Not Forgotten

**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.

**burton2019** · May 1st, 2005, 04:31 PM

Simply put man: the post I have ever read on any message board. Great Stuff. I feel the exact same way you do, and I would like to thank everyone who put their lives on the line so I would be able to sit here today, like I can, with my freedom. Also another good looking tatto. If I might say, not ot be rude, but the best tattoo you have IMO. Once again Unchained...GREAT post. And once again thank you all veterans.

**imported_trumpet1988** · May 1st, 2005, 05:11 PM

Couldn't have put it better myself. Learned in history that those Vietnam soldiers got spit on and everything. It don't matter what those people thought. That's not just.

**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.

May 1st, 2005, 07:47 PM

Well, I'm not sure what is being taught as history in the schools ,so I just make sure Blue gets the truth. Seems many countries are finding it easy to leave out the parts of history they wish were different, and I'm just not comfortable leaving an issue as important as this to chance. Blue walked the grounds at Moutain Home before he was 2, and was given an idea what was behind the simple graves there. Lots of guys still don't have the ability to come home from the war still there, some just don't have anywhere to go. One gent ,a quadrapelegic (I think that is right) loved popcorn. "Just put it on the table on a paper towel, I'll get it from there." Tough guy, sit in the room with the vending machines , to catch a little conversation with someone new. I don't think it was ever put to us , while I was in school that the numbers of people killed in WWII were PEOPLE . Just kinda stuff you had to remember. I hope his generation never faces a situation of war, but I really don't think there is much real hope of that. I do hope that enough of them have been taught about the results of war not to take it lightly and give the full support of the nation to it's warriors when they are called.

**Unchained** · May 1st, 2005, 08:22 PM

One of my favorite quotes is " If there must be war, may it be in my time, so my sons may know peace". being the father of two sons, who are 7 and 9 respectively, that really hits home.

**PVVikeFan** · May 1st, 2005, 10:06 PM

It seems like every generation fights a war so the next generation won't have to. Good plan, it just never works.

**MikMo** · May 2nd, 2005, 08:13 AM

I'd wondered where I'd seen that pic in your avatar. We vacationed in our nation's capital in my younger days and some people were setting up a tent near the monument and asked me to help them. Come to find out they were an organization called Friends of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial. They gave me a pin and we stood there and talked about the Memorial for a few minutes. I wore that pin on my jacket when I got home and everyone would always ask me where I got it.