conversation

[steve from staten island]

I was talking to my neighbors mother yesterday. We were just talking about things that affect us at our age. Her sister passed two years ago and we were talking about that.
Her brother was KIA in 1968 at the age of 19 years old and she started to talk about it.
He was killed in the Tet offensive, he was hit with shrapnel and died a few days later.
She told me while she had this far away look in her eye, no tears, no outward sadness just a look of regret.
She said he wasn't the smartest boy but he was just so sweet and innocent.
It was just the way she said it. Nineteen years old and now 51 years later. I was told her son who was born six years later looks exactly like his uncle.
Hold onto your faith, that someday we will be united with our deceased loved ones

 

[Dennis H]

I remember the poor bastards who didn’t make it for a variety of reasons. They are not forgotten. Especially Nam. There go I.

 

[GetX'd]

I had a brother that never made it back from VN from a mental standpoint. He was seriously mentally ill after his tour. My feeling has always been that he died in VN. Even physically he did
die in his early 40s. We “lost” him at 19 as well. It would have been much better for him had he passed while in country. I very much hope to see him again in heaven. Lost another brother at 31. Very troubled. They were the brothers I was closest to in a family of 9 kids. Indeed I hope God blesses us with being able to meet again.....

 

[Rockett]

We all have cars from that era. Kind of reminds us of what was going on at the time. JFK, RFK & MLK assassinated, Woodstock, first human to actually walk on the moon (!), Cambodia, Nam, Tet Offensive, .... it was a very different time. A “million” years ago.

The era prior: I never knew my Uncle Gilbert. My Dad’s “big brother” was shot down over France, WWII.
My Dad & my uncles & all but one aunt are all gone now.
Never forgotten.

My vitamin C Road Runner is almost identical to the car to which my Dad told me, “No,” when I saw one on a used car lot (I had just totaled my Mustang, smh). Part of the great “era” of these cars we love, includes memories of a lot of wonderful people, to be sure!

 

[steve from staten island]

Sucks doesn't it, I mean life can be so cruel. Your story about your brother reminded me of a guy I served with while in the Guard....He just got home from VN and he was off the wall. His brother in law got him. to join, thinking for whatever reason it would help him and. this poor guy needed help badly. I had gotten friendly with him but I had to be careful around him, he actually scared me at times. Even though he had prior service and was honorably discharged once you enlisted you could not just decide to quit.
This guy eventually stoped coming to drills and the CO knew he was in a bad way. As far as I know they just terminated his enlistment.
I often wonder what became of him

 

[Cornpatch MO]

My best friend in the 60's had a daughter just a few months old when he got drafted and sent to VN. In 1968 he was leader in one of 6 big gun placement in a circle. He was gun #1.. I met a guy (Steve) a couple years ago who lives just 20 miles from me. I had never heard of him either. Steve told me he was on gun #6, beside gun #1. When they met for the first time and talked, they discovered they were both from Iowa---Southwest Iowa-- in adjoining towns ---and was raised less than 10 miles from each other. They had never even heard of each other, and they met for the first time in VN -- half way around the world ! Steve was with my friend on the night the Cong sneaked through the perimeter, threw satchel charges to destroy the big guns, and was near my friend when he died from severe injuries to the lower body. My friend was crawling away from his gun to find shelter, and died on the way.. It was really tough for him to tell me the story, and for me to hear it. No wonder many guys have some problems. Happy go lucky kids in the mid 60's, then in VN killing humans and watching friends die one day , and then being back in the USA, where they were hated by some and spit on, a couple days later..... And now, some mouthy little punk has no respect for veterans sacrifice.................MO

 

[Lets Roll]

I was only a few days old when the Tet offensive started. But I remember being around Vietnam vets when I was a kid. Many were the dads of kids I grew up with. seemed everyone I knew had some family member that served.

 

[Hemirunner]

I was only a few days old when the Tet offensive started. But I remember being around Vietnam vets when I was a kid. Many were the dads of kids I grew up with. seemed everyone I knew had some family member that served.

Same here. It’s a shame what America did to those kids when they came back.

 

[fratzog lover]

She said he wasn't the smartest boy but he was just so sweet and innocent.

As soon as I read this line, I thought of McNamaras Morons. What they did by sending those ill prepared kids over there was unthinkable. So sad.