Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire 41 years ago

Some pretty humbling posts on this thread. Growing up in Canada during that time I was pretty insulated from the reality of SE Asia.My heartfelt thanks to those that served, and are serving to protect all of us.
Something in my eyes, must be hay fever!

Just finished reading this....twice.

Superb thread.

Damn.......

I don't know how I missed this one over the last few days but thanks for the voicemail Jim.

I'll give you a call tomorrow from my detail.

Damn.......

Curious,Scott,.......what high school did you attend?

Quote......". I hope they get some solace that Speedy was not alone and we stood by him to the end."

Exactly that. That is what family and friends need/want to know.
And he is not forgotten.

Jim,you may not hear from his immediate family but maybe a neice or nephew,or a son or daughter,or a grandchild......i can speak from experience. They crave to know....it's a yearning deep from within.

cl, the thought of such a contact leaves me shaking. However, I would not have made the post if I wasn't ready to address them. Odd isn't it? We fought our way in to get him,then fought our way out with him,Ak's,M-16's and frags going off all around and we did it without hesitation or even noticeable fear, but the thought of addressing one of Speedy's family members after 41 years leaves me shaking in my boots.

My thoughts and prayers are with you my friend...

I didn't catch this post earlier..... Will lift a toast tonight.

Thanks to ALL who served, to those that came home one way or another, and those that did not come home yet...

I cannot offer anything but sincere thanks and gratitude. And to express the proud feelings I have for my fellow American citizens.

Jeff

Thanks Woody.

It's guys like you and my late brother in law that caused me to join 23 years ago. It's guys like you that trained me so well that I survived and passed on the lessons learned to the young men(and now, women) in my units. You continue to inspire the best of us and the best in us. Words cannot capture what you have gone through but Thank You so much for your service. God Bless the America that you defended. Please keep posting and never forget.

Thanks Ranger and Welcome to the 'Fire. We ain't always this nice to each other so hang on and enjoy this lunatic asyulum.

Welcome to the Campfire Ranger_Green!

Being of the generation of the 60's, I like many, carry that time internally. I remarked to a friend of mine that walks with a fuzed leg, shrapnel wounds, that i don't think it will ever end until we are all dead and a footnote in history. It effected everyone, nomatter if they went to s.e. asia, were in combat, or not. It shaped our collective thinking with which we live today. My friend with the leg now gets a disability which took a lot of work and years to get.
When the movie came out about the wounded vet in the wheelchair and his experiences, i just had to look at a guy i knew in my small town that had got a machine gun burst turning him into a wheelchair guy. Or another high school friend of mine that had the same thing happen, and at age 19 was going to wear a poop bag the rest of his life. Years later had somebody ask if i knew this guy, cause he always seemed bitter, not knowing of his early history. I said you need to give him some understanding because he has a right to be the way he is. As i type this i remember my friend drunk as a skunk in a cathouse in mexico in 1969 after he got back. And that bag. He was never after able to really keep any relationships.
I don't mean to take away from the main point of this thread, which i linked to just about everybody i know. But it did bring up all thoses faces again, which those of us still alive will not forget. Not all are on the wall either. One guy i knew, named Monte, spend the next year or two after he got back walking around the streets of prescott, wouldn't talk to anybody. Until one day he stuck a gun barrel up his nose.
All casualities in their own way. Or another friend that in 1968 happened to walk with his company into a n.v.a. divisional headquarters. Layed for a couple of hours bleeding out until he woke up on okinawa. A couple ofyears ago he called me and asked me if i though he had post trumatic stress. The V.A. after all those years said they thought he had it. My answer was how could he NOT have it, and it took them all those years to state it?
It goes on.

Amen! Thanks Jim and Woody.

All of us who lived through those years got shaped by them, one way or another. I kind of wonder sometimes if there will even be a footnote.

I was talking to a friend a while back and sharing military stories. He doesn't think about it much, now. But he did have a photo of a general shaking his hand in some hospital. He was being awarded a Silver Star.

He said he didn't do anything to deserve it, he was just trying to help a wounded buddy.

Jim,just recall your first time moving out ( and probably your last time as well).....it's the power of the unknown.....for myself it was an inner release of guilt that i had come home and lived and their's had only returned home.....i then felt the stress of what you're going thru currently.
Thankfully i was contacted almost immediately (i accidently posted near his birthdate). All i can tell ya now is that you have done a good thing and not to freak out worrying over a response. It may never come. That's why i do what i expressed in our privy msgs.....a tad dinky dau but hey.........
The family will recognize your intent.......and appreciate it.

Not to worry Jim. The same One will be with you today that was with you in 1970!

GeoW

I have to jump in at this point to say a few words.I never in my wildest dream would have envisioned the response to this thread or the impact that holding those cases has had on my Buddy!! I remember the afternoon I finally found them in my box of memories and thought I better get them sent..figured he would like to have them but not knowing he would post this thread and the wonderful response from all of you..My emotions are mixed,remembering the details of that night was a no brainer I realize we may have saved some lives but leaving those guys and returning to a warm bed,good chow and relative safety has haunted me for many years.

The ground war was a horrible thing and I got to see a bird's eye view of what our grunts were going through day after day..hot LZ's.. Medevac choppers airlifting guys out to aid stations..Jolly Greens assisting downed pilots and brave guys like our own RockyRaab flyin a Cessna where one should never be flown!! Rocky I salute you Sir for your bravery and thank you for your service!!

Ever since Jim and I hooked up and realized that our paths had crossed those many years ago I knew I had stashed away spent cases from that very eventful night.We arrived on station at dusk and coming into the mountains and seeing the muzzle flashes just knew the chit was hittin the fan below and that we had to take immediate action or people would die.Setting up a gun run, and I'll borrow Jim's quote of "Danger Close" here on a friendly position is not SOP or anything you're trained for!!!

Last night my daughter and grandson stopped in briefly and she wanted to use the PC and noticed I had a post minimized.She opened it up and started to read, then she said dad what's this all about so I briefed her on Jim's thread and in a minute or two tears came to her eyes and said "How in the world could you not have ever mentioned this to us kids?" I think a bunch of you understand.... Well,Im ending this here as it's getting somewhat hard to continue for me but again want to thank my pard Jim and all who have wished us well...God bless and never forget those who have given the ultimate sacrifice...Woody

In the name of Jesus Christ our Lord, Amen.
Jesus Christ is the true salvation; Jesus Christ governs,
Reigns, defeats and conquers every enemy, visible or invisible;

Jesus, be with me at all times, forever and ever,
Upon all roads and ways, upon the water and the land,
On the mountain and in the valley, in the house and in the yard,

In the whole world wherever I am, stand, run, ride, or drive;
Whether I sleep or wake, eat or drink,
There be thou also, Lord Jesus Christ, at all times, late and early,
Every hour, every moment; and in all my goings in or out.

Your five holy red wounds, oh Lord Jesus Christ, may they
Guard me against all firearms, be they secret or public,
That they cannot injure me or do me any harm whatever,
In the name of the Father, Son and Holy Ghost.

May Jesus Christ, with his guardianship and protection,
Shield me, always from daily commission of sins,
Worldly injuries and injustice, from contempt, from pestilence
And other diseases, from fear, torture, and great suffering,
From all evil intentions, from false tongues and the words of fools;
And that no kind of firearms can inflict any injury to my body,
do thou take care of me.

And that no band of thieves, murderers, or evil spirits
Secretly enter my house or premises, nor break in; may the dear
Virgin Mary, and all children who are in heaven with God,
In eternal joys, protect and guard me against them;
And the glory of God the Father shall strengthen me,
The wisdom of God the Son shall enlighten me,
And the grace of God the Holy Ghost shall empower me
From this hour unto all eternity.

Amen!

No words Woody....



I was wrong....I need to edit....


There are words for what you and Jim and hundreds of thousands of other guys have done...

There are sooo many of us that are sooo thankful and proud of what you boys have done, and in the same vein, we realize what the downsides were...

And we too are hesitant to talk much about it, because it brings tears to our eyes as well....