My paternal Grandparents came here from Ireland at the end of the Irish Civil War in 1924. He was a marine welder and she was a factory worker.
They both served in WWII - he in the Merchant Marine doing Atlantic Convoys and she in a factory that made boots for all the Services.
They believed that they owed this country for taking them in and giving them the opportunity for a life.
They prospered and had seven children - five of them sons.
My father’s older brother was already a Marine when fighting flared in Vietnam. He went in ‘65. During another tour in ‘68 he died at Khe Sanh.
Second older brother volunteered to be a Chaplain right out of Seminary. He died protecting wounded from a sapper attack on the hospital he was assigned to in ‘69.
My Dad volunteered rather than be drafted. He did three tours and came home. He hardly ever spoke about it.
His next youngest brother got drafted in ‘69 and was listed as MIA from ‘71-‘78 until the DOD stopped looking for him and listed him as KIA.
The youngest son was drafted in ‘71 and came home missing his arms and his legs.
And my Parents and Grandparents raised me to believe that we owe this country a debt.
I served 20 years Regular Army and have been a contractor since retirement.
I love my Dad and my Uncles. I miss them all!
It is right and proper to remember and celebrate Vietnam Veterans.
Salute you and your relatives who served. I was among the last draftees inducted, in August of '72. Those born in 1952 were the last group subject to the lottery and draft. Although they grandfathered existing college deferments, no new such exemptions were issued for the last entering class of college freshmen of HS graduates. Generally those born before September 1st would have been in the class of 1970 and if attending college were not drafted, only those born in the last four months of the years with a number lottery number < 90, and passed the physical were inducted.
I did my time in Germany in what was described erroneously as the "All Volunteer Army."
that makes you about the same age as my youngest uncle, slightly older than him. And that’s how you got to spend time in Germany on Uncle Sam’s dime ….. thank you sir, for your service
Your Substack is the only place I’ve seen commemorating Vietnam War Veteran’s Day. Thank you for posting this tribute and for your family’s dedication to our country.
Thank you for your post. My husband served two tours, one in the Vietnam Delta and one north of Saigon. We lost many friends in that conflict and saw many more who still suffered physically or mentally when they came home. My husband died of cancer which the VA attributed to his being in country while Agent Orange was used. I continue to pray for the souls of the Vietnamese civilians and the American servicemen who were injured or died as a result of the use of Agent Orange, napalm, and other munitions. The survivors of that conflict understand just what Hell can be.
it’s my honor to celebrate the men and women that fought this war, whether in Vietnam or on the Homefront raising families, keeping the home safe, and all the other things that supported those soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines.
Thank you.
My paternal Grandparents came here from Ireland at the end of the Irish Civil War in 1924. He was a marine welder and she was a factory worker.
They both served in WWII - he in the Merchant Marine doing Atlantic Convoys and she in a factory that made boots for all the Services.
They believed that they owed this country for taking them in and giving them the opportunity for a life.
They prospered and had seven children - five of them sons.
My father’s older brother was already a Marine when fighting flared in Vietnam. He went in ‘65. During another tour in ‘68 he died at Khe Sanh.
Second older brother volunteered to be a Chaplain right out of Seminary. He died protecting wounded from a sapper attack on the hospital he was assigned to in ‘69.
My Dad volunteered rather than be drafted. He did three tours and came home. He hardly ever spoke about it.
His next youngest brother got drafted in ‘69 and was listed as MIA from ‘71-‘78 until the DOD stopped looking for him and listed him as KIA.
The youngest son was drafted in ‘71 and came home missing his arms and his legs.
And my Parents and Grandparents raised me to believe that we owe this country a debt.
I served 20 years Regular Army and have been a contractor since retirement.
I love my Dad and my Uncles. I miss them all!
It is right and proper to remember and celebrate Vietnam Veterans.
Thank you. We served our country in honor when called and remember those who paid a greater price for their service.
Indeed you did and you deserve to be remembered and thanked
Salute you and your relatives who served. I was among the last draftees inducted, in August of '72. Those born in 1952 were the last group subject to the lottery and draft. Although they grandfathered existing college deferments, no new such exemptions were issued for the last entering class of college freshmen of HS graduates. Generally those born before September 1st would have been in the class of 1970 and if attending college were not drafted, only those born in the last four months of the years with a number lottery number < 90, and passed the physical were inducted.
I did my time in Germany in what was described erroneously as the "All Volunteer Army."
that makes you about the same age as my youngest uncle, slightly older than him. And that’s how you got to spend time in Germany on Uncle Sam’s dime ….. thank you sir, for your service
Your Substack is the only place I’ve seen commemorating Vietnam War Veteran’s Day. Thank you for posting this tribute and for your family’s dedication to our country.
it’s the least I can do to remember and honor those men and women
Lest we forget!
🇺🇸
Thank you for your post. My husband served two tours, one in the Vietnam Delta and one north of Saigon. We lost many friends in that conflict and saw many more who still suffered physically or mentally when they came home. My husband died of cancer which the VA attributed to his being in country while Agent Orange was used. I continue to pray for the souls of the Vietnamese civilians and the American servicemen who were injured or died as a result of the use of Agent Orange, napalm, and other munitions. The survivors of that conflict understand just what Hell can be.
it’s my honor to celebrate the men and women that fought this war, whether in Vietnam or on the Homefront raising families, keeping the home safe, and all the other things that supported those soldiers, sailors, airmen, and marines.
You honor those who served.
Those who supported the enemies of humanity will never repent.
and I haven’t watched a movie with Jane Fonda in it since I was old enough to understand