And I was on the other side of the timeline. I got out of the Air Force
in June 1965, after the Gulf of Tonkin incident but before most anyone
could even spell Vietnam. My closest connection with the war is my
brother-in-law, a forward artillery observer who returned with a silver
star and a lot of visible and invisible scars. Parts of it get relived
when he's had a few too many beers.
To my great surprise he and several of his buddies returned to a lengthy
tour of Vietnam (north and south) in October, 2007. I was surprised
that he'd do it and greatly relieved when he returned and reported that
it was largely cathartic and he was very glad he went.
To the best of my knowledge he's been to the Vietnam Memorial twice.
The fact that he returned says a lot I think. I've been there twice
myself. All I can say is that it's a very moving experience even for me
who wasn't there and totally unlike all the other memorials.
Chuck Norcutt
On 8/23/2015 5:09 PM, Scott Gomez wrote:
I was lucky enough not to have to go to Vietnam, Bob. I'm a bit younger
than you; the draft was winding down (although not yet over) by the time I
was eligible. I joined the Navy, and chased Russian submarines around the
Atlantic and Mediterranean. Nonetheless, the loss of so many I knew, or
that were close friends or relatives of those I knew still hurts.
I've have not been to the memorial. I am not sure I can, even being, as it
were, at one remove from those who actually were in Vietnam. I can't begin
to imagine how hard that would be. Even browsing a book of photos of the
wall in a bookstore, shortly after it was completed, was enough to reduce
me to tears.
It really is something I feel I will have to make myself do, at some point,
however. You, and all those who did--and did not--return, deserve that
respect and more.
On Sun, Aug 23, 2015 at 2:01 PM Bob Whitmire <fujixbob@xxxxxxxxx> wrote:
Nice. I have never been to the Vietnam Memorial. I am afraid to go there.
Perhaps some day the fear will pass.
--Bob Whitmire
Certified Neanderthal
On Sun, Aug 23, 2015 at 2:44 PM, Nathan Wajsman <photo@xxxxxxxxxxxxxx>
wrote:
We were there just one day (no overnight), so it is a small gallery of
just 30 pictures, mainly from the United States Holocaust Memorial
Museum,
the Lincoln, Washington and Vietnam memorials, a couple of extras. In
many
ways standard visitor stuff but still, I hope you will find something to
like. I particularly enjoyed seeing in the Lincoln Memorial the cover
image
of my 8th grade US history textbook, from 1975 in Denmark:
http://www.frozenlight.eu/washington2015/
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