Vietnam War Attitudes

[tarbridge]

I too almost fell for these ebay specials when I decided to collect special forces items.

 

Sadly there are a few legit berets on ebay (although non of them have uber rare unit patches sewn inside them) but having to wade through the fakes almost makes it not worth it. I have come to accept that "anything" associated with SOG or similar units without serious provenance is as fake as a "Made in Spain" Waffen SS helmet.

 

I suspect most of the actual SOG, RT group and similar patches were destroyed by the environment. Figure half of those that survived weren't taken care of when they found their way home as most of the population considered them "baby killers." Figure half of those weren't valued by decedents for many of the same reasons.

The counter culture folks might have felt that way...I seriously doubt most of the population considered the returning soldiers "baby killers".We just did not see that kind of attitude demonstrated. ..may I add or allowed in my hometown.

 

 

******* ADMIN Note: These comments were split off from another thread on Special Forces berets. The comments might appear a bit disjointed. gwb123

 

http://www.usmilitariaforum.com/forums/index.php?/topic/240892-special-forces-green-beret-w-ccc-patch/

[irish]

 

The counter culture folks might have felt that way...I seriously doubt most of the population considered the returning soldiers "baby killers".We just did not see that kind of attitude demonstrated. ..may I add or allowed in my hometown.[/quot

 

It is possible that a very small, repeat very small, segment of the population may have viewed returning Vietnam vets negatively. In fact I never really started hearing this phrase "baby killers" with any regularity until much later as part of a re-constructed history. Having been in right at the tail end of that era being in the military was not something most people even gave much of a thought too. Whether you were in the service or not. The only thing people my age were interested in at least from what I Would observe when home on leave was partying.

[SteyrAUG]

The counter culture folks might have felt that way...I seriously doubt most of the population considered the returning soldiers "baby killers".We just did not see that kind of attitude demonstrated. ..may I add or allowed in my hometown.

 

Given that the boomers were "most of the population" at that time, I think it was pretty common. The 68 Democratic Convention didn't turn into a full blown riot because "most of the population" were reasonable and practical people.

 

Just to be clear, I don't think anyone else other than the "Don't trust anyone over 30" crowd felt that way. I don't think WWII veterans saw them as baby killers or anything close to that. But there was a decidedly "anti war" popular movement and it didn't really distinguish between the war and those who fought it.

 

I wasn't there, but I grew up with a lot of veterans. I remember guys telling me about throwing their uniforms away in airport bathrooms and changing into civies so they wouldn't be hassled by protestors. Heard things like that more than a few times. Maybe it was just in the DC and NY area where it happened, don't know.

 

[tarbridge]

 

Given that the boomers were "most of the population" at that time, I think it was pretty common. The 68 Democratic Convention didn't turn into a full blown riot because "most of the population" were reasonable and practical people.

 

Just to be clear, I don't think anyone else other than the "Don't trust anyone over 30" crowd felt that way. I don't think WWII veterans saw them as baby killers or anything close to that. But there was a decidedly "anti war" popular movement and it didn't really distinguish between the war and those who fought it.

 

I wasn't there, but I grew up with a lot of veterans. I remember guys telling me about throwing their uniforms away in airport bathrooms and changing into civies so they wouldn't be hassled by protestors. Heard things like that more than a few times. Maybe it was just in the DC and NY area where it happened, don't know.

 

I do not deny or for a minute it did not happen at times in certain locations...there was unrest...I pull from my experience as a baby boomer who lived in those times...but do not agree to most of the population. ..I would think a small part of the population acted out these transgressions.

[SteyrAUG]

I do not deny or for a minute it did not happen at times in certain locations...there was unrest...I pull from my experience as a baby boomer who lived in those times...but do not agree to most of the population. ..I would think a small part of the population acted out these transgressions.

 

Honestly, I hope you are right. I was just considering the numbers and the actual percentage of the total population represented by boomers and that the majority opinion of that larger percentage of the population seems to have been decidedly anti war.

 

It could be that you simply had better people in your location. I've heard some terrible stories. The fact that there was a "Ho Chi Mihn Park" in Berkeley (where else) speaks volumes.

[tarbridge]

 

Honestly, I hope you are right. I was just considering the numbers and the actual percentage of the total population represented by boomers and that the majority opinion of that larger percentage of the population seems to have been decidedly anti war.

 

It could be that you simply had better people in your location. I've heard some terrible stories. The fact that there was a "Ho Chi Mihn Park" in Berkeley (where else) speaks volumes.

I hope I'm right also...my observation has nothing to do with people with anti war sentiments. ..I would hope that most of the population then and now, be against war. You can be against a War but still supportive of our troops.The people who protested and hurled insults our troops...would in my estimation. ..be a very small percentage of our population. I was lucky enough to brought up in a Military community where that was a behavior normally not seen.

[e19]

 

Given that the boomers were "most of the population" at that time, I think it was pretty common. The 68 Democratic Convention didn't turn into a full blown riot because "most of the population" were reasonable and practical people.

 

Just to be clear, I don't think anyone else other than the "Don't trust anyone over 30" crowd felt that way. I don't think WWII veterans saw them as baby killers or anything close to that. But there was a decidedly "anti war" popular movement and it didn't really distinguish between the war and those who fought it.

 

I wasn't there, but I grew up with a lot of veterans. I remember guys telling me about throwing their uniforms away in airport bathrooms and changing into civies so they wouldn't be hassled by protestors. Heard things like that more than a few times. Maybe it was just in the DC and NY area where it happened, don't know.

 

 

In 1968 many Baby Boomers were 4, 5, 6 years old. I'm a member of the Silent Generation, and from my experience, you've bought into a media exaggeration of what America was really like back then.

[doyler]

I agree with e19.

I was growing up in the period of time.Course living in the upper midwest i guess we are a bit "sheltered" from the "realcivilized world" but I never saw much or any of that culture here or disrespect to vets.Even with relatives who served they would mention seeing protests but here hey seldom were even noticed after coming home for a vist.Other I know here tried to blend back in or just left.Being a kid the only way I knew the vets was seeing them wear an old issue fatique shirt,jungle boots or a tour jacket made from a poncho liner.We had a vet who came back and continued farming.He was our substutue bus driver on our route in the mid 70s.He wore a tour jacket with a big 1st Cav patch on it.

 

I do know several vets who felt shunned and it for the most part was by of all people the older WW2 vets.One is still a close friend of mine and he joined the local VFW and then quit as he was told he wasnt part of a "real war".He never rejoined.

 

Im sure this attitude was more in the bigger urban areas where the artistic and informed were but here it wasnt at all common or very isolated if at all.