Today is National Viet Nam Veterans Day.
Unfortunately almost no one knows.
On this day 38 years ago the last American combat troop left Viet Nam.
We lost 58,000 Americans
Welcome Home Vietnam Vets Day
The following story has been submitted by a user of semissourian.com. To submit your own story to the site, click here.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
User-submitted story by M.Riney
Thank You, Vietnam Veterans
By LTC. Carolyn Abell, US Army, Retired
"No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much. Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic." -- Richard Nixon from his book, "No More Vietnams"
Earlier this month the United States Senate declared March 30, 2011 as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day." This particular date was chosen because on March 30, 1973, remaining U. S. troops withdrew from Vietnam under the terms of the Treaty of Paris.
In a resolution introduced by Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina and co-sponsored by five other senators, including Georgia's Johnny Isakson, the Senate is encouraging Americans across the country to recognize Vietnam veterans for their sacrifice and to make them feel the gratitude of a country that sent them to fight. "It's time they receive the recognition they have earned and deserve," declared Senator Burr.
While Richard Nixon might have had his faults as President, the above statement about the Vietnam War is spot on. Largely due to intentional misreporting by anti-war press members, a number of myths and falsehoods were generated and have continued to be perpetuated about this war and the men who fought it.
Statistical evidence contradicts most of these lies. For one, the majority of Vietnam veterans declare they are glad they served (91percent), with74 percent saying they would serve again, even knowing the outcome.
In contrast to the popular notion that a great number of Vietnam veterans were drug users, a myth promoted by such movies as "Apocalypse Now," information from the Veterans' Administration indicates that there is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam veterans and non-veterans from the same age group.
A 97 percent rate of honorable discharges among Vietnam veterans should quell any myths that they were largely lawless heathens.
According to a speech by Lt. Gen. Barry McCaffrey in 1993, 85 percent of Vietnam veterans made a successful transition to civilian life. General McCaffrey further stated that these veterans' personal income levels exceeded their non-veteran counterparts of the same age group by more than 18 percent. He added that Vietnam veterans had a lower unemployment rate than the non-vet age group.
A lot of people think, too, that the Vietnam War was fought by the poor and uneducated. In actuality, these veterans were the best educated forces our country had ever sent into combat, with 79 percent having at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Many had taken some college courses or even earned a degree.
The survival rate of Vietnam veterans was also much higher than in previous wars, thanks largely to MEDEVAC helicopters. Pilots of these birds flew nearly 500,000 missions, airlifting over 900,000 patients. The average time lapse between wounding to hospitalization was less than one hour. As a result less than one percent of all American wounded who survived the first 24 hours, became fatalities.
I think the average American appreciates the sacrifices of all veterans. There is nothing more noble and honorable than serving one's country in the armed forces. Vietnam veterans answered the call to duty, and they continue to serve today with acts of national patriotism, community involvement and serving in elected offices.
Make it a point this Wednesday to thank a Vietnam veteran. Tell him "Welcome home."
My goal for the book is to preserve the memories of men who died too young--who gave all they could give for a cause they believed in. It is because of them that I sit here in a land of freedom and plenty. May they never be forgotten!
Unfortunately almost no one knows.
On this day 38 years ago the last American combat troop left Viet Nam.
We lost 58,000 Americans
Welcome Home Vietnam Vets Day
The following story has been submitted by a user of semissourian.com. To submit your own story to the site, click here.
Sunday, March 27, 2011
User-submitted story by M.Riney
Thank You, Vietnam Veterans
By LTC. Carolyn Abell, US Army, Retired
"No event in American history is more misunderstood than the Vietnam War. It was misreported then, and it is misremembered now. Rarely have so many people been so wrong about so much. Never have the consequences of their misunderstanding been so tragic." -- Richard Nixon from his book, "No More Vietnams"
Earlier this month the United States Senate declared March 30, 2011 as "Welcome Home Vietnam Veterans Day." This particular date was chosen because on March 30, 1973, remaining U. S. troops withdrew from Vietnam under the terms of the Treaty of Paris.
In a resolution introduced by Senator Richard Burr of North Carolina and co-sponsored by five other senators, including Georgia's Johnny Isakson, the Senate is encouraging Americans across the country to recognize Vietnam veterans for their sacrifice and to make them feel the gratitude of a country that sent them to fight. "It's time they receive the recognition they have earned and deserve," declared Senator Burr.
While Richard Nixon might have had his faults as President, the above statement about the Vietnam War is spot on. Largely due to intentional misreporting by anti-war press members, a number of myths and falsehoods were generated and have continued to be perpetuated about this war and the men who fought it.
Statistical evidence contradicts most of these lies. For one, the majority of Vietnam veterans declare they are glad they served (91percent), with74 percent saying they would serve again, even knowing the outcome.
In contrast to the popular notion that a great number of Vietnam veterans were drug users, a myth promoted by such movies as "Apocalypse Now," information from the Veterans' Administration indicates that there is no difference in drug usage between Vietnam veterans and non-veterans from the same age group.
A 97 percent rate of honorable discharges among Vietnam veterans should quell any myths that they were largely lawless heathens.
According to a speech by Lt. Gen. Barry McCaffrey in 1993, 85 percent of Vietnam veterans made a successful transition to civilian life. General McCaffrey further stated that these veterans' personal income levels exceeded their non-veteran counterparts of the same age group by more than 18 percent. He added that Vietnam veterans had a lower unemployment rate than the non-vet age group.
A lot of people think, too, that the Vietnam War was fought by the poor and uneducated. In actuality, these veterans were the best educated forces our country had ever sent into combat, with 79 percent having at least a high school diploma or equivalent. Many had taken some college courses or even earned a degree.
The survival rate of Vietnam veterans was also much higher than in previous wars, thanks largely to MEDEVAC helicopters. Pilots of these birds flew nearly 500,000 missions, airlifting over 900,000 patients. The average time lapse between wounding to hospitalization was less than one hour. As a result less than one percent of all American wounded who survived the first 24 hours, became fatalities.
I think the average American appreciates the sacrifices of all veterans. There is nothing more noble and honorable than serving one's country in the armed forces. Vietnam veterans answered the call to duty, and they continue to serve today with acts of national patriotism, community involvement and serving in elected offices.
Make it a point this Wednesday to thank a Vietnam veteran. Tell him "Welcome home."
My goal for the book is to preserve the memories of men who died too young--who gave all they could give for a cause they believed in. It is because of them that I sit here in a land of freedom and plenty. May they never be forgotten!
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