A Dark Night In VietNam

[mrclose]

To all the 'Grunts' who sat in those marsh fields and rice paddies of the place we call Nam .. Remember this?

I had a small am radio that somehow survived all the rains and muddy waters of the rice paddies.

That little (silvertone) radio was able to pick up some far away stations that would broadcast information from the home front and tunes that reminded us that we weren't forgotten back home.

I was seventeen, almost eighteen, right out of high school and in some foreign land that I had never even heard of!

I was 'wounded', (shot through the left leg) when I was dropped off by a Chinook in a country that wasn't my own.

I was Scared.
I was a Ranger (six months of extra abuse training) and I wasn't supposed to be scared but I was!

Well, anyways, I sat and I wondered .. did my family know where I was, how scared I was?

After three months in the field and feeling forgotten, I turned on my silvertone (batteries only lasted a month so you had to conserve) a voice came over the radio and said .. "Paul, if you can hear this .. your brother, your family wants you to know They are thinking of you and they love and miss you .. come home to us safely".

"They want to dedicate to you and to Every soldier in the field, this song".

I instantly became a fan of Gary Puckett that night .. nine thousand miles from home!

I'M HOME MOM!!
(Yes, My name is Paul)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUwRlbTDbtg

[famousdayandyear]

Wishin I could find a song for you.  All's I can do is to say with all my heart:

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your endured for us who love and loved you so much during those dark, dark days.

And, as a helpless civilian, believe me I remember them well.

God bless, soldier and warrior.

[famousdayandyear]

mrclose:

This is for me and my memories of that time you described.  Hope you like it too:


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0JdtxT_zO3Q

[mrclose]

Wishin I could find a song for you.  All's I can do is to say with all my heart:

Thank you, thank you, thank you for all your endured for us who love and loved you so much during those dark, dark days.

And, as a helpless civilian, believe me I remember them well.

God bless, soldier and warrior.

You are a treasure!

I only posted this because I am on meds for my cancer and I get 'giddy' when that happens.

Memories from long ago come back.
Memories when we were young.

I wish that there was some way to relive our lives.

We can't but we can live them again with our memories.

Nam wasn't a great time for me but the era was simply more innocent than our children will ever know!

I am so sorry for what we are going to leave them!

[famousdayandyear]

No apologies ever for what you have given us and your children.
Honor is an inexplicably precious gift.

I wish there was no need for this additional battle for your health.  If it were me ( and I know this is a weak argument ), I would take any and all meds that made me ease any kind of pain.

I'd like to keep in touch with you, since that era took so much from me.
PM is a nice alternative.  Take care.

[EC]

Get nights like that, my friend. The past seems closer than right now does, you know? Especially with music.

Here's mine, for what it's worth. First heard it on the radio while waiting to go on patrol in NI. Listened to it (and later played it) everywhere from as a scared shitless kid on the Shankill Road to Iraq and beyond. The tech changes. The song never does.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uY53JVoH2h0

Rest easy tonight, eh?

[Bigun]

God bless and keep you my brother from another mother!  Only those of us who experienced Vietnam can really understand each other! I have had a few nights like that myself! In fact I became resigned to the fact that I wasn't gonna ever go home but somehow I did. Still don't know how.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CMxOMSy8hJo

[PzLdr]

To all the 'Grunts' who sat in those marsh fields and rice paddies of the place we call Nam .. Remember this?

I had a small am radio that somehow survived all the rains and muddy waters of the rice paddies.

That little (silvertone) radio was able to pick up some far away stations that would broadcast information from the home front and tunes that reminded us that we weren't forgotten back home.

I was seventeen, almost eighteen, right out of high school and in some foreign land that I had never even heard of!

I was 'wounded', (shot through the left leg) when I was dropped off by a Chinook in a country that wasn't my own.

I was Scared.
I was a Ranger (six months of extra abuse training) and I wasn't supposed to be scared but I was!

Well, anyways, I sat and I wondered .. did my family know where I was, how scared I was?

After three months in the field and feeling forgotten, I turned on my silvertone (batteries only lasted a month so you had to conserve) a voice came over the radio and said .. "Paul, if you can hear this .. your brother, your family wants you to know They are thinking of you and they love and miss you .. come home to us safely".

"They want to dedicate to you and to Every soldier in the field, this song".

I instantly became a fan of Gary Puckett that night .. nine thousand miles from home!

I'M HOME MOM!!
(Yes, My name is Paul)


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zUwRlbTDbtg

I've seen Gary Puckett in concert a few times. Every show, he does an intro to this song thanking all the vets, but then he singled out the Viet Vets, and had us stand up in the audience. He didn't have to do that, but he did.

CPT ARMOR
MACV 1971

Imjin Scout
1968-1969 

[alicewonders]

You are a treasure!

I only posted this because I am on meds for my cancer and I get 'giddy' when that happens.

Memories from long ago come back.
Memories when we were young.

I wish that there was some way to relive our lives.

We can't but we can live them again with our memories.

Nam wasn't a great time for me but the era was simply more innocent than our children will ever know!

I am so sorry for what we are going to leave them!

God bless you mrclose, my thoughts and prayers are with you - for healing and for peace.

There aren't enough words for me to thank you for your service. 

       

[famousdayandyear]

mrclose:  Got your ears on?

[famousdayandyear]

How you doin tonight?