americans are ashamed for how soldiers returning from Vietnam were treated. I think that’s why appreciation has been slow in coming. Easier to bury one’s head, pretend it didn’t happen, and vow not to repeat the transgression. But I’m a firm believer in paying tribute to our mistakes. If we don’t allow ourselves to remember, memories fade and may eventually be forgotten. And those who served don’t deserve to be relegated to out of sight, out of mind because we’re too cowardly to face the up to the fact we screwed up.

    Your point about the media is well-taken. Vietnam marks that critical moment where the media came to power, where it learned that by withholding information and disseminating partial truths, it could manipulate Americans into accepting whatever they were fed. Whether this came from political manipulation or within the fourth estate itself doesn’t matter. It has continued to grow. Most Americans know more about Kim Kardashian than about the Iran, Iraq, or Afghanistan.

    VR Barkowski

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    1. I'm very glad your brothers returned home, too. You may be right about why it's taken so long for Vietnam vets to get the respect and appreciation they didn't get when they came home. It could be, too, that the more years that passed, the "harder" it got for the country to own up and make amends. Nonetheless, I'm glad they're finally trying, anyway.

      Manipulation by the media. Man, that's a whole topic in itself. The thing that's even more frustrating is that far too many people actually care more about people like Kim Kardashian than care about what's going on in Iran, Iraq, and Afghanistan. So it could be a matter of the media delivering what most of the public wants.

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  24. I had an uncle that served over there. To this day he still won't talk about it with anyone. Even his own wife.

    My dad turned 18 when the whole thing started. He joined the Air Force so that he wouldn't have to be drafted and sent over there against his will. Instead, he remained stateside. I can't say I blame him. With all of the horrors that happened over there, and how badly veterans were/are treated, I don't even want to imagine how things had turned out had he been sent over there.

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    1. It took a long time before Smarticus would talk to me about it, and I'm sure there's a lot he hasn't told me... and never will. What helped us was reading books about the war. He could make a notation in the margin, so when I read the book after he did, I'd know those parts especially resonated with him.

      Your dad had a lot of company. A lot of guys enlisted in the Navy or Air Force to avoid being drafted into the Army or Marines, where they had a much higher probability of going to Nam as a grunt,

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  25. Interesting post. I turned teary reading it through. Thanks Susan.

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  26. I was born and raised in Canada where this war did not reach us the way that it reached the states... although I am not an advocate of war, I totally believe that any man/woman going into war are courageous human beings that are doing their duty and they deserve all the respect we have to offer them. I am glad they are finally being honored, they never should have been judged for fighting a war they believed in or were drafted into... I am indebted to any person who protects my freedom and lays down their life... xox

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    1. When I think of Canada during that time period, I think of all the young men who left their families and friends behind in the U.S., and fled to Canada to escape the draft.

      Thanks for your comment. I totally agree.

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  27. Great post, Susan. And I completely agree; it's about time our Vietnam Vets got the honor they deserve.

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    1. Thanks, Marcy. I'm glad you liked the post, and you're right.It is definitely time.

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  28. I'm also glad that your hubby and the other Vietnam Vets finally got the recognition they deserve. Thank goodness Smarticus had you to come home to, Susan. It couldn't have been easy for either of you; yet you managed to raise a wonderful family together.

    Julie

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    1. Thanks. It wasn't easy, but it was even harder on the guys whose wives or girlfriends sent them Dear John letters while they were over there. It happened way too often. Then again, even one instance was one too many.

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  29. That was a great post in honor of Vietnam Vets. I'm glad that your husband got the thanks and appreciate that all vets deserve after coming home from any war.

    I also wanted to tell you that I nominated your for a blog award. That details are on my blog. :)

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    1. Thanks, Chrys.

      And... thanks again. I'll go check it out now.

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  30. I'd known there was a lot of controversy involving the Vietnam War, but I never knew the soldiers weren't welcomed home with congrats and appreciation. Wow, that sucks, but I'm glad they're getting the thanks now!!

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    1. Yeah, it was pretty rough on the soldiers back then. Thank goodness, soldiers who've returned from more recent conflicts have been enthusiastically welcomed home.

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  31. This must have been such a touching ceremony and I'm glad Smarticus and his fellow vets finally got the thanks they deserved. I have been to the Vietnam Wall and it was one of the most moving experiences of my life. I've never forgotten it. Also visited an exhibit about things left at the Wall in the Smithsonian and I ended up in tears in the museum. I felt like a fool until I noticed the woman next to me was also crying.

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    1. Places like the Wall, exhibits about the war, and ceremonies devoted to Vietnam vets are all very moving, so it isn't at all surprising to see women there who are moved to tears. What really rips my heart out is seeing aging, grizzled, tough-guy vets, some in wheelchairs or missing limbs, with tears streaming down their faces.

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  32. It's a travesdy. My grandfather served in WWII and they invited him to an all-expense-paid honor ceremony in Washington. He wouldn't go. When asked why, he expressed that he didn't have a choice about going to war. Most men didn't. He didn't feel he should be specially honored for doing what he was compelled to do. Nam was totally different. I think any person who willingly steps up to protect our freedoms deserves all the love and recognition we can give.

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    1. You're right. Most men were drafted during WWII. Even my father, and he wasn't even a U.S. citizen at the time.

      Absolutely. As they say, freedom isn't free, and it's our soldiers who have paid the price.

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  33. Very nice to finally have your husband recognized. I think it's hard because Vietnam was our first effort where America's involvement was gray--it was part of the red scare response and we maybe had little business there, but that wasn't the SOLDIERS fault. But as a naive country in that domain, people didn't know yet how to separate that--how to appreciate soldiers who did their duty, even while disagreeing with the administration that made them go.

    I think we finally learned that with the Iraq and Afghanistan wars, but we definitely treated the Vietnam generation of soldiers poorly.

    And thank you so much for following down the rabbit hole and finding my blog! I've had a crazy week and so am only now getting back to checking everybody out, but I really appreciate it! I have followed back!

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  34. Some people thought our involvement in Korea was a "gray area," too. In fact, I think a good percentage of Americans opposed our participation in every war we've been in, but the big difference is, Vietnam was the only time that opposition morphed into opposition for the soldiers, too,

    My pleasure! Thanks for returning the favor. Welcome aboard!

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