Posted on 03/29/2022 3:00:40 PM PDT by Az Joe
We commemorate those who fought in the Vietnam War on National Vietnam War Veterans Day, March 29. There’s no doubt that the Vietnam War was one of the most brutal. In fact, over three million people were killed during the 20 years it went on. National Vietnam War Veterans Day was created to honor all the men and women who fought during its time.
Vietnam Veteran’s Day, March 29, recognizes a precious sacrifice. North Vietnam agrees we won all the battles, but asserts it made no difference. During Tet, the US and ARVN shattered VC main force units, causing an irreparable loss of face. In March 1972, the ARVN destroyed an invading NVA army.
The Democrat Party secured defeat. Responding to Tet, those that got the United States into war cut and ran. In 1972 a Democratic Congress refused funding to restore South Vietnamese forces, which had defeated the invading NVA army. Soviet and Chinese support brought NVA victory in 1975.
A few examples from the History Channel show the disinformation campaign waged against Vietnam Veterans. U.S. forces took extraordinary steps to avoid civilian deaths. The VC and NVA murdered over 36,000 by targeting village leaders, teachers, and medical workers. Two-thirds of Vietnam vets volunteered compared to only one-third of those serving in WW II. Over 90% of Vietnam Veterans say they are glad they served and 74% would serve again knowing the outcome. Compared to non-veterans, they were more likely after serving to be employed and then earned 18% more.
Ronald Reagan said of them, “ours was a noble cause. A small country (including ethnic Chinese, Catholic Vietnamese and others fleeing Communism) newly free from colonial rule sought our help in establishing self-rule and the means of self-defense against a totalitarian neighbor (Tonkinese) bent on conquest.” He said to consider otherwise dishonored the memory of over 58,000 who died in the cause.
Statistics about the Vietnam War http://vhfcn.org/stat.html
Happy Viet Nam veterans day...to myself ;-)
The USA may have won all the “battles”. But when a Division stumbles around for a couple of weeks, takes a couple hundred casualties from booby-traps and never finds a single NVA trooper, that is a lost battle. It was never about winning battles. Ho’s strategy of wearing us down worked. The WWII-trained Generals and their staffs never really figured it out. And the media lied shamelessly to support the communists. The anti-war groups in the USA were run by the KGB, as was discovered after the fall of the USSR. It was the treason of the Kerrys and their ilk that took the day.
As usual the grunts pay the price.
USMC PFC Andrew Chowka, my next door neighbor and friend, the wall, 1969.
me, 1971-1974, U-Tapao RTNAF, Rayong Province, Thailand, 635th CSGp.
Home of the only land-based B-52 squadrons in SouthEast Asia.
Salute and respect to all who served.
No hero, I was an avionics tech and aircraft electrician, UH-1 Huey B,D,H models. AH1-G, OH-6, OH-58 copters, long time ago
Pinging a few other Viet Vets.
I remember hearing the first rocket coming down on our area at midnight on Tet Offensive. It killed 19 of our guys, but the rest of the attacks hit nearby landing strips so no planes could land plus hit all of the parked helicopters.
Pingy
My hs Latin teacher, decided that was too tame and joined the Navy as a chaplain. KIA Feb 22, 1968
I’ve visited his grave at Arlington.
https://www.virtualwall.org/db/BrettRR01a.htm
Ping!
Thanks.
If you are able, save for them a place inside of you.
And save one backward glance when you are leaving,
for the places they can no longer go.
Be not ashamed to say that you loved them,
though you may not have always.
Take what they have left and what they have taught you
with their dying and keep it your own.
And in a time, when men decide and feel safe
to call war insane, take one moment to embrace
those gentle heroes you left behind.
Written by Major Michael Davis O’Donnell, helicopter pilot; 1 January 1970,
Dak To, Vietnam; KIA on March 24, 1970 (originally MIA until 1978)
Me too bro. Bien Hoa Air Base, RVN. Welcome home. 👍
During Tet, I heard it was Army Cobras, who held off the NVA/VC at Bien Hoa, till they could clear the runways. Then the Super Sabres were able to load up, take off on runway 9R, and drop their bombs at the departure end of the runway. It must have been scary, but I went around the perimeter, and was told, that was where the F-100s were working out, at Tet.
I was a rifleman in the 173Rd Abn,BAbn Bdg,landed Bien Hoa, May 65. I relive my experiences every day, even more in hot summer days when the sound of a helicopter overhead, or a rifle shot.
Welcome Home to us still above the grass & to those who truly went home while serving in Vietnam and those who beared the hidden wounds.
Welcome Home
Bien Hoa Air Base,
1970-1971
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