Stolen valor? Nope...stolen PTSD.

[gadafi]

I had forgotten how poignant that was.

 

[GunMonkeyINTL]

Wow.

On the other side, there are lots of guys whose experiences most never hear about.

Back when I managed a gun shop, one of my part-time guys was an older fella, not more than 5’1” or 2”, almost annoyingly cheery, rode a Harley, married to an equally cheery BBW Mexican lady, retired Ford worker... and former Marine. He was pretty proud of the Marine thing, and had a couple USMC hats, license plate frame on his bike- that sort of thing.

Doing the rough math, he would have been a Marine in the Vietnam era, but he worked for me for almost a year before he even mentioned that he did go to Vietnam. We were perch fishing on Lake Erie (his boat), like we’d done a dozen other times, when he said it. I asked what his MOS was, and he responded “...well... lots of guys just drove trucks and stuff over there, but it was pretty sporty even for them”. That was it. That was clearly all he wanted to say, so I dropped it.

Another year went by - lots of fishing together, several dinners, him and his wife, me and my girlfriend - before it even came up again. I always had him work Monday morning with me, because he could help me clean and stock shelves, early in the morning, without bitching, being late, or managing to not get anything done. I always brought the doughnuts, he made the coffee.

I set the doughnuts down on the counter, and he had this cheesy looking fake green-leather bound book sitting there. It had “My Vietnam Diary” embossed on the front- something he bought at a gift shop in Saigon. He said he thought I might like to look at it, and kinda motioned me to it while he was chewing on a doughnut.

There were a bunch of letters from home, stuff like that that I wasn’t going to read. Pictures of him and his buddies in clean uniforms, hanging out on the beach, hookers, all that stuff.

Then, toward the middle of the scrapbook, a bunch of post-battle pictures. Dead bodies laying around (all Vietnamese, no Americans), disheveled dudes in dirty, bloody uniforms and such. Then, I came to a picture that was clearly Danny, head all bandaged up, his normal big shit-eating grin, standing there in his underwear, holding an Ithaca 37 in one hand, the other hand holding a stick about the size of a pool cue, with a Vietnamese dude’s severed head stuck on the end of it - “that’s the fucker that almost killed me...well one of ‘em” <grin>

Turns out he wasn’t a truck driver. He was infantry, and barely survived the overrun of Khe Sahn. He had the shotgun because his Sgt made him the squad Tunnel Rat. “He said, Danny... Danny, you ain’t no bigger‘n them fuckers. Grab that shotgun and get in the hole..that’s what he said. So that was my job, then.“

Never did have another conversation about it, but he let the gates open that one morning, and didn’t shy about a single topic. Then we dropped it, and never talked about it again.

 

[Bytor1958]

Was Kevin Paul around?

 

[DarthPaul]

I grew up in the 80's with movies like Distant Thunder and Rambo.
My father didn't serve, but he schooled me early on about stolen valor. Looking back, I wonder if there was a bunch of that going on even back then.
There were vets in my dad's bike club, but I don't remember it being a main focus of their lives. I do remember a guy that was a bit more "out there" (unaffiliated)... he came over one time with some big guns and stuff and I remember being at his house a few times. He always seemed nice, even though he had a strange nickname.

Then there was the time I went to stay over at my friend's house.
His father was a Vietnam vet, and I remember he and his brothers always made a big deal if it. He had divorced their mother and lived somewhere on his own.
Well, that night I went to stay over there... he ended up watching us.
Apparently he liked to get drunk and play a game with his kids, and I was included this time.
He gave us a certain amount of time to hide, and then he was going to come out and "kill us" or "break our necks" if he found us. Now, being a kid, I certainly didn't know whether he was in Nam or not, but the fear was real.
We ran out in the dark into the woods and tried to hide.
I remember laying motionless with my friend... after a while his father appeared out of nowhere, pinning us down by our necks.
I remember being VERY upset by all of this.
My father wasn't too happy either.
I can only assume the guy got a talking-to at the very least, but I do know that I never saw him again.

As I have gotten older I have encountered enough Vietnam veterans (particularly my wife's uncle) to overshadow that early experience, but it was hard to understand it as a kid.

 

[JonCanfield]

So what, I'm a reincarnated Rough Rider.

And I'm a MinuteMan. Just ask my wife

 

[JonCanfield]

Anytime I see a vet I always thank them for their service. A few months back There was a guy a couple of years older than me that had his Vietnam Vet hat on. I thanked him, and we got to talking. Very down to earth guy, downplayed his service. Toward the end, he pulled out a medallion he carried. Evidently he was a Green Beret. Didn't do it to impress me, just very casual about it

 

[scott1970]

And I'm a MinuteMan. Just ask my wife

Best orange juice ever!!!

 

[LPMarshall Hack]

My neighbor was a Navy Corpsman and did six tours in Nam, but you'd never know it. SIX fucking tours!

Fucking stud.

 

[rogue3]

So you arrested Frogfur is what you’re telling us? He was pretty good at spinning those yarns

i was going to say...

 

[cybermgk]

Yeah we could keep all the lames from opening their mouths.... uh wait....
Doh! Nevermind!
I guess it would matter on who decides who is lame and who is not?
Could we make it into a test and only those that are intelligent enough, entertaining enough, witty enough and attractive enough and redeeming enough are allowed license to speak?

For that matter, we might as well control who is, and is not educated. After all, knowledge is one of THE most dangerous commodities. Some people are just not good enough, or mature enough etc to have top levels of knowledge. And, it will be easier, because it's not even a protected right enumerated in the Bill of Rights.

And don't get me started on that privilege of driving. Just think of all the damage SOME people, particularly mentally ill folk, can do with a large truck, let alone one loaded with explosives. Again, not a protected right, so easy peasy.

Same for learning to fly. Need to make sure those folks are fully vetted by the Government. We KNOW that has been abused by crazies before.

For that matter, we really need to make sure the right people, as the government deems, are allowed to practice any religion. Religion and Religious Zealots have caused so much harm over man's history. It's obvious we need to make sure only those that can safely handle religion pursue it. It will be a little trickier because of that pesky 1st Amendment,. But hey, we've been slowly chipping away at that for a bit.

And of course we really need to test and make folks get licensed to become parents. How many criminals, bad people were created by bad parenting? AND, they should be regularly tested and checked, and if found wanting, need to remove those children from their 'care'.

(obliviously, I don't believe any of the above, but it is no different than what was stated by whom you quoted)

Every time someone passively aggressively mentions stuff like you quoted, you ever notice that they always start with a I support.... BUT, or I used to be/am a gun owner, BUT.....

 

[lpfan1980]

Takes some gumption to fake being a soldier-happens far too often. unfortunately.

 

[Jymbopalyse]

Was Kevin Paul around?

It wasn't his kind of town.

 

[Marshall & Moonshine]

Ya know, I always was a big supporter of the second amendment , even was a magazine subscribing fully paying member, round sticker on my truck NRA for at least 15 or more years. Probably closer to 20. Competitive shooting, DCM participant, High Power Service class marksman. Aspired to make it to Camp Perry one day....
I just am not so sure anymore. Life in this peoples republik of California, its too much of a liability to own guns anymore and I certainly question and take a double look at some of the folks that have guns.
Not wanting to be an elitist, but really question if it is right for just anyone to have a gun, like this malfunctioned man that surrendered! There are many people that should have guitars instead of guns and ammunition.
I dont know what the real answer is, but no matter which side you are on, the gun laws are stupid idiotic. I dont know, I just dont know?
I do miss benchrest precision shooting and building wildcats.
Today I am getting back into it in a different way. Shooting cast lead bullets thru custom built air rifle. Successfully completing the 400yrd Pepsi challenge. Luckily it isnt very easy to get there with an airgun, too exclusive and too much work, so we dont have anyone doing stupid things to bring attention upon ourselves. I doubt air rifle would be protected by 2nd amendment, as they are not firearms.

It’s always Friday somewhere.

 

[Deftone]

My Old BOSSMAN was a REAL' Nam vet. The stories he told? Holy Hell. He was shot in the stomach-put in mental hospital after flipping on LSD-paralyzed for a year- he is way STRONG. He used to put the "boots" to me-said I reminded him of crazy white boys from his squad. We had TIMES.

Talked to one particular Vietnam Vet back in '88 when I was at Ft. Campbell. We were both Redlegs (Field Artillery) so we struck up a conversation. He told me about direct firing on the enemy (he had a different word for them) with "beehive" rounds (artillery rounds full of nails) He said they were nailed together, nailed to trees, etc...

One of handful of conversations I will never forget.

 

[LtDave32]

Talked to one particular Vietnam Vet back in '88 when I was at Ft. Campbell. We were both Redlegs (Field Artillery) so we struck up a conversation. He told me about direct firing on the enemy (he had a different word for them) with "beehive" rounds (artillery rounds full of nails) He said they were nailed together, nailed to trees, etc...

One of handful of conversations I will never forget.

A 105 with flechettes. 8000 of them. Yeah, that sumbitch will put the hurt on you.

 

[redcoats1976]

spent a year in korea ,infantry.anyone who actually made in to vietnam has my full respect.

 

[Deftone]

A 105 with flechettes. 8000 of them. Yeah, that sumbitch will put the hurt on you.

'Zactly! Fookin' gnarly!

I was 155mm M198 Towed......

I was Unit Armorer and drove the 5 ton.

 

[JonCanfield]

A 105 with flechettes. 8000 of them. Yeah, that sumbitch will put the hurt on you.

We had those on the tanks. Never saw once used, even at the range (not that we were shooting at anyone at the time). They told us they weren't for anti-personnel. We were aiming at their canteens

 

[RAG7890]

FWIW, I actually worked with a guy (just after I completed my Degree) who was in Vietnam with US Forces well before Australia ever went to Vietnam. I joined the Company in ~ 1984.

He was obviously a lot older than I.

He didn't like to talk about it much but after while we got on & occasionally told me a few things.

Met a few interesting people over the years, that is for sure.

 

[LocoTex]

In my experience the guys who went there and saw combat rarely, if ever, talked about it. My cousin, who did three tours on Hueys, was one example. He would acknowledge he was there, but wouldn't talk any further. He would tell me more than he would others because we got on well. Some of the stories are so brutal it's tough to think of someone you love and respect actually experiencing such.

The guys who were there and never left Saigon will talk very freely about Vietnam. Any guy who tells war stories right off the bat is to be suspected.