I have a confession to make

[Whiskey Rick, SASS#84292]

UB, I don't want to re-hijack your post but, after looking through your "Vets Page" I felt something I have not felt in more than 40 years. I had a hard time defining that feeling, I thought I had felt it sometime in the past but I could not wrap my mind around that feeling. I have read, with tears in my eyes the replys your post has brought forth.

Please indulge me this one little story.

 

As I disembarked from the plane at LAX I was met by a very large crowd of very passionate people voicing their displeasure for my place on this earth. As I was escorted away from the area by MPs and airport personel I was assured it was an isolated happening and I would not see it happen again.

 

The lay over was fairly long and as a young guy in uniform I decided to go explore the terminal. After a very short time I was convinced not to wander around. There seemed to be many more of those people not in groups that found it nessasary to tell me what they thought of me.

As the night turned to day and being about as tired as I could get with those people I decided to do the only thing I could think of. I found the nearest large dumpster that would fit my duffle bag and after removing all my civvies and personal items I dumped that bag into it. I found a gift shop and bought a small sports bag and put my stuff in it. I went to a rest room and changed my clothes.

 

When I got to the gate to get on my flight to O'Hare in Chicago I was informed I had to be in uniform to fly military stand by. So I went back to the rest room and changed again. The flight was uneventful and I mistakenly beleived my problems were over.

At the terminal in Denver pretty much the same happened in a smaller way. So back to the rest room again. And before the flight, back again, The Denver to Chicago flight was also pretty much quiet.

 

OK now I was back to the Heartland where people were normal and nice and respectful.

I had just 24 hours before I left country had a small surgery performed on my right ear and was bandaged a little, no big thing but it did make me look a little wierd.

 

Great only two hours flight time and I would be back in the good old Tall Corn State and back to normal life as a normal person. How I wished that were true. Seemingly the very same people that voiced their digused with me were waiting at the Chiago airport only many more of them. I and several other militay guys were segragated to a small lounge in the terminal to "hide" us from those very exuberant people. Hide? Hide? Christ man I'm just back in country less than 36hrs and you want me to hide? What the hell did I do to make you hate me so much?

 

Well finally I am back in Iowa and safe amoung my veteran father and Navy (Veit Nam) vet brother. Now watching it on TV didn't seem to be so bad. My family took me around to all the old haunts to show their son was back.

How can friends of my family talk to someone that way I was shocked, hurt, scared. To his dying day my father never talked to some of his so called friends.

 

I went home that day and thru every item that had anything to do with the Army and my service in it into the burn barrel.

I had no problem forgetting everything that had to do with that period in my life. To this day please don't ask me what outfit I was in (something, something Americal Division). What I am now sorry about is I tossed all my pictures, all my letters to and from home and my wonderful wife. All, everything is Gone forever.

 

UB, Thank you for your site. Thank you for your post here. And yes I will ad my name proudly to your site allthough pictureless. As soon as I can find the power to do so.

 

That brings me back to that feeling I have so long forgotten. Pride. I am very proud to belong to a group of people that served there counrty in any capacity their branch of service saw fit. You are all my brothers and I am proud to indirectly know every single one of you. I look forward to the day I can talk openly with others about my past service. That day will surely come. It was painful but easy to write this little story. Thank you for listening and thank you for your service.

 

Repectfully, Whiskey Rick WELCOME HOME!!

[Utah Bob #35998]

Sorry Bob, no one here uses the lightsticks.

They look really cool if you manage to hit one.

[Chickahominy Charlie]

I had a case of 'em in an old footlocker that my "Rich Uncle" provided for me many years ago. Sadly, my kiddos found 'em a couple of years ago and....well.....you know what happened. Otherwise, I'd have been happy to send you a couple of boxes.

 

Chick

[Badger Mountain Charlie SASS #43172]

I quit using lipstick when my wife found it on my shirt collar.

 

Oh, you said lightstick.

[Chickasaw Bill SASS #70001]

UB

 

I have a few , that I tape to rods for nite fishing , I think they are too small for what you want 5/16 or so in dia and about 3 in long .

I will look around to see what I can scare up .

 

CB

[Flying W Ramrod]

Was in Vegas this Veterans day at the Indian National Finals Rodeo.

The announcer had everyone stand up as colors came in then asked everyone to sit back down. Then he read a piece about Vets and all they stand for and asked all the Vets to stand. There were about 50 of us in the stands. Was good hearing folks applaud. I too remember the '70's airports. Darned Moonies had more respect than we did.

[Old Top #60797]

Hello Bob,

 

I have read all of the posts here about four or five times and come to realize that there were many of us who do not feel we have earned the title of "Veteran", like many I am a Viet Nam Era Veteran never making it across the pond. That is a little difficult to believe when you consider that my active duty time was spent in the 101st and the 82nd, training with the Rangers and the Special Forces. I was the pet Rigger sent out to make sure the resupply chutes made it back so I had the joy of going to the field with them, you Special Forces people liked to use a lot of the compoent parts for different things, afterwhich it is difficult to repack them. I got out and a few years latter decided that I missed being green so ended up in the National Guard and then to the Reserve, most of the time spent as an Instructor for NCO and Officers, after 32 years declared Goverment Surplus.

Like most of us Veterans Day is a time for rememberance of those we served with and are no longer with us, I am at a puzzlement why for most of us that day seems to be harder for us then Memorial Day, anyway I thank you for putting your thoughts down and helping us to see that which we are Veterans.

 

Old Top

[St. Louis Suomi SASS #31905]

Howdy:

 

UB - I haven't spoke about the VN war much since I came back. What you said, pretty much says what I could not get out of my chest. The words just stuck there, like a stick in my chest. I have not yet recovered from the hurt of being called a Baby Killer - I may forgive the clown who called me that, but not right now. Anyway, I looked at my fraternity brothers and most have left for the other world - they were much better than I was at being soldiers. Why did I survive? Don't rightly know why and it hurts me inside my heart. Anyway, thanks for expressing the thoughts I had and cannot say. Five years ago a man said Thanks for my service. I almost broke down - that was the first time anyone ever said that to me...ever.

 

STL Suomi, aka, terry anderson