In Laos, Vietnam and Cambodia

[mazboy]

just was sitting around and thought I'd message our current trip. No, there is no Montana on this trip. The countries are beautiful and the people very friendly. If I had to choose my favorite country it would be Cambodia...a beautiful place and the people are great. Note: the city of Siem Reap here in Cambodia has been flooded in many parts....2 weeks ago 200 tourists were trapped at a temple and they had to bring in 2 helicopters....what an experience for them.
10 more days and then home.

If any of you are thinking about going over here someday drop me a note.....

[Bill-N-Donna]

Sounds like quite an adventure, hope you enjoy the remaining time while on your visit! You’ve got to admit it though; you really miss the Monty don’t you?

[PapaBeav]

Once was enough.

[bigmurf]

quote:Originally posted by PapaBeav

Once was enough.

Amen.

[HOOK]

Tell them I'll never forget.

[Delaine and Lindy]

Left to much there have no reason to even think of going back. 67/68 in country..

[CORattler]

Glad you're enjoying your time there... for some of us, the memories won't allow us that pleasure.

[lasater]

Too many morgue calls to get ammo, etc. off the troops. Don't have any desire to go back.

[mazboy]

For some reason I have been back a number of times in Vietnam....yea, lots of memories....ask my wife about the one trip i took...nearly ruined our marriage.
this time we added Laos and Cambodia....
this will be my last time, as you all said, too many memories but now some good ones too.

[Champ_49]

Been there done that, have no want to return. Wasn't wanted when I was there anyway!!!

Dave

[pineranch]

It's kind of like going to the Vietnam Memorial, been there and can't go back. Way to hard on the heart and soul.
Mike

[Bob & Lee]

Been there done that 68-69. No desire to return.

[pineranch]

Stats;
Too many good men & women lost. May we always remember what might have been.


Interesting Veterans Statistics off the Vietnam Memorial Wall

"Carved on these walls is the story of America , of a continuing quest to preserve both Democracy and decency, and to protect a national treasure that we call the American dream." ~ President George Bush

SOMETHING to think about - Most of the surviving Parents are now Deceased.

There are 58,267 names now listed on that polished black wall, including those added in 2010.

The names are arranged in the order in which they were taken from us by date and within each date the names are alphabetized. It is hard to believe it is 36 years since the last casualties.

Beginning at the apex on panel 1E and going out to the end of the East wall, appearing to recede into the earth (numbered 70E - May 25, 1968), then resuming at the end of the West wall, as the wall emerges from the earth (numbered 70W - continuing May 25, 1968) and ending with a date in 1975. Thus the war's beginning and end meet. The war is complete, coming full circle, yet broken by the earth that bounds the angle's open side and contained within the earth itself.

The first known casualty was Richard B. Fitzgibbon, of North Weymouth , Mass. Listed by the U.S. Department of Defense as having been killed on June 8, 1956. His name is listed on the Wall with that of his son, Marine Corps Lance Cpl. Richard B. Fitzgibbon III, who was killed on Sept. 7, 1965.

• There are three sets of fathers and sons on the Wall.
• 39,996 on the Wall were just 22 or younger.
• 8,283 were just 19 years old. The largest age group, 33,103 were 18 years old.
• 1 soldiers on the Wall were 17 years old.
• 5 soldiers on the Wall were 16 years old.
• One soldier, PFC Dan Bullock was 15 years old.
• 997 soldiers were killed on their first day in Vietnam .
• 1,448 soldiers were killed on their last day in Vietnam .
• 31 sets of brothers are on the Wall.
• Thirty one sets of parents lost two of their sons.
• 54 soldiers on attended Thomas Edison High School in Philadelphia . I wonder why so many from one school.
• 8 Women are on the Wall. Nursing the wounded.
• 244 soldiers were awarded the Medal of Honor during the Vietnam War; 153 of them are on the Wall.
• Beallsville, Ohio with a population of 475 lost 6 of her sons.
• West Virginia had the highest casualty rate per capita in the nation. There are 711 West Virginians on the Wall.
The Marines of Morenci - They led some of the scrappiest high school football and basketball teams that the little Arizona copper town of Morenci (pop. 5,058) had ever known and cheered. They enjoyed roaring beer busts. In quieter moments, they rode horses along the Coronado Trail, stalked deer in the Apache National Forest . And in the patriotic camaraderie typical of Morenci's mining families, the nine graduates of Morenci High enlisted as a group in the Marine Corps. Their service began on Independence Day, 1966. Only 3 returned home.

The Buddies of Midvale - LeRoy Tafoya, Jimmy Martinez, Tom Gonzales were all boyhood friends and lived on three consecutive streets in Midvale, Utah on Fifth, Sixth and Seventh avenues. They lived only a few yards apart. They played ball at the adjacent sandlot ball field. And they all went to Vietnam . In a span of 16 dark days in late 1967, all three would be killed. LeRoy was killed on Wednesday, Nov. 22, the fourth anniversary of John F. Kennedy’s assassination. Jimmy died less than 24 hours later on Thanksgiving Day. Tom was shot dead assaulting the enemy on Dec. 7, Pearl Harbor Remembrance Day.

The most casualty deaths for a single day was on January 31, 1968 ~ 245 deaths.

The most casualty deaths for a single month was May 1968 - 2,415 casualties were incurred.


For most Americans who read this they will only see the numbers that the Vietnam War created. To those of us who survived the war, and to the families of those who did not, we see the faces, we feel the pain that these numbers created. We are, until we too pass away, haunted with these numbers, because they were our friends, fathers, husbands, wives, sons and daughters. There are no noble wars, just noble warriors.

[CamillaMichael]

quote:Originally posted by PapaBeav

Once was enough.

Agree....

[TLightning]

Once was enough, and I went (was sent) twice.

[Sheepdog]

I served stateside during the Vietnam Era in the ARMY Reserves and did not see combat. To all my friends, and those here on this forum who did go to Vietnam, all I can say is thank you again and "Welcome home". I'm proud to call many of you a friend (Hook) and hope now you can begin to get the so deserved recognition that was lacking on your return. Freedom isn't free and the names on the wall are those who gave all. Never forget their sacrifices. God Bless all of you.

[Waynem]

Pineranch,

Thank you.

68-69

[Bruce Lenhardt]

quote:Originally posted by CamillaMichael

X2 (69-70)

[RVWheels]

We would like to thank the original poster of this thread for a thoughtful and informative topic. We also would like to thank everyone who served our country in the Vietnam conflict. Since the posts have taken the thread off topic it is being closed. Thank you, RVWheels.