Nam vets didnt deserve what they got

[strollingbones]

no high...claiming to be heroes...there was just a case in real life.....

Phony Veterans and POW's - Article Index

as to people being vets or not......i have seen way too many fakes but high, people fake everything on the net, now dont they?

 

[editec]

If all these vets are coming forward with these stories, I have to believe them.

Depends on who you believe, I suppose

I think a lot of self proclaiming vets here are fakes.


When they start telling me stories about how they were spit on, I think they're entirely full of shit.

I was there, sport, I know they're full of shit.

 

[High_Gravity]

If all these vets are coming forward with these stories, I have to believe them.

Depends on who you believe, I suppose

I think a lot of self proclaiming vets here are fakes.


When they start telling me stories about how they were spit on, I think they're entirely full of shit.

I was there, sport, I know they're full of shit.

Who specifically on here do you think is full of shit?

 

[High_Gravity]

no high...claiming to be heroes...there was just a case in real life.....

Phony Veterans and POW's - Article Index

as to people being vets or not......i have seen way too many fakes but high, people fake everything on the net, now dont they?

Yes but these guys who lie make up outlandish stories, I haven't see anyone on this thread do that yet.

 

[strollingbones]

If all these vets are coming forward with these stories, I have to believe them.

Depends on who you believe, I suppose

I think a lot of self proclaiming vets here are fakes.


When they start telling me stories about how they were spit on, I think they're entirely full of shit.

I was there, sport, I know they're full of shit.

Who specifically on here do you think is full of shit?

o you are addressing ed.......


i am so glad of that.....

 

[strollingbones]

so you really think these men came back and didnt defend themselves....

i dont....

i think all these men saying they were spit on or know someone who was are full of mal....

i will continue to say that....you cannot allow movies to write history....unfortunately its acceptable today to be that damn ignore of history

 

[High_Gravity]

so you really think these men came back and didnt defend themselves....

i dont....

i think all these men saying they were spit on or know someone who was are full of mal....

i will continue to say that....you cannot allow movies to write history....unfortunately its acceptable today to be that damn ignore of history

Who says some didn't fight back? you really think none of the tens of thousands of returning veterans were spit on? some wack jobs threw their blood into an Army recruiting station in 2005, so I don't think someone spitting on a soldier is a long shot.

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/1346689/posts

 

[strollingbones]

color me a skeptic on all things

 

[skipper]

Quite an interesting read here.

"I think the date was March 7, 1972. I was in the San Francisco airport. I had just showered and put a fresh uniform (Air Force) on for my first leg home. Walking out to my gate I passed a 'hippie' who spat upon me and continued walking in the opposite direction, without a word.

I made nothing of the incident for two reasons:
(1) I was happy to be going home after 367 days in Thailand, and didn't want anything to screw it up, and
(2) Officers who get in public fights, while in uniform, are dealt with in a fairly severe fashion."

-- Chris Ramel

Real facts about Vietnam Veterans

 

[High_Gravity]

Quite an interesting read here.

"I think the date was March 7, 1972. I was in the San Francisco airport. I had just showered and put a fresh uniform (Air Force) on for my first leg home. Walking out to my gate I passed a 'hippie' who spat upon me and continued walking in the opposite direction, without a word.

I made nothing of the incident for two reasons:
(1) I was happy to be going home after 367 days in Thailand, and didn't want anything to screw it up, and
(2) Officers who get in public fights, while in uniform, are dealt with in a fairly severe fashion."
-- Chris Ramel

Real facts about Vietnam Veterans

I can vouch for this, if a Military member gets into a fight off post and is arrested he has to not only deal with the authorities off base but also answer to his commander on post, it can be a real fuckin pass in the ass.

 

[strollingbones]

all of these seem to be first person reports with nothing else to back them up......


he exaggerations in Smith's story are characteristic of those told by others. ''Most Vietnam veterans were spat on when we came back," he said. That's not true. A 1971 Harris poll conducted for the Veterans Administration found over 90 percent of Vietnam veterans reporting a friendly homecoming. Far from spitting on veterans, the antiwar movement welcomed them into its ranks and thousands of veterans joined the opposition to the war.

Boston.com / News / Boston Globe / Opinion / Op-ed / Debunking a spitting image

sooooo all these spit upon vets returned after 1971 or what?

 

[rightwinger]

Quite an interesting read here.

"I think the date was March 7, 1972. I was in the San Francisco airport. I had just showered and put a fresh uniform (Air Force) on for my first leg home. Walking out to my gate I passed a 'hippie' who spat upon me and continued walking in the opposite direction, without a word.

I made nothing of the incident for two reasons:
(1) I was happy to be going home after 367 days in Thailand, and didn't want anything to screw it up, and
(2) Officers who get in public fights, while in uniform, are dealt with in a fairly severe fashion."

-- Chris Ramel

Real facts about Vietnam Veterans

A common thread....some "hippie" spat on me and I did nothing

First off.......more hippies were spat on than soldiers ever were. There are actual reports from the time of hippies being spat on and beaten up

I really doubt any serviceman would allow himself to be spat upon without retaliating. Especially by some hippie

 

[The Gadfly]

the vets who claim they were spit on...there is no proof of that....no documentation.....dont you think there would be a fight that lead to arrests.....

high what would your reaction be to someone spitting on you?

think it thru.....someone spits on you.....you lose it you do what.....get into a fist fight....and yet there were none?

do you really expect me to believe that these men would not defend themselves? that they walk with their heads down as they were spit on? really high....just think about that....

i have a higher opinion of men in general...i dont know where you are from but here that is such a disgusting act....most wont tolerate it....

No, Bones, actually I don't. Every incident I'm aware of, whether personally, or from first hand reports from other vets, we were in uniform (either traveling or off post in a military town) We didn't fight back; how could we? We were still in uniform, still active, still representing our country. We had too much pride and discipline to hit a civilian, even with that kind of provocation.

What everyone needs to understand is that the anti-war movement got so widespread, that it included a lot of different types of people, from fringe nuts, to ordinary folks, even some vets themselves. The few individuals (and it was individuals, not an organized group, as far as I ever saw), who would spit, or curse, or throw blood, urine, etc.) were apparently the lunatic fringe. I've talked to guys who had antiwar people offer them a soft drink, and tell them they were glad they made it home. I have no reason to doubt that. That doesn't change my opinion of the ones who were truly ugly, but I think we need to keep that part in perspective. A lot of what did or did not happen to individual vets very much depended on where you were; most stories I've heard came from incidents in the West Coast states. I had one incident, in an army town that also is home to a major state university. In my case I was in uniform, on the street, and this guy who looked like a college kid spat on me as he passed by and said something like "Mother fucking baby-killer!". I saw essentially the same thing happen to another soldier, also in uniform. For the most part, other stories I've heard from other vets are similar. Some of it was more subtle; someone would see a uniformed soldier, and make a pointed display of tuning their back on him, that kind of thing; curses and angry epithets "Storm trooper" "Nazi", "baby killer" were more common.

I didn't experience much after I left the army; I do remember a couple incidents in bars. I had a pretty bad facial scar (since mostly fixed) and this one guy came up and asked "Get that in 'Nam?" I said yes, and the reply was, "Then you deserve it, you murdering pig!' I remember being surprised, because he was an older guy (forties, maybe). There were a couple of similar incidents I had, with that; I remember one girl whose response was to try to throw a drink in my face (she was so drunk she mostly missed).

Like I said earlier, the worst part was having no one to talk to, and the feeling of being rejected and unwanted; all that in a country that had changed so much in the year I was gone that it was hard to make sense of it all anyway.

INcidentally, I've never seen the movie some people keep talking about. I pretty much lost my taste for war movies after Vietnam, and the only ones made since that time I've seen were "Patton" and "Saving Private Ryan". I haven't actually watched any of the movies made about Vietnam, and can't say I ever want to. I've had too many replays of the real thing in my head for too damn long anyway.

 

[High_Gravity]

the vets who claim they were spit on...there is no proof of that....no documentation.....dont you think there would be a fight that lead to arrests.....

high what would your reaction be to someone spitting on you?

think it thru.....someone spits on you.....you lose it you do what.....get into a fist fight....and yet there were none?

do you really expect me to believe that these men would not defend themselves? that they walk with their heads down as they were spit on? really high....just think about that....

i have a higher opinion of men in general...i dont know where you are from but here that is such a disgusting act....most wont tolerate it....

No, Bones, actually I don't. Every incident I'm aware of, whether personally, or from first hand reports from other vets, we were in uniform (either traveling or off post in a military town) We didn't fight back; how could we? We were still in uniform, still active, still representing our country. We had too much pride and discipline to hit a civilian, even with that kind of provocation.
What everyone needs to understand is that the anti-war movement got so widespread, that it included a lot of different types of people, from fringe nuts, to ordinary folks, even some vets themselves. The few individuals (and it was individuals, not an organized group, as far as I ever saw), who would spit, or curse, or throw blood, urine, etc.) were apparently the lunatic fringe. I've talked to guys who had antiwar people offer them a soft drink, and tell them they were glad they made it home. I have no reason to doubt that. That doesn't change my opinion of the ones who were truly ugly, but I think we need to keep that part in perspective. A lot of what did or did not happen to individual vets very much depended on where you were; most stories I've heard came from incidents in the West Coast states. I had one incident, in an army town that also is home to a major state university. In my case I was in uniform, on the street, and this guy who looked like a college kid spat on me as he passed by and said something like "Mother fucking baby-killer!". I saw essentially the same thing happen to another soldier, also in uniform. For the most part, other stories I've heard from other vets are similar. Some of it was more subtle; someone would see a uniformed soldier, and make a pointed display of tuning their back on him, that kind of thing; curses and angry epithets "Storm trooper" "Nazi", "baby killer" were more common.

I didn't experience much after I left the army; I do remember a couple incidents in bars. I had a pretty bad facial scar (since mostly fixed) and this one guy came up and asked "Get that in 'Nam?" I said yes, and the reply was, "Then you deserve it, you murdering pig!' I remember being surprised, because he was an older guy (forties, maybe). There were a couple of similar incidents I had, with that; I remember one girl whose response was to try to throw a drink in my face (she was so drunk she mostly missed).

Like I said earlier, the worst part was having no one to talk to, and the feeling of being rejected and unwanted; all that in a country that had changed so much in the year I was gone that it was hard to make sense of it all anyway.

INcidentally, I've never seen the movie some people keep talking about. I pretty much lost my taste for war movies after Vietnam, and the only ones made since that time I've seen were "Patton" and "Saving Private Ryan". I haven't actually watched any of the movies made about Vietnam, and can't say I ever want to. I've had too many replays of the real thing in my head for too damn long anyway.

I think its the same thing when the Westboro Baptist Church clowns protest outside of Military funerals, the Service men don't beat their asses because they are disciplined not to act that way in uniform.

 

[bodecea]

Quite an interesting read here.

"I think the date was March 7, 1972. I was in the San Francisco airport. I had just showered and put a fresh uniform (Air Force) on for my first leg home. Walking out to my gate I passed a 'hippie' who spat upon me and continued walking in the opposite direction, without a word.

I made nothing of the incident for two reasons:
(1) I was happy to be going home after 367 days in Thailand, and didn't want anything to screw it up, and
(2) Officers who get in public fights, while in uniform, are dealt with in a fairly severe fashion."
-- Chris Ramel

Real facts about Vietnam Veterans

I can vouch for this, if a Military member gets into a fight off post and is arrested he has to not only deal with the authorities off base but also answer to his commander on post, it can be a real fuckin pass in the ass.

However, I don't believe that would have automatically been the case back then...nothing loosens regulations like a war, you know.

 

[The Gadfly]

Quite an interesting read here.

"I think the date was March 7, 1972. I was in the San Francisco airport. I had just showered and put a fresh uniform (Air Force) on for my first leg home. Walking out to my gate I passed a 'hippie' who spat upon me and continued walking in the opposite direction, without a word.

I made nothing of the incident for two reasons:
(1) I was happy to be going home after 367 days in Thailand, and didn't want anything to screw it up, and
(2) Officers who get in public fights, while in uniform, are dealt with in a fairly severe fashion."
-- Chris Ramel

Real facts about Vietnam Veterans

I can vouch for this, if a Military member gets into a fight off post and is arrested he has to not only deal with the authorities off base but also answer to his commander on post, it can be a real fuckin pass in the ass.

ESPECIALLY, if you are an officer! The army back then had no tolerance for that, and I doubt it's any different now; we were held to a higher standard of personal conduct than that.

 

[High_Gravity]

Quite an interesting read here.


Real facts about Vietnam Veterans

I can vouch for this, if a Military member gets into a fight off post and is arrested he has to not only deal with the authorities off base but also answer to his commander on post, it can be a real fuckin pass in the ass.

However, I don't believe that would have automatically been the case back then...nothing loosens regulations like a war, you know.

Well I wasn't around back than but it is like that now, the Military can't stand people who act the fool in uniform.

 

[High_Gravity]

Quite an interesting read here.


Real facts about Vietnam Veterans

I can vouch for this, if a Military member gets into a fight off post and is arrested he has to not only deal with the authorities off base but also answer to his commander on post, it can be a real fuckin pass in the ass.

ESPECIALLY, if you are an officer! The army back then had no tolerance for that, and I doubt it's any different now; we were held to a higher standard of personal conduct than that.

It still is like that as far as I know, I got out in 2007 and they expected people to be on their best behavior in uniform.

 

[The Gadfly]

Quite an interesting read here.

"I think the date was March 7, 1972. I was in the San Francisco airport. I had just showered and put a fresh uniform (Air Force) on for my first leg home. Walking out to my gate I passed a 'hippie' who spat upon me and continued walking in the opposite direction, without a word.

I made nothing of the incident for two reasons:
(1) I was happy to be going home after 367 days in Thailand, and didn't want anything to screw it up, and
(2) Officers who get in public fights, while in uniform, are dealt with in a fairly severe fashion."

-- Chris Ramel

Real facts about Vietnam Veterans

A common thread....some "hippie" spat on me and I did nothing

First off.......more hippies were spat on than soldiers ever were. There are actual reports from the time of hippies being spat on and beaten up

I really doubt any serviceman would allow himself to be spat upon without retaliating. Especially by some hippie

That last sentence is off-base, RW. The second may actually have some truth to it, depending on when and where you're talking about.

 

[9thIDdoc]

And so we see that de nial is more than just a river.

Actually the hate was mostly directed at anyone in uniform rather than vetrans returning from Vietnam.
A high precentage were discharged, or otherwise allowed out of uniform, immediately on return from overseas.
I went to Vietnam after being stationed in SF and never had any more direct confontations so I suspect that the vast majority of those targeted had never even had an opportunity to burn any of those babies were so fond of
It might also be remembered that the hippies rarely really showed out unless they outnumbered their targets a thousand to one or more. And many of their more serious antics were very well documented and often seen at home on the evening news programs. Being unwilling, or too lazy, to look for documentation doesn't mean it doesn't mean it doesn't exist.