Not Forgotten

**Unchained** · April 30th, 2005, 08:59 PM

As some of you all know, i am the son of a Vietnam Vet. For years i watched my dad and his brothers from Vietnam suffer not only the deep scars that this war inflicted both mentally and physically upon them, but the pain and anguish that they had to deal with, and are still dealing with, at the way our men were treated when they came "home". They deserved a helluva lot better than to be spit upon. Whether we agreed with the war or its causes/reasons (BTW-i disagree with the war in Iraq but will welcome our men and women home with open arms), NOTHING diminishes the nobility of these men who answered the call. You can spot a Vietnam vet a mile away, not from the way they look or clothes they wear, but by the haunt in their eyes. My nickname from childhood has been Bud, and i remember my Dad saying "Bud, i'm going to hell for the kids i had to kill", and many times i replied "Dad, you've spent your time in hell".
I wanted a way to show these folks that they indeed are not forgotten. Vietnam Vets have a wall, which obviously is the pic in my avatar. Now, they have a walking, talking, living, breathing memorial as well. Vietnam Vets: This BUD's For You. The saying ALL GAVE SOME, SOME GAVE ALL is a common one we all know, but it fits Vietnam Vets to a tee. See, all who came back from that hell, never came back the same-they lost alot of themselves, and left it over there. Tattoo is courtesy of John Michael Hill (A.K.A Papa Mike) U.S. Army 2nd Lt. Special Forces-Vietnam.
The color of Vietnam is yellow(also yellow in service bars), but because of the massive amount of bleeding that i did during this tattoo, it will take a week or so for the orange to go away (you will notice spots of blood in the tat as well-still bleeding a bit). A true labor of love-the least i can do.
vietnamsmall

**OAR** · April 30th, 2005, 09:01 PM

Great post Unchained...They will never be forgotten..

Nice tattoo as well...

April 30th, 2005, 09:41 PM

Well... I even tho I got a loose screw or two, the post in the thread on "Quotes for the day" - I Walked with Kings is the title of a book about the guys from the inner cities and farms and hillbillies that went war in the infantry to do something that thought they should. And they did to the best of their ability- quite well really, only to find that the home they left had changed. Even the rear areas of the war were warped , at one point the US had half a million troops in Nam, and only 50,000 rifle men. People who weren't in any shape to fight went back to the front to help the buddies they left, cause some just couldn't cut it, some weren't trained and somewhere the greatest country in the world lost focus , and forgot it's troops....can you imagine 60,000 names of 60,000 young men ,torn from 60,000 families ? Can you imagine a country that forgot these lessons and pulled the same trick again so soon? Even if it's president served in the Air National Guard during that first war? I love my boys....The VFW in BSG brought the "Moving Wall" to Bullitt Park soon after it was available. It is something to see... Well said my friend , Unchained , and if no one that knows the truth about the real cost of wars like these were to speak, the next generation would never have a chance. Thanks to you , your Father and all the Vets of all the wars.

**PVVikeFan** · April 30th, 2005, 10:21 PM

As a U. S. Army Veteran (1968-1971) I say THANK YOU Unchained. Very nice gesture.

**Unchained** · April 30th, 2005, 11:08 PM

NO....thank you all.

**cats78** · May 1st, 2005, 12:01 AM

Cool tattoo Unchained.

**imported_trio** · May 1st, 2005, 02:39 AM

that looks awsome!

May 1st, 2005, 12:01 PM

That's alright bro.
Had two cousins serve in Vietnam, or as they called it the Jungle of Death.
They were older than me and we all looked up to them. They were the cool dudes of their day.
Took a long time to see that side of them again, when they returned from Vietnam.
Came back not the young boys they left as, but what looked like old men, who had been through hell, but survived and made it out.
Spent years trying to put a lot behind them and deal with a lot. I remember the one telling me when he got off the plane in California, a young woman ran up to him in the airport and spit on him.
He held no grudge, to this day, he said if you weren't there, you don't know. And i can't describe it, it's something i hope no one ever has to go through.
As you said. Some are gone. But none will be forgotten.
I know we have many vets on here. To you all. Thanks for all you did. And welcome home.

**PVVikeFan** · May 1st, 2005, 12:12 PM

Back in those days people didn't think of our military the same way they do now. There was no respect. Disgust was the thought of the day. I can remember walking through airports when I came in on leave, and having people point and make remarks. Thankfully most of those remarks were more like whispers and I couldn't hear them. It was a very sad situation. We were only doing a job like everyone else. It was just an unpopular job.

**Unchained** · May 1st, 2005, 06:21 PM

A MAJOR reason for the tattoo was to serve not only as a tribute to these men, but to serve as a gigantic FU%# You to draft dodgers, flag burners, and other folks who didn't have the common courtesy to at least keep their mouths shut when these men came home. Those men had been through more than enough already.