How Many Viet Nam Vets Here?

[Santaron1]

69-72 Spent three deployments to the Tonkin Gulf aboard the USS Navasota as machinist mate. Total of 27 months there. Hates off to all ashore doing their jobs. Special thanks to my cousin who never made it home. Joe L. Fowler KIA May 16,1969 and the many others on The Wall. Thanks to all our brothers and sisters who were there. Never Forgotten.

[don graham]

Don, you and I were on the USS Bennington at the same time, I worked on the flight deck, as a Aircraft Handler (blue shirt), V-1 Div., then up to the air control tower as a radio talker until we Decommissioned the Bennington. Sorry to hear about your troubles.
Welcome Home Brother
Butch

I was in OI Dvision, Radar Operator. I still have the decommissioning booklet somewhere. I asked for River Patrol Boats and they laughed at me and said "you're never getting out of Comnavairpack". LOL

[Sundog29]

Flew two combat tours and lost friends. I was a Forward Air Controller during my first tour based in Vietnam. After my DEROS, I turned right around and flew fighters out of Thailand. I can say that I was a better person after flying combat because I better appreciated what was important in life.

[SEAlaskan]

I was in OI Dvision, Radar Operator. I still have the decommissioning booklet somewhere. I asked for River Patrol Boats and they laughed at me and said "you're never getting out of Comnavairpack". LOL

Yes, we both probably sat next to each other chowing down one of Navy's finist meals at one time or another. I missed out on the decommissioning booked, I'll see if I can find one for my collection, thank for mentioning it.
Butch

[Catfish]

68/69 Central Highlands with the 188th Ordinance, Ammunition Specialist.

It might sound strange, but I had more apprehension about coming home as I did leaving for Nam. Go figure, took me longer to adapt so the feelings were justified. The public was horribly confused, not me.

I'm a new member, but feel like I'm in the midst of old friends. Live well, ride free and safe my brothers and sisters.

[rhino 2]

68/69 Central Highlands with the 188th Ordinance, Ammunition Specialist. It might sound strange, but I had more apprehension about coming home as I did leaving for Nam. Go figure, took me longer to adapt so the feelings were justified. The public was horribly confused, not me. I'm a new member, but feel like I'm in the midst of old friends. Live well, ride free and safe my brothers and sisters.

Everyone that was in Nam... Left a little there..... And took a little back...
When i came home [67] I was a stranger in the same neighborhood that i lived in all my life...

[chiefski76]

Everyone that was in Nam... Left a little there..... And took a little back...
When i came home [67] I was a stranger in the same neighborhood that i lived in all my life...

I recall a book that was entitled, "A Stranger In A Strange Land" - I believe many of us felt like that upon coming back.

[denboy1]

66_67 cat lei MACV

[rider1234us]

68/69 Central Highlands with the 188th Ordinance, Ammunition Specialist.

It might sound strange, but I had more apprehension about coming home as I did leaving for Nam. Go figure, took me longer to adapt so the feelings were justified. The public was horribly confused, not me.

I'm a new member, but feel like I'm in the midst of old friends. Live well, ride free and safe my brothers and sisters.

i wonder how many of us felt like that. I was at camp holloway during the time you were there I suppose you were on artillery hill, made a few trips there while in pleiku. I don't think I will ever adjust to stateside after the ****wad so called americans made me feel so welcome,
i want to punch anyone that tells me "thanks for your service", it doesn't seem real since now it is popular to say so. only once has a nam vet told thanks for your service and i replied f--k that, welcome home. he gave me a funny look and said welcome home, i wondered if he had really been there. all the other vets i have run in to said welcome home.

[Sully]

From one Nam Vet to another, Welcome Home

[Shmick]

don't think I will ever adjust to stateside after the shitwad so called americans made me feel so welcome,
i want to punch anyone that tells me"thanks for your service" , it doesn't seem real since now it is popular to say so. only once has a nam vet told thanks for your service and i replied f--k that, welcome home. he gave me a funny look and said welcome home, i wondered if he had really been there. all the other vets i have run in to said welcome home.

Hey rider1234us:
You managed to sum up what I've felt perfectly. I'm grateful for your way with words. Welcome home, brother!

[Catfish]

i wonder how many of us felt like that. I was at camp holloway during the time you were there I suppose you were on artillery hill, made a few trips there while in pleiku. I don't think I will ever adjust to stateside after the ****wad so called americans made me feel so welcome,
i want to punch anyone that tells me "thanks for your service", it doesn't seem real since now it is popular to say so. only once has a nam vet told thanks for your service and i replied f--k that, welcome home. he gave me a funny look and said welcome home, i wondered if he had really been there. all the other vets i have run in to said welcome home.

Close, my main base was below and between two different artillery hills, Camp Schmidt. I spent a lot of time moving between Dak To, Kontum, An Kye, and Quinn Yan. A very close friend of mine spent two tours at Holloway and one at Schmidt, being the 2nd. He was a supply sergeant. We took turns visiting each other every couple of years after his third tour. I gave him his last ride and took him to one last rock concert just a couple of weeks before he passed from cancer a couple years back.

Damn I miss him, he gave me the nick Catfish when we were in Nam, because home was a river town.

[rhino 2]

Close, my main base was below and between two different artillery hills, Camp Schmidt. I spent a lot of time moving between Dak To, Kontum, An Kye, and Quinn Yan. A very close friend of mine spent two tours at Holloway and one at Schmidt, being the 2nd. He was a supply sergeant. We took turns visiting each other every couple of years after his third tour. I gave him his last ride and took him to one last rock concert just a couple of weeks before he passed from cancer a couple years back. Damn I miss him, he gave me the nick Catfish when we were in Nam, because home was a river town.

Holloway... Was that called Dragon Mountain back in 66?.... I spent some time in and around there Twice.[Dragon Mountain] I remember Puff clearing the perimeter, Before they put the Auto-Guns in... That was some light show...

[Ayatolla of Rockin' Rolla]

And we're still taking casualties from that god forsaken place due to our agent orange exposure!

Just lost an old friend last week due to advanced stages of Parkinsons Disease, 68 yrs old

He Was drafted 6 mos after me.I will deal with cancer every day (in remission now) for the rest of my life

[Catfish]

Holloway... Was that called Dragon Mountain back in 66?.... I spent some time in and around there Twice.[Dragon Mountain] I remember Puff clearing the perimeter, Before they put the Auto-Guns in... That was some light show...

I believe you are thinking of Camp Enari and Holloway was another landing zone south. Holloway is the only existing base today in that area. It is a Vietnamese Army base. To be positive I'd need to research, but that is what I remember reading sometime past.
When I wasn't driving a 5-ton humping ammo, I was guarding ammo depots and maintaining inventories. It provided considerable time thinking about home and screwing with your head. I just feel blessed that I'm alive today and can talk about that period detached from anger. No place to go and nothing I can do so I just keep riding the wind of freedom.

[rhino 2]

I believe you are thinking of Camp Enari and Holloway was another landing zone south. Holloway is the only existing base today in that area. It is a Vietnamese Army base. To be positive I'd need to research, but that is what I remember reading sometime past.

I was there [Dragon Mt.] before Lt Mark Enari was KIA...He was the first 4Th Div. officer KIA.
So they decided to name the camp after him...

[Catfish]

Holloway... Was that called Dragon Mountain back in 66?.... I spent some time in and around there Twice.[Dragon Mountain] I remember Puff clearing the perimeter, Before they put the Auto-Guns in... That was some light show...

Yes, I saw that as I've quoted, but I don't think that was Holloway even though I never spent any time there and I bet it was some light show. Being wrong as often as I'm right has been a part of my life since I can remember. I was a draftee and only spent 19 months in service. 12 months and four days in Nam and processed out as a civilian. The first 7 months were spent in basic at Fort Bliss on Logan Heights, three months at Fort Drum, the rest in Fort Knox. From Nam to home all in the same week. You have my respect.

[rjaykay]

12th EVAC 25th Inf 66-67. I would do it again! Proud to have served.

[slickrick]

USN

[Chuck Knopf]

Quite a few stories when I returned , also . None good . Puff was a real thrill to watch working.

I was there from July '69 to Jun '70 US Army with the 101st Airborne stationed at Camp Eagle between Hue and Phu Bai. I was lucky, a Radar O'Riley type of sorts. Things were different then, we weren't looked at as heros but rather the scum of the earth when we got home. I'll never forget after I got home to Buffalo NY I flew down to Philadelphia to be with my Fiance and thought she would like to see me in uniform, so I did just that. When she saw me her look spoke volumes! She tried to recover and asked me why I was in uniform when I was discharged, and asked me If I wanted to change. I don't think she even kissed me right away, and it was obvious she was ashamed to be with me.

It has taken me up to just a couple of years ago to come to grips with all of it, and sure don't feel like any kind of hero. Better men than I didn't get to come home.

As of this year I am now a lifetime member of the VFW and a member of the American Legion as well, but am not active with either. To me it's just a cheap place to get drunk, but hopefully as I do get involved that outlook will change.

I am currently 60% disabled thanks to exposure to agent orange and type 2 diabeties and am trying to be declared 100% as I was sort of forced to retire last fall because of the increased discomfort of periferal neuropathy in both feet and hands.

So that's my story and I'm sticking to it! What's yours???