Homless Vietnam Vet

[splummer]

this wasn't a homeless guy. He wasn't wearing the metals, he just claimed to have them. He is on my mail route and I started talking to him because he was wearing an Army t-shirt and was about my age. I have run into a few real Vietnam veterans on the route and always enjoy talking to them. [once a guy from the 4th INF and I mentioned knowing Ron to him.]

[Packo]

Sorry...missunderstood. I still think he's bullshit though. The "classified" DD214 is a real tipoff.

John, you know..it's really sad but for the longest time most of us didn't do a lot of volunteering that we fought in Vietnam. One time in the student union I was limping to my next class. Some "hippy" at a table asked if I hurt myself and I said that I had got hurt a couple of years back in Vietnam. He told me that it served me right for going. Almost got kicked out of school but learned a lesson that stuck for quite awhile about mentioning my service in Vietnam.

Pack

[39mto39g]

Yea me and RR knew every one in the 4th inf.
What was his responce to knowing Ron?
If you just ask there address, that useually is enough to send people to the , AAAAAAAAAAA farm. I think it would be about as hard to forget your SS number or your RA or US number as it would your address in VN. The address is what unit you were in. If you were in a war it would be hard to forget that, or you may have been a little messed up by the war.

Ron (I think)

[splummer]

I see a lot of vets on my route from time to time. This guy had wounded vet license tabs on his car. Thats how I got started talking to him. When I found out he had been in the 4th ID I told him about the PF site and that I hear a lot about the 4th ID in Vietnam from you and the other guys. It didn't seem like he wanted the web site address. Too bad, I don't think he was a guy who wanted to talk that much about Vietnam.

[39mto39g]

next time you see him give him my e-mail. If you want to. I'll send it to you
Ron

[SuperScout]

CIB's can be awarded to non infantry MOS types, under certain conditions.

1. Must be serving in an infantry unit, at a rank no greater than LTC fo officers; don't know if there's a cap for EM.

2. Must be in a position normally occupied by 11B, 11C etc. MOS; i.e., can't be a cook in an infantry battalion. For example, we had Armor officers as infantry platoon leaders, and they qualified.

3. Must have been engaged in hostile activities while satisfying conditions 1 & 2. Flying over a firefight is not quite the level of activities that would satisfy #3!

4. Must have a semi-intelligent PSNCO to process the paperwork.

And all who stated that there is no such thing as a classified DD214 are right on taget!! That is the surest dead-giveaway of a wannabee, a really stupid wannabee.

I made a vow to myself, and to you other honorable veterans, that if I ever see a wannabee wearing unatuhorized medals, I will make a citizens arrest, and hold the mf until the FBI gets there. Believe me, I'm as serious as tomorrow morning's sunrise in this commitment.

[39mto39g]

I ve seen truck drivers and cooks in a trench takeing and giveing fire at Dak To neither group got CIBs. These guys were next to our inf unit and couldn't be distinguished but no CIB.
One time, in band camp.
I ran down the hill to a 'out' guard post manned by one guy when we were taking fire , I jumped in the hole next to him and said Hows it going? seen any VC around hear. 1st he said Heeaa, heeaa, heeaa, then He said I don't belong here , Im a cook, I told him that was ok that I wouldn't hold that against him. Then I also told him to relax, take a breath, we'll get through this, After about 30 min , I told him I had to go, as I was walking away he said , Thank You.

Ron

ps. Did you ever fire a m-16 with no shirt on? Ouh, ouh, ouh.

[SuperScout]

Due to a case of 'chronological impairment', I neglected to add one other caveat about my previous post about CIB criteria. If I'm not mistaken, there is a 30-day assignment also required, in addition to the others that were listed.

I'm certain that there were plenty of cooks, clerks and bottle washers who sent rounds down range towards Chuck, but that wasn't their main function in life, nor did that action fulfill the 30-day stickler. One of my Field Artillery Forward Observers, David Kavanaugh, probably saw as much up close and personal action as any grunt in my unit, but he didn't qualify for the CIB either.

The CIB is one of my personal treasures; I have a decal of it on the back window of my truck. Along with that, my Purple Heart license plate, a new Psyco Vet bumper sticker, and I should be on every mental health workers' watch list!

PS to Sid: you do offer Psyco Vet bumper stickers, don't cha?

[PHO127]

Today at lunch, Every tuesday I have lunch with a couple of my SF buds and some Social Security Admin Judges and Lawyers. They thought the new sticker was a hit.

[MontanaKid]

I like the ones who say "viet nam vet" but they are wearing parts of a BDU uniform, which of course came about after Vietnam.