BQ2017 said:

---

I'm entirely opposed to the Vietnam conflict but I will go out of my way to go thank guys with Vietnam vet hats on. 9 times out of 10 I'll strike up a conversation with them and make them feel appreciated. I never tell them my views on Vietnam because it won't help.

---

I personally will not advertise I served in VN. Like many of my fellow veterans, we are satisfied we did our service honorably and don't feel we need to advertise the fact. For what its worth, served with 1st Marines and received a purple heart 1968.

Quote:

---

A few days ago, after another conversation by a stranger was struck up, and after he told me " this is why I wear the hat, to meet new people and to make up for being treated like **** when I came back home in 1968".

---

It wasn't just the veterans who were treated like ***** My mother's first husband flew planes in Vietnam. My mother would receive phone calls where they'd say "Do you know your husband kills babies?" She said you just stop answering the phone for a while.

I guess for some extreme leftists, terrorizing people they disagree with is nothing new.

My dad was a USAF Vietnam vet who went on to serve in the Persian Gulf War. I'm thankful that he got to experience a hero's welcome for the latter. I miss seeing him in his Vietnam veteran caps.

God bless our veterans.

bushytailed said:

---

My dad was a USAF Vietnam vet who went on to serve in the Persian Gulf War. I'm thankful that he got to experience a hero's welcome for the latter. I miss seeing him in his Vietnam veteran caps.

God bless our veterans.

---

Good friend flew Chinooks in Vietnam, came back to A&M and got a vet degree, and stayed in the Reserves long enough to fly Apaches in Iraq. Wonderful guy. Retired as a CW5

buzzardb267 said:

---

I was in a Chamber of Commerce with a gentleman and we struck up a conversation and it came up that we both served during Vietnam. I said I was in the Mekong Delta and asked if he ever made it to Vietnam. He said "no, but I was within 800 feet plenty of times". He was a Naval Aviator.

I was never treated badly upon my return, but I lived in a small, at that time, and somewhat rural, at that time, town. I returned at Love Field on 07/25/70, in my Army greens, and was hardly noticed. I'm sure more liberal areas had other experiences. I was actually treated like a hero in small town Lewisville since many of my friends served also.

---

That's really cool and good to hear. Nothing like down home people in smaller towns.

I wish we had a thread dedicated to letting guys like you, and some of the other Vietnam era vets on this thread, tell some of their stories as well as valuable lessons learned in life.

Military Board would be a good place to do that.

CanyonAg77 said:

---

Military Board would be a good place to do that.

---

Thanks…wish I would have asked my grandfather more about WWII and his life in general back when I was a young dumb idiot. All I know is that he was navy and their missions were to rescue missionaries in the pacific, and that he missed the Pearl Harbor attack in Oahu by 1 or 2 days.

I'm from that era. I joined the Naval Air Reserve in June 1963. This was before the war was on the news. I joined because a municipal judge in Dallas said payoff all your tickets or bring me a signed induction notice. I was a street racing terror and had 13 unpaid tickets. I could not even begin to pay the fines. He was taking my license till I paid them and then keep it for another year. Lots of incentive to join up. Back then there were billets left in the reserves. I spent 6 months on active duty and was trained as an anti submarine warfare operator flying in helicopters. Lucky for me the Viet Cong did not have any subs.

I lost a few high school friends over there. Henry Creek for one. Knew him from 5 th grade on. Good guy

I appreciate and would like to honor those who fought and those who died over there. I have no idea If I could have survived the jungle. I have thought about it and just don't know. I honor your Dad and his comrades.

The treatment of VN vets by the civilian community during the 60's and 70's as noted by several above was atrocious. As the VN war drug on and opposition to the war increased treatment of the military by the civilian community also increased both verbally and in sometimes violent skirmishes. Most veterans felt proud of their service to their country in Vietnam, yet many also had some doubts about the war and their own actions in it. In fact, some veterans protested against the war once they returned to the United States.

Also true (my own experience), it got so bad during those years active military did NOT wear their uniforms while traveling commercially (planes, trains, busses, etc.). We were told to wear civilian clothing to and from military bases from home and change into uniforms after arriving on base/post. And, if every day duty was at a civilian location such as a Federal Building we typically wore civilian clothes except when on TDY to an actual military installation.

The treatment of the military during Viet Nam was shameful and must not ever be repeated. True, the war itself was not popular - even by many actually in the military - but during draft years if called the choices were either to go (be inducted or drafted or volunteer by service), or be a religious conscientious objector (often joined anyway to be in medical service), or go to Canada. People like Cassius Clay (Mohamed Ali) refused to go (saying it was against his new Muslim religion to be in military... ha ha) and were somehow admired. True bio's of him tell the true story of what a jerk he really was. On the other hand many celebrities went when called such as Elvis Presley and were appreciated (even though his tour of duty was Germany and not Viet Nam).

During the Vietnam War era, between 1964 and 1973, the U.S. military drafted 2.2 million American men out of an eligible pool of 27 million. Only 25% of draftees during the Viet Nam conflict ever actually went to Viet Nam. One of every 104 draftees from June, 1965, the beginning of the Vietnam buildup, to June, 1969, was killed in action. Figures made public by the Defense Department show that roughly 33 per cent of Americans killed in combat were draftees. About 1/3 of those who served during Viet Nam are still alive today.