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Post by HighCotton on Jan 12, 2017 19:25:02 GMT -5
As I was filling my car with gas today, I noticed a scene unfolding next to me. I overheard a fellow say that he noticed this older guys hat and confirmed that he was a Vietnam Veteran. The younger guy said, "Sir, my father was a Vietnam Vet and now he's gone. I'd be honored to fill your tank and pay for your gas." The older guy thanked him but refused the offer. Then the younger guy got firm and insisted and it started to turn into a back and forth getting nowhere. So, I stepped over and said to the Vet, "Sir you better let this guy bless you by paying for your gas. Because, I'd step up and pay also. But he offered first. So you're not leaving unless you let him pay. You should just thank him. He truly is honored to pay." So sheepishly, he let the young man pay.
Meantime, another guy nearby overheard us and came over and handed the guy a $20 bill. He told him to use it for food or whatever he wanted. He said he was just standing by and wanted to help as well. The old Vet broke down and began to cry. And then he said, "You guys all together?" And we looked at each other and just kind of shrugged our shoulders and laughed and said...Nope. We don't have a clue who each other is!
We simply all shook hands and went on our way! I think that all happened in a span of maybe 10 minutes. Just a way cool experience in the middle of a hectic day!
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Post by bartiks on Jan 12, 2017 20:01:43 GMT -5
That is the least ANY of us could do, he put himself out amongst the wolves so we may live in the country we do. Bless him.
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Post by Woody Williams on Jan 12, 2017 20:16:36 GMT -5
As I was filling my car with gas today, I noticed a scene unfolding next to me. I overheard a fellow say that he noticed this older guys hat and confirmed that he was a Vietnam Veteran. The younger guy said, "Sir, my father was a Vietnam Vet and now he's gone. I'd be honored to fill your tank and pay for your gas." The older guy thanked him but refused the offer. Then the younger guy got firm and insisted and it started to turn into a back and forth getting nowhere. So, I stepped over and said to the Vet, "Sir you better let this guy bless you by paying for your gas. Because, I'd step up and pay also. But he offered first. So you're not leaving unless you let him pay. You should just thank him. He truly is honored to pay." So sheepishly, he let the young man pay. Meantime, another guy nearby overheard us and came over and handed the guy a $20 bill. He told him to use it for food or whatever he wanted. He said he was just standing by and wanted to help as well. The old Vet broke down and began to cry. And then he said, "You guys all together?" And we looked at each other and just kind of shrugged our shoulders and laughed and said...Nope. We don't have a clue who each other is! We simply all shook hands and went on our way! I think that all happened in a span of maybe 10 minutes. Just a way cool experience in the middle of a hectic day! The Lord loves a cheerful giver! . |
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Post by whitetaildave24 on Jan 12, 2017 20:51:21 GMT -5
You sure do have some stories and I like them. You all did good today!!
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Post by omegahunter on Jan 13, 2017 14:07:40 GMT -5
As I was filling my car with gas today, I noticed a scene unfolding next to me. I overheard a fellow say that he noticed this older guys hat and confirmed that he was a Vietnam Veteran. The younger guy said, "Sir, my father was a Vietnam Vet and now he's gone. I'd be honored to fill your tank and pay for your gas." The older guy thanked him but refused the offer. Then the younger guy got firm and insisted and it started to turn into a back and forth getting nowhere. So, I stepped over and said to the Vet, "Sir you better let this guy bless you by paying for your gas. Because, I'd step up and pay also. But he offered first. So you're not leaving unless you let him pay. You should just thank him. He truly is honored to pay." So sheepishly, he let the young man pay. Meantime, another guy nearby overheard us and came over and handed the guy a $20 bill. He told him to use it for food or whatever he wanted. He said he was just standing by and wanted to help as well. The old Vet broke down and began to cry. And then he said, "You guys all together?" And we looked at each other and just kind of shrugged our shoulders and laughed and said...Nope. We don't have a clue who each other is! We simply all shook hands and went on our way! I think that all happened in a span of maybe 10 minutes. Just a way cool experience in the middle of a hectic day! Outstanding! |
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Post by featherduster on Jan 13, 2017 14:33:14 GMT -5
I got to move to your neighborhood.
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Post by ms660 on Jan 13, 2017 16:37:39 GMT -5
Speaking of Vietnam Vets, here is a true story of one and what he went through on a mission into the A Shau Valley. One of if not the best accounts I have read on this. I have the upmost respect for those who sacrificed, died, survived, MIA in this war. This story is an ongoing event that the author is still in the process of completing. I found it on Facebook and read it non stop until I caught up with what he's written so far. Check it out. After each chapter he allows comments about his writing and experiences there, most by Vietnam Vets themselves. they are also very interesting jamesstrauss.com/category/thirty-days-has-september/ |
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Post by tenring on Jan 13, 2017 17:41:39 GMT -5
I've been reading those excerpts lately, brought back memories of conversations I had with a bunch of those grunts. Although I was just a REMF at Chu Lai, all fun filled close to 16 long months. I got around to different parts of that huge air base, R&R's, and back home at some of the local bars, and the real life experiences mirrored to a T what's in those articles. How about Rontgen badges worn on white smocks going in and out of tunnels built into a huge hill west of Danang ? Helped reading and sorting out Top Secret messages one night for the next days bombing runs into Laos, even though I was not assigned to our Message Center, and only had a Secret clearance on a need to know basis. Just helping out a friend who was stuck there one night and was over whelmed with the overload of messages coming in. Never told anyone about that until I was out and home and the war was winding down years later. At one time I could have written a book on what I came across, but the idea of fellows in three piece suits showing up at the front door told me that would have been a bad idea.
Same kind of conversations about Iraq and Afghanistan have taken place on my back porch.
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Post by ms660 on Jan 13, 2017 18:59:58 GMT -5
With the highest of respect,,Thank You Tenring
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Post by hatchetjack on Jan 13, 2017 19:17:55 GMT -5
I've been reading those excerpts lately, brought back memories of conversations I had with a bunch of those grunts. Although I was just a REMF at Chu Lai, all fun filled close to 16 long months. I got around to different parts of that huge air base, R&R's, and back home at some of the local bars, and the real life experiences mirrored to a T what's in those articles. How about Rontgen badges worn on white smocks going in and out of tunnels built into a huge hill west of Danang ? Helped reading and sorting out Top Secret messages one night for the next days bombing runs into Laos, even though I was not assigned to our Message Center, and only had a Secret clearance on a need to know basis. Just helping out a friend who was stuck there one night and was over whelmed with the overload of messages coming in. Never told anyone about that until I was out and home and the war was winding down years later. At one time I could have written a book on what I came across, but the idea of fellows in three piece suits showing up at the front door told me that would have been a bad idea. Same kind of conversations about Iraq and Afghanistan have taken place on my back porch. tenring - I may have asked before but what squadron were you with? Before I got hurt I was supposed to go with VMA-533. HachetJack |
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Post by tenring on Jan 14, 2017 7:50:43 GMT -5
MABS 12, Marine Air Base Squadron 12. Checked in Sept.'67, checked out Jan.'69. Our hootch area was just north of the big fuel tanks on the beach area. Most of MABS was East of the MSR. We made do living in those plywood living quarters, but it was the Ritz compared to what the '03 crowd had to deal with. Got to experience Tet of '68 when the bad guys got our bomb dump, darn near wiped out every thing on the new flight line from the blast wave. Read a report where the blast wave was just under the power of the Hiroshima mission. Wear hearing aids eventually from that morning, and unexpected loud noises stop me in my tracks to this day. We had A4 Skyhawks, Mag 13 across the way had F4 Phantoms'.
Made E4 out of Electronics school at MCRD San Diego, so life in the Orient was bearable.
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Post by ms660 on Jan 15, 2017 17:54:49 GMT -5
I bet it was very hard adjusting to the city battle grounds during the Tet offensive compared to jungle warfare most were experienced in.
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Post by tenring on Jan 15, 2017 18:49:25 GMT -5
Knew a fellow who was at Khe Sanh, he told me to change the subject that it was worse than I ever read or heard about. Met a guy later on my tour who was at Hue, not good. I was behind the wire, long way from it, just Russian made 122mm rockets with 20lbs.of HE calling on us every once in a while. Should have taken a picture when the sun came up of a tree top just outside of our hootch. I opened the door to see if there were any fires close and the darn thing tore some limbs out of it and buried itself in the sand about 6 feet from a guy looking out his door down in the next row of hooch's. If the tree had set it off, I would not be typing this. If it hadn't been a dud, he would have gone home in a bag. EOD dug it out and gave him part of it as a souvenir. He was a nervous wreck for several weeks after that.
Forgot most of the funny times, but they were the good parts.
Lost one of my high school classmates in a B52 raid, another when the chopper he was in got shot down, report said when he ran out the back [CH47} after it hit the ground and one of the rotors darn near decapitated him. Classmate in the Corps,little guy that everybody liked, got it during a mortar barrage on the base he was at.
Stay in a guys house down south when I deer hunt, he was an infantry CO, I don't even ask him about his time unless it food, clothing, did he get an R&R, etc. unless he brings up something first.
Got two "kids" who lived up the street from me, one went to Iraq, his younger brother went to Afghanistan both are bit scatter brained at times. Both were in the Corps.
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Post by ms660 on Jan 15, 2017 20:17:45 GMT -5
I was born in 64 so I kind of grew up during the war. I clearly remember the first time I heard Vietnam. I was around 5 years old and we were at my Grand Parents house. All the family was there. Everybody was crying and hugging my uncle. I ask Mom why was everybody so sad and she told me my Uncle was going to Vietnam to fight.
After two tours he survived after being wounded twice, both almost costing him his life. He told me once that he owed his life twice to the brave men who flew the slicks and that they were some of the bravest men he had ever witnessed during his time there.
After making it home he had some problems some he overcome, some he never. He lived a pretty normal life until 9 years ago when he passed away from cancer of the throat and trachea. Spread to his lungs and killed him. No doubt from cancer caused by Agent Orange that the VA denied . I miss him a lot, but real bad when squirrel season starts. When he got back he always took me squirrel hunting as a kid. As I got older he did tell me some of the things that happened while he was there that would be unbelievable to most, not me, I believed every word.
Its been said that the men who fought in WWII were the greatest generation, true of the 1940's but those that fought in Korea was the greatest in that generation, those that fought in Vietnam was the greatest of that generation, those that are still fighting for our freedoms now are the greatest today. Without those, we are nothing.
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Post by hatchetjack on Jan 16, 2017 8:44:06 GMT -5
MABS 12, Marine Air Base Squadron 12. Checked in Sept.'67, checked out Jan.'69. Our hootch area was just north of the big fuel tanks on the beach area. Most of MABS was East of the MSR. We made do living in those plywood living quarters, but it was the Ritz compared to what the '03 crowd had to deal with. Got to experience Tet of '68 when the bad guys got our bomb dump, darn near wiped out every thing on the new flight line from the blast wave. Read a report where the blast wave was just under the power of the Hiroshima mission. Wear hearing aids eventually from that morning, and unexpected loud noises stop me in my tracks to this day. We had A4 Skyhawks, Mag 13 across the way had F4 Phantoms'. Made E4 out of Electronics school at MCRD San Diego, so life in the Orient was bearable. Joined in July 1965. I was with HMS-14 in Cherry Point when I got orders to join VMA-533 (A-4 Skyhawks). I was also an electronics weenie working on the Vertical Display Indicator (VDI) that interfaced with the Skyhawk computer (first of it's kind). I did almost 9 months in Memphis in electronics school before I got to the squadron. A few months real work and then I get washed out from severe concussion side effects. I would have been there during Tet but I won't lie...I'm glad I missed it. Thanks for all you did brother. Semper Fi, Jack (retired E-4 also) |
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Post by hatchetjack on Jan 16, 2017 8:51:30 GMT -5
Knew a fellow who was at Khe Sanh, he told me to change the subject that it was worse than I ever read or heard about. Met a guy later on my tour who was at Hue, not good. I was behind the wire, long way from it, just Russian made 122mm rockets with 20lbs.of HE calling on us every once in a while. Should have taken a picture when the sun came up of a tree top just outside of our hootch. I opened the door to see if there were any fires close and the darn thing tore some limbs out of it and buried itself in the sand about 6 feet from a guy looking out his door down in the next row of hooch's. If the tree had set it off, I would not be typing this. If it hadn't been a dud, he would have gone home in a bag. EOD dug it out and gave him part of it as a souvenir. He was a nervous wreck for several weeks after that. Forgot most of the funny times, but they were the good parts. Lost one of my high school classmates in a B52 raid, another when the chopper he was in got shot down, report said when he ran out the back [CH47} after it hit the ground and one of the rotors darn near decapitated him. Classmate in the Corps,little guy that everybody liked, got it during a mortar barrage on the base he was at. Stay in a guys house down south when I deer hunt, he was an infantry CO, I don't even ask him about his time unless it food, clothing, did he get an R&R, etc. unless he brings up something first. Got two "kids" who lived up the street from me, one went to Iraq, his younger brother went to Afghanistan both are bit scatter brained at times. Both were in the Corps. Don't know why but all the "kids" in our neighborhood joined the Corps except the draftees. Hardly any of the Marines made it to Nam. All the draftees did. Had one really good friend who lived 3 houses down and a year younger than me. He was killed at Khe Sahn. When they built The Wall in Washington, I made the trip just to see his name. Too many memories and stories to even start but lots of good to go with the bad. |
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Post by M4Madness on Jan 16, 2017 9:40:41 GMT -5
I was born at 11:19 AM (11:19 PM Vietnam time) on January 20, 1968. For those who served in Vietnam, you know the date. Thanks for your service.
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Post by tenring on Jan 25, 2017 23:07:55 GMT -5
MABS 12, Marine Air Base Squadron 12. Checked in Sept.'67, checked out Jan.'69. Our hootch area was just north of the big fuel tanks on the beach area. Most of MABS was East of the MSR. We made do living in those plywood living quarters, but it was the Ritz compared to what the '03 crowd had to deal with. Got to experience Tet of '68 when the bad guys got our bomb dump, darn near wiped out every thing on the new flight line from the blast wave. Read a report where the blast wave was just under the power of the Hiroshima mission. Wear hearing aids eventually from that morning, and unexpected loud noises stop me in my tracks to this day. We had A4 Skyhawks, Mag 13 across the way had F4 Phantoms'. Made E4 out of Electronics school at MCRD San Diego, so life in the Orient was bearable. Joined in July 1965. I was with HMS-14 in Cherry Point when I got orders to join VMA-533 (A-4 Skyhawks). I was also an electronics weenie working on the Vertical Display Indicator (VDI) that interfaced with the Skyhawk computer (first of it's kind). I did almost 9 months in Memphis in electronics school before I got to the squadron. A few months real work and then I get washed out from severe concussion side effects. I would have been there during Tet but I won't lie...I'm glad I missed it. Thanks for all you did brother. Semper Fi, Jack (retired E-4 also) Just dug out a letter I sent home about Tet of '68. By the time 533 moved to "Chu Lai by the Sea" in '67, they were A6 Goony Birds. If you trained on the Sky Hawks'you might have wound up drinking '33 beer with us. So many stories about the "animal pit". BTW, 533 almost got wiped off the face of the earth when the big kaboom happened. |
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