Open Letter To Vietnam Vets

[Gimpy]

Just got back in town a few days ago from our trip up to my sisters home in Arlington, VA and my trip to the 25th anniversary of the WALL.

An old buddy of mine that I saw last week at the WALL sent this to me today. Thought I'd share it with everyone.

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OPEN LETTER TO VIETNAM VETERANS


Dear Hero,

I was in my twenties during the Vietnam era. I was a single mother and, I'm sad to say, I was probably one of the most self-centered people on the planet. To be perfectly honest.I didn't care one way or the other about the war. All I cared about was me-how I looked, what I wore, and where I was going. I worked and I played. I was never politically involved in anything, but I allowed my opinions to be formed by the media. It happened without my ever being aware. I listened to the protest songs and I watched the six o'clock news and I listened to all the people who were talking. After awhile, I began to repeat their words and, if you were to ask me, I'd have told you I was against the war. It was very popular. Everyone was doing it, and we never saw what it was doing to our men. All we were shown was what they were doing to the people of Vietnam .

My brother joined the Navy and then he was sent to Vietnam . When he came home, I repeated the words to him. It surprised me at how angry he became. I hurt him very deeply and there were years of separation-not only of miles, but also of character. I didn't understand.

In fact, I didn't understand anything.until one day I opened my newspaper and saw the anguished face of a Vietnam veteran. The picture was taken at the opening of the Vietnam Veterans Memorial in Washington , D.C. His countenance revealed the terrible burden of his soul. As I looked at his picture and his tears, I finally understood a tiny portion of what you had given for us and what we had done to you. I understood that I had been manipulated, but I also knew that I had failed to think for myself. It was like waking up out of a nightmare, except that the nightmare was real. I didn't know what to do.

One day about three years ago, I went to a member of the church I attended at that time, because he had served in Vietnam . I asked him if he had been in Vietnam , and he got a look on his face and said, "Yes." Then, I took his hand, looked him square in the face, and said, "Thank you for going." His jaw dropped, he got an amazed look on his face, and then he said, "No one has ever said that to me." He hugged me and I could see that he was about to get tears in his eyes. It gave me an idea, because there is much more that needs to be said. How do we put into words.all the regret of so many years? I don't know, but when I have an opportunity, I take it.so here goes.

Have you been to Vietnam ? If so, I have something I want to say to you-Thank you for going! Thank you from the bottom of my heart. Please forgive me for my insensitivity. I don't know how I could have been so blind, but I was. When I woke up, you were wounded and the damage was done, and I don't know how to fix it. I will never stop regretting my actions, and I will never let it happen again.

Please understand that I am speaking for the general public also. We know we blew it and we don't know how to make it up to you. We wish we had been there for you when you came home from Vietnam because you were a hero and you deserved better. Inside of you there is a pain that will never completely go away.and you know what? It's inside of us, too; because when we let you down, we hurt ourselves, too. We all know it.and we suffer guilt and we don't know what to do.so we cheer for our troops and write letters to "any soldier" and we hang out the yellow ribbons and fly the flag and we love America . We love you too, even if it doesn't feel like it to you. I know in my heart that, when we cheer wildly for our troops, part of the reason is trying to make up for Vietnam . And while it may work for us, it does nothing for you.

We failed you. You didn't fail us, but we failed you and we lost our only chance to be grateful to you at the time when you needed and deserved it. We have disgraced ourselves and brought shame to our country. We did it and we need your forgiveness. Please say you will forgive us and please take your rightful place as heroes of our country. We have learned a terribly painful lesson at your expense and we don't know how to fix it.

From the heart,

Julie Weaver
237 East Gatewood Circle
Burleson, Texas 76028-8948

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This country could use more folks like Julie Weaver!


Gimp

[Robert Ryan]

The letter is genuine and really shows the way how the war not only affected us but how it affected the people back home. Yes it was popular to be aginst the war, but now these same people as states in the letter learned that a mjaoirty of those who serve, serve with honor and dignaty. I for one am proud to have passed the sword down the men and women in our armed forces today. They are the bravest men and women in our country. They havve taken the sword from their past brothers and sisters and have served us well and they deserve nothing other than other thanks and totall support no matter what side of the fence you are on where the issue of war is. I for one am against war, my reasons are not polictical, nor are they to be popular. Like many of us on this site we have seen what war has done to us, and know that price for freedom. It ashame another generation of Americans have also had to learn that price.

[VIETNAM 1968]

Like most of you on this fine forum, I have housed a great resentment to the American People who let us, and their own country down, while we served in Vietnam. Personally it was not enjoyable to return to the very people that we fought to protect, and then find them hostile towards us and the reasons we served in Vietnam in the first place. For years I even did not reveal to anyone, except my most closest friends and fellow Vietnam Veterans, that I even went to Vietnam at all. I kept to myself out of fear of ridicule, or worse, from the very people that I was trying to defend while I did my tour.

After reading Julie Weaver's open letter to Vietnam Veterans, I now feel that I can start to let go of some of that resentment that I still have bottled up inside me. It is just like a really big weight has suddenly been lifted from my shoulders. That weight is dislike and distrust of Americans that were not completely behind our efforts while we served.

For the first time in a very long time, I now can start to forgive some of the very people that I went to Vietnam to protect and defend in the first place. That feeling is very refreshing. Thank you Julie Weaver for having the courage to write, and then send along, your feelings. If there was anything that I could have asked Julie Weaver to add to her letter. It would have been her sorrow at having let down the 58,000+ Americans who's names are now engraved on that big Granite Wall in Washington D.C. They are the ones that she let down THE MOST!!

To all of my Vietnam Veteran Brothers and Sisters I want to again wish you a MOST HEART FELT and SINCERE:

WELCOME HOME:


VIETNAM 1968

[MORTARDUDE]

I recently attended a Native American Pow Wow ceremony honoring veterans on the reservation of the Lac Courte Orilles ( LCO ) Band of Ojibwe in Wisconsin. This has been held every year since 1975. I felt humbled and blessed to stand shoulder to shoulder with over 200 veterans in a gymnasium from WW2 on up to several who are serving today. Each name was called and we came up and received an embroidered commerative hat and blanket and went down the line thanking all of those before for their service. We all remained standing until the last one joined the ranks.. Considering how Native Americans have been treated in this country for the past 350 years, it was extraordinary. I feel blessed to have been there.

Larry

[Packo]

Very, very powerful letter. Kinda leaves me speechless.....which is real unusual for me. Thanks! How was the 25th Anniversary ceremony? Do you have pictures?

Pack

[Boats]

Yep - that's one thing we all know that over time things begin to feel different. The air smells different, reflection of things past begin to dull and the pain seems to lessen each day. It seems we humans take on a different attitude as life goes by. The anger and the hate becomes more a disappointment, which tends to help resolve some of the issues long gone by.

Reflection of those days when the pain and anger were so deep and hurt so bad - has now become a dull ache. I can remember it but I seem to be able to move on and want to make my life a little less angry. Today - I see our the men and women (like the CNN special the other night) and it again enrages me - only to find that the same issues are present for them. Gimpy's battles are my battles and these kids are my kids - they've suffered dearly (many of them) only to be disappointed in the system they once admired.

They say time heals all - and I think it does to some extent. But even now as our war is so far now behind us - we have to fight again "for these kids" as they do not know the system and how it can be so brutal and non-caring.

Today they save many of the wounded in the field of fire and many more survive - if thats what you call it. The kinds of wounds that many used die from are now being saved only to live with full or partial disfigurment for the rest of their lives. Life it is - but at what quality of life is it?

Our current medical coverages for our local people are lacking. The kind of medical care they need to allow them to live a better life. Medical is so costly - so expensive that only the rich can survive.

HC and Gimpy are my heros they fight for the weakened souls who have lost the will to fight anymore. Issues that are in front us every day. We are not blind - we all know what's wrong but its not getting fixed.

So that statement - "It Takes Time" - really bites - ya know.

[Gimpy]

Originally Posted by Packo

Very, very powerful letter. Kinda leaves me speechless.....which is real unusual for me. Thanks! How was the 25th Anniversary ceremony? Do you have pictures?

Pack

Packo Mah Deah Suthern Brother,


We stopped back in Atlanta and brought my two youngest grandchildren back to Florida with us and now have the whole gang down here for the Thanksgiving week.

Been busy as a cat trying to cover up S--T on a hot tin roof in the mid-day August sun for the past couple of weeks! Taking kids to movies, the Florida Aquarium, the beach, fishin, etc, etc.

I am now so full I'm-about to POP!

I'll try and post some photos and some more info about my trip up to D.C. after the kids and grandkids go back home to Atlanta after this Sunday.

Gimp (Alias Paw-Paw)