[Chainmail]

This is the continuation of the story I started last Saturday. I'm sorry it's so long but it should provide some insight into what we went through on our way back home.

[redcatcherb412]

Did you get the much publicized speedy trip to a field hospital ? They always bragged that more US soldiers were saved because the average time from being wounded to getting medivac was 20-30 minutes. Just curious because that sure wasn’t the case in ‘68.

[donna]

Wow, you guys had it so rough; and, you were so tough. Very impressive.

[LibWhacker]

Don’t worry about the length of this installment. I loved every minute of it.

I had no idea what it was like to come back wounded from that war and now I’m more than a little pissed our heroes were treated so shabbily. Your description of the deaths and suffering you and others endured has got me choked up, so I’ll stop, except to say God bless you again. You’re a good writer.

[Auntie Mame]

This is great writing on so many levels. I truly appreciate you posting it here. It’s disappointing hearing that the nurses weren’t the angels I’d been led to believe they were. Ha! And the part at the end where the three guys got to take the Christmas, New Years and week after duty. And you got promoted. Great stuff.

Thank you.

[ConorMacNessa]

God bless you Brother and Semper Fi!

"I am an American fighting man. I serve in the forces guarding our country and our way of life.
I am prepared to give my life in their defense."

[onedoug]

Thanks for remembering me in the link, GreyFriar. And thanks for your service too.

Chainmail, this kind’a makes me feel my service in Vietnam was sort of small. Yet I know it was important - and even critical - to people greater than myself.

Dennis Prager says that writing biographically is a great exercise for the soul. Maybe I’ll try it someday.

Thanks again for writing, and posting this.

I hope you’re well today.

And Forever Thanks For Your Service.

Semper Fi.

[KSCITYBOY]

btt

[albertabound]

Thank you.. a side of war few non-combatants ever see....

[central_va]

Me-109e?

[Doogle]

Jeeesh Chain...reading it was like watching a movie....

[foreverfree]

Bump and a praise to God again.

ff

[luvie]

We NEED to hear your story...and all the stories from our heroes!

[MuttTheHoople]

My dad came back from Vietnam in 1969. Since he was an Officer, he had it better than others-he was flown into San Diego where Officers' wives were there to greet them with cookies and lemonade.

He told me that if any anti-war freaks had come up and tried to harrass him, he'd have killed them. I know he didn't because he had a big K-Bar in his rucksack, and since I never visited him in Prison I know he didn't kill any future Obama supporters.

[meadsjn]

Thanks for the story.

[21twelve]

I just finished your first story, and into the second one a bit. Glad that you are sharing your memories with your kids - and us! We had a long-term substitute teacher in Jr. high - 1974 or so. He was a vet, and every Friday would show slides and tell stories about Vietnam - interesting stuff and worth more than the history books. And no politics - just the day to day stuff, and situations they found themselves in - without too much detail for our young minds.

I was trying to find my cousin’s story that she wrote about her time as a nurse in Vietnam - somewhere in the Mekong Delta. (Can’t) But she got some feedback on it as she said how glad she was to have been there - and what a life-changing experience it had been. I too thought it was odd that she had so many good memories of it. She said that even though the situation was lousy - the people she was with were good and that’s what made the difference. I recall that she had memories of so many of the injured “boys” that had passed through, and still to this day she wonders how they are doing, or if they made it.

Thanks again - it is a real piece of history that you are sharing - and very well-written too!

[Chode]

just damn...

[rotundusmaximus]

Thank you for your service, really enjoyed reading your story, missed the first part, will look for it.

I am so sorry for the treatment you received in the military hospitals and then to have people not even give you a ride and the one that gave you a ride, make you get out and walk, it’s too much, unconscionable. Whether someone approved of the war or not, they should have understood that most people didn’t volunteer, were drafted and even those that volunteer should have been respected. I always respected Vietnam Vets and of course, still do.

Thank you for sharing, I will look forward to any other installments.

[broken_clock]

Thank you for posting this. Well written. You have a talent and should consider writing more.

[FoxInSocks]

The Colonel told Captain Steele “Why, that’s excellent – I like innovation” and Captain Steele beamed but he said, “instead of that Marine trying it out, I want you three to do that duty, Christmas, New Years and the weekend after instead and when you’re finished, I want you to come back to me and tell me how it was, OK?”.

Great guy! Thanks for sharing everything. I was at MCAS Tustin in the nineties. Semper fi, Marine.

[Robin292]

Hey Brother, I just saw that one response recommended you get this all in writing for your family’s benefit. I agree and add to that response that you are in fact doing that here and only need to point a thoughtful, trusted family member to this site.
Even more valuable to all of us is the service of the veterans all over the country who will come to you and offer to create a video of your story with you voice and image to be preserved and shared with thousand of your fellow Brothers and Americans who desire to have the story shared. I offer you the service of locating such a person who will contact you. (No cost) I have shared your writing with one of my grandsons who seems to have a keen interest in knowing what it means to be in a war situation. He is 16 now and very thoughtful in his inquiries. If I can do anything for you please reach out.
Semper Fi
JR Morgan - Sgt USMC 1966-1970