Feb 16 1968

[carpriver]

47 years ago tonight my teammates and I were relived and told to stand down. The area around Da lat was declared secure. The team had been at Cam Ly airfield since Jan, 30th when the NVA attacked the city. Like so many other men we did what we needed to do to get the mission completed. the team got to go the Cam Rahn Bay to get checked out by the medics, get something to eat besides c-rats & l.r.p. rations, a new issue of uniforms and boots hot showers and to get some sleep. From Jan.30th until Feb.16 I lost 40 pounds. Went from 180lbs. to 140lbs

The effort of the men and women of the US forces in Vietnam broke the back of the North Vietnamese. they were never able to mount another offensive of the size and scale. I am a Proud Viet Nam Veteran

 

[Mike McLellan]

Nice job, brother.

 

[Big Stick]

Welcome Home, and thank you for your service.

 

[Texas Star]

Please describe your operations at that time. Were you Air Police, my own career field? (I was not in Vietnam.) I see your AF icon...

I know about the AP units at Ton Son Nhut saving that base during the Tet offensive. Nothing else about USAF ground combat seems to have made the news.

 

[MSgt G]

Great job! Thanks for your service!

 

[Dueeast]

Thank You for your service!

 

[mstem]

Thank you for your service to our great country.

 

[Geronimo Jim]

Thank you and God bless you.

 

[sheepdawg]

Thank you for your service, too bad the politicians ran that war.

 

[rwsmith]

What happened over there....

What happened over there wasn't due to the people that were doing the fighting. And I think one of the darkest days in this country were when people started blaming service men for the war. Now when Hanoi Jane says her intentions were misunderstood and that the NV used her as propaganda people should listen to her rhetoric at rallies before she went.

 

[labworm]

carpriver, familiar with your ordeal, and nothing has to be explained to anyone.

I know some well decorated vets, that just don't care to talk about their experiences.

To this day, once a year, 3 of us meet up for dinner, have a few laughs, then we all return to our own little circle of life.

My friend Arthur, 1st Lt. Army Ranger, Wolfhounds, Cu Chi, 68 Tet, almost killed, caught in a L shaped ambush in his command APC, two rounds to the chess, thumb blown off. Only outside the gate for 4 trips, was on his way home for good.

If you met him, you wouldn't even think that he served his country. Great man that I have the privilege to call friend.

 

[shouldazagged]

A hellish time, and those who opposed the coordinated offensive fought magnificently.

It was a war that shouldn't have been fought, but the military personnel ordered to fight it didn't deserve the abuse they received on returning home.

 

[the ringo kid]

Thank you for your service sir. One ofmy Cousins was there from seventy to seventy-one.He was in the Army--not sre eactly what he did.

 

[charlie sherrill]

We won all the battles and then the politicians, with a lot of help from the media, gave the victory to North Vietnam. Treason doesn't mean anything anymore. I hate the way our troops were treated and haven't forgotten who was responsible for that.

 

[Donn]

47 years ago tonight my teammates and I were relived and told to stand down. The area around Da lat was declared secure.

Murphy's Laws of War #25,"Once you've secured an area, don't forget to tell the enemy." Another forum member who found his way to sunny South Vietnam. Me too, Army 1969-70. Welcome home.

 

[Bajadoc]

Thank you. We are blessed to be living in the greatest country in the world because of people like you.

 

[Texas Star]

carpriver, familiar with your ordeal, and nothing has to be explained to anyone.

I know some well decorated vets, that just don't care to talk about their experiences.

To this day, once a year, 3 of us meet up for dinner, have a few laughs, then we all return to our own little circle of life.

My friend Arthur, 1st Lt. Army Ranger, Wolfhounds, Cu Chi, 68 Tet, almost killed, caught in a L shaped ambush in his command APC, two rounds to the chess, thumb blown off. Only outside the gate for 4 trips, was on his way home for good.

If you met him, you wouldn't even think that he served his country. Great man that I have the privilege to call friend.

You may have misunderstood my request. I wasn't challenging him; just asking if he'd share what he encountered. It might interest a lot of us here. Some vets write about their combat experiences; some suppress them.

I'd be quite interested in what USAF ground forces achieved in withstanding those heavy assaults. I did apply for duty in Vietnam, but was sent instead to Newfoundland. I should be grateful, I guess, but feel a little guilty when I meet those who did serve there and who saw battle.

 

[max]

I thank you for your service. I also remember that date but for more pleasant reasons. It would be almost 2 years before I got to Vietnam.

 

[Viss]

I was 8 yrs old and safely at home when you and many others were giving your all over there. Thank you. Well done!

 

[bigride]

God bless you all. Thank you.

Just pretend this is witty.

 

[pawncop]

While you probably did not receive the honor you so richly deserved at the time, our nation has slowly come around to correcting that terrible disservice to you and others that served so well over there.

May all who were treated so poorly back then find peace and honor now.