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Vietnam Veterans
Shannon
Member Posts: 24 ✭✭
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, and God bless each.
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of someone like you who would honor us with your praise. We all did what we had to do. Some gave a little, some gave alot, and many gave all.
Thank You Shannon.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, and God bless each.
Let me thank you as well Shannon! It does ALL veterans hearts good to read or hear greetings like this!! God bless.
Thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, thank you, and God bless each.
A rare and deeply appreciated thanks......where were they all them years ago? But, deeply appreciated now. Thanks, Shannon
We were never thanked by the American public for the job we never asked for but did it because our Nation asked us. Our country failed to see the problem was not the men and women who risked and/or lost their lives in Vietnam.It was a crazy and confusing time.
When I came home for my thirty day leave from my first tour in August 1968, I flew commercial from Okinawa to LA and then from there to OHare. Always in uniform as we received a big discount if in uniform. The stewardesses took me up to 1st Class and treated me like royalty. 1st Class !!! Wow !!
After my leave I went through San Franciso (Travis?). This time my Uncle picked me up in San Franciso and after a nice dinner out with he and my Aunt and Cousin, he drove me personally to the base. I'll never forget the Airmen at the gate coming to attention and saluting him. He was a bird colonel in the Air Force reserves, having been a WWII veteran. I got white glove treatment right to the gate. What a kick!
Our flight to Hawaii, then Okinawa was a commercial contract flight.It was filled with a full mixture of folks, Airforce dependants meeting their husbands and fathers in Hawaii etc. It also had a contingent of Marine Force Recon. Rowdy as all get out. They were the Marines Marine. Heroes all.
And then a couple of us, going back individually.
So I had no real idea yet that people were actually mad at any serviceman who fought for their country. That would not make sense to us. Perhaps we were naive back then. Things were simple to us. Our country sent us to help people needing help - we go.
When I came back from my 2nd tour in Vietnam our plane refueled in Oakland (Travis?) and then took off and landed directly at El Toro in Santa Ana (my original station). This was February of 1969 and the Marines - both Air Wing assigned to El Toro and grunts passed through air bases since there was so much "angst" against us by that time. The "crazies" actually waited at commercial airports for troop arrivals and called these heroes "baby killers". They were not welcome at El Toro.
I started seeing the difference on the way back to Chicago for leave. But luckily no one actually confronted me; then a Marine Corporal with Vietnam service ribbons and a purple heart on his dress green uniform. I was a pretty obvious "target."
I was proud to be there. I was proud to be one of the few. It would come to me later when I rotated back off leave to El Toro. It was in the towns around Orange and LA counties. They could pick a Marine out in civvies. We were the only ones with short hair (long by current Marine standards by the way).
But that's Ok.
We fought so that they had the freedom to betray their own.
Funny, they never had the guts to confront us like men - one on one.
Always with stares when alone.
Or in groups in the airports where the police would "protect" them.
So thank you for your love.
We loved you before we even knew you.
Maybe before you were even born.
We did what we did for every person in these wonderful United States.
Not for our own glory..... for "OLD GLORY".
Even if only a few like you actually appreciate it.
The bottom line:
We did it because good and innocent people needed our help.
Shannon. You have a beautiful name. My 4th daughter and 7th child is Shannon.
She is a treasure.
So are you.
God Bless you as you have blessed us with your message.
It really means a lot!
An older Marine in Kansas. One of the lucky ones.