"We didn't lose Vietnam. We quit Vietnam."...Alexander Haig
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May 26, 2013--
Note: I am re-issuing this post in honor of one of my closest friends and fraternity brother, John Martinek. John was a Vietnam Veteran and passed recently. RIP friend. I will never, ever forget you. John's image is below:
Rock and Roll Warriors
They were the first Rock and Roll warriors
as Hendrix, Credence and The Stones
accompanied them into battle.
They were young men,
bound by courage,
and touched by fire.
Every day, like a shadow,
death followed their every move.
Only those who evaded the shadows,
returned home.
Some in one piece,
others in pieces.
But their war would not end.
Haunted by nightmares of fallen heroes,
their time war dance began---
Living here, but being there.
Some rode the storm out.
Others found friends in smack and Jack.
The first Rock and Roll warriors
now grow weary and old.
And some have died.
But once, a lifetime ago,
they were all bound by courage and
touched by fire.
Jerry Komar, Medic USAF
And We Will Never Forget:
May 26, 2013--
Note: I am re-issuing this post in honor of one of my closest friends and fraternity brother, John Martinek. John was a Vietnam Veteran and passed recently. RIP friend. I will never, ever forget you. John's image is below:
Rock and Roll Warriors
They were the first Rock and Roll warriors
as Hendrix, Credence and The Stones
accompanied them into battle.
They were young men,
bound by courage,
and touched by fire.
Every day, like a shadow,
death followed their every move.
Only those who evaded the shadows,
returned home.
Some in one piece,
others in pieces.
But their war would not end.
Haunted by nightmares of fallen heroes,
their time war dance began---
Living here, but being there.
Some rode the storm out.
Others found friends in smack and Jack.
The first Rock and Roll warriors
now grow weary and old.
And some have died.
But once, a lifetime ago,
they were all bound by courage and
touched by fire.
Jerry Komar, Medic USAF
And We Will Never Forget:
Wonderful and eye-catching blog site. Thank you for putting all this together - I'm looking forward to reading more in the future!
ReplyDeleteMany thanks.
DeleteI too want to thank you for putting this together. I am glad to see you have the Navy people in here because they go into harms way to give supplies and other things as well as sometimes bringing home the dead to their families. Yet they are not considered by government war zone vets because they didn't touch land. My husband was in the Navy during the Vietnam Wart so I know.
ReplyDeleteThank you. And blessings upon your husband. And God bless the US Navy.
DeleteODE TO THE VIETNAM VETERAN: "WELCOME HOME!"
ReplyDelete.by Wayne Mong on Friday, November 11, 2011 at 7:17am.smokeybear said...
I, myself, have done two(2) tours of duty in "Vietnam." The years were '65 to'67. It was a troublesome time: Young Americans were practicing free love and protesting the war in the '60's and this was a movement of disillusioned young people that couldn't grasp the concept of why we stepped into a war half way around the world. Activists, and the Media, fueled the fires to such a frenzie that there was no rhyme or reason left to explore. The rights of a people to resist oppression and to try to hold on to the values of "Freedom" was the reason we aligned ourselves with the "Vietnamese People" and their right to exist as a "Sovereign Nation." It was a time of turmoil and political reteric, and it became: "The Nature of the Beast!" And with this social unrest our proud nation no longer stood for Truth, Justice, and the "American Way."...."Truth:" I, for one, was "Spit On" and called "Baby Killer" upon on my returning home to an America that had no use for returning "Vietnam Veterens!"...."Justice:" There was no justice for the American serviceman for all the good we accomplished was never put out there for all to see. All that was ever show'n was the casualties of war to which America "Shuttered!" This uneven account of what was, became a "Festering Wound" to which America never recovered. This was a war we could have won, but was not allowed too. I saw it, and so did the other sevicemen that were part of this exercise in "Fruitilty." We lost upwards of "58,000 plus" American lives for: "What?"...."The American way:" When World War II ended, our sevicemen returned home with dignity and pride for a job well done, and the pride of our nation... With Korea, not so much. But our sevicemen still had the respect and dignity for a job that they tried to accomplish....Vietnam servicemen were never treated with respect and dignity for the job that we tried to accomplish, and it has changed little in the passage of time....With respect to wars since "Vietnam" the "American Way" now shines "Brightly" again, with respect and dignity for the servicemen that have giving their all for "Freedom." For by forsaking the "Vietnam Veteren" in his time of need is "Unexcusable!" We also gave our all, and the "American Way" wasn't for us back then, and we have been "All But Forgotten!".....For to all my "Vietnam Brothers"..."WELCOME HOME!...."For We Will Never Forget!"...."We Are, And Always Will Be, True Americans in the quest for "Freedom!"....For again I say to my "Vietnam Brothers"..... "WELCOME HOME!" And to our "Fall'n Brothers," you are in our "Prayers And Are Not Forgotten!" For you have paid the "Ultimate Sacrifice" in the name of "Freedom!"
As they like to say;"I know that when I die I will go to heaven,because I spent my time in hell." Vietnam veteran. I memory of all those brave men that I personally put in body bags, as a soldier with the 4th Infantry Division 1966-67.
ReplyDeleteR.I.P. my brothers.
I want you to know that I am a homeschooler, my children are in the 9th and 6th grade. My 6th grader is learning the beginnings of the constitution and she was having a hard time memorizing it. I stopped and found your website. She cried buckets of tears and found a new tenacity to learn the document because of what you posted here. It may not mean much to you or anyone else but today was a great day for me as a teacher, a momma, and a United States Citizen to see pride and compassion in my child. Thank you.
ReplyDelete