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How where you treated when you came home?
Workingzombie
Member Posts: 235 ✭✭✭
I heard some pretty nasty stories on how guys returning from 'nam
were treated when they came off the plane at the airports. Did any of you guys go through any of this jeering or being called baby-killers?
were treated when they came off the plane at the airports. Did any of you guys go through any of this jeering or being called baby-killers?
Comments
Ah those were the days[xx(]
Smoky
Former Member U.S. Navy Shooting Team
Former NSSA All American
Navy Distinguished Pistol Shot
MO, CT, VA.
Later he idiot instructor bought a 350 Honda. I was riding one at the time. He asked me why he couldn't kick start it as the kick starter didn't engage the crank. I told him he bought a lemon. He probably was holding the clutch in but I didn't care. He was also one of the driver ed teachers.
I might have gone there if I'd gotten my parents to sign off on me at 17. Not that I asked or not to say that I wanted to. I stayed in school because dropouts were getting drafted. My older brother and I both got high numbers.
If anyone recalls the US back then, every night the news showed about 15 or 20 minutes of the war. At least it seemed that way. Every night there were body counts, so many from the north, so many VC,so many from the south, so many GI's. The media didn't seem as biased then as they do now although "editorializing," as my dad called it did occur. A lot of coverage was dedicated to protests, too. From my pov, Kent State was, and still is, almost surrealistic. Hell, a cop can't even give chase in this era under certain circumstances and the Guard was fighting beer bottles with M16's.
I really thought for many years after the war that some good had come from it, that a government "of by and for the people" had been restablished. I doubted the logic of Nixon when he sold the contents of Fort Knox, justified Watergate as merely the tactics of politics. I don't think the term, "National debt" had been conceived then. Now, allowing for a "government" that can curb spending to first stop contributing to it, we will be generations digging ourselves from underneath it.
But I digress, did I believe in the VN war? No, not from where I stood. Did I respect those who fought there? Highly. As an RN I am beginning to see veterans from WWII, Korea and Vietnam. I recently had the ombined honor and misfortune of trying to the best of my abilities and doctor's orders to ease the death of a Vietnam Silver Star recipient in his last days as he succumbed to mesothelioma, a painful disease for which I understand there is no cure. This hero existed for days on a narcotic drip that would kill anyone here in an hour. At times he would call out the names of the men in his squad that he rescued to earn his medal. He fought his disease, medications and death heroically, and was in and out of his bed to the end, the most reasonable and non violent resistive patient I expect to ever know. Once a hero, always a hero.
Not, by any means, that this thread is about me, but I have lived my life since this war half grateful that I didn't experience it and half remorseful by the same logic. I have wondered why, after a couple failed attempts at higher education, my current profession came so easily to me. Maybe, in this post, I have found the reason. Maybe my contribution to the VN war is yet to come.
I am getting to the point in the workplace where I can, knowing a man's birthdate and diagnosis, assess a vet and the war he served in with little difficulty. The tattoos are a giveaway to the branch. When another nurse complains for one reason or another about one I have the distinct pleasure of reminding her that this patient is a hero. My own father landed at Normandy beach. To him and all here, I would like to say, Thank you.
on VJ day was great for those in the States, mostly those never being overseas in wartime. The first batch were were warmly welcomed, and the next batch welcomed, by that time it got old. Finally it was, "my God, how many more are comming home"? Seems like it got old quite quickly. We didnt care, we were home and alive and that was all that counted. We recieved our "mustering out pay" and were out usually within 4 days. We recieved the G.I. Bill benefits which were never promised on enlistment and went back to our lives.
I like the divorce quote above, and would like to "Amen" that. Another thread could ask how many divorces followed return.
civilians. I mostly just turned and walked away because I knew I wouldn't win if I lost my temper and wound up in prison.
got home found the girlfrind and headed for the local park at o dark thirty and was arrested by local pd for trespassing. finally ran into a ww 11 vet who took pity and released me.
think i had 10 turkey dinners that day.
Still pi$$ed off today. Served my country, was wounded a couple times, spent a short time as a POW of the freaking Gooks just so the protestors could enjoy their freedom. Never got any help from the VA for all the medical probelms I've had, Never once did I hear "Thank you: for serving. Never got any respect.
They can all kiss my *!! [:(!]
While walking through Central Park (I know it is stupid to have done so, IF I was aware of the general attitude, but I had had ZERO access to TV for the period June - November, and darn little time to listen even to the radio) - I was spat upon, had garbage thrown at me, hordes of grungy scarecrow/ragamuffins walking backwards in front of me, faces all screwed up, full of rage, throwing epithets, cursing me, asking me if I was/taunting me with "Baby-Killer" & "NAZI", "stooge", and so on. My Uniform was damaged - cost me some demerits/restrictions when I got back, and money I had very little of to fix the problems. I was attacked several times on the buses around the city, and waitresses would ignore me... it was pretty bad. I was barely out of High School, and not yet anything but a Naval Midshipman, and they were attacking me! All because of my uniform.
I had come from the Deep South, and they still had some respect for Servicemen when I left for the Academy, but on my first Liberty, it was a whole different world in NY. I didn't go out much on Liberty after that. Didn't go out in public till about a year later, after first Sea Voyages, after I was a Third Classman, able to wear Civvies out the Gate. I was/am proud of my service, but it was simply impossible to go out in Uniform into the civilian environment. I could handle myself, 6'5", 260, football player, 20 years old - I didn't want to get in trouble for hurting someone who attacked me, and I wasn't sure I could handle multiple simultaneous attacks, even if it was from a bunch of drug-dazed skanky scumbag hippie types.
When I finally got home to my family in California in 1972, November, they kinda kept me busy with family and close friends types of activities, and I travelled to and from in civvies. I still got a lot of looks from the skanks, cause I still had a Military haircut and bearing. Much as I wanted to lash out, I couldn't, cause all it would take was some publicity, and I would get thrown out of the Academy. I just had to take whatever they threw at me, avoid fights, and so on.
The only way I was going to get a College education was through the Academy, and I was not going to risk that.
After I graduated (1975) things were beginning to calm down, and I only had a few bar-fights here and there. I let it all out then - great therapy. I'm well-adjusted now, and (heh) so are they.
The thing that was so telling was that those who were heaping insults, and goading me wouldn't have stood a chance even at two or three to one to us Cadets, but they were attacking the uniform, not me - they didn't know that at that time, I hadn't even gone over there, and wasn't a forward soldier, and all they knew was a sort of "group hate" - unthinking, unfeeling, uncaring - just opposite to the things they professed to be. I saw them for what they were.
It was some good lessons - aided me in all my adult life.
Libs, "Anti-War" types, Socialists/Commie-lovers, "Progressives", ain't worth the powder to blow them to hell, ain't worth my time, and sure are a waste of good air.
JUST A SHAME,,,,I AM GLAD THE CICVILIAN OUTLOOK SEEMS BETTER 40 YRS LATER,,,but thaty image is burned in my mind,,,by the way he is 72 now !!
Many years ago,I married one of those protestors.She had her job and I had mine.Respecting one anothers view point goes a long way.
After graduating, missed out on five jobs I was perfect for due to my military service, much like gunsdens experiences. Finally went to work for a Fortune 50 company, and the guy I interviewed with was ex-Army, WWII and Korea.
My worst experience was when a friend wanted me to join the VFW. Took me to their "hut" and while having drinks, he introduced me to some of the guys there, all WWII types. One of them, after the introduction, asked "what war were you in?" Told him Vietnam. He said, "Oh, that is the one you guys lost." I finished my drink, told my buddy adios. Do not belong to the VFW or the American Legion, and I get at least five requests from each a year.
John
I have to tell you...I came back in 1965, landed in California, flew to Vermont in uniform and never ran into anyone who objected to me being a soldier. We are sort of at the end of the road up here on the Canadian border and I have kept my HOR here for twenty odd years and returned off and on for R and R and eventually retired here. Never once did I face an anti-war sentiment. Lately however I have noted a half dozen or so 'sixtys' leftovers holding up Iraq anti-war signs in the town square on the week ends. I guess it just takes awhile for those things to come this far out. Actually when I hear some of the horror stories other veterans had to face, I consider myself very lucky.
Jim Bowers
As a returning Viet Vet I was basically ignored. In 2004 at my 40th class reunion I heard "Thanks for serving" for the first time in 35 years.
I turned to the guys behind me and shouted, (LETS, KICK SOME *). At that I headed for the high and mighty Timothy O`leary. His concubines, and other sheep followers around him, quickly gave way. I had the kind of hate in me, that they had never seen before. They were scared stiff, like they smoked a bad, bag of dope, and they couldnt get their money back. I had flipped out.
I was 30 ft from Timothy O`leary, and closing fast. I knew that the other soldiers, behind me, didnt come, but I didnt care. I was in a dead run for the coward, and had murder in a slow and painful way for this turd. The MP`s tackled me 5ft from my objective. I was able to spit in his face. Once the MP`s had me handcuffed, and he (Timothy Oleary) safe, then he started his boisterous hollering again. (SEE I TOLD YOU THEY WERE KILLERS).
I don`t know if I made the 5 oclock news that day. I dont remember much. The MP`S Let me go, and put me on a plane to Okla, where I live to this day. I was guarded the whole while I was there, cause they knew I would get him.
I`ve let the anger go, (it don`t mean a thing). It took me along time, but I`ve forgiven all of them. But everytime I see a demonstration, against our troops, the dark side of me starts awakening again, and I think to myself, when the war by the Taliban starts over here in America, where will the protesters be then?
Get ready my friends, ----it`s coming.
bullet maker
mid '66 after doing full tour in country, in & outside of the
wire. Flew eastward on Delta, meals were being passed and I was ask
by the kind attendant if I was hungry. Yes! always. Back then 'stand
-bys' were not counted-in for meals. I was offered two meals. I
realize that was before the countrie's attitude change storm. Finally
made it to Elmira/Horseheads NY. Worked with WestingHouse for
two years and lived about a mile from the Elmira/BigFlats Airport
in '67. Could see the main runway from my patio back door. My fatherN
law flew for CorningGlass and their planes out of that airport to
Boston every day. I was able to fly w/him many times and not once do
we recall of civil rude disorder in '67. If there was ever two troops deplane'g from the same flight at that airport, was rare.
Very conservative community. At the time, many WWll & Korean
Vets were living their American dream in which I worked with. The
next year, WoodStock happen north of us. Yes, 'spat-AT' did
occur in a lot of those pi$$Holes and when it happen in the extreme
radical college towns, we vets 'spat-at' back, 'Spat-ON', did it
really happen? I went on to TxInstruments in Hou for 30 years.
In '69 we were designing and machining the new SmartBomb warhead
parts, in a building 10 feet from the public walk. No spitters there
all thru the war with the building 10 feet from the public sidewalk.
Dallas TI site caught the noise. It did depend on where one
was. Most of the country supported the troops and disliked the Gov
actions. Too bad the troops had to be channeled thru the pi$$holes.
And if one went looking for it, different story. Very depressing
time.... '68, I did receive a standby recall notice back to active.
It didn't come.
On a brighter side, an older gentleman standing a few feet away saw and heard the exchange. After she left obviously pleased with her protest against the Vietnam war, he walked over, shook my hand and thanked me for my service. Found out he was a ex-Marine who served in WWII. To this day,his face I remember, her face I don't.
My new CO at Lejune, on the record chewed my butt out. Off record he shook my hand.
In 1974 I was on the USS Okinawa LPH. I got the opporitunity to dive on the anchor with the ships EOD. Great bunch of guys. A little crazy so I fit right in with them. I found it funny, Marines and Navy would fight like cats and dogs but let someone else mess with one or the other and it would be Navy and Marines fighting together. We could pick on the Navy but hell forbid if the Army or Airforce mess with a sailor and the Marines would be there along side the sailor. The sailors would do the same for Marines. Like brothers, they would fight among themselfs but let someone else mess with them and they were right in the middle of it side by side.[8D]
Oh by the way it wasn't until Desert Storm that someone thank me for VN.
called me a baby killer and said i spoke w/ a funny accent. just to show you how out of tuned everyone one was during that crazy time.i carried a m-14 one time and that was on payroll duty. yet i was a baby killerrrrrrrrrrrrr