Post by jeannerené on Jun 27, 2009 12:45:49 GMT -8
Thanks for your comments
Good question. Well, when I met my husband (in mid '83) one of the first things I asked him about was the Vietnam War .... his response was "its over and its history." About the only thing he had told me, until recently in twenty six years of marriage, was that he was demolition engineer. He remarked once when in a conversation and the remark was made "if you take someone's life your soul is dead" .... he replied "I've taken someone's life and I don't feel dead" and he left the conversation. Another time in a conversation I overheard with a buddy (yes, I was listening in) I heard him say that on the first night he was there he saw a young boy gunned down .... I don't know the details and I have never asked.
His family never talked about it.
Just recently ... since Veteran's Day of 2008 ... has he started to talk about Vietnam at all. We attended a fantastic parade and he wore a hat that said 'my son is a U.S. Marine" ..... well, we each got thank several times through out the day for our sons service. And you know I think Vietnam vets can smell each other out, because just about everyone who stopped to talk asked "Are you a Vietnam vet?" ......... The San Jose Veterans Day parade is a humbling experience and a simply wonderful show of support.
So the funny thing is he started talking about getting a hat or a shirt......... he mentioned it to his mom .... never heard that before in 26 years and she told him, he should get a hat and wear it.
So in 26 years all over this getting a hat issue, he finally talks to me about it .... only saying that he never talked to anyone about it or told anyone he was a Vietnam vet ........ because coming back from the war he felt like an outcast and no one had anything good to say about veterans ..... that "he felt dirty" ... his words .....
Did he support the war then ....... well ....... he didn't even understand it..... he had just turned 19 and he was drafted ... no choice ........ but he obeyed. He has since said that there were some really good guys that he served with .... hasn't said anything more about the guys. I don't push ... stuff like that comes in ones own good time ...
Does he support the current war? At this point ... no and yes .... like many others he/we feel the Bush administration policies concerning the War on Terror gravely mislead the people ... all people ...
Do we support the troops .... our soldiers and the coalition soldiers? .... yes ... Always. We both have very strong feelings about all soldiers ... men and women ... and making sure that those serving active duty in Afghanistan (our son will leave for his first deployment in Nov.) and Iraq do not come home to the same despairing reception that the Vietnam vets did.
I/We pray that the Obama administration will have greater foresight and insight, and that the future holds a promise of a successful end to the hostilities.
.... so ...
"Mean while
a 19 year old soldier
crosses over into
the jungles
of Cambodia
his summer will never
seem to end
I'm sure. "
........... I believe perhaps it was an endless summer ........
............ again I enjoyed your memories. I think those who are deeply rooted in the 20th century and has crossed over into the 21th have a very unique perspective on the past and the progression of the future........
Thanks festus for asking about my husband....
.j.
