I landed in Saigon for the second time. Well it's 1, 2, 3, what the hell we fightin' for......

That's a few days back. But I am glad you made it back. Be Well, RZ.

With benefit of 20/20 hindsight I'm amazed I made it back.

Thank you! I have never served, but I'm extremely grateful, with a long line of Family members who have! My son is over there now! God Bless!

And I bet you're wondering where the time went! But you made it home.

Don’t ask me I don’t have a damn, the next stop is Viet Nam!

Thank you for your service DD!

Looking at that opening post by DD I said to myself . . .

"DAMN he is old!"

Then I got to thinking dang it was that long ago . . . I must be old too!

Course I am more handsome in my advanced years than is DD!

I hope you guys are happy! It’s been 3 days now, and I’m still singing that song ( I think I’m gonna die rag)
I hadn’t thought about it in 45 or 50 years!

Be careful there buddy, I don’t have any grey hair. 😁

"Just For Men" works wonder eh? Gets the grey out...

Reading this thread, I got to thinking . . .

DANG, that Digital Dan guy is really OLD . . .

Then realized I was back, out and back in school!

Course driving a LOH as a Scout would age one far beyond their chronological age.

Yes. I’m 9,456 years old.

'

In my case, what has not turned gray has turned loose!

Thank you for your service BD.

ya!

GWB

Thank you for your service DD.

We talkin' Grecian Formula 16?

Chortle!

Like some already said, glad you are here...

Thanks for your service digitaldan

DD you were late to the party, and while your hair is not white, most of mine is white and gone.

I landed in the fall of 67, But the important part is not the hair, its that were still here. Take care my brother.

Welcome back sir

That song brings back memories.

It was 50 years ago this year when I was discharged from active duty. I was the oldest in my platoon. Of course most were teenagers. I had been to college and I could have gone to officer training. I didn’t think I’d fit in well with officers.

Glad you made it home ok. A good friend for many years died from Agent Orange. Two high school classmates and my brother-in-law couldn’t live with the memories and they did themselves in.
You might look up if there’s a VVA (Vietnam Veterans of America) organization near by. I find the American Legend here is a lot more active and helpful than the VFW. The VFW here is more of an alcoholic club - (here at least.)
But the VVA is a damn good organization too.

My high school classmates - a lot of them - got a free ride to south east Asia. Most Vietnam but some Laos.

My dad was in the Navy stationed in the MeKong delta. A man down the street from me was the first Sargent to make enemy contact in the Ia Drang LZ X-Ray battle. He's in General Moore's book. Mom got no letters for 3 weeks after the Tet offensive. She was scared to death. I'm still amazed at the guts these young men had.

We owe a lot to those brave young men that served over there. I used to work with a Vietnam vet who came home from Vietnam in 1969. He said when they got close to Fort Campbell, they were told there was protestors throwing bags of dog schitt at the soldiers getting off the buses.

I sort of wish the enlisted men had the go ahead to take matters in their own hands. We were blamed for the war by the mass media and the population believed it.
Being spit on, not allowed to go to churches, professors refusing to give good grades, and employers posting on HR doors “NO VETERANS!”. Even the police were harassing veterans.

Arthur K. Pirkle wrote a book titled 'Valhalla's Child" which was an autobiography written as a novel. It's very interesting. He describes the fictional protagonist as being spat on and kicking the flower child in a sensitive place. He told me that that fellow wasn't going to have any kids. Pirkle is gone now but was a very good man. Tough as a boot.

Vietnam - not complaining


Fifty years ago - I had just gotten back from Vietnam in March and was applying for VA/GI Bill benefits for school. Imagine my shock to find out I would only be getting $125 a month and out of that came tuition, books, and living expenses. Oh yeah, I had to requalify every semester and there was about 10-week delay in getting my check. After two years, got married and my check only went up $175 a month. I had hopes of med school but quickly soured on that when despite working two part time jobs, I still ended up having to borrow money just to make it out of undergraduate. A real struggle to make the best grades when you're fall asleep in class. So much for the military paying for my college degree - big difference from the days when my father came back from WWII. However, not complaining.

Then, raising two daughters who I promised would not have to work their way through school, my wife became disabled and I no choice but to take out student loans to keep my promise for them. Over a 15-year span, paid every damn dime back of those loans but I'm not complaining.

Now they're letting people off the hook on their student loans for no real reason or hardship except maybe to sell their vote - and in the long run my tax dollars will go to paying for it . . . NOW I"M COMPLAINING.

Fifty years ago? Seems a lot better than what we have coming.

In 1965 I volunteered for the Air Force. I signed up for 5 years so I could be a pilot. Jobs were scarce in SW PA where except in coal mines. My father had already did a stint of 30 years and was suffering fro black lung.

I did all the test, passed with flying colors and went for my physical. I passed everything and was walking down the hall to the last doctor. They pulled me out of the line and checked my back. I had limp they said I would never make it out of Basic Training. They put big a slash across my paper work and FAILED. 30 seconds changed my life, Navy, Army or Marines would not even consider me then. I would probably would not have survived Vietnam.

It was tough 2 years until I finally landed a job with Sandia Laboratory in NM . First thing , I was put in a group designing weapons used in Vietnam.

Always felt guilty for not being able to go, but I truly thank all those that served and especially for those that never came back.

saddlesore, you tried. That's a lot more meaningful than heading for Canada. And, besides that, what you did was likely far more helpful. I was put straight in my thinking about that by a Seal who spent a lot of time in VN. I served but didn't go to VN, felt a little bad about that and he said "You did your part" and meant it.

Besides, Sandia has got to be an interesting place to work...

I worked on the Daisy Cutter that cleared helicopter pads, Walleye TV guided missile, and dual 30's on helicopters with a heads up display. Those guns followed wherever the pilot turned his head. Also did a lot of work on the Coin program which was McNamara's electronic fence, and some programs that are still classified. Then they sent me to the Nevada Test Site where the underground nuclear test were just getting started after the above ground test were banned by treaty. I did that until 92 when the underground test were stopped because of the treaty signed by Bush. All those test were for finding ways to harden the U.S. Weapons systems from nuclear blast and radiation. Today my lungs are crapped up from breathing all that crap after detonation when recovering experiments. I have had several friends die for radiation caused cancers.

saddlesore,

My ex brother in law's father spent 36 years at Sandia . Did you ever work with a John R Biesterveld ?

See what I mean about the importance? Yes, radiation is not to be messed with. But useful, too.

Dan,

thanks for your service my friend...

God Bless you for your time in harms way....for our nation.

cheers,

seafire

Don't EVER feel guilty for not being able to go to Vietnam.... I have no clue of how many vets have told me "I didn't miss a thing..."

I was routed to Ft Lewis for more medical training, when I was scheduled to be with the last group to be sent there...

Had some big mouth California transplant trying to give me crap one day locally, at one of our local stores....

He jumped on my ass about having a veteran hat on, and then asked if I served in combat and what I did... told him but no I was not sent into a war zone. then he starts giving me crap about NOT being a Veteran then.... before I had a chance to put him in his place there were 9 vets that materialized out of no where....

they went right after the guy, and asked him what branch he served in? didn't serve...

These guys were pissed enough that they were getting ready to rough this clown up.....

one of the Marine Vets, told him " THIS man put on the uniform, he trained to serve... and like every one else that served, they put on the uniform, went where they were sent, did what they were trained to do and told to do... we all couldn't be Rambo... but we EACH served"..... and Schitts like you complain about us, and never put on a uniform.....then the guys apologized to me that people like him, try to give a Vet a bad name....

I got 9 hand shakes from guys who thanked me for my service... especially being Medical Corps...several had been wounded in combat.
They knew what I had trained for....

Never feel guilty, for serving your country, on how it was dealt to you...

you tried to put on the uniform... but even tho it was denied, you still served your nation...

Thank you for your service Saddlesore.

Nicely put Seafire!!!!

Yes, indeed!

Name doesn't sound familiar. When I was there 64-74 there were 3000 people. A lot of it was compartmentalized (Is that a word?), They didn't want you dwelling into what others were doing. A lot of " need to know". I was in a room with 25-30 other people. All had Top Secret clearances. DOE called them Q clearances. No one got in that room unless they were working on that program. When I went to the Nevada Test Site, I worked on a lot of Black programs. Kind of like Super Top Secret. I was just over the hill from Area 51. Saw the Stealth Fighter before anyone knew it existed

That will be me someday. This coming March 19th will be 20 years since I deployed to Kuwait and crossed the berm into Iraq. The next few months were nothing more than a blur. Combat actions finally slowed in the summer and it was pretty much the same old patrols with a few casualties mixed in to keep us from getting bored. Truly a million dollar experience I wouldn't pay a nickel to do again. I went back to Iraq in 2009 then to Afghanistan later that year and again to Afg in 2012. Retirement is grand!

I was at the Tulsa show when the 101st Airborne reenact-ors of Vietnam battles showed up. They had four tables, a huge flag hung from the ceiling, etc.

You want to feel really old, have a young kid, actor type, in uniform tell you he is reenacting your battles in the Vietnam war history. Geez. Now I know how the old guys felt in 64-67.....when I was there with them. We are the history.

On June 15th, 1973 I raised my right hand and said "yep" and took the bus ride to Ft. Leonard Wood Missouri. It's been 50 years since I was on the Ft. Des Moines property. 50 years and one day later I was back to get my daughter married on what was former Ft. Des Moines property now known as the Blank Park Zoo. Where the heck did 50 years go ??

At one time Ft. Des Moines was home to the 25th Infantry division. It was the home to what was known as the Buffalo Soldiers cavalry. In WWII it was the primary training base for the Army WACS. The buildings are looking bad and it hasn't been used by the military for at least 20 years. So much history just decaying away.

kwg

I've always thought it was sad that our government just let military installations die.

Personally I don't think the Federal Government should ever give away anything that was a military installation.

It belongs to the people, but developers and politicians always want it to make a quick buck.

When the next real war comes, were are they going to train people they need to fight our enemies?

The money we blow on welfare and welfare fraud, needs to stop and spending it on maintaining a strong military is what needs to be done.

Our entire nation, via the Federal Government does nothing but prostitute this nation further into hell on a daily basis.

In the 80s, I use to visit Ft Des Moines quite often when I was down that way on business...

Growing up as a military brat, I look at these installation, as old neighborhoods, where I use to live.

The military is our defense against those who would destroy us...

sadly DC Politicians, are the biggest enemy of our nation.... because its all about them, not our nation.

The buildings on the old section of Ft. Sam Houston and Ft. Des Moines look to be built from the same plans at about the same time. (early 1900's) That tells me that Ft. Des Moines was at one point just as important of an Army post as Ft. Sam Houston. It's too bad Ft. Des Moines was allowed to fall into complete disrepair while Ft. Sam has gained prominence. Did politics play a part ??

kwg

Being medical corps in the Army, I've spent some time on Ft Sam several periods of time....

and have stayed in those old early 1900s built barracks. Those were solid old buildings.

Politics always plays a part in those type of decisions...

The Pentagon and Congress really don't give a damn about some of the old vintage bases.

Growing up as a dependent, when we lived in England, from 63 to 66, the Pentagon closed 10 Air Bases, in 63 and 64, that they had just reequipped in 62. The Limeys were buying one and 2 year old station wagons and Ford Pickups, for $100 on base deposal. As a 12 year old, I bought an entire set of Encyclopedia Britannica for a dollar off one of the Base libraries that closed down... the set was a year old.. I was a proud 11 year old...

These closures have always bothered me... they just throw things away. At 11 y/o, I thought that was throwing tax payer money in the garbage.

Look at the Hueys they just flew out to ships with evacuees and then just shoved the chopper overboard. I flew on a Huey crew ( Med Evac ) for 2 years... that drove me nuts also.

Out of Kelly Heliport, Ft. Sam ??

kwg

I was discharged a little over 50 years ago. By this date in 1973, my hair was getting long enough, I could get by as a civilian.

That discarding of history always bothered me, too.

And one thing I have repeatedly found is that most of the younger folks today have no idea at all about real history. But what can you expect when , as recently reported, 50% of the millenials believe that 'misgendering' someone should be a crime.

50 yrs ago, Igot out of the service after 8 yrs active duty. Time sure flys! Got discharged March 29, 1973. Still can't remember birthdays though!

Thank you for your service

I think Nov 12 63, I got on a train at Storm Lake Iowa to basic training at Fort Leonard Wood.

I'm late to the party but from Dan's OP date I had finished my Vietnam deployment '69 -'70 as well as the balance of my enlistment here at Offutt AFB and been back in civilian attire for 12 months..

What a ride !

Yep, what a ride. 50 years ago I was stationed at McCoy AFB, Orlando (KC-135’s) packing up the base ref base closing and handing it to Orlando Airport. Orders to Plattsburgh AFB, NY (FB-111’s and 135’s). The memories of that time are like a fart in the wind.

50 years ao. I was just getting out of the AF after 8 yrs. Discharged out of Kalispell Air Force Station! Geeze time sure flys!