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I arrived in country in early 1968. A young man but well trained. I had protested the Vietnam war while in college. My world seemed to turn upside down when I received that letter saying “Greetings.’ I had been drafted into the Army. After months of training, I was sent to Vietnam and assigned to the 82nd Airborne division where I became just another grunt. I could no longer protest….I had to learn how to survive.
Shouts of “MEDIC…MEDIC”….The memories of such events are still there even after 46 years. It seems like only yesterday. Vietnam, in a jungle/ rubber plantation area called Hobo Woods next to the Cambodian border. Infested with Viet Cong and a number of NVA regulars with tunnels all over the place.
Being not familiar with the area, several companies were drawn into ambushes and fire fights almost immediately. The 82nd Airborne and 25th infantry took on casualties. It was the first major taste of combat and a bitter one at that. The area was so dense that shots and mortars came from nowhere…just about everyone was scared for themselves and their buddies. A mortar round landed about 10 meters from two squads and two soldiers went down. Then the point man was hit by a burst of AK47 ammo. He was wounded badly. The company medic crawled over to him but it was too late. He died there in the arms of my fellow soldiers. He was only 19 yrs. old.
This ugly face of war has gone on thousands of years and since 1776 our country has lost so many brave men and women. This day, Memorial Day, is a reminder of the soldiers that made the ultimate sacrifice.
Memorial Day, originally called Decoration Day, was officially proclaimed on 5 May 1868 by General John Logan, national commander of the Grand Army of the Republic and was first observed on 30 May 1868, when flowers were placed on the graves of Union and Confederate soldiers at Arlington National Cemetery. By the 20th century, Memorial Day had been extended to all Americans that died while in military service.
Major U.S. War Casualties U.S. Deaths Wounded Date
Iraq War 4,800 31,965 2003 – 2011
Afghanistan 2,281 10,267 2001 – Present
Gulf War 258 849 1990 – 1991
Vietnam War 58,209 153,303 1955 – 1975
Korean War 36,516 92,134 1950 – 1953
World War II 405,399 670,846 1941 – 1945
World War I 116,516 204,002 1917 – 1918
Civil War 625,000 281,881 1861 – 1865
American Revolutionary War 25,000 25,000 1775 – 1783
All U.S. Conflict Casualties 1,529,230 38,159
As we acknowledge Memorial Day, there will be many Americans happy to have a day off, have cook-outs, bar-be-cues and gathering with friends and relatives. Due to our educational system, school and college K*ds will be doing their thing with few knowing what this day is really about. The sad truth is that vast majority of these Americans will give hardly a thought, if any, to the hundreds of thousands of men and women who lost their lives while serving this country.
As will other vets on this forum, I will pay my personal tributes to those who made the ultimate sacrifice. Our fallen heroes deserve our remembering them.
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Just joking, but gawd they're gorgeous.... 
