Comments on: Vietnam Veterans Fast A Dying Breed

By: robert frank

robert frank — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 22:53:32 +0000

we better make it soon . not too many left

By: mike_brewer

mike_brewer — Thu, 20 Jan 2011 07:34:18 +0000

wouldn’t it be wild if we could have a gathering of ALL Vietnam Veterans in DC?

By: James Blankenship

James Blankenship — Tue, 18 Jan 2011 07:18:18 +0000

I just watched a VN movie about the Hanoi Hilton.. I was never a prisner but could relate to some of the tings the men talked about.——I can also relate to the tinngs you talk about,, Any time I’m around a crowd (large or small) I like to be where I can keep up w/everything going on around me…Use to have panic attacks really bad if I had to be in public…With help from VA mental health and medication I’m now a lot better off.. Although I have to plan most everything I do so as to avoid the things that still bother me..—-I started looking up my VN buddies a few years ago,, so far I’ve located 10 men that was in my Company…Talk to them on a regular basis….–Bad part is that out of the 10 men 7 of us have major mental and physical problems…. I’m sure the Agent Orange was the cause of most health issues…. Good luck and take care —-Jim

By: andrew

andrew — Mon, 17 Jan 2011 23:20:19 +0000

gone, but not forgotten

By: William D. De Nomie

William D. De Nomie — Sat, 08 Jan 2011 06:02:17 +0000

Hello John:

Thanks for your added comment I was in Artillery had my hands on a lot of weapons from the 105, 155, 175mm guns up to the 8inch Howitzer, and all the other weapons in between. Had my good times, as well as bad times, after leaving the US Army, April 10, 1970 I always look at that date as my second Birthday
I have never had or felt the same camaradrie I experienced serving two tours
“In Country”, that empty feeling was with me for years, until I worked for the Dept. of Veterans Affairs that was the only fullfilling job I ever had.
Still have those dreams that creep in and keeps me awake for the rest of the night
for years, all I asked for was a good nights sleep. Before I married my loving wife, I told her of some of my experiences, but not all of them showed her all the medicine
I take ware hearing aids and to this day I’m always vigilant when I’m out always
looking around.
Still listen to 1960s rock”n”roll and those songs take me back to the Mekong Delta
or the Central Highlands and operations in between. Look upon myself as a well
educated man, besides rock”n”roll there is Classical Music, Jazz and other favorites
have my Library and collection of movies, my garage and my dogs and cats.
When I first went to Vietnam in Nov. 1967 about 90% of the unit were made up of
RA’a Regular Army, those that enlisted with some draftees, When I returned in
Jun. 1969 most of the unit were draftees, with a few old hands returning for a
second tour. The men who were drafted served and did their jobs well they were all soldiers.
I found out later that most of the men who enlisted for 4 years volunteered for
Vietnam for two tours. That takes courage to return to war, or maybe they wanted to get out of a statside armpit like I did when reassigned to Fort Lewis, Washington
sent back to the 4/18 artillery, the same unit I left in Germany. I found out later
that 6 months after I left everybody rotated back to the states, say reminds me of
Walker another 4 year RA , he left Germany volunteered for Vietnam, assigned to
Fort Hood, Texas another armpit and volunteered for a second tour.
Lost contact with him years ago, wish him the best. We met at the replacement battlalion hearing our names at roll call, couldn’t believe we were meeting again
I found out he was on the plane behind me after roll call sat in the rain and mud
and told our stories we had a good laugh, just laughed our asses off went to the
EM Club after that, I never saw Walker again. In 1970 received a letter from him
he was back home in Texas he made it.
With the internet and sites like this, I’m hoping to hear from someone I served with
but sofar nothing how many are really left?
While I was in Vietnam I saw men, who did brave and heroic deeds they deserve
all the best from life. We returned home to an uncertain future with no skills needed in the civilian world, we would make our way the best we could in this
civilian world and create a new life for ourselves.
For myself I always felt that the millions of men who were in uniform before me returned to civilian life, I could do the same, when I went into the army, I was
18 years old I would learn about civilian life 46 months later.

Somethings I’ll never do:

Sit in a barber’s chair, and let another person cut my hair.

When my wife and I go to a restaurant I always ask for a booth or table by the wall, so I can see whats going on around me. I’m always looking around at whats going on.

I’ll never ware a baseball cap again ever!

‘In war, there are no unwounded soldiers”

Best wishes,

Bill

By: john lang

john lang — Fri, 07 Jan 2011 21:05:52 +0000

i forgot to mention in my above comment,that i was in the first infantry division,(the big red one) ,charlie company,2nd battalion,16th infantry regiment,rangers,in vietnam. god bless america,and our veterans.

By: john lang

john lang — Thu, 06 Jan 2011 22:13:47 +0000

im a vietnam vet.i was in the army from 1964 –1967.i went to vietnam in october 1965-1966.i was in charlie , company.2-16,infantry, rangers.we fought in many battles.the biggest was operation abilene,april 11th,1966.we had 80% csaulties.i was awarded the silver star,and purple heart for that battle.i became a detroit poilce officer after i left the army.i retired,and moved to san diego ca,after retirment.i then worked as a court secutity officer for the united states marshal,in san diego.i had a very seroius heart attack,and several strokes.im retired now.im a life member of the vietnam veterans of america,life member of the D.A.V. V.F.W. american legion of purple hearts. C.I.B. society. id like to comment on the stastistics of our vietnam veteran death rate of 390 vets die every day.i think that the death rate of vietnam veterans,are higher than the any other war veterans.i think that our fight wasnt just in vietnam,but after we got home.that took a heavy tole on us.and still is.God bless our verterants, john j. lang

By: Da Nang

Da Nang — Mon, 03 Jan 2011 12:59:11 +0000

Mike,
NO I was stationed on Hill 55 for 6 months, and stationed at Da Nang Air Base (Rocket City as you know) with 1st L.A.A.M. Btln. My buddy Jim was stationed with MAG-11. He and I just emailed each other on Jan. 2, 2011. We returned back to NY on Jan. 2, 1968. He and I flew out of Da Nang on the morning of Jan 1, 1968 (that night Da Nang A.B. got rocketed big time because it was the start of the TET offensive. ) Jim and I flew from Da Nang, to Kadena Okinawa, and then after an attempt to fly out of Kadena in a “Flying Tiger Line” plane one of the 4 engines quit in mid-air, and we made an emergency landing back at Kadena, we stayed overnight and flew out in the same – repaired – airplane on to Travis A.F. Base, then to NY. Neither of us has since flown again. Everytime there is a major airline crash in the news, we email it to each other and joke that would have been US if we kept flying. Jim is 100% PTSD, but stable and happily married with 2 children. I was married for 30 years, then divorced now for 10.
Be safe and well… “Welcome Home”

DANang
…………………………………………………

By: mike_brewer

mike_brewer — Sun, 02 Jan 2011 10:38:54 +0000

Starting to live with zest at 60 ain’t so bad. Especially if you are happily married. Lets all prove the stats wrong.

By: William D. De Nomie

William D. De Nomie — Fri, 31 Dec 2010 04:37:32 +0000

De Nomie, William D. Sgt. E-5 Sent to W. Germany Nov 1966-Sept.67 ,Volunteered for Vietnam Nov. 1967-Sept 1968 9th Inf. Div. Return to country Jun 1969-Apr 1970 I Field Forces Vietnam. In my 60s now, retired disabled veteran live on my little firebase with my wife we both married for the first time she was 41 I was 43 share our life with our 11 dogs and 2 cats. After all these past years, I’ve never left country, took me years to live again