The thing is some people can handle combat, others can’t. I have two friends, one was in the Navy (Mobile Riverine Force brown water Navy) he had a lot of problems when he came back from Viet-Nam drugs, booze, “anger management”, the other a Recon Marine , came home and got on with his life,
30 yrs later vet gets Purple Heart
Miscellaneous Announcement
Source: Mendota Review
Published: 3/4/01 Author: Carlin Larson
http://www.freerepublic.com/forum/a3ab4096c26fa.htm
Posted on 03/17/2001 17:03:40 PST by Valin
Over 30years ago thomas Mohs was asked if he wanted a Purple Heart. He was wounded in 1969 while serving in a reconnaissance unit during the Vietnam war. Mohs chose not to accept the award, saying others were more deserving.
Humility stayed with Mohs (52) and three decades later, he still shuns occasions where his efforts are praised. However his family is determined not to let is heroic efforts and those of other veterans go unrecognized.
Mohs grew up in south mpls and was the third child of a family of 13 children. After graduating from south high school, he joined the US Marines Corps and served with the 3rd Recon Marines in Vietnam. Althought he was wounded, he fulfilled his tour awyway.
After returning home, Thomas had a couple of jobs before marrying his wife Lynda. they have been married 22 years
Two years ago, Lynda looked into securing the medal for her husband. The Purple Heart was important to Mohs older brother Joseph who passed away in 1988 and who served in Vietnam and always wanted his younger brother to receive the honor. “I did it on behalf of Joseph,” said Lynda.
(snip)
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Like the vast majority of guys who served.
Point is the military needs to do a better job of identifing those that have problems after being in combat and getting them the help they need.
no flame