Veterans

[orvet]

Interesting story Dale, thanks for posting it.
Wonder if they kept in touch . It’s interesting to hear about some of the POW experiences.

When I get some time to write I will share some stories from my friend Lt Col John Linder. John worked for me for 5 or 6 years in one of the pipe and cigar stores I managed. He was awarded the Distinguished Service Cross, Silver Star (twice as I recall), Bronze Star (3 awards), and a Purple Heart in WW II, Korea and Vietnam. He was working for me in the late 1980s when Congress passed the law awarding every former POW a Purple Heart for their time as prisoners. He put his uniform on and went to the state capital for the presentation of his fourth Purple Heart for the 2-1/2 he was a POW in Germany at Furstenberg Obertaba, a POW camp operated by the Luftwaffe. He turned 18 years old in that camp.
(I make no claims to having spelled the name of the camp properly. I don't speak or write German and am barely proficient in English!)

[jerryd6818]

WWI

Starting on Christmas Eve, many German and British troops fighting in World War I sang Christmas carols to each other across the lines, and at certain points the Allied soldiers even heard brass bands joining the Germans in their joyous singing.

At the first light of dawn on Christmas Day, some German soldiers emerged from their trenches and approached the Allied lines across no-man’s-land, calling out “Merry Christmas” in their enemies’ native tongues. At first, the Allied soldiers feared it was a trick, but seeing the Germans unarmed they climbed out of their trenches and shook hands with the enemy soldiers. The men exchanged presents of cigarettes and plum puddings and sang carols and songs. Some Germans lit Christmas trees around their trenches, and there was even a documented case of soldiers from opposing sides playing a good-natured game of soccer.

[Ripster]

Dale,that Lt Col Linder was a strong individual , another great brief of a true Veteran
JerryD, seen a movie about that Christmas in the forest! That’s another interesting twist on war and the Men who fought it !
Thanks fellas

[RP187]

Speaking of Light Fire Teams, a Loach spotter followed by a loaded for bear Cobra gunship, when I was out on my second op, we were crossing some paddies, walking on the berm and had just past a copse of trees when a Loach came around the trees from our rear, flying just above our heads.

I didn't even know what a Light Fire Team was, but SFC Smyth did and he yelled out for me to take off my head gear, drop my weapon and wave both arms and show my face.

In direct violation of everything, the first five Montagnards in our recon platoon, which always walked point, wore NVA uniforms, pith helmets and carried AK's. That was to give them a moment's head start in the shooting if they ever encountered an actual NVA unit.

Anyway, not far behind the Loach came the Cobra, but we did, with our height, our white faces and empty armed frantic waving succeed in waving him off.

They were in our AO, where they were not supposed to be operating. Don't know if they had just wandered out of their territory or were just lone wolfing around looking for something to kill.

Charlie Noyes

Charlie your 'B' team was very lucky....word hardly ever got down to our hunter killer teams where you guys were roaming. Very familiar with the SF outposts along the 'Bode' border including Bu Dop.

Charlie,
Sorry I quoted your post above, but truth be told the exact same thing happened to our heavy fire team on the outskirts of the Michelin Rubber Plantation at Dau Tieng. Suffice it to say the same thing happened to us, We just had one of our gunships shot-down in the rubber with 3 KIA's. I believe we were low leveling back to Tay Ninh on north along MSR 13 and three fully loaded, but low on fuel gunships flew over a bunch of troops marching single file south in the direction of the action that day. We called 'Paris control' air tower and asked if there was a any friendlies in that sector....Answer was no, the result predictable. The odd thing to this day this no AAR exists as to what and who we tangled with even though everyone on those ships clearly remember the action that day....I'll leave it there Charlie, we love you Green Beanies.

Bob G

[Ridgegrass]

Check out John McCutcheon's< Christmas in The Trenches on YouTube. Supposedly a true story. J.O'.

[jerryd6818]

[jerryd6818]

He was getting old and paunchy
And his hair was falling fast,
And he sat around the Legion,
Telling stories of the past.,

Of a war that he once fought in
And the deeds that he had done,
In his exploits with his buddies;
They were heroes, every one.

And 'tho sometimes to his neighbors
His tales became a joke,
All his buddies listened quietly
For they knew where of he spoke.

But we'll hear his tales no longer,
For ol' Joe has passed away,
And the world's a little poorer
For a Veteran died today.

He won't be mourned by many,
Just his children and his wife.
For he lived an ordinary,
Very quiet sort of life.

He held a job and raised a family,
Going quietly on his way;
And the world won't note his passing,
'Tho a Veteran died today.

When politicians leave this earth,
Their bodies lie in state,
While thousands note their passing,
And proclaim that they were great.

Papers tell of their life stories
From the time that they were young,
But the passing of a Veteran
Goes unnoticed, and unsung.

Is the greatest contribution
To the welfare of our land,
Some jerk who breaks his promise
And cons his fellow man?

Or the ordinary fellow
Who in times of war and strife,
Goes off to serve his country
And offers up his life?

The politician's stipend
And the style in which he lives,
Are often disproportionate,
To the service that he gives.

While the ordinary Veteran,
Who offered up his all,
Is paid off with a medal
And perhaps a pension, small.

It is not the politicians
With their compromise and ploys,
Who won for us the freedom
That our country now enjoys.

Should you find yourself in danger,
With your enemies at hand,
Would you really want some cop-out,
With his ever-waffling stand?

Or would you want a Veteran
His home, his country, his kin,
Just a common Veteran,
Who would fight until the end.

He was just a common Veteran,
And his ranks are growing thin,
But his presence should remind us
We may need his likes again.

For when countries are in conflict,
We find the Veteran's part,
Is to clean up all the troubles
That the politicians start.

If we cannot do him honor
While he's here to hear the praise,
Then at least let's give him homage
At the ending of his days.

Perhaps just a simple headline
In the paper that might say:
"OUR COUNTRY IS IN MOURNING,
A VETERAN DIED TODAY.”

Author 'Unknown’

[dlr110]

Very good Jerry, thank you...

[doglegg]

Well said.

[royal0014]

Just excellent ...

[Just Plain Dave]

I was too young for Vietnam and too old for Desert Storm.
But from the bottom of my heart I thank all the Vets from all the wars.

[jerryd6818]

I was too young for Vietnam and too old for Desert Storm.
But from the bottom of my heart I thank all the Vets from all the wars.

Dave we don't get to choose when we're born nor the events that are happening around us during our lifetime but we do get to choose how we treat our neighbor and our fellow man during our lifetime.


A fella I went through boot camp with recently reconnected with me, inquiring about my health and present status. He sent the following:

"My eyes have seen things yours have not

My heart has burned in ways yours cannot

My soul has bled in ways yours will not

The have nots, cannots and the will nots are the sheep of our nation

They sleep without fear because I am the wolf that keeps the other wolves at bay

I am a United States Marine"

[dlr110]

God Bless you Marine.

[jerryd6818]

God Bless you Marine.

As Tiny Tim said, "God bless us, every one!"

[fergusontd]

That can be said for all the branches of the Military, from all the men on military bases and all the ships at sea! They have the watch! ftd

[jerryd6818]

That can be said for all the branches of the Military, from all the men on military bases and all the ships at sea! They have the watch! ftd

Aye laddie. I had no intention of inferring anything less.