Tomorrow is a day I wish I could forget. 47 years ago I survived and 3 of my best friends and Brothers didn't. January 30 1968. The Viet Cong launched a massive attack called the Tet offensive. During a cease fire. This day haunts me still. I couldn't save my friends, and wonder to this day why God saved me and not them. To all the Viet Nam Veterans out there, and their aren't many of us left, I salute you.

 

Thank you for your service Don. The best you can do is to honor them and let no one forget the Vietnam war.

 

I agree with Tim. People need to remember what happened, and why. I was 4 years old in 1968.

Hopefully history won't repeat itself.

Thanks you for your service Don. I also pray for peace for you.

 

I was nine years old back then - and had no idea what anything was about. But I think I was already using my bike to get as far away from home as I could during the day.

Back then there were still a lot of open trails in California, and I found a lot of peace and security on my own. It isn't the same being cooped up in a house, even if its my own place. I look forward to getting my interstate runner together and blowing down the highways like Mr. Breeze from the old Skynyrd song...

I always liked the desert southwest too, its kinda spooky lookin' country but wide open and the stars at night are incredible. I think I want to build some kind of an itty bitty convertible car, or get an old jeep with a ragtop. CJ7 maybe...

A lot of my old sidekicks are not around anymore either, but they passed on right here in the good ol' US of A. Racing, fighting, running from the law, stupid stuff. Few if any of them took a stand and made a mark in this world, only stray dogs like me and their families remember them.

But YOU mean something. So do I after my own odd fashion - and so do a lot of others here that I have spent the small hours of the night and day writing to on here, and even met in person from time to time.

Oregon is high on my list of places to go take a look at, and you better be there Bud!

I'm counting on it...

 

My older brother was in Da Nang air field that day. Got his self decorated before it was all over. I defended the shores of Europe.

He saved you for good reason. Lost about half my high school class in that country. We go on, it's all we can do to honor them.

 

I thank God every day that my 24 years of service were never in a war zone actually being shot at but rather aboard ships and submarines.

 

Was on orders to Vietnam in 70, 71 and 72 and all three times got cancelled at the last minute. Still feel guilty that I somehow got spared and my brothers and friends went and some never came back. Whenever I visit DC I make my way to the wall to visit those who never made it back. And the guilt comes back and haunts me and I cry and remember the times we spent together, never to be repeated.

 

Jeeezus man. Thank you so much for your service.

 

Sad indeed, Don. May you find peace of mind.
I was getting out of the US Army just as things were ramping up in SE Asia. The transportation helicopter unit I was in was being transformed as an assault helicopter company and later became nucleus for the 227th aviation battalion of Vietnam fame. I had given serious thoughts of remaining in the Army but had met my future wife and got out. I watched the war as a civilian. Then as now, we are pawns, no clear mission.

 

What is truly sad, is my best friend survived 5 chopper crashes (the last one crushed his spine..) and is wheelchair bound with intense pain. The VA just informed him he will no longer get Morphine for his pain. Their stated reason is they want to take Vets off long term pain meds, AND TEACH HIM HOW TO HANDLE IT! How in the hell, do you teach someone to deal with pain that he's been taking Morphine for, for YEARS! Stupid damn VA!

 

Hopefully they have something other than just taking the morphine away in mind. We should hope they have some way to deal with the pain by a surgical procedure or an alternative drug, it's come a long way over the years...

You can't just leave somebody hurting as if they were supposed to chant some silly zen mantra and pretend they don't hurt!

 

Thanks for your service Don. I always make it a point to thank the veterans that served before me when I see them. Vietnam wasn't a favorable war, and neither is OIF/OEF and the other campaigns that we are fighting in now. But we still get thanked for our service just about every day, but other war's veterans don't see the same respect as often, at least from what I see.

So I salute you brother. Live on for the memory of your brothers in arms. For those that didn't come home, never forget.

I haven't lost any battles to combat, but I've lost 2 of my battles from Germany who went to Riley with me CONUS. Good soldiers who made stupid mistakes, and paid for it with their lives.

There is a lot of military life in my family. My Grandfather was an officer, huey pilot in Korea, back when it was still the Army Air Corps. My Poppy was a helmsman on the USS Yakutat in WW2, my Uncle was Infantry gone logistics, LTC, soon to be retiring, and I also went 11B. Sometimes the only people who really understand are family, and right here, even if circumstances are different.

 

They offered me a "Pain Management Class" once a week at the Portland VAMC if I wanted to go, it was voluntary. 130 miles of driving once a week. Oh yes, they told me they had a shuttle bus that left my area around 0600 and would get me home around 1800 if I didn't want to drive to Portland. No thanks.

 

What the hell are these "Pain Management Classes" about?

This is still a mystery that makes me wonder, and that I am frankly suspicious of.

65 miles away, and supposed to make you feel better - they better have some damned good solutions!


I think we need more info here...


POSTULATE:
A) They actually are worth being bounced across country for the trip.
B) It's a crock - and we had better find out if that is so


As it stands, we don't have enough to report on.

 

Really don't have much of a clue as to what the "Pain Management Classes" entail. I didn't go.


I don't believe myself when I tell myself it doesn't hurt a little, why in the hell am I going to believe someone else?