Veterans Day

[Corwin C]

To all that serve or have served, wartime or peace, at home or overseas ... THANK YOU.

[48Rob]

I agree,

I appreciate my freedom, and the sacrifices others have made so that it may be this way.

Thank you.

Rob

[Roly Nelson]

Thanks for the cudos. I only wish that those folks that had signs in their yards, back in 1954, that read, "Dogs and soldiers, not allowed on the grass", have had a change of heart. Those 2 years of constant demorilization and damn near strarvation, since my pay records were all screwed up, leaving me with only 15 buck a month to survive, were hard to take. I was a newly married 20 year old, with a pregant wife, and had my life all together before being drafted. I needed no one swearing and screaming in his face, and telling me I was lower than dirt, while protecting Pikes Peak, in a fox hole, playing war games, during peace time.

Hmmm, I am sorry I didn't take advantage of the eateries that offered a free meal for me today. Maybe next year I'll take them up on it. Nevertheless, God bless our service men and women, who chose to sacrifice for the rest of us, and have suffered because of it.
Cpl, Roly Nelson, US 5545 7713

[CarlLaFong]

Yup


John Callin 1st Battalion 1st Marines Delta Company RVN 67-68
John Callin United States Army Air Corps European Theater of Operation
John Callin 21st Ohio Independent Light Artillery

[Kody]

Veterans Day in Australia is called "Armistice Day" and is highly revered as a day to remember our fallen heroes. It's also a day that the worst memories come back and flood ones heart and soul. Perhaps the worst are the memories of our brave young men who were so traumatized that were were unable to climb out of the trenches in WW1. The cowardly English officers would then shoot then in the back for refusing to go over the top. I wasn't there then but this tragic event has been recorded for those who want to know about it.
The second and even worse event was when our men came home from Vietnam. As the men came off the ship and marched down the pier, the people spat on them and ridiculed them so much. It didn't matter if your arm/s or leg/s were blown off, you were still spat on. I will never forget what happened.
"Forgive them Lord, they know not what they do."

They shall not grow old as we that are left grow old.
Age shall not weary them nor the years condemn.
At the going down of the sun, and, in the morning,
We will remember them.

Joe, Cindy and Kody

[CarlLaFong]

I have heard these tale of being spit on since I returned from Vietnam. They are, almost 100%, lies. Certainly, somewhere, someone was spat upon, but these mass loogie fests, that urban myth would have us believe, never happened. Every time one of these stories about returning vets being mistreated at a diner or a gas station is told, they end up being debunked, later on. I'd be willing to bet that many of the spitting stories are being told by valor thieves, like Brian Dennehy, who were stateside clerks or who never even served. I, along with all of the Marines that I am aware of, landed at a Marine Corps facility (El Toro for me) and any spitters would have been rapidly neutralized by a planeload of grunts.

[PKCSPT]

I have to say when my dad returned from Vietnam (Air Force 25 years, Korea and Vietnam, plane mechanic) I do not remember anyone ever yelling at him or spitting on him.

I am a proud Air Force daughter and proud Army mom

[Roo Dog]

Yeah I know a lot of Australian ex Vietnam vets, cannot recall any ever saying they were spat upon or given a hard time.
The guys I know are held in high regard and always were.
RD

[Kody]

The spitting and booing was well documented on TV, it was shown on 60 Minutes and "A Current Affair" and all the news media. I have a very close mate who was there, he won't discuss it and wont march on Anzac Day or Armistice day (Veteran's Day). All he will say is "it happened".

Kody