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A Vietnam Vet's Experiences - My Friend, a True American Hero


Wedgehead30
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Wedgehead30

One of my best friends is an Army Veteran, Vietnam who is a little bit older than me. I love to bust his balls about being an "Old Man" by reminding him that he was walking off the plane in Da Nang the same year I turned 2. It's all in good fun and we always have a good laugh about it followed by some crude remark from him questioning my family lineage. :D

 

I asked him once about his war time experiences but he kinda blew me off. I could tell he was uncomfortable with the topic so I never brought it up again. Over the years we've become very close and I consider him family. He was there for me in some pretty rocky parts of my life. So the other day we're at lunch bustin balls and he suddenly gets very serious. He stops and say's he considers me to be like family and wants to show me something when we get back to the house. Once back at the house he goes to his gun room and comes back with an armful of stuff. Ribbons, Medals, Uniforms and on and on. Then he just started talking. I sat there transfixed for more than four hours as he told me about his war time experiences. I never said a word, just let him talk. It was amazing, scary, joyful, heart wrenching and pretty emotional at points. I'm getting a lump in my throat just typing this. He brought out four purple hearts and a Bronze star and told me the stories behind each one of them. He told me of being wounded twice on his first tour, going home to recover and getting out of the Army in disgust. But after a year or so he went back in, missing the thing he loved most in life and volunteered to return to Vietnam. He ended up in the battle of Loc Nihn where he was again twice wounded and involved in events which led to his Bronze Star. He talked about be a naive cocky airborne soldier ready to kick rump and transforming into a combat hardened vet who didn't bat an eye at killing. He talked about good friends lost and many regrets that he had. He told me about coming home and being treated like a ruthless baby killer by a public that just didn't understand.

 

When he was done we both just sat there in silence. Then he told me that the only family he had was me and when the time came he wanted me to have all of his things. He wanted someone to remember him and his story. I didn't know what to say, except that I would be honored and privileged. And that would tell my children someday of their "Uncle's" service to his country. He made me promise to wait until he was gone.

 

He told me he had never talked about the war with anyone. He just closed that chapter of life when he came back and tried to forget about it. He kept it all in for 40+ years and I think he just needed to finally get it out and I was honored to listen.

 

I asked him if I could a shadow box together for him to put in his office and if we could write down some of his history. I couldn't remember it all But he politely declined and told me all the medals and memories were going back into the closet never to return until his death...

 

Lately I haven't seen him much. He's been going to the Doctor and the Hospital pretty regular. He won't tell me why, he just says it's just a couple of "check-ups". Even his wife won't tell me what's going on, he made her promise not to. I worry about him every day. I know what's coming but I don't want to acknowledge it. My heart jumps to my stomach every time the phone rings and I see his number come up. I feel like I'm losing my father again. I don't know if I can do it. But I want to be there for him.I need to be there for him.... I don't want to lose my friend.

 

I'm honored to post his unit patch.

 

 

post-124172-0-44545200-1374944337.jpg

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Members our age have experiences similar to these, sometimes even older memories of another war. My friends tell of VN, and I have mixed memories about that time as a teenager going through the draft. I can only listen and feel some of the horror that they went through, some even liked the killing and took pictures....

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CHASEUSA11B

Your friend sounds like an amazing man and it speaks volumes about you that he was willing to share such things with you.

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You should ask if he ever considered belonging to the SF Association.

There are lots of guys who only did a coiuple tours and others who were professionals.

5th Group is holding its annual mini convention at Ft Campbell next month.

This can be googled or otherwise found on the net.

 

It is good to be around folks who have similar experiences.

He might even meet someone he knows.

Relating experiences to folks who never had similar times leaves a pretty empty feeilng.

Guys don't sit around reunions and tell war stories, though it does happen. Mostly they just enjoy the company of people with like experiences, and atitudes.

SF Vets are aparticularly different breed of people and we do best amongst our own.

We simply do not comprehend how some people could sit at home and never put themselves to the test or seek serious adventure.

Possibly your friend has missed out on that.

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Wedgehead30

You should ask if he ever considered belonging to the SF Association.

There are lots of guys who only did a coiuple tours and others who were professionals.

5th Group is holding its annual mini convention at Ft Campbell next month.

This can be googled or otherwise found on the net.

 

It is good to be around folks who have similar experiences.

He might even meet someone he knows.

Relating experiences to folks who never had similar times leaves a pretty empty feeilng.

Guys don't sit around reunions and tell war stories, though it does happen. Mostly they just enjoy the company of people with like experiences, and atitudes.

SF Vets are aparticularly different breed of people and we do best amongst our own.

We simply do not comprehend how some people could sit at home and never put themselves to the test or seek serious adventure.

Possibly your friend has missed out on that.

 

Thanks for the advice. I know it would do him a world of good to be with others with similar experiences. I think he would find a whole new world. It's just a matter of getting him there. I know he wouldn't go voluntarily. Maybe I'll just have to kidnap his raggedy old butt and drive him to a reunion.

 

Thanks again

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  • 5 months later...
rice paddy daddy

One of my best friends is an Army Veteran, Vietnam who is a little bit older than me. I love to bust his balls about being an "Old Man" by reminding him that he was walking off the plane in Da Nang the same year I turned 2. It's all in good fun and we always have a good laugh about it followed by some crude remark from him questioning my family lineage. :D

 

I asked him once about his war time experiences but he kinda blew me off. I could tell he was uncomfortable with the topic so I never brought it up again. Over the years we've become very close and I consider him family. He was there for me in some pretty rocky parts of my life. So the other day we're at lunch bustin balls and he suddenly gets very serious. He stops and say's he considers me to be like family and wants to show me something when we get back to the house. Once back at the house he goes to his gun room and comes back with an armful of stuff. Ribbons, Medals, Uniforms and on and on. Then he just started talking. I sat there transfixed for more than four hours as he told me about his war time experiences. I never said a word, just let him talk. It was amazing, scary, joyful, heart wrenching and pretty emotional at points. I'm getting a lump in my throat just typing this. He brought out four purple hearts and a Bronze star and told me the stories behind each one of them. He told me of being wounded twice on his first tour, going home to recover and getting out of the Army in disgust. But after a year or so he went back in, missing the thing he loved most in life and volunteered to return to Vietnam. He ended up in the battle of Loc Nihn where he was again twice wounded and involved in events which led to his Bronze Star. He talked about be a naive cocky airborne soldier ready to kick rump and transforming into a combat hardened vet who didn't bat an eye at killing. He talked about good friends lost and many regrets that he had. He told me about coming home and being treated like a ruthless baby killer by a public that just didn't understand.

 

When he was done we both just sat there in silence. Then he told me that the only family he had was me and when the time came he wanted me to have all of his things. He wanted someone to remember him and his story. I didn't know what to say, except that I would be honored and privileged. And that would tell my children someday of their "Uncle's" service to his country. He made me promise to wait until he was gone.

 

He told me he had never talked about the war with anyone. He just closed that chapter of life when he came back and tried to forget about it. He kept it all in for 40+ years and I think he just needed to finally get it out and I was honored to listen.

 

I asked him if I could a shadow box together for him to put in his office and if we could write down some of his history. I couldn't remember it all But he politely declined and told me all the medals and memories were going back into the closet never to return until his death...

 

Lately I haven't seen him much. He's been going to the Doctor and the Hospital pretty regular. He won't tell me why, he just says it's just a couple of "check-ups". Even his wife won't tell me what's going on, he made her promise not to. I worry about him every day. I know what's coming but I don't want to acknowledge it. My heart jumps to my stomach every time the phone rings and I see his number come up. I feel like I'm losing my father again. I don't know if I can do it. But I want to be there for him.I need to be there for him.... I don't want to lose my friend.

 

I'm honored to post his unit patch.

 

God Bless you, sir.

I do want you to know that your post made this old soldier's eyes get moist.

I was never a hero, but I am honored to have served among them.

Stand by your good friend, he must think the world of you to do what he did. Trust me on this.

 

 

 

 

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  • 3 weeks later...

Then he just started talking....

 

...He told me about coming home and being treated like a ruthless baby killer by a public that just didn't understand.

It is good to be around folks who have similar experiences.

 

Relating experiences to folks who never had similar times leaves a pretty empty feeling.

 

..... they just enjoy the company of people with like experiences, and attitudes.

 

SF Vets are a particularly different breed of people and we do best amongst our own.

 

..... never a hero, but I am honored to have served among them.

 

Communicating can be difficult.

 

It would have been hard, but I wish I had those conversations with friends and relatives who have passed. I was too young, they were too old.

 

The opportunities to really talk are rare.

 

 

 

 

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