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Memorial Day! Any Veterans on TB?

#9
a post I saw on Facebook summed it up nicely.

image.jpeg
 
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#11
I know this might seem silly, but to those who never made it back home from serving their countries, I want to say I am proud of you and I will never forget your sacrifices. From the veterans of World War I to those who died serving in Iraq and Afghanistan fighting the War on Terror, I salute you.

To those who were in the military and returned, you are this world's sole reminder of the millions of men and women who died in wars. You are living memories of a world that united despite differences to bring down those who sought to bring chaos and tyranny to this world.

To those who currently serve in the military, we are proud of you. We love you. And we will never forget you.

My uncle fought in Vietnam as a member of the Republic of Korea Army in the 1970s. The South Koreans sent the second largest number of troops to Vietnam, second to the US, as an agreement with their American allies. Korea was still undergoing massive industrialization and picking itself up from the ashes of the Korean War (1950-53), but nonetheless, the Korean soldiers fought alongside their American allies in that war.

My father also served in the Korean army in the 80s but didn't see any combat. It was only because of the compulsory service in South Korea. Nonethless, seeing photos of my father and uncle in uniform makes me one damn proud Korean-Canadian.

In Canada, I see military servicemen and women walking the streets of Vancouver. I never hesitate to salute them and thank them for their service. They are touched by it. I don't plan on stopping.

I had dreams of joining the Armed Forces as well. Maybe in the future....
 
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#14
As Bob Clayton pointed out, Veterans Day is for vets still alive and anybody who served (dead or alive). Memorial Day is for those who gave the ultimate sacrifice. But since you asked, I was a K-9 handler in the U.S. Air Force from 1968-'72. Vietnam from April '70 - April '71. This pic was at Pleiku, South Vietnam. I was a young lad of 19.
Vietnam.jpg
 
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#15
Munjibunga said:
USMC 1967-70. No combat. Thank you to all who fought and paid the ultimate price.
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'67 - '70?! How did a Marine during those years manage to avoid 'Nam? You must've had one of those jobs for the smart guys who got to order us not-so-bright guys around! :D

And FWIW, I AM smart enough to know that there were NO easy jobs in the Marines. Marines was my first choice, but I was only 17 when I went in, and my mother wouldn't sign for me to go into the Marines. I guess she figured the Air Force would keep me out of 'Nam. So lo and behold, I volunteer for K-9, which was pretty much a guaranteed ticket to 'Nam at that time. ;) No regrets though. I went to a Vietnam K-9 Handlers reunion last year and saw guys I hadn't seen in 44 years.

In addition to the men lost, I also think of our dogs on Memorial Day. At that time, they had a life (or death) sentence in 'Nam. We were not allowed to bring them home with us. (They SAID it was so the dogs wouldn't bring back some weird disease with them, but that was bull crap.) Almost all of them were there until they died. Fortunately, our country has since changed that ignorant and barbaric policy; and the vets can now bring their dogs back with them.
 
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#16
Jeff K said:
'67 - '70?! How did a Marine during those years manage to avoid 'Nam? You must've had one of those jobs for the smart guys who got to order us not-so-bright guys around! :D

And FWIW, I AM smart enough to know that there were NO easy jobs in the Marines. Marines was my first choice, but I was only 17 when I went in, and my mother wouldn't sign for me to go into the Marines. I guess she figured the Air Force would keep me out of 'Nam. So lo and behold, I volunteer for K-9, which was pretty much a guaranteed ticket to 'Nam at that time. ;) No regrets though. I went to a Vietnam K-9 Handlers reunion last year and saw guys I hadn't seen in 44 years.

In addition to the men lost, I also think of our dogs on Memorial Day. At that time, they had a life (or death) sentence in 'Nam. We were not allowed to bring them home with us. (They SAID it was so the dogs wouldn't bring back some weird disease with them, but that was bull crap.) Almost all of them were there until they died. Fortunately, our country has since changed that ignorant and barbaric policy; and the vets can now bring their dogs back with them.
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What happened to the dogs? Did they just run loose or someone took them in?
 
#17
There are no heroes among professional warriors. They chose their path.

The true heroes are the citizens who come to Her aid when America is in peril. The people who put families and careers on hold to keep the wolf from our door.

Without their sacrfice we would still be a Colonial outpost.

Short of religious fanaticism, freedom is the only ideal entire nations will risk all for.

To all the hereos in America, i thank you from the bottom of my black little heart.
 
#19
Jeff K said:
'67 - '70?! How did a Marine during those years manage to avoid 'Nam? You must've had one of those jobs for the smart guys who got to order us not-so-bright guys around! :D

And FWIW, I AM smart enough to know that there were NO easy jobs in the Marines. Marines was my first choice, but I was only 17 when I went in, and my mother wouldn't sign for me to go into the Marines. I guess she figured the Air Force would keep me out of 'Nam. So lo and behold, I volunteer for K-9, which was pretty much a guaranteed ticket to 'Nam at that time. ;) No regrets though. I went to a Vietnam K-9 Handlers reunion last year and saw guys I hadn't seen in 44 years.

In addition to the men lost, I also think of our dogs on Memorial Day. At that time, they had a life (or death) sentence in 'Nam. We were not allowed to bring them home with us. (They SAID it was so the dogs wouldn't bring back some weird disease with them, but that was bull crap.) Almost all of them were there until they died. Fortunately, our country has since changed that ignorant and barbaric policy; and the vets can now bring their dogs back with them.
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There's no substitute for dumb luck. They sent me to electronics school for a year, then I spent the next two years teaching aviation radio repair, all in San Diego, where I am when I'm not at Groom.
 
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#20
Gorn said:
What happened to the dogs? Did they just run loose or someone took them in?
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Most of them were the old "Sentry Dogs", and were too aggressive to be turned over to civilians. (Sentry Dogs were extremely aggressive. The military later transitioned over from Sentry Dogs to "Patrol Dogs". The Patrol Dogs were more like the police dogs of today. They could be used in crowds and would only attack on command or if the dog or handler was attacked. Sentry Dogs would attack anybody who came close to them.)

But to answer your questions, some were turned over to the South Vietnamese troops when the U.S. pulled out. (The Americans taught the South Vietnamese Army how to work with them.) Most were euthanized if they were too old to be transitioned over to the South Vietnamese. IMO, a true tragedy in our national history to treat those wonderful, life-saving dogs in such a disrespectful and callous way. After taking a lot of grief from a lot of us handlers over the years, they (our government) finally changed that policy and now let them come home with their handlers. Too late though for the dogs who served in Vietnam.
 
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