NOT EVERYONE IN THE 1960s WORE BEADS! ~ That is from a graphic posted
on the "Blast from the Past" in that Facebook group a couple of days ago
by my Friend, Jerry Teets - and it brought a happy, yet sad deja vu
memory for me, from the 1960s.
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I responded:
Hi Jerry Teets, This brings a beautiful, yet sad, memory from the late 1960s. My girl friend and I lived in Van Nuys, California. Her hometown friend's fiancé, an Army Captain, had lost both legs below the knee in Vietnam.
An IED bomb was exploded as his squad was passing. He and one other survived the attack and when he was released from the VA hospital in Santa Monica, the first thing on his agenda was to visit his comrade, who had lost his eyesight, at the VA hospital in San Diego.
Then they came to visit us for a weekend, my first time to meet either of them - and I was nervous. What do I say to a man who has lost both legs? Yet both of them put me at ease right away. You would have thought nothing had happened to him.
How well I recall, just a few minutes after they arrived, they were sitting on the sofa and he made a light hearted comment - smiling. She kicked him on the shin (which was now a prosthetic leg) and with a smile, warned him.
That weekend they went to a movie alone - and they chose the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. At the theater he chose to sit in the upstairs section. You can imagine a man walking with crutches on new prosthetic legs - struggling up those stairs.
Was he doing it to gain pity? Absolutely not! He was determined to be as normal as anyone else - in spite of his loss. I never saw one moment of anger, regret, of self-pity from the man, and I emphasize "man!"
I learned a lot that weekend about what is truly important - and what makes a real man. His courage and his strong concern, not for himself, but for his squad mate in the VA hospital in San Diego - left an indelible mark on me.
I respect all Vietnam Vets and feel sad at the way they were treated when they came home - home from fighting a politically frustrated losing war, home to abuse by their fellow Americans.
Jerry, thanks for the memories, the good, the bad, and the ugly. God bless, Bill
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Paul Kocourek told us: My number was coming up for the draft, when then President Nixon killed the draft. I drew a breath of relief. Had my number been picked, I would have gone to Vietnam. But, the thing I will never know, is whether I would have come back alive? I salute all the soldiers who did go!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Another gentleman, Edward Goodwin, merely wrote: "Thanks for sharing!"
And a simple "Thank You" is all our returning Vietnam Vets wanted to hear. Vets coming home from World War 2 and the Korean War were greeted with love, thanks, and respect, even though Korea was not a total success.
Why do I say that? Because even though we had a Cease Fire in 1953 - no Peace Treaty, actually ending the war, has ever been signed. Technically we are still at war with North Korea.
But when our Vietnam Vets came home - it was to jeers, cursing, abuse, and even being spit on by beads and flower wearing local heroes. That is the meaning of the graphic on the left shared by Jerry Teets.
Those are not medals on the chain, they are called Dog Tags. Are you curious about why all of our military wears two Dog Tags?
It has a very useful and necessary purpose. When a GI is killed in battle, his squad leader or fellow soldier, takes one dog tag to turn in as proof his friend has been killed - and he leaves the other dog tag, normally in the mouth or jammed between his teeth - so that his body can be later identified and his next of kin notified. Useful, yes. And necessary so that our brave soldier is not forever lost in oblivion.
Think about that the next time you meet an American Soldier - smile, and tell him/her, "THANK YOU!" That is all they want from you.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
I responded:
Hi Jerry Teets, This brings a beautiful, yet sad, memory from the late 1960s. My girl friend and I lived in Van Nuys, California. Her hometown friend's fiancé, an Army Captain, had lost both legs below the knee in Vietnam.
An IED bomb was exploded as his squad was passing. He and one other survived the attack and when he was released from the VA hospital in Santa Monica, the first thing on his agenda was to visit his comrade, who had lost his eyesight, at the VA hospital in San Diego.
Then they came to visit us for a weekend, my first time to meet either of them - and I was nervous. What do I say to a man who has lost both legs? Yet both of them put me at ease right away. You would have thought nothing had happened to him.
How well I recall, just a few minutes after they arrived, they were sitting on the sofa and he made a light hearted comment - smiling. She kicked him on the shin (which was now a prosthetic leg) and with a smile, warned him.
That weekend they went to a movie alone - and they chose the Egyptian Theater in Hollywood. At the theater he chose to sit in the upstairs section. You can imagine a man walking with crutches on new prosthetic legs - struggling up those stairs.
Was he doing it to gain pity? Absolutely not! He was determined to be as normal as anyone else - in spite of his loss. I never saw one moment of anger, regret, of self-pity from the man, and I emphasize "man!"
I learned a lot that weekend about what is truly important - and what makes a real man. His courage and his strong concern, not for himself, but for his squad mate in the VA hospital in San Diego - left an indelible mark on me.
I respect all Vietnam Vets and feel sad at the way they were treated when they came home - home from fighting a politically frustrated losing war, home to abuse by their fellow Americans.
Jerry, thanks for the memories, the good, the bad, and the ugly. God bless, Bill
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Paul Kocourek told us: My number was coming up for the draft, when then President Nixon killed the draft. I drew a breath of relief. Had my number been picked, I would have gone to Vietnam. But, the thing I will never know, is whether I would have come back alive? I salute all the soldiers who did go!
~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~ ~
Another gentleman, Edward Goodwin, merely wrote: "Thanks for sharing!"
And a simple "Thank You" is all our returning Vietnam Vets wanted to hear. Vets coming home from World War 2 and the Korean War were greeted with love, thanks, and respect, even though Korea was not a total success.
Why do I say that? Because even though we had a Cease Fire in 1953 - no Peace Treaty, actually ending the war, has ever been signed. Technically we are still at war with North Korea.
But when our Vietnam Vets came home - it was to jeers, cursing, abuse, and even being spit on by beads and flower wearing local heroes. That is the meaning of the graphic on the left shared by Jerry Teets.
Those are not medals on the chain, they are called Dog Tags. Are you curious about why all of our military wears two Dog Tags?
It has a very useful and necessary purpose. When a GI is killed in battle, his squad leader or fellow soldier, takes one dog tag to turn in as proof his friend has been killed - and he leaves the other dog tag, normally in the mouth or jammed between his teeth - so that his body can be later identified and his next of kin notified. Useful, yes. And necessary so that our brave soldier is not forever lost in oblivion.
Think about that the next time you meet an American Soldier - smile, and tell him/her, "THANK YOU!" That is all they want from you.
God bless, have a wonderful, blessed day,
Bill
Click on the image to enlarge:
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