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Down The Middle - Aug 23, 2004 - Printable Version
- WAR IS OVER ...If You Want It
by Down The Middle
The year was 1969 and my best friend and I were just weeks away from our high school graduation. Being anxious to get away from our boring, little home town and see the world, we soon found ourselves sitting across the desk from the local U.S. Army recruiter. It had been less than a year since the Tet '68 offensive had shocked the world and indeed, President Johnson had recently announced, "We could see the light at the end of the tunnel". My friend and I were surely too young and too dumb to be making such a serious decision with our lives but the only thing that could stop us now, would be the acquisition of our parents‚ signatures, as we were both still at the tender age of seventeen. His parents had already agreed to sign but, as I was soon to find out, my parents were unwilling to follow suit.
He would go to Viet Nam and I would go to college.
We were reunited when he returned home from his two year enlistment, having spent one of those years fighting the N.V.A. with Charlie Company, 1st of the 9th, Air Cavalry. I had spent my time smoking pot, chasing girls, and protesting the war, when I wasn't busy sleeping through my morning classes. We immediately hooked up again, and after several days of celebration, I finally asked him about his experiences in the war.
I soon learned, during the time he had spent with the 1st Calvary Division in Viet Nam, my friend had seen quite a lot. He was not quick to talk about his tour of duty, but he did, eventually, tell me of such things as seeing a woman and her baby being cut down by fire from a helicopter gun ship, in a "free fire zone". Although he had nothing to do with the incident himself, he showed no shock or regret over the action. As he further explained, the woman was obviously V.C., and knew she would be killed if spotted in that area. For my friend's efforts in the war, he was awarded a bronze star and three purple hearts.
Thirty-five years later, he has put together a life with a wife and children and seems to be quite happy, although, I know the war still haunts him. I, myself, have only the guilt of not being with my friend during these harrowing times. He did his duty to his country by fighting the war in Viet Nam and I did my duty to my country by protesting it. We are still best of
friends and we are still "brothers".
Now, at a time when our country is under attack and our economy is showing little sign of recovery, the important news of the day seems to be whether John Kerry did or did not deserve the medals he brought home from Viet Nam. The men who are attacking him were fellow veterans, which might tend to confuse some people, but my friend had explained this one to me, all those years ago.
He told me of the time his platoon had come in from the usual twenty day patrol and all of the "freaks", including him, had gathered in a bunker to party. The gunnery sergeant on the firebase was apparently a Jack Daniels man, so consequently, he felt the urge to crank down the howitzer and fire a "bee hive" round directly into the partying bunker of soldiers. A young man, sitting across from my buddy, was killed instantly while another, standing by the entrance, was hit by about forty fleshettes, took a couple of steps, and fell over dead. My friend caught a "flesh-ette" {one of hundreds of the plastic darts of the "bee hive"} in the tail bone. Soldiers held him face down while a medic sliced open his "cheek" and pulled the fleshette free {on the third "yank"} from the bone. Friendly fire, from a "not too friendly" fellow soldier, had earned my buddy another purple heart. Years later, my best friend told me that Oliver Stone's "Platoon" was the movie most like his personal experiences in Viet Nam.
Now, it seems, with the recent attack on Kerry by some fellow veterans, we're going to fight that terrible war all over again. Although they have already been soundly discredited by other veterans and the U.S. Navy documentation, they continue to "Crank the gun down a notch" and deliver another low blow to the "freaks". I'm sorry to say, the dishonorable way these men have decided to support their candidate should be of no real surprise.
Four years ago, during the Republican primary, the "Bush boys" said Senator John McCain wasn't "brave" just because he had been a P.O.W. in Viet Nam. The truth was, McCain suffered broken bones, torture, and illness but refused to except an early release by his captures. {McCain's father was a U.S.N. Admiral and the Cong wanted to use the future senator as a publicity stunt for the press.} Instead, John McCain opted to stay with his fellow P.O.W.s until they ALL were released.
Two years ago, during the U.S. Senate in Georgia, the Bush boys were at it again. They attacked Democratic incumbent Max Cleland, accusing him of being "unpatriotic" for voting against the Patriot Act. Senator Cleland had voted against the legislation because of the infringement upon our civil rights but the damage was already done. This veteran had left both legs and an arm in Viet Nam but these "followers" of men who didn't serve, convinced enough voters to
cost him the election.
Now, we're seeing men who were good soldiers, dishonor themselves and other good men, all for the political gains of those who "didn't serve". It seems, the war still goes on. Maybe it's like the movie says, "We fought ourselves." and maybe we're still fighting ourselves. I'm afraid, the only way that damn war will ever truly end is with the passing of my generation but I wish it wasn't that way.
All I can say to all of those brave young soldiers who fought in Viet Nam and to all of those brave young citizens who protested to bring them home is, the WAR IS OVER...if you want it.
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