My husband is a Vietnam Veteran. You know, the unpopular war. Wait, most wars are unpopular, but the Vietnam War found many young Americans treating the returning military abominably. So it was with Hubby.
He served his Country proudly. he made many sacrifices. He was out of the country for over a year. His plane was shot at. He had friends that died. He carried one friend off the side of a mountain. It was a tough time, but he did it because he believes in our Country. As did the men and women, so many of them that did not come home.
I was not married to him then. I was just a wee bairn. I am grateful I did not know him then. I am not sure I could have taken him being there at that time. During the Vietnam War, there was no Skype, just Ham Radio Operators who occasionally put a call through Stateside.
He did come home, to a country of hostile people. But thank you to God, for bringing him back.
He is having health problems directly related to his service in Vietnam. Agent Orange how I detest thee! The VA is helping with his healthcare, but the toll that the war, so long ago, took on his health, is very sad to see.
My point today is to always appreciate the military that serves our Country. They are your fathers, sons, brothers, uncles, mothers, sisters, daughters and aunts.
May this Memorial Day be a day of reflection when one considers the sacrifices made by these men and women in service to our country.
To those who came home, and to those who did not.
God bless them all.
Please thank your husband for his service, Maribeth. My father served in Vietnam and we moved on to his posting in Europe immediately after and didn’t return to the United States until 12 years later. We lived on a military base, surrounded by military families, and it wasn’t until I was a young adult, working in California, that I came to see what had happened to the Vietnam veterans in the time between the war ending in 1973 and our return to the US. It was appalling and our society still has so many amends to make.