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]

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