A Place Called Vietnam

I do not know who wrote this, but my hat is off to him. I did however change it a little. I don't care who you are or how old you are, you have to see this. If you didn't live through this era, then it is your duty to learn about it and to remember it and to honor those men and women who valiantly fought for our country. Sons and daughter, never forget what your parents went through. People who lived through this horror, remember that these were our brothers, our husbands and wives, our cousins, our close friends, our school mates. These are all the people we knew and loved and we should never, never, never stop honoring them as the heroes they are/were. See this, hear this, and cry. You won't be able to stop yourself as you think of the people, both living and dead, that fought in Vietnam. No one was left untouched by this time in our history. May God bless all of your hearts and souls and know that we will never forget any of you or ever be able repay you for your sacrifice...A Place Called VietNamSome gave a little;Some gave a lot;Some gave everything;We all gave something.. http://www.operationmom.org/ToOurParents.htmlIt saddens and upsets me when I ponder those people who did not honor our Country and our people at that time. We did not have a choice, we were serving our Country then as the men and women are serving their Country today in far away lands for my freedom and yours._________________Gerald Hannah U.S.S. Orleck 1966-1969

You need to be a member of Navy Veterans to add comments!

Join Navy Veterans

Email me when people reply –

Replies

  • Yes, indeed! RIVDIV535 PIBBER 4EVER!
  •   I really appreciate your tribute to all of these fine people affected to this day by Vietnam. I served in country with VAL4 from '70 to '72. I, like some, was very naive. I volunteered for the dumbest of reasons, and an unintentional slap in the face to those who had no choice and payed the price be it death or injury. I wanted some excitement. I still feel the guilt. I was wrapped up in my own world and obviously didn't consider those sacrificing themselves. It surely wasn't because I didn't watch Walter Cronkite on the evening news every single night.

      I am afraid this war will be forgotten. I had a young man at work ask me a most disturbing question. He overheard a conversation between me and a fellow vet and he asked me if I had been  in the service. I said I had been in Vietnam and he said, "Was that one that Hitler was in"? Now, he either thinks I am really old or he didn't even know when WWII was. Our young people are so clueless.

      I did have the opportunity to go to the Vietnam memorial Wall in DC several years ago. The absolute saddest experience of my life. To try and fathom the sheer numbers of names is mind numbing. All those lost souls that left so many broken hearts. As a last entry, I would like to leave this quote: 

    "If you are able, save for them a place inside of you and save one backward glance when you are leaving for the places they can no longer go.

         Be not ashamed to say you loved them, though you may or may not have always. Take what they have taught you with their dying and keep it with your own.

         And in that time when men decide and feel safe to call the war insane, take one moment to embrace those gentle heroes you left behind.

      

     

  • But for the grace of God, my dad's name could have been on the wall...

    Beautiful tribute to our Vietnam Vets.

  • Gerald Hannah - thanks so much for posting the memorial video, it was very moving.

  • Hello Mates, the most recent VFW MAGAZINE has several extraordinary articles in it about VIETNAM and the end of the war.  Some amazing writing and worth the time to read.  Peace to all.

    Below is the link and if that doesn't work, copy and paste.

    VFW Magazine - VFW - Veterans of Foreign Wars

  • I was 17 when I went into the Navy.I did what I thought I was suppose to.I didn't question anything or anyone.Being a small town
    country boy I joined with no questions.When I went to Vietnam in 1968 I was in VF 92 on the USS Enterprise.Again we fought hard 12 hours a day or longer.Seven days a week 30 days a month.
    Now the VA fights us not to give us our benefits.We came in contact with AO as others.I have Parkinson's,IHD as others.The Blue Water Navy is fighting hard for us.The House has sent another Bill HR 543.It's time to call our Rep's.
    543.IT
  • Gerald, I tried bringing up the site, and could not get it to load. Is there another link?

  • Denis A Grover  USS Wainwright DLG-28  66/67 nam vet

  • Alvin E Thomas USS Fred T Berry DD 858 Vietnam 1966...it arouses my anomosity that we elected a Democrate as President. A person and party that no longer relates to American values. There way will be demonstrated by the new medical bill. This will end there history, but won't straighten out the stupid Americans who elected them. This new medical bill has nothen to do with helping people, but instead communism. I regret that fact that I spent months in Vietnam fighting for these people. What good did it all do? Now deal with the Veterans Admin. and you will find out what they really represent. These people think honoring our country is sharing our money on taxes to pay others welfare!
  • Touching
This reply was deleted.