Veitnam Veterans

Are there any Vietnam veterans on here who want to share their expierences of what the war was really like and how it changed them. What is sometimes forgotten is that during the original hippie era from 1966 to 1972 a huge proportion of the nations youth served in Vietnam. Many more lost friends over there.

 

I doubt you will get much of a response. And it won't be meant as a slight. What I've read from those members who were less fortunate than I (the draft was ended before I got my "greetings") leads me to believe, and in some cases know, that they would rather not think, much less talk, about it.

 

Well, I was too young for that. I wanna tell them all THANKS, and it's a debt I can never repay. Veterans day is Tomorrow. I'll say the pledge to them all.

 

Talking about the war and the trauma it caused myself and many others who served in combat there is part of the recovery process. After all,what good is knowledge if it is not shared? I will be traveling later today. But tomorrow,if you ask specific questions; I will answer them in a brief synopsis.

 

If your interested,here is a link to the VHPA,where I have some photos of me in vietnam.My stuff is at the bottom of the page,my last name is Branigan.

http://www.vhpamuseum.org/5thcav/3rdsquad/3rdsquaddtroop.html


Peace.
george

 

George and WE,
I never quite know what to say when viewing photos such as those.
But I will say this, I always get a lump in my throat, seeing kids, and young people sent to do dirty business just when they should be starting THEIR own life.
I pray that someday we as a human race will become more human and stop the insanity, although I don't think that will happen in my life time.

I thank you for going over there and doing a job, and more, giving up a part of yourself, because I know every vet leaves a part of himself there, wherever he served.
No matter how much I may hate a war, I know you hate it even more so.

So sweet homebudz and WE, I am so very happy that you are here with us.
My heartfelt thanks and love to you both,
And to every vet,
teepi

 

Thank you Teepi,your very sweet to say that.I wish our country would have learned the lessons that nam taught us*sigh* Earlier this year I was honored in that they(the army) restored my last helicopter and put it on permenent display,along with some of my personal stuff from then.If anyone ever gets to Ft.Rucker Al.My old aircraft is the first one you see at the Us Army Aviation Museum.One other guy from my unit has his on display there too.Them's wuz th daze.

 

Those are some really great pictures, I'm glad you made it

So were you a red cross pilot or a gunship pilot?

 

I wasn't too young. After being turned down for different medical reasons by both the Air Force and Navy, I was drafted. I went into the Army in November 1967. The Tet Offensive (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tet_Offensive) occured just as I was getting out of basic. Just like a lot of my fellow veterans of that era, I don't talk about it. Just let me say that not all the casualities were on the ground in Vietnam. A lot, maybe most, perhaps all of those who were "over there" came back changed - for the worse, much worse. Minds, spirits, individuality, psyche, self, self-admiration, self-pride, souls, futures, families, hopes, dreams, etc. - screwed.

 

Neither bro,I flew a OH-6A Cayuse,also known as a "LOH" (loach).It's a small turbine powered Light Observation Heliocopter.I was a cavalry aeroscout.Peace


http://www.lighthorseaircav.com/ba-ch-index-photo.html

 

thats one pimped out ride there George, hope ya dont mind me postin your pic from that site...

 

I used to run a Outreach Center back east where I'm from.From 1983 to 1985.It was heavy duty stuff.I was on call 24/7.After 2 years I completely burned out on it.Doing that almost consumed what was left of my brain.No one came back the "same"as when they left,,,no one.

 

Man,I was just a curtain crawler when that pic was taken it seems.About an hour and a half before this was taken,I was in the biggest gunfight of my life,in a country we weren't even supposed to be in at that time(late 71).We were forced down finialy on the old airstrip at Khe Sahn.I got out and checked to see if we could still fly her outta there,as 51's were zeroing in on us.We made it another 60 or so klicks before she shit th bed.We brought her in at the old Quang Tri combat base,shut her down,pulled off the blades,hooked up the sling that you see still attached to my main rotorhead,slung her home under the belly of our maintenece slick(UH-1H).Then somebidy took my picture when we got her home.That was the last time I flew her.That ship was old,had her share of patchs,but always got me to safety.I love my old ship.I'm glad she has been restored and out on display.Here's the best part:she was never out of the army.That means she was never used by the pigs!!! Peace.

 

Hey George, in this pic: http://www.vhpamuseum.org/5thcav/3rdsquad/images/buddy bradwell and seigfried.jpg are you the one on the right?

 

If I had one twisted I'd say this bud's for you.
But all I got is this glass and mug, so they will have to do.

Gentlemen and ladies,

TO THE VETS

 

AYE!
::raises glass::

 

Nope,that ain't me.His name was seigfreid.He was a former sniper in my division.
He came to us to be a scout.I trained him and qualified him for the job.The guy on the left is Buddy Bradwell,one of my best friends.He was a slick pilot in my outfit.Peace

 

Oh, ok.
Yeah, it would have been a lot smarter of me to read the caption below the link, right?
I bet it told at least some of that information...

::slaps forhead::

 

It's cool,LOL (sits here and fires up bowl)

 

Right on! I smoked one today, to the vets!