Viet vets, how were you treated.

[PhillipM]

I was born in December of 68, so I just have a few stories. Here in the deep south I was told the vets were well received.

I don't mean to say someone coming home to another region was treated any less, it's just what I know as a small kid.

A 101 ab recon platoon vet reared me in the summertime and started reunions with his friends.

I was their bartender, serving up Old Charter and Coke.

Among the WW2 tales was my summertime caretaker's son in law,a Vietnam 101st vet, stopped the conversation.

He said it was remarkable that these ww2 guys had found each other and were now chatting about all they saw.

He said he'd never contacted or have been contacted by anyone in the 101 he served in Vietnam. He marveled at the ww2 guys comadre and the ww2 guys hung their heads when he spoke when he said he had no idea even how to contact anyone he served with. Circa 1978. I just kept slinging Old Charter and Coke, being the fly on the wall.

There was Floyd from across the street that was in Italy, can't recall the unit, but it was combat. When the 101 recon platoon started their reunions he walked across the street and spilled his guts as I just kept pouring Old Charter and Coke.

Miss all those men and wish I'd have been smart enough to write it all down. Then again, what they recounted between themselves in the war may have been private and I just happened to be there. Band of Brothers omits a lot of what went on, from what the 10 or so Bastonge vets related among themselves over Charter and Coke

[High Plaines Doug r]

I got back from RVN Dec 31, 1970 and got cut loose in Oakland, CA. Jan 3rd, 1971. "Back in the World." The only time I heard from anyone in my unit was when someone got farked up or worse. "The World" was a completely different place and there was really nothing much to talk about between here and where I'd been. After 6 months or so, I stopped hearing from the guys I served with as they'd mostly all come home.
I met up with a college dropout friend of mine who had moved to San Francisco and I eventually moved in with him. Other kids from college came through and went; SF was sort of a tourist destination at the time, I met my future wife there, a girl I knew slightly in school before I dropped out and got drafted in 1969.
It wasn't until the 1980's I heard about a vet's organization centered on the 5/7th Cav, 1st Cav Div that I even thought about connecting with my past. I check in on their website every few months to see if recognize anyone I served with but have not brought myself to signup or go to any of the reunions.

[Griff Murphey]

i really don't know if my opinion matters here because I was only on the Cambodia and Vietnam evacuations in 1975. When I talk with Vietnam vets I always draw a clear distinction between my 27 days picking up and occasionally bandaging refugees etc., and their real war. That said I personally was received back home with a giant "Ho Hum." My parents and future wife were glad to see me; everyone else was indifferent. These days if the subject comes up I do my usual explaination and usually feel a bit ashamed of taking the thanks because I "never got out of the boat." But I will say this: the full tour combat vets have been real friendly, to a man. And I am always honored to be in their presence. Don't know if this contributes in any way to this discussion.

It pissed me off that I had to wait until 2003 to finally get the last of my "I been there" medals, including the long delayed "Gee Dunk."

One of the HM-2s (now a retired HMCS) in the BLT 1-4 Battalion Aid Station has traced down nearly every corpsman and I have been in contact with one of my dental techs, also he has sent out some nice then-and-now pictures. I have stayed in contact with a couple of platoon leaders and our chaplain. I was on float with 1-4 from Easter Sunday to September '75 after Vietnam we had most of the summer in the MAU camp in the PI. Delta Company and the battalion surgeon recovered the SS MAYAGUEZ at Koh Tang. I think we had good unit cohesion.

[Major Tom]

As a Nam vet, I think the lack of comradmanship is because of the 12 month tour of duty. Replacements did not get their training and in country service together as a whole like during WW2. Even tho my company as a whole went to Nam together we were not comrades as in WW2, just wanted to get home in one piece. I have searched for years for my former friends and have found nobody.

[Clark Howard]

Most units in Vietnam were on a one year rotation, with people leaving and replacements arriving all the time. The result was that you knew a few people very well, because they arrived just before or after you did. For units that were in-country for 12-14 years, there is an endless stream of personnel. My pilot training class remained in touch and has a reunion every few years. The Guard unit I retired from does lunch often. Many of the returnees were poorly treated by schools and employers. I interviewed many applicants who did not disclose their Vietnam service until they knew that I had served. It was all a bad mark on the country for their treatment. Regards, Clark

[Dan Shapiro]

I think you're spot on, Clark. People were constantly coming in / leaving. Were it not for the internet, and doing some searching, it would have been impossible to find friends who scattered to the winds after coming home and getting out. Even when you do make connections, there are gaps. As much as people ask "What happened to so-and-so", questions on their whereabouts remain. You check the social media sites and their names never turn up. Just my .02.

[blackhawknj]

I had over 2 years to go on my enlistment, one thing I recall is that those of us who had "Been There" didn't spend a lot of time talking about it because so much could be communicated without talking. It was sort of like joining a fraternal order where "those in the know" understand all the references the shorthand and hence needed no explanation. And those who hadn't were not members and hence were not entitled to know.
Regarding treatment in "The World" and hostility and abuse, one friend said the only time he encountered some hostility he said their attitude quickly changed when they realized this guy HAS done IT and wouldn't hesitate in doing IT to THEM.

[joemel12]

As a Corpsman (8404) FMF MAG-16 70-73, I flew Medevac physically being and out of country often over two campaigns. '72 was brutal.I assure all that my Marines and I were brothers (not friends). I saw the comraderies and certainly an FNG paid some due. Yet the majority I truly served I never new a name. The war a corpsman primarily fought was death. The rotations and I think that time in US history caused us as to get out and go our separate ways seeing no reason to ever talk about that time to avoid the label "baby killer".

[BudT]

My outfit has a annual reunion even though I have been invited time and again I have never gone. There is a roster that we can draw some info on as to where many of the ones I served with are. One of the men from one of the outfits we supported lives up here in Libby and has invited me to their outfits reunions which they have once a year in different locations. He served in the 3/506th same as my dad did. I didn't want anything from anyone one when I came home except a chance and to not be harassed by the anti-war types. My temper got the best of me several times and dam near got me thrown in jail for busting some smart ass in the mouth. We were not welcome home back then and after all these years I wouldn't accept it from them now, I just don't care anymore. Life is to short and hard to worry about what others think, I have a life to live and to it's fullest. Have a nice day, I did.

[nf1e]

?

[Michaelp]

VN Vets not keeping contact was pretty much the norm for several of the excellent reasons posted.

A lot of units have associations with websites that often help guy link up.

"Together We served is a good site for this as well."

Some units with more cohesion, like Marines or SF tended to stay more in touch, if only through unit associations and reunions.

I belong to the SF association and attend a lot of functions. Just good to be around that type of people with shared unique experiences.
Next week there is a big ceremony at Ft Campbell where 5th Group is going back to the striped Beret Flash.
Looking forward to seeing a couple old team mates and guys I have gotten to know over some internet groups.
Last summer I met a couple team mates at the convention in Seattle. One was a WW2 Luftwaffe vet, still going strong.

[Sarge]

Fortunately I did not encounter any of the anti war Krap at the airport or else where when I came back in Mar 70. Had I have done so I would have very happily put the SOB, and any of his buddies, in the hospital!!!
Why was this so? I came home on a medivac flight and was shuffled from one hair farce bird to another at the different stops till I got to Buckly ANGB and then by an Army medic bus to Fitzsimons Army Hospital in Aurora, Colo.
Sure wish I could make the festivities at Ft Campbell, but no way.
Will try to make SFA, SOA and Mike Force (if there is one?) conventions this year.
Sarge

[Vern Humphrey]

During my second tour in Viet Nam, some assholes found out my wife (who was pregnant and working as a nurse in Philadelphia) was married to a soldier-- they would try to make her cry by taunting her and telling her they hoped her husband would be killed.

When I came home wounded, still wearing bandages, some asshole in Batesville, Arkansas, spat at me.

[nf1e]

Mine was similar to Vern's. Coming home through LAX in Nov '68 we had cups of blood, urine and who knows what else thrown at us. Cops stood by and watched. The freakin police laughed and said the kids had a right to protest. I guess we lost our rights for protecting theirs.

[Vern Humphrey]

Mine was similar to Vern's. Coming home through LAX in Nov '68 we had cups of blood, urine and who knows what else thrown at us. Cops stood by and watched. The freakin police laughed and said the kids had a right to protest. I guess we lost our rights for protecting theirs.
I note nowadays if a man simply gently pulls a reporter gal away from close contact with a candidate, that's "assault." But spitting, throwing filth, and other acts against soldiers is "legitimate protest."

[nf1e]

Sign of the times I am afraid.
I had started to talk about this in an earlier post and thought I had better leave it alone " again ". I was on a Braniff sp flight from Danang. We stopped at Guam and then onto LAX. Before we were allowed off the aircraft some MPs gave us a welcome back to the world speach. They let us know we were going to meet some people in the airport that, did not like what we had done in Viet Nam. I don't know how anyone would know, but these MPs said that for any of us Marines, if we even touched anyone of the protesters, we would spend the rest of our lives in Portsmouth and the Army guys would be going to Leavenworth. What a wonderful greeting. I think most of us felt like kicking the doo doo out of the woosie MPs, but we understood they were just doing their job.

[Vern Humphrey]

Sign of the times I am afraid.
I had started to talk about this in an earlier post and thought I had better leave it alone " again ". I was on a Braniff sp flight from Danang. We stopped at Guam and then onto LAX. Before we were allowed off the aircraft some MPs gave us a welcome back to the world speach. They let us know we were going to meet some people in the airport that, did not like what we had done in Viet Nam. I don't know how anyone would know, but these MPs said that for any of us Marines, if we even touched anyone of the protesters, we would spend the rest of our lives in Portsmouth and the Army guys would be going to Leavenworth. What a wonderful greeting. I think most of us felt like kicking the doo doo out of the woosie MPs, but we understood they were just doing their job.
The reason they said that was the Army and Marines realized what would happen if combat veterans defended themselves against those scumbags.

[nf1e]

Yep, exactly. I had way more against them than the gentle Vietnamese farmers we trampled over. Screw political correctness.

[Vern Humphrey]

We don't say they're "Politically Correct." We say they're "Anal Retentive."

Spread the word.

[nf1e]

I will try to remember that, but the memory ain't was it used to was. Now , what was I thinking? Couldn't have been very important.

[Griff Murphey]

It is unfortunate that geography meant that everyone arrived home on the West Coast and were subjected to its cesspool. Bad enough to go to war, then to be treated like that.

I never saw anything like that in Texas. In Fort Worth when I was in high school we sent care packages to units in Viet Nam. I was in college in San Antonio 67-71 and the boot medics from Fort Sam and the Lackland kids were all over downtown tourist attractions and treated with full respect.

[Vern Humphrey]

I experienced that crap in Batesville, Arkansas in 1969. I was wounded, with my arm in a sling and all my ribs broken.

[ridgerunner]

Penny for your thoughts, if you sneezed, Vern.

[Griff Murphey]

I sincerely regret hearing of these incidents of gross disrespect and ignorance by the low information civilians of the time. A friend of mine who was an Aussie RAAF Wing Commander at GD in Ft. Worth, on the F-111 program in the early-mid 70's, comes over here with his wife nearly every year. Had dinner with him last year (now a retired 2 star AVM) and he made an interesting statement about those times..."America was tearing itself apart..." Maybe that describes the far reaching negative results of the war which I think you could argue are causing many of our problems today.

For what it's worth, I can only imagine how crazy that was for you returning combat vets and painful, physically and mentally.

[IditarodJoe]

Three words come to mind . . . "lyndon" "baines" "johnson". (What kind of person would name their kid "Lyndon" anyway? :icon_rolleyes:)

[Vern Humphrey]

Penny for your thoughts, if you sneezed, Vern.
Ouch!

I stayed on after I was wounded the first time -- we had no replacement company commanders. So when I was wounded the second time, they didn't even ask.

But the Brigade Commander would come out every day in his helicopter to see how I was doing.

I was a Mech Company Commander. You know how a man with his arm in a sling and his ribs broken gets down off his APC to greet the Brigade Commander? OUCH!

[ridgerunner]

Very carefully.
I also had scar tissue form over where my ribs were busted, 40 some odd years ago, that had to be removed last year, because of cancer. I think it was more of a pre cancer issue.

[Vern Humphrey]

Don't scare me like that!!

[Griff Murphey]

Since IditarodJoe brought up LBJ I can't resist recounting his Silver Star award. Basically he rode a B-26 Marader out of New Guinea on a raid against Rabaul. It was actually a pretty hairy mission as his plane was attacked by Saburo Sakai, a top JNAF ace, fortunately for LBJ Sakai broke off his attack. So LBJ got the Silver Star, the B-26 aircrew got nothing. LBJ proudly wore that Silver Star on his lapel ever after. Here endeth the story. Take a ride, get a medal.

[Clark Howard]

The worst thing about those who abused us in the old days is that they are now abusing us in Washington DC. Regards, Clark

[Vern Humphrey]

Since IditarodJoe brought up LBJ I can't resist recounting his Silver Star award. Basically he rode a B-26 Marader out of New Guinea on a raid against Rabaul. It was actually a pretty hairy mission as his plane was attacked by Saburo Sakai, a top JNAF ace, fortunately for LBJ Sakai broke off his attack. So LBJ got the Silver Star, the B-26 aircrew got nothing. LBJ proudly wore that Silver Star on his lapel ever after. Here endeth the story. Take a ride, get a medal.
Hillary Clinton will no doubt award herself the Medal of Honor, twice. Once for her story about trying to join the Marine Corps, and once for coming under sniper fire in Bosnia.

[Dolt]

When I got back home to Colorado the state couldn't do enough for me. While going to college on the G.I. bill they gave me a monthly stipend for being a vet, and another for being a Vietnam vet. My hometown buddies were treated the same. We all ended up in law enforcement with veterans preference points helping I am sure. Even when old Dolt took the SATs to get into college I'm sure I was "hussed" or given preferential treatment as a vet. Probably the only reason I could get into college.

[Vern Humphrey]

Nowadays, veterans are treated well, at least in the Red States. During the Viet Nam War, that was not the case.

[Clark Howard]

The same people who were tearing our country apart in those days are doing their best to do it today. Fortunately, the country has tired of their lies and fabrications. Our man Trump is well on his way to disassembling the cocked up mess the dems have put us into. Regards, Clark

[Former Cav]

I got out in Oct 69. Most of the people in MN hated our guts. I went to tech school to be a draftsman as I realized in the machine shop that I would not be able to continue standing on my gammy leg when I got older as I was having a hard enough time at the ripe age of 22.
When I graduated from tech School, I got a job and got harassed right out of it for being a baby killer in 1972.
After that, I took it off my resume that I was ever in the army.
I finally "crawled out of the closet of being a veteran" in about 1990.
I did not know that the 25th Inf Div and the 3/4 Cav had their associations until about 1990. I fixed the roster for the Cav in 90 or 92 as I was one of the few who had a computer and knew how to use it. I was then appointed as Secretary of our Association. Did that for about 20 years when declining health made me give it up. Been to a lot of reunions, met 13 of my in country combat friends and made a lot of friends who were there before me and after me.
Greatest guys on earth IMHO !!
I moved out of MN in 05. I was in a state of shock in the difference in attitudes between all those libtards up north vs the folks in AZ when it comes to veterans. Much better here and they even honor my Tricare. I got screwed a lot of years in MN and didn't even realize it.
Welcome home to all my fellow vets... Air Force, Army, Navy, Marines and Coast Guard.!! You all did your jobs...be proud.
Bob
A Troop 3rd Sqdn, 4th Cav, 25TH Inf Div. Nov 67 to Aug 24, 68 RVN

[Dan Shapiro]

Nowadays, veterans are treated well, at least in the Red States. During the Viet Nam War, that was not the case.

IIRC, after the Gulf War, the freaking liberals began laying the ground-work to tar and feather those vets.............and ran up against Vietnam vets who swore that
the liberals would not get away with that crap again. And they didn't.

[blackhawknj]

I encountered no hostility, in college I encountered indifference, even from my ROTC instructors.