Vietnam, A Personal Journey

Vietnam Dog Tags.com ^ | Stacey

[cinFLA]

would politely ask that if you cannot support this thread in a positive way, that you would please refrain from posting at all.

Get real! You are trying to censor a Vietnam Vet on this issue? You don't want the readers to read the truth? Get REAL!

[cinFLA]

She spent her own money.. not the money of the tax payers of this country to purchase those tags.

She laments (while looking at all the GI items) why the US government has not bothered to come over and buy it all. She probably paid several times the rate that legit organizations pay for legit items thus driving up the prices and increasing the amount of "made in Vietnam" merchandize on the market.

[cinFLA]

I am not angry at you CinFLA, just confused why, as a Vet who served over there, you would not at least acknowledge even the smallest success in her efforts are huge.

If YOUR wife was Vietnamese, you would know.

[RangerVetNam]

This is an amazing story, thanks for finding this and keeping this issue alive.

[RangerVetNam]

Thanks for bringing this to my attention. It is a wonderful story.

[SAMWolf]

She may be a sucker but at least she doesn't appear to be trying to make an industry and scam big bucks off the "Pow/Mia" issue, like others did for years.

She's showing more interest in the issue than the majority of the young people in this Country, who could care less about Vietnam or the Military.

[Jen]

Thank you for your comments, and thank you for serving our country! Welcome home.

[killjoy]

chance that some are fakes? More likely all are fakes. Even she admits that she "hopes" maybe one will be real! Scams are fed by hopes.

Very true! When I was there, 1997, these things were everywhere. I can't imagine how many there must be by this time. I am pretty sure all the 'real' ones were picked up and sold a long time ago.

I am much too young to have served in Vietnam, but I was amazed at how fast the red clay could get into everything and stain it. I have pants I wore once when I was there that still have stains on them from the clay. With this in mind, it is very very easy to make something look old there.

I don't mean this with any disrespect for the Vets who served there, but if people like this lady really want to do some good, why doesn't she volunteer to help with the demining teams over there who are trying to remove all the ordinance that we left behind? There is hundreds of tons of the stuff everywhere. While it is nice for everyone to feel good living back in the US, there are still people dying over there. It seams rather trivial to care so much over a piece of metal when people are still get killed and maimed there.

[cinFLA]

I don't mean this with any disrespect for the Vets who served there, but if people like this lady really want to do some good, why doesn't she volunteer to help with the demining teams over there who are trying to remove all the ordinance that we left behind?

Your post respects the Vets. If only people knew how they were quick to capitalize on the fake zippo's, dog tags, etc. I have even been asked not to post my opinion since it is counter to the "feel good" ego feeding position of many here.

[Johnny Gage]

If YOUR wife was Vietnamese, you would know.

I fail to see the logic behind this statement.

A) What does your wife being from Vietnam have anything to do with this. No one is saying anything derogatory about the people of vietnam or your wife.

b) Can you not agree that even if she finds only 1 family to return tags to, she's succeeded.

c) I am not trying to censor you so. Lighten up. You stated your opinion, supplied your facts.. end of case. Unless your whole point is to try and completely disrupt this thread.

d) Again you are a vietnam vet, so why can you see even the smallest shred of decency in what this woman is trying to do?

[Jen]

Thank you Johnny for still caring about Vietnam Veterans.

[cinFLA]

There are SEVERAL sites that are VERY similar to hers. This scam has even made the infamous Urban Legends website which debunks any possible authenticity of these dog tags. I am sorry, I can't get excited about someone buying "made in Vietnam" fakes and putting up a web site. As a Vietnam Veteran, I am put off by people feeding these scams and NOT wanting to read the truth.

[cinFLA]

"Local entrepreneurs long ago jumped on the war memorabilia bandwagon. Saigon street artists started the craze by crafting toy tanks and planes from scraps of Budweiser and Coca Cola cans. Dog tags and jewelry made from bullet shells soon followed. For years, one of Vietnam's major exports must have been fake Zippo lighters, copies of those carried by American GIs, inscribed with lewd or lonely messages of desperation. Put all the tourists with "authentic" army-issue Zippo lighters in a line and it would easily surpass one comprised of the mass of people claiming genuine chunks of the Berlin Wall."

Dog tags are the easiest. One can easily purchase a stamping machine and be in business. No large infrastructure reaquired as she suggests. As a matter of fact, if you read the story carefully, she gives us a clue why the tags were fake.

[cinFLA]

What does your wife being from Vietnam have anything to do with this. No one is saying anything derogatory about the people of vietnam or your wife.

I am thus more aware of the many scams going own in the Vietnames community through her insights.

[cinFLA]

Again you are a vietnam vet, so why can you see even the smallest shred of decency in what this woman is trying to do?

I don't know what her motivation is. I do know that there are others that have "the same story" to tell and have gotten national press coverage including CNN. I do know that this scam has been debunked by many, including the Urban Legends website.

[Johnny Gage]

Ok. We've both spoken our peace.

Truce?

[swarthyguy]

Great article. Thanks for pinging.

[MoJo2001]

Jen, I would personally like to thank you for pinging me. I really enjoyed visiting the site yesterday when you shared it with us in the Canteen.

To all the Vietnam Veterans, thank you so much for your sacrifice and love of our beautiful country. At the end of the day, you are equal in my eyes to any bravery done throughout any of America's other wars. God Bless each and every one of you. We are humbled by your sacrifices. Thank you!

Dedicated to the men and women who didn't make it home. And to those that love them and miss them deeply. Our hearts are heavy and humbled.

[firewalk]

Thanks for the ping...Bttt

[Jen]

What a touching graphic and your beautiful words that accompany it. Thank you Mojo.