My Hometowns Fallen
Community
I grew up in a small Central Valley farming town of 1400 people. In March of 1965 my grammar schools secretary lost her son in Vietnam. He was a marine helicopter pilot and was shot down. It was a quiet crime free innocent little town. Most of us didn't even know where Vietnam was or what we were doing there. We lost some of our innocence that day and suddenly found ourselves in the real world. Sad day indeed. But this was just the beginning of the horrors to come for thousands of families. Here's Wendell's graduation picture. Full of hope and a looking forward to a bright future. 7 years latter his life would end.
God bless him and all that gave some or all!
God bless him and all that gave some or all!
Vietnam was a waste of over 50,000 of our best young men and women. Kennedy, Johnson, and Nixon should have been sent to point a rifle squad in those jungles.
My friend Warrant Officer Ephriam Rutledge (Rut) Lyles, a helicopter pilot died in Jan. 1969.
Another graduating classmate, PFC Randy Jones died shortly thereafter in a firefight with the VC.
Wasted lives...at the direction of politicians.
Every politician ought to have a child or grandchild in the military before they commit troops in harms way. I don't know how they can sleep at night.
Every Vietnam Vetran ought to get a free trip to Arlington Cemetary to go piss on secretary of defense Robert McNamara's grave. He knew the war was not winnable and did nothing about ending our commitment there. Years latter he apologized for that. Pretty pathetic knowing you can end suffering and dieing and chose to do nothing because of his ego and wanting to save face.
I agree! And it became "not winnable" because of the incompetent leadership we had. We won EVERY major battle we fought there and yet we "lost" the war.
I learned in grade school that you avoid a fight as long as you can, but when the fight is ineveitable you go at it b***s to the wall, and preferably the "firstist with the mostist". No mercy. You fight to WIN, period. Anything less and you get your a** kicked.
That should have the septic field over McNamara's grave.
Wars cannot be won when the best have the problem of an enemy shooting at them in their front and an enemy telling them to not shoot at their back. If politicians do not want to win a war then why are they sending out young men and women into harms way? This is why we will not send ground troops. They have no leadership with a will to win. I and you cannot advocate anything that costs one life unless the will to win is in the leadership. No one can trust the stinking mess that is in the White House now. God bless, Steve
I disagree with the terminology used despite the fact that your intentions I wholeheartedly believe were truly out of the highest respect. Vietnam was and is till this day a very sensitive issue that grinds my teeth, seething with a hatred so deep surpassed only by sorrow. Never wasted. Forever proudly offered. Mothers and fathers who may have lost their sons never believe your sacrifice was in vain, for they were lost in valor. I may not know you but I will NEVER forget them. Never.
The Rock
Our politicians are more interested in avoiding "collateral damage" than they are in protecting our soldiers lives or winning the battle.
"War" means you do what is necessary to win. No one wants to see innocent people harmed, but in war that is not avoidable. If, in the process of completing the mission an opportunity arises to save civilian lives, that should be done. But not at the expense of even one casualty on our side.
Truman hesitated to drop the atom bomb on Japan. It is said that Sec. of State James F. Byrnes assured him that if he did not use the bomb, he would one day be faced with the prospect of explaining to thousands of parents of American GIs how he could have saved their son's lives by avoiding a ground invasion, but he was too concerned about the loss of Japanese civilians.
God bless this young man and his family. Vietnam was lost in Washington, not on the battlefield. A lesson learned? Appears not!
"Every Vietnam Vetran ought to get a free trip to Arlington Cemetary to go piss on secretary of defense Robert McNamara's grave"
I couldn't agree more...
