I am a veteran of three deployments to Vietnam in 1968, 1969 and 1970. What a God forsaken country!
On November 10, a web forum I post to, North Carolina Woodworkers, had a thread started which was titled Veterans Day Roll Call. I will admit some of the posters had some impressive resumes and only two or three of us actually had Vietnam experience listed. Most had experiences after Vietnam. On November 12, after Veterans day, I added the following post as a historical account.
As a veteran, I respect each and every one of the posters here who served in whatever form, fashion or place. The respect that veterans now receive is humbling and in some cases, long overdue.
Remember the '70's? Free love, hippy freaks, drugs and more drugs, Hari Krishnas in the airports, flower power and all that crap. I do! I returned from three deployments in Vietnam to a country which was tearing itself apart. Being a veteran was on the same level as a murderer or worse. The lefty freaks spit on us, cussed at us and called us every vile name they could come up with. When I was separated from the Navy in 1970 in Long Beach, we were told not to wear our uniforms off base because it was highly dangerous and not to go alone but in groups. Even then we stood out from the crowd, clean shaven and personally clean dressed in out of date clothes. We endured a lot of abuse.
Going home through the airports wasn't a pleasant experience. In order to fly military stand-by at a reduced rate I had to be in uniform. My dress whites made me stand out in the crowd and there was not one word spoken to me that was worth repeating. Nobody paid any attention to a returning veteran, other than for insults, and we were treated like low life baby killers or worse. The long-haired, dope smoking, unwashed hippy freaks who dished out the abuse are now the liberal progressives running the country now.
Once back home I put away the uniform and never spoke of what I had seen, where I went or what I did. Being a veteran wasn't something to be so I simply wasn't. Personally I am ashamed of myself for not being proud of what I did and hiding it. I forgot the oath I took "to defend and protect the Constitution of the United States from all enemies both foreign and domestic". An oath which has no expiration date. And I forgot the others who sacrificed so much more so I could live in a free country.
Happily that tide has turned, veterans are now recognized for their service and sacrifice. If I see an active duty service member in public, I will go out of my way to say something nice or pat them on the back. When I see someone with a cap on with a Vietnam veteran patch, I always say "welcome home" and strike up a conversation. Sure beats the cussing and insults we endured so long ago.
I thank everyone who posted here for their service to the country I am very proud to call my home.
Okay so I posted a historical account from my own personal experience and from others I know and have heard from. It was a nasty time in America!
Within a hour after I posted, I received a PM from two administrators who told me they deleted my post because it was a political rant. BS!!! One administrator who sent the political rant crap didn't serve and evidently was asleep during the Vietnam war. The other I have no idea what he did, if anything. SO I did reply to the first with a real rant so the SOB could see what a rant was. I have had enough of the liberal progressives and crap like this infuriates me to no end. The nerve! A political rant? BS!!! Neither would know a political rant if it jumped up and bit them on the nose.
I am thankful for todays service members who serve proudly and wear the uniforms with courage. They are my hero's. The ones I feel sorry for are the ones who took their own lives after receiving the abuse heaped on them. I can only pray that God will have mercy on them and allow them to reside in heaven, away from the torture and abuse they had to endure here on earth.
BTW I was waiting to be banned from the NCWW site but that didn't happen. I was highly offended by the comments of the administrators and having the historical account removed. I am within an inch of removing myself from any NCWW future activities and postings.
Thank you for this post.
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